Mr. Mundorf's Class

From ASCD SmartBrief

Video games may make lessons more captivating for students
As more new video games target educational topics, they have the potential to become powerful classroom tools, some educators and scientists say. “[With text books] they might read something, drag vocabulary words onto paper, or use their math, but they’re not really integrated into it,” said Virginia AP biology teacher Netia Elam, whose students recently tested “Immune Attack,” a game that offers insight into the human immune system. “Because they are playing video games, they were really engrossed in what they were doing. They took on more of an interest and more of an initiative to pay attention.” ABC News (6/13)

Check out the article – Playing to Learn: Video Games in the Classroom

What do you think?

The Learning Ecosystem - http://etoolkit.org/etoolkit/map

UDL Resources from FDLRS – http://www.paec.org/fdlrstech/itforat/udl.html

Did you Know?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7J_ereCiTo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjKBsfk_O8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2855786550703993653&hl=en

http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com/

What a great book! I hope you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I did. I found the website for The Invention of Hugo Cabret and discovered some interesting facts and cool information about the book, author, and characters.  

Check it out! Let us know what you think.

http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com

Congratulations Madison and Gage!

 Check out this article from the Naples Daily News (anything look familiar?)

http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/feb/20/boom-moon-blast/ 

Here’s a highlight from the article:

At Tommie Barfield Elementary School on Marco Island, students from Jon Mundorf’s fifth-grade class have been blogging about the lunar eclipse since Monday.

Students also read two articles on their blog, which credited an eclipse with saving the life of explorer Christopher Columbus.

Madison Smith, 10, and Erin Waters, 11, were excited about the lunar eclipse. Madison said she planned to watch the lunar eclipse but Erin said she was disappointed about not being allowed to stay up past her bedtime to watch it.

Students have been learning about the solar system for the past two week during their science period.

Mundorf said students have really enjoyed learning about current events. For the past two years, Mundorf has used a classroom blog — jmundorf.edublogs.org — in all subjects to motivate students to write and read.

The students’ assignment was to write a persuasive blog about why or why not their parents should let them stay up to watch the eclipse. Parents have also posted comments on the class blog, including comments about children wanting to stay up late for an educational reason rather than just to watch television.

If the spy satellite shootdown occurs, Mundorf said students will enjoy reading about it today.

Here are some pictures of the lunar eclipse I took from my front yard. I took these pictures between 9:15PM and 10:15PM. I tried to take a picture of the red/blue moon but my camera didn’t cooperate. Enjoy the pictures!

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5

Picture 6

Picture 7

TRLD Presentation (PowerPoint) 

The National Center for Supported Electronic Text 

http://ncset.uoregon.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=172&Itemid=73

Freedom Scientific Learning Systems Group – WYNN

http://www.freedomscientific.com/lsg/about/national_research.asp

6th-grader turns testing tables on teachers, School Board members

Antonia Jacobse’s science fair project asked School Board members and others to take FCAT science portion – By Matt Clark

Link to article:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/nov/13/elementary_school_girl_turns_testing_tables_adults/

Look at this Naples Daily News special report on the state of the Florida panther. Check out a collection of photos and videos highlighting the endangered animal.

http://media.naplesnews.com/multimedia/panther/panther.html

Check out Mrs. Ackley’s Blog….it’s stupendous!!

http://mrsackley.blogspot.com/

DARE Kids Webpage – www.dare.com/kids/index_3.htm

Dare Objectives – Elementary School  (word)

Questions? Email Officer Jen – jlofy@marcoislandpolice.us

Student Introduction

Parent Introduction

Behavior Plan

Incentives and Consequences

Steps to Fun Friday

PBS Pledge

It’s hard to believe this is our last week of the Summer Reading Club!

What did you think of the book?

Barry and Pearson are masters at creating adventure stories. Which part of this one was your favorite? Why? What makes a story impossible to put down? What can you learn about your own writing from this novel?

Do you know what the words Ombra, Nerezza, and Fantome mean in different languages? Which languages? What are the definitions? What are the similarities between these words? (Google the words and see what you come up with!)

Enjoy the rest of your Summer Vacation!

Mr. Mundorf

UDL Summer Institute Notes

Day 1 Notes

Day 2 Notes

Day 3 Notes

Day 4 Notes

Greetings Summer Institute participants and welcome to Mr. Mundorf’s Classroom Blog!

I use this blog with my students during the school year and am pleased that you are visiting. Feel free to look around at how my students utilized this new technology during the school year.

For more information about me and this blog – take a look at About Mr. Mundorf’s Class Blog…it’s down a little bit on the right hand side of the screen.

If you have a chance, take a look at my del.icio.us page under UDL.

Here are some additional UDL links:

http://udlsummerinstitute.edublogs.org/

www.cast.org

Describe Molly’s friend, George. How does he help Peter and Molly? Does he prove himself to be a worthy friend and honorable enough to learn the secrets of starstuff? How do friends prove themselves in our everyday lives? Do you have a friend you could trust to keep any secret for you? 

George and Peter are allies, but they are definitely not friends. Why? Can you remain allies and not be friends? When can friends turn into enemies?

Happy Reading!

Mr. Mundorf

How does Peter find his way to England? Who helps him the most along the way? What was the most dangerous part of the journey? What does he do about food, water, and rest along the way? How can someone as small as Tinker Bell be so important? 

What is Captain Hook’s new plan for exacting revenge on the Lost Boys and specifically Peter? Does his plan work? Why or why not? Does revenge ever really work?

Retell the events from the ship docking in London until Peter finds Molly. What kind of trouble do he and Tink get into? How do they manage to escape and find each other? What does this show us about their characters?

Happy Reading!

Mr. Mundorf

Two topics for discussion: 

Describe Ombra and the powers he has. How does he use them? Describe how he moves. Whose power would you rather have: Peter’s ability to fly or Ombra’s powers over people’s shadows? Why? How would you use both? What is Ombra’s weakness? Does Peter have one?

What is the value of the box that Lord Aster is protecting? What will the Others do if they have it in their possession? Do you think there is anything that powerful in the world today?

Happy Reading!

Mr. Mundorf

Who are the passengers and crew aboard Captain Nerezza’s ship? What is their goal? Who do they think can lead them to it? What details prove that these are evil characters?

Are Fighting Prawn and Peter able to rescue James? How do they accomplish it? Why does the chief blame Peter for what happened? Do you agree?

Well? What do you think so far? I enjoyed the first 10 chapters and it was very hard to restrain myself from reading even more. 

Peter loves taunting the pirates (including Hook) on Mollusk Island. Why does this turn out to be a misguided decision? What does it lead to? Can one mistake often lead to more? Why?

This week you should be reading chapter 11 – 24, p. 70 – 147.

Do you remember the ending of Peter and the Starcatchers? How did Molly end up in London and Peter on Mollusk Island? Where was the starstuff? Are the Others still after it? Predict what might happen in Peter and the Shadow Thieves.

Enjoy reading the first 10 chapters this week. We’ll be talking about them next week.

Happy Reading!

Mr. Mundorf

Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

http://www.peterandthestarcatchers.com/

Week 1 (June 4) – Chapter 1 – 10, p. 1-69

Week 2 (June 11) – Chapter 11 – 24, p. 70 – 147

Week 3 (June 18) – Chapter 25 – 38, p. 148 – 211

Week 4 (June 25) – Chapter 39 – 51, p. 212 – 280

Week 5 (July 2) – Chapter 52 – 68, p. 281 – 355

Week 6 (July 9) – Chapter 69 – 80, p. 356 – 418

Week 7 (July 16) – Chapter 81 – 92, p. 419 – 494

Week 8 (July 23) – Chapter 93 – 96, p. 495 – 555

the-history-of-valentine.doc

why-do-we-celebrate-valentine.doc

Read the article. What do you think?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070125/koddities/oddity_silent_lunch&printer=1

Silent Lunch Article - if the website doesn’t work

GRADING RUBRIC FOR CLASSROOM ASSIGNMENTS

One (1) point for each: Focus (on topic), Organization (minimum 3 sentences), Support/Details (examples, anecdotes,etc.), Writing Conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.)

No Post = No Points

Late posts will only recieve 1/2 credit.   

Curriculum Night 2006

(Click on link to see PowerPoint)