Looking for some heroes

Tool # 11 Freely using my tools within the classroom

WOW! What a journey...each summer the district offers an online piece to learning more about technology and I am so thankful. I remember about 4 years ago with the rapid advancement of technology feeling panicked because I was being left behind with all the lingo and tools. Right about that time Library2Play started and I joined in.

This summer we not only get to "play" with tools, but we also get tools in return. I am looking forward to our new equipment and being able to adapt it to use in the classroom.

I am really excited about Storybird. I think often students get stuck with writing because they can't come up with an idea. Storybird provides pictures for them to write stories from and use their imagination. As we consume good examples of writing I would then like to turn the kids loose on the Storybird to have them create their own writing.

I am also interested in finding some experts to connect with us on Skype. I think by realizing that classroom walls are not limited to the cement blocks that sometimes hold us in, it will allow me to expand my view of how I connect my students to others. The hardest part for me is always to take a step back from being overwhelmed by EVERYTHING I could be doing/integrating with technology and just taking "small bites" at a time. Although I have not done it yet, I would like to come up with some sort of organized type of roadmap to list concepts to teach matched with technology available.

Thanks for another great summer!

Tool # 10 Being good citizens with technology

Digital citizenship is the most important concept we can teach our students. Here is a great brainpop website that I would use to teach my students.

http://www.brainpop.com/technology/computersandinternet/onlinesafety/preview.weml

Good Citizens need to remember:

* not to share personal information over the internet

* cyber bulling is NOT ok, use kind words when talking to others online

* remember to use safety when searching the internet

During back to school night and through parent newsletters, I would remind parents about digital citizenship. I would love to give a tip of the week for parents each newsletter.

This post is from my previous posting about digital citizenship from the 11.5 tools:

It is interesting to thinkthat not all of the nine digital elements overlap into our daily lives, but at some time or other we come in contact with them all. One of the suggested readings reminds us that proper digital citizenship does not just happen. It is just like character education or classroom citizenship, it must be taught. In the article it also talked about how the teaching can not just happen once for it to be absorbed and then used correctly everytime by students. As the technology rapidly grows, the importance for teaching digital citizenship is only enhanced.

http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html
1. Digital Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure.
2. Digital Communication: electronic exchange of information.
3. Digital Literacy:process of teaching and learning about technology and the use of technology.
4. Digital Access: full electronic participation in society.
5. Digital Commerce: electronic buying and selling of goods.
6. Digital Law: electronic responsibility for actions and deeds
7. Digital Rights & Responsibilities: those freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world.
8.Digital Health & Wellness:physical and psychological well-being in a digital technology world.
9. Digital Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety.

Tool # 9 Taking teaching to a different level

1. There are so many different websites to use in the classroom, so it is imperative to connect the technology with the learning objectives. It would be easy to "just play games" in the classroom. This is one of the websites I liked http://tutpup.com I think that math facts are simple things that can be practiced with this website and remain focused on the objective.

2. Accountability is a huge piece to the classroom, especially with students working during centers. The focus of unattended students can easily be distracted and doesn't normally last long. I normally have students turn in some sort of a written form. This past year I used googledocs to have the students turn in their responses.

3. Love these sites! Still trying to figure out how I will use them in my new grade level, but I think they will fit well with the curriculum.

math skip counting http://www.iboard.co.uk/curriculum.htm#3550 from website

http://www.iboard.co.uk/curriculum.htm#maths-year1numstrategy_yearreception

Bird songs http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/science-games/science-songs/bird_song.html from website http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/

4. Fun Itouch apps:

Tool # 8 Ipod touch apps and more

I love that these devices come with a built in camera. I can see using these with students to have them take pictures for projects and then using the apps to incorporate the projects. I know I still have some to learn about itunes, but it looks like the lay out is user friendly. I have always used my ipod just for music, so am excited to use it for the videos and creating playlists. I did not know that you can actually turn one of your most used websites into an app just by clicking and holding.

I have a lot more to play and do!

http://edtech.springbranchisd.com/

Tool # 7 Making my classroom flat; stepping beyond the classroom walls

Skype is still my favorite tool and I am VERY excited to see the teacher/school resources with projects and people looking for connections! Looking for some experts out there to add their insights.

I'm going to work on look at my new 2nd grade curriculum to come up with my lesson outline and will add it to this post in a few days. Until then, I really like this global connecting site the best http://www.ccproject.org/travel/index1.html It provides many resources that would be ready to go with teaching. This one school in Namibia has students give a tour around their campus with video. Although the students are not able to interact with each other, it is fun to see outside of the classroom. http://www.ccproject.org/travel/library/videos/vanrhyntour.html

Tool # 7 Making my classroom flat; stepping beyond the classroom walls

Skype is still my favorite tool and I am VERY excited to see the teacher/school resources with projects and people looking for connections! Looking for some experts out there to add their insights.

I'm going to work on look at my new 2nd grade curriculum to come up with my lesson outline and will add it to this post in a few days. Until then, I really like this global connecting site the best http://www.ccproject.org/travel/index1.html It provides many resources that would be ready to go with teaching. This one school in Namibia has students give a tour around their campus with video. Although the students are not able to interact with each other, it is fun to see outside of the classroom.

Tool #6 Discussions and beyond

Since every one seemed to be adding the well wisher gadget, I felt like it was a must for me as well. I can't wait to see who will leave me a special note. With students having access to this social tool I can see how it will promote easy use for students to create discussion between themselves and teachers.

The two tools I have already used in class and love are googledocs and skype. With googledocs I loved that students could be emailed a document and then use them as instructions to create a project. Although I did not use the discussion piece, I look forward to digging in deeper with how to use it to further the creative process.

Skype is OUTSTANDING! I have used this at home, but just at the end of the year we used it to connect within the classroom. The students love the interaction, so understandably some kind of guidelines need to be set. I look forward to connecting with some experts related to our curriculum and perhaps even penpals. Here's my skype name if you want to connect with us: lisa.luce2

Tool #5 Playing, Learning or a mix of the two

Tika Tok,Storybird, and StoryJumper all have the same concept, creating authors while building authors.  I love that students can start from scratch or have idea starters to get them building.  They can save it in their library and then if parents choose to purchase them later they can actually buy the book.

Make Beliefs Comix is another site that allows students to have creativity with learning.  I can see how this tools would allow students to focus on narrating character feelings with main ideas for each strip.  I love that the old fun form of comics has been brought back to life with technology.

VIEW YOUR COMIX:
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=7885591C499989

Tool # 4 When "Google it" became a verb

I have loved using Google Docs with my students this year for all the reasons the blog assignment listed. It is so easy to create a document and then with one click (not multiple steps) the students have access to the information. I used this the most with workshop assignments. It is easy to give step by step directions, then have the students follow along with the document. Students love being able to interact with each other and see the comments they add with the sidebars. Although I did not use this feature as much, I look forward to using it with students in writing.

Google forms are another excellent way to share with a colleague information to have at your finger tips wherever there is internet access. Students will love using their voting eggs to answers questions as a class or even during a workshop. Here's my summer vacation survey, feel free to log in and respond.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFVqV2xyRVo5UVcyZVhoU2c3S3F4Z1E6MQ

Tool # 3 Publishing with the outside world in mind, but within the law

After teaching 4th grade for the last six years I am excited about my move to 2nd grade! The problem is I am not yet familiar with the content to look up videos for the students to use. Discovery education has been a HUGE resource for my workshop where students watch the videos and then respond. I am excited to see how students will now be able to use the i touch as well to be more personal in their learning. The videos I posted are amazing simple ways that we can enhance our teaching with students. Give it a try yourself....

Super Brain Yoga-Waking our brain up for better learning

Right or left brain teaching? Are we doing a disservice to our students?

Copyright laws are important and often forgotten by teachers as the internet has so many easy to reach and useful tools. The biggest thing to remember is if teachers and students are using the inforamtion to teach or demonstrate learning they are probably pretty safe.

Although I am having trouble with Picasa so can not play with the remix, I did find this posting on one of the blogs I follow. I haven't checked out all of the details, but it looks like something I have tried in my classroom. Hooray for teachers with students who blog!

http://kidslikeblogs.org/student_kids_like_blogs.html

Tool #2 Building community :)

The blogging world can be very private if you want it to be, which then almost become a "scrapbook" in a way and underminds the concept of social networking. With building community by reading other blogs and commenting on other's posts we are engaging the community of learners/educators in tasks that we already preform on a daily basis. The difference with blogging is instead of making a passing comment to a colleague in the hallway on the way to pick up students up from health fitness, I now have to log into their blog, read the post and comment about their adventure. Thankfully this effort also has an advantage....for someone who has amazing ideas that I never see or talk to, they can now share the ideas and weeks, months, even a year later I can still see the idea.

I like adding the blogs I follow on my blog list. One advantage is I can see who has a new post OR when the last time was they posted. I can then choose to read who I want to read about. Check out the links of those I follow on the side.

Delicious social bookmarking was also something I had forgotten about in the first 23 things I completed. I was glad to go back and import my bookmarks to have with me anywhere on the world wide web!

Tool #1 Setting up the blog....well I guess just maintaining it.

HUGE thanks to Tammy Holley who is my technology HERO! Despite my attempts to enjoy technology with my students the past few years, it seems I got ahead of myself so was able to create a tangled web of a mess. Thanks to Tammy for being patient with me(when is she not) and helping me persist with maintaining my previously started blog (hopefully it won't be a problem later).

Onto the other 10 blog post assignments.....