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The Benefit of Thinking Maps and Document Cameras to Our Curriculum

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Student Population: Our elementary school serves a diverse group of 587 students within the Denver metro area. 11% of our student population is English Language learners. We now have one document camera for each grade level, but have found that, with a tool so effective (especially with our English Language learners), it is difficult to accommodate all students. With the rapid population growth of both our ELA and 21st century learners, it is becoming increasingly necessary that we expand the utilization of this tool to help our students connect key vocabulary concepts with visual representation. Our school expects larger class sizes in 2010-2011. Greater access to this technology is integral to ensuring that all students experience …show more content…

Using the document camera will allow them to demonstrate their thinking to others without expending valuable class time for transitions. Each document camera purchased will be specifically assigned to the grade level classrooms that support our ELA students. These students are grouped for the team-teaching model that is supported by our district. The integration of the document camera will be used in concert with previously installed projectors and whiteboards. The document camera will be used to: • Model specific lessons • Analyze student writing • Display exemplary student work • Use math manipulatives for whole group modeling • Guide reading instruction, making any size of book a “big book.” • Record movies of scientific demonstrations and experiments. Teachers will collaborate with an editable wiki, brainstorming new ideas for using the document camera in the classroom. This online space will help us develop innovative ideas for integration and utilize our people resources within the building. Teachers will be asked to share at least 3 times during the academic year. Measurable Outcomes: According to Marzano, the use of non-linguistic representations combined with traditional written/oral language, helps students retain knowledge better. By incrementally releasing the responsibility of choosing the appropriate Thinking Map to students, our English Language learners will gain the confidence to organize information,

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