I found this interesting article:
http://www.theindychannel.com/technology/22424760/detail.html
Please read the article and then post a summary. Make sure you are answering the essential questions: who, what, where, when, why, how. Please include supporting detail. A good trick for summaries is to think of writing a shorter article for someone who has never read the article. They don't need to know every detail but they do need to know the main idea.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Stories.
Welcome Back,
I hope you had a wonderful break from blogging. This week we are reading and writing success stories!
Please go to the following link:
http://condor.depaul.edu/~cwren/booklets/college/pp0-1.htm
In order to avoid everyone doing the same story please read the success story that correlates with your Communication Skills period. For example, if you are in 3rd period C.S. do the third story listed in the table of contents. Another example, if you are in 8th period C.S. do the eighth story listed in the table of contents.
Your assignment is to read one of the assigned success stories and post a summary on the thread. Once completed, you should then write a personal success story on how you overcame a learning disability, or how you are going to overcome your learning disability. There is no desired length, but your summary should include all of the main points and your personal story should go to an appropriate length (based on teacher's opinion)
If you have any questions, please feel free to come and talk with me. I will not answer questions over the weekend.
Remember have fun with the success story. This can be both informative and creative!
Mr.Moore
I hope you had a wonderful break from blogging. This week we are reading and writing success stories!
Please go to the following link:
http://condor.depaul.edu/~cwren/booklets/college/pp0-1.htm
In order to avoid everyone doing the same story please read the success story that correlates with your Communication Skills period. For example, if you are in 3rd period C.S. do the third story listed in the table of contents. Another example, if you are in 8th period C.S. do the eighth story listed in the table of contents.
Your assignment is to read one of the assigned success stories and post a summary on the thread. Once completed, you should then write a personal success story on how you overcame a learning disability, or how you are going to overcome your learning disability. There is no desired length, but your summary should include all of the main points and your personal story should go to an appropriate length (based on teacher's opinion)
If you have any questions, please feel free to come and talk with me. I will not answer questions over the weekend.
Remember have fun with the success story. This can be both informative and creative!
Mr.Moore
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Testing Anxiety
Testing anxiety thwarts one's ability to complete in-class assignments and assessments to the best of his or her ability. Therefore, your grades do not accurately show your abilities. The main question/dilemma that I want you to think about while reading is: how does someone overcome this anxiety, so that they can be properly assessed?
In order to answer that question you must understand how you learn. As stated in previous Blogs, as a C.S. student you must become familiar with your disability in order to overcome it. Please make sure while you are reading, parallel the material to personal experience.
Please read the following article "Overcoming Test Anxiety" on the Study Guides and Strategies website. This week's Blog assignment is to write about a personal experience with testing anxiety.
http://www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm
There are two different assignments. Please read below carefully and choose which category you fall under.
1. If you DO have testing anxiety write about what it feels like. Describe a situation when you experienced testing anxiety.
2. If you DO NOT have testing anxiety please write a paragraph suggesting how to overcome testing anxiety
Please post your paragraphs to the Blog this week. If you feel uncomfortable posting it, please email it to me.
Mr.Moore
In order to answer that question you must understand how you learn. As stated in previous Blogs, as a C.S. student you must become familiar with your disability in order to overcome it. Please make sure while you are reading, parallel the material to personal experience.
Please read the following article "Overcoming Test Anxiety" on the Study Guides and Strategies website. This week's Blog assignment is to write about a personal experience with testing anxiety.
http://www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm
There are two different assignments. Please read below carefully and choose which category you fall under.
1. If you DO have testing anxiety write about what it feels like. Describe a situation when you experienced testing anxiety.
2. If you DO NOT have testing anxiety please write a paragraph suggesting how to overcome testing anxiety
Please post your paragraphs to the Blog this week. If you feel uncomfortable posting it, please email it to me.
Mr.Moore
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Summarize
Summarizing is a necessary skill for both inside and outside the classroom. It is an important ability to become comfortable and skilled at. To be able to summarize concisely and correctly you must be able to sort the main points from the "unnecessary" information. As many of you know, a thorough summarization includes the following: who, what, why, where, when, how.
According to University of Idaho, they believe that the following process must be completed to create a well drafted summary. (http://www.class.uidaho.edu/adv_tech_wrt/resources/general/how_to_summarize.htm)
1. Read the article.
2. Re-read the article.
-Underline important ideas.
-Circle key terms.
-Find the main point of the article.
-Divide the article into sections or stages of thought,
-Label each section or stage of thought in the margins.
-Note the main idea of each paragraph if the article is short.
3. Write brief summaries of each stage of thought or if appropriate each paragraph. Use a separate piece of paper for this step. This should be a
brief outline of the article.
4. Write the main point of the article. Use your own words. This should be a sentence that expresses the central idea of the article as you have determined it the from steps above.
5. Write your rough draft of the summary. Combine the information from the first four steps into paragraphs.
6. Edit your version. Be concise. Eliminate needless words and repetitions.
(Avoid using "the author says...," "the author argues...," etc.)
Now, Mr. Moore’s summarization of the University of Idaho’s process:
1. Read
2. Underline, Highlight, Circle
3. Write
4. Edit
5. Edit
This week’s Blog assignment is to go onto http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ and summarize an article (7-10 sentences) that you read there.
Please include a link to your article in your response.
Please post all responses on the Blog.
Do not email me your responses.
According to University of Idaho, they believe that the following process must be completed to create a well drafted summary. (http://www.class.uidaho.edu/adv_tech_wrt/resources/general/how_to_summarize.htm)
1. Read the article.
2. Re-read the article.
-Underline important ideas.
-Circle key terms.
-Find the main point of the article.
-Divide the article into sections or stages of thought,
-Label each section or stage of thought in the margins.
-Note the main idea of each paragraph if the article is short.
3. Write brief summaries of each stage of thought or if appropriate each paragraph. Use a separate piece of paper for this step. This should be a
brief outline of the article.
4. Write the main point of the article. Use your own words. This should be a sentence that expresses the central idea of the article as you have determined it the from steps above.
5. Write your rough draft of the summary. Combine the information from the first four steps into paragraphs.
6. Edit your version. Be concise. Eliminate needless words and repetitions.
(Avoid using "the author says...," "the author argues...," etc.)
Now, Mr. Moore’s summarization of the University of Idaho’s process:
1. Read
2. Underline, Highlight, Circle
3. Write
4. Edit
5. Edit
This week’s Blog assignment is to go onto http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ and summarize an article (7-10 sentences) that you read there.
Please include a link to your article in your response.
Please post all responses on the Blog.
Do not email me your responses.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Preparing for and Ansering Essay Questions
Student,
It is safe to say that tests are stressful and the least favorite part of school (besides Baked Cod in the dining hall). In order to overcome them you need to learn strategies to deal with them. The following "Instructional One-Pager" explains one such strategy.
Please read the following "Instructional One-Pager." Your assignment is to write a response to it: 1 page, double space, 1 inch margins, 12 point font.
Two paragraphs:
1st. Summary
2nd. Your Opinion
Strategy: Preparing for and Answering Essay Questions
Date: May 22, 2006
Grade Level: All
Content Area: Communications Skills/All
The following is a reprint from the Muskingum College Learning Strategies Database. This information can be found at: http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/general/testtaking.html#General
The entire database, which includes a wealth of learning strategies (all areas), can be found at: http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/
Essay tests are common in college-level courses, especially in the humanities and sciences. They allow instructors to test students' abilities in remembering, organizing, and evaluating information. Essays are considered relatively subjective questions, because there is no one specific answer that is correct. Though the instructor usually looks for certain points to be made in the answer, there are varying degrees of correctness. Sometimes instructors will accept as correct some answers that diverge from common interpretations, as long as the answers are logically and substantively supported.
The following strategies for taking essay tests are presented in the chronological order they should be used before and during the exam.
Pre-Test Preparation
Before the test, practice writing answers to sample essay questions. Make up your own questions, or consult the textbook or workbook for sample questions. Work with another student to write questions for each other. When answering sample essay questions, give yourself the same amount of time you will have during the actual test. Don't refer to your study materials when answering sample essays.
It is also important to find out before the test who will be grading the answers. If the instructor is grading the test, find out what types of answers he/she prefers. Does he/she look for facts, for ideas, or for supported interpretations? If someone other than the instructor, a teaching assistant for example, is grading the test, avoid reinterpreting concepts and presenting unpopular view points. Give lots of facts and examples instead.
Read the Directions Carefully
Many points on essay tests are lost because students fail to read the directions carefully. Pay attention to the following points when reading directions:
· Are you to answer every question or do you have choices?
· Where are you to write your answers: on the test, on lined paper, in a blue book?
· How are you to write your answers: skip a line, one side of page only, etc.?
· Is there a certain number of ideas you need to include?
· Are you supposed to write a certain amount of information: a few sentences, a paragraph, etc.?
· Are you supposed to include dates?
· Are you supposed to include examples?
· Are you supposed to include the names of important people?
Key words to look for in the directions are listed below (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1981, p. 102). Be sure to know what these words mean.
· synonym
· antonym
· none of
· similar to
· the same as
· all of
· the opposite of
· assume that
· if
· all but one
· only one correct choice
Budget Your Time
Decide how to divide all available time among the questions. Plan to spend more time on questions that count for more points; spend equal time on questions with the same point value. Allow time to check answers after completing all questions. For each question, allow half of the time for writing an outline and half for writing the answer.
Read All Questions Before Answering Them
Reading all the questions before answering them allows one's brain to begin processing information. Reading before answering is especially important when one has a choice of questions to answer.
Determine what information is given, what information is requested for the answer, and how you are to answer the question (e.g. compare, contrast, prove, summarize, etc.). Break down complex questions into smaller parts, numbering each to make sure all parts are answered. Jot down a few notes as you read each question. If you don't understand a question, ask the instructor for clarification.
Closely Examine Instructions for Directional Words
Essay questions often contain verbs asking students to do certain things with the information. Students must know what these words mean in order to provide the information that the instructor wants. The most commonly used directional words and their definitions are provided below. Be aware of variations on these words that are specific to certain instructors; not all instructors use the words in the same way. If unsure, ask the instructor for clarification.
· Analyze: Break the subject into its component parts and discuss each part (Lunenfeld and Lunenfeld, 1992).
· "Compare: Show how they are the same and how they differ.
· Contrast: Show how they differ.
· Criticize: Examine the pros and cons and give your judgment.
· Defend: Give details that prove it or show its value.
· Define: Just give the meaning.
· Describe: Give the details and examples that show what it is.
· Discuss and review: Examine from all angles. (These words are catchalls.
Depending on the teacher, they might mean trace, outline, describe, compare, list, explain, evaluate, defend, criticize, enumerate, summarize, or tell all you know about it.)
· Distinguish: Tell how this is different from others similar to it.
· Evaluate: Give your opinion as to the advantages and disadvantages.
· Explain and show: Show, in logical sequence, how or why something happened (or both).
· Illustrate: Give examples.
· Justify: Give the facts and then prove it's true.
· Name, list, tell, and enumerate: Give just the information that is specifically asked for.
· Prove: Show that it is true and that its opposite is false.
· Summarize and outline: Give the main points.
· Trace: Show how something developed step by step (usually chronologically)" (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1981, p. 101-102).
Pick a Title
Select a title for each essay answer. Titles help to keep one on track while writing the answers. In other words, titles help one avoid straying from the topic of the question and including irrelevant information. Each title should contain the following information: topic, point of view or approach, and boundaries (temporal, spatial) of the topic. For example, if the question asks "Compare and contrast British colonial policies in different parts of the world," the title to the answer might be "Similarities and Differences Between British Policies in Asian and African Colonies in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries."
Organize (Outline) the Answer
Good essay writers spend half of their time formulating an outline before answering a question. This may seem like a large investment of time, but outlining insures that each response is organized and answers the question asked. If one has prepared for the exam by reorganizing information or by making up and answering practice essay questions, the organizing process is completed ahead of time and precious testing time is saved.
Divide the outline into general points and specific details. The general points usually are taken from the information in the question, or one may restate the different parts of the question. The student supplies the specific details under the appropriate general points. If the essay questions had been anticipated, try to remember the outline you prepared before the exam.
Organize the main points of the outline. The structure chosen depends on the question and the discipline. Complete details on essay organization are given in the Writing and Proofreading page, but brief descriptions of five common methods of organization are given below (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1981, p. 103).
· Chronological Order - order of historical events, cause to effect, step-by-step sequence
· From General to Specific - general topic to subtopics, theoretical to practical, generalizations to specific examples
· From Least to Most - easiest to most difficult, smallest to largest, worst to best, weakest to strongest, least important to most important, least complicated to most complicated, least effective to most effective, least controversial to most controversial
· From Most to Least - most known to least known, most factual to least factual (fact to opinion)
· Giving Both Sides (Grouped or Interspersed) - pros and cons, assets and liabilities, similiarities and differences, hard and easy, bad and good, effective and ineffective, weak and strong, complicated and uncomplicated, controversial and uncontroversial
Remember that outlining is not the only way to organize information. One may choose to organize the main ideas and specific details for the essay in an alternate format, such as a herringbone map, a matrix or table, a hierarchy or array, a flow chart, or a spider map.
Get Active
Get actively involved in your essay, showing enthusiasm in your answer. Recall personal experiences related to the topic or exciting lectures, books and movies that interested you in the subject. While these won't be part of your answer, they help to get you in the right state of mind.
Write Methodically
Write your answer as if you were writing a mini term paper. Your answer should have a title, an introduction or topic statement, a body, and an ending or conclusion.
· Tips for selecting an appropriate title were discussed previously.
· Your topic statement can be a reworking of the title.
· The body should include at least one paragraph for each general point in your outline. Each paragraph in the body should begin with a general summary sentence, usually a complete sentence containing the information in the outline. Skip a line between paragraphs.
· Your ending can be a summary of the answer, a restatement of the topic sentence, or your interpretations or opinions. Do not introduce new information in the ending.
Use ample details and examples in the answer. Use clear labeling words, such as examples, comparisons, similarities, contrasts, differences, supports, arguments, reasons, most, probably, main point, exceptions, etc. Underline key words.
Think in three's: three paragraphs, three sentences per paragraph, three examples per main point, etc. Avoid one sentence paragraphs. Be direct and to the point.
Don't Waste Space
Although it's a good idea to skip lines between paragraphs, don't skip lines between sentences or use only one side of the paper unless told to do so. Avoid ornate or illegible handwriting that takes up a lot of room on the paper. Don't try to fill up extra test booklets by wasting space. Some graders interpret wasted space as a cover up for not knowing the material.
Check Your Work
You should have allotted time for checking your answers. For content, did you answer the question, and did you stick to your point of view? For organization, did you answer all parts of the question, and are paragraphs and sentences logically ordered? For writing, is your answer clear, is you writing legible, is your grammar correct, and is your punctuation correct?
If You Prepared for the Different Questions
Sometimes students anticipate that certain questions will be asked, but the test questions turn out to be different. When this happens, make sure you have completely answered the questions you do know. Then look for ambiguity in the questions you don't know, since lack of clarity may allow some leeway in your answer. Stretch what you do know about the topic by giving many examples and comparisons. Add less relevant information by linking it with general statements.
If You Run Out of Time
If you are running out of time and haven't yet answered all questions, write down the outlines and indicate that you ran out of time for that/those question(s). Some instructors will give partial credit for outlines.
It is safe to say that tests are stressful and the least favorite part of school (besides Baked Cod in the dining hall). In order to overcome them you need to learn strategies to deal with them. The following "Instructional One-Pager" explains one such strategy.
Please read the following "Instructional One-Pager." Your assignment is to write a response to it: 1 page, double space, 1 inch margins, 12 point font.
Two paragraphs:
1st. Summary
2nd. Your Opinion
Strategy: Preparing for and Answering Essay Questions
Date: May 22, 2006
Grade Level: All
Content Area: Communications Skills/All
The following is a reprint from the Muskingum College Learning Strategies Database. This information can be found at: http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/general/testtaking.html#General
The entire database, which includes a wealth of learning strategies (all areas), can be found at: http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/
Essay tests are common in college-level courses, especially in the humanities and sciences. They allow instructors to test students' abilities in remembering, organizing, and evaluating information. Essays are considered relatively subjective questions, because there is no one specific answer that is correct. Though the instructor usually looks for certain points to be made in the answer, there are varying degrees of correctness. Sometimes instructors will accept as correct some answers that diverge from common interpretations, as long as the answers are logically and substantively supported.
The following strategies for taking essay tests are presented in the chronological order they should be used before and during the exam.
Pre-Test Preparation
Before the test, practice writing answers to sample essay questions. Make up your own questions, or consult the textbook or workbook for sample questions. Work with another student to write questions for each other. When answering sample essay questions, give yourself the same amount of time you will have during the actual test. Don't refer to your study materials when answering sample essays.
It is also important to find out before the test who will be grading the answers. If the instructor is grading the test, find out what types of answers he/she prefers. Does he/she look for facts, for ideas, or for supported interpretations? If someone other than the instructor, a teaching assistant for example, is grading the test, avoid reinterpreting concepts and presenting unpopular view points. Give lots of facts and examples instead.
Read the Directions Carefully
Many points on essay tests are lost because students fail to read the directions carefully. Pay attention to the following points when reading directions:
· Are you to answer every question or do you have choices?
· Where are you to write your answers: on the test, on lined paper, in a blue book?
· How are you to write your answers: skip a line, one side of page only, etc.?
· Is there a certain number of ideas you need to include?
· Are you supposed to write a certain amount of information: a few sentences, a paragraph, etc.?
· Are you supposed to include dates?
· Are you supposed to include examples?
· Are you supposed to include the names of important people?
Key words to look for in the directions are listed below (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1981, p. 102). Be sure to know what these words mean.
· synonym
· antonym
· none of
· similar to
· the same as
· all of
· the opposite of
· assume that
· if
· all but one
· only one correct choice
Budget Your Time
Decide how to divide all available time among the questions. Plan to spend more time on questions that count for more points; spend equal time on questions with the same point value. Allow time to check answers after completing all questions. For each question, allow half of the time for writing an outline and half for writing the answer.
Read All Questions Before Answering Them
Reading all the questions before answering them allows one's brain to begin processing information. Reading before answering is especially important when one has a choice of questions to answer.
Determine what information is given, what information is requested for the answer, and how you are to answer the question (e.g. compare, contrast, prove, summarize, etc.). Break down complex questions into smaller parts, numbering each to make sure all parts are answered. Jot down a few notes as you read each question. If you don't understand a question, ask the instructor for clarification.
Closely Examine Instructions for Directional Words
Essay questions often contain verbs asking students to do certain things with the information. Students must know what these words mean in order to provide the information that the instructor wants. The most commonly used directional words and their definitions are provided below. Be aware of variations on these words that are specific to certain instructors; not all instructors use the words in the same way. If unsure, ask the instructor for clarification.
· Analyze: Break the subject into its component parts and discuss each part (Lunenfeld and Lunenfeld, 1992).
· "Compare: Show how they are the same and how they differ.
· Contrast: Show how they differ.
· Criticize: Examine the pros and cons and give your judgment.
· Defend: Give details that prove it or show its value.
· Define: Just give the meaning.
· Describe: Give the details and examples that show what it is.
· Discuss and review: Examine from all angles. (These words are catchalls.
Depending on the teacher, they might mean trace, outline, describe, compare, list, explain, evaluate, defend, criticize, enumerate, summarize, or tell all you know about it.)
· Distinguish: Tell how this is different from others similar to it.
· Evaluate: Give your opinion as to the advantages and disadvantages.
· Explain and show: Show, in logical sequence, how or why something happened (or both).
· Illustrate: Give examples.
· Justify: Give the facts and then prove it's true.
· Name, list, tell, and enumerate: Give just the information that is specifically asked for.
· Prove: Show that it is true and that its opposite is false.
· Summarize and outline: Give the main points.
· Trace: Show how something developed step by step (usually chronologically)" (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1981, p. 101-102).
Pick a Title
Select a title for each essay answer. Titles help to keep one on track while writing the answers. In other words, titles help one avoid straying from the topic of the question and including irrelevant information. Each title should contain the following information: topic, point of view or approach, and boundaries (temporal, spatial) of the topic. For example, if the question asks "Compare and contrast British colonial policies in different parts of the world," the title to the answer might be "Similarities and Differences Between British Policies in Asian and African Colonies in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries."
Organize (Outline) the Answer
Good essay writers spend half of their time formulating an outline before answering a question. This may seem like a large investment of time, but outlining insures that each response is organized and answers the question asked. If one has prepared for the exam by reorganizing information or by making up and answering practice essay questions, the organizing process is completed ahead of time and precious testing time is saved.
Divide the outline into general points and specific details. The general points usually are taken from the information in the question, or one may restate the different parts of the question. The student supplies the specific details under the appropriate general points. If the essay questions had been anticipated, try to remember the outline you prepared before the exam.
Organize the main points of the outline. The structure chosen depends on the question and the discipline. Complete details on essay organization are given in the Writing and Proofreading page, but brief descriptions of five common methods of organization are given below (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1981, p. 103).
· Chronological Order - order of historical events, cause to effect, step-by-step sequence
· From General to Specific - general topic to subtopics, theoretical to practical, generalizations to specific examples
· From Least to Most - easiest to most difficult, smallest to largest, worst to best, weakest to strongest, least important to most important, least complicated to most complicated, least effective to most effective, least controversial to most controversial
· From Most to Least - most known to least known, most factual to least factual (fact to opinion)
· Giving Both Sides (Grouped or Interspersed) - pros and cons, assets and liabilities, similiarities and differences, hard and easy, bad and good, effective and ineffective, weak and strong, complicated and uncomplicated, controversial and uncontroversial
Remember that outlining is not the only way to organize information. One may choose to organize the main ideas and specific details for the essay in an alternate format, such as a herringbone map, a matrix or table, a hierarchy or array, a flow chart, or a spider map.
Get Active
Get actively involved in your essay, showing enthusiasm in your answer. Recall personal experiences related to the topic or exciting lectures, books and movies that interested you in the subject. While these won't be part of your answer, they help to get you in the right state of mind.
Write Methodically
Write your answer as if you were writing a mini term paper. Your answer should have a title, an introduction or topic statement, a body, and an ending or conclusion.
· Tips for selecting an appropriate title were discussed previously.
· Your topic statement can be a reworking of the title.
· The body should include at least one paragraph for each general point in your outline. Each paragraph in the body should begin with a general summary sentence, usually a complete sentence containing the information in the outline. Skip a line between paragraphs.
· Your ending can be a summary of the answer, a restatement of the topic sentence, or your interpretations or opinions. Do not introduce new information in the ending.
Use ample details and examples in the answer. Use clear labeling words, such as examples, comparisons, similarities, contrasts, differences, supports, arguments, reasons, most, probably, main point, exceptions, etc. Underline key words.
Think in three's: three paragraphs, three sentences per paragraph, three examples per main point, etc. Avoid one sentence paragraphs. Be direct and to the point.
Don't Waste Space
Although it's a good idea to skip lines between paragraphs, don't skip lines between sentences or use only one side of the paper unless told to do so. Avoid ornate or illegible handwriting that takes up a lot of room on the paper. Don't try to fill up extra test booklets by wasting space. Some graders interpret wasted space as a cover up for not knowing the material.
Check Your Work
You should have allotted time for checking your answers. For content, did you answer the question, and did you stick to your point of view? For organization, did you answer all parts of the question, and are paragraphs and sentences logically ordered? For writing, is your answer clear, is you writing legible, is your grammar correct, and is your punctuation correct?
If You Prepared for the Different Questions
Sometimes students anticipate that certain questions will be asked, but the test questions turn out to be different. When this happens, make sure you have completely answered the questions you do know. Then look for ambiguity in the questions you don't know, since lack of clarity may allow some leeway in your answer. Stretch what you do know about the topic by giving many examples and comparisons. Add less relevant information by linking it with general statements.
If You Run Out of Time
If you are running out of time and haven't yet answered all questions, write down the outlines and indicate that you ran out of time for that/those question(s). Some instructors will give partial credit for outlines.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Learning About Your Learning Disability
Having a Learning Disability is...
Confusing: definitely.
Fun: not so much.
Being in a constant state of flux and carrying more burden than most students: Fo’ Sho’
Communication Skills focuses on the learner. You (the student) must understand yourself before anything else. For example, in order to get higher grades on tests you have to understand how you study. In order to read better, you have to first learn how to read best. So this week’s Blog deals with understanding yourself better. I have found LD Online to be a great place for articles on the topic of learning and dealing and overcoming a Learning Disability.
Please visit the link below.
http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics
Your assignment: Pick one article on the website that pertains to you and write a 1-page response. This may take time to search and look around the website. Please take your time: Part of your grade will depend on how relevant the article is.
Response
1st paragraph: summary
2nd paragraph: reflection:
How does it deal with me?
What did I learn?
Do I agree with what they are saying?
I can help you with finding an article during the week, but on the weekend you can only blame your procrastination for my lack of help.
Confusing: definitely.
Fun: not so much.
Being in a constant state of flux and carrying more burden than most students: Fo’ Sho’
Communication Skills focuses on the learner. You (the student) must understand yourself before anything else. For example, in order to get higher grades on tests you have to understand how you study. In order to read better, you have to first learn how to read best. So this week’s Blog deals with understanding yourself better. I have found LD Online to be a great place for articles on the topic of learning and dealing and overcoming a Learning Disability.
Please visit the link below.
http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics
Your assignment: Pick one article on the website that pertains to you and write a 1-page response. This may take time to search and look around the website. Please take your time: Part of your grade will depend on how relevant the article is.
Response
1st paragraph: summary
2nd paragraph: reflection:
How does it deal with me?
What did I learn?
Do I agree with what they are saying?
I can help you with finding an article during the week, but on the weekend you can only blame your procrastination for my lack of help.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Another Online Gem
Come one, come all and sign up for one of the most amazing educational tools on the web!
I think you might like this one, and this is me speaking as someone who has made probably over 3,000 note cards in his life time and not an educator.
Check out the link below:
http://quizlet.com/
Your homework assignment is to use this website for one of your other class's assignments (this week). I know some of you can use it for History, others for English vocabulary, others for Science terms, and others for all three. So no excuses!
Hop on the bandwagon!
I think you might like this one, and this is me speaking as someone who has made probably over 3,000 note cards in his life time and not an educator.
Check out the link below:
http://quizlet.com/
Your homework assignment is to use this website for one of your other class's assignments (this week). I know some of you can use it for History, others for English vocabulary, others for Science terms, and others for all three. So no excuses!
Hop on the bandwagon!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Steps of Reading
Reading is a very complicated procedure. Your mind is processing information, looking at pictures, reading headings, analyzing periods, making inferences, bridging examples, studying main topics, discovering details, and thousands of other things.
What we have to learn in order to read better is “How I Read.” Yes, I know you start left and go right and start top and read down, but there is more to it. Please read the excerpt below and think about how you are reading it. After each sentence describe how you read it. Were there any words you did not know? Did you think about something you know about the topic? Tell me about the assumptions you are making along the way, tell me about your prior knowledge.
This is a very difficult task to do and your effort on the assignment will be easily seen in the amount that you tell me. Again, this is a graded assignment and counts as a homework grade.
I have done an example to show you what I am looking for. If you have any further questions please email me.
Reading Excerpt
“Leading investors (who?) have joined (the secret league of leading investors) the growing (increasing) chorus (there are many people worried) of concern (they are worried about something) about governments and companies rushing (hurrying research? Not thinking of all the possibilities) into producing biofuels (yumm, soybeans. I remember doing a project with a student and his subject was biofuels) as (biofuels cars) a solution (I thought this was a reoccurring thing that has happened over millions of year. What says we can fix it now?) for global warming (heating of the earth), saying that many involved in the sector could be jeopardizing (hurting) future profits (cash money) if they do not consider the long-term impact (down the road impact) of what they are doing carefully. (Are the companies and government truly researching the topic or are they rushing into it without proper knowledge?) (Business Journal)
As you can see above, you are not just reading words, but as you continue to read you are gathering more and more information until you have all the information and can piece the story back together. Think of it like raking leaves. Your parents will not let you come in the house until you have picked up all the leaves. So, you slowly start gathering them and putting them into piles. Then you grab a wheel barrow and put them in one big pile. That large pile of leaves is your large pile of knowledge/facts gained from the reading. Now normally, when reading, this happens in seconds/milliseconds. But in this exercise it took me 12 minutes to read the short paragraph because I was stopping after each sentence to ask a question or summarize.
Below is the excerpt I would like you to read. Please paste the reading into your comment box and follow my lead. Please use the same amount of detail (or more) in your response. Please put your thoughts in parenthesis, so that I know it was your thought.
Reading excerpt
“Dusk was falling last Tuesday when news of the attack on America first reached this war-ruined city, Kabul. In the dusty twilight, Afghans held radios to their ears, listening to static-filled accounts on the Voice of America and the BBC Pashto- and Persian-language services. Because the country's Taliban rulers forbid television, Afghans could see no pictures of the destruction that had people everywhere else glued to their sets. The immensity of the World Trade Center had to be described. When Afghans asked me about the Twin Towers, I compared them to Afghanistan's giant Bamiyan Buddha statues, a symbol of national heritage that the Taliban blasted to dust six months ago.” (Hannah Bloch)
What we have to learn in order to read better is “How I Read.” Yes, I know you start left and go right and start top and read down, but there is more to it. Please read the excerpt below and think about how you are reading it. After each sentence describe how you read it. Were there any words you did not know? Did you think about something you know about the topic? Tell me about the assumptions you are making along the way, tell me about your prior knowledge.
This is a very difficult task to do and your effort on the assignment will be easily seen in the amount that you tell me. Again, this is a graded assignment and counts as a homework grade.
I have done an example to show you what I am looking for. If you have any further questions please email me.
Reading Excerpt
“Leading investors (who?) have joined (the secret league of leading investors) the growing (increasing) chorus (there are many people worried) of concern (they are worried about something) about governments and companies rushing (hurrying research? Not thinking of all the possibilities) into producing biofuels (yumm, soybeans. I remember doing a project with a student and his subject was biofuels) as (biofuels cars) a solution (I thought this was a reoccurring thing that has happened over millions of year. What says we can fix it now?) for global warming (heating of the earth), saying that many involved in the sector could be jeopardizing (hurting) future profits (cash money) if they do not consider the long-term impact (down the road impact) of what they are doing carefully. (Are the companies and government truly researching the topic or are they rushing into it without proper knowledge?) (Business Journal)
As you can see above, you are not just reading words, but as you continue to read you are gathering more and more information until you have all the information and can piece the story back together. Think of it like raking leaves. Your parents will not let you come in the house until you have picked up all the leaves. So, you slowly start gathering them and putting them into piles. Then you grab a wheel barrow and put them in one big pile. That large pile of leaves is your large pile of knowledge/facts gained from the reading. Now normally, when reading, this happens in seconds/milliseconds. But in this exercise it took me 12 minutes to read the short paragraph because I was stopping after each sentence to ask a question or summarize.
Below is the excerpt I would like you to read. Please paste the reading into your comment box and follow my lead. Please use the same amount of detail (or more) in your response. Please put your thoughts in parenthesis, so that I know it was your thought.
Reading excerpt
“Dusk was falling last Tuesday when news of the attack on America first reached this war-ruined city, Kabul. In the dusty twilight, Afghans held radios to their ears, listening to static-filled accounts on the Voice of America and the BBC Pashto- and Persian-language services. Because the country's Taliban rulers forbid television, Afghans could see no pictures of the destruction that had people everywhere else glued to their sets. The immensity of the World Trade Center had to be described. When Afghans asked me about the Twin Towers, I compared them to Afghanistan's giant Bamiyan Buddha statues, a symbol of national heritage that the Taliban blasted to dust six months ago.” (Hannah Bloch)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Online Textbooks
Now that we have looked at Youtube as a great source for learning (not just watching an Animated Metal Band clips, Jonestown videos, Tiger Woods sinking a 50 foot putt, and other exciting and interesting things) let us take a look at other online sources; for example, your Social Studies textbook. Take a look at the links below.
Here is an interactive Economics book that you can watch videos explain the concepts.
http://www.classzone.com/cz/books/econ_cnc/book_home.htm
Here is the World History textbook. It will allow you access everything with the code located on your book. Click on the drop down bar on the right and pick the unit you are studying. Try out their tests, quizzes, reviews, maps, flash cards, and much more!
http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078799813/student_view0/study-to-go.html
Located below is the link for the U.S. History textbook. Click on the drop down bar on the right and pick the unit you are studying. Try out their tests, quizzes, reviews, maps, flash cards, and much more!
http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078799848/student_view0/
For homework, you are to see if any of your other textbooks, books, or sources are available on the web.
Mr. Moore
Here is an interactive Economics book that you can watch videos explain the concepts.
http://www.classzone.com/cz/books/econ_cnc/book_home.htm
Here is the World History textbook. It will allow you access everything with the code located on your book. Click on the drop down bar on the right and pick the unit you are studying. Try out their tests, quizzes, reviews, maps, flash cards, and much more!
http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078799813/student_view0/study-to-go.html
Located below is the link for the U.S. History textbook. Click on the drop down bar on the right and pick the unit you are studying. Try out their tests, quizzes, reviews, maps, flash cards, and much more!
http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078799848/student_view0/
For homework, you are to see if any of your other textbooks, books, or sources are available on the web.
Mr. Moore
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Power of Youtube!
Students,
Youtube is amazing! Where else can you watch someone fail at Wii, diet coke+mentos=extreme fun experiments, and a baby getting bitten by his brother Charlie? The answer: no where but Youtube.
Most importantly, and most overlooked, it is a great learning tool. It provides online tutorials for Math equations, grammar instruction, reading strategies, history lessons, science experiments, and many other things. This week I would like you to search one Youtube tutorial for each of your core classes. Think about what book you are reading in English, about your current History chapter, etc. The possibilities are almost endless.
Note: There is an education tab under "categories" on Youtube. Try it out to start.
Mr.Moore
Youtube is amazing! Where else can you watch someone fail at Wii, diet coke+mentos=extreme fun experiments, and a baby getting bitten by his brother Charlie? The answer: no where but Youtube.
Most importantly, and most overlooked, it is a great learning tool. It provides online tutorials for Math equations, grammar instruction, reading strategies, history lessons, science experiments, and many other things. This week I would like you to search one Youtube tutorial for each of your core classes. Think about what book you are reading in English, about your current History chapter, etc. The possibilities are almost endless.
Note: There is an education tab under "categories" on Youtube. Try it out to start.
Mr.Moore
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