Top Ten Tool Kit- Texts (3-5)

3. The Water Cycle Webquest (When Teaching Science)
Castrovinci, Katie. "The Water Cycle." Wix.com. N.p. 20 November 2010. Web. 3 January 2011. (http://www.wix.com/squanto_wad/thewatercycle2)
Summary: I designed this webquest for my 7th grade science students last semester. The purpose of this webquest is to introduce my students to the concept of the water cycle and the different locations that water may travel through on Earth before reentering the clouds in the atmosphere. As part of the webquest assignment, the students are asked to travel the water cycle with "Droplet," the water molecule that has fallen from his home- the clouds. Using a die and cards with numbers on the face of each card, the students are charting the various routes they can take with Droplet as the role a die and move on to the next location.

In Classroom Techniques: When teaching a science lesson, I would use the same format and directions that were mentioned previously. This task could be completed individually, or in groups, depending on time and number of students. Overall, this webquest is great for students on different reading levels. For those who are at average or above, the directions may come clear to them and completing the activity may not be too much of an issue. For students who may struggle and will need assistance, such as ESL's, the pictures depicting the various locations that water can travel will be very helpful to follow and understand where to go next. When having my students complete the webquest, I can have them get together into groups to compare the journeys that were completed, because not everyone will travel the water cycle the same way. During this discussion, I will provide my students with post assessment questions to see if they were able to grasp the true purpose of this assignment, as well as detailed questions that require them to think, such as explaining why water may stay in certain locations (such as the ocean), longer and do seasonal changes have any effect on how fast/slower water will move through the cycle.

4. The Twilight Saga
Meyer, Stephanie. Twilight. Little, Brown and Company: New York, 2005. Print.
Summary: Written for an audience of all ages, the Twilight series has sparked much interest since the first book was released over 5 years ago. Describing the life of Bella, the young teen who is forced to move to the small town of Forks, readers learn of the love that soon develops between the young girl and Edward, a vampire. Whether you're rooting for "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob" (the young man who Bella soon discovers is a ware wolf), this series of texts, along with the drama filled movies, has captured the hearts of people all over the world and continues to be an entertainment focus as the final movie hits theaters this year.



In Classroom Techniques: Not only would I have my students read these books for content purposes, which greatly include a wide range of gender and cultural diversity, I would encourage the readings of these books because of the pure entertainment and excitement that they provide for all readers, including myself :) Chapter after chapter, the interest of these books deepens and the questions are still left unanswered. Only when one reads all 4 books is when satisfaction is reached and understanding is comprehended.

Going back to content, I would have my students read these books because they provide understanding about diversity amongst gender and culture. Readers will soon learn the different roles that each of the characters play in these books, as well as the importance that both the males and females have in their communities. For instance, the vampires, both male and female, each have different roles within the family and are dependent on by others who don't have the same abilities. My students will come to understand the differences between the vampire culture and ware wolf culture, as described in the book. For instance, how the vampires survive amongst humans compared to the living conditions of Jacob's clan, the ware wolves. Also, the books are great for people of various reading abilities. No matter how well one may read, the story of this series will grab interest in the first chapter and hold on tight until the final paragraph in the last book.


5. Weird Al Parodies
Yankovic, Al. "Another One Rides the Bus." Weird Al. Cherokee Studios, 1980. Lyrics.
Summary: "Weird Al" Yankovic is know for his humorous parodies that mock the original versions of well known songs. In the following parody, Weird Al changes the meaning and lyrics of "Another One Bites the Dust" to his own version of "Another One Rides the Bus." In this song, Al is recalling a time he rode on a bus and described the events that took place while aboard. Overall, his parodies, including this one, provide comedic entertainment for listeners and give different outlooks on these songs than the previous ones.

(Chorus)
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another comes on and another comes on
Another one rides the bus
Hey, who's gonna sit by you
Another one rides the bus

There's a suitcase poking me in the ribs
There's an elbow in my ear
There's a smelly old bum standing next to me
Hasn't showered in a year
I think I'm missing a contact lens
I think my wallet's gone
And I think this bus is stopping again
To let a couple more freaks get on look out

In Classroom Techniques: When teaching an English lesson, writing and understanding parodies can be a fun activity to complete, especially for students who struggle to read and write. For my struggling readers/writers, I will assign them to design a parody about a topic of their choice, preferably something that interests them. Then, they can choose the beat of a well known song and change the words (not the rhythm) to meet the tune of that song. Not only is this activity fun and creative, students will have fun understanding first hand what a parody is and how to develop one. Also, being able to successfully create a parody can lead to better writing skills and a developed liking for those who tend to lack behind.

Below are links to Weird Al videos that are fun and resourceful for this topic. Enjoy :)

White and Nerdy
Eat It
Amish Paradise