The Digital Broadside
News You Can Use
Let's Think About September!
OK.... sorry, I suck. But I think reflection is important for teachers, but sometimes, you need to know what to reflect about. So, before students leave, let them give you some ideas on how you can change your classroom.
Edutopia has a good article on this with things you can do with your students before they leave, for example:
Five-Item Lists
Hand out 5x7 note cards to your students. On one side of the card, ask them to list five things that helped them learn during the year. On the other side, they'll write five things that made it hard for them to learn. No names are required. While they are doing this, take your own card and on each side write your predictions of what you think will be your students' most common answers. Later, compare the students' set with your predictions. See how accurate you were, and find items that give you ideas on how to improve your teaching. Add these items to your master list in the appropriate categories.
For more ideas, read here.
Henrico 21
- Moody Middle School|Research and Information Fluency and Creativity and Innovation: Meghan Madden, Vanessa Jante, and Emily Burns with The Immigration Experience
- Moody Middle School|Creativity and Innovation: Meghan Madden, Vanessa Jante, and Emily Burns with Let Me Take a Selfie
- Moody Middle School|Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Meghan Madden and Dawson Rae with Perspectives on the Boston Massacre
- Short Pump Middle School|Communication and Collaboration: Amy Buchanan with Colonial Time Warp
- Deep Run High School|Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Dan Dickey and Elizabeth Berry for Memorializing History
- Glen Allen High School|Research and Information Fluency: Drew Baker for his student TED Talks.
Congratulations to all of them and others who contributed to Henrico 21.
Fed Challenge
They look at unemployment, inflation, and other economic indicators and discussed whether they would increase interest rates or other measures. The students are then judged on how well they understood cause and effect of economic policies. Each hearing lasted about 15 minutes where they had a presentation and then answered questions from the panel.
In the picture is: Jack Fleming, Nathan Lin, and Abigail Thompson.
Henrico Authentic Assessment Pilot Team
For the last two weeks, 8 middle school teachers and ITRTs representing each region of the county, SPED, regular ed and advanced have created 4 Authentic Assessment lessons for 6th and 7th grade to help all teachers fulfill the new VDOE requirements for Authentic Assessments since we no longer have SOLs.
Over the summer, they will create 4 more so that we have at least one Authentic Assessment tool for each of the 9 week periods.
We need other teachers who want to do these assessments in their class and share the results. Right now, the goal is one 6th and 7th grade teacher from each middle school.
We will meet on August 18 for training, training for which you will be paid curriculum writing money ($20/hour).
If you're interested, please let your department chair know.
Baker Without Borders
Summer PD
I'm planning on 3 sessions this summer to help plan for next year:
AP Euro is being redesigned this year. Schuyler Van Valkenburg is attending the training and leading a session for HCPS AP Euro teachers who could not attend their own training. This will be on August 10, 9am at Glen Allen High School. It should end at noon, but it depends on the actual training done by the College Board and how much of a change it is.
APUSH
With one year of the redesign under out belt, I'd like for APUSH teachers to meet on June 15, 10am at Hermitage High School to discuss the year and how to move forward. This will end at noon.
World Geography
As World Geo numbers increase in HCPS, it's important that we share the wealth when it comes to our resources. All interested teachers will meet on June 15, 9:30am at Hermitage High School. This should end at noon with maybe some digital sharing being done over the rest of summer.
Teacher|Student Opportunities
American Revolution Institute
Music to Celebrate the 2nd of July
Thursday, July 2
6 p.m.
Free admission
Celebrate the Second of July, the day the Continental Congress voted for independence, with music the Founding Fathers knew well. David and Ginger Hildebrand of the Colonial Music Institute perform 18th-century songs—including ballads, marches, dance tunes and theater songs—in costume with period instruments.
Teaching Dharmic Traditions
India is an ancient civilization with widespread social, political, linguistic, cultural, philosophical, artistic, religious, spiritual, and natural diversity. In recent decades, it has taken center stage with its global economic and political roles. Teaching India in classrooms is becoming more interesting and important, but its complexity and diversity pose a challenge to any teacher in a grade school.
Participants will be required to attend the five-day training session, from July 13th – July 17th, 2015, at Bridgewater State University. This will be an immersion program with cultural events in the evenings. Participants will be required to attend the complete session (day and evening cultural events) of the five-day training program. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in the four Dharmic Traditions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism) have created training materials and teacher training modules for the recipients of these fellowships.
"See Freedom Speak - Teacher Institutes"
Virginia Historical Society
NOTE: The E. Claiborne Robins Institute is to help APUSH teachers with the redesign.
For more information, click here
2015 Stratford Hall Summer Institute for Teachers
From the afternoon of July 15 through noon on July 18, 2015, twenty-five teachers from across Virginia and the nation will have a unique opportunity to participate in a practical educational experience.
Set on the grounds of Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County, Virginia, home of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, this four-day workshop will feature lectures from four nationally respected scholars and workshops led by a nationally prominent Master Teacher and Professor of Curriculum Development. Participants will examine four distinct components of the reality of Tidewater Virginia colonial life on the eve of the American Revolution. These examinations will be accomplished through the use of selected primary sources.
For more information, click here. Deadline extended to June 14!
Instructional Ideas
Podcasts x 19
YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS
I love this podcast from Karina Longworth, in which she beautifully recounts tales of old Hollywood. I’ve enjoyed her episodes about Mia Farrow and the “many loves of Howard Hughes,” though her “Star Wars” series about celebrities’ experiences during wartime is particularly outstanding.
US and European History Readers
Here is another online resources for US and European history classes. It was designed by Virginia Tech and is free to use. Just make sure you review it first to make sure you students can handle the reading.
Six Styles of Classroom Video Projects
The process of creating and publishing videos can be a great way to get students excited about researching, storytelling, and sharing their work with an audience. For teachers who have never facilitated video creation projects in their classrooms, choosing the right style of video and the right tools can be a bit confusing at first. To help bring clarity to the styles and tools, I have a rather simple outline that I use in my video creation workshops.
Primary and Secondary Sources
Here's the Vertical Articulation chart I created.
Trivia and Other Balderdash
Trivia 2014 - 2015: Teachers- 12.5 and Me- 13
Last week:
He's not a pastry. But JFK knew he was born there. But he wasn't the leader his predecessor was hoping he'd be.
No winner: the answer was Karl Donitz. Clue #1 referred to his last name, which is pronounced "donuts." Clue #2 referenced his name and "Ich bin ein berliner." We all knw that story. And last, Clue #3, if you got Germany by now, was Hitler.
This week:
Last one of the year:
Which "official" presidential landmark requires a passport to see?
TeacherFit Challenge
Here's an article that gives teachers some tips on what they can do this summer.
Contact Information
Email: mjhasley@henrico.k12.va.us
Website: blogs.henrico.k12.va.us/mjhasley
Location: 3820 Nine Mile Road, Richmond, VA, United States
Phone: 804 652-3752
Twitter: @MikeHasley