asgn_2

=Assignment #2= The following SMART Notebook presentation begins a unit titled "Inside the Earth". It's a simple review of the basic layers of the earth pretending to take a journey to the inside. The presentation begins with looking at what the students know and ends with them creating a journal of their travels clearing up any misconceptions they may have had at the beginning of the presentation.
 * SMART Notebook Files! - Session 2 - Asgn 1 **

Differentiation Web Resources Review: website #1: ** [|UDL @ a Glance] Video **
 * The video clip was a great way to describe what Universal Design for Learning is all about. To many, I believe, we've done UDL in one shape or another - but it's the lingo that gets all caught up in are we "doing it or not". Back to the video/website.... it is a great video to either reinforce or introduce UDL to staff to help them in meeting the needs of the classroom diversity we see each day. The video hits upon three ideas (representation - action/expression - multiple means of engagement). With multiple representation - we as teachers need to continue to provide and search out ways to bring out our instruction with different forms of media. All our students are NOT cut from the same cookie cutter - so the more diverse we are in our representation - more opportunity exists to reach all learners. Second - Action/Expression: This is basically allowing students the opportunity to have options for expressing what they know. (Again - not all are from the same mold). The beauty is that it allows for an individual to show what they know on their own level. Lastly - Multiple means of Engagement: CHOICES! - if there's one word that stands out with UDL - it's CHOICES! - The students need to have choices in their learning (increases the engagement and maintains their interest. It allows for different levels of risk taking and encourages students and limits barriers in their learning. UDL = Learning for All! **

website #2: ** [|How to Differentiate Instruction] : **
 * Differentiated Learning = maximized learning opportunities for all! - I liked the early statement that for many, schools are imagined as factories pumping out learners (insert other descriptors of the educational system's product). Everything is sterile and standardized. Jonny is the same to that of Sally. With Differentiated learning, one is meeting the student’s needs and teachers (facilitators) are the ones finding ways to help make the connections for students in their learning. The website provides some great resources based on what the research tells us... 1) it's brain-based - the idea that the more we learn about how a student learns - the better equipped teachers are to provide instruction that maximizes students learning and the learning outcomes within a lesson. 2) Multiple Intelligences - the idea that one addresses the different learning styles (visual/auditory/kinesthetic) and learn the preferences of one’s students. 3) Authentic Assessment - the idea that there's not a one size fits all assessment that tests on what has been taught/learned. The assessment needs to measure up to the curriculum and what was taught. **

[|Blog Entry] : Differentiated Web Resources - not sure what happened, but it got post-dated back to July 8th! [|Click here] to jump to my blog entry!
 * Two very good websites. **

**SMART Notebook Files! - Session 3 - Asgn 2** The second SMART Notebook presentation continues the journey within the unit titled "Inside the Earth". It's the start to the story of Plate Tectonics and the it all begins with Alfred Wegener. This is the start of the class story/journey as we put the pieces together to create an understanding of the Theory of Plate Tectonics (Where we're at today!)

The third SMART Notebook presentation completes the story of Continental Drift and Alfred Wegener. It has one gallery assessment and one self-created assessment - both combining information from the two notebook presentations on the Theory of Continental Drift. =Available File Downloads:=

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