Gettin' Techy with it in the New School Year

The 2015-2016 school year is upon us and as we all know we are seeking out new projects to do this year with our class.  Maybe there was something you saw a teacher do last year that you just didn't have time for? Or maybe there was an app you wished you at time to research and figure out how to implement into your classroom.  I am going to introduce you to a few tech tools that you may have heard of or used before, but I will show you how I implemented them into my classroom with Mrs. Van my teaching side-kick!

Padlet

Padlet is a free tool that you can be used to collaborate with each other as a class or students can create their own padlets and share a link with whomever they want to collaborate with.  Mrs. Van and I used padlet to post class projects that students completed so they could all view each others work, much like a Wiki page.  Many of the projects that will be listed in this blog will be in the form of a padlet, but implemented with another tech tool for you to learn about! 

Teacher Tip: The students do not create padlet accounts, just the teacher.  The teacher then shares the link with their students to post onto the wall.

• Using Pearson's Reading Street you can create a vocabulary wall where you students can post pictures of their vocabulary words and create sentences or definitions that go along with each.  You can also pose discussion questions on a padlet for students to discuss the question of the week or questions of the story they are reading that week. Click here for an example of a vocabulary wall.
• Using Padlet walls for the skills your are learning in the classroom is also a great way to see if your students are getting the skill. Here is an example of a Cause & Effect Padlet wall where students found a picture and had to create a cause & effect sentence using the key words we discussed.

ThingLink

Thinglink is an interactive platform where students can add "rich" media to their projects. Students can add photos, videos, and text information to make their project come alive.

Teacher Tip: The teacher creates a classroom account and gives the log in to all of their students.  The students will upload their photo or project to the same account as the entire class and add their interactive tags to their photo. 

• The writing of the week was Biographies for our students.  We taught our students how to research their famous person and how to take notes.  They then turned their notes into a Biography.  After students were completed with their biographies and their final drafts, we printed them with photos and hung them in the hallway.  To make this project more interactive and to share what they learned with their parents, students created a thing link with 5 important facts that they learn about their famous person.  They tagged photos, text, or videos to their picture of their famous person they researched.  We then shared them on a padlet wall.  Click here to see their Thing Links. Make sure to click on the image and hover over their tags to see their facts and information.

Photo Grid Video Maker

Photo Grid is an application that you can download in both Android and Apple for a tablet or phone.  Students can use this to create different types of grids with photos and add text to them.  The latest edition has an option to create a video with the photos.  Students oftentimes use applications such as Skitch and PicSay! to also add to text to their photos and then they upload them into Photo Grid.

• Students created photo grid videos practice what they learned about idioms.  Working in partners they needed to have a title page, slides that explained the literal meaning and the figurative meaning with pictures to back them up and show that they understood the meanings of their idiom.  Students ended their slide by referencing the sources and apps they used to create their video. Students then posted them on our shared classroom padlet wall so they could view each other's work. Click here to view Idiom Photo Grid Videos.

Animoto

Animoto is a video creating tool.  It is available in both web-based and application form for easy use with all students.  Students can log in to a class account and create videos with text and images, while choosing their theme and music to accompany their video.

Teacher Tip: Create a free account with Animoto.  Then scroll to the bottom where it lists Education.  You can apply for a free educator teacher account which will allow you to create videos longer than 2 minutes.  If you do not do this, you are only limited to 2 minutes per video.  You can do an educator license each year and update it with their code they send you through e-mail for free.

• We used Animoto in our classrooms for students to create an animal project in science.  Students had an outline of all of the information they needed to research and then they had to put their research into slides.  They were very proud of there work and in order to share it easily, we created yet again, another Padlet, (imagine that) to share their work with their parents and their peers. Click here to view Animal projects.

Mindomo

Mindomo is a mind mapping tool that we use in our classrooms for students to use in math and reading.  I chose this application to model how we use this app for Math.  This is an application our students use on their tablets and it is an easy way to map out their thoughts for writing, story webs, information, taking notes, etc.

• Students were learning about multiplication facts and factor trees in Math.  We had our students work together to create Factor Trees using Mindomo and then of course can you guess?? We had them share their work on a Padlet Wall! Click here to see our Factor Trees.

These are just a few ideas that we used Padlet and other apps for last year to integrate technology into our classrooms.  I hope that these examples and short snap shots will help you create ideas for your upcoming year in the classroom! Thanks for reading!

Paperless Open House

My team and I have been discussing having a Paperless Open House this year in Elementary school.  It seems that there are so many copies of documents we want to send home the first time we meet our students with their parents because we won't see them again until Conferences.  It might get a little overwhelming for parents.

Think about the parents that have to make it through the building with 3 different kids and see 3 different teachers.  The amount of documents we have them signing up for in the beginning of the year is kind of ridiculous (class parties, volunteers, e-mail addresses, class directory, conference times, information on their child, etc.) Then we as teachers have to keep track of that information and I feel that I am running around making sure every parent has filled out all of these papers that are around the room, while they are getting their child situated and keeping an eye on other siblings.  So my team and I thought, how can we make it better? Going Paperless!

Ou first step in going Paperless for Open House was creating a Google Form. You can view the Google Form to get an idea by clicking here. (This Google Form has BOTH of our forms we normally e-mail home) I am going to separate these forms and only use the Classroom Information Form during Open House.

In our Google Form we ask for information about the parents (best way to reach them, cell phone number, e-mail address, how often they check their e-mail, etc.)  We also include if their child is a bus, car rider, or walker.  And how to get information or homework home to their child if they are sick.  These are all paper forms that they normally have to fill out.  We have now condensed them all into one, hopefully making it easier and faster on the parents.

I am debating e-mailing this out to parents or having some laptops and computers set up in the classroom for parents to complete this when they arrive.  I have also read about teachers having a QR code in the room and parents can just scan the QR code and complete the form at home on their own time.

My next idea I got from a colleague I work with (Thank you Laura!) was to have parents scan a QR code that would take them directly to a site that they could digitally complete their Conference Times sign up.  The site that I learned about from Laura is called Sign up Genius. Click here to go to Sign up Genius and get started. This site will allow parents to enter their names into the available sign up slots.  When a parent takes a slot, that slot automatically is unavailable to the other parents.  If for some reason that slot doesn't work for that parent later on down the road and they have to make a change on their own, they are able to do so.  If they change their times the other slot becomes available in real time for other parents. Below you will find a picture of what last year's conference times looked like.

Going Paperless will improve my Open House this year and I am excited to travel down this road.  We have come so far with our 1:1 teaching and going paperless during the day in the classroom. I think it is time to go paperless with our open houses, tablet nights, and conferences as well.

Class Dojo Vs. Class Craft

VERSUS 

I have been pondering ClassCraft this summer and reading up on different articles and blogs that mention how beneficial it is for students.  My question to you is that is it appropriate for Elementary level students?

I began using Class Dojo two years ago in my classroom as a behavior management system during my guided reading time.  I am able to use my wireless mouse to award students points for being quiet and on task at this time, giving me the opportunity to work with small groups without interruptions.  I can also take away points from students if they are off task.  It is very easy to use. Students are able to change their little monsters anyway they choose, which usually is enjoyable and fun for them.  However, towards the end of the year, they start to get bored with it and it no longer has the appeal anymore.

Reading through some articles and the question and answer forums on Class Craft, I was beginning to feel like it was a lot of work for the teacher and had some questions:

-How do the students log in to do anything on this site?

-Is there an app for it? (Which there is an app coming out soon)

-When would I incorporate adding and deducting points?

-Is this going to be easier than Class Dojo?

Here are my thoughts and what I have found.

Worry #1: I only worry about the "death sentence" when a player loses all of their health, it pops up that they have died and then they get a random death sentence that you can edit; such as detention, helping clean the floor, no free time, etc.  Once they serve their sentence, they come back to life in the game.  What will parents think of this being done in the classroom at school?  I know that kids understand playing a game and dying in the game and then starting a new life, but will some parents buy in to this in the classroom? 

Worry #2:  There are a lot of aspects in this game.  Gaining health and experience points are a way that students can get rewarded. When they build up enough points they can start to buy powers to help save their teammates in the game.  Will third graders be able to understand these concepts? My initial response is yes, I think they can handle it, but when will I have time to explain all of this? (Maybe snack time)

Positive thoughts:

Thought #1:  You can use this as a team building exercise.  Students get to choose to be a mage, warrior, or healer.  It would be important to have one of each on their team because they all have different powers that you need to move up to the next level.

Thought #2:  This would be an excellent motivator for those "gamer" or more withdrawn students in the classroom.  How fun would it be to come to school everyday, earn health points, and buy cool new powers to help out your classmates on your team because you are trying to move ahead of the other teams.  I think it would provide a great collaborating factor into the school day.

Thought #3: You can link points to test grades and the formulas are already set up for you.  If I wanted each week's reading quiz to be a part of points gained in Class Craft, I could set the test to be 100 points.  Then I could set the bar at 60, being the main goal .  If students score a 60 on their test (which many students score above) they wouldn't receive extra points, but they would remain safe.  If they scored anywhere higher than a 60 they would begin to receive extra points based on their score.  Now this would be an extra step in the grading process to add these grades to Class Craft, BUT with SuccessNet they provide an Excel print out with student grades.  You can just copy and paste from the excel spreadsheet into Class Craft and you are done.

All in all, I think I am going to give Class Craft a shot.  I have also read a lot about how teachers incorporate Whole Brain Teaching into Class Craft and think I am going to try it out.  As I mentioned before, you have to try something first, and try again, before you can give up!

The Adventure of 1:1 Learning with Technology

This video below shows "A Day in the Life at Martin" which was posted to the Kuno Website Home page that highlights our first year with our Kuno Tablets. (Video can be retrieved from http://www.mykuno.com)

It has definitely been an adventure changing my teaching style from the more traditional way of teaching with textbooks, overheads, whiteboards, worksheets, and workbooks to going completely digital and just about paperless in the classroom.

At first, I was panicked and frustrated.  Many of the teachers' attitudes were negative and poor because of our lack of training.  We were rolling out a brand new reading curriculum (Pearson Reading Street),  getting rid of student textbooks, and told that we shouldn't be using paper tests, quizzes, or worksheets anymore.  Everything we were told to teach was found online.  Many of us had the questions: What if the Internet doesn't work? What if my students' tablets don't work? How am I going to find everything I need to on this portal?  Energy was running high and we had a week left of training before school started and many of us had no idea how we were going to survive, let alone teach our students. 

Many teachers were miserable.  It finally took me to realize that I needed to step up my game, learn the new material and become a 21st century teacher.  I am not a negative person, I don't fold to a challenge! There was no choice.  So suck it up and embrace the technology.

I did just that.  I began jumping in head first to new apps and Web 2.0 tools that I found.  I began to think of new ways that I could represent information to my third graders where they would actually be interested in learning about it.  I also found new assignments and ways for my students to show me what they were learning about. 

If you are just starting out: some Web 2.0 tools to think about that are easy to use are:

-Skitch: A free android app that students can add text, arrows, underlining, etc.  I used Skitch for word sorts and making diagrams.

-PicSay!:  Another free android app where students can take an image they have captured, add text, speech bubbles, arrows, and stickers.  I use PicSay! during math for students to post to our Wiki about different angles, shapes, multiplication & division problems.  I also use PicSay! for creating sentences with different parts of speech.  It takes the learning from the workbook to applying what they are learning into real world applications.

-Explain Everything: This is a subscription, however, students are able to draw diagrams and record their voice at the same time to explain or describe what they are learning.  This is helpful for when students are showing you how they completed a math problem.

-Kahoot: This is a free online website (https://getkahoot.com)  where you are able to create quizzes and questions to review with your class. Students will then choose the answer using their tablet while looking at the main screen on the projector to choose their answer.  The faster you choose your answer, the higher your score gets.

These are just a few to name.  My advice to you: don't be afraid.  Be ready to jump right in and embrace technology because it is not going anywhere.  

Joining a Professional Twitter Learning Network has really helped me learn new strategies and apps to use with my students.

Take risks. Have fun. Try something once. Fail. Try again. Share ideas with each other.

Baby Steps into my First Blog-About Me!

Hello Readers (there are probably only two of you), but that is okay for now! I never thought I would have much to ponder and offer by creating my own blog, but a co-worker of mine mentioned that it would be beneficial to start one.  (Thank you Laura) You can follow her amazing blog by clicking here!

 For my Masters of Technology course I am taking, we are to create some sort of website, so I bit the bullet, and here I am.

As I am still trying to figure out all of the buttons and labels, etc. with Blogger-bare with me please.

A little bit about myself in a nutshell:  I am entering my 6th year as a third grade teacher in the same district I have been teaching in almost my entire teaching career.  I love finding new ways to integrate technology, 21st century skills, and connecting my class to social media and other classes around the world.  I am currently getting my Masters in Educational Technology and am learning a lot.  My boyfriend of 5 years and I love cooking together and finding new recipes to try.  I LOVE reading during my summers, and I also love spending time on Twitter.  The endless amount of information out there is amazing.

My main purpose for this blog is to share ideas, strategies, and articles that I have come across.  I hope it is a sounding board for what I hope to accomplish this school year and maybe get some ideas from others.  

Wish me Luck!

Happy Reading!