Look How Far We've Come...

Look at how technology has evolved through the ages... 

Look at some of the cool stuff happening in technology now...

Let's do this!

Infographics from WebWiseTutors

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.

Techy Terms Tuesday #3

Welcome to the third edition of Techy Terms Tuesday!

Do you remember in the fall, taking the Level of Teaching Innovation (LoTi)?  I know it was the week of conferences, and we had some log in issues, however, the LoTi is meant to help give you some areas to improve on in your teaching.  One of the biggest complaints I received about the LoTi was the complex "techy" vocabulary used in the survey.   Since we will be taking the survey again in the spring, I thought it might be a great idea to transform some of the complex language into teacher friendly terms - as I think we are all super innovative educators - and I know that will be reflected in the upcoming survey!  

Here is a new techy term for you:  local and global learning communities

What's a local and global learning community?

Local and global learning communities involve collaborations with other individuals that promote interdependence, two-way communication, and creative problem solving.

So, in simple terms, a lot of the cool stuff that's been happening around Roosevelt!  From Google Hangouts, Virtual Field Trips, Pen Pals, etc. we have a lot of collaboration going on.  If you'd like help promoting a local and global learning community in your classroom, please let me know!

Techy Terms Tuesday Two

Welcome to the second edition of Techy Terms Tuesday!

Do you remember in the fall, taking the Level of Teaching Innovation (LoTi)?  I know it was the week of conferences, and we had some log in issues, however, the LoTi is meant to help give you some areas to improve on in your teaching.  One of the biggest complaints I received about the LoTi was the complex "techy" vocabulary used in the survey.   Since we will be taking the survey again in the spring, I thought it might be a great idea to transform some of the complex language into teacher friendly terms - as I think we are all super innovative educators - and I know that will be reflected in the upcoming survey!   Here is two more techy terms for you to digest... however, in my mind, they are more curricular based.  It's nice when technology can enhance the curriculum.  :)

Complex Thinking Skill Strategies

Complex thinking skill strategies refer to the more broad, all-encompassing thinking strategies used in processing that depend on a series of steps to reach a conclusion.  Complex thinking strategies include:

• problem solving
• creative problem solving
• decision-making
• reasoning, 
• investigation, 
• experimental inquiry, 
• reflective thinking.

So simply put, these complex thinking strategies are things that we as teachers use all of them time!   I know that we are always trying to push this complex thinking strategies, and try to improve the ways we use them in our classrooms.   If you want help trying to transform a lesson using these complex thinking strategies, please let me know!

Content Standards

Content standards are collections of discipline-specific student outcomes for instruction and learning that define what students should know and be able to do. Instructional content standards provide a way to focus on a common educational vision among educational professionals, parents, students, and the community at large. They also provide a guide for enhancing preparation and continuing education of teachers while providing a foundation for curriculum development, instruction, and assessment of student performance. 

• National Science Education (NSE) Standards
• National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
• National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)
• National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) Standards
• National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Expectations of Excellence
• National Language Arts Standards
• National Council for Economics Education (NCEE) Standards
• National Standards for Arts Education
• National Standards for History
• National Association for Sport & Physical Education (NASPE) Standards
• National Health Education Standards
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Performance Guidelines
• Center for Civic Education (CCE) National Standards for Civics and Government

So, simply put, Content Standards are what we use to guide our instruction every day!

These aren't so tough, right?   Next week I'll break down a few more questions, about how we are using digital & environmental resources. 

Hour of Code

We live in a world surrounded by technology. But only a tiny fraction of students learn how computers work, or how to create software technology. Computer Science provides a foundation for virtually any career and all our students can benefit from learning the basics. 

This year, for Computer Science Education Week, a massive campaign called the Hour of Code is introducing 10 million students to try one hour of introductory computer science.

Watch the video below to find out more or check out the Hour of Code website by clicking here.  Are you interested in your class participating?   Let me know and I'd be happy to help set it up for you!

Success at the Core Library of Congress Digital Primary Sources

I follow a blog and have a membership at the website, Success at the Core.   Success at the Core's mission is to:

• Strengthens leadership teams' ability to define quality instruction and advocate for it in their schools
• Offers teachers practical methods to implement a shared vision of quality instruction in their classrooms

I follow their blog which offers some great coaching tips as well as resources.   Over the weekend, they shared a great resource at the Library of Congress.  The Library of Congress offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effective use primary sources from the Library's vast digital collections in their teaching.    You can also search these primary sources by common core standard, state content, and organizations.   Pulling up some of these resources would be great on your SMART Board.    Check them out by clicking here.

Making New Friends

This past Wednesday, Mrs. Kulnig's class of 4th graders Skyped with their new “mates”.

Mrs. Kulnig arranged the opportunity through the family hosting her son who is playing soccer there.  The host family’s 9-year-old is in the equivalent grade as her Roosevelt fourth graders.  We Skyped through the classroom’s SmartBoard with their counterparts in teacher Gemma Taylor’s class at St. Katherine's Primary School on Canvey Island. The island sits in the River Thames’ estuary directly east of London along England’s southeast coast.

The 9-year-old students on both sides of “the pond” had been busily brainstorming topics to present to their new friends.   They both shared “big picture” information about Roosevelt School’s location and make-up, and what they study as fourth graders including art, music and gym.  They also decried the many ways they use technology in their learning, and wrap up with a topic of universal interest – homework, describing assignments and the school’s after school homework help club. We heard similar accounts from the St. Katherine’s students. 

Check out the quick highlight video below to see more - and hear some great accents!

A Cool Chromebook Story- We Are Ready!

Thanks to everyone who came to chat with Dr. Bresnahan on Wednesday along with Allison and myself about the 1 to 1 initiative that the district is proposing to the Board of Education.    Like Terri mentioned, we want students to be able to learn anytime, anywhere - and we know that our students are itching for this opportunity!   Our students are not the only ones excited about this opportunity.

The entire country of Malaysia has adopted this 1 to 1 initiative with Chromebooks.  As part of their plan to reform education in the country, Malaysia is providing 4G high speed Internet access, web-based educational tools, Google Apps and Chromebooks to primary and secondary school students nationwide.  Check out the quick video clip below.

If you are passionate about providing our students this type of learning, please join us at the May 20th Board of Education Meeting where this idea will be voted on.   We would love as much teacher support as possible, as we know our students are ready!    Please let me or Allison know if you have any questions!

Word Clouds

A word cloud of my job description.

I loved using Wordle in the classroom to have students summarize major units of study or as a simple get to know you activity at the beginning of the school year.  However, I came across this presentation below about different ways to use wordle in the classroom.   Some of my favorites included:

• #10 - Having students come up with rules/norms for your classroom
• #11 - Finding key words or ideas in a speech
• #15 - Reporting out data on a classroom poll
• #23 - Character Descriptions
• #26 - Wordle walk - similar to a picture walk
• #27 - Make a unique gift - like a mother's day wordle
• #37 - Give students a self-esteem boost & improve relationships

Forty Interesting Ways To Use Wordle In The C from Vreed17


If you are not a huge Wordle fan, ABCYA also has a word cloud generator called Word Clouds for Kids.  Click here to give it a try!

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!!!

Voice Comments On Google Docs

Wouldn't it be great if you could leave your students feed back on their Google Docs - but not have to write it?   They could listen to your suggestions while you read their essays that they read with you?  You could highlight while talking about suggestions and comments.  That is now possible!   Today I watched a cool screencast about using an app for Crome called, Voice Comments.  Simply highlight and speak - the Voice Comments app for Google Drive is the fastest way to give high quality feedback on a document.

Here is a great tutorial made by a teacher who uses Voice Comments with her students.

There is also a great step by step on getting stated once you install the app into your chrome browser.   You must be using chrome for this feature to work.   Currently, the Voice Comments feature only works with Google Docs, not presentations or spreadsheets.  Hopefully we'll see that in the future!

Does this sound like something that could be helpful for you and your students?   Let me know and I can walk through how to set this up for you and your students.   

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!

Using Technology vs Technology Integration

I found this chart on Pinterest and thought it really helped explained the difference between Using Technology and Technology Integration.  Research shows that technology integration has a greater impact on student learning.  

After reading the chart, how can I help you move from using technology to technology integration?   Let's talk about it!   Let me know a time that we can chat!