Assignment IV

Hello! I have just shared with you all an invitation to edit a google document. For this assignment, what type of assignment would you guys want to do with our class? It should have something to do with Local History, particularly with famous people of the area. Maybe we could do something with the founder of the area and how it was founded? So, we could do an assignment in which students have to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between Kalamazoo and a different place. This could focus on how the region or place was founded, who founded it, and maybe what it was like it the early days or why it was founded? What do you guys think?

Here is the first part of the assignment (we will also need to make a map):

Part A: The first step in this assignment is for your group to decide what type of assignment you would do with your class (that directly relates to your Project-based Learning topic) to demonstrate cultural understanding and global awareness. Together, your team will write up a detailed description of this assignment. Examples might be having students in your class and in a class from a different place compare and contrast differences and similarities between their regions as they relate to the content of their projects (i.e. different/similar vegetables, birds, weather, etc.) Assume that will use ePals to help you identify and connect with another group of students. Be sure to add the following in this description (this will take some creativity and imagination):

• Who are the students your students will communicate with (specific location, grade level)?
• When would your students contact these other students (at what point in their project work)?
• What kinds of questions would they ask each other and what kinds of information would they share?
• What will they do with the information they get from the other students?

Assignment III Discussion Post ~ Evaluating Websites

Good morning!

For this post, let's edit what I have written here to include what websites each of us will be evaluating. Prior to evaluating these, however, you need to evaluate the website in the lesson for this week and email the professor. This is due by Wednesday. This week's assignments are individual assignments. Each of us will be evaluating 3 different websites. Please include below the URLs for the websites you will be evaluating. In terms of types of websites we are looking it, I think they should be about how to research or resources on researching for kids or teaching kids and specific content about significant people of Kalamazoo. I have started a list below of types of websites we think we should look to evaluate - please feel free to add to it.

Here are the due dates for this week as well:
Email to instructor, due by Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. 
Evaluation of Web Sites is due by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, January 29, 2017.

-Taylor


Types of Websites to Evaluate:
- Resources on researching for students / teaching students about researching (5th grade)
- Significant people of Kalamazoo / biographies


Websites We are Evaluating:

Taylor:
1. http://www.kpl.gov/local-history/all-about-kalamazoo/
2. http://teachinghistory.org/teaching-materials/ask-a-master-teacher/25208
3. http://www.swmidirectory.org/History_of_Kalamazoo_County.html

Bethany: 
1. http://www.kalamazoomi.com/hisf.htm
2.https://www.edutopia.org/blog/elementary-research-mary-beth-hertz
3. http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/reference-material/five-ways-to-teach-research-skills-to-elementary-school-children/

Amanda: 
1. kalamazoocity.org/history
2. http://ancestrylibrary.proquest.com.libproxy.library.wmich.edu
3. https://www.archives.gov

Part A - Collaborative Concept Map (Assignment II)

Concept Maps [Rough Drafts]

As you get your concept maps drawn, please upload an image of your concept map by editing this post and inserting an image. I thought this was the easiest, most effective way to have each of the concept maps in one place for us to look over.

I added in blue to the one that I have drawn to include other ideas from your concept maps as well:

Communication Blog for Assignment II

Here we can discuss what we would like for our semester long project to look like. Prof. Peterson posted on Elearning some great ideas for our group and what the project could look like. Once we decide on a project, we can begin our concept maps!

Thanks!
-Bethany

Getting Started

Hello!

Thank you for joining! I have posted the blog URL on Elearning. We can begin communicating about assignment II - the concept map - as soon as you would like. In addition, we need to complete the first Reading Reflection.  I know it is not due until Sunday, January 22nd, but I figured it could be better to start earlier rather than later. We need to decide how we are approaching these assignments, whether that be we do them all as a group or if we divide up the work between us and do our work individually. Also, I think it could be a good idea if we set up a time where we all meet on the blog to communicate to one another each week. Let me know what you think by replying to this post.

Thank you!

-Taylor