Harmony Turner
Standard 5: Application of Content
The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
Overview of Standard
Overall, my understanding of Standard 5 is as follows: teachers must be advocates for creative, flexible, interdisciplinary, meaningful, diverse, and impactful learning, particularly savvy in the understanding of associated knowledge, local and global ties, and overarching perspectives linked to the various content areas. Teachers must possess a certain level of achievement in their own understanding and application of content knowledge, again most importantly, concerning the real-world connections, being sure to also be equipped with the technological means to implement opportunities for students to build both individual and collective understandings. It is the teacher's utmost responsibility to promote projects, inquiry, creative problem solving, innovative solutions, original work, cross-disciplinary literacy, resources, and communication, in order for students to develop and discover the tools to foster a thorough grasp of content knowledge.
Artifact #1:
Centers Descriptions; Youtube File; Link
The artifact I am presenting is a description of two unique “Centers” that I have collaborated on with respect to my CT's original work and content materials. These two centers will be utilized among 10 other centers, for the duration of my solo teaching. Centers in and of themselves promote learner exploration, discovery, and expression. Combined with the ideas that I'm hoping to inspire through the center activities, I believe I will be meeting this standard descriptor; flexibility is also inextricably linked to centers, being that rotations are based on student progress, to include room for additional challenge, independent and peer-based experimentation, and teacher support. The six centers are: language arts, math, social studies, science, art, and listening.
The two center projects that I am focusing this artifact around, and those which I had a greater creative hand in, are part of listening centers. For the first center rotation, I plan to have the Kindergarteners listen to audio of whales singing. Our unit is on ocean animals. After they listen, they will be asked to draw on white paper what they imagine it looks like for whales to sing/echolocate - likely an abstract drawing. For the second centers rotation, I planned a technology-based project where students will combine images and found information using an iPad application (Pic, Play, Post), in order to create a mini presentation. This center is being introduced after an important interaction takes place between the Kindergarteners and their 3rd grade book buddies. The 3rd graders will essentially be providing a tutorial for the Kinders on how to use this particular iPad app. Depending on how this interaction goes, the Kindergarteners may or may not already be able to get a head start on creating their presentations. Otherwise, this second center rotation will serve as an additional opportunity. I will also be available to work with those in this listening center daily, since only three students are ever in one center.
Artifact #2:
Lesson Plan (PDF); Photo
Descriptor: 5(s): The teacher values flexible learning environments that encourage learner exploration, discovery, and expression across content areas.
This is the youtube video I utilized for Listening Center, Rotation #1. However, I only had the children listen to the audio, not each the video, to promote creativity and imagination.
Descriptor: 5(f) The teacher engages learners in generating and evaluating new ideas and novel approaches, seeking inventive solutions to problems, and developing original work.
This artifact provides a close look at what went into the creation and delivery of a unique lesson, one specifically concerned with the effects of humans on marine life. In conjunction with my solo month's focus (ocean animals), I wanted to engage learners in a collaborative, reflective, and productive experience, wherein they would need to brainstorm new ideas concerning human impact. My goal was for students to interact through peer-work, in order to invent a tool that could help save sea turtles from plastic trash in the ocean; the bigger picture would be unique solutions to a very prevalent problem in our world today, with aims to affect change on the world of tomorrow.
I am always humbled by the thinking and creativity ready to be set free from my students' minds. They need only the space, time, and encouragement to truly make some remarkable discoveries on their own. As a follow up to this lesson, I would like to spend additional time bringing the initial renditions (sketches) of tools to life, using the design thinking process. Luckily, time at least allowed for the students to share their ideas with one another, further defining the originality of the work.
Students work in peer groups to design a tool, in order to free the turtle.