Sowing Summer Seeds Discussion Boards
How to Post to the Discussion Board

This discussion board is intended to be a fun and collaborative experience that enriches teaching in classrooms across Miami-Dade County. Please feel free to add to posted ideas, formulate new ideas based on reading and research then share your findings with the group, come up with creative solutions, ask thought provoking questions, assist someone in clarifying his or her ideas, give examples of personal experiences, contribute solid support for your opinion, attach lesson plans centered around the word seed, post to the entire group as much as possible in order for everyone to benefit from the discussion, and show respect for the comments, lessons, and opinions of others.

Word play can be loads of fun for all involved. This summer the goal is to have teachers collaborating and having fun with one focus word as the central topic of discussion. Miami-Dade’s summer word for 2008 is SEED.

As an educator, there are a variety of activities, writing assignments, and lessons you can create around this one word. During the discussions, please stay focused on the topic word, seed. The concept is deliberately abstract—limitless in the possibilities of what you can create. How would you study and create lessons around the word seed? How would you develop a lesson plan for gifted students, ESE students, and ESOL students? What would differ? How far would you extend the concepts and meanings? What about art, social sciences, PE, math, science, Language Arts, and music lessons centered on the focus word, seed…What would you do? How would you build background knowledge to lead into your lessons? How would you include activities and strategies to reach a variety of learning styles?

Creativity combined with research-based practices that work and rich/collaborative discussions are key ingredients to building strength and knowledge in the classroom. The top three lessons will be awarded a $100.00 gift card.