For+Friday+the+29th

Assignments Due On Friday the 29th. Read 11, 12, 13 in Tomlinson

Schedule for the Friday the 29th.
 * Gathering / CyberCafe
 * Report In and Discussion of Readings / 426
 * these chapters held several in-depth explanations of instructional method...which ones appealed to you and why
 * Charlie Time / 426
 * [|cubing] - practice with - keeping the standard, varying the process -[| template]
 * also page 82, Tomlinson
 * locate a [|standard or grade level expectation] that is one of the usual ones you teach to (or will have to teach to); design a blue and green cubing activity for that standard
 * what have we done; how have we differentiated by process, content, product?
 * Work Time / Various Places.
 * Share Time / 426
 * Next Steps / 426
 * Read Zull Part 1.
 * Write a reflection that establishes a connection between "differentiated instruction" and any part of what Zull is putting before us.

Reactions to Today's Class. //Approximately 100 word entries//. //Please don't add separate pages here. Just add your entry to the one that comes before as a new paragraph. Leave your initials after your last sentence. CR

Today's class was interesting. I had to really think hard about a way to manipulate a lesson using the cubing technique described by Tomlinson. I think that Jenni and I focused so much on converting the technology lesson into something that could be used in the cube format, that the differentiation piece kinda fell off somewhere. I also think that I misunderstood the concept of cubing in that I thought that there had to be 6 questions, rather than tasks or activites. I looked at the cube as a way to broaden discussion, but lost the piece that it could really be used to give activities to students. Maybe it was because it was Friday?// I really liked the questions you asked, though. They were questions I'd be excited about answering and discussing with a group--very thought-provoking and assumption-challenging. True, they were primarily activating verbal/analytical modes, but it seems like you might fairly easily modify that. TA //Anyway, I still really enjoyed the class, and I continue to learn a lot from talking with people each day. I can't wait to chat with people about the Zull book next week. I am really interested to hear other people's opinion on the readings.

I hope everyone has a good weekend, and I will see you all on Monday. **-LG

**// Hi - I'm playing around with trying to do a simple podcast. So here's a very simple podcast reflection of class on Friday. You have to have Q-Time player to listen. Here's a [|download site] if you wish to do so. (Downloading QT is not a requirement for the course.)

Charlie, that was an awesome idea to use a podcast as your reflection. I really enjoyed listening to it. -LG

I was really impressed with your podcast. I had the Zull book by my side as you read that interesting quote from the end of Zull. So far I really enjoy where the book is going. Great idea Charlie! -Tara

I thought more and more about the cube activity on my drive home. I loved the ideas that everyone created. It made me think where I could expand on my initial cube. I would love to brainstorm cube ideas for all levels of learners and be a bit more imaginative in the process for their completion (i.e. not just writing their answers down).
 * Friday Reflection**

Working with Heidi was eye opening. I was able to work on something genuine for my classroom, yet work together with someone through this process. She made me think why I do, what I do in my classroom. She made me develop alternative ideas for the learners in my class. She was an integral aspect of the assignment, as were all of you. If I were to do this again, I would take the suggestion of Charlie and work closely with standards. I would mirror the cube to a specific standard, making my cube not just a fun activity, but an interconnected one as well. Class on Friday made me ponder numerous possibilities for my World History I class. The cube is just one of those possibilities that I see myself using this upcoming fall. Enjoy your Sunday everyone! See you all tomorrow…Tara

Friday's class was interesting. I enjoyed working with Tara on the cubing project. She answered a lot of questions I had and was also really open to some of my ideas. It was a fun project and as Tara said, if I were to try this myself I would probably also start with the standards and work around that. Everyone's ideas and suggestions are always eye-opening and it's neat to see what other groups had done. Charlie, I thought it was great that you made a cube as well and shared it with us. I look forward to next week's discussions and group work. HH

Finally, I succeed in pasting an image into my response. No podcast, yet, though. Just another cube picture. I really liked the cube idea. I'm going to jump on the band wagon with everyone else and agree that I'd like to work on using standards and outcomes as a starting point of planning. Our cube process involved more of a retroactive pasting of standards onto the cube. I was excited about the conversations we had in class. I actually continued the one about pre-highlighted text with my girlfriend and it got a little heated. She had concerns about doing too much for the student and impeding independence. I still think there's a time and a place. We took the dog out to play and it was all ok. I don't have much of my project up on my page yet, but I'm trying to start with learning objectives. I'd love anyone's feedback on their clarity and usefulness. wiki away! TA

I thought that working on the cubes was a great exercise. I found it a little difficult to come up with questions that would seem interesting/engaging and get students working in a lot of different ways. As Charlie said variety seems to be the way to go with these cubes. I like the idea of using cubes - there are so many places to use them in a classroom. I think if I were doing the cube again I would think about the different learning styles as a way to vary what the students were asked to do with the cube questions. HB

I really like how we actually planned out the cubing. It was nice to do a hands- on project, and actually physically see more of what a lesson plan could look like in action! I think the most helpful part of classes so far (and what I believe I will use most) is when I have the opportunity to work through something like this with an individual who has had classroom experience. Laurie gave some great insights, and it was nice to hear what she thought would work, what she didn't think would work, how we should word things and so on. I hope we continue to have opportunities to pair up like this! I also loved the super hero comic hero idea... what a great way to turn features of a plant into "super-powers"! JB