EDIT 2000: MAYMASTER

Creativity and Innovation Lesson Activity

My activity is to teach 4th grade students Mathematics. To be more specific, I’m going to concentrate to the multiplication.

Brainstorming:

  

My Goals:

As a teacher I want my students to pay attention in the class. This is my main goal but to do so I need to find innovative ways of teaching them. By working in groups, playing games and watching videos that have to do with multiplication I will try to make them interested in this curriculum. Another goal is to teach students step by step and make them solve any exercise that has to do with multiplication.

Explore Lesson Activities

What is Multiplication??

• Multiplication is the act by which two factors, two natural numbers, find another natural number, which is the product them.

Here are some existing lesson plans to support creativity and innovation in content learning through technology.

Maze of numbers

Starts at point 0

-Adds 3 and finds the NEXT box. For example: 0, 3.6 ..... 45

Dot to Dot Game

Connect the dots 0-60 adding 6

Connect the dots 0-56 adding 7

Multiplication Table

Fill in the correct number

Curriculum Standard: Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range 1–100. Recognize that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1–100 is a multiple of a given one-digit number. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1–100 is prime or composite
Technology tool: prasinipriza website
Activities/Tasks:

·         Figure out the “road” of the maze by following the correct numbers

·         Connect the dots in order to create a picture

·         Fill in each box the correct number

Potential Challenges: Encourage kids to work on their own and show their creative talents. Each student who finishes his/her homework correctly is going to win a reward. For example some candies or lollipops!! Kids love things like that so everyone is going to study hard in order to win! 

• I have searched on the Internet and I found some useful activities to teach multiplication to studens. There are multiplication lesson plans for effective lesson and multiplication homework. Repetition, practice and improving are key components for retaining multiplication rules and instruction. Worksheets provide the teacher with an effective tool that can be used and reused to the benefit of the student

Videos

This Video will help students learn the multiplication table of number 9. After you watch it you will realize how easy it is!! Students would definitely love it!!

Her is another video to teach multiplication to kids. My students will remember 7x8 after this!

Curriculum Standard: Routine topics such as estimation, mental computation, and basic computation facts should be addressed on an ongoing basis. However students enjoy thing that has to do with technology so surfing on the internet and searching for videos will help us to teach students with an interesting way.

Technology tool: Youtube

Activities: I call this lesson “Concentrate, Look and Listen carefully”. Students have to watch a particular video that has to do with multiplication and listen to a story about that. As soon as the video finished I’m going to ask my students questions based on that and each one has to answer them.

Potential Challenges: As I mentioned before, I’m planning to create a sticker table that I will write the names of my students. If students solve these mathematics problems I’ll add a star sticker to their name. The one that has more stickers at the end of the month is going to win a small present from me!

• Students should focus on the film and listen carefully the instructions. Probably they need to watch it many times in order to understand it better( repetition, practice and improving). It's not going to be hard as they will enjoy the song and the pictures of it. Having that kind of films in my class students will be able to teach the multiplication with an interesting and new way!

Games

This time I used Quizlet to teach my students. That technology tool is a website that students can find information and solve problems on any subject. To be more specific the game Space Race would help students to learn maths and especially  multiplication. Playing online games and having in mind the three components of effective lesson ( Repetition, practice and improving) students would teach with an enjoyable way!

Curriculum Standard: This standard requires students to demonstrate understanding of factors and multiples of whole numbers. Students should understand the process of finding factor pairs so they can do this for any number 1-100.

Technology Tool: Quizlet

Activities: The instructions of this game are so easy so everyone could be able to understand it. You have to kill the scrolling words by typing in their corresponding term and pressing enter. You may kill them in any order, but make sure they don't scroll past the screen. Go ahead through all the levels and be as fast as you can! Hurry up!!

Potential Challenges: Encourage kids to work on their own and show their creative talents. Each student who finishes the game in a specific time that I’m going to mention in the class or earlier is going to win a reward. For example some candies or lollipops!! I think kinds would love it! 

Creating an Effective Lesson Activity:

Activity Name: Scatter

Subject: Multiplication Game 

Curriculum Standard: Fourth grade math curriculum should be taught using 4th grade math worksheets and 4th grade math games. A fourth grade math curriculum should rely on many learning tools using technology- fourth grade lessons with activities, worksheets, reinforcement exercises, and assessments.

NETS Standards: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge and develop innovative products and processes using technology
Technology Tool: Quizlet

• Now is time to introduce this activity to my class. First of all, I’m going to explain to my students that this activity is going t help them to improve their math’s skills. Also I’m going to concentrate to the fact that this activity has nothing to do with reading, writing and “boring” procedures but with something new! Something that has to do with games and fun!

• I’m not sure yet how will my students participate in this activity. I may let them work individual or split them in a groups. I think teamwork sounds better because they are going to make new friends and work together. Anyway, no matter the way students are going to compete, they have to do their best in order to succeed the higher score.

• As a teacher I have to provide guidance for my students. So I’m going to explain them what they need to do in order to win this game or to achieve a high score. To be more specific, for this activity students need to drag corresponding items onto each other to make them disappear. As soon as all the items are disappear mean that you win! If we want more suspense for this game we can use stopwatch. Big brain challenge!!

• My students would be evaluated based on their results. As I stated before one of my main goals of this activity is to teach students step by step and make them solve any exercise that has to do with multiplication. If they are going to be concentrate on each exercise and solve correctly the problems I’m going to give them a great grade. Also I’m planning to give them candies and lollipops if they are doing well. Last but not least, I’m planning to create a sticker table that I will write the names of my students. If students solve these mathematics problems I’ll add a star sticker to their name. The one that has more stickers at the end of the month is going to win a small present from me! That is called motivation!!

Reflection:

We know now - based on decades of use in schools, on findings of hundreds of research studies, and on the everyday experiences of educators, students, and their families - that, properly used, technology can enhance the achievement of all students, increase families’ involvement in their children’s schooling, improve teachers’ skills and knowledge, and improve school administration and management. Also, successful technology-rich schools generate impressive results for students, including improved achievement; higher test scores; improved student attitude, enthusiasm, and engagement; richer classroom content; and improved student retention and job placement rates.

Taking everything into account, my aim is to teach my students with new and innovate ways in order to attract their interest and make them pay attention to me. I don’t want them to be bored while I’m teaching so I’m using some technology tools! Videos and audio technologies bring material to life and games mean fun for  them. That works as the three components of effective lessons , repetition, practice and improving, help students to achieve the best they can

How to Help Endangered Animals

Many endangered animals are becoming extinct as a result of human activities creating pollution, reducing habitat, cutting into wildlife corridors, polluting their environment, reducing food supplies and from illegal poaching and hunting.Losing key species can mean entire food chains are disrupted and some animals will over-breed while others die out. Pollination can also be affected and without plants, where would any of us be? There are a number of ways that every individual can take action to help endangered animals and to help reduce extinction possibilities.


Steps

• One of the most important ways to help threatened plants and animals survive is to protect their habitats permanently in national parks, nature reserves or wilderness areas. There they can live without too much interference from humans. It is also important to protect habitats outside reserves such as on farms and along roadsides.
• You can visit a nearby national park or nature reserve. Some national parks have special guided tours and walks for kids. Talk to the rangers to find out whether there are any threatened species and how they are being protected. You and your friends might be able to help the rangers in their conservation work.
• When you visit a national park, make sure you obey the wildlife code: follow fire regulations; leave your pets at home; leave flowers, birds’ eggs, logs and bush rocks where you find them; put your rubbish in a bin or, better still, take it home.
• If you know someone who lives on a farm, encourage them to keep patches of bush as wildlife habitats and to leave old trees standing, especially those with hollows suitable for nesting animals.
• Some areas have groups which look after local lands and nature reserves. They do this by removing weeds and planting local native species in their place. You could join one of these groups, or even start a new one with your parents and friends. Ask your local parks authority or council for information.
• By removing rubbish and weeds and replanting with natives you will allow the native bush to gradually regenerate. This will also encourage native animals to return.
• Make Space For Our Wildlife.
• Build a bird feeder and establish a birdbath for the neighborhood birds.
• Plant a tree and build a birdhouse in your backyard.
• Ask your parents not to use harmful chemicals in your garden or home.
• Recycle, Reduce, And Reuse.
• Save energy by turning off lights, radios and the TV when you are not using them.
• Encourage your family to shop for organic fruits and vegetables

Animal Extiction

Man's desire to expand rapidly has destroyed the natural habitat of wild animals, making them homeless. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) includes the red list names of over 5,000 vertebrate animals, among a total of 15,589 species, as endangered animals.

Causes of Endangerment

• The main reason for animals endangered is the uncontrolled human activity. To pursue mindless development, man has created irreparable damages. The gases emitted from greenhouses have brought global climate change affecting everybody. Industrial wastes have polluted the river water and marine life.

• Overexploitation of animals to satisfy the needs of humans has led to considerable downfall in their number. Unrestricted hunting of Whales during the twentieth-century has made them endangered animals. Poaching of rhinoceros and tigers is another serious cause of their falling numbers. Rhino horns and tiger bones are widely used in making traditional medicines.

• According to IUCN, one-third of the amphibians, one-half of the fresh water turtles, one-eighth of all the birds, and one-fourth of mammals are in danger. The causes for their endangered lives are directly related to the human beings.

Saving the Endangered Animals

It is important to save the endangered animals to maintain the ecological balance. Nature has its own way of maintaining the balance. If we do not take steps to ensure it, we will ultimately have to face the consequences.
Animals endangered have to be taken care of for their medicinal values. If once they are lost, they cannot be replaced. Tiger bones are used as an effective cure against some deadly diseases like cancer.
By protecting the natural habitats of wild animals, we can do a lot to save them. Greedy advancements of man are endangering animals. Today, most of the animals are in the list of endangered animals. Asian elephant, Blue whale,Brown pelican, Orangutan, Panda, Puma, Rattle snake, Sperm whale, Kangaroo, Bactrian camel, Bengal tiger, Dhole, etc. are some animals endangered by human activity.
Legal private farming for profit has contributed in restoring the situation to some extent. According to IUCN, legal private farming for profit has increased the number of both the Black Rhinoceros and White Rhinoceros in the United States.

WWF (World Wildlife Federation), established in 1961, has played a significant role in conserving the wildlife. It has brought awareness in people by conducting various exercises worldwide.
Special laws for protection of wildlife and checking illegal poaching have been formulated by all the nations. Governments of the nations are ensuring their duties for the endangered animal.
The information given above on endangered animals will help you to understand the true situation. Although some damages have been done, still there is much scope to restore the situation with timely efforts. It is our moral duty to ensure a safe life to all the creatures, otherwise the coming generation of people may not be able to know about the lives which will become extinct.