Students are likely to know many more words than they use in their writing. This lesson is designed to help students better use their vocabulary by teaching (or reviewing) what verbs are and to then help them access verbs they already know and use them in sentences. Students work together to brainstorm and create lists of verbs for each of the letters of the alphabet. Then, choosing one verb
for each letter, they create pages for an Action Alphabet book. Each page includes an illustration and a sentence using the verb in context. The project can be adapted according to age level and language ability. Students in kindergarten may work together on a class book, while older students may work in small groups or individually. Similarly, the complexity of the example sentences will vary depending on students' writing levels."
Districts seek ways to implement universal design
By ALEXANDER RUSSO
Bringing UDL into the Mainstream, continued
Bringing UDL into the Mainstream: Districts seek ways to implement universal design
Bringing UDL into the Mainstream
For the past several years, new teachers joining the Bartholomew (Ind.) Consolidated School Corporation have been encouraged to watch a video introducing the preferred method of teaching in the district. Rather than highlighting a single approach, however, the video is all about encouraging teachers to use varied ways and materials to present new information and to assess learning, be it aurally through talking iPads, visually through doodles on whiteboards, creatively through art projects and games, or by using old-fashioned pen and paper. That's because the preferred method of teaching in Bartholomew County is UDL, or Universal Design for Learning.
Kodu is a new visual programming language made specifically for creating games. It is designed to be accessible for children and enjoyable for anyone. The programming environment runs on the Xbox, allowing rapid design iteration using only a game controller for input.
The Misunderstood Minds project consists of three elements: The PBS documentary, the companion Web site on PBS Online, and the Developing Minds Multimedia Library.
The Misunderstood Minds website includes profiles of students in the documentary; sections on Attention, Reading, Writing, and Mathematics; and Interactive Activities, called Experience Firsthand which are designed to give visitors a sense of what it may be like for a student struggling with a basic skill.
"A combination of focused activities and creative, open-ended technology projects can help you take a new approach to building literacy with your elementary students. Use these articles, samples, and lessons to find new ideas and approaches that will work for your learners"
a free web-based tool that enables anyone to author and publish educational materials that use the Universal Design for Learning framework to flexibly respond to the needs of all learners. The link to the press release that explain more about the product and a link to the actual tool is located at:
http://www.cast.org/about/news/2013-03-12.html
A free web-based tool that enables anyone to author and publish educational materials that use the Universal Design for Learning framework to flexibly respond to the needs of all learners.
An easy, fun, little project to keep students engaged during Guided Reading: The Giant Googly-Eye Pointer!
For the pre-reading set, you can use these to help tracking. For fluent readers, you can use it to ask students to find certain words in the text ("Can you find the compound word on this page? Put your googly eye on it!")
Most teachers are frequently looking for classroom materials that are inexpensive. If you're interested in making some of your own materials, most likely you still don't want to spend a lot of money on them. Paint chip crafts are a great option. Not only are paint chips readily available but many teachers have already come up with great ideas for them. Most of the academic ideas here are for elementary grades, but they can be adapted for older students.
The DLM® project is guided by the core belief that all students should have access to challenging grade-level content. The new DLM Alternate Assessment System will let students with significant cognitive disabilities show what they know in ways that traditional multiple-choice tests cannot. The DLM system is designed to map a student's learning throughout the year. The system will use items and tasks that are embedded in day-to-day instruction. In this way, testing happens as part of instruction, which both informs teaching and benefits students. An end of the year assessment will be created for states that want to include a summative test in addition to the instructionally embedded system.
a statewide program designed to provide technical assistance, training, distance education, and networking information to families, teachers, and service providers of individuals birth through 21 who have both a hearing loss and a vision loss."
"Fakebook" allows teachers and students to create imaginary profile pages for study purposes. Use "Fakebook" to chart the plot of a book, the development of a character, a series of historical events, the debates and relationships between people, and so on!
Get started by entering a name at the top of the page. Then proceed to add friends, posts, comments and profile information.
You can save your work and edit it again later.
"GPAT has developed resources to assist educational teams in the implementation and integration of assistive technology into instructional activities. These resources address the development of assistive technology intervention plans and technology enhanced lesson plans. Sample lesson plans related to state educational standards are also available. These lesson plans include set-up and follow-up activities for each lesson.
Tutorials, technology tips, and supplemental materials are also provided."