Review Games-Kahoot

Reviewing for a test or a quiz can seem like a drag for some students. To avoid students losing focus, there are fun apps that can help students review in class or at home.

My new favorite is the website kahoot. Students log into the game code and are asked questions and answers in a format that gives points for answering the question accurately and quickly. Students choose from different choices predetermined by the teacher and gain points for choosing the correct answer in the least amount of time.

Students love this game since it is colorful, engaging, and fun. The game allows students to enter their real names or nicknames and shows who has the most points after each question answered.

This website is highly recommended to anyone who can access tablets or computers in the classroom. It is appropriate for any age, any subject, and any moment when wishing to create a review that is meaningful and fun.

Economy: 4th Grade Lesson Plan

In our fourth grade class, we started discussing the economy. After reading various articles found on SuperTeacher and ReadWorks, we decided to dig into the topic deeper. Here are some ideas that should be useful when introducing various parts of the economy.

1. Create a concept map with the class


4th grade, lesson plans, teacher, money

2. Watch “Money” and “Supply and Demand” BrainPOP.

**Must have an username and password for videos and activities to work** 

3. After watching the videos, BrainPOP has great follow up activities/questions.

  • BrainPOP questions about money.
  • BrainPOP cause and effect graphic organizer about supply/demand.

4. Reflection Questions:

  • What is the difference between supply and demand?
  • What determines the price of an object?
  • What is money and what is it used for?
  • List multiple ways people can pay for goods/services.
  • How can supply and demand affect the pricing of an object
  • How does a business decide how to price a good or service?

5. Economy: Business Plan Project

  • Students will be able to create their own business and apply their understanding of profit, producers, consumers, natural resources, and money.
  • Business Plan Rubric

 

Favorite Blog Posts for the Week

As I have been searching the internet reading about one of my favorite topic—education—I have come across some fantastic blog posts. I have listed my top 5 favorites of the week below: (Note: These blogs below contain different writing styles, education levels, and topics).

1. 10 Ideas to Move Innovation Forward http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/3890

2. Who am I? Words I’d use to describe myself with before my diagnosis. (written from a 12 year old who blogs almost daily) http://autisticandproud.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/who-am-i-words-id-use-to-describe-myself-with-before-my-diagnosis/

3. The Incredible Power of a Single Pair of Glasses http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mick-ebeling/eyewriter-ted-talk_b_3158106.html?ir=TED+Weekends&ref=topbar

4. How Public Health can Deliver Breakthroughs for the Autism Community: http://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2013/06/04/how-public-health-can-deliver-breakthroughs-autism-community

5. Autistic and Proud…in School Magazine (our 12 year old boy with autism makes the list a second time!!) http://autisticandproud.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/autistic-and-proud-in-school-magazine/

If you have come across any great blog post, please comment and let me know below!

Thanks!

‘All those child psychologists who said “John prefers to play by himself” were dead wrong’.

 “I did not want to play alone, I played alone because I was a failure at playing with others.” -John Elder Robison

Another touching, yet scary realization John Elder Robison shares in his book, Look Me in the Eye.

“As a functional Aspergian adult, one thing troubles me deeply about those kids who end up behind the second door. Many descriptions of autism and Asperger’s describe people like me as “not wanting contact with others” or “preferring to play alone.” I can not speak for other kids, but I’d like to be very clear about my own feelings: I did not ever want to be alone. And all those child psychologists who said “John prefers to play by himself” were dead wrong. I played by myself because I was a failure at playing with others. I was alone as a result of my own limitations, and being alone was one of the bitterest disappointments of my young life. The sting of those early failures followed me long into adulthood, even after I learned about Asperger’s.”

Passage taken from: Robison, John Elder. Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s. New York: Crown, 2007. Pg 211.

I do not know about you but this passage hit me hard. As a teacher, I wonder how I am supposed to encourage the play of all students when some students on the outside seem unwilling to play with others. Students tend to avoid activities that are hard so it should not come to a shock when a student with Asperger’s removes themselves from a group of people to feel “safe” or more “secure”.

Throughout my years of interacting with students, I have learned that every child wants to be accepted and loved for who they are as individuals. While some people are definitely more extraverted than others, no one wants to live life fully alone. We must be sure to include students the best we can and create opportunities of play for students who struggle. Without the child knowing, teachers can be consciousness of who they pair a student with Asperger’s with and create environments that encourage structured playing time. Structured playing time may help the child with Asperger’s to play with more ease and not feel the bitter disappointment of playing alone.

Students with Asperger’s can also be taught and instructed in what is considered appropriate behavior. Students without Asperger’s must also be taught how one should treat and include all human beings. With this said, teachers can have classroom discussions that include all students about appropriate behavior during play, recess, or lunch to help create an inclusive and safe environment for all students to interact and feel included.

I believe the teacher or the parent plays a huge role in setting the standard of how students in her classroom or home treat one another. Students can be taught basic principles of respect, understanding, and manners. This simple classroom discussion can lead to happy people and happy students, and prevent more passages as the one read above about John Elder Robison.

 As stated in a previous post, I highly recommend the book: “Look Me in the Eye” by John Elder Robinson to gain a better understanding on people with Aspergers.