Title: Calendars -- Author(s): Melissa Morris-- Grade Level: 4/5 Special Education -- Subject Matter: Math -- Synopsis: Have students learn the calendar and how technology can enhance a calendar's use in daily life.

TitleIII Learning Experience

Title III Learning Experience

LE Title: Calendars	Author(s): Melissa Morris
Grade Level: 4/5 Special Education	School: Westmoreland Central School District
Topic/Subject Area: Math	School Address: 5176 Route 233 Westmoreland, NY 13490
Email: mmorris@west-elem.moric.org	School Phone/Fax: 315-853-6191

LEARNING CONTEXT

Purpose or Focus of Experience

The primary purpose of this experience was to have students learn the calendar (sequence of the months, days, and how to locate and place information). The secondary purpose was for the students to become aware of how technology can enhance a calendar’s use in daily life.

*This was done in December as a gift for the students’ families.

Connection to Standards

Standard 2 - Information Systems

Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Information Systems

1. Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

Standard 3 - Mathematics

Students will understand mathematics and become mathematically confident by communicating and reasoning mathematically, by applying mathematics in real-world settings, and by solving problems through the integrated study of number systems, geometry, algebra, data analysis, probability, and trigonometry.

Modeling / Multiple Representation

2.Students use mathematical modeling/multiple representation to provide a means of presenting, interpreting, communicating, and connecting mathematical information and relationships.

Essential Question

How do we use a calendar in our daily lives?

Content Knowledge: Declarative, Procedural

Declarative:

· Sequence months

· Sequence days of the week

· Locate specific special days

· Transfer information from paper to computer

Procedural:

· Using Microsoft Publisher (or comparable program), place names on appropriate days. Where necessary changing the font, size of type, and saving.

· With hard copy of calendar, assemble in sequential order, decorate, and bind.

PROCEDURE
(Chronologically ordered description of all teacher & student activities and interactions.)

1. Students were sent home with a worksheet called “Math About My Family”. On this sheet they were asked to list family birthdays, anniversaries, and any other special days. In the listing the students needed to include the names of the person, the month, and the date of each event. They were also expected to place them in chronological order.

2. In class, students were asked to locate the holidays that their families celebrate. They needed to list the holiday and its respective date. Students were also asked to place them in chronological order.

3. Students reviewed the months of the year and days of the week. They worked on mastery of spelling and sequence, as well as, solving calendar problems.

4. One at a time the students sat with the teacher and together entered the Microsoft Publisher program. The teacher walked them through the first special day and saving the file for the first time. The following steps were followed to enter the information from the “Math About My Family” worksheets.

1-Log on to computer.

2-Go to Windows.

3-Double-click on Microsoft Publisher.

4-Click on the folder that says “Open An Existing Publication”.

5-Choose your file and open.

6-Close cue cards if they come up.

7-Find where the next special day needs to go. (Move through the months by clicking the arrows on the bottom left corner of the screen)

8-Click on the day you are going to do next. Press return so the cursor is under the date.

9-Click on the arrow next to size on the toolbar. CHANGE SIZE TO 12

10-Type in the person’s name, holiday, or special information.

11-Click on file and drag to save then release.

12-Repeat steps 7 to 11 for all of your special days.

13-When all of your days are on the calendar and you have saved for the last time, call the teacher.

5. After the student input all of the information the calendar first draft was printed. Students were expected to compare their original list with the first draft and correct any errors in spelling, incorrect date, duplication, etc… An editing checklist can be utilized or a teacher-created guideline can be followed. After editing the hard copy first draft the students returned to the computer and made the revisions. A brief student-teacher conference was held at the computer and then a final copy was printed.

6. Next the students mounted the hard copy of the calendar on their choice o 9”x12” colored construction paper. Some chose to follow a pattern and others randomly picked colors. A cover was designed and decorated. The back of each mounting was appropriately decorated for the month it correlated with. The students used magazines, wallpaper, stickers, etc… to complete the decorations.

7. The calendar pages were laminated and spiral bound. The students wrapped them and gave them as Christmas presents to someone in their family.

INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS

This was a self-contained math class so most of the modifications were built in. The directions were in very small pieces and sitting with the students for the first few special entries worked well.

TIME REQUIRED

2 to 3 weeks depending on the number of computers available and the time periods dedicated to this project. This class met one hour each day and worked on 1 to 3 computers depending on what was available.

RESOURCES

Teacher made materials

Microsoft Publisher

9”x12” construction paper in a variety of colors

Calendar Stickers (for added pizzazz)

Magazines, stickers, wallpaper, etc for decorating

ASSESSMENT PLAN
(Include samples of rubrics, checklists, etc.)

To assess this learning experience a rubric was used for technology use and another for the final product (see below).

Technology Use 3 2 1 0

Maneuvering Independently, complete Independently, complete Need assistance Cannot complete

100% of 13 steps 75% of 13 steps to complete steps steps with help

Electronic Independently, changes Independently, changes Needs assistance Cannot change

Editing Font/type size and save font/type size or save to change font or save font or save with help

Final Product 3 2 1 0

Sequence Identifies orally and Identifies orally or Identifies orally and Does not correctly

concretely the months concretely the months concretely the months identify the months

in 100% correct order in 100% correct order in 75% correct order (less than 75% correct)

Transfer of Independently, locates Independently, locates Needs assistance to Needs assistance to place

Information and places 100% of and places 75% of place some of the all of the family dates

Family dates family dates family dates

Presentation Chooses 12 pictures that Chooses 9 pictures that Chooses 6 pictures that Chooses 3 pictures that

correlate with the months correlate with the months correlate with the months correlate with the months

Mechanics No mechanical errors 1-5 mechanical errors 6-10 mechanical errors 10 or more errors

STUDENT WORK
(Include samples of student work showing different levels of performance.)

See samples at peer review or contact author.

REFLECTION

This learning experience helped students use technology in a meaningful way. It gave students the opportunity to see how calendars can be helpful and meaningful to them personally. Students are still coming to school talking about how their family has used the calendar. It would have been nice to give students the opportunity to add color or pictures right from the computer, however, this was the first attempt for the students and the technology was enough for them at this level. A great extension would be to complete something similar throughout the year for things like assignments etc…. Possibly even allowing the student to keep a running electronic calendar on the class computer changing and printing hard copies as necessary.