EDT+650

=My blog address is: []= = = =
 * Assignment 4: Three lessons that you believe model good technology integration.
 * **__ Wanted poster for invasive species: __**
 * Author: Margie Winter
 * Activity Type: Ecology
 * Grade Range: 9-12
 * Title: WANTED: Exotic Invasives
 * Technology: Internet search, online research
 * Summary: In teams of two, students conduct library and Internet research of an exotic invasive species of Wisconsin or the Great Lakes region. Teams create a high-quality "WANTED" poster and give an oral presentation about their invasive species. This activity emphasizes interconnections in nature. Students will become familiar with local exotic species and their impact on ecosystems.
 * Website: []
 * **__Frog Dissection:__**
 * Activity Type: Biology/Anatomy and Physiology
 * Grade Range: 9-12
 * Title: ** Alternative to the Frog Dissection - Biology 2 **
 * Technology: Internet search, online research
 * Summary: This lesson plan is designed for students who do not wish to participate in an actual frog dissection. The lesson has two different parts. The first part takes students through a series of websites that model frog dissections featuring videos and tutorials with pictures. The second part has student create a bio page for an online dating. Student must showcase different species of frogs and toads in order to increase amphibian populations.
 * Website: []
 * **__ Fruit fly genetics simulation: __**
 * Activity Type: Biology/Genetics
 * Grade Range: 9-12
 * Title: Drosophila - Simulation......PATTERNS OF HEREDITY
 * Technology: Computer simulation
 * Summary: This lesson plan incorporates computer simulation to mimic the mating of fruit flies. The students can pick and choose different crosses and observe the outcomes. The simulation helps students see the results of the information covered in class and allows them to create and test hypotheses about genetics. The best part is that there are not fruit flies escaping in your bio room.
 * Website: []
 * Assignment 5: Blogging in the classrooms
 * **//Blog Basics://** []
 * This article is a very good overview of blogging in the classroom and has a very positive view of blogging. Blogs benefit the teacher in being easy to use and update and benefit the students by extending the school day and providing a unique environment that allows students to collaborate. One major benefit of the online environment is that students that would not usually participate in discussions are more likely to join in over cyberspace. The article also warns teacher to check with parents and school policies before starting with blogs. Glencoe also warns on the public nature of blogs and the censoring of students in their discussions and information they share.
 * **// [|How to Use Blogs in the Classroom] //** : []
 * This article is a summary of a much larger article. The major point of the article is that although blogs have a place in education they have not improved student perceptions on the lessons or increased learning. The students have no major objections to the blogging but don’t seem to be making significant gains in using them. The article also cautions the use of blogs with younger students due to their inabilities to sensor what they say. Young children have a hard time understanding that the information they provide in a blog is public knowledge. The overwhelming message that this article is trying to make is that although blogs have a place in the classroom, teachers need to know what they are doing before jumping in head first.
 * **// Blogging in the Government Classroom: //** []
 * This articles sings the praises of blogging stating that it is a natural extension of our students lives and a way for them to communicate about school and specifically the government classroom. John McLaughlin states that blogs encourage students to take pride in their work because peers can view and coment on their work. Blogs also benefit by creating ownership of student ideas, higher order thinking, and digital media literacy. John also discusses the many uses of blogging ranging from teacher centered summaries of daily lessons to more complex student centered discussions. This article also stresses the importance of getting principals and the IT department in your schools on board before starting any blogs. Overall this article was very supportive of the gains that can be made by creating a classroom blog.
 * **// The 12 Biggest Problems With Your Blogs: //** []
 * The first time I read this article I thought it was a total waist of time with the author complaining and giving advise that was simply opionion. I was originally looking for a site that plays devils advocate and is antiblogging. I simply like both sides of the story. The more I thought about what I was reading the more I realized that although it was simply opinion the author did make some valid points. The best advice the author gives is to make the reader of the blog think. Creating interaction on the blogging site isn’t as easy as some may think. Imtresting or though provoking questions create opionion and that creates discussion. I also liked that the author stressed that spelling should count because it is a reflection on you and that text messaging lingo has no room in a blog. Not much meat in this one but at least some good ideas.
 * **//Blogs://** []
 * This scientific journal article outlines how to effectively use blogs to increase learning in the science classroom. The authors show examples of different types of blogs and how each one pertains to the teaching of science. They also show how to score students work on blogs by using a grading rubric. The authors outline a step by step approach to creating a blog starting with purpose and ending with scoring student participation. The article also outlines eight rules for setting up an effective blog for science classrooms and claims to see noticeable changes in student learning as a result of blogging. The article is very relevant to classroom us of blogs and especially useful to me as a science teacher.


 * My blog address is: []

The Biology Corner is a resource site for biology and science teachers. It contains a variety of lessons, quizzes, labs, web quests, and information on science topics.
 * Assignment # 7 Favorite Websites:
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The Science Spot is another resource that I like to use for biology lesson plans and sometimes just ideas on how others do lessons. I like that I can access both Biology and Chemistry lessons from the same page using the right side of the page. This site is actually updated by an actual teacher so lessons are being used and updated constantly. The weather channel is one of my favorite websites because I am always checking to see what the weather is going to be like for the up coming days. I usually use the zip code search to find out what is happening in Oshkosh but the weather channel home page always has current news and things happening around the United States. Also if you have never checked out some of the videos that the weather channel has you definitely should. I taught Earth Science last year and I used many of the videos to show a lot of really interesting earth phenomena.
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This game does a really good job teaching students about how greedy people can destroy a natural resource or a common good (tragedy of the commons). The actual game is in the lower right hand corner of the website with the picture of the boat. Just click on the link and it will take you to the game. I always challenge students to make the most money and they usually over fish the resource. They don’t understand that setting regulations, limiting the harvest, actually creates more money for them and a better fish population. The students love it and it also teaches money and debt management.
 * Assignment # 8 Favorite Education Tool or Game
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