TESI Strategies

Modeling: I would have them have about three examples of the style of poetry they were copying for their own poem. This would be so they could show that they knew the style and compare it to their own attempt.

Bridging: The poem itself would have the central topic of something from their personal lives. This would allow them to write about anything that they feel is important or interesting and also provides more investement in the assignment for them so hopefully would encourage more engagement.

Metacognitive development: Along with the poem they wrote and the examples, I would have them write a page of how their poem is of the same style. They'd compare their own poem to their examples. For example: My sonnet ends in a couplet, like all the examples. I followed the same rhyme scheme as this first sonnet, not the second style of sonnet. I used metaphors to describe this girl like Sonnet 131. This would show how well they understood that style of poetry - not just format but how it was usually used or written - and they can talk about how it was to write it themselves.

Lesson Objectives: Forms of Poetry

We'll be studying the different styles and forms of poetry, and I will have them choose one style and write their own poem utilizing it.

Excel Spreadsheet Assignment

Excel isn't a program I am very familiar with, so I'm not too sure about everything it can do and be used for. Spreadsheets organize information and "Support speculation, decision making, and problem solving, and they are often used in what-if analyses" according to this article. Because I plan to teach English, most likely at the high school level, spreadsheets might be a little less effective to use than other programs. However, they could be used to chart information from the texts that we will read. For example, if we read three short stories that centered around the same learning concepts that had been discussed in class recently, I would have the students make a spreadsheet of the different devices or concepts - theme, symbolism, the use of a certain common theme in all three stories - and then for each story include how that appeared or was used. This way, they could compare the three stories to see how they work in similar or different ways. Later on, a spreadsheet like this could be used for studying, creating a presentation, or writing an essay about either the concept or the texts. Overall, the spreadsheet would mostly be used as a way of organize the information and not so much for problem solving.

Graphic Organizers and Websites

Above is a graphic organizer I made about how to evaluate if a website is a good one or not. The four things to look for are Authority, Accuracy, Currency, and Objectivity. The organizer I made has the things to look for under those four topics. Green writing is for a good thing, while red is for something to watch out for and a bad sign. The main bubble itself holds the link to the video where I learned all of this information.

TESTING, 1,2,3!

I love this show.