Virtual Webquest

           Lets Take a Field Trip to...

             Matthews Hall at the University of North Texas!

Matthews Hall is located on 1300 W, Highland St. in Denton, Texas. The building was built in the year on 1961. The building has four floors, 331 rooms, and is 80,500 sq ft.

It was named after Dr. James Carl Matthews, who served as first dean of the School of Education. He was also the first vice-president of the teachers college, sand president of the university during the years of 1951-1968.

Computer Lab-  

Matthews Hall has a general access computer lab located on the third floor in room 309. The lab is equipped with more than 50 computers for students to use. As well all of the computers, the lab also has scanners to use. The computer lab is sectioned off into two separate rooms. One part is used for students to use individually, and then the other part is for students to use if they need to work in groups.

Child Development Lab-

“The University of North Texas Child Development Laboratory is an early childhood program within the College of Education. Its serves primarily as a research center and training site for students in the fields of early childhood education, child development, and play therapy. Officially established in the early 1930’s, it was originally called the Texas State Teachers College Nursery School. The Child Development Laboratory provides a high quality preschool program and serves as a model to the others in the metroplex as well as the state. The facility includes early childhood classrooms and observation areas where students may observe and practice appropriate guidance techniques, plan and implement curriculum based on the development needs of young children, and collect data. This is done under the supervision of degreed early childhood/childhood development specialists in a model setting. The laboratory facility is used by the College of Education and other programs within the University, including from time to time, the department of psychology, communication disorders, journalism, and various other instructional programs and research projects”. The Child Development Laboratory is located on the first floor of Matthews’s hall in room 126.









Advising Office

The College of Education’s Advising Office is one of the most important places for students wanting to get into the education field. The advising office is located on the first floor of Matthews Hall in room105. The advisors are there to assist students in the development of academic plans in accordance with their life goals and to partner with students to assist them in their pursuit of academic success in their chosen field. 

Click here to go on another tour to the smithsonian museum!

Differences in Colonies

Differences in Colonies-
a. Southern colonies

(click on the link for a definition)

Life in Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia revolved largely around agriculture, much of which was done on plantations owned by wealthy landlords. These plantations were worked by African slaves and indentured servants Other regional agriculture was done by poor white settlers on small land plots. This meant that there was a large income gap and formal education was a luxury that many could not afford. For those that could afford education, a tutor was often hired to live on a plantation to teach the family's children or a several families' children. Larger cities, such as Williamsburg and Charleston, also had boarding schools and private schools sponsored by the Church of England. England's tradition of education only for the wealthy translated easily from Europe over to the Southern colonies.

(click on the link to explore!)
-Southern colonies: Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia
-Life revolved around agriculture
-Agriculture done on plantations
-Plantations worked by African slaves and indentured servants
-Other agricultural work done by poor white settlers on marginal land
-Plantation landlords and the wealthy were the only ones that could afford formal education
-Tutors were hired to live on a family's plantation to tutor their children
-Families would often pool their money to hire a tutor to teach a group of their children
-English tradition of education for the wealthy translated easily over to the Southern colonies




b. The Middle Colonies

- New York, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

- More diverse than southern colonies in that there are groups of other cultures in the states.

(Click on the links to learn more)

- Dutch, Swedes, and Germans, all brought their cultures over as well as their diverse religious beliefs; Dutch Reformists, Quakers, Lutherans, Baptists, Roman Catholics, and Jews.

-Because Colonial America is so religiously diverse, it was difficult to cater schools to satisfy everyone.




With this dilemma, families in the middle colonies created *parochial school that covered religious education as well as the "three R's". They also learned their cultural history and language in the New World.




c. The New England Colonies:
(click on a link for definition)
- Where we received the sayings:
1.) “Idle minds are the Devil’s workshop” and
2.) “Spare the rod and spoil the child”
3.) The three R’s – Reading, writing, arithmetic

- Consisted of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire

- 2 major ways in which The New England colonies differ from the other colonies:
1.) Religiously and culturally homogeneous
2.) People were grouped together into towns
(click on the link to explore!)
- One example was the Puritans:
Settled in Massachusetts
Followed John Calvin
Religion was huge in their life
Settled in America because they disagreed with the Church of England.
(click on link for definition)
- Some of their beliefs in regards to education were:
1.) People were inherently evil
2.) Children were savages
3.) Corporal punishment
4.) Education helps people learn the commandments and become industrious, righteous, and thrifty

- The Puritan’s school was shaped by their beliefs:
1.) Religion was a major factor in regard to the curriculum
2.) 4 R’s (which now included religion)
3.) Instruction was based on recitation and memorization

(Click on links to explore or learn more!)

Read the same books they read!!

Old Deluder Satan Act:

- Called the Massachusetts Act of 1647
- Came about because of “educational landscape” and to make sure citizens were “scripture literate...who would thwart Satan’s trickery” (165).
- One of the requirements was that if a household held 50+, they had to have a teacher for writing and reading.
- This is such an important act because if provided education with a “legal foundation for public support” (165).
- This act also proved that public schooling enhanced the good of the public.

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Unit Plan: Christopher Columbus - Blogging Journal/ Web Tour

Description

 I love the idea of using a blog to teach a lesson. I did a christopher columbus lesson plan complete with "journal entries" and links to follow the journey and the events before, during, and after the trip.  Example... "I am sailing the largest of the ships, the Santa Maria..." This gives the students an adventurous learning process. I made this unit plan for 3rd graders. 

Evaluation

 Using internet based tools and web 2.0 to steer a lesson plan is a good way to attract students to curriculum material. This supports my educational philosophy because it is using fresh ways to educate students so that all learning styles are met and interest in the material is high!

Transform

 Creating Unit Plans around the use of a wiki or internet based tool was not something I had considered before this class.  I can see how it would be an interesting change for the students and spark their attention. This however would not be something I heavily rely on because that then defeats the purpose of it being fresh and new. 

Unit Plan: Logo - FROG CYCLES!!

Description

 This is a unit plan using Logo.   Logo is an incredible program.  I think it is fascinating that an advanced artform such as computer programming can be taught at the elementary age level.  The program is not just valuable for the sake of computer programming but also in assisting other subjects and supporting problem solving.  I used logo to create a lesson plan teaching the life cycles of frogs in the third grade classroom. 

Evaluation

 Logo is going to be very useful in the classroom.  I like how it can be translated to different grades and interests in learning.  Whether I use it in a lesson plan such as the frog cycles or if I use in my "Exploration" hour, I can see the benefits of Logo for my future students. This supports my educational philosophy because it supports problem solving, creativity, and patience which are all social skills I seek to enrich in my classroom. 

Transform

  Logo is a new venture for me. I see a window of opportunities with it but I also can see how it would be difficult to use in a practical sense.  When working with logo time and patience are needed in abundance.  I want my kids to get the best worth of time in my classroom so spending a larger chunk out of our day is not something that would realistically work in to the schedule. I do however think logo  would be wonderful for my kids so I would love to use it for the soul purpose of growing and expanding.  I probably wouldn't do a formal evaluation so my students don't feel pressure in staying in the box.  Logo is a place to explore and grow.

Lesson Plan: Productivity Software

Description

 In this artifact my classmates and I made lesson plans using productivity software. I chose Excel because  I believe it is a vital tool for practical daily use and I want to incorporate use of it in early years.  Excel is compatible to many lesson plans because it combines the aspects of reading, writing, documenting, and math.  I used it for documentation and scientific process purposes in a third grade classroom.  I also made the subject matter literacy to show the importance of all facets. 

Evaluation

 Learning how to incorporate productivity software in lesson plans is important because it is often times overlooked when forming lesson plans.  Excel is an extremely useful program that needs planning to ensure smooth use in lessons. This supports my educational philosophy because it is incorporating many subjects in one and is intriguing to the kids due to the change in pace. 

Transform

 I generally prefer the use of paper and hands on material because that is how I learn best.  The more I open myself to new methods and ways to teach to different minds, the more I am interested in the use of productivity software.  My brother is much more free to experiment and express his thoughts in the computer world.  I am willing to use all mediums in my teaching so that students can learn in all ways. 

Software Evaluation Form

Description

 This is a software evaluation form for a really cool program called Phun by Algadoo.  This program is interesting, entertaining, and extremely useful in the education of physics, math, science, and problem solving. If you want to see the program in action check it out here! This software can be used in all classroom ages but in this instance is requested for 4- 6 graders.

Evaluation

 The Software Evaluation Form is a good artifact to be know how to use.  With out a good evaluation form the software has a low chance of making it in to the classroom.  I'm glad to have gotten some practice in this from our computers in the classroom. This supports my educational philosophy in that is encourages the use of hands on explorative material through an approved process.

Transform

 This has opened my eyes to the availability of software.  I hadn't thought much about using it in my classroom because I'm more passionate about other aspects of teaching.  I've realized however that software compliments and expands on the aspects of teaching of which I am passionate. Such as challenging the students, teaching to the individual, and enriching social competence.