Virtual Penpals and Google Maps assignment

This assignment is due Oct 4, and I don't want to have to wait until last minute to figure things out. I was thinking since our big project is biomes, we could make a project that involves another group of students from a different geographic location to help out. Originally I was thinking someplace vastly different than Michigan like a country in Africa since they are hot and dry, or someplace in Russia since its snowy and cold. But there might be language barriers there. So then I was thinking maybe we could do northern Alaska or Arizona, since they have vastly different climate and biomes than us. I think if we create a project that students collect information about their environment for say a month like average precipitation, plantlife, wildlife, temperature and such, and then we can compare their information to our information where the students we have would do the same thing. We could determine the classification of the biomes and how weather plays a role in it. Also the map could be of the location where the activities took place, so say somewhere near Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, or somewhere in michigan.

I only have 20 days left until my due date so I am trying to get ahead on some things so once my son is here I dont fall behind. Hopefully you guys can try to keep up too!

updated concept map

I updated the concept map to actually be about biomes. No one else seemed to want to take the reigns so hopefully you all approve. I really dont want to lose points because of working in a team.

Website Evaluations

Comment below with your websites you evaluated.

Assignment 3

Okay so looking at all of our concept maps we need to come up with the question we will ask the students: (it could be about anything we had on our concept maps)

I linked a video to help us get our minds turning about what we want our real world problem to be:

http://bie.org/object/video/project_based_learning_explained

I think we need to have a question by Wednesday so we can look into websites for our next assignment that is due by Sunday.

Here are some of my ideas:
How does the weather affect your daily life?
http://www.ccusd93.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=29708&pagecat=2564
How can we help to save our planet from global warming?
http://bie.org/project_search/results/search&channel=project_search&category=330&&331&ps_first=330&ps_second=331
How do you prepare for a natural disaster?

How is a good weather forecast made?
(write and Produce a television weather broadcast)

How does information about the weather affect my daily life and my survival?
http://www.leadingpbl.org/w/page/15692128/JBarthSteffel-Project
How do landforms in our area affect the weather?
http://wveis.k12.wv.us/teach21/public/project/Guide.cfm?upid=3289&tsele1=3&tsele2=105
Which biome do you think would be best?
http://www.mrsoshouse.com/pbl/b/biome.htm

Hopefully this helps!

Caitlyn Hella

So from the way I understood the mind map you both did most of the ideas of it! I figured since we have not figured out what the project is that we are supposed to have the kids do I would throw out some ideas using the topics you both provided! Personally I love doing the personal biomes in a bottle project but let me know what you think!

Caitlyn Concept Map

I added some ideas to what Tarra had put together.

Here is my redo... I have condensed it down to one idea and elaborated on the idea.

Tarra Concept Map

This is what I could think of for a mind map. I wont have much time for getting on here this weekend. I have my baby shower tomorrow and I have to get everything for the set up today. If you need anything shoot me an email at tfarrah10@gmail.com, which goes right to my phone, so I can get back with you. I will try to check this, but I cant guarantee it.
Thanks
Tarra

WEEK 2

Tarra and Marissa

Okay so Tarra have you emailed Marissa to get her gmail address so you could add her?

Also I am just looking over what all needs to be done this week:

• Do we all need to post the blog URL address to E-learning or just one of us?
• What Concept Map Program do we want to use? Bubbl.us seems like a good program and all you have to do is make an account. 
• Also how do we want to go about doing the concept map do we each want to make our own then have one of us put it all together? It is hard to all have us working on a concept map with those programs. The only solution would be us making a google doc then transferring what we make to a concept map? 

It will be interesting for us to communicate over this blog but I think if we check it everyday our communication will stay open. 

Best, 

Caitlyn

(comment below for this post)
 I'm not sure how to reply to a post but I can edit so this is my option. I posted the blog URL and since we are all in a group I think it should be covered. Whatever concept map program is fine with me, as long as it doesnt cost money. I cant guarantee I will be able to check this everyday. I am a mom of two, almost three, so time is valuable. I can check my gmail, because it comes to my phone, Tfarrah10@gmail.com, so maybe if its urgent email that way. We need to try to figure out what we want our overall concept to be. I posted a few suggestions on the class site, but im open to other opinions. 
Thanks 
Tarra 

New to this "blogging" thing

I am trying to get used to this blogging thing. I have used social media for years but yet never blogged. Marissa has yet to respond to the group invitation, but I have added Caitlyn to become an administrator.

Trying everything out

Okay so I just wanted to play around with the site to see how it works. I am really excited for this class and hopefully we can take some of this stuff that we will learn and use it in our classrooms. I had previously made a blog already for our group but I just deleted it and we will use this one :)