Famous Scientist

We are using http://www.factmonster.com to research a famous scientist; then each student will write a paragraph about their famous scientist. The finished products will be published in an ebook. We will share when our project is completed.

The Important Story

As you remember I love to integrate writing into everything we do. I started by reading The Important Book to the students; then I wrote my own version of the important story. My story was called The Important Thing About Me. Then the students wrote their own important stories about themselves. The final products were typed on the computer; two students typed their stories using the iPad. I was amazed at how well they typed using the iPad. The forth graders and I hope you use our idea to have fun writing your own important stories.

Back to the Classroom

I completed the circle from low tech classroom, to high tech classroom, to technology facilitator, back to the classroom. I have my own classroom again this year; and couldn't be happier. I love my new students; they are energetic and eager to learn. I just can't wait to get to the classroom each day to see their smiling little faces.

My challenge this year will be to integrate the technology into the curriculum with less equipment then I've had for the last four years. I'm working with seven computers for twenty-two students, one digital camera, a document camera, and a Promethean Board. The first thing I did was dig through my own closest at home; I discovered two more digital cameras that I'm taking to the classroom. I will also take my own iPad to let students use. Even with my own equipment I am struggling not having that two to one ratio computer usage for students. However, I am bound and determined to make it work.

Book Box

Update

I haven't blogged for quite some time on this particular blog. I really miss being in the classroom this year. I am now in charge of a Tech Rich Grant and helping others to learn how to integrate technology into the curriculum. The main focus of the grant is integrating technology into the math curriculum; therefore, I have been helping students and teachers create the following blog: http://eaglesdoctordata.blogspot.com/ We hope you check it out, and please feel free to ask us a math question. We will do our best to answer it.

One math project we are working on is the intersection project. There is an extremely busy intersection close to our building; so we are collecting data by counting how many vehicles go through the intersection, during peak hours of the day. Students are using the data to make charts and graphs on their computers; then they are comparing the results. The students will decide whether or not to write letters to the city council to persuade them to make a change at the intersection. It could be they request a stoplight, a speed reduction, a four way stop, or speed bumps.




These are just a few of the Project Based Learning Activities that students and teachers are involved in at this time.

Also, I have just started a Tech PD website. It is in the very beginning stages. I hope to add much more to it in the future. http://eagles4601.weebly.com/index.html

Integrating Technology Into the Math Curriculum

The challenge this year is to integrate technology into the math curriculum. It seems harder for teachers to integrate math and technology. It dawned on me the other day as to why when a teacher ask "What am I suppose to do throw out the textbook?" Good reading teachers learned long ago you don't have to use just the textbook to teach reading. They pull resources from everywhere-novels, magazines, newspapers, websites and etc. However, that's not been the norm for the math curriculum. Most math teachers follow the textbook exactly; with the exception of skipping around in the book to get the curriculum taught by state assessment time.

This made the light bulb come on for me. Why don't we teach math like we do other subjects. There is math in our daily newspapers, shopping carts, and households. It is a given that math and science go hand-in-hand; many teachers do teach math as part of the science curriculum. If you don't, that is a great place to start extending the math curriculum.

My friend MacMare and I created a wiki related to one math topic-the metric system. This is a beginning for some teachers to integrate technology into the math curriculum. http://metricssixth.wikispaces.com/ Along with the wiki, I have created Moodle courses on fractions and problem solving. It's a start. Hopefully, teachers will begin to use technology as part of the regular math routine; as well, as begin to integrate math and technology into project base learning units.

New School Year, New Job, New Responsibilities

I'm off on a new technology adventure this year. I am now a Technology Rich Classroom (TRC) Facilitator. That means I go into the classroom and help teachers integrate technology into their curriculum. In addition, I help them find resources.

This year I will try to focus more on integrating technology into the math curriculum.
To get started here's a great website for my readers. Enjoy it!

http://www.jmathpage.com/

Cyber Bullying and Online Safety

I am now a cyber bullying and online safety trainer now. If you would like for me to come to your school and give a presentation to your students on this topic leave me a comment.

Skype

One of the final activities we did this year was skype with our epals in Indiana. This was our first skype experience as a whole class. To prepare for it I skyped the teacher the day before to make sure everything was going to work.

Students began the session by introducing themselves to their epal partner. Then they discussed the novel "Sign of the Beaver." From there the discussion evolved into the students sharing information about their home states. Students learned a lot about each other and the regions we live in.

If I had this to do over again, I would have students skype earlier in the year so they could see their epals face to face.

Adding A Little Twist To An Old Experiment

Most of you have probably heard of or done the egg drop experiment with your class. You know the one-students design a container to protect an egg when dropped from a high place.

To introduce this investigation, I found several excellent video clips of the experiment on youtube.com. Here is one of the videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb1uduZcvY4
I shared this video with my class; then let them design their own investigation.

As students dropped the eggs, I had other classmates take pictures of them with the digital cameras.

The new twist was integrating the technology. Not all technology integration has to be a huge event.

Make a Smilebox photobook

Design A New Classroom

Now that the year is almost over, we can have a little fun. However, I always want them to continue learning; so one activity we did was "Design A New Classroom."

I had students measure the area of our classroom, desk, cabinets, closet, door ways, windows, the sink and anything else that I could think of. Then they drew a picture of their desired classroom to scale on graph paper using the dimensions of the items they measured. Next, they used the internet and catalogs to look up the prices of everything. They put the data into a Numbers Document and calculated the cost of their model classroom.

For fun students used cardboard or foam to create their version of the model classroom to scale. This part students found fun and challenging. Since it was the end of the year this was a good activity to review math skills we learned while having fun creating a model. It took students several days to complete the activity. They were astounded when they discovered the actual price of these model classroom.

Webquest

During our last chapter of the social studies textbook, students used the following webquest to learn about the Underground Railroad. http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/ath/library/webquests/underground/default.htm

When students finished the webquest, they shared their keynotes with the rest of the class. It was one of the few times this year I let the class view each individual keynote with the whole group at one time. Usually to share or celebrate a finished product, the class did a Walk About Review.

During a Walk About Review, students sit their computers on top of their desk while students strolled quietly from computer to computer observing the work of their peers. This type of sharing is much quicker then watching 23 keynotes or projects for an entire afternoon. It still allowed the class celebration time.

What's 5th grade doing now?

Now that state assessments are over, it is time to continue our learning and have fun. Over the last week students have made a keynote about their favorite book that they have read this year. They are recording their voices in this keynote which is something new for them. It is harder to record your voice in keynote because you can't cut out mistakes like you can in Garageband. However, students have created some beautiful products. We will share our work with the rest of the school by displaying our keynotes on Obee T.V.

Also, we are using Pages to create a response journal for the book Holes. In addition, we created a chart using Pages to record literary devices as we read.

The Big Cache

Today was wonderfully exhausting. The students were so excited about going to Dillon Nature Center to go geocaching. Mrs. Frazier, Mrs. Worthing and Mrs. Clark planted our caches for us the day before in the freezing cold. I planned the caches which was called "Mystery Numbers." They were math problems that I made up. Each cache had a math problem to solve and a sheet to sign. Mrs. Frazier made the guide sheet for students. It included what the students were to do: take pictures of nature, take pictures of your group, take a picture of a cache, and the geo bug. It also included the coordinates and a place to record the answer to the math problems.

I've never seen such a bunch of excited students before. They couldn't wait to get to DNC; the bus ride was a buzz there and back. They listened carefully while Mrs. Fraizer and I gave instructions; then we set them off with their adult in charge to find the caches. Every group I saw was smiling, working hard to solve problems and find caches.

The curriculum areas we covered in this event were as follows: Math, geography, technology, and physical wellness. Also, thanks to all the parent volunteers. We couldn't have done this without your help monitoring each group.

All I heard on the ride home was Mrs. Gilley that was so much fun when do we get to do this again. What a memorable experience for students. I was exhausted after following five excited girls around the Nature Center all afternoon, but it was a wonderful feeling.

Our thanks to Dillon Nature Center for letting us plant the caches there and to Mrs. Clark, Mrs Frazier, and Mrs. Worthing for all their help.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Preparing for State Assessment

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.

Geocaching

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.

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.