Tuesday Teacher Tips
October 21, 2014
Sloths, CCSS & NGSS, Video Projects Your Kids will Love
Sloth International Day was October 19
I'm not entirely sure how I missed the news about Sloth International Day, but I am two days behind on this.
To celebrate, there are some fun fiction and nonfiction pairings that you can find in the library that your students might get a kick out of (CCSS RI.9).
In the November, 2014 issue of OWL, you can read an article about "Sloth Science" by Maria Birmingham and learn about the newly discovered symbiotic relationship between sloths and the sloth moth. The article includes a great Sloth-Moth-Algae Ecosystem graphic that gets to the bottom of how the two species work together. This article could provide a great discussion point for:
To celebrate, there are some fun fiction and nonfiction pairings that you can find in the library that your students might get a kick out of (CCSS RI.9).
In the November, 2014 issue of OWL, you can read an article about "Sloth Science" by Maria Birmingham and learn about the newly discovered symbiotic relationship between sloths and the sloth moth. The article includes a great Sloth-Moth-Algae Ecosystem graphic that gets to the bottom of how the two species work together. This article could provide a great discussion point for:
- NGSS standard 2- LS4-1 "Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats"
- NGSS 3-LS2-1 "Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive."
- NGSS 4-LS1-1 "Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior and reproduction"
- NGSS 5-LS2-1 "Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment'
Come check out the whole magazine from our library, and while you're here, check out some of the resources below:)
Sparky by Jenny Offill & Chris Appelhans
Is the story of a little girl whose mother made a deal with her that she could have any pet as long as it didn't need to be walked, bathed or fed, so naturally she gets a sloth! Great for talking about how character respond to challenges!
CCSS RL.2.3
CCSS RL.2.3
"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," Said the Sloth by Eric Carl
A classic Eric Carl book with a variety of animals that could be compared to the sloth in terms of size, color, and ability. The book also has many wonderful synonyms for the word slow, and could be used in a thesaurus activity.
CCSS RI.4
CCSS RI.4
A Little Book of Sloth by Lucy Cook
Describes how sloths are rescued and cared for in Costa Rico. Plus it has tons of super cute pictures of sloths.
CCSS RI.2
CCSS RI.2
Need to Liven Up an Old Project? Let Your Students Give Video a Try!
Today, with the availability of Smartphones and iPads, videos are a great way to assess student learning, even for the youngest of learners who know more than they are able to write.
The article "10 Video Projects Every Teacher Should Try" by Hannah Hudson gives a list of just that - 10 excellent video projects. Some of my favorites include: book trailers, how-to videos, and take a stand videos - but don't take my word for it, check out her whole list.
Be sure to share the work your students have done by uploading the videos to your webpage, or to a school approved video or social media sharing service. You can protect the privacy of your students if you use something like YouTube by creating private channels, or making your videos "unlisted" so that only people with the link can see them.
If you are interested in having your class make book trailers, check out the resources Stephanie Griffith and I have compiled here "21st Century Book Talks and Trailers". We can also connect book trailers your students make to our JES Destiny page and students can search for them!
Need a few rubrics for your video projects? Check out Kathy Shrock's Assessment and Rubrics page under "Multimedia and apps rubrics" for a list with links to rubrics of different project types. It's a great place to start for ideas!
The article "10 Video Projects Every Teacher Should Try" by Hannah Hudson gives a list of just that - 10 excellent video projects. Some of my favorites include: book trailers, how-to videos, and take a stand videos - but don't take my word for it, check out her whole list.
Be sure to share the work your students have done by uploading the videos to your webpage, or to a school approved video or social media sharing service. You can protect the privacy of your students if you use something like YouTube by creating private channels, or making your videos "unlisted" so that only people with the link can see them.
If you are interested in having your class make book trailers, check out the resources Stephanie Griffith and I have compiled here "21st Century Book Talks and Trailers". We can also connect book trailers your students make to our JES Destiny page and students can search for them!
Need a few rubrics for your video projects? Check out Kathy Shrock's Assessment and Rubrics page under "Multimedia and apps rubrics" for a list with links to rubrics of different project types. It's a great place to start for ideas!
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Email: heidi.neltner@fortthomas.kyschools.us
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