Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Adding Students to Canvas without Email Addresses

If your students don't have email addresses, it can be a challenge to use certain web apps. I use Canvas as my LMS. Up to this point, I've always required my students to have an email address for logging into Canvas. There is an alternative though, and this will be the way I have my students sign up for courses in the future.

After you have signed up for Canvas and created your own course, you are ready to invite students to participate.

Start by clicking "Settings" in the left sidebar.


Then click "Edit Course Details" near the bottom of the screen.


Choose "More Options", again at the bottom of the screen. 

Select the first choice: "Let students self-enroll by sharing with them a secret URL or code".


Update your settings, and use should see new information appear at the bottom of your Course Details. Canvas provides you with a direct link for students to create their own username/password to login to the course. Alternatively, students can sign up at https://canvas.instructure.com/register and use the code provided to join the class. 


This feature makes Canvas more appealing to teachers of upper elementary and middle school levels, where sometimes there are issues with creating student email accounts.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Brit Lit Curriculum Re-imagined

This year, I completely revamped my British Literature Honors curriculum. After years of wrestling with students to read books that were of no interest to them, I decided to take a step back and evaluate what is really important - what are the main objectives of my curriculum? How could those be met in a way that is more engaging to students? My curriculum was already project-based and tech-heavy. What more could I do?

I began by removing the unfirom required reading and expanding upon a popular past project. I chose fifteen authors from the British Literature genre, valued for their many contributions to the literary canon.

J.R.R Tolkien - The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, The Silmarilian
Charles Dickens - David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, Tale of Two Cities, Our Mutual Friend, Bleak House
Jane Austen - Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion, Mansfield Park
Thomas Hardy - Tess of the D’Urbervilles, The Return of the Native, The Woodlanders, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure
Bronte Sisters - Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Agnes Grey, Villete, Tenant of Wildfell Hall
CS Lewis - Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, Space Trilogy, Till We Have Faces
George Eliot - The Mill on the Floss, Daniel Deronda, Silas Marner, Middlemarch, Adam Bede
Robert Louis Stevenson - Kidnapped, Treasure Island, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
PG Wodehouse - Jeeves & Wooster series, Blandings Castle series
EM Forster - A Room with a View, Where Angels Fear to Tread, Passage to India, Howard’s End, The Longest Journey
C.S. Forester - Hornblower saga, The African Queen
Elizabeth Gaskell - Cranford, Wives & Daughters, North & South, Ruth, Mary Barton
HG Wells - The Invisible Man, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The First Men in the Moon
Arthur Conan Doyle - The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Roald Dahl - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, Fantastic Mr. Fox
The first week of school, Brit Lit students researched and then took turns picking authors. No two students had the same author. Students were assigned to read 900+ pages of their author's works before the end of January. Then, we jumped into our schedule: 
Mondays - Journal
Tuesdays - Discussion
Wednesdays - Work Day
Thursdays - Work Day
Fridays - Discussion
Homework:
Reading Logs - Report on 50+ pages of your reading. Give a rating (1-5) and en explanation for that rating. (due every Friday)
Vocab Logs - Find three challenging words from your reading. Give the definition, the sentence from your book where the word is used, and your own sentence. (due every Tuesday)

On Mondays, students journal roughly 200-300 words on various topics related to their books. Each journal entry starts with a one paragraph summary of the student's reading, and then ends with a one paragraph discussion of a literary topic, using examples from their books. Students have blogged on flat vs round characters, foils, and archetypes. All journaling takes place on student blogs. I've had my student's work quoted on other respected blogs - how's that for rigorous, authentic writing! 

Tuesdays and Fridays we have class discussions. On these days, I will propose a topic and students respond, giving examples from the books they are currently reading. Using this method, all of my students are exposed to a wide variety of books and authors. Students passionately defend their authors and become the classroom experts on their author's point of view. One of my favorite discussions involved the class attempting to rank the literary value of the books they were currently reading. Here's the diagram they finally settled upon by the end of the class. 

Wednesdays and Thursdays are class work days. Students use these days for on-going work projects, due at the end of most months.  
September: Author Biography Presentations: Students created and presented a four-minute Ignite-style presentation on the author.  
October: 10 page research papers: Students chose a critical lens and examined their author's work critically.
November/December: Author Skits: Students work in small groups, collaboratively writing a skit in Google Drive. Skits are memorized, presented, and filmed mid-December. Each student pretends to be their author.
January: 10 page short stories. Students write a short story, as if they are their chosen author. They mimic the author's style and point of view, writing a believable story that could pass as belonging to their author.
Feedback
We are two months into the school year, and in my opinion this was the right move to make for the British Literature students. Students truly have become experts on their chosen author. The discussions are informed and it's obvious that students are reading (without any need for standard tests). 

Sample Student Work:

Author Biography Slides

Critical Lens Research Paper:


Student Blog Post
Author Skits (coming soon)

Short Stories (coming soon)

Thursday, November 7, 2013

The Connected Teacher

A student teacher recently asked me how I stay informed about trends in educational technology. It seemed overwhelming to this student to keep up with the latest apps and edtech news.

Here's what I check almost daily. It doesn't have to take a long time - ten minutes a day is a good place to start.

Feedly still feels a bit strange to me. I was an avid Google Reader user before that service was axed. However,  Feedly is clean, modern, and user-friendly. I can check in on all the blogs I subscribe to, save interesting articles, and quickly share things I like with my colleagues. I strongly suggest following a variety of blogs, not just edtech blogs.

Google+ is in many ways an extension of Twitter for me. I follow many of the same people on both apps, but with Google+, there's opportunity for richer engagement. Google+ is excellent for conversations about technology and questions about its usage. Google+ houses many of the communities that I belong to, from STEAM initiatives to using MMOs in schools. Every time I check in on Google+, I'm reminded how much I like it and wish more educators used it to its greatest potential.

If you only have five or ten minutes a day to keep up with your personal learning network, head to Twitter. Need a resource for that math class you're teaching in an hour? Ask on Twitter. Want to follow what's happening at a conference you can't attend? Follow the conference hashtag on Twitter. Twitter can feel hectic, but I love how quick and easy it is to chat and build relationships. This is where today's connected teachers network.



Zite is a magazine app that pulls together interesting articles from all over the web. After you set up your interests, Zite mines the recesses of the Internet for current articles that you might enjoy reading. I love browsing through Zite because I encounter new blogs to follow. Zite is also where I get a lot of my tech news, because I don't limit myself to "educational" topics on Zite. The articles I share on Twitter and Google+ often come from browsing Zite. Check it out!


Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Problem Solving through Gaming

This morning, two of my students jumped into Pirate101 to complete a quest for class. I overheard them working together while trying to solve a problem. One student would brainstorm a possible solution, they would try it together, evaluate the outcome, and then adjust and try again. Over. And. Over. Until... success! Epic win!

THIS is why we game in class. THIS is what I want my students to understand - because this is how we learn.


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

The Mulitiplayer Classroom


What if school was like a video game? What if instead of earning grades, you collected XP and leveled up? What if badges replaced report cards?

3DGameLab makes these ideas reality. Students progress through the class by choosing engaging quests. Teachers reward mastery with experience points.

I have been using 3DGameLab for two months with four English classes. The most time-consuming part is the set-up. I spend about five hours every other week building new quests, using a combination of tools to plan out each module.


I start by brainstorming all the quests I want to include in a given module. For this particular module, I wanted students to balance time spent in Grammar, Vocab, Literature, and in-game. Students in my 7-8th grade class play Pirate101 alongside reading Treasure Island. The literacy value of gaming is not to be discounted!

After determining the point value for each quest, I then plan out the progression using an iPad app called PureFlow. It is crucial to map before building quests in 3DGameLab, because when the quests are built, you need to set the prerequisites to unlock new quests.

The final step is to build the actual quests in 3DGameLab. 

 

A fully designed quest looks like this:

Once students have turned in all of their quests, different badges are awarded, which in turn unlock the new set of quests. Every module (2 weeks) students are graded on their progress in Grammar, Vocabulary, and Reading & Writing. The grades are based on the badges students earn (which show mastery) and effort. 


Most of my literature-based quests involve using some type of digital tool. On any given day students can be found updating their blogs, creating comics, recording Tellagamis, annotating literature on an iPad, or making character maps.  Students regularly hop into the game world to compare the world of the game with the world of their book.


I find that using 3DGameLab keeps my students motivated and engaged. In the words of my students 3DGameLab is: "Interesting!" "Fun!" and "Amazing!"



Thursday, September 19, 2013

Module 1 Update

Tomorrow my basic skills students end the first module of the year. Together we have tackled setting up class blogs, editing sentences on iPads, writing personal code of conducts, and diving into the game worlds designated for each class. So far, I'm cautiously optimistic - the students enjoy what we are doing, and I'm seeing quality work without frustration.


One of the programs I am most excited about using is Membean. Membean teaches vocabulary using a multimodal approach. Students study a word on a page with context clues, images, videos, word maps, and root explanations. Then, they review words they have learned through fun mini-quizzes. An incorrect answer is not penalized - students are sent back to the learning page to review the word and try again.


 Membean very graciously offered to set up a classroom account for me to test with my students. After two weeks of usage, I'm a fan. Take for instance Rachel (name changed), who thinks visually and immediately connects the words to the background pictures. Or Tim, who watches the vocab videos and picks up the words quickly. These are students who would not excel with typical vocabulary workbook setups. I've observed student after student adopting new words with ease and coming to an understanding that "failure" leads to mastery of the words. If a review question is answered incorrectly, students are taken back to the vocab word page to restudy. I can see how over more time, these words will truly become ingrained in the students' everyday vocabulary. Bravo, Membean.

I am not a huge fan of the quizzes. I don't fully count the quizzes, but instead use them as a way to gauge student progress. I wish that the quizzes were more accommodating or at least modifiable. They involve 15 or so questions on one page, small print. I wish that the quizzes were given in the same format as the study questions - one per page, bright and bold. It was overwhelming for some of my students to process that much small text on one page.

Next module, we tackle pairing reading with the chosen MMOs. I know all of my students are eager to dive into the games and experience literacy in a fresh new way. 

Monday, September 9, 2013

Basic Skills QUEST



A typical day in Basic Skills QUEST:

  • Navigate to class page on CCAQuest
  • Follow the link to 3DGameLab
  • Choose quests to complete... for example:
    • Spend 10 minutes practicing vocabulary on Membean.com 
    • Participate in a group discussion
    • Practice grammar by editing sentences
    • Jump into an MMO, complete in-game quests, then jump out and report about the experience on the class blog
    • Practice literacy skills comparing/contrasting literature with the narrative of a game
  • Forget what time it is until the bell rings
Such fun!

Friday, August 2, 2013

CCA Quest

Introducing... my latest project:


CCA Quest

I am taking over the 7-12 Basic Skills English program at my school and completely transforming the classroom experience for these students. Using 3D GameLab and three different MMOs, we will be exploring together literature, writing, vocabulary, and grammar.

Students will be using the games as the backdrop for their literature. We will be comparing/contrasting experiences in-game and in-book, practicing writing through crafting authentic game guides, and learning vocabulary using in an individualized student-paced method.


I will also be challenging myself to regularly blog through this experience, chronically the challenges and successes. Should be fun!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

In Defense of Gaming

My three kids and I play a popular, family-friendly MMO together. This summer, I have payed particular attention to the way that they play and what they are learning through gaming. Here are some things that I've observed:

Seamus (8 years old) - Seamus does not need any reason to play a game. Somewhere I have a video of him playing chutes and ladders at age three against his blanky. He would take his turn and then pick up his blanky, wrap it around his hand, and make a move. He always played fairly, which meant that he fought hard for his wins. Blanky was no pushover. Fast-forward 6 years and my almost-9-year-old is a gaming machine. He loves games of all forms: playground pick-up games, board games, and video games. I love to watch Seamus play MMOs, because he is such a benevolent player. Need help defeating a boss? He's the one to call. Really want that new castle? He'll spot you the gold. Seamus will drop everything to help a friend in need. As I am typing this, I just heard him yell out, "Eva, need help?" That's my gaming boy.

Eva (10 years old) - Eva is not a typical gamer. She's a social being, a lover of music and dance. She scoffed at Seamus when he tried to convince her to play an MMO, and then finally gave in and fell in love with it. For my mathematically challenged daughter, I have enjoyed seeing how this game is helping her understand math practically. Yesterday, I overheard her in a deep discussion with her brother talking about probability and percentages when it comes to winning battles with certain attacks. She finally gets it (and doesn't even realize she's doing math).

Jireh (7 years old) - Jireh loves playing MMOs, because he gets to play with his siblings without feeling left behind. He can battle with the best of them. This year, we learned that Jireh is behind in his reading skills. He needs a little extra help as he gets stuck and frusterated, often giving up before he's really started. What I love about playing MMOs with Jireh is that he's reading without the frustration. Many of the quests have voice-over, but I've watched him tracking the words with the audio. He's playing the game and improving his reading skills at the same time.

In conclusion, gaming is a worthwhile summer activity for my family because we get to spend time together enjoying challenges and rewards. The gained life skills are icing on the cake.




Wednesday, June 19, 2013

World Literature Final Exam

Here's my exam for this year. It's a bit shorter than normal because I had to give my exam during a 42 minute period instead of the regular exam session (due to needing to use the iPads). Shortness didn't seem to make a difference in grades, as the averages were right where they normally fall. I change my exam every year, so I thought it might be interesting to share it.

I like to offer choice in my exams. Show me what you know! I also try to mimic real world situations - students can access the internet freely to check their answers, but they are working within a time limit.

As you can see from the exam, the end of the year was split between two units: Shakespeare and a research paper on a chosen career path. Here's the exam:

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Puppet Pals Hamlet - 12th Grade Brit Lit Honors


When teaching Shakespeare, one of my favorite exercises is to have my students condense the text into manageable chunks. I believe this helps students understand the big picture themes. I like to do this at the end of the unit, after we have spent considerable time with the characters and plot lines.

This year, I used Puppet Pals (Director's Pass - $1.50 per device with VPP) on our classroom iPads to accomplish this task and I think it was pretty successful. Some segments are better than others, some make little to no sense at all. But it was a valuable experience and helped my students understand the play better.

The assignment was to take an entire act of Hamlet and cut out non-essential lines to create a 5 minute video. The original language was not supposed to be changed, only edited for time. I started by letting students divide themselves into groups, then groups randomly were chosen to pick the act they wanted to stage. I borrowed a rack of renaissance costumes from the drama department, and we spent much of the first day dressing up and taking pictures for the puppets. The entire project (pictures, filming, editing) took one week of in-class time. A few groups came during study halls to get some extra work done, but the majority were done on time.

The rubric:

One of the reasons I love using Puppet Pals is that it allows students to recite Shakespeare without the fear of standing up in front of an audience. They can hide behind their "puppet", but still learn proper diction. I also wanted my students to think through staging a play - this is why they were given a movement grade. Keep in mind, we did this exercise after reading the play in its entirety as a class, acting out most scenes as we went along. 

*Two students were absent while we created these videos, so I had them do the introduction and conclusion, pretending to be Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

My favorite video is Act V - I love how they created different puppets for different expressions and actions. Well done!


The rest of the videos can be viewed on our class channel (techielitstudents) in the Hamlet Playlist.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Novels in the Classroom. Yay or Nay?

On the English Companion Ning, a forum for English Teachers, there is a thriving discussion on the importance of the novel, especially considering the push towards informational texts in the Common Core era. My thoughts on the issue are a bit jumbled as the school year has just finished and my ears are full of pool water. In English class, we teach so many disciplines: grammar, vocabulary, writing, and reading. I find myself wondering what is the point? Why do we drone on and on about plot development, literary elements, and characterization? If a student enjoys a books, isn't that enough? Are books puzzles that must be solved? Yes and no. Books are a window to the world. Books teach us about ourselves and about others. Through books we explore relationships, career options, and deepest darkest Peru.

My methodology involves guiding students in their reading, with little to no "presentations" about the reading itself. When a student comes back to me a year after reading a book and says something to to effect of: "that book really opened my eyes" I feel a resounding HURRAH! well up within me. Yes. Yes. Yes. That is why we read. We in our own little bubbly worlds need to be challenged and refined to become the best versions of ourselves. Reading can contribute to this.

But does it have to be a novel? I have a student who vehemently hates novels. He would rather read the instruction manual for a toaster than spend time with Mr. Darcy or Okonkwo. This challenged me as a teacher. To this student reading was a pragmatic experience, all else was foolishness. In a way he has a point, given the inane trash that often passes as a respectable novel. But to throw out literature entirely? That's akin to stuffing all the great works of art in a barn and lighting it on fire. What an immeasurable loss. Literature has something to offer this student, and I'm still wracking my brain for ways to communicate and inspire this concept.

Many people have an internal or external list of books that they think every person should read. But all of our lists are different! How can this be? Is it necessary to still maintain a canon to truly produce an educated population? I don't know! Literature is built on literature. To understand and appreciate modern prose, one must have dabbled in ancient mythology and biblical stories. I guess when it comes down to it, being a great reader is akin to being a lifelong learner. It's never fully obtained - always further up and further in. One great read opens Pandora's box to other great reads. And so... we read, and read, and read.

In conclusion, I hope that novels aren't permanently removed from schools. It is good for our students (and for all humanity) to be challenged and inspired.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Attractive Quest Design

When designing a quest for students to complete (whether on 3D GameLab or the LMS of your choice) attractiveness is crucial for success. Will your students choose to complete the quest? How will they make that decision? What are the deciding factors? In my experience at the 3D GameLab Teacher Camp this month, I encountered many different quests. Some were excellent, others were ok. Some were well-written, others needed a spell checker. Some were engaging, others were a slog. But how specifically does the attractiveness of a quest contribute to learning and engagement?

First off, if a quest is not attractive visually, it won't attract the student. Second, a quest needs to have meaningful purpose to contribute to learning. Does the student understand the value of this quest? Is it mere busy work for XP? Or does the completion of the quest demonstrate authentic learning? Let's explore the visual attractiveness. If I have to scroll through paragraph after paragraph of text.... *yawn*... you've lost me, and I suspect you've lost your student. It's crucial to break those types of quests into shorter quests. Also, pictures, videos, even simple things like color & font size - all of these things need to be considered. What about including an embedded voice widget for students who prefer audio learning? Now, let's talk about meaningful purpose. What am I gaining from this quest? As the designer of a quest, this information can be gauged by student reviews. If reviews are low, it's time to look again at the quest. I don't like my time to be wasted, and the same goes for my students. We need to respect our students' time and cut to the chase with relevant, captivating, purposeful quests.

In conclusion, I offer the following graphic for consideration after designing a quest:


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Musings

Famous Brit Lit Poets "invade" our classroom to discuss current events
This year at CCA, all teachers are required to complete a portfolio, reflecting on their personal academic journey. What assignments worked well? What flopped? How can I be a better teacher?

As I look back on the assignments completed this year, I notice that not one assignment exactly replicates what I did last year. There is a drive within me to always push onward & upward. I don't ever want to stagnate as a teacher, nor presume to have my profession figured out. This is tough for me as I am a perfectionist. I want to get things right the first time, and am sometimes frustrated to look back on the failures of yesteryear. Those failures may have pushed me to be the teacher I am today, but failure still smarts.

I have improved in crafting quality assessments. These are not formal tests!! At any given time, I usually have a pretty good feel for the pulse of my classroom community. Who understand what we are doing? Who is lost? I don't need to know if a student can recite the plot lines of a given book - that information is at the tip of their fingers. What I do want to see is passion, heart, inspiration, creativity... does literature inspire my students? Does it teach them about themselves and their world? That is my measure of success.

I still have much work to do improving my classroom management. I wrestle with this. Sometimes it feels like I need to become a different teacher to gain control of the classroom. I am not dictatorial (usually). I do not like to have all focus on me. I prefer students to be creating, crafting, discovering, building their own knowledge with me as a guide. But when things are crazy and chaotic and students can't understand directions because no one is listening and no one is reading instructions, things fall apart. It does not matter how interesting the project is, if a student doesn't want to listen, there is only so much flash/bang! that will garner their attention. And so, I am left with trying to wrangle my philosophy into order. How can I better craft units to suit the needs of my various students? How can I effectively teach, without resorting to being the loudest voice in the room?

I love each and every one of my students. Honestly. They are what make the long nights and the frustrating failures worth it. I want to be able to look every student in the eye at the end of the year and say, "I like you. I hope you like me, too. Hopefully this year, you learned a little about yourself and the world around you. Hopefully you mastered some practical skills. Hopefully you are leaving my classroom a better version of yourself."

Sunday, January 27, 2013

iPads in the Classroom: Observations



We are halfway through our year with iPads for 10th Grade English at Calvary Christian Academy. In no particular order, here are my observations:

  1. More students are buying or requesting their own iPads. They bring these in and purchase/download the same apps that we use in class. Students have learned that iPads are oh-so-much-more than consumption devices. Because we use iPads for everything from writing to research to filming to editing, students observe the possibilities.
  2. Settings need to be password protected. This seems like such a no-brainer. My students are generally quite good with the iPads, but sometimes they get themselves into trouble.
  3. Canvas Instructure is hands-down THE BEST learning management system for those using iPads in the classroom. Students can submit any work from almost any app to an assignment in Canvas. I can then use the SpeedGrader app to grade and make comments (including video/audio comments). 
  4. Yes, I want the camera. No, I don't want Photo Booth. It's an all or nothing situation now with the Restriction settings. 
  5. IPads give students choices. Some assignments I want handwritten (GoodNotes). Others I want typed (Pages). I have options with the iPads and everything stays nicely organized.
  6. Presentations are so much easier now. No lost thumb drives or confusion uploading a file to Dropbox. Students create their presentations using Keynote and then connect their individual iPad to the projector to present. Next on my wishlist: an Apple TV so we can remotely project. 
  7. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. My classroom next to the 7th grade lockers. What do I frequently overhear? "That's the iPad classroom. SO COOL! I can't wait until we get to use iPads for English." Students are eagerly looking forward to their future English studies.
  8. I am a better teacher. There. I said it. The iPads have allow me to be better organized, and I desperately need that. I have seen far less grade inflation this year in my classes.When I look at the 10th grade as a whole, I believe the assessments given on the iPads truly mirror their knowledge. The iPads allow for creative expression alongside academic rigor.
I'm looking forward to sharing more about my experiences this year during my session at PETE&C in February. I hope to see you there! 




Sunday, January 6, 2013

2013 Lit Maker Project

What is the purpose of literature?

Literature is so many things, but one very important thing I want my students to capture from their reading is the joy of discovery and inspiration. Literature allows us to explore new worlds, and prepares us to tackle our own world.

In this vein, I designed the 2013 Lit Maker Project for my tenth grade honors students. Perhaps you've heard of Make Magazine or the Maker Faires - these people are passionate about trying new things and pushing the boundaries of their creativity. While preparing the literature selection for this quarter, I saw many correlations between the author (Thor Heyerdahl) and Makers.

Kon-Tiki is the story of a man with an idea. Is it possible that ancient people traversed the Pacific Ocean on rafts? Thor Heyerdahl's research was not taken seriously, so he set out to prove that it could in fact be done with five other men. Had they ever built rafts before? No. Survived at sea for months? Nope. Did that stop them? Definitely not!

Today's gifted students can easily forget the joy of literature. So often they are bogged down with unlocking the "true purpose" of the text. I designed my project to allow my students to take inspiration from literature, paralleling Thor's own intrepid spirit.

To assess student reading, I allowed students to complete the book at their own pace, completing online quizzes at their leisure.

To help my students understand what I am looking for in this project, we watched Dale Dougherty's TED Talk on the importance of being a Maker.



Afterwards, my students played with my son's Makey Makey (video below of my son controlling the computer with oranges using the Makey Makey).



Then, I brought out Legos and invited my students to play. When I ask my students to be creative, particularly honors students, there is sometimes fear in their eyes. How will I be graded? What exactly do you want? I prefer open-ended types of projects because I believe it pushes students to reach new heights, but I know how scary that can be for someone who just wants to know what check boxes they need to check to get their A. Enter the Legos. I don't know what it is about Legos, but once the box is open, they must be played with. I've yet to meet a student who doesn't enjoy the tactile building process. I use Legos to help students get over their fear of creativity - thirty minutes with Legos, and project ideas start flowing.







The assignment:
You are a Maker. Design your own project where you create some thing... something unusual, something crafty... something different. Use this opportunity to explore your interests. This is your project, and your opportunity to create something special. You will have two months to complete this project, including all Mondays and Wednesdays in-class. You are responsible for creating a proposal and a timeline for completion.

Project Examples:
Sew a dress out of unusual materials
Create a robot that turns the pages of a book

I am using the Make the Future scholarship criteria to assess these projects. This will be a test run for many of you - if you find that you enjoyed this project, you can create a new project in a few years and submit it for the scholarship.

You will each create a 2-3 minute video including the following
- Title or Name of Project
- Inspiration for project
- Description or summary
- Purpose
- Procedures or process in creation
- Skills needed to make project
- Design challenges
- Demonstration or visualization of project

You will be assessed on:
- Project creativity
- Project innovation
- Mastery of skills
- Use of materials/applications
- Project design
- Project presentation

In addition, we will be using some of our writing Thursdays to write blog posts reflecting on the project, research related articles and information applicable to your project, and collaborate and comment on your fellow classmates' projects. 

Common Core Literacy Standards:
10.RL.6 Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature. 
10.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. 
10.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 
10.SL.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, text, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
10.SL.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
10.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.