Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter & What If You Met a Pirate? (Sections 1 & 2)
The link below will take you to double entry diaries for each book, a dictionary of piratical and nautical terms, answers to specific questions, and much more!
Double Entry Diary (Sections 1 and 2)
Double Entry Diary (Sections 3 and 4)
http://www.syndetics.com/index.aspx?type=xw12&isbn=0763608483/LC.GIF&client=mounp
http://media.us.macmillan.com/jackets/258H/9781596431829.jpg
Double Entry Diary Instructional Framework
Eureka! I’ve found it! The double entry diary has to be the best, most effective way to teach literature. It sets up and uses the exact ways I want to teach children literature. Therefore, I am really excited about doing one myself, as well as implementing one in my own classroom.
I find the double entry diary an effective means of developing critical thinking skills and putting those skills to use. As a student, I have always taken notes on what I read, whether it be an article or a novel. I find the practice of taking notes helps me get more out of what I read. As I write, I often discover new ideas, develop a better understanding of what I’m reading, and have a resource I can go back to after I have completed the reading. From this experience, I can attest to the high quality learning experience a double entry diary affords to the learner.
The first characteristic I noticed about the double entry diary is that it makes learning personal. It is both literature and student centered and makes both dependent on one another. A double entry diary would not be effective without great children’s literature, but it also wouldn’t be effective without a student’s inquisitive mind. By asking students to examine the literature by using certain types of questions, it makes learning more personal to each student. For example, students are asked to write what a quote means to them, ask questions, and react to various statements. My favorite connections or reactions to certain statements on the second half of the diary are the connections to self, text, and the world, the questions one can ask about a statement, and the explanation of what it means and how it adds importance to a passage. For example, I especially like the last one because simply writing down a quote helps it stick in a person’s mind. As they read, they may come back to this quote and see connections to other parts of the reading. It is also very helpful to use different parts of the reading to understand why an author wrote something and how it plays into the grand scheme of the story.
Secondly, I really like how each step of the double entry diary is divided into sections. This makes it easy for me to follow and understand. It will also be a great resource when it is time for me to make my own. Having a framework helps me decided what I need to add or take away depending on the situation. I also like how different parts of the assignment are explained. For example, in section 1, part a, it asks for the reader to think about the author’s craft. However, it does not stop here. It explains that the reader can look for simile, metaphor, and personificiation. As a result, I can tie this back into the standard course of study for a particular grade and adapt it as needed. It also includes cause and effect, which is a huge goal for students to practice and develop in all areas of the curriculum. I also love the prediction questions. There is no better way to get a student involved than asking him or her what they think. By doing this, it shows that their opinion is valued and is often valid. It can help them develop confidence in their reading, writing, and speaking abilities – academic and life skills.
Thirdly, I noticed that the double entry diary can meet a variety of student needs. Part of my personal teaching philosophy is concerned with meeting the needs of all learners and making what they learn applicable to their own lives. The dictionary is a great way to attain this goal. It adds a variety of ways to meet different learning styles by allowing students to pick the words they don’t know or find important. They are not only allowed to write the definition of these words, but they are also able to include sketches, associations, or anything else that will help them remember these important words and terms.
As I kept studying this framework, I took great notice of the example double entry diary on page 3. All of the example provided were extremely helpful because they can serve as a guide for how I make a double entry diary and how I will assess a student’s diary. On page 3, it gave an example of each type of connection or reaction which can be used by students. It was an organized way for me to see what qualifies as a good connection or reaction. I found these really interesting because I believe they could be used as a class discussion in which students can share ideas and help other students pick up on things they might not have previously noticed. After reading this section, I decided one way I could use this in my classroom is require students to find at least one of each of these categories during their reading. I do not want to hinder them, so they could find as many as they want. However, I want students who only find connections for everything, to go outside their comfort zone and find at least one way to meet each category.
As I have mentioned, I think it is extremely important that we make academic learning as applicable as possible to the real world. I found no better way to do this than with the third activity on page 5. It reads, “Work as a democracy with your classmates. Please name your ship and select your Captain and crew. Please recount today’s decisions through a diary entry as Jake may have written it.” Having students work as a democracy is most certainly applicable to the democratic society in which they live and will soon have the ability to make decisions in. Students will find that voting on a ship name and selection a Captain and crew will be more difficult than they have ever imagined. Different opinions will be expressed, and they will have to decide how to sort through these opinions and come to a conclusion. They will also find that writing an account of the day’s events will be challenging, as different people have different stories. For instance, some may believe that certain parts are more important than others, and they will be required to decide on one story. This can also relate to social studies in which students can examine written documents and stories from history, assessing their validity and determining what might cause inconsistencies.
Finally, the possibilities are endless with a double entry diary which is exactly why I see how important they are to use in the classroom. They can be used with a variety of subjects and to promote higher-order thinking skills. They are also valuable because they can be used at almost any grade level and across the curriculum. I am surprised they are not a part of the standard course of study, and I believe they should be added.
Blackbeard the Pirate: the Not-So-Jolly Roger and Internet Workshop
http://www.deadmentellnotales.com/pirateimages/nsj.jpg
The link below will connect you with all the activities (steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 ) contained in the internet workshop. This workshop was very beneficial to me, not only as a student, but as a teacher. I gained several wonderful ideas from using this workshop, learned its purpose, and understand how to implement one properly in the classroom. Although I learned a plethora of things, the main ideas were that internet workshops need to be hands-on, inquiry-based activities, where critical learning skills are used to develop more specific content knowledge.
Blackbeard the Pirate – The Not-So-Jolly Roger and Internet Workshop
Internet Workshop and Blog Publishing
The article, “Internet Workshop and Blog Publishing” astounded me with its insights and ideas into the learning and teaching experience. I gleaned so much useful information from this article, and many of the things I read spurred new, applicable ways I could use this in my classroom. The internet workshop and blog publishing ideas really made me excited about teaching pirates. There is something so mysterious and enticing that draws me into learning about the world of pirates – kind of the same way that an internet workshop or blog post can hook you and not let go.
When reading the abstract, I felt as if the first statement on page 2, “Social studies educators are responsible for succesfully teaching students the knowledge, skills, and value necessary to be effective citizens,” was a indication of how we need to be as teachers at all times. We need to teach knowledge, skills, and values that are important as life skills. Not only will you need to know how to research the Internet about pirates, but you will also need this skill later on in life, hopefully for a job. The abstract statement on page 2 continues by stating, “…ultimately, to develop students’ higher order thinking skills and creativity.” As teachers, one of our main goals is to scaffold children’s developmental skills. One of the ways we can do this is by asking the “right kind of question.” A simple comprehension question may be appropriate, but we need to support their higher order thinking skills by implementing questions that analyze or evaluate certain situations. Only when we do this can true, deep, critical learning take place. Not only do we have to ask the right kinds of questions, but we have to use “…teaching [which] is particularly effective if student learning decisions and actions are embedded in meaning-rich activities” (page 3). As teachers and learners, we have to delve deeper into a subject. What we teach needs to have a purpose. If it is just learning for the sake of meeting a goal or objective, but no real-life connections have been made, students will not understand and grasp its purpose. This is essential in the learning process.
In Technology and Instruction with Dr. Goodman, I learned some valuable lessons about integrating technology into the classroom. I remember him telling us, “If the technology hinders, don’t use it!” For instance, if a PowerPoint presentation on a chemical reaction makes the actual activity lose its meaning, then simply use the tangible materials as a hands-on activity for the class. Fortunately, I found no limitations in using internet workshops and blogs. They are excellent ways to scaffold students’ research and learning skills. Better yet, they are hands-on ways to get students involved in the researching and writing process. For example, a game featuring a day in the life of a pirate, can take students on a virtual adventure. Simply reading or discussing certain elements of a pirate ship with students could be absolutely meaningless. However, having a technological tool such as this will aid greatly in their awareness and ability to understand the life of a pirate.
Another lesson I learned from Technology and Instruction was that questioning, what you say and how you do it, is vital. It can make or break a lesson. On page 8, it reads, “To aid students in developing background knowledge for the unit, you may develop open-ended questions where students gather information representing multiple viewpoints or sources on a topic or issue.” Open-ended questions are key, and to develop this type of critical thinking, we should defer from yes/no questions. Open-ended questions help students explore both what they already know and what they have learned.
I believe step four in participating in an internet workshop is the most important. From personal experience, I have always been able to learn more by reading something and then discussing it with others. Hearing other peers’ opinions helps me formulate my own. I may tweak what I believe or further justify my opinion based on what someone else has shared. This also works well with the proven fact that students learn better in a socially interactive environment. The statement on page 9, could be defined as exactly what learning is. “Because Internet workshops are inquiry-based, students are constantly making discoveries and posing their own queries. They are reading, critically evaluating information, forming their own opinions, and engaging in discussions (workshops) in which they are encouraged to justify their opinions.” Referring back to a learning versus teaching post, this helps me define what teaching and learning are. They require all these things and are inextricable from one another.
I also really appreciated how the internet workshops were divided into four parts. I believe the structure of this workshop enhances the learning. Each step is literally like a step, taking you from one level to the next, using prior knowledge from the first to use in the next. This is a great model for how we should teach. I also really enjoyed the emphasis on group work and student ownership. I researched the ways students work best in CI 2800, and I found that students work best with a partner or in groups. Having the social interaction motivates them and causes them to produce better quality work than they would as an individual. It also takes the stress of competing away and lets them explore and discover with ease.
One component of this article that I enjoyed was the links the authors provided for various resources. I reviewed several of these links and found them to be useful. Otherwise, www.delicious.com and other websites would not have been meaningful to me as I was reading if I did not have a chance to look at them. Therefore, we must provide examples for our students to make their learning meaningful. Just like Jack, from “Love That Dog,” found things were more meaningful when he wrote about them on his own or interpreted them in his own way, we can teach students using this same format.
The blogging ideas are also fabulous! I have found that I really enjoy blogging and using a writer’s notebook because it provides me with an avenue in which I can get my thoughts into words permanently. It’s like taming a wild horse. It is a place to write down notes, thoughts, and ideas. I use it constantly. The moment I hear or see something worth noting, I write it down. Then, I can go back later and review it. This is exactly what students can do with their blogs. I like how simple the blogs are to use. I honestly believe that an elementary school student could easily manuever around a blog site. It is encouraging to know another teacher has tested them, tried and true. I especially like the blogroll. No longer do I have to keep a paper list of noteworthy websites, but I can keep them on my blog where I can easily access them. Convenience and accessibility are a must for students and teachers.
The classroom connections mentioned in the blog section are the most interesting to me. I really enjoy using cross-curriculuar studies because I believe it makes learning a meaningful process. Students can see each subject as important to the other, and no subject is isolated. I hope to use many elements from the classroom connections section in my unit project. On page 16, the variety of ways to use technology (capture onscreen activity, record your voice, use a webcam, make a digital video, etc.) on a blog was refreshing. It provides instruction for multiple learners which is an area I will most certainly need to be sensitive to.
I simply love the idea of using a blog for anything! It can be used for any subject. Not only does it have to display written responses, but it can display work for parents and the world wide web to view. As a teacher, I could also use the blog as a way to communicate with parents. Leaving specific comment on a certain piece of work will be much more meaningful and effective to the parents’ understanding of their child’s learning, rather than them only seeing a report card with a grade on it each six weeks. As I end, I can’t help but ask some questions that arose while reading the article.
- When using the internet workshops, would it be useful to have students do a KWL activity before, during, and after that activity?
- Will technology-based literary skills soon become part of the curriculum? For example, will knowing how to hyperlink a site on a blog or composing and maintaining a blog become actual standard course of study goals and objectives?
Pirates in Historical Fiction and Nonfiction: Twin-Text Unit of Study and Swashbuckling Adventures on the High Seas
The two articles I read about pirates, Pirates in Historical Fiction and Nonfiction: Twin-Text Unit of Study and Swashbuckling Adventures on the High Seas, were excellent resources to me as I start to think about using and teaching pirates in the classroom. It was also a wonderful springboard for the ideas I would like to implement in my literature unit.
First and foremost, I really enjoyed how the unit integrated social studies and literature. These are my two favorite subjects. Since I know I will be using these a great deal in my classroom, I have often thought of how I could use these two subjects to teach other subjects. For example, I could use pirates to teach about math. If we were learning about graphing, we could use pirate names, the number of raids each pirate made, and how much loot they captured. The possibilities are endless which is another reason why literature, paired with social studies, is such an exciting way to learn. While reading this article, I also learned another method of teaching social studies which is very beneficial. For instance, the students read stories from two different genres, historical fiction and informational. This allowed students to see that the information about about Jake (what he did, where he went, what he used, etc.) was not fabricated. By reading the informational text, they can see that these things were real, important, everyday things in this time period. It helps students grasp what is real and what is not real by juxtaposing fiction and nonfiction.
I also gleaned some great ideas for the unit I will be planning. Getting students involved immediately is extremely vital if we want to capture their interest and pique their curiosity. Genuine, active learning can take place only if these things are present. For instance, I liked how the students were allowed to rotate around the room, exploring and discovering new things about pirates. Maybe the pirate ship interested one student, while the life of a pirate interested another. By doing this, it helps the students expand and broaden their horizons, because the teacher is not limiting them to learning one thing. It can also spark a year-long, or even lifelong, curiosity and passion for learning about a particular subject. Therefore, I need to incorporate active learning where students are allowed to learn while finding things that interest them.
There were several methods of learning and teaching that I found useful.
The first was learning about how the teachers used the KWL strategy. Until now, I did not realize how important this method of teaching and learning actually is, but now I see its benefits and uses. It not only helps the student understand where they are in their learning, but it helps the teacher find a starting point from which he/she can effectively provide instruction.
Another method of learning that I really appreciated from this unit was that the students were allowed to make a dictionary for themselves. They weren’t asked to write the dictionary definition, but to put the meaning in their own words and draw a picture if necessary. These kinds of connections create student ownership of their work. I believe when students feel a sense of ownership, of their work and the learning environment, real learning takes place. Therefore, I plan on using this type of teaching style in my own classroom.
I also noticed some very important information on questioning in this article. On page sixteen, I noticed all the questions began with “who, what when, where, why, or how.” These types of questions demonstrate higher order thinking skills and are very appropriate for students at this level. I really liked these questions because they went beyond yes and no answers and provoked the students to think more, with a justification. Most students are very opinionated, and by leading class discussions or letting students work in small groups, the process of justifying your answer will become a more natural task.
I also learned some useful information about the type of books I choose for my students. One of the books, Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter, is about a young boy. From my previous experiences in the classroom, I have found that students like to read about other children who are similar in age to them. They like to believe that a child, just like them, can do amazing things. Reading content such as this inspires them. I believe it would help them connect much more effectively to the book and the events. They would be more interested in the historical facts, as well as the actual reading of the material. While planning my unit, I should also try to choose at least one piece of literature that reads in a question and answer format. By reading this type of material, I have experience this type of “hook” the authors discuss. Appropriate questions always draw me in, making me think, and even ask more questions. Students could use these additional questions for their double entry diary or date retrieval chart. I have even noticed that I ask questions at the beginning of a paper because it helps me clarify what I am writing about, and I know it will draw readers into the story.
I absolutely love the double-entry diaries. In high school English, we kept one of these, and it helped me organize my thoughts efficiently and effectively. If I had a statement or a question I would like to make in class the next day, I had a way I could reference it. The quote, “Emphasize to the class that proficient readers constantly seek to use their personal knowledge to help them make sense of the new information,” really struck a chord with me. As a teacher and reader, I need to practice this same set of skills so I can glean more information from the text. By doing this, it will improve my teaching.
Finally, I believe the data retrieval chart is extremely useful. It is a wonderful research tool in which students can organize their data. So often, students do not even know where to begin when researching a topic. They randomly search for things, jotting information down here and there. Unfortunately, information can be lost because they do not have a set pattern or sequence to follow. Providing them with a type of formula (chart) such as this can help students tremendously. They are able to ask what they need to know and then record the information and site their sources. I think I might use it when researching topics as well.
Overall, these two articles were fabulous. They provided me with much insight into the diverse ways students learn and how I can foster this diversity. It also forced me to evaluate the ways I learn and use these ways as ideas for the future. I will most certainly use this article for ideas and suggestions when planning my own unit.
