I have to admit I haven't been blogging much lately. I've just been too busy preparing students for state assessments. So how am I using technology in this endeavor. I am using several websites that can be found on my portal. One that I really like for math is Mr. Anker http://tinyurl.com/cq46sq
I also found this page with many links to test prep activities. http://www2.redmond.k12.or.us/mccall/renz/mathsites.htm#5
In addition, we have been playing many, many teacher made Jeopardy games. Jeopardy is a fun way for kids to practice the skills they need while having fun. I usually divide the class into teams and assign a score keeper. You can download many Jeopardy games and templates online.
Wax Museum
Vistors listen to students and view keynotes at the "Wax Museum."
Monday, March 23, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Geocaching
Today my class and I discovered the wonders of geocaching. I have to admit, the first time I ever experienced geocaching I couldn't imagine how I could possibly use it in the classroom. However, today I used it for the first time and will most certainly use it again.
I placed the caches around our schoolyard. Then students were given a paper skeleton with missing bones; the caches included the missing bones. Students were divided into groups of 4 and 5. Their job was to use the coodinates and the GPS systems to find the missing bones of their paper skeletons. Since the skeletal system was taught earlier in the year, this was a nice review activity.
Some students struggled with using the GPS systems at first, but most quickly figured out how they worked and successfully found their cache.
The best part of the whole activity was the aftermath of the event. After our excersion with GPS systems, we took our third common math assessment to determine if students had reached benchmarks in math. The result were amazing. Students scored higher on this assessment then any other they've taken this year. I really do believe stimulating their brains and bodies before taking the test had something to do with it.
I can't wait to use geocaching again. Our next event will include a geocache at a local nature center. It will be on a much bigger scale.
I placed the caches around our schoolyard. Then students were given a paper skeleton with missing bones; the caches included the missing bones. Students were divided into groups of 4 and 5. Their job was to use the coodinates and the GPS systems to find the missing bones of their paper skeletons. Since the skeletal system was taught earlier in the year, this was a nice review activity.
Some students struggled with using the GPS systems at first, but most quickly figured out how they worked and successfully found their cache.
The best part of the whole activity was the aftermath of the event. After our excersion with GPS systems, we took our third common math assessment to determine if students had reached benchmarks in math. The result were amazing. Students scored higher on this assessment then any other they've taken this year. I really do believe stimulating their brains and bodies before taking the test had something to do with it.
I can't wait to use geocaching again. Our next event will include a geocache at a local nature center. It will be on a much bigger scale.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Voicethread Example
As promised I have uploaded an example of one our voicethreads. My students love voicethreads and so do I. We hope you enjoy this version of Judith Vorist poem "If I Were In Charge of the World." This poem is a great model for students to practice their writing skills.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
More Comic Life Fun
I just love integrating writing into every subject across the curriculum. It was even more fun integrating it into math today. Students used comic life to write acrostic poems about perimeter, area, and volume. Students were very creative in their thinking, and this was a quick assessment to see if students really understood these concepts. Here is a short example of student work:
Area
A-Area is a covering of a space
E-Everything has area like walls, carpet, and gardens
R-When it rains an area is covered with water
A-Amazing LxW=A
A-Area is a covering of a space
E-Everything has area like walls, carpet, and gardens
R-When it rains an area is covered with water
A-Amazing LxW=A
I would say this student has a good understanding of area.
Google Earth, Math, and Geography
What excitement in the classroom today, when students used Google Earth to fly around the world to find 3-D figures in real life. We have been studying 3-D figures in math; so students were given the assignment to think about how these solids were used in real life. They came up with things like The Great pyramids, the Eiffel Tower, skyscrapers and the Pentagon.
Then students used Google Earth to fly around the world and locate 3-D objects. They placed a marker on the location; then told how many faces, edges, and vertices the object had. Students had a wonderful experience with this activity. They were applying math skills, a little geography, and writing was involved too.
Then students used Google Earth to fly around the world and locate 3-D objects. They placed a marker on the location; then told how many faces, edges, and vertices the object had. Students had a wonderful experience with this activity. They were applying math skills, a little geography, and writing was involved too.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
3-D figures using Comic Life
Yesterday, I introduced 3-D figures to my class. After using a wonder Promethean lesson on the topic, their assignment was to discover real world uses for 3-D figures. Students had to show a pictures and tell what type of 3-D figure was used in their Comic Life project. Some students included the number of faces, edges, and vertices each figure had.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Poetry
This is a website that my technology facilitator showed one of my students. Today that student came back to class and showed all of us. We wrote poems for Valentine's Day. At http://www.festisite.com/ you can also upload your own poetry, put your face on a playing card or a 1,000,000 dollar bill. I loved the poetry and writing aspects of this website. I also loved the fact that the student was sharing her knowledge of technology. I completely let her take over the instruction here because I didn't have a clue as to how to use the website. (Of course I remained in charge of the classroom and facilitated.) She did a great job of teaching us all. This also gave her self confidence and pride.
After writing their quick and easy poems, I let them explore the cards and money. They loved it because it was fun. However, one must keep in mind we are at school; so their has to be a learning application involved. Therefore, I am trying to figure out ways that I could connect the money to a practical application. These are some ideas I came up with: use the face of a character from a book and write about the character using the party printer, have students uses their faces and write about themselves to introduce themselves to the class at the beginning of the year, and use the playing card and have students place two character's from a book on a card and write a compare contrast paragraph about the character. Another use might be to put faces of explorers on different types of money from a country they explored; then write a list of reasons as to why this explorer found a million dollar discovery. If anyone else has an ideas, please feel free to post a comment.
After writing their quick and easy poems, I let them explore the cards and money. They loved it because it was fun. However, one must keep in mind we are at school; so their has to be a learning application involved. Therefore, I am trying to figure out ways that I could connect the money to a practical application. These are some ideas I came up with: use the face of a character from a book and write about the character using the party printer, have students uses their faces and write about themselves to introduce themselves to the class at the beginning of the year, and use the playing card and have students place two character's from a book on a card and write a compare contrast paragraph about the character. Another use might be to put faces of explorers on different types of money from a country they explored; then write a list of reasons as to why this explorer found a million dollar discovery. If anyone else has an ideas, please feel free to post a comment.
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