The O-zone
Courage, Determination, Perseverance
I was bored, the kids were bored. Lecture in the dark, homework (few completed), essay/ MCQ test, repeat. I decided we needed to break the cycle and look for new ways to engage students. I have spent the past several years stepping out of the comfort zone into my own O-Zone where I challenge myself and my to students in engage in their learning in interesting and innovative ways that has them moving, talking, creating, and engaging in their learning. This page chronicles our adventure to change how we learn.
2017-2018
Bubbles in a Bottle - To demonstrate the Scientific Revolution's scientific method, students created a hypothesis about what would happen when they added alka seltzer a bottle of water and oil. Student groups were created a different hypothesis to test and report out on. I am glad to report there were no geysers and the oil never spilled. I was even happier when kids claimed the activity fun but over the moon when they were able to relate what they had done to the ideas presented in the previous lesson on the Scientific Method and Galileo and Copernicus. (Class of 2020)
Breakout! - 9th graders (Class of 2021) used critical thinking skills, sourcing, collaboration, trial and error to answer puzzles that enabled them to unlock a series of locks and open a treasure chest. These are skills they have been honing all year and this activity gave them an opportunity to use them in a 'real world' scenario.
Google Expedition - Students (Class of 2021) have gone on several virtual field trips using the Google Expeditions. 10th graders toured the Palace of Versailles to be able to see the opulence of the palace and grounds first hand. They were able to connect what they saw to they had read about the palace the expense the king went to so that he and the nobles who lived with him were well housed and entertained. Students were then able to better understand the issues of the Third Estate when the declared the king was out of touch with their reality.
9th graders went on an expedition to Ethiopia as part of our lesson on the enduring issue, "Environmental Impact". Students were able to see how the environment impact how Ethiopians lived and what they did to change the environment to make it more hospitable to their needs.
Students were able to take a close up, 360 view of each of each location. Each were opportunities to immerse students in real places and for them to get first hand information that could apply to content they had learned.
L.A. - "It's like being there!"
M.S. - "This is way better then that reading and questions."
Students (Class of 2019) in my concurrent government course with TC3 investigated how government impacts economics in New York State. Students researched the impact of government regulation in the state, discussed barriers and incentives for local businesses with guest speakers, created a PSA to encourage business to come back to New York. I was excited and impressed with the quality of product each student came up with. Their PSAs were shown at the County Office Building on their closed circuit tv for all those visiting the building to see.
Economic isms are a tough get. Sophomores in my Global History class could give definitions but really couldn't apply the ideas. What to do, what -to - do?! I dumped a table full of Legos out and asked them build a structure that would represent each ism. The deal was though that they couldn't explain the structure, it had to speak for itself. This led to some deep thinking, trial and error, conversations, and challenges. In the end they had some pretty cool structures. (Class of 2021)
2018-2019
In studying the economics of poverty students ECON 101 completed their own researched and met with guest speakers to learn the triggers and impact of poverty on our local area. The group created a smartphone app to those in poverty to reach resources, find employment, connect to resources, and more. They presented their app to the County Supervisors where it was well received. (Seniors Class of 2019)
10th graders (Class of 2020) viewed the panorama of Joe Sacco's The Great War that illustrates the first day of the Battle of the Somme. To view it more easily I had taken it out of its hard cover and taped it to the wall. Students task was to connect what they were seeing in the panorama to what we had learned about strategies and technology used in the war. They chose a person in the panorama and created a series of journal or letter home for the day depicted using the scene and what they had learned about WWI.
Regents Review, especially Global History Regents Review can be B-O-R-I-N-G and stress inducing. My students and I played a series of games to work through the material. Matching, Concentration, Jenga, and more!
2019-2020
As a way to introduce myself to my 10th graders (Class of 2022), I shared an artifact box with a variety of primary sources from my life - wedding picture, rosary, church bulletin, marriage certificate, diplomas, family pics, golf tees, yearbooks, sea shells, and more. Students viewed each of the artifact, they were allowed to pick them up, read them, and discuss them with each other. They then had to write what they learned about me and how the artifacts corroborated their ideas. I then shared my story using the documents. ...Students' assignment was to bring in their own artifacts to tell their stories. A fun, no pressure way to start the year and begin building relationships in our classroom.
I purchased this lesson on 9/11 from @notanotherhistoryteacher and love it! For adults the events of that day and the days to follow aren't history but students in high school now were either infants or not even born yet and it can easily become just another date in their history timeline they need to know. My 10 and 12 grade classes viewed a background video on the events, analyzed newspaper front pages and political cartoons from the week of the event, and interviewed family or community members about their remembrances of 9/11. We then brought all we had learned to a class discussion and reflection. This lesson helped them to better understand what happened that day and how it impacted their families, community, country, and the world. (Classes 2020 and 2022)
"How does the COVID19 impact the supply chain and the economic choices of Americans?" - Students in ECON 121 researched this question by sourcing a candy bar. They started with video lecturs and news articles about the supply chain then used what they had learned and their research to create a visual of their learning on a giant map that I printed from National Geographic Mapmaker. (Class of 2020)
In the Spring of 2020 (before closure) I created an elective for students called Game Day! Board games have been culturally important for thousands of years. You've had your own experiences with board games too, growing up playing Monopoly, Chess, Sorry, Trouble, or other board games. In this elective students examined how board games help children to develop the 21st century thinking skills: communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking (we called that problem solving and strategy). The group also looked at the games as a form of text. In other words, what messages they send, lessons you are supposed to learn, and how they appeal to particular audiences.
Catan
Risk
Blokus
Monopoly
The Class of 2020 buddied up with the Class of 2038 to read, do crafts, write, and play games. This goal of this for the seniors was to demonstrate the service to your community doesn't need to be big or involve great change but can still make a huge difference. Each Friday the seniors traveled to the primary wing of the school to meet with their buddies for a class period. Seniors interviewed their buddy to find their interests, hobbies, and things they loved then went to the library to find books that would connect best with their buddy. Seniors read to their buddies but as the year progressed buddies started reading to the seniors.
In Fall of 2019 I taught a Conspiracy Theories class. We were lucky when we were researching the JFK Conspiracy that a custodian at school shared with us his box of newspapers from the event and his memories of the assassination, the days that followed, and his family reacted. The students enjoyed Mike's stories and reviewing the articles. They also got a kick out of the ads in the magazines!
I love the National Geographic Giant Maps and the activities that come with it. I borrowed this map from DCMO BOCES Library and worked with the 8th grade class to apply geography skills they were learning about in class. Working in groups students completed the Tale of Twenty City Activity. They needed to locate 5 cities on the map then compare/contrast the geography of each and reflect on how geography impacted where the city grew and how the inhabitiants may have changed the geography.
2020-2021
2020 is a whole new ballgame but we are still pushing our comfort zone to engage and motivate each other. As part of there investigation of study skills, Seniors completed the Campus Chaos Scavenger Hunt using GooseChase. My objective was to demonstrate how they use goal setting, prioritizing, time management, and collaboration even in the smallest of tasks. This activity got us outside and moving! It was the first time I had seen the seniors excited, smiling, and laughing all year!
The Game of States has been around forever! I have a picture of my uncles playing it back in the 1950s. I used it with my seniors in their ECON class to apply the concepts of markets, supply, demand, trade offs, and opportunity cost. Not a bad way to spend a Friday.
After learning about the Law of Supply and what causes shifts in supply, students worked in teams to investigate the supply chain of a candy bar. They had to apply their understanding of shifts in supply and what may cause them. They read the labels of various candy bars for incredients, used a Source Map to locate the countries that had the resources then mapped how they got from their place of origin to the manufacterers and on to retailers.
Talking about supply chains and trade has been a dominate conversation this year as Americans faced shortages and increased prices due to problems getting goods to markets. The Game of States was a fun way to help students understand what all goes into getting goods to markets and the suppliers can have on the process. Seniors had fun playing and haggling with each other. Loved how they were able to use what they had learned about supply and demand and make connections with the stories in the news.
FIELD TRIPS ROCK!
In even years I take the National Government class to Washington, DC. Field trips are important and this is one of my favorites, even with the anxiety of have for most of it. Students research a variety of issues before going and act as lobbyists when meeting with our representatives. The group spent three days touring the our places of government and more. My favorite part of each day was the group hanging out together discussing the days highs and lows, questions they still had, or observations they'd made. #ovwdc
On odd years I travel with Miss Ross and the Physics class to S.T.E.M. Day hosted by Six Flags - these were from Spring 2019. This has been another great opportunity to connect with students outside of a class setting while still furthering their understanding and application of what they have learned in the year. The goal of the day is for the students to ride a variety of rides, collect data, and then complete labs back at home. In essence - they are scientists in the field. It amazes me listening to the conversations as they make connections, extend their learning, and just have fun.
In the Fall of 2019, the 10th graders and I went to the National Women's Hall of Fame and Susan B Anthony's home. This was part of our unit on the Enlightenment. Students are read and analyzed the Declaration of Sentiments for enlightenment ideas. Going to the Hall of Fame they were able to hear the story of Susan B Anthony and the suffragette movement, review primary sources from the time period, and make real connections to what they had learned about the Enlightenment. While on the trip Students were asked to take pictures of artifacts they saw as connecting to the Enlightenment period.
Women’s Rights Museum.pptxThis presentation was created by students as a reflection on their trip to the National Women's Right's Museum and Susan B Anthony's home.
GUEST SPEAKERS
I love having guest speakers in the classroom. The POSC 103 class connected with Mary Beth Tinker in Spring 2019 to discuss student activism and the First Amendment. Great conversation about how students can bring change too and an awesome opportunity to see that history is made by real people.
She was extremely gracious with her time and really drew the kids out of their shells and had them talking about actions they have taken to advocate for change. I think they were surprised that what they did counted. #changematters #bigorsmall
Each year I invite the Superintendent of Schools to class to give a Budget Presentation. The School Budget is generally the first time students get to vote "in real life" and it is a perfect opportunity for them to apply active citizenship skills we have been learning about. Each student received the budget pamphlet that was mailed to community members, researched the various parts of the budget, and developed questions for Mr. Berson. The discussion is a great way for students to better understand where the millions in our budget go and better understand how the monies are allocated and used.
As part of the research on the Pearl Harbor Conspiracy, the Conspiracy Theory students met with Education Specialist Jeff Urbin from the FDR Library to discuss the attack on Pearl Harbor and explore the questions “Should we have been, and could we have been, more prepared?” Students were able to get a better understand of actions taken by the military and the president in the weeks and months leading up to the attack, ask questions related to their research, and discuss the impact of the attack on the American public.
Zach Wentworth (OV Class of 2004), a lawyer with the Chenango County Public Defenders Office joined my 12th grade government class to discuss the Rule of Law and answer questions students had about our local judicial system.
