Student Websites 4

World Book Students

http://www.worldbookonline.com/

World Book online for students is a great resource site for any classroom. In order to use this website you need a username and password for students to gain full access to all the information that could be found. This website is strictly the encyclopedia online. If the World Book student information being looked up is too difficult then student may also use World Book kids which breaks the information in smaller bits and makes it easier to comprehend. The website itself is very easy to navigate around and it would be easy for students to use on their own if they needed a quick answer to something. Students are also presented with worldly information. There are also quizzes and activities on the website for students to complete. There is also a section on how to complete correct research (tips and tools). In my classroom I would use this website for students who were working on a research project. This online encyclopedia would be a great way for students to build on their background. Students could either work in partners to look up the information or they may do it independently. Students often times like to read about information they know nothing about and World Book allows students the access to that information.

National Geographic Kids

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

A website that would be a fun activity for students to use is National Geographic for Kids. On this website students presented with information on animals, countries, and news topics. This website is very easy to navigate and it is pleasing to the children. Students are able to look through photos, listen to videos, and read articles. In my classroom, students would be broken into groups and would be asked to follow a reading guide. Students would be responsible looking up information about animals or news topics. This website is a great way to read about current events around the world that may deal with animals in their habitat. With each article of information there are photos of the animals to enhance the article. This website is a great way to introduce a writing process because students normally enjoy reading about animals. As an extra on the website there is a place labeled fun stuff where students can look up animal crafts!  




This is what the website looks like!





Reading Next Online Activity

1.) Literacy programs in the United States have been changed over the decades many times in order to fulfill the criteria needed to “fix” the increasing rate of students achieving below grade-level. In the article, Reading Next, it made valid points about the American literacy rate and the affects administrators and teachers need to consider when teaching the curriculum. Reading Next made many connections to the topics we have discussed in class. McKenna’s reading guides are the perfect expectations students need to follow and they set clear purpose for the text and or topic they are reading. When creating reading guides teachers need to be considerate of the students to make sure they are not “general” and are actually helping students who actually need to the extra organization and comprehension of the text. Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, and Rycik mention the seven principles students deserve. The first principle, adolescents deserve access to wide variety of reading they mention the decrease in amount of time they spend reading for fun. This holds very true because adolescents have difficulty comprehending newspapers, magazine articles, even recipes. While in school students are either not caring enough to try or students are having a much harder time comprehending the curriculum because it is too high. Gunning mentions the use of graphic organizers. This is a very important tool for students who are struggling or need the extra organization skill/tool to help them comprehend what they have read. Literacy programs need to be reevaluated and teachers need to consider making sure the steps they are using is to help their students achieve are actually working to help students twenty and thirty years from when they taught it.

2.) In my language arts classroom I would have students use text-based collaborate learning by engaging them in a variety of activities. One way would be to prepare a critical thinking reading guide on a text we were reading in class. In order to have student collaborate I would break them into groups of four. While in these groups they would be given the opportunity to build and express background knowledge of the topic being discussed in the text. Students would also be able to refer to the text and make connections. The texts that would be used during the small group activity would be articles that are different and vary in complexity. Although, the text would be of interest, so students can relate and help generate discussion. By giving the student different ability texts it differentiates instruction and allows students to explore new topics. With using the reading guide and the variety of texts students are being set-up to have success in discussion and participation.

Intensive writing is a skill and approach I would teach in my classroom; there are many ways to address intensive writing. In my class, students would use simple articles, reading guides, and or critical thinking short stories to help reinforce comprehension and to help them generate ideas about what to write about. Students would be asked to complete writing samples while completing the writing process. Making sure to think about the writing process and what is going to truly help them well into the future, I would have my students write resumes, cover letters, research papers, and narratives. Each one of those writing topics would help any student way into the future. The writing process would be separated into parts so that students can work at their own pace and so the writing taking place is clear and written well. Students would be able to complete each part of the writing process and would be able to check his or her own work this way the student feels ownership of their work.

Inquiry Question 3

How can we use social media to spark an interest in young adult literature?

It seems as though there are many students who already have used, heard, or talked about some form of social media. Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, blogs, AIM, or emails the point is that students have gained interest in these changing technological times. As an educator, we need to think about how we can use this collaboration with students to determine ways to teach them about young adult literature. By that, I mean knowing most students use and read posts on Facebook or blogs everyday it would be a great idea as an educator to teach to that point. For instance, co- teachers in Tennessee had their students create a Facebook page pertaining to a specific character in the story they were reading. Students were responsible for placing accurate information on the profile page also the posts they made had to relate to the text.

One may argue social media has changed the views of literature altogether. Students no longer want to read about characters they cannot relate too. If the story is set in a long time ago students are going to be more reluctant to gain interest in the story. If teachers (seems to be the common thread now a days) can relate them to what students love then maybe students will eventually have more knowledge and interest in the story being read. In a survey about social media and young adult literature,“The survey found that 19 per cent never read fiction books and 20 per cent never read non-fiction. In contrast, almost two-thirds surf websites every week, 55 per cent read emails and 46 per cent blogs.” Knowing this is how our students read and learn does influence us as educators.

Considering blogs have gained a lot of popularity over the years, studies have shown students gain lots of information and can recall information easier when they are used. Overall, we need to embrace the changes social media has had on young adult literature. In classrooms across America there are posters teachers can buy that use social media to depict a certain point. This is another way students are going to make connections to the literature they are reading. Over time, we need to evaluate to see if these methods are truly having a positive impact on our students and their learning.

Clark, L.. “Books Left on the Shelf: A Fifth of Pupils Only Read Blogs and Magazines.” Daily Mail ­(London, England), Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1167284/Books-left-shelf-A-fifth-pupils-read-blogs-magazines.html. November 8, 2011. 

MacLeod, F. 2008. “Texts, Blogs and Facebook: The New Literacy.” The Scotsman (Edinburgh, Scotland), Retrieved from http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/txts_blogs_and_facebook_the_new_literacy_1_1156064. November 8, 2011.