SCED 4200 has been my favorite secondary education class. I have learned the most from the interactive activities and assignments in the class. I had not thought much about reading and writing in agriculture, and not only do I know it is possible, I know that it is very important. I have already included many of the activities in the lesson plans I have made for student teaching. In a lesson plan about livestock diseases and parasites, I have included an activity called "Poisoning Balderdash", which has the students guess the definition to poisoning terms like Alfatoxin Poisoing or Pine Needle Abortion. In another lesson plan, I have included a digital literacy activity about careers in the livestock industry that has students look up and watch videos on livestock careers after I show them an example of one. They will then teach the information from the videos to their classmates. Also in the diseases and parasites lesson plan, I will have them create a fact sheet on a parasite. I will provide before, during, and after writing instruction through showing them an example of a fact sheet, having them creating a word web of their ideas that they have learned about that parasite and having them use a rubric to grade their own fact sheet.
Additionally, I have learned how to make writing, reading, critical and digital literacy are essential to student learning. I plan to use critical literacy to teach my students about issues like global warming, factory farms, vegetarians and vegans, animal care, and other controversial issues. I plan to use digital literacy to have them learn about agricultural advocacy online and how to find out more about agriculture topics through online applications and using powerpoint, excel spreadsheets, and other digital media. I want my students to read and write more than they have in their previous agricultural experience.
I am excited to go out and use these strategies as I student teach and teach in my own classroom!
Darn, I totally forgot to include digital literacy in my blog post. I too think it is a great tool that students' can use in the classroom. I think it is funny how you mentiond that you have already included some of the activities you made into your lessons. Mostly because I have too. Great minds think alike I guess. Anyway, good luck with student teaching! you are gonna do great!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley...thanks for a great final posting. I especially liked your comment at the end that your students will read and write more in your class in previous agriculture classes. To me, reading and writing are not just about literacy, but they are about thinking. Writing is a way to help students process information more deeply, and reading is a way to keep them connected to the current agricultural community where new information is always being put out there. Reading and writing are tools for deepening an understanding of agriculture, and I appreciate that you are thinking of ways to do this. Good luck with your student teaching, whether it's in Idaho, Ohio, or wherever life may take you! I know you will be a very supportive and positive presence in your students' lives wherever you are.
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