Pirates made it cool not to bathe :)

Response to Internet Workshop and Blog Publishing: Meeting Student (and Teacher) Learning Needs to Achieve Best Practice in the 21st Century

This article was very informative.  I like the idea of having an Internet Workshop.  Many of my teachers allowed us to work on the internet, but there was no scaffolding or structure.  In this article, I learned how to scaffold my students whille giving them the oppurtunity to construct their own knowledge.  If teachers already have websites bookmarked for students to use, instructional time will be maximized.  Students will not have to sift through the many sites that may be inappropriate for them to use.  I also like the suggestion of utilizing Delicious to bookmark sites for students.  They will be able to read the discription quickly and know what type of information the site provides.  The list of sites will also come in very handy when I have my own classroom.  I played around for thirty minutes trying out the different sites.  Some were harder to navigate than others.  However, there were several that I likes.  The National Geographic site was one of my favorites.  They also have different activities for students and teachers.

I did not have many teachers who designed a reach activity.  If we decided to goof off instead of reserching our topics, that was our choice.  I was a little skeptical about giving students a worksheet to do while researching, but after seeing the example, I think it is a good idea.  The questions are open-ended.  They still allow students to construct their own knowledge while making sure they are staying on task.  Furthermore, I like the idea of utilizing a DRC.  I think it will help students see that there are some discrepencies when dealing with the internet.  Students will have to think critically about the information they are using.

I think that it is very important to create a community of learners in the classroom.  The last two steps of the internet workshop help to devlop a community of learners in the classroom.  Students are sharing information and discussing different ideas.

During class, we have talked extensively about the importance of using classroom blogs to publish students work.  Students will take more pride in their work if they feel others will read and respond to it.  I really like the suggestion of using “I”poetry to present students research.  You could combine all the I poems to create a digital story book.  Almost all teachers know how to use PowerPoint.  Teachers have students create a single slide containg their poem and an illustration.  Or as the article suggests students can work in groups to create their own digital story book.  I really liked the idea of using the classroom blog to facilitate classroom discussion about current events.  I think even elemetary students should know what is going on in the world around them.

Inspired by the infamous Blackbeard 2-11-01

I am Blackbeard.

I wonder how long they will tolerate my plundering.

I hear a ship silently slipping up the coast.

I see Maynard swiftly sailing toward me.

I want to panic, but cannot.

I am Blackbeard.

I pretend I am not afraid by the approaching sloops.

I feel anxious, but my crew mustn’t know.

I touch my pounding head.

I worry my crew will see my weakness.  No one has ever seen me weak.

I cry when no one sees.

I am Blackbeard.

I understand I must devise a plan.

I say aloud, “We’ll give ‘em hell men.”

I dream up a plan to save us all.

I try to keep the crew calm while we wait for Maynard to follow us into the trap.

I hope he’ll crash on the barely visible sandbar.

I am Blackbeard.

I am Blackbeard

I ponder how long the colonists will endure my ruthless plundering, volatile manners, and violent threats.

I hear a ship silently slipping up the coast, sent by Spotswood no doubt to secure my surrender.

I see Lt. Maynard swiftly sailing toward me like a shark preparing to attack its prey.

I want to panic for the gallows will be my punishment if caught, but I will not panic for I will out swim the shark.

I am Blackbeard.

I recognize that my men and I are sitting ducks, trapped upon the island.

I feel anxious because their lives rest in my hands, but my crew mustn’t know it.

I stroke my mangled, tangled tar-black beard.

I devise a plan to save us all, we shall indeed out swim the shark, but first we must make him chase his prey.

I hope Maynard will not see the hiding sandbar.  When he begins the chase, his sloops will crash upon the hidden sand.

I am Blackbeard.

I think Maynard is defeated, so I will send my men to plunder, pillage, and gloat.

I assume too much.  Maynard has tricked me indeed, now the fighting ensues.

I thrust my cutlass into the flesh of my enemy.

I shoot my trusty pistols with great accuracy. Many men fall victim to my skill.

I meet Maynard, the great shark, we draw out pistols and time seems to stop.

I miss, he hits.  I feel a throbbing pain and rust-red blood begins to flow.

I continue to fight however, refusing to admit defeat for the Devil’s son cannot be beat.

I receive many wounds, too many to count. The impossible has happened:  Maynard won.

I am Blackbeard.