Standard4

Standard 4 Teachers know how to teach. The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies, including the use of technology, to encourage children's development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

Evidence 1: Monster Exchange Unit Plan

Rationale 1: The monster exchange project is a unit that I facilitate with my computer six students. This unit contains several different components. The students start by using the Paint program to create and design their very own monster, the students then use Microsoft Word to create directions to recreate their monster, next the students email the directions to their epal. Around the same time, students are receiving directions from their epals in which they download and save from their email. After the directions are saved the students use Paint to recreate the partners monster and print their recreation. Finally, the project ends as the students meet with their pals and compare images trough a video conference. The students enjoy this project because it involves a lot of creativity and interaction with other students. The students also enjoy this project because they are able to meet other students through a video conference and see what their partner’s monsters looked like. I really like this unit because it shows the students how several different forms of technology work together. It is also a fun way for them to practice adding attachments and using email, mastering paint, applying keyboarding skills, and practicing technical writing. Also, with the unit containing several components I am able to meet several of my students learning styles, assess where they are on each skill and collaboratively, and encourage higher level thinking through their creativity.

KSD

4. K.1 The teacher understands the cognitive processes associated with various kinds of learning (e.g. critical and creative thinking, problem structuring, invention, memorization and recall) and how these processes can be stimulated.

The monster exchange project encourages student creativity while using paint and then connects that creativity to the critical writing piece, the directions. The student’s creativity also carries into the directions as they need to not only use the correct names of the tools and locations but creatively describe some the items added to their monsters. By using creativity the students do not see writing directions as a daunting task. This project also encourages interpretation and problem solving as the students are recreating their partners monsters. They develop a lot of questions and ideas when reading other students directions that need clarification on. One other item that I really like about this unit plan is that it is the application of all previously learned skills. I start out with a student led review of each technology for recollection and then the students build on the previous knowledge while applying keyboarding skills.

4. S.2 The teacher uses multiple teaching and learning strategies to engage students in active learning opportunities that promote the development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance capabilities and that help students assume responsibility for identifying and using learning resources.

Throughout this unit there are multiple teaching and learning strategies use to engage the students. The unit starts out with a student led review of each technology used. Next, the students create a monster that is their very own from color, style, and design. It is fun for the students to share their monsters and creativity with each other. Next, the students need to think about the tools and items used to write directions which encourages critical thinking skills. When writing the directions creativity is also encouraged on how they design the directions. Problem solving is encouraged when the students are trying to recreate their partner’s monsters and develop questions from the other directions. I encourage the students to ask other students and together they can possibly determine the meaning of each question. Lastly, the students are responsible for their learning because if they do not complete a part of the unit they are not allowed to participate in the video conference. Therefore, the students typically take responsibility to complete each section.

4. D.1 The teacher values the development of students’ critical thinking, independent problem solving, and performance capabilities.

This unit shows that I feel student critical thinking is important. I set an objective for each level of the taxonomy to move the students easily to higher level thinking. I also encourage the students to work on solving problem areas by working with other students and using email as a form of communication. By having the students ask two other students before asking me or their partner for clarification it helps them to take responsibility to solve the problem without depending on the teacher.

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