Dedra's Index Page


Required  Instructional Activities:
Search Engine Activity
This page provides a "Best of" listing of search engines for students to use. The categories reviewed are Kid Safe, Meta, Media, News, and Directory.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/engines.htm

Web Link Bibliography
This page is an annotated bibliography for 7th graders at Milton M. Somers Middle School. It's purpose is to provide easy access to enriching activities that follow the 7th grade curriculum. It is organized by subject area and contains a miscellaneous section for other helpful web resources.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/webbib.html

Copyright, Piracy, and Ethics
Two scenarios  are analyzed and broken down in terms of copyright law, fair use, and legal implications.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/cpyright.html

Course Module: Blogs
This course module is designed to introduce students to weblogs or blogs. Students will become familiar with  what they actually are, visit a few blog sites, and consider the possible uses for blogs in the classroom.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/module.html

Dropin Web Activities:
#1 - Exploring Venus
This dropin activity was created to go with the short story All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury. It involves exploring a website to compare Bradbury's description of the setting to the real planet.  Students will read and think critically to answer several key questions. There is also an extension activity included.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/dropin1.html

#2 - Black-eyed Susan Book Awards
This dropin activity was created to increase participation in the Maryland Black-eyed Susan Book Awards program. It is designed to help students learn more about the award and to allow them to get a taste of this years nominees. After finishing the activity, students should be able to enter a library with a least three ideas for books they would like to check out and read. Ideally, students will finish reading at least three selections by April and be eligible to vote for this years awards.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/dropin2.html

#3 - Picture = 1,000 Words
This dropin activity was created to help students work with the Ideas trait in their creative writing.  It is designed so that students will see the benefits of using photographs as stimulis for creative writing. Students will study several photographs and respond to them in writing. They will then select a new photograph and use the full writing process to create an illustrated piece of creative writing.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/student/slm/vangelderd/dropin3.html

#4- Enrichment Summer Reading Book Reviews
This dropin activity was created to help share their opinions about the books they selected for summer reading. Students will read several reviews on the book they chose, gather tips on review writing, and finally select a site on which to actually publish their very own book review.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/dropin4.htm

#5- Crushing Misconceptions
This drop-in activity was created to support the story  A Crush by Cynthia Rylant.  The nonfiction selections included here will complement the story, and hopefully, educate students on the topic of mental retardation. It also serves as a nice precursor to some of the elements of persuasive writing.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/dropin5.html

Electives:
Instruction
 Citing Internet Resources
After reviewing several web sites on how to cite internet resources, here are the two I cound to be most useful to highschool students. Also included are several examples of APA style annotations.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/citing.html

School Library Media Sites
After evaluating several school library media web sites, here are the elements I found most useful and important to include when one is creating their own SLM website.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/slmsites.html

Instructional Activities, Worksheets, Quizzes, and Puzzles
If you are a middle school Language Arts teacher (especially those who teach 7th graders), then this page is for you.  I have reviewed many sites offering free worksheets, activities, etc., and this is an annotated list  what I found and considered worthwhile.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/wksts.html

Lesson Plans
This page provides links to and brief descriptions of  sites that offer tons of great lesson plans. Middle School Language Arts teachers, don't reinvent the wheel- check this page out!
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/lesson.html

 Communication
So, you think you're ready to publish?
Here are a few sites that I have reviewed and deemed worthy of  spectacular student  work. In order to be deemed worthy, the site had to meet several criteria, which I list on the page.  There is also a permission to publish online form that you can access and print out.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/publish.html


Multimedia
Clip Art
Collection of links to web sites  where you can download free clip art to use on worksheets, web pages,  and other such creations. This page also includes links to the usage rights information when applicable.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/clipart.html

Legal
Internet Plagiarism
This site is a resource for teachers to educate them on several things regarding plagiarism and the internet. Teachers will learn why students do it, how they do it, and ways to help prevent it.
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/vangelderd/netplag.html

Other assignments:
Journal Article Critique
Final Activity Log
Submission Log