Summative Assessment

Here is the kit and caboodle!  The students must prove that they are able to regurgitate what they've learned.  Hopefully, with all of these fun and exciting assignments, their job should be easy!  So, how can I do this?  If I give them a boring old test, they will finish it in no time, because they know the information so well... but I have to have them write something!  What do I do... maybe this will work!

Day 5:

Assessment:  Students will create a presentation (Prezi, PowerPoint, Blog, Popplet, etc…).  You must use your presentation to compare and contrast Genus Pepsis to the insect you found in the Order Hymenoptera from the Day 1 assignment.  Make sure to include all of the following for both insects.

Things to include:

    1.       Classification of Genus Pepsus in its entirety

    2.       Common name(s)

    3.       Habitat and biome

    4.       Interesting facts

    5.       Anatomy

    6.       Pictures

    7.       Extra Credit: Video

      That should do it!  The students are using a multi-media tool to integrate everything they've learned! And the best part is that they've already researched and found all of the information they need in order to create this project.  I'm sure there may be some problems at first, while they are making their first ever creation, but those are technical learning problems that should be fixed easily.

The Grand Finale!

After racking my brain for weeks trying to figure out how I would complete this task, I realized that my job was to be the student for a few minutes.  I had to learn something that I had no clue about what it is.  I figured out that by finding my own information, I became hyper-aware of what I was learning.  Even though I'm not interested in entomology, I could probably tell people so much about a tarantula hawk/wasp.

I chose to present the information to my students in this format, because students have become accustomed to looking up information for themselves.  (Who sings that song?  I don't know, so I will just google it.)  As teachers, we have become so ingrained in doing a stand and deliver platform that we don't realize that most of our students are zoned out due to boredom.

I don't believe that there is a set way to introduce or teach information.  Each teacher has his and her own way of delivering the material.  I consider myself a chameleon when it comes to teaching.  I'm constantly having to change with the times.  When I first started teaching, PowerPoint was the big craze, now we have smart boards, and clickers, and computers in every classroom for the students to use.  I feel, as a teacher, it is my job to let students use all of these nifty gadgets.  I don't think technology is supposed to make my job harder.  In the long run, it should make my job easier.