EDU 690 Fall 2015
Master’s Curriculum Research Projects
Danielle Gorney
Word Study: An Unconventional Approach to Spelling Instruction
https://daniellegorney.wordpress.com
This Master’s Curriculum Research Project was designed to make spelling instruction engaging and meaningful for young children. Over the years, best practices for teaching children how to spell have been studied, and it has been determined that rote memorization is extremely ineffective. Since vowels are the building blocks for words, students must develop an intricate understanding for vowel sounds and spelling patterns. Throughout this project, students will expand their knowledge of vowel sounds, vowel teams, and common spelling patterns.
Caitlin Kurtz
Increasing Student Understanding Using Dramatic Play
https://ckurtzmasters.wordpress.com
This project shows that learning through play can be effective. Young children may have a short attention span and be difficult to engage; however they love to play. If teachers can make curriculum fun, the children will view it as “play”. They will be so entertained and excited that they won’t even realize they’re learning. Children in preschool still need to have fun and have time to be a “kid”. Why use worksheets when you can make a lesson authentic and exciting?
Michelle Scalisi
Sensory Based Learning In Preschool
https://michellescalisi1013.wordpress.com
Sensory play is extremely developmentally appropriate for preschool aged children. These experiences stimulate young children’s senses, and many children at this age are lacking these experiences. Sensory activities and sensory tables facilitate natural exploration and encourage children to use scientific processes while playing, interacting with peers, investigating, and being creative. By creating these experiences for young children and stimulating their senses, teachers help children develop creatively, cognitively, emotionally, linguistically, socially, and physically.
Josh Walker
Using Interactive Simulations to Enhance Student Learning Outcomes in Math and Science
https://jwalker1025.wordpress.com
This presentation is about using interactive simulations in the classroom to enhance student learning outcomes, content understanding, and engagement. It is the primary goal of this research project to use a curriculum that is centered around interactive simulations in the content areas of math and science. Using these interactive simulations, it is expected that student achievement and understanding of concepts will increase more rapidly than through traditional instruction. These interactive simulations will be the core of the curriculum in this project.
Megan Sears
Reading Comprehension in the Elementary Grades
https://megansears.wordpress.com/
This Master’s Curriculum Research Project discusses the importance of comprehension instruction in the elementary classroom. This project covers the most effective ways to provide instruction to students along with the strategies that are the most beneficial for students to use throughout their literacy instruction.
Brittany Moore
Integrating Social Studies Education
https://socialstudieseducationsite.wordpress.com/
Over a period of six weeks, students will be given several different learning experiences as they study economics within the fifth grade curriculum. The educator will present several different lessons providing the opportunity for students to acquire knowledge on economics and the standards 5.7 a,b and c which will be addressed throughout the curriculum.
Amanda Steltermann
Graduate Research Curriculum Project: International Professional Development Schools and English Language
http://amandasteltermann.wordpress.com
This Curriculum Project combines my recent international travels into a usable curriculum for students learning English as a second language domestically and abroad. I visited the International Professional Development Schools (IPDS) in Torremaggiore, Italy and Stuttgart, Germany. The lessons and program requirements have led to teacher candidate’s success both abroad and at home. The skills used to create lessons for students of different backgrounds and other countries were relative, understandable, and creative. These lessons can be used as a transferable curriculum to help students in other countries as well as students domestically.
Kasey Poloncarz
Master’s Curriculum Research Project: Social Justice Framework in Elementary Classrooms
https://kaseypoloncarz.wordpress.com/
Incorporating the Social Justice Framework in elementary classrooms will allow educators to empower students' voices and engage students' powerful minds. The focus of the project is to transform pedagogies into action in diverse classrooms.
Allison Riggie
Math Circles in Elementary Schools
https://allisonriggiemastersproject.wordpress.com/
Why math circles? If the United States has already fallen behind other countries in math rankings, why focus on an outside the classroom enrichment program? Because students need become passionate about math! Math circles are a way to engage students in critical thinking that allows them to explore various problems and topics of interest beyond what is demanded from them by the Common Core! This research project is necessary because it will not only give teachers a framework for setting up math circles at their own schools, but it will also offer teachers ideas as to how to get their students excited about math!
Courtney Evanetski
Expository Texts Help To Facilitate Reading Comprehension
https://courtneyevanetski.wordpress.com/
My masters project is shown by an online website that shows how expository texts are used to facilitate reading comprehension. The lessons in my project show the different text structures and how to break them apart. The website created will provide in detail how different text structures can make students successful.
Lauren Metzen
Helping ELLs Meet the Common Core Math Standards
https://laurenmetzen.wordpress.com/
This presentation will focus on strategies that can be used to help English Language Learners learn mathematics. The project is specifically focused on helping students in primary grades meet the Common Core Math standards in operations and algebraic thinking.
Kelsey Hooper
Teaching Native American History in New York using Informational Text in the Intermediate Grades
https://kelseyhooper.wordpress.com/
In this Master’s Curriculum Research Project, informational text will be the center idea for teaching intermediate age children about Native Americans in New York State. Through the curriculum, I will be using many sources of informational text to teach about Native American history in New York State. Informational text will be used in a variety of ways to create a rich learning environment for the students. This Master’s Curriculum Research Project is aligned with the Common Core Learning Standards and the New York State Social Studies Framework.
Amanda Karwick
Integration of Critical Thinking Skills in Mathematics
In this project I will be researching and analyzing the integration of critical thinking skills in mathematics. This project will incorporate newly found research, core curriculum and state standards to observe and implement the integration of critical thinking skills. Mathematics is content crucial to learning critical thinking and utilizing these skills learned in everyday life. The importance of this content is becoming highly emphasized by states and the government, pushing even more curriculum, standards and standardized tests into the classrooms. With this push, teachers need to be prepared and well equipped so that their students may succeed. In this project I hope to find strategies and techniques to help these teachers find preparation and teach the skills necessary for achievement.
Bryce Marshall
Understanding Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP): Principles Used To Create An ELA Curriculum https://culturallyrelevantpedagogy.wordpress.com/
Through extensive research already done on the concept of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP), teachers and researchers alike will again look at the concept. In attempting to address multi-cultured literature and making students aware of other cultures they will encounter in society, during one month of the academic year, lesson plans will reflect literature usage of other cultural authors. The extent of my research will attempt to see how culturally relevant pedagogy can be first introduced on the primary level grades Kindergarten thru 2nd grade.
Nicole Ettipio
Teaching Elementary Students Reading/Writing Strategies Using Visual Imagery
https://nicolekettipio.wordpress.com
Visualization is a strategy that can improve students comprehension and engagement while reading. This skill requires students to create mental images in their minds before, during and after reading. It is through these mental images that readers can recall images in their minds and use these images to recall details in a text and draw conclusions. The lessons and activities described in this Project provide beneficial and engaging learning experiences, which allow students to strengthen their reading and writing skills.