Teaching Landforms through Media

Teaching landforms is a topic in our 3rd grade physical geography curriculum. To support teaching this topic, I found a video on DiscoveryEducationStreaming entitled "Geographical Features: Landforms". It can be found here: http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=bc55baaa-1c72-4e51-8cb5-145430879776&BLNPOPUP=1&productcode=US&CFID=43891681&CFTOKEN=80c6e13c596f18cc-29FB59F4-14C2-3E51-D64F799557023026

My goals for teaching this topic include:
-exposing students to the diversity and stunning differences between various areas on our planet
-helping students recognize differences and similarities among various landforms
-helping students examine how landforms have an effect on how we live our lives

There numerous ways I could use this video in my classroom to help reach these goals.
1- First, I could simply show the video in its entirety to provide background knowledge to my students.

2- I could use the video as an end of unit assessment. I could create a simple quiz that correlates with the video. Whenever I stop the video, I'd have students write down the name of the landform they see.

3- I could download the segments of the video and use each segment as an introduction to the specific landform we're studying that day.

4- I could download the video segments and piece them into a PowerPoint presentation for students to use at an independent learning center. The Powerpoint presentation would give pictures, videos, definitions, and even passages relating to landforms.

5- After recognizing those students that have not grasped the concepts of landforms, they could watch the video independently and fill out a graphic organizer as they go. They'd be encouraged to stop the video and rewatch specific parts in order to write the landform being discussed, write a description of it, and draw a picture that represents the landform.

6- This video could be embedded into a Webquest on landforms. Along with images, references, and such, students would be challenged to build their own knowledge of landforms as they work independently on the computer.

7- Students could create videos about landforms using MovieMaker. Throughout their videos, they could plant segments from this video to reinforce their ideas.

There are endless possibilities and variations on these ideas. Rather than just being "exposed"; however, the best ideas will be those that encourage students to interact with the information and build their own knowledge.

Introduction

Welcome to my blogger page for EDIM 508. I am currently a 3rd grade teacher at Pine Forge Elementary School in the Boyertown Area School District. This is my third year teaching at Pine Forge.

In our third grade setting, I coteach with one of our Special Education teachers for half of the day. This is usually the best part of my day as I look forward to the ability to interact with another adult in front of students. I always think of it as, "two times the learning, two times the fun". And, meeting our students needs is what our entire classroom philosophy thrives on.

In this class I hope to learn new ways to fuse technology into my daily routines. I think of myself as digital native with some immigrant tendencies due to the constant "hammering" of the past ways of education. My familiarities with technology include the Smart Board in my room, the classroom response system in our school, my classroom web page, student email and blogging accounts, and more. Overall, I strive to learn new technologies almost daily. Therefore, I can't wait to share my experiences with my class and my faculty.

Finally, and on a more personal note, this is one of my final two courses I'm currently taking that will finish my Master's degree! I am very excited for May, as my wife and I are graduating on the same day (although she'll be earning a doctorate in physical therapy...yes I'm very proud!) We just got married on the 27th of December, so the past month or so has been a crazy, hectic, and exhilarating ride.

Thanks for reading,
~Kyle