T-PACK JING "FROM THIS TO THIS"

"FROM THIS TO THIS"

CLICK ON "FROM THIS TO THIS" TO SEE MY PRESENTATION

My TPACK FOCUS FOR AN 8TH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARD

8E1a.2: Understand the influence of history and culture on English word meaning and vocabulary expansion.

Example: Recognize how the early influences of Spanish explorers in
North America expanded American English vocabulary by adding
words such as “tornado,” “tomato,” and “patio.”

HOW DO I NOT BORE MY STUDENTS WITH THIS STANDARD?

A. What is the TP knowledge for the solution?

Students will be given choices (differentiation and motivation) in the words that they are researching online (computer assisted instruction). Choices encourage ownership and a vested interest in learning which is particularly important in middle school. Students will then provide to the class the information they’ve learned (ownership) by adding to a class blog (writing to inform). The students feel that their information is valuable and necessary to help other students learn. They will assimilate and apply knowledge they have learned in history class (cross-curricular tie-in) to develop an animated map showing the results of their research. This allows for a strong visual representation to a very abstract contrast. Any opportunity to allow students to realize that knowledge isn’t just limited to a particular classroom or subject is important to seeing that we don’t just learn in a classroom. They will use their writing, performance, and, technology skills to develop a short skit (role playing and cooperative learning group) and video. Writing a script requires students to put their thoughts into words. Performing a skit requires students to take on a role and look at the topic from different perspectives. Through video, students have the opportunity to view and critique their own performance providing an additional opportunity to learn the knowledge

B. What is the TC knowledge for the solution?

Students will need to know how to use appropriate online research tools to locate foreign language cognates and their meanings that have been absorbed into American English and how to add that newly acquired vocabulary to a class blog. Students must learn how to develop an animated map to visually show the abstract process of the historical and social migration of those words from one geographical area to another. They will need to know how to write a short skit and film a video to illustrate the meaning of at least three of those words.


C. What is the PC knowledge for the solution?

By designing their own map, students will have a more concrete understanding that cultures moved/conquered/migrated into other lands and that those people brought with them their own language. Students will more easily be able to visualize how this migration of culture and language impacted the language of the natives in that region. By researching cognates of their own choice that are currently used in English, students will be actively involved in developing their own historical and culturally developed word bank which can then be shared with the class. Students are then taking on the role of an educator and not just passive student. By establishing a class word bank blog, all students are involved in developing classroom knowledge and all students are required to participate.