EDIM 508 - Whatta Trip!

This was not my first self-created Google Earth lesson (see my former post), but definitely one of my first lesson resources that I geared the objectives to cover more than just the Earth Science standards.  This summer has brought my graduate studies full circle with a Globalization course.  At first, I thought that I was going to highly dislike this course due to its political roots, but reflectively I feel that I have learned the most from this course.  While creating this lesson, I kept many of the ideals of globalization and my students' probable futures at the forefront while still maintaining the rigours of science standards.  This lesson is something that I dreamed of and planned for, but just never had the time this summer to develop the materials.
This lesson was a great way to end this course because it gave me the time to dedicate towards materials needed to execute this lesson.  Tools that were relatively new for me to develop were mainly synthesizing the online resources into stops; creating links, embedding images and educational simulators; and assigning an online assessment tool all within the Google Earth application.  I found the aggregation of resources the most time consuming aspect of this activity.  The most difficult part of this process was figuring out how to post the file on a blog format - so hopefully it works!  Generally, when I create a file like the Google Earth tour, I find that I can actually upload the file to my classroom website and wiki with ease.  A blog only allows you to link to web files instead of uploading, and therefore, I had to find an online file host, Google Sites File Cabinet, to upload the file and then link to that from this blog.  My research on how to do this was not a waste.  During my time on forums to answer this question, I also found out that you can embed a Google Earth widget into many of the blog spaces.  I feel that this will be very useful when I am linking something that is not as interactive as the current file.  I could see embedding it on a blog when I am just trying to create a relevance to distance or one single image instead of a tour.  I am not sure that our schools server could handle 30 computers trying to access the same blog with the same overloaded widget.
I feel that Google Earth is a supreme application with its versatility and availability to download for free.  I am hoping to take this same idea of a lesson on global warming via Google Earth and modify it to fit the link on the top 10 causes and effect of global warming.  This website was a great resource that I discovered while finding resources on the internet for this project, but I already had the idea for the other stops in place.  I also like the fact that the Discovery Education Assignment Builder allows a paperless transaction.  I plan on integrating this into my case studies lesson that I generally print materials out for.

Enjoy the Google Earth tour below :)

KMZ File

EDIM 508 - Integrating the Five Minds Video Blog

EDIM 508 - Science is a Universal Language

There are days that I count my lucky stars that I get to teach and excite students about science - today is one of them.  After reading the chapter on The Respectful Mind in Howard Gardner's Five Minds for the Future, I have highly reflected on compliments co-teachers have given me in the past.  Many of the compliments have contained sentiments that whatever the situation or student may be, I act and react in a respectful manner and expect the same of my students.  It is an atmosphere that is hard to define and thus maintain, and I have to ask and remind myself multiple times throughout the school year what is respect?  For me it is the root and essence of success in the classroom.  It is a structure and foundation that is exemplified in hopes that students will determine for themselves that respect is an aptitude that is for the greater good.  Respect sometimes seems difficult to define, but is essence is define by Gardner as, "[someone] that offers the benefit of the doubt to all human beings" (Gardner 2009).

I also find myself fortunate enough to work in a team setting at the 9th grade level.  Over the last few years, we have been developing an academy setting for our students to engage the student body in a successful transition into the high school atmosphere.  It did not hit me until reading this week's references, that in all of the trials and struggles of developing that academy atmosphere and honor code, that the core -which is sometimes lost- is truly based on respect.  These values are those that are instilled by modeled values of my coworkers, and that is where I get to count my lucky stars again.  A large overhaul for the academy this upcoming year is contributing in community service, and that, again, is the heart of respect for others.


Overall, my fortunes land in teaching science, or what is said to be a universal language.  I get to teach a subject that is common and collaborative throughout the world.   Julene Reed describe two major facets of respect in the following passage: "Knowledge of other cultures around the world leads students to understanding and compassion" (Reed, 2007).  She also encourages teachers to promote a global respect within the classroom.  No greater global respect can be emulated to my students than producing and reading research that is aggregated by students, just like them, from all over the world. The Globe Program is an online education center where students contribute scientific evidence and collaborate with other students from around the world to benefit the environment.  Integrating this program in the classroom provides an opportunity for a flat classroom environment while still committing to the science standards.  The program increases excitement, engages a commitment to the environment, and promotes respect throughout the scientific community that is global.

References:
Gardner, H. (2009). Five Minds for the Future [Kindle DX Version]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Reed, J. (2007, September 28). Global collaboration and learning. Retrieved from http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2007/09/global-collaboration-and-learning

The globe program. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.globe.gov/