Classroom Resources

Before Working with PORT

Like any other media, PORT can add a new dimension of enriched learning to your work with students. It was designed to complement your current career planning and technology education curricula. A website like this works best when it is combined with excellent teaching and other learning experiences that introduce, support, and extend the ideas explored here.

Tips and Techniques

Review the site and compare it to your curriculum and applicable standards to see exactly where involving your students in PORT would be most beneficial.
Think about the shape of your lesson plans that will involve the site or parts of the site. MSDE staff and technology teachers have created several lesson plans that you can use with or adapt for your classes. You might be able to tweak lesson plans you have already created to include PORT resources or develop entirely new lesson plans based on the activities on the site.
Inventory your classroom technology to see how best to implement your lesson plans.
- If you have access to only one computer, consider using a projector and working as a class with the site.
- If you have access to several computers in your classroom or access to a computer lab, consider having students work in teams or pairs to work with the site. You may want to supply headsets for your students to avoid noise issues.
- Make sure all computers you use meet PORT’s technical requirements.
Set up rules that your students should follow when they are engaged in working with PORT and establish consequences if they do not follow them. Consider noise issues such as talking and moving around the classroom, as well as other behavioral issues such as getting off task or not working well as a team.
Introduce your students to the website. Make sure they have the URL address. One way of doing this is to create a bookmark for the site on the computers they will be using. Direct them as they tour of the site, making sure they visit the parts of the site you will use in your lesson plan.