Final Exam Projects
I hate taking tests, always have always will. I just was never good at them. And to be completely honest, I do not think I am that great at writing them. I tend to find my tests just to regurgitate memorized information.So, this year I have implemented a lot more project based assessments through my units and my final exams are no different.In my Basic Agriculture class, students have been working on a semester long Agriscience Fair Project which will count as their final exam grade (half from the paper, half from the actual Agriscience Fair)In my second level class, students will be submitting a record book report from the AET. Didn't know that that was an option, yeah me neither, until my teaching partner showed me all about it last year.Here is how those two projects shake out...AGRISCIENCE FAIRStudents pick a topic after we do our scientific method unit (usually in early September) to make sure students understand what the scientific process should look like.Students receive a template written report via Google Classroom and a Due Date sheet. Each item in the written report is given it's own due date. Students turn in those sections throughout the semester. I grade them QUICKLY using Google Classroom (seriously, a life-saver). I also supplied students with a HYPER DOC, basically it is ONE document that has links for EVERY THING the students need help with (ex. how to write an abstract, how to use APA Style in-text citations, examples of old display boards, and how to insert graphs).{Want to know more about HYPER DOCS...Check out this blog post from Write on With Miss G. I saw her post about them on the good ole Instagrizzle (my loving terms for Instagram) and KNEW I had to implement them in my classroom.}Students print and bind the written report, make a display and the last day of classes before exams in December, we host a class Agriscience Fair with judges (alumni, other teachers from the school, administration, etc.) students can get recognized for the top three experiments from the judges. They also get a score for their presentation which counts as half of their final exam grade, the other half is the written report graded with the National FFA Rubric by me.
RECORD BOOK REPORT*This is all based off of my amazing teaching partner, Ashley White's Final Exam report idea. You rock!**Our students are pretty versed in the AET, they log hours everyday and get a recordkeeping grade every week.Students are given this rubric. I spent a day walking through how to complete each item (profile, pictures, captions, resume, SAE plans etc.) I also gave them this Hyper-Doc with "How To" do EACH item of that rubric.Students have time during class to work on the items. I will have checkpoints throughout the last few weeks if they want to turn in items early.On the last day of classes before finals, all students print and turn in their COMPLETE record book report (REPORTS, under Annual Reports & FFA Apps click COMPLETE RECORD BOOK REPORT, click ALL SAES, and generate a PDF).The BEST PART of these AET based Final Exams with our second level students is it gives us a gauge of where the student is in the journey toward their STATE DEGREE so we can help them reach that goal! Once they make it to the second level class our RETENTION rate of students for a third class is almost 100%, so we want ALL of them to get the coveted STATE DEGREE! And, YES this counts toward curriculum because FFA AND RECORDKEEPING are part of our standard!So there you have it! Just a quick glimpse of project based Final Exams. I will be doing something different for Spring Semester and when that is all finished I will jump on here and share that too!
Digital Escape Rooms (via Google Forms & OneNote)
Y'all reviewing in fun/new/inventive ways is my jam...One day--I was begrudgingly stuck in the main building and stumbled upon a teacher doing a OneNote Escape Room. And let's be honest, my Google Classroom loving eyes immediately rolled. But, I had nothing better to do at the time so I jumped in and joined the fun...And it was fun! Not gonna lie---I wanted to beat everyone else and zoomed through the escape room and won the COVETED piece of fun sized candy (yas, high five)! After that, I knew I NEEDED to make my own for my classroom. So, after a few minute sit down session with our Media Specialist Extraordinaire, I made my first Escape Room to review my Animal Science Unit in Basic Ag.After a little trouble shooting the day of (due to our network being crazy) I got it working, and let me tell you, the KIDS DID IT, and were ENGAGED... insert mind blowing here. Even the two partners I partnered up (and were so NOT INTO IT) were in it to win it!Also, side bar, when making your escape room ABSOLUTELY make sure that you require them to do something WEIRD and CRAZY to win. Don't just write "you win" have them DO SOMETHING. I had mine stand up and do the YMCA (HAHA)! A fellow Ag Teacher, Cole Andes (@bcandes87), had his kids sing WRECKING BALL to win, yassss. Definitely makes it more exciting and engaging!
And then THANK YOU to Lindsey O'Hara (@lindsey_ohara) for reaching out to me via Instagram to tell this GOOGLE LOVING person, that you can do the SAME THING with Google Forms. The game HAS CHANGED!I have done BOTH, and they both were easy to do, but in my personal opinion Google Forms is more user friendly (take this with a grain of salt because I am just a google person).So, without further ado... I present to you the YouTube videos that I used to help me make DIGITAL ESCAPE ROOMS...HOW TO make a OneNote Escape Room By: Jill R(This is PART 1, make sure you watch Parts 2-4 as well)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxRoOvWDFB4HOW TO make a Google Form Escape Room (by: Dan Klumper)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx9MsF746Gc
Google Forms in Ag Class!
Hey Ag Teachers!Here is the link on how to use flubaroo to grade your tests/quizzes on Google Forms!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U06W3H_iDhoHope it helps you!Happy Teaching!
FFA Jacket Organization
How do you keep all your jackets straight?I know I have struggled with this for a while! I used to hang jackets in my shop coat hanger (smart idea right?), I have stored them folded in bookshelves and probably lost a few from just not knowing where they are!So, I decided to get organized this year!I purchased this portable wardrobe ($22) (only thing I would change is to get one with wheels like this one), hangers ($23 for 50) and clothing rack labels ($15 for 50)After constructing my wardrobe I organized my male jackets on the left, and female jackets in the right. I have a hard time remembering what size is which, so I used the clothing rack labels to write the size on it (ex. 103-34). Once, i got them organizaed i realized I could use the dry erase marker to also write WHO borrowed my jacket. So, the students borrows the jacket, I write the name on the size label and when I am missing that jacket I know exactly who to ask.This may not be the perfect solution, but it sure does beat showing up to a contest in a jacket that is covered in sawdust from the shop!Check out the full video here!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrUWwCRE0j0
First How To!
I am so excited (and nervous) to share my first how to! Today's how to is about a quick getting to know you initiative you can use in class or your FFA meetings!Here it is! My first How To! Link in bio! Comment below if you have done this before or any suggestions for future how to's!https://youtu.be/94hdFVGX1SQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94hdFVGX1SQHappy Teaching!Sarah