Final Blog

I feel that I learned a lot from this course. I've actually had a hard time with the SCED courses, but this is the only class that I think I actually learned something. I learned that texts aren't just books, I never realized that. I can use magazines and research papers (which are abundant in agriculture), videos and reading books. I always thought my ag teacher had never used a "text" before, but he used them all the time.
I can incorporate critical literacy easily with subjects such as cloning, emo's, organic agriculture, immigrant workers, etc. I now have more ideas for vocabulary, I have always struggled with vocabulary work. I also have more ideas for incorporating writing into my lessons. I can use all sorts of writing prompts to make sure the students understand digestion, respiration, a horse breed, etc.
I will use a text of some sort every day, even if I know it or not. I am excited that I was able to learn so much from this class and I know it will help me to get through student teaching and the rest of my career.
Thanks you Amy!

Self-Selected Project

Ken Lym, Jimmy Lotspeich, and I did project:

(b) With a friend, read at least two high-interest texts related to your content area that you might recommend to your students. These must be texts that you have not read before, and they must each be a minimum of 100 pages. For example, social studies majors might read engaging young adult historical fiction; science majors might read books about interesting or controversial subjects relevant to science (e.g., Dolly; the spread of infectious disease); and so forth. Hold a “book club” discussion with your partner in which you discuss (a) what you liked and did not like about the books; (b) how you might use these books as part of your classroom instruction; (c) what you thought about reading for pleasure in your content area; and (d) how you might integrate similar types of student-selected reading experiences in your classrooms. Please write a blog post in which you summarize your book club discussion and your experience with reading the book. 

Ken Lym: 

Book: Equine Safety by Steven Mackenzie 110 pgs

Summary: It talks about safety and handling of horses and focuses on the main purpose of being safe around horses all the time.

Things he liked: It addresses seven different strategies to keep you and the horse safe. It's very applicable to everyone, no matter your previous knowledge. There are lots of pictures and descriptions and it's an easy read.

Things he didn't like: No further references. Talks about systems, but doesn't explain them well. Need more background knowledge. Slightly out-dated, should change name to Equine Management.

Use in Classroom: Can teach horse handling. Can teach some anatomy and judging. Teach horses dispositions with it. This book could be used for pleasure, if a student was interested. 

Jimmy Lotspeich: 

Book: Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandon 201 pgs

Summary: Talks about her life growing up with autism. The point of the book is awareness of autism and how she used it to become a specialist in animal behavior. She also talks about how autistic people think (in pictures) and that they are people too. She has associative thinking instead of common sense thinking, she can't generalize. She's also an animal welfare activist and an autism has changed activist. She used her autism to think how animals think and then used that to figure out why they do what they do. 

Things he liked: Pictures of her life and ideas, great references in the back. It's written on a level that high school kids can read it. It has great descriptions and lots of good stories.

Things he didn't like: Some of it is too personal for the class to read. A teacher will have to pick and choose what to read.

Use in Classroom: She is big name in agriculture. It's great for animal handling unit. It can relate to some kids well. 

Stephanie Whipple: 

Book: The Man Who Fed the World by Leon Hesser 213 pgs

Summary: It's about the life of Norman Borlaug. He literally fed the world with his techniques and crop science. He went to Mexico and taught them how to farm more efficiently. When that worked so well, he then went to Pakistan and India and taught them how to farm more efficiently and gave them a wheat genetically altered to grow better in their conditions. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for all his efforts. At the end of this book (2005) he was in sub-Saharan Africa, helping them. He was always helping people to feed themselves until the day he died. 

Things I liked: I love the message of this book. It tells kids that even if you don't think you're the smartest kid in school, doesn't mean you can't do amazing things. I also liked that it has references, an index and an appendix.

Things I didn't like: It seemed to be a bit long and I think that will be hard to have kids read it. It also doesn't have pictures to show exactly what he did.

Use in Classroom: This could definitely be used in the classroom in units about plant science. But, the teacher will have to go through and highlight parts they want the class to read. 

We all thought that these could all be used for pleasure reading in our content areas. They are all well-written books the students will enjoy. We figured we could have students read these when they're bored, or make in an assignment.