Search for Tech Resources by Common Cores State Standard

Today's post comes from Mike Johnson, ITC over at Roosevelt.  He found an awesome resource and wrote about it beautifully... I love when educators can work together. :)  ENJOY!

Graphite, a resource from the fine folks at Common Sense Media, has done us a big favor by launching their Common Core Explorer. A couple, actually... 

First, finding a way to easily navigate the new Common Core Standards is a feat in itself. Even theCCSS website and iPad app are a tad tricky to search specific standards. Graphite's Common Core Explorer, on the other had, cuts the clutter, and makes looking for specific standards in specific content areas within your grade level a breeze. Really, really easy.

But, that's not Common Core Explorer's biggest contribution. What they've done is provide tech-based resources that target and compliment each and every standard. I'll say that again, because it's important: you can easily find tech-based resources by Common Core Standard using Graphite's Common Core Explorer. This makes it a handy little tool to have bookmarked in your browser, so that planning and incorporating tech resources become easier.

Room 312's Survival Handbook

Currently, Mr. Mulvihill's 5th grade class is in the middle of their rotation of using the Chromebooks as well as just finished reading the novel, My Side of the Mountain.   Mr. Mulvihill has traditionally read this novel with his 5th grade class and has had the students keep track of different plants and animals that are used as a means of survival, while reading the novel.   This year, with the Chromebooks at Room 312's fingertips, they were were able to take this survival study a bit further.  In collaborating with myself, the Instructional Technology Coach, and Ms. Diekman, we were able to come up with an awesome project ot take their findings a step further.  Ms. Diekman, our wonderful Library Information Specialist, worked with Room 312 showing them how to research and take notes on the different survival items that were in the novel they read. After completing the research with Ms. D, then I went into his classroom to teach the kids how to use Google Sites.  As a class, collaborating on research and collaborating on creating a website, you can see how their hard work has transformed into a wonderful working website.  Please click here to view the website.

This project was a great way to meet many of our National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) while deepening the student's understanding of how different plants and animals can be used for survival.   In addition to meeting the NETS standards for students, this activity also met a variety of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.6 With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.7 Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

Mr. Mulvihill's class did an amazing job on this assignment, and their website looks amazing!   I hope you enjoy reading their hard work and seeing an excellent sample of success from our 5th graders!   If you think this is an activity that you'd like to try in your classroom, please let me know!

The Poetry Foundation

Are you looking for a engaging way to incorporate poetry into your lessons?   The Poetry Foundation, which is located in Chicago, has an amazing website that is packed full of resources.   The one that especially caught my eye at the CAWP conference was that you can actually have authors read their poems to you!  When you go to their website, click on the "Poems & Poets".  You can browse by poems, poets, or season poems.   When you are browsing, you can search for poems that include audio and that are good for children.  How great to include a poem in a "bouquet" of texts you use in your close reading instruction, and then have the author read the poem to your students.   Be sure to check it out!

Welcome to 82nd & Fifth: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

On Friday, I attended the Chicago Area Writing Project's (CAWP) Fall Conference.  I had the pleasure of listening to Carol Jago, literacy expert, discussing how to inspire our practice as teachers of literacy, even with the Common Core. She had a variety of amazing lessons, including "bouquets" of text to present lessons.  One of the ways she presented us with text was through an amazing video project through the Metropolitan Museum of Art called, Welcome to 82nd & Fifth.  

82nd & Fifth is the Met's address in New York City. It is also the intersection of art and ideas. We've invited 100 curators from across the Museum to talk about 100 works of art that changed the way they see the world, and eleven Museum photographers to interpret their vision: one work, one curator, two minutes at a time.

82nd & Fifth is a year-long series of 100 episodes. Throughout 2013, new releases will appear every Wednesday.

These short videos show how these curators view the pieces of art in the museum - two minutes of deep details about each piece of work is a great way to model how we want our students talking about reading.  These videos are great examples of digging deeper - a great way to engage students in conversation and a great way to model how we want kids thinking about what they read.   I encourage you to check it out!  

App of the Week: NearPod

App:  NearPod

Who is it for?   K-5 (Only on cart 3 currently)

What's Nearpod?

The Nearpod platform enables teachers to use their iPads to manage content on students' iPads, iPhones or iPods. It combines presentation, collaboration, and real-time assessment tools into one integrated solution.  To create an account or log in as a teacher you need to download the Nearpod app on an iPad. The Nearpod app for iPhone or iPod allows student access only.

Nearpod can be used in all subject areas with any and all content.   Are you interested in trying it out?   Let me know and we'll try it out!!!

New Socrative Features

So, I do realize that sometimes I can be a total dork, however, in my inbox this morning was an email from Socrative saying that they had added some new features... and I got excited.

Socrative is a smart student response system that empowers teachers to engage their classrooms through a series of educational exercises and games via smartphones, laptops, and tablets.  We've used it in a variety of presentations this year as well as I know many teachers are fans.   The two new updates are:

• Self Grading Quizzes
• Adding Images into Questions

For me, I'm most excited about the adding images into questions, as that's something that I've struggled with using both Socrative and Google Forms.

Richard Byrne, who writes the blog, Free Tech for Teachers, created a great video explaining these new features.   Check it out below!

Visual Tools to Help Teach the Common Core

I hope everyone was safe and dry with all of the rain today.  If you suffered any water damage, I'm so sorry and I hope the damage wasn't too great.

Today I stumbled upon a great video (about 20 minutes) that illustrated some fantastic visual tops, aka graphic organizers, that align to the Common Core State Standards.

This video is part 1 of a 3-part series.  It provides and overview and rationale for using discipline-specific visual tools designed for teaching specific Common Core Standards. The powerpoint  and handout for this presentation is available here.

Google Proofing Questions?

I read a great article by the Electric Educator about using Bloom's Taxonomy to help "Google - Proof" questions that we ask students.    So, what is a "Google-proof question?" It is a question that can not be directly answered via Google (or any other search engine) because it requires, analysis, interpretation, and investigation. Writing such questions can be challenging. A helpful tool is Bloom's Taxonomy.

As you know, I am a huge Google fan, however, with the Common Core State standards we are trying to increase rigor in instruction and really try to our students to be higher level thinkers, not just search Google for an answer.   The top two levels in Bloom's Technology, Synthesis and Evaluation can be considered "Google Proof".  Students can use Google or any other search resources to help construct an answer.  This chart can help you create some questions, as well as some projects to help deepen understanding learning of various topics.

So you want to be a critical thinker?

I saw this on Pinterest and had to share!

Mother's Day Contest

The Pioneer Press is having a contest to describe "Why you love your mom" in 50 words or less.  This could be a great writing activity for any age - including yourself!  You can submit pictures to go along with words as well.  Entries are due on April 5th.   Click here for more details.   

Happy Poetry Month!

Welcome back! I hope that everyone had a restful and relaxing spring break! As we return to school on April 1st, I thought it would be fun to share a few great resources to kick off poetry month!

For my primary friends, below is a great video by Disney Jr.

For my intermediate friends, here is a great blog post from the blog, All Things Upper Elementary.

In the lesson she describes taking poems from famous authors and poets, such as Edgar Allen Poe, Walt Whitman, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, etc. and using them in your cooperative lesson.  Definitely worth reading about if you are interested in incorporating some of these greats into your lesson!

Of course, we also are lucky to have our fabulous LIS, Ms. D, who I'm sure would be more than happy to help you use poetry in your classroom.  Just ask!

Bedtime Math

Have you seen the website Bedtime Math?   It's a great resource for parents and teachers, giving both parties ways to incorporate math into their everyday lives...  Every day they post a new math question and then differentiate the questions to fit different levels of learners.

Definitely a resource worth checking out and sharing with your parents as well.

Thanks for sharing with me, Dana!

From their website:

How to Do Bedtime Math

Don’t sweat it.  

Bedtime Math hopes to be part of your daily routine, but if you’re having one of those days that started with the toilet overflowing, don’t worry.  Bedtime Math problems are here when you want them, when you’re ready.

It’s not official.  

Bedtime Math isn’t an official “curriculum.”  It’s just a fun chance for kids to do math in their heads, so someday when they’re shopping and everything’s 20% off, they can figure out the sale price before the store closes.

Take it by the horns.  

While Bedtime Math loves mental math, it’s totally cool to use paper and pencil when needed.  And if your child wants to tackle a harder BMP, go for it!  You can walk your kids through the steps if they’re stuck, and they’ll be excited to wrestle hard with something and get the answer.

Simmer down.  

The BMPs aim to be fun and lively, but they won’t keep your kids from falling asleep.  In our experience, math can get kids to sit still, focus, and quiet down.

No sibling rivalry, please.  

If you have more than one child doing these, you might want to give each of them different numbers.  Just as we all love our monogrammed toothbrush holders, kids like custom-tailored things, too.

To help this along, each BMP offers three levels of challenge: Wee Ones, Little Kids, and Big Kids.  Again, these don’t signify rigid age ranges or grade levels, but as a rough guideline, Wee Ones are targeted for pre-school kids, Little Kids grades kindergarten through 1st or 2nd, and Big Kids grades 2nd onward.  That said, they differ a little every day, so feel free to pick and choose – and to swap in your own numbers if you like.  There’s no one right way.

App of the Week: Creative Book Builder

Are you looking for a fresh way for your students to publish their work?  Wouldn't it be cool for them to write their own book?   If you think this is something that your students would be interested in, check out this app!

What is it?

Creative Book Builder is a fantastic app that allows students to create books in epub format, which can then be exported to iBooks and shared with others. There are a variety of instructional uses for this app, from using it as a publishing tool for project-based learning to a summative assessment at the end of a unit.  Students can embed images, audio files, video files, and write text.  The advantage of an epub document over a PDF document is that all of the media will be preserved and available for readers to interact with when the final product is published.  

Who is it for?
I can see this being used at all different grade levels, from a class book to students or groups of students creating their own books.   This can be use across subject areas as well - with an exciting way to share information.

One of other ITCs has also created a Google Folder with helpful how-tos on how to use Creative Book Builder in your classroom.  Click here to view her helpful tutorials.  Thanks to Amanda Pelsor for sharing!   I also found a very helpful slideshow in getting started with Creative Book Builder.  Check it out below.   Of course, if you want help, just ask!  I'm eager to try out this app with a class!

Check out How to Use Creative Book Builder by Penelope Doyle on Snapguide.

Check out this Kid News Reporter

Have You Subscribed to CoreStand's Core Weekly Yet?

What is Core Stand?

CoreWeekly is a fun and engaging way to integrate Common Core literacy skills into existing courses and to prod students to become globally minded by studying the issues which shape our world. Included in their weekly e-mails are two metacognitive templates, one appropriate for elementary students and the other appropriate for middle and high school students.  Each template specifies essential skills and is also linked to a grade appropriate current events article.  I have mentioned it before, but I am just loving the weekly emails with practice related to the Common Core Standards.
Here is a sample from this week's e-mail:

This week's edition of CoreWeekly focuses on an American institution dating back hundreds of years: the nation's postal system.  Last week, the US Postal Service announced that, come August, it will no longer deliver mail (or, as some refer to it, snail mail) on Saturdays.  The reduction in delivery comes with declining usage and falling revenue as email and other forms of digital communication have come to replace traditional mail.  The two articles we're featuring can spark class discussions about how technology and communication have evolved over time.
You've got our stamp of approval.

The CoreStand Team

Today's e-mail included this link to reading this article:  An End to Saturday Mail | Time for Kids

Then students can fill out this literacy template that directly relates to various areas of the CCSS.  

This would be a great activity for a guided reading station.  Especially since it has standards in kid friendly language.    Core Stand has a wealth of information for teachers, and I think I've only hit the tip of the iceberg with this resource.  These weekly e-mails thought are gold for your students!  Check them out!

If you need any help signing up, let me know!   This is a great resource, not to be missed. 

App of the Week: Virtual Manipulatives

What is it?

This app is a a set of fraction bars to be used with students.  This app is meant to be used with direct teacher instruction, and give students the opportunity to interact with fractions, decimals, and percents right at their fingertips.   They are able to drag fraction bars on to their workspace, press and hold on a fraction bar to see an equivalent, as well as draw or show work using their finger and the pencil tool. This is a great tool for visual learners to see how fractions compare as well as spot equivalent fractions.  It's also great for students to see how fractions, decimals, and percents relate to each other.   

Who is it for?

I would recommend this app starting in second grade all the way through fifth grade.  It provides a great instructional space for teachers to instruct whole group or with small groups as well as allows a great opportunity for differentiating with the decimal and percent options.   As a visual learner I would of loved to of used this app for adding and subtracting fractions too!  This would be also a great app for student to use with the AirServer for those teachers 

CCSS Connection

Click here to see in detail how this app can help support the Common Core State Standards in math in grades 3-5.   Specifically:

• Develop understanding of fractions as numbers.
• Extend understanding of fraction equivalents and ordering.
• Build fractions from unit fractions.
• Understand decimal notations for fractions and, compare decimal fractions.
• Use equivalent fractions as a strategy to add and subtract fractions.

If you'd like a demo of this app or help implementing in your classroom, please let me know!  I'm happy to help!

4th Graders at Roosevelt "Hangout" with the Atlanta Zoo

This morning, the 4th graders in Ms. Wingader's class had the opportunity to go on a virtual field trip. We were able to "travel" to the Atlanta Zoo this morning to learn about the physics and biology of flight.   This was honestly such a cool experience to be a part of!   We were connected via Google+ and were joined by two different people from the Atlanta Zoo and another 4th grader who is home schooled.   You can check out our virtual field trip below!  Towards the end you will notice that quite a few students were able to ask questions.  A special thank you to the Atlanta Zoo for hosting this "On Air Hangout" and to Jeffery Salvitti from Google for making this possible for us here at Roosevelt Elementary School.  I'm excited for our next field trip later this week with third grade, as well as exploring more opportunities with other museums, zoos, and aquariums that hopefully we can connect with so other students can experience this exciting new way of going on a field trip!

E is for Explore!

I stumbled across a fun new blog today, E is for Explore!  E is for EXPLORE is a one stop resource for teachers and parents. They develop unique learning activities, and search the internet and compile additional great ideas from other sources. Their index helps you find what you need quickly and easily. They have posted ideas from other sources as well and provide easy links to those websites.  All E is for Explore activities conform to state common core curriculum standards.

Check out this fun one...

This fun idea comes from Fall into First! Take photos (or have students take photos) of students' toothless mouths (showing their teeth). Next, ask kids to estimate the total number of teeth that have been lost in the class (sum of all their teeth lost). Have students go around the room and tally how many teeth each of their peers has lost. Have them count all of their tally marks and figure out the total. Whose prediction was the closet? Then, as a class, create a graph of how many teeth each child is missing. Hang the photos up, as well as the graph. Students try to guess who's mouth is whose based on their knowledge of how many teeth each of their peers has lost, as well as their keen observation skills.

Science experiment - Brush your teeth! - Part 1 and Part 2

Activity from E is for explore.

Google Forms

I know that I've shared my love of Google Forms various times with the Roosevelt Staff, however, last night, in my Google Drive and the Common Core class, an amazing resource was shared with me.

Kern Kelly, another educator, has created a variety of templates for teachers to use!   All you need to do is be logged into your Google account, click on the template, then it will copy into your Google Drive for you to edit and make it your own!

Here are a few of the awesome examples:

Test and Quizzes

• Self Grading 10 Question Multiple Choice Quiz - Provide a link to this  form or embed it into a website. This template scores the answers as soon as students complete the quiz.

• Self Grading 20 Question Multiple Choice Quiz - Provide a link to this  form or embed it into a website. This template scores the answers as soon as students complete the quiz.

• Self Grading 50 Question Multiple Choice Quiz - Provide a link to this  form or embed it into a website. This template scores the answers as soon as students complete the quiz.

• Self Correcting Spelling Quiz - This form allows a teacher to enter 20 words and once the quiz is completed, it self corrects and analyzes the data. 

• Response to Literature Scoring Form - This form collects literature response scores and coordinates the results.

Miscellaneous 

• Story Board - Used by student groups to write and produce a video project.  

• Booklist Template - Used by teachers to keep track of the names and quantity of books read by students. 

• Vocabulary Flashcard builder - This spreadsheet creates a custom flashcard sheet. 

As always, I'd love to help you take one of these (or all of these) and make them easy for you to use in your classroom.   Please ask!

Have a wonderful weekend!

App of the Week: Sonic Pics

App of the Week: Sonic Pics

What is it?

SonicPics makes digital storytelling fun and easy! Turn your photographs or pictures of student drawings or work into narrated slideshow movies to share! 

• Add images from your photo library or snap new ones with your camera. 
• Arrange your photos however you would like. 
• Record a voiceover narrating your images as you swipe through them. 

Once you are finished, you have a movie with your images synchronized to your narration. You can share your recording with students and parents. 

What can it do?

• Create and narrate custom photo slideshows.
• Records your voice while you flip through your images. 
• Automatically synchronizes your images to the audio recording.
• Present your stories on the SMART Board or projector
• Make movies of your images and narrations from the iPad.
• Record up to 60 minutes per session! 
• Easy image selection and editing. 
• Give images unique names and descriptions that can optionally be shown during recording.
• Build slide shows with photos from photo albums, camera roll or built in camera (great for taking pictures of student work). 

Who is it Good For?
This app is good for all ages.   Students in primary can take pictures and reflect on their work or build slideshows multiple images (pictures taken or drawn).   This app can be used more complex in intermediate with inserting images from the internet, students own photos, or drawings.  If you are interested in trying this with your students, let me know!  I'm happy to help!

CCSS Connection
Click here to see the connection to CCSS for ELA.