Lessons Using Technology 1. Language Arts Powerpoints This website offers a variety of Powerpoint presentations created by other educators. Their quality varies, but there are several which are very good. For example, I recently used one to introduce the 6 traits of writing to my sophomore students. It was fairly basic, but did a nice job giving them the general idea, along with some things to pay attention to for each trait when they write.
2. This lesson is an interactive media service project found on hotchalk.com that incorporates many applications of technology. It's a rather ambitious undertaking, but I could see possibly using it as a collaborative final assessment in English 10 when we're learning about expository writing, or perhaps it could be used within the Technical Writing class taught at our school. I like it because it allows the students to focus on a real-world topic, work together, and use several technology applications to create real-world products for real-world audiences.
3. In this lesson, students begin to explore why poetry matters, as an introductory lesson to a poetry unit. One thing I really like about the lesson is that it gives students the opportunity to watch videos of real people from varied backgrounds talking about a favorite poem and why it's meaningful to them. The poems vary in tone, mood, and subject matter, and the readers include children, blue collar workers, and even a former U.S. president. It's a nice lesson to expose the kids to a variety of poems, while allowing them to hear someone other than the teacher reading them and saying they have worth. Additionally, using this lesson as a beginning activity would work beautifully with ending the unit by having kids choose a favorite poem for themselves, learn it, and recite it on videotape with a commentary about its significance. The teacher could then edit the students' videos into an iMovie or create a webpage featuring selected student videos.
4. Learnoutloud.com is awesome! It features free audio recordings of stories, poems, novels, and dramas. This would be a wonderful use of technology for struggling readers and special education students, or even as some variety in a classroom reading.
1. Language Arts Powerpoints This website offers a variety of Powerpoint presentations created by other educators. Their quality varies, but there are several which are very good. For example, I recently used one to introduce the 6 traits of writing to my sophomore students. It was fairly basic, but did a nice job giving them the general idea, along with some things to pay attention to for each trait when they write.
2. This lesson is an interactive media service project found on hotchalk.com that incorporates many applications of technology. It's a rather ambitious undertaking, but I could see possibly using it as a collaborative final assessment in English 10 when we're learning about expository writing, or perhaps it could be used within the Technical Writing class taught at our school. I like it because it allows the students to focus on a real-world topic, work together, and use several technology applications to create real-world products for real-world audiences.
3. In this lesson, students begin to explore why poetry matters, as an introductory lesson to a poetry unit. One thing I really like about the lesson is that it gives students the opportunity to watch videos of real people from varied backgrounds talking about a favorite poem and why it's meaningful to them. The poems vary in tone, mood, and subject matter, and the readers include children, blue collar workers, and even a former U.S. president. It's a nice lesson to expose the kids to a variety of poems, while allowing them to hear someone other than the teacher reading them and saying they have worth. Additionally, using this lesson as a beginning activity would work beautifully with ending the unit by having kids choose a favorite poem for themselves, learn it, and recite it on videotape with a commentary about its significance. The teacher could then edit the students' videos into an iMovie or create a webpage featuring selected student videos.
4. Learnoutloud.com is awesome! It features free audio recordings of stories, poems, novels, and dramas. This would be a wonderful use of technology for struggling readers and special education students, or even as some variety in a classroom reading.