Two weeks ago, I read about a way to get my kids to respond to prompts through blogging. Currently, I am using Edmodo to communicate with my students. I assign homework and send messages about school to them. This is also a way for them to ask me questions and email me with concerns. This is all fine, but I want my correspondence to be more academic. We have a reading blog where they can write about what they are reading and we can comment. I started it with a simple blog on Kidblog. I want my class to get more exposure with the outside world though. That’s why I decided to give them visual prompts and let them write whatever they are thinking. I want them to be more creative and give them the liberty to take their thoughts to a deeper level.

I have been using http://visualwritingprompts.wordpress.com and http://wonderopolis.org for my prompt ideas.

Here’s the one I used this week, and got some really terrific thinking from my students.

I began to use a new program called Quizlet for the kids to practice vocabulary words. It’s awesome because my students can hear the word, see flashcards, and play games while learning their words. I have created sets for my novel unit, spelling units, science topics, and Social Studies units. The other thing I love about it, is there are sets of vocab cards already created by other educators. I search and, Wow!, there’s already a unit done for me. My students have downloaded the app on their devices and some have it on their computer. I have made it a nightly homework assignment to practice their cards. Quizlet will report who has been on studying too! Check it out. Best of all it’s FREE!

 http://quizlet.com/

My goal this year was to write more, but of course, that has not gone so well. Let me fill you in on what we have been doing in my 4th grade class. We have been integrating technology into our classroom setting, pacing ourselves as we learn. We have just become a Google for Education school. My students just received their Gmails. I haven’t allowed them to use it outside of the classroom. I am currently teaching them how to use the tools and switch back and forth with the tabs. Last week, we typed a couple of paragraphs and changed fonts, sizes, aligned text, and looked at few other simple features for Google Docs.

This week, I had the class research tips to help a dog that is afraid of thunderstorms. It ties into our novel study, Because of Winn Dixie. The children learned to use the Google Search feature to research for tips. They collected information and created a small essay on helping dogs from their finding on the Internet. It not only integrates technology, but meets the Common Core objectives for information writing.

It became very apparent that my students need not only practice keyboarding, but evaluating good and bad information on the internet. I will definitely plan more lessons typical to my last couple of weeks.

Let me know how you are integrating technology into your classroom activities and lessons.

Pam

I was looking for some lessons on digital citizenship for my 4th grade class. We were learning about the ins and outs of blogging and I wanted to teach them about online safety and appropriate conduct using technology. I came across a great website called CommonSenseMedia.org

It offers lessons for grades K through 12th. It also has videos for students, parents, and professional development. The site is free to join and you receive updates and information as our educational technology platform becomes more popular with kids.

It’s really important for kids to have a background on digital citizenship before you let them on any social media app.

My school has assigned teachers as tech champs to pave the way to integrating technology into 21 century skills and the Common Core into the classroom. Tech champs will be trained in Google apps, ITouch and IPad applications, and SmartBoard for the classroom.

As a teacher for only the past 13 years, education has evolved into a completely new world! Technology was just a minute speck in the realm of education. Not only are administrators asking for a total re-haul of curriculum incorporating the new Common Core, but we are expected to include technology and 21st Century skills too. As we all know, that is a lot to take on in one year. Tech Champs are supposed to be the trouble shooters for teachers that may be struggling or training educators in the newest and greatest of new Web 2.0 tools for the classroom.

I have been asked to be a Tech Champ. I feel compelled to take on the challenge because I will be one of the first trained on new apps and tools that enter the marketplace. My classroom will act as my pilot lab for new and exciting applications. We will be on the cutting edge of technology for the classroom. On the other hand, time is of the essence. Time has been a complaint for teachers forever. We never seem to have enough time to prep and plan, and evaluate, or reflect before instruction. Now, add the learning curve of technology to the equation. I find my self working at home and weekends even more to understand how I would use Web 2.0 tools in my classroom. Believe me, there are infinite ways to have technology be an integral part of the learning process, however instruction in and out of the classroom must be extended from the traditional method of teaching.

At the moment, I am using the SmartBoard in my classroom for lessons and instruction. I would say I’m still in the beginning phase. I try to explore something new on the board each day. My students love playing detectives and troubleshooting with me.

My class is also blogging with another 4th grade classroom in our district. We decided to start with just responses about the literature that we are reading in class and independently. The kids are using the basic skills of blogging right now. I hope to move them to some advance blogging by linking to author sites, adding images, and creating some orignal written work and embedding it on the blog.

We have also Skyped a couple times with the 4th grade class sharing some book reviews. Again, I would love to connect with classrooms globally. I love the EPals site, but I just don’t have the time right now to do anything with it right now. Check it out if you want to connect to other global classrooms. They have great projects to participate in too.

I’m using Edmodo to connect to parents and students, school to home. I put the nightly homework and deadlines on it daily. It is a way for the kids to connect outside of school on an academic platform. My rule is that it can only be used as a resource for school, not a place to chat socially. If the kids want to chat about a book or academic subject, I have no problem with it. Edmodo also has a great application called LearnZillioin, where there is a tutorial of selected common core standards and guided lessons for the kids to watch in and out of school. I use it on my SmartBoard as a mini-lesson and then direct my students to it on Edmodo, if they need to watch it again at night, say for homework help.

I’ve also experimented with Glogster and Animoto. I like them, but again it requires additional time to teach my class the basic skills of the application.

As a tech champ, I hope to weed out the apps that work well in the classroom and those that are fun but don’t meet the standard criteria. I hope you continue to visit my blog and watch for some of my reviews of the latest Web 2.o tools for the classroom.

Have a great week!