Week+5+Assignment

Readiness Interest Learning Profile
 * Chris Stewart's Resources:**

Malissa to Chris: I would could use all of your resources you posted. I would use your readiness resource to help create a KWL chart for my content. I like how you can individualize based on what you want to know from the __students__. I would also use the interest __survey__ to get to know my __students__ to help incorporate activies or topics to help keep my students interested and engaged. I would also use the How do I learn __survey__ to get to know my students and how they learn best to plan accordingly and to incorporate their __learning__ style into the lessons.

Judy to Chris: I really like your readiness tool. Using a computer to create a KWL chart will make it different and something students might get more interested in completing. I also like the __survey questions__ for __student__ interest __surveys__. The learning profile site was intersting because students get immediate feedback. I think your tools will be helpful in integrating differentiated instruction.

Rich to Chris, The K-W-L Creator can be used by educators of all subject and grade levels. Great stuff! Among the ideas that I took from it was a lesson plan that can aid you by bringing visual displays to the forefront, most notably for English Language Learners. Another one I liked discussed plagiarism, which, even though is less prevalent in physical education, is a key part of an appropriate education for students. The inventory was also very insightful, and I am sure it would find it as such after implementing it, particularly at the beginning of a school year.

__Rich__ Vleck's Resources: Readiness: Wii Sports ([]) Sports and games are a main component of physical __education__. There are larger goals, but these activities play a major roll in the content area at almost all levels. Wii Sports, by Nintendo, allows students of a lower skill set the ability to safely maneuver through the activities of baseball, bowling, boxing, golf and tennis. Each activity has a purpose, such as bowling often being difficult to implement in a __class__, or boxing being unsafe for all students, but for the other three, they can aid students that struggle. For students that are not yet ready to compete in larger groups, this technology is a variance that can put their connection with the skill in a positive light (Laureate __Education__, Inc., 2010). With scaffolding created through various levels, the ability for students to find a competitive balance is much easier. This is the case with tennis, where a suitable partner is found and the awkward motions of the game are lessened. With golf, not only is the __driving range__ put on television, but the ability to hit the ball and hit it straighter is much easier. This is also the case with the baseball activity, where hitting and catching is simplified. By using this technology, the readiness for particular students to be better equipped to participate in these activities in its original setting is fostered. Self-efficacy has now been strengthened and their willingness to revisit this activity is better. This additional pathway is possible to reach the common goal set forth by the instructor (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

Interest Level: Wii Fit ([]) Fitness is the key in physical education. My primary goal across the curriculum is to help to direct students towards a healthy lifestyle. Various games can be fun and enjoyable, but some of them often are too sedentary. Conversely, the activities that produce a higher activity output are sometimes difficult for students to engage with. Wii Fit, by Nintendo, adds a fun and interactive component in to an activity that is often done solitarily. Unlike Wii Sports, all students can benefit from this implementation. By using the Wii controller, along with the optional balance board, students can improve their fitness while challenging themselves at the same time. This activity increases collaboration, provides almost-instant __video analysis__ and uses video, verbal and physical demonstrations, all while maintaining an authentic feel (Wii Me, 2012). This tool gives me the ability to engage a larger faction of the __class__. Controllers are limited, but by rotating the class around, they are continually moving and also motivated to be prepared when they take center stage. It also creates a digital instructor that can replicate moves impossible for the in-class instructor to repeat over and over (Wii Me, 2012). This technology connects students with a global network of resources and most importantly, gets them and keeps them engaged (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

Learning Profile: Polar Heart Rate Monitors ([]) Leading students towards a healthy lifestyle is a primary curricular goal in physical education, and a reason for that is the need to have a healthy heart. Heart rate monitors not only caution the user for potential issues, but provide data concerning activity levels. Polar makes a wrist watch monitor that, while pricey, provide a wealth of information to students. Students can take a controlled test before the class, then monitor their activity level throughout the class and then at the conclusion of class. This data can then be transferred on to a computer and other outlets to extract even more insight from the incredible amount of data that is collected. This technology meets a wide range of learning profiles, as it provides a beeping noise to alert the user of their increasing heart rate and gives a visual on the screen as well as in graph format on the computer, all while letting the user be hands-on throughout the process. This technology can be implemented with almost any lesson, with the data used by the instructor or the student for analysis and later implementation. Students enter the classroom with many unique qualities that one way or another relate to learning, it is our need to do whatever we can to increase the student comfort level for maximum learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

Judy to Rich: I personally have the two Wii Fit games you listed. I know my daughter (and the rest of the family) love them. I think your tools will definately benefit your classroom. It gets the students motivated and into the activity. I am not familiar with the heart monitor but you made it seem as though it fits your curriculum. I was wondering if your district would fund such devices for the classroom? So many schools focus on computer based programs and forget there are many other resources teachers can use that incorporate technology into the lesson. Your tools would definately motivate and reach your students on various levels.

Having taught 7th grade science for many years, I can see where a heart rate monitor could come in useful to teaching science. The students could obviously monitor their heart rates as we learn about the heart and the circulatory system. The students could also learn about activities and exercises that increase their heart rate. I could even teach graphing with the monitors. The students could record their heart rate for various activities and then graph the data. Graphing is a standard that the students must learn, so I can see how the monitors could come in useful for 7th grade science curriculum.
 * Chris to Rich:**

Malissa Sauciunas Resources: [|Readiness] [|Interest] [|Learning Profile]

Judy to Malissa: I really liked your learning profile link. The site had several activities I can see using in the classroom: Random Name Generator and Board Games. I like the idea that teachers do not have to start from scratch and the activities engage the students while still meeting objectives. I also liked the exit card strategy. I think this is a technique I will try to implement in the fall. It is a good way for teachers to keep up with what students understand and gives students an opportunity to share with the teacher something that may embarass them if spoken outloud.

Marisa to Malissa, I struggle with ensuring that my students know what they need to know. I like the idea of having an exit card. This would be great to use when students go out to recess, lunch, or home for the day. I was impressed with your learning profile link. It had tons of resources. This site would be great for me to use throughout the year with my students.

Your readiness link’s exit card would be a great ticket-out-the-door. When I taught 7th grade science, one of the strategies that the admins always loved to see was ticket-out-the-door. After teaching a lesson, you ask the students a question and they have to respond and leave you their ticket with the answer before they can leave. You look over their answers and it gives you an idea on whether the students understood the concepts you were teaching. If not, you can address them the next day. This exit card looks like a great way to use technology and the ticket-out-the-door strategy at the same time.
 * Chris to Malissa:**

Judy Spears' Resources:

Readiness: Note Star This is a free resource but does require registration. Teachers can establish research topics for students and then monitor student progress. Students create individual accounts to use during their research. They create topics and sub topics. It has various ways for them to gather and organize their notes. This tool allows students to work on their level but the teacher can monitor their work and challenge them to move beyond their comfort zone.

Interests: This site has a few examples of elementary level web quests. Teachers can also create their own web quest using []. We quests actually address all three levels of differentiation. Teachers can create web quests based on content that allows students to choose topics that interest them and can gather and present information according to their preference.

Leaning Profile: This site offers a __survey__ where students answer topics according to how they feel they fit their lifestyle. Afterwards it generates a score for each of the eight Multiple Intelligences and ranks them. It lists activities that might interest students according to the top three MI for their profile. Another tool I found useful for learner profile is a template that teachers can use after conducting the survey to help plan the lessons. This can be found on the CAST web site at []. It works to identify all three levels of UDL: recognition, strategy and affect. Teachers identify student strengths, weaknesses and their interests/preferences. It also has lists of qualities to look for in students for each of the three areas. This tool will be helpful in analyzing students and creating effective classroom instruction that meets the needs of all learners.

Malissa to Judy I really like your readiness link. Students have a hard time with researching topics and organizing their notes. I would use this in my class to help students learn how to research properly. I never thought of a webquest as an interest resource. That is a great way to find and use student's interests. That is a great idea! As for the learning profile resources, both links are beneficial. I like the survey where it ranks the 8 mulitple intelligences. I really would like to incorporate a survey like this in the Fall to plan accordingly to my students and their learning needs.

Rich to Judy, Your webquest example looks like a great tool that, while geared for the elementary student, could be transferred quite easily to other levels. I find that webquests, when done correctly, have a great ability to engage a wide range of students because of the various tools and methods used to present information. Your survey option for learning profile is also a good tool as this method is essential before any planning can be done. Without knowing our students, we are lost.

Marisa to Judy, I like your interest link. There are so many examples of webquests on there. I would love to try and implement some webquests with my students next year. I would like to use this summer to explore them a bit further and take the time to create one, possibly two and see how my students do with it/them.

Marisa Roberts' Resources:

Interest

Readiness This wiki also has learning profiles suggestions.

learning Profile