"The Patriot"

I love Hollywood made movies that can be used for educational purposes. Several of the students thought that this movie would be boring, but they actualy are enjoying it. When I first watched this movie in High school. You really don't pay attention to much detail. But when you are responsible for others' eyes watching the movie. You pay closer attention to detail in the movie, and determining if the eyes of viewer id is old enough or if the movie is appropriate enough.

Project Presentation

Just hanging out. The students today are to present their projects that are due covering any information that we have talked about up to this point. They had an option of what they wanted to do for a project. They could make a map, make a model, a diorama, write a paper, or make food. A lot of student made pies and brought them in. A way to get a good grade is through the stomach. Just like a way to a man’s heart is through their stomach. Same idea.

Catch Up Day

Another day of the school counselors coming in and having the students set up their four year plan. It was another day to grade papers, get stuff organized. It was kind of boring after awhile but I did get a lot of work done and caught up.

Test Day

It was a test day. I took the study guide and rearranged the order of it and gave it to the students. I was a little disappointed because so many people failed. I just was stunned to think that I gave them the exacted same study guide and we went over the answers I was looking for, gave them a timeline with most of the answers on. I just don’t know how I could have gotten them to get the right answers without speaking the words to them.

Lesson Plan- Review Game- Pass the Monkey

TEACHER: Miss Gaskill
CLASS & GRADE LEVEL: 8th Grade American History
UNIT: The Revolutionary War
LESSON TOPICS: Review Day

TYPE OF LEARNING: Review
TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 Day

DAY: I day

STANDARD/BENCHMARKS:.
• Explain conditions, actions and motivations that contribute to conflict and cooperation within and among nations.
* Give examples and explain how governments attempt to achieve their stated ideals at home and abroad


OBJECTIVES:
Students will apply previous assignment and prior knowledge in playing.
Students will practice reading a timeline.
Students will display prior knowledge by playing a review game.
Students will discuss answers that have to have study guide.
.
TEACHING MATERIALS:
Answer Key to Study Guide
Prepare 2 sets of 25 "scoring cards." On each of those cards, write a different instruction, for example:
* Earn 100 points
* Take 50 points from the other team
* Earn 70 points
* Double your total points
* Earn 500 bonus points
*Subtract 20 points from score.
Prepare 25 Questions
2 Monkeys

INSTURCTIONAL MATERIALS
16. Check the students agendas and stamp blue cards (5Minutes)
17. Have a couple students hand back work in the class tray
18. Tell the students that if their name is on the board I don’t have a score in the grade book for them. If they think that hand it and they don’t get it handed back, have them check the pile without names on it. If its not there do I don’t have it.
19. If their name is on the board and they get it back. Have hand it back in so I can record the score.
20. Have the students hand in any missing work.
21. Have the students get out their study guides. Go over the questions and discuss the answers to the work sheet.
22. When every questions has been answered split the class into two teams.
23. Have the teams sit in circles. Give each team an item to pass around.
24. Play music pass the time around when the music stomps that person has to come up and answer the question.
25. Have each contestant that is answering the question pick an index card (DO NOT SHOW THEM THE CARD UNTIL QUESTION IS ANSWERED)
26. When the question is answered show them the card if the answer is correct then do what the index card says.
27. Play the music and stop and the next person ends up with the object is the next contest.
28. The team with highest score wins at the end.


EVALUATION:
Students: How well are the applying previous assignment and prior knowledge in playing? Are the students able to practice reading a timeline?
How well are the students displaying prior knowledge by playing review game?


Teacher: Are the directions clear? How much time is this taking? Are the student just sitting there and not getting? What are they working on? What other question could be asked?

Pass the Monkey

I loved the game that I came up with. It was a fun day. I like to listen to music and so I wanted to play a game where the students could have fun while they learn. However with every review you play you have to give up a little control of the room. Of coarse there are going to be those classes that you dread having because they are hard to control in a regular classroom setting let alone when you have them playing a game. I had fun, the students had fun. Overall, I think it was a good lesson today.

Lesson Plan- Study Guide Day

TEACHER: Miss Gaskill
CLASS & GRADE LEVEL: 8th Grade American History
UNIT: The Revolutionary War
LESSON TOPICS: Study Guide Day

TYPE OF LEARNING: Review
TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 Day

DAY: I day

STANDARD/BENCHMARKS:.
• Explain conditions, actions and motivations that contribute to conflict and cooperation within and among nations.
* Give examples and explain how governments attempt to achieve their stated ideals at home and abroad


OBJECTIVES:
Students will apply previous assignment and prior knowledge in completing the study guide.
Students will practice reading a timeline.
Students will display prior knowledge by completing a study guide.
.
TEACHING MATERIALS:
Study Guide

INSTURCTIONAL MATERIALS
9. Check the students agendas and stamp blue cards (5Minutes)
10. Have a couple students hand back work in the class tray
11. Tell the students that if their name is on the board I don’t have a score in the grade book for them. If they think that hand it and they don’t get it handed back, have them check the pile without names on it. If its not there do I don’t have it.
12. If their name is on the board and they get it back. Have hand it back in so I can record the score.
13. Have the students hand in any missing work.
14. Pass out the Study Guide. Students are to work by themselves quietly for 20 minutes and then they can work with a partner for the rest of the class period.
15. If the students are not quite the continue to work by themselves.


EVALUATION:
Students: How well are the applying previous assignment and prior knowledge in completing the study guide. Are the students able to practice reading a timeline?
How well are the students displaying prior knowledge by completing a study guide?


Teacher: Are the directions clear? How much time is this taking? Are the student just sitting there and not getting? What are they working on? What other question could be asked?

Partners or not?

I believe that sometime that students need to do the work themselves. Today, I gave a study guide to the class. I had them work on the study guide themselves. This was good because they got to find the answers themselves. They were not relying on their partner for the answer. During half way through the class if they were good they got to work with a partner to match their answers. I waited until the end of the class period to tell the students they we were going to go over the answers in class tomorrow. I didn’t even tell them that it was not going to be graded because otherwise they would not have done it and they would have come to class with a blank study guide.

Lesson Plan- End of the War

November 5
TEACHER: Miss Gaskill
CLASS & GRADE LEVEL: 8th Grade American History
UNIT: The Revolutionary War
LESSON TOPICS: The End of the War

TYPE OF LEARNING: New
TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 Day

DAY: I day

STANDARD/BENCHMARKS:.
• Explain conditions, actions and motivations that contribute to conflict and cooperation within and among nations.
* Give examples and explain how governments attempt to achieve their stated ideals at home and abroad


OBJECTIVES:

.
TEACHING MATERIALS:
Overhead
Blank overhead template
Text book
Declaration of Independence Worksheet
Rewrite Rubric

INSTURCTIONAL MATERIALS
1. Check the students agendas and stamp blue cards (5Minutes)
2. Students are going to perform their rewrite skits, jingles, poems etc., so to determine who goes first they can volunteer or teacher can draw sticks. (10 min.)
3. Go through and make sure everyone goes. The students will be graded based on the rubric on the back of this handout sheet.
4. Once the students are done, have them get out their books. Number the students off by 6.
5. In the book each group needs to cover one of the following sections:
a. End of the War
b. Why the Americans won
c. Costs of the war
d. Treaty of Paris
e. Creating a Nation
6. Students are to read and will be presenting this information to the class. By taking notes. (10 Minutes to prepare)
7. Students will present information to class. (10 Minutes)
8. If there is time the students can take a quiz over
EVALUATION:
Students: Were the students able to compare and contrast the Declaration of Independence of 1776 and the 21st Century Declaration of Independence? How well did the students rewrite their own version of the Declaration of Independence? How well did the students perform their version of the Declaration of Independence?

Teacher: Are the directions clear? How much time is this taking? Are the student just sitting there and not getting? What are they working on? What other question could be asked?

Keepin' 'em busy

Today we had the students work on map. I hinted to the students that they show keep the battle sheets. Will the students actually listen? I don’t think so. It is sad to see that even though I will hint and try to help them out they still do not get. Their skills to listen, follow directions, and observational skills just are not in tact.

Wee bit Frustration

A little frustration came over be, but then this where I need to be flexible. I had my schedule planned for the week. Today we were going to do a worksheet, tomorrow a study guide, Thursday was going to be a review day, and Friday going to take a test. Well, I was told yesterday after school that the school counselors were going to come in a talk to the students about their 4-year plans. I was not too happy about it. That meant I had to push everything back, and I would have to give the test on a Monday, because next Tuesday they were coming again, and Wednesday they would be presenting their projects. And I am not going to have them take a test a week later than the review. However, it was nice today though because I did not have to teach. I just sat there and worked on grading papers. It was kind of nice.

Lesson Plan- Declaration of Independence Rewrite

TEACHER: Miss Gaskill
CLASS & GRADE LEVEL: 8th Grade American History
UNIT: The Revolutionary War
LESSON TOPICS: The Declaration of Independence Rewrite

TYPE OF LEARNING: New
TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 Day

DAY: I day

STANDARD/BENCHMARKS:.
• Explain conditions, actions and motivations that contribute to conflict and cooperation within and among nations.
* Give examples and explain how governments attempt to achieve their stated ideals at home and abroad


OBJECTIVES:
Students will are to compare and contrast the Declaration of Independence of 1776 and the 21st Century Declaration of Independence.
Students will write their own version of the Declaration of Independence.
Students will perform their version of the Declaration of Independence.
.
TEACHING MATERIALS:
Overhead
Examples overhead template
Copy of the 21st century rewrite
Declaration of Independence Worksheet


INSTURCTIONAL MATERIALS
1. Hand back blue cards
2. Check the students agendas and stamp blue cards
3. Pass out to each student the copy of the 21st Century Declaration of Independence
4. As a class read through this declaration.
5. Spend about 3 minutes make changes to it. Discuss with the students for about 5-10 minutes about the changes they would make.
6. Now, pull up the Overhead template of the Example. Notify the student that they are to write their own declaration of Independence but it is to be song to a song, show the examples.
7. This is their homework, come up with 2 verses per person (2 people= 4 verses) on their own version of the Declaration of Independence.
8. Students may work with 1 partner but they must have a total of 4 verses
9. Once student, know what the assignment is they are to finish answering the 7 questions about the Declaration of Independence (which is due by the end of class). They are too work on their rewrite and they will present these on Tuesday.

EVALUATION:
Students: Were the students able to compare and contrast the Declaration of Independence of 1776 and the 21st Century Declaration of Independence? How well did the students rewrite their own version of the Declaration of Independence? How well did the students perform their version of the Declaration of Independence?

Teacher: Are the directions clear? How much time is this taking? Are the student just sitting there and not getting? What are they working on? What other question could be asked?

Nothing but pure Frustration

I don't think that anyone understand student teaching is like until you have been through it. In all actually, all the stuff that you have to do as far as the student part in student teaching, almost made me not go into teaching. As if teaching a class and preparing my lesson, grading 120 students * 3 assignments= 360 a week is not enough for teaching. I must create a portfolio (which is not the bad part), but writing 11 pages total over each standard(11), another 5 pages total over 5 observations I still have to do, write a journal everyday, and create lesson plans each day with 3 different objectives.

Now, I understand writing lesson plans. That is just for preparation for teaching. But what I do not understand is the journal, and the 16 pages of writing. I just am pure frustrated. What am I really going to get out of this but just a feeling of relief that it is done? I just do not see the purpose of it beside for the fact that the college educators say that we did something. These are tacts that you use to use up time. I DON'T have any time! I don't even remember the last time I had a day to relax. Weekends are full of work. Even the day of the Lord, cannot be a day to to rest like He did.

Now, I don't know if any other student teacher has a problem like I do. But for me, I was held back for a reason, and it was not just for the heck of it. It was because I can do the work that is not a problem, but it takes me longer to get tasks done, and when you overwhelm me with this much work, it seems impossible. I have never used this reason for anything to hold me back. But just like a teacher in school, you need to observe your students and the areas of struggles. You confront those student and find out what the deal is, and sometimes you need to make accommodations so that those students can get the most out of their learning. Otherwise you get the learned helplessness, and get people like me that become so overwhelmed and just give up. That is to where I am I just want to give up on my portfolio, because it just seems like there is too... much to do.

The Delaration of Independence effects Famous People too

We watch a movie of famous actors reading the Declaration of Independence. This was really cool to see because the students could see that the D.O.I. affects movies stars. I think that the Students to thought it was really cool to, even though the words difficult to understand. I felt that this was a really good movie to watch.

Another Play

Today the students preformed another play. I think it was little more fun for the students today because everyone participated. They got to chant and bang on their tables Those who had speaking parts did not stand out as much and by this play everyone volunteer to act in it. I love it when people volunteer it was such a hard decision on who got to have speaking parts. I just kind of choose people at random.

1 Class can Ruin your day

Today was a great day up until the last hour. We had another play today. The actors have been switched everyday. The students up until last our were listen paying attention and were able to answer the review questions. The last hour the same people were answering the questions, and every time I chose someone that did not have their hand raised they did not know the answer. I gave them all a script and then tomorrow we are having a quiz. If they can not pay attention during it, they might as well have homework over it.

People that you work with

I had frustration with the copy women. She did not get my copies done even though I turned in my copies to be made in longer than 48 hours that are required. I was in a state of Panic because I did not know what to. I had had them do a mock election first just to see who the kids would vote for if they could. Then we talked about some of what are some of the issues people look at when they vote. I just was not prepared but it went alright.

To be Proud of your Students

I was so proud of some of the students. One of the hardest things to do is to get infront of your peers a do a speech, especially if you did not write yourself. But throughout the day about 7 students in each class period got up in front of their peers and acted out a speech given by Patrick Henry. Some of the students did a remarkable job, and I was so proud to see them go out of their comfort zone to perform and speech.

Lesson Plan- Spirit of '76

TEACHING MATERIALS:
Lesson from the Patriots: Teacher’s Guide
THE CRUCIAL YEAR, 1776- class set
THE SPIRIT OF ‘ 76- class set

INSTURCTIONAL MATERIALS
15. Decide how to present background information on the colonies
16. THE SPIRIT OF ‘ 76 provides a brief sketch of life and culture in the colonies.
a. Distribute the essay and read aloud as a class, in Tavern Groups or as individuals.
b. Conduct a class discussion of information in the essay:
i. What was life like for the colonists
ii. How colonists reacted to events
iii. How colonists reacted to the Spirit of ‘76
iv. How students feel about life during such turbulent times
17. THE CRUCIAL YEAR, 1776 is the form of a letter, a refreshing change of format for the presentation of factual material. This fictional letter summarizes the political and military events immediately preceding the convening of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia
a. Select four or five students to read the letter aloud, taking turns with each paragraph.
b. Conduct a class discussion of information in the letter. Include to following points, plus any others that you or your students believe are important:
i. How Abel felt being an eyewitness to such momentous events
ii. How the Grant family reacted when the returned to the tremendous changes in attitudes among other colonists
iii. Do students think the events described in the letter are more exciting or more frightening?

EVALUATION:
Can the students recall the events and the lifestyle of the year 1776.
Are the students able to examine the political and military events immediately preceding the convening of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

Teacher: Are the directions clear? How much time is this taking? Are the student just sitting there and not getting? How could this be taught differently? Is there anything I need to change?

You don't alway have to like your lesson

Today’s lesson, I did not like. I would not do this lesson again. I did not like it I was not very knowledgeable about the this area. I tried to make it work were the class got to work in partners for half the class and the other half we discussed as a class. I had too much to do, it read and so I think that is what made it hard was I was trying to rush through everything. Sometimes less is more..

Lesson Plan- Web/ Graphic Organizer

TEACHER: Miss Gaskill
CLASS & GRADE LEVEL: 8th Grade American History
UNIT: The Revolutionary War
LESSON TOPICS: Web

TYPE OF LEARNING: New
TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 Day

DAY: I day

STANDARD/BENCHMARKS:.
*Explain conditions, actions and motivations that contribute to conflict and cooperation within and among nations
* Give examples and explain how governments attempt to achieve their stated ideals at home and abroad

OBJECTIVES:
Students Separate the aspects of the American Revolution in a web.
Students will draw out a web.
Students will display knowledge by listing categories and breaking the categories into sbu-categories

TEACHING MATERIALS:
Constructed web
Whiteboard/Markers
White paper
INSTURCTIONAL MATERIALS
9. Hand each student a white sheet of paper.
10. As a class the class will review these areas
11. On this sheet start with a circle in the middle and four boxes coming out of the circle. List the boxes: Causes, Prominent People, Documents, Major Battles.
12. Have the students go around listing these sub-categories. (See Constructed Web)
13. On the Constructed web the each should be listed and students can add more if they would like.
14. Parts to look at in the book: The major battles: See constructed web for page to look on in book.
Assignment:
Students are to list What the prominent people did.


EVALUATION:
Are the Students able to separate the aspects of the American Revolution in a web.
Can the students will draw out a web?
Did the students will display knowledge by listing categories and breaking the categories into sub-categories
paragraphs in one sentence? Are they able to follow the directions? Does this worksheet make sense? Are there a lot of questions?

Teacher: Are the directions clear? How much time is this taking? Are the student just sitting there and not getting?

Graphic Oraganizer

Today, I went over the graphic organizer, and had asked the students if they had ever done one of these before. About 95% of the students had never done of one of them before. I could not believe it. I gave them a blank sheet of white paper and should the one that I created and they were so confused. I told them not to worry it will all make sense when we get done. I walked them through each step and we did it as a class. I was very clear to them when we got done who the web worked.