Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire

I remember several years ago being in the education program and learning about something called "backward design." It really didn't mean anything to me. Not that the instructor didn't teach it well; my brain just didn't grasp the whole concept. We went on our Junior Pairs adventure ready to teach a unit in Social Studies, whatever the teacher wanted us to teach. Jana and I were assigned a 3rd grade class at a school in Pleasant Grove. The teacher handed us a packet about the American Flag and told us to go through each page and have the students fill out the answers as we taught it. What did this have to do with backward design? We didn't think it was similar at all to what we had been taught in our Backward Design class. This didn't help the fact that I was already confused. Some how we slogged our way through it and made some lesson plans out of what we would LIKE to have done.

Now that I have actually taught for several years (this is my 9th), I have a much better idea of what I want the kids to come out with in the end, so creating this scope and sequence in science wasn't too much of a difficulty. Probably the hardest part for me was finding cool tech things the kids could do for assessments that I wasn't too intimidated by. 

As I think about the specific unit I am going to write, Moon Phases, I know what I want my outcome to be, so now working backward only makes sense! After all: 

New and Old; General and Specific

I have really enjoyed learning about new technologies! Ok, new to me, anyway :) I'm excited to see what the students will do with Digital stories, power points, scratch, and glogster, to name a few. There are, of course, the basic things that we always use, but seem to still catch the students' attention and are a nice little change-up, such as YouTube, interactive websites, and such. Those are aways a nice change and keep things mixed up. And then, of course, we have "old" ways which include videos and DVDs, and pictures we can project on the Elmo.

Content-specific technologies are more like games and apps that are specific to content. Some apps are drill and kill, and some are really good. They can help drive a concept deeper. 

Funny story about technology and apps: My principal, Mr. Westover, decided he was going to do my final observation for the year the day AFTER I came back from my shoulder surgery. There I was, huge pillow sling and all, doing everything left-handed, beginning a new unit on the sun. I found some great interactive app I thought would totally impress him. I had everything ready to go. Taylor had even come in and helped me since I am NOT ambidextrous at all. Lunch ended and the kids came in all prepped and ready to be super good for Mr. Westover. We reviewed the unit we had just finished learning (seasons) which made a great hook for the Sun. I start this fantastic lesson, and turn on my iPad to start the interactive stuff, and what do you know:

The STUPID Apple TV kept shutting off! What??? I send someone to get Mr. Frampton, pronto, because I can only do so much one handed, besides the fact that I have NO idea what the heck is going on. Mr. Westover just smiles and says, "This is why I don't mess with that stuff." Conclusion: I could have done a total direct instruction lesson, complete with worksheets, and he would have loved it.