Concept Map: "The 5 Layers of the Rainforest"

The 5 Layers of the Rainforest

I.    Forest Floor
(Bottom layer)

Less than 1% of the light actually hits the forest floor, making it extremely difficult for any kind of plant to grow. The rainforest floor is very dark and empty with lots of worms, termites and fungi. The termites are great food for the Giant Anteater.

A.    Almost no plants

B.    Shady

C.    Decomposers live in soil

1.    Worms, termites, and fungi

D.    Giant Anteater

II.   Shrub Layer
(2nd layer)

The shrub layer is often included in the understory layer, but it has distinct differences that separate it from the forest floor and understory, such as a lack of trees and a presence of sun and plants.

A.    Shrubs and ferns

B.    Very little sun

III. Understory
(3rd layer)

Plants grow in the understory, but because there is very little sunlight these plants have to grow large leaves to reach the sunlight. Many insects live in the understory, and therefore many frogs do too.

A.    Little sun

B.    Upper canopy tree trunks, shrubs, and bushes

C.    60 ft trees

D.    Red-eyed tree frogs and jaguars

IV. Canopy
(4th layer)

This is the primary layer of the rainforest. It has the most food and the most animals. The trees here have an abundance of smooth, oval leaves. This is the layer that houses toucans, frogs, and snakes.

A.    Snakes, toucans, tree frogs

B.    60-130 ft trees

C.    Wide, oval leaves

1.    Collect rain and sunshine

2.    Block sunshine from lower layers

V.   Emergent Layer
(Top layer)

The tallest trees are in the emergent layer, some reaching 200 feet high and 16 feet around. Most of the trees are hardwood evergreens. There is a lot of sunlight here as well as many animals, like monkeys, bats, and butterflies.

A.    100-240 ft trees

B.    Small, pointed leaves

C.    30 ft roots

D.    Eagles, monkeys, bats, butterflies

Rainforest Animals

Rainforest Vegetation

Common Core Standard

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.7
Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).

Podcasts vs. Articles; A Reflection on TED Talks

     I listened to two TED Talks regarding education for this assignment, and I have to say that I definitely enjoyed them more than reading articles on the same subjects. There is something about listening to someone speak about what they are passionate about. It is entirely engaging, and even if you don't particularly care about the topic, a good speaker can pull you in and make listening enjoyable. When I read articles, especially the ones I do not REALLY want to read, it sometimes very difficult for me to stay focused. I find myself scrolling down the page to see how much more I have to read and try different approaches, such as reading the article aloud to keep my focus. While this is not the case with some articles that I find great interest in, it is definitely the case with some. TED Talks have speakers who speak with inflection and incorporate narratives into their talks, while most articles are kind of cut-and-dry, to the point, and monotonous.

     The two TED Talks I listened to were Christopher Emdin's "Teach teachers how to create magic", and Anant Agarnal's "Why massive open online courses (still) matter". Emdin's talk focused on teaching teachers to be more engaging in the classroom. He discussed the problems with today's teacher education systems, such as the fact that we spend too much time on theory and not enough time on how to teach and how to articulate our lessons in a way that students find interesting and enjoyable. He explained that in his teacher education programs, when teachers wanted to teach in an urban school they got them out of the classroom and into the "hood". They visited the barber shops and the black churches and listened to rappers, people who had a talent of delivering information in an engaging and relevant way. Often the best teachers do not have a degree in education.
    
     Agarnal focused on the need for Massively Open Online Courses (MOOC) in today's schools. He began by stating that education has changed very little in the past 500 years, and that we can change and transform educational quality and availability for the millennial generation through technology. He spoke about his idea of blended classrooms that focused on flipped learning. He explained that the millennial generation is built differently and they are comfortable with technology, so this model works best for them. MOOC has attracted more than 155,000 students at MIT and has changed the failure rate of some classes from 50% to 9%. By incorporating active learning, instant feedback,  and peer learning through discussion boards, students are learning better than ever.
    
     These two TED Talks, though very different, had a common goal in mind: improving the education of our students. While one spoke more about what could be done in the current classroom and the other about what could be done outside of the current classroom, they both had very relevant points. I think both of these ideas will be very beneficial to the current education system, and I hope they are implemented sooner rather than later.

Response: "How Shutterfly and other social sites leave your kids vulnerable to hackers"

     Shutterfly is a social site that allows parents and coaches to share information about their players/children. The problem is that portions on the website, including the section where the sports teams' information is, are not protected with SSL. Without this protection hackers can easily access millions of students' sensitive information, such as their home address and phone number. Shutterfly has known about this problem for months and has failed to correct it. They state that they are working to remedy the problem, but it may take some time because it is very expensive. In the meantime, they are suggesting that parents do not share personal information on their site.
     I learned a lot from this article. I now know how important checking a site for SSL is. I liked the information they presented from many different, credible experts within different companies associated with the Shutterfly discrepancy. I really have an understanding of how simple it is to hack someone's information. This is especially important because any work done at a school will lost likely be done through public Wi-Fi, which is how the hackers obtained their information. I need to ensure that my students do not have to supply any personal information for any assignments done in my class that could potentially compromise their safety.

Response: "With tech taking over schools, worries rise"

     Schools around the country are using more and more technology in the classroom, and many people are concerned about it. Last month, California legislation passed a law prohibiting educational apps and websites from selling and disclosing students' personal information. The data collected by these websites can include sensitive information and statistics about students' behavior, family traumas, and disabilities. If this information, so easily procured, got out and in the wrong hands it could be detrimental to a student's future career and education.
     This information was very eye-opening, especially to the lack of security on educational apps and websites. I would have hoped that all states would have already gone through a process to protect their students' information before they implemented education apps and websites in their classrooms. As a teacher I will take it upon myself to thoroughly check all online aspects of my classroom to ensure my students' protection. Now I know that I cannot always rely on the website or even my school board to make the best decisions regarding student safety. I will also be very wary of using these sites to store students personal information. I have to think about their futures.

Response: "2013 Horizon Report"

Massively Open Online Courses could provide higher learning at no cost and allow students to become life-long learners.

The implementation of educational games in higher education classes.

Educational paradigms are shifting to include hybrid learning.

Faculty training does not acknowledge the fact that digital media literacy is a key skill in every discipline and profession.

Many schools are not using technology for teaching, and the current technology in many schools does not support the demand for personalized learning.

40% of students enrolled in 4-year universities do not graduate in under 6 years.

MOOC allow for students of all ages, races, backgounds, and economic status to enroll in classes around their schedule.

Classrooms are implementing "bring your own device" strategies where students can even acces their books on a tablet.

Students can use their smartphones to play educational games in class.

Universities are experimenting with badging, a system of recognition that allows students to accumulate documentation of thier skills, achievements, qualities, and interests.

Technology can be used to track students' behavior.

3D printing may be used in geology, geography, chemistry, and other classes to help students gain a better understanding of information (could be in as little as 5 years).

Wearable technology could alert students of hazardous conditions in a chemical laboratory, and become mobile sign language translators.

Response: "Why I'll Never Tell My Son He's Smart"

     The information presented in this video and article has given me a new understanding of what it means to teach in a classroom with educational equality. In the past, I have wondered what effective ways there are to engage struggling children in the classroom and encourage them to never give up. It seems like so many times in our schools we praise students only for being naturally smart or doing well in a particular subject or test, and we miss the big picture. Students who do not test well or simply have a more difficult time understanding particular subjects or concepts may feel inferior to others in their class, and that is not promoting a positive learning environment.

     I can most certainly use the information and tactics I have learned in this article in my classroom. As a science teacher, we could begin the school year with a lesson on the fact that your brain is a muscle, and with use it grows and develops. I could then explain to my students why failing at something is actually a wonderful thing, as long as you learn from your mistakes and continue to push through until you find the correct answer. I would hope that I could create an environment where students are encouraged to work outside of their comfort zones and try things that they do not have a natural affinity for or do not fully understand. I will work to create this environment by stating, up front, that this classroom is a place of learning and that learning does not come without mistakes. We will celebrate mistakes and as a class learn how to correct them and learn from them. I will highlight my mistakes for the class to see, because I know that I will make more than my fair share and they need to know that that is ok.

    In my classroom I hope to create an environment where all students feel comfortable to try new things and never feel like they are any less than another student. I will do my best to show all students that they truly matter and are capable of doing absolutely anything they put their mind to. We will celebrate the fact that we have the opportunity to learn, and acknowledge when answers come easily and when difficulties are overcome to find new information.