Sunday, April 26, 2009

How to Brush How my Teeth

This is a 3-fold pamphlet with step-by-step instruction on how to execute proper teeth brushing. The graphics and various colors of font were not accepted on blogger; however, I am posting what is compatible and will also upload it to Webct.

How
To
Brush
My
Teeth

Proper tooth brushing is proven to be an effective weapon in combating plaque, tooth decay, gum disease and other health problems that may result due to poor dental health.
In order for tooth brushing to be effective, brushing must be properly executed. Make sure you have all the items listed and then follow the step-by-step instructions.
Toothbrush
Toothpaste (ADA approved)
Dental floss
Water
Squeeze toothpaste onto the head of the toothbrush.
Moisten toothpaste on toothbrush with water.
Place toothbrush at the back of your mouth and work your way around to the other side with gentle circular strokes. WARNING: Up-and-down strokes may harm your gums.
Brush all your teeth on all sides for 2 to 3 minutes.
Spit the foamy toothpaste from your mouth into the sink.
Rinse your mouth out with water until all the toothpaste is washed away.
Continue brushing for 30 seconds then rinse and spit water into the sink.
Rinse toothbrush and re-apply toothpaste.
Stick tongue out.
Place toothbrush head with toothpaste on the tongue horizontally. «
With firm strokes, move toothbrush up and down while making contact with the tongue.
Rinse mouth thoroughly with water for 10 seconds by swishing water throughout your entire mouth.
Spit water into sink.
Continue until the tongue is red in color and all white residue is gone.
Floss as directed.


It is recommended that thorough brushing be exercised after every meal and/or two times per day.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

"How to" Outline & Poetry Blog


Focus on “How to” make sure outline is in the blog/Poetry- an example of one poem (that I like) & how to use it in the class ( one paragraph ).

Expository Piece: Product will be an instructional pamphlet.

How to brush my teeth.
Proper brushing two to three times a day will produce clean teeth and promote healthy dental hygiene. Before beginning the process that is listed below, read and gather the required items.
Required items:
Toothbrush
ADA approved toothpaste
mouthwash (your choice)
dental floss
water
1. Open mouthwash and follow directions as listed on the label.
2. Squeeze toothpaste onto the head of the toothbrush (the part of the toothbrush that has several bristles).
3. Moisten toothpaste on toothbrush with water.
4. Bring upper and lower teeth to a rest position on each other . An exaggerated cheesy smile is what the teeth should resemble.
5. Raise the toothbrush to the mouth with head of the toothbrush touching the teeth.
6. Moving the toothbrush in a circular motion while in contact with the upper teeth, also brush from the gum line up to where the gum line meets the upper, inner lip.
7. Continue brushing for 30 seconds then rinse and spit water into the sink. Repeat for 3-5 minutes or until all food and build up are expelled.
8. Repeat the steps 6-7 on bottom teeth.
9. Rinse toothbrush and re-apply toothpaste and moisten again.
10. Stick tongue out.
11. Place toothbrush head with toothpaste on the tongue at a 90 degree angle.
12. With firm strokes, move toothbrush up and down while making contact with the tongue.
13. Rinse mouth thoroughly with water for 10 seconds by swishing water from cheek to cheek. Spit water into sink.
14. Continue until the tongue is red in color and all white residue is expelled.
15. Floss as directed.
It is recommended that thorough brushing be exercised after every meal and/or three times per day. This will help in the prevention of tooth decay, plaque build up and halitosis (bad breath).


Poetry
I would like to introduce Shel Silverstein’s poem, Rain to my class. It would be a great piece to teach the class on stanza’s, choral reading and rhyming. I would make the curricular connection of the poem to introduce the study of the various climates. This poem would obviously be the lead into studying precipitation (rain).

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Blog #8
1. What is narrative? Explain components.
2. Explain W.W. experience. Discuss process and sandwich (SBH, 2007) Theory.
1. There are five components to compose a well-written, successful narrative paper. Each and every component is crucial to the paper, one component cannot successfully stand independently of the other parts. When creating a paper that needs to be a narrative, consider that by the end of the paper the reader must have been told a story. It could be fictional or non-fictional, preferably, which ever type the author selects, will be an engaging story for the audience. As the author puts pen to paper, he must be conscience that the story must fluidly show a sequence of events over a period of time. This could be an event that took place within a week, months, years or decades. Ultimately, the length of time is totally contingent on the goal of the author. To add to the fluidity of the story, it must be crystal clear when moving from the beginning, to the middle and the finale of the story. Each event that the author introduces in the story must be clearly and completely explained/discussed/elaborated.
2. The Sandwich Theory (SBH, 2007) is for application during writing workshops for groups that are comprised of 3-5 students. It is a theory that promotes positive feedback and exchange of ideas among the students. The three parts of the theory are:
* Each student will have their papers underneath their seats and take turns at making a positive statement to the author stating what they liked about the narrative.
* TSW ask the author a question about the writing and/or make suggestions ( for example, character development, word choice) to help move a small concept to a big concept paper.
* TSW then ask a positive question or make a positive suggestion
I enjoyed the writing workshop with my home group. It allowed me to gather suggestions from my group and feel more comfortable with receiving their input. The positive input helped to corroborate that my paper did possess the fluidity that is required as one of the components of a narrative paper. The Sandwich Theory opened the door to a face to face discussion exchanging suggestions to improve our individual MGP paper of choice. I was able to witness the multifaceted talents of each home group member.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Teeth

TEETH!
§115.22. Health Education. Grade 6.
(a) Introduction.
(1) In health education, students acquire the health information and skills necessary to become healthy adults and learn about behaviors in which they should and should not participate. To achieve that goal, students will understand the following: students should first seek guidance in the area of health from their parents; personal behaviors can increase or reduce health risks throughout the lifespan; health is influenced by a variety of factors; students can recognize and utilize health information and products; and personal/interpersonal skills are needed to promote individual, family, and community health.
(2) In middle school, students learn about health behaviors that will safeguard their health as well as information related to understanding puberty and the reproductive process. Students are taught about factors in their environment that impact, not only their health and the health of their families, but the health of their communities as well. Middle school students learn to refine their critical-thinking skills to avoid unsafe situations, analyze health information and products, and maintain healthy relationships. Students begin to investigate health in the broader context of community.
(b) Knowledge and skills.

(6.1) Health information. The student comprehends ways to enhance
and maintain personal health throughout the life span.

The student is expected to:
(C) compare immediate and long-range effects of personal health care choices such as personal and dental hygiene

(E) examine the concept of cost versus effectiveness of health-care products

OUTLINE

Narrative: The Wiz of D! A short-story about P.W. and the journey to meet the Wiz. Along the way, P.W. makes friends with desires of their own. Will the new found friends help defeat D-Cay, the wicked tooth fairy and finally make it to the Wiz of D?

Expository: TSW learn the steps involved in proper teeth brushing. This will be a hands-on class activity. Instructional (step-by-step) booklet /handout will be provided. All student participation is mandatory.

Persuasive: This will be a factual piece that lists the benefits of proper dental hygiene and the negative outcomes of poor dental hygiene. Media to be determined.

Descriptive: The results of poor dental hygiene will be presented to the students with animated illustrations and the benefits of proper hygiene will be reinforced. Media to be determined.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

May I talk in class? YES!

Define talk. Why is it beneficial in the classroom? Give examples of talk in the classroom.

The value of talk in elementary classrooms is an essential part of language arts and is necessary for academic success in all content areas. (Heath, 1983) Simply stated by Shuy (1987) "talk is a necessary ingredient for learning." Talk is the ability to communicate ideas, gather information, expression of opinions and to gain a deeper understanding of material.

Just as in listening, there are various forms of talk. Talk can be labeled as formal or informal. The two types of talk that are conducive in the classroom are aesthetic and efferent. If the talk is aesthetic, the student may communicate a story and it will further the student's understanding of the material they have read, be it for recreational reasons or academic enrichment. Should the talk be efferent, then we know that it should serve as a tool to assist the student in understanding the information and enabling him/her to present the information verbally or written. Proper classroom management is of the essence when assigning talking to students.

The goal of assigned talking for students is to ensure that the student is comprehending the material as well as to promote higher level thinking in the minds of the students. As teachers, we may assign talking in various methods, but not limited to, the following: one-on-one, partners, whole groups, small groups or having grand conversations. Talking amongst peers plays a role in a student's social development and interrelation connections. Group conversations will promote interaction even in the midst of varied opinions.

My personal opinion is that my teachers that were dead set on a QUIET classroom at all times performed an injustice to my development. I had to learn to operate in a "noisy" environment when I entered college. I had some classes when the teacher (typically ONLY in advanced courses) allowed free talk time but these type of teachers were few and far between. Being comfortable with stating my opinion, which was not always in agreement with the popular opinion, developed during my young adult years. I believe it would have been a great benefit to have been comfortable with this during my high school days. Learning that we can agree to disagree on issues came a later stage in my life. As with everything, evolution of classroom methods comes with time unless we are fortunate enough to have radical teachers that passionately teach even if their methods may seem unorthodox to others but are more concerned with the growth of the student.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Are you listening to me?

"Are you listening to me?" is the infamous question that I can recall back to my young elementary school years. Not necessarily directed only to me but to all my fellow classmates. If I knew then what I know now the correct answer would probably be no! Right after recess or before lunch, when children are hyper, frustrated, over-heated, under-heated, distracted whatever the case may be, NO, they are not listening. Listening is a complex, interactive process by which spoken language is converted to meaning. My simplest definition is adhering and processing the words that are communicated to me. The four types of listening are discriminative, aesthetic, efferent and critical. Discriminative listening is when the individual elects by selection what he wants to listen to. For example, a lover's quarrel. Aesthetic listening is for sheer enjoyment, shall I go as far as stating that it is recreational. For example, listening to my favorite songs. Efferent listening is to retain information, for example, medical reports or data gathering for reporting. Critical listening is not only listening carefully but also forming concepts and engaging all processes of the brain. I confidently say that I utilize all four types of listening on the daily basis. When I am in class, I use my efferent and critical listening. As my day progresses, I use my discriminative listening when at home or in public places and I engage my efferent listening skills when I am listening to K-LOVE.

During the debate, I used my critical and efferent listening skills. It was a challenge to sit back and not take over the entire process of the team. A former debate team member in high school, I knew that our statements/facts were not solid enough to withstand the debate. Debating an issue is not won by being able to "argue" it is about the ability to present well-formed statements to persuade an audience using voice inflections to strengthen the points. It truly was a challenge but I was reminded of what I learned in debate team...listen and respond, do not react with the first words that pop into your mind. This will allow true substance to the arguments you form and will counter with. It is an art form that requires LISTENING, knowledge, controlled emotion and strategically used passion. Listening to the points offered truly became a moment of utilizing my aesthetic listening.

"Did anyone notice...?" is, thus far, the most important Teacher Talk. I believe that this method will allow the student to feel value placed on their input. Even in adulthood, speaking for myself, when I am comfortable and feel welcomed in my surroundings, I am motivated to participate and exchange ideas or whatnot. I truly believe that with young, impressionable children making them feel important and allowing them to know what is expected of them enables them to become comfortable in growing as people and developing as students.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Try not to damage my Bodysuit!

Role: Kick Ball
Audience: P.E. Students
Format: Instructions
Topic: How to play as a team. Strong verb: Fairness
This game is a just like baseball except you will not use that hard, wooden stick known as Bat to hit me! Instead you are allowed to use your feet (that are armed with your not- so- soft shoes) to send me rolling or even flying into that patch of green called the field. While I take this short yet possibly long and quick journey, you will run like the wind to reach those bases before your rivals end my journey and send me flying back to the arms of their teammates! If I beat you there, guess what?! YOU'RE OUTTA HERE! When you arrive at the home base before I do your team earns a point. You are allowed three OUTS before having to hit the field. The team that earns the most points will win (bragging rights 'til next time). Now, in order for this game to be fun you will need to be fair by following the rules to this game. Remember that eventhough my rubber exterior is softer than that of a friend of mine called Baseball, I may cause injury if you throw me at one of your classmates with too much momentum. When you are too close to another boy or girl, no firing me me like a mad cannon towards anyone. The only way this game can be fair is if everyone on both teams sticks around to take their turn and are not out on the bench due to injuries. No man down is what I say! Hopefully, you boys and girls are not too aggressive or hostile, not for my sake but that of your classmates. When it is your turn in the field, you are trying your best to get me to the bases before the Kicker gets there, no tripping, kicking or illegal blocking of the bases. Remember you have many hands and feet to help you get me to the place I need to be. If you catch the ball in the field throw me over to someone closer to the infield to try to send the kicker to the bench without scoring big! If your teammate misses me as I dash by, give 'em a helping hand or with your racing feet try to catch me. I am swift once the air gets behind me. Don't forget the goal is to catch me or stop me and get me to my friends named 1st, 2nd, 3rd and home base! I really enjoy visiting with them. Be fair to your teammates and rivals!
You have the rules now let's kick some ball...wait, that would be me, Kickball!

Capable Writers
Write for audience, purpose and use appropriate form
Utilize the writing process:
*Tap prior knowledge
*Organize ideas
*Visualize
*Summarize
*Make connections
*Revise meaning
*Monitor
*Play with language
*Generalize
*Evaluate
Have a goal of writing
Use peer response
Self assess
Differentiate between genres(different verbiage)
Use a variety of strategies
Postpone editing until the end
Be able to judge the quality of writing

I understand this methodology of developing capable writers; however, I do not believe that there is set sequential order that is “one size fits all.” As we have read and discussed in class, every child learns and processes knowledge differently, I believe that their writing skills are individual as well. There are many factors to consider such as what type of thinker the student is, his/her interests and basically their reading levels and how well they are developed in their reading.