Using Edmodo to Analyze Characters and Conflict in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Lesson 4 of 7
Objective: SWBAT identify and analyze characters and conflict by taking a quiz and communicating through Edmodo.
Not unlike most young people around the world, many of my students are proficient at navigating their way around the computer and enjoy using the medium for social networking via facebook, twitter, email, etc.. This lesson is essential about introducing them to Edmodo which is alternative way students can post content, take tests, collaborate with each other, and connect with me (their teacher) in very meaningful ways. When I recently learned about Edmodo, it seemed to offer a pupil-friendly facebook. I want to harness their interest in this form of communication for their academic achievement.
Free writing is simply the practice of writing whatever comes into your head without stopping to judge the output W.9-10.2. I ask students to use free write to generate all the ways one can use the computer for academic achievement. I circulate among students, redirecting and encouraging on task behavior.
After about 5 minutes I generate a list on the board of the ideas they came up with.
Using a projected image of my computer on a screen for all student to see I first model getting onto the Edmodo site and using the school code to create a class community list. I pick a photo of me holding my grandson and remind them that their photo should be something pleasant to look at.
As I'm modeling this activity I sense my students impatience, their desire to get on the computer and do what they know best, communicate. But they must wait until I think they understand that this activity is about using Edmodo to facilitate a deeper engagement in their academic reading and writing W.9-10.6.
I use a Madeline Hunter technique called Dip Sticking to check for understanding by asking questions such as, "How do you sign into Edmodo?" "How do you retrieve the Chapter 4 Quiz?" "What is and is not appropriate when communicating with each other on Edmodo?"
Student Learning Activity
Students sign onto Edmodo and retrieve the Chapter 4 quiz using their novel as a resource for the text dependent questions as the common core requires in RL.9-10.1.
I circulate among students asking questions, keeping them focused on the task. After determining who has mastered the task of retrieving their quiz on Edmodo, I work more closely with those students who need guided practice.
I project on a screen my computer as students share their thoughts on the quiz by making comments or asking each other questions about questions on the quiz as I illustrate in my resource video. I want to facilitate academic discourse among them using this exciting medium.