Webquest Success!!

In class we made a lesson plan on webquest. Here's my link:
Chunk Change.
I thought that this was a great way to write a lesson plan. I have seen WebQuest's used in different ways too. I have seen it where the students all go to it individually, and then follow the directions. I have also seen in my practicum, that the teacher used it to organize some different websites that she wanted to show her class on the projector. They were learning about the Olympics, and so she showed some footage from the torch relay, and some of the events. It was really great, because the teacher didn't have to waste time surfing, and looking for what she wanted.
I really liked using Instructional Architect too. I think that it is a great program. I really like how easy it is to use. It basically walks you through the entire project, and gives you lots of chances to go back and change what you've done if you don't like how it turned out.
If I had more time, energy, and money, I think that I would like to have my students practice with money on my webquest, and then have them come to a "store" in our classroom, where they would be able to buy some items (kind of like fish pond prizes, but they would "pay" money for them.) I would give them the money ahead of time, and each of the items would be like 70 cents, or 44 cents, or something like that. :)
I really liked the planning sheet that we used, because when I sat down to do my webquest, it was nice to reference it, to help me know what kind of information I needed to include on the webquest. The peer evaluation was also really nice, because it was helpful to get another person's point of view about how it worked for them.
I learned as I did this project, that it is important to plan out the things that you want your webquest to include, so that you can keep it focused, and not branch off in a million different directions.
Overall, I really like using WebQuest, and I liked how easy it makes it to incorporate technology into my classroom.

Fun with Fotos!!!

Today in class, we learned more about digital photography, and how to implement it into the classroom. We learned how to use Photoshop, and also a fun program called Comic Life. It is a program for Mac where you can do pretty much anything to a picture. You can do lots of cool effects to the pictures, and it is very user-friendly.
This is a project that we made in groups. We took pictures of different geometric shapes and angles in the real world, and put them in a little presentation. It was lots of fun to take the pictures and search for the different shapes, and it was ever more fun to put them them together in a presentation.
Now, I am seeing shapes everywhere.......

Web Applications

Today in class we explored different web applications that we can use in our classrooms. They all were lots of fun, and can be applied to many different parts of the curriculum. One that I liked a lot for science, is Phun (Algodoo). It is a very fun program that allows you to work with simple machines, and understanding about applying force to objects. This covers Science 3rd Grade Standard 3. It is also a very "phun" way about understanding physics and how thing respond when you change gravity, or other factors. If I used this in my class, I would explain a bit about the different things that we are going to use, such as pulley's, springs, and what gravity does to objects. Then we would explore using this web application.

For math, I would use Masses and Springs. This application is really useful, because it is an accurate discription of the differences in weights, and how it affects how far the spring will stretch. In my class, they could measure and record how far each differnt weight goes, and also record what changes there are when you change a factor. This web application would cover Math 4th Grade Standard 4 Objective 1.

I really liked (and spent most of my time) on Colonial Williamsburg Kid's Zone. This web application is very helpful because you get to see all the details of what life was like in colonial times. There are lots of games, and they all were pretty fun. I know that it would be a place where kids would like to go to learn as they are having fun. This activity could cover the curriculum for 5th Grade social studies, standard 1 Objective 1. In my classroom, we would talk about the everyday life of early colonists, and then use this web application as an assesment, to determine how much they remember.

Website Evaluation

Today we learned about evaluating a website, because all websites are not created equal. Especially educational websites. Some educational websites look like the real thing, but in reality, it is just someones opinion, even someone trying to purposely misinform people, or something that was made just for fun, but it looks like it could be real. One website that I really like to use for students is the Smithsonian Education website for kids. This website was really amazing! There are lots of different activities and facts that are just about everything. I think that it would be a really good place for children to become more acquainted with the world around them. But sometimes it is really hard to know if a website is really what I want for my students, and so there are different evaluations that help teachers know if it really is a website that students should use. One is Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators. The evaluation that I used was for the elementary school. I really liked this evaluation, because it really broke it down, and you could see if it would work in your classroom. It asks you lots of specific questions, like "If you go to another page, is there a way to get back to the first page?" This is really important, because if a website isn't organized and easy to use for children, they may become confused, and really not know what to do. But using this evaluation, I it proved that the Smithsonian website really would be a great resource for students to use, because it is very clear, and there is a wide variety of things that students can learn and do. Another evaluation that I used was from Purdue University. This was a chart that you could use as a checklist, to see if a website that you are interested in really has what you are looking for. The main points that are brought about in this evaluation are "Authority, Reliability, Credibility", "Perspective", and "Purpose". I thought that these topics were really helpful, because it helped you to know really what's going on. The only downside to the Smithsonian website, is that there really weren't accommodations for students with disabilities. There are amazing activities, where you have to invent,and create, but if you can't see it, or hear what it's telling you, those activities really are useless. But overall, if the Smithsonian would fix this problem, this website is amazing!!

Spreadsheets

Today, we learned how to use spreadsheets both in Word, and on Google Docs. What was hard for me was using a Mac...everything is different. But I really like learning how to do it. I also really like GoogleDocs, because sometimes you get to a computer that doesn't have any kind of word processor, or spreadsheet program. So it is great to be able to use, and save it to edit later. We also learned how to create a survey and post it to a blog, which is why there is one. :) I would use this in my classroom for them to learn how to record data for different class projects or other activities we are doing. I really liked the activity that we did with the pennies, because it teaches probability, and it is a pretty easy assignment that they can do.

Word, Webs, and GoogleDocs

Today we learned about some ways to use Microsoft Word and GoogleDocs in the classroom. First, we learned how to use Word on Macs, for those of us who aren't very Mac-savvy. Then we learned how do do concept mapping online using bubbl.us, which is a great online program for anyone to brainstorm, a lot like x-mind, only you don't have to download it. It was great, because it helped organize some information about Olympic sports. I am a very visual person, so it helped me remember what it was about.

Then we did an activity where we wrote a "day in the life of an Olympic Athlete". We each started by writing a topic sentence, stating who the Olympian was, and what event they are in. Then we moved around the classroom, adding on a sentence to other peoples stories. The results were really funny! We also learned about GoogleDocs, and how it is a great way to write a paper and edit it from anywhere. The layout is a lot like Microsoft Word, but with a few differences. We did the same activity that we did before, but this time, we actually didn't have to leave our seats to see and edit someone else's story.

I know that I will use all of these programs in my classroom, because it includes a lot of things that students will need for their entire lives. And what better place to teach it than in the classroom? Bubble.us is a great resource because it can help students sort out data, and see what would be really relevant in a story, or research project. Microsoft Word is definitely a great tool for students, because they need a place where they can write stories, poems, research papers, or other written projects. I also really like GoogleDocs, because they could be writing something at school, open in on a computer at home, show their parents, and work on it from home too. It would also be a great way to do a group project where each has to write a part. I think that each of these programs will be very useful in my classroom, and I know that I will implement them into my lesson plans.

© Copyright ©

Today we talked about the dreaded topic of copyright. Copyright is quite a nuisance to many people because they find it restrictive from doing what they want. But my professor explained that in reality, it actually helps people to be more creative.

I actually learned a lot more about what is okay to use, and what you need to receive permission for. Basically a good rule of thumb is if you are in doubt, ask for permission. If there is no way to ask for permission (like if you want to use Shakespeare) then it should be ok. After 50 years that a person dies, their work is no longer copyrighted.

I found this class really informative because I really didn't know what were the rules and guidelines, and now I do thanks to this. (haha, yeah, I know it's funny) :)

So the moral for today is don't steal other people's stuff!!

FIELDTRIP!!!!

Today, in class, we went to the YETC. I have been there before, but I think that I got a lot more out of it this time. We learned about all of the books and materials that we can check out, and all the resources that are available. We also learned about many amazing resources for teachers, or really anyone!!! Some of these, were Storyline Online, Xmind, Spelling City, Stellarium, and Zotero, for Mozilla Firefox. Storyline Online is a website that has many children's books, and movie stars read to you.....great fun!! X mind is a really cool program that you can map out ideas, and help children brainstorm with words and pictures. Spelling City is a great website that children can use to put in their spelling words in, and their are games and different practices to help them learn the words, and have fun while doing it. Stellarium is awesome!!! It is a program that allows you to see the constellations and different galaxies from where you live. It's especially cool that you can make it so your screen isn't very bright, take it outside, and actually see in the sky what you see on the screen. Zotero is program that helps you organize different websites and it automatically does bibliographies for you, and it saves a lot of information.

I am so excited to use these, and many other educational things that are out there!!! I know that it is definitely something that I'm going to use in the classroom, and most likely just for fun!!!

UEN

Today I learned about the UEN....I am so excited to use it. UEN is a great place where educators can go to get ideas, and set up their lesson plans. I haven't had a huge chance yet to explore because I was having some technical difficulties, but from what I have seen so far, I love it!!!

I think that it's great that you can use it to organize all of the ideas that you have for teaching, and put them together, so that all can understand. I love how you can get video all ready to show your students. I also think that Wimba is a great program. How cool would it be if you were learning about someone, or some organization, and they agreed to be on a video conference with you and your class? It would be amazing!!! In general, I feel that UEN is a great resource that I know that I will use in my classroom, and I am excited to create a lesson plan that I will be able to use in my practicum.

Classroom Blogging

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

I am so excited to use blogging in my classroom!! I think that it is a great way to integrate real life learning into the students' lives. In my classroom, I plan to have a classroom blog that the students can post some of their best work for their parents to see. I also think that it would be fun to post pictures of the different projects that we have done together in class. It would be a great place for the children to really be able to express themselves, and for me to keep in contact with the parents. Of course, it is very important to have it be a safe experience for the students, so I would have to recieve permission to post any pictures of the students from their parents. It would also be a great place for the parents to ask questions, and to post links to great parent and student resources. It would also be a great place for the students to publish any stories that they have written, and for them to feel a greater sense of accomplishment. I think that blogging in a classroom brings a variety of opportunities to the students and their families.