Monday, August 15, 2011

tool #11

OOPS! I forgot about tool #11.

I finished the self-assessment on Atomic Learning and now it's time to get this finished. I'm really glad I had to take this training. The information was valuable and something I wouldn't have tried to find on my own. I do not feel as intimidated by the idea of bringing technology into my classroom. This school year I'll be using iPads as a work station in my classroom.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

tool #10

1. Three of the things kids need to know/understand about digital citizenship are the school district has specific guidelines that all teachers and students must follow, manners and respect are non-negotiable and carry over to online activity, and students also need to learn how to research effectively when using the internet. Students have to be taught not to go with the first article the search engine gives them.

2. I think I would use the BrainPop video about digital citizenship to introduce the idea to students. I would also like to learn more about the iSafe program.

3. I think the easiest way to introduce and explain digital citizenship would be to relate it to being a good citizen in our daily lives. Citizenship is usually covered by each elementary grade level in some way.

4. To introduce the idea to parents I would tell them about the district policies/expectations and consequences for misuse, explain how I taught the students about the concept, give them a copy of the nine elements of digital citizenship, and give them any additional information as needed.

Monday, August 1, 2011

tool #9

1. The use of technology needs to be tied to the academic objective so teachers aren't just using technology for technology's sake. It's only beneficial if the students use technology linked to their learning.

2. Accountability is important because the teachers need to see that students are using the technology in conjunction with the academic objectives. Holding students accountable can also let the teacher know if the kids are understanding the curriculum and at the same time if they are learning to use the technology appropriately.

3. The two sites I liked best are Thinkfinity and Learning Games for Kids. There is an activity on the Thinkfinity site called, Comic Creator. This would be fun for the kids and their finished comic would serve as the accountability piece. I also like the site Learning Games for Kids. I found a math quiz game there that used vocabulary, definitions, synonyms, and antonyms. I think this would be great practice to get the students used to using the appropriate terms in math. To hold students accountable they would write a quick summary of what game they played while on the website.

4. There are so many apps in the database. I didn't look at all of them, only the ones that caught my attention right away. I found three that I think would be easy to integrate into a center or work station.
-Shake and Spell is a spelling game where players use given letters to try to spell as many words as they can within a certain amount of time. I think students will like the game format and that they can challenge each other. For accountability, students can write their list of words in a work station notebook.
-Weather Channel would be a great app to use in a science work station. Students can use the app to keep data on rainfall, temperature, etc. They will be held accountable by adding the information they gather to a class collection of data.
-Twenty-Four! is a math app where students are given four numbers, and they have to use any math operation to get an answer of 24. This sounds like a fun way to practice basic math skills. Students would write down all the ways they were able to make 24.

5. Rather than coming up with more ways to use the iPad/iPod Touch in a center, I learned about two ways to use it as a teacher. I never thought of this before, but it would be great to use to record students reading. The students can listen to themselves or the teacher can use it to record running records. Someone also told me about the app Stick Pick. This app lets you choose students at random when answering questions in class discussions. The app also gives Blooms leveled question stems and will keep a record of how a student answers. The student's progress (or lack there of) can be emailed to parents or principals as data/documentation. I'm sure I'm leaving out some things. Everyone should check out this app! It is worth the time, and I think it's only $2.99. (Whew! I think this has been the longest blog post ever!)

Sunday, July 31, 2011

tool #8

3 things I learned:
-how to set up the SBISD network on the iTouch/iPad
-how to set up an iTunes account
-the district has a bank of apps that have already been approved/tested

I definitely plan on using the iPods and/or netbooks during LA or math workstations. I also think it would be fun to have students use them for group projects, such as making a short movie using the iPod's video feature. I know there are soooooooooo many other things that can be done with this technology. I think more ideas will come to me as I start planning for the year. There is so much to think about.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

tool #7

Content Objective: TSW collect data on plant growth and share/compare results with a partner classroom.

Implement: I think this could be implemented at any time during the school year as long as the classes plant around the same time.

Tools: Skype in the classroom, iEarn, and/or Google docs

Project Plan: The partner classes would plant the same kind of seeds/bulbs within the same week. As the plants grow, students will take data (climate, temperature, measure plant growth, etc). Preferably, the classes would be in two different parts of the country or world. Students will use Google docs for collecting/sharing data. I think it would be fun to use Skype to show off the plants to each other.

Monday, July 18, 2011

tool #6

I think wallwisher is a great way to poll the class. When the polling has finished, the information can be used/analyzed to put into graph form. Or it could be used as a way to get to know your students. I also think a tool like this would be helpful in getting the shy students participate and share their opinions and ideas. Using the computer means they don't have to speak up in front of their class.



I also created an account with Skype in the Classroom. I think this tool would be fun to use with pen pals. After students have been writing to each other for a while, it would be great to "meet" through Skype. Teachers also use Skype in the Classroom to set up projects. An example of a project is a teacher in a northern state is looking for a class in the south to share a project on the civil war. I hope that makes a little sense.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

tool #5 (continued)

I really like the website bighugelabs.com. The only tricky part was finding an image large enough so it wouldn't look all pixelated when I uploaded it into the trading card or movie poster. I think this would be a great way for students to create a product based on a book they've read in class or about a famous person from history. I really think kids would have so much fun using this program.