Miss Blunt's Engaged Classroom

"It's not a digital footprint, it's a digital tattoo."

2011-01-29T12:50:00.004-07:00

EduBloggerCon - Networking/Web 3.0

What is digital citizenship?
I have noticed a shift from simply teaching online safety to teaching digital citizenship. What is the difference? I think digital citizenship is more all-encompassing. It includes online safety (what I think of as the "stranger danger" aspect of digital citizenship), but is a more well-rounded and complete view of what it means to "be online". It addresses safe searching, filters, security, and protecting personal information as well as appropriate content, cyber-bullying, copyright, ethics, social skills, collaboration, affiliation, authorship, and accountability. It is not just acceptable use, but responsible use. Yes, parents and educators need to keep children safe on the Internet, but we need to teach them etiquette and behavior expectations as well, just like we do in the "real world". The virtual world should not be that different from the real world. It's the same people conducting the same business and social interactions, just in a new way.

What is Web 3.0?
At the Networking/Web3.0 session I attended at EduBloggerCon in June, we discussed the idea of "Web 3.0". This discussion focused on the following progression: from The World Wide Web, to Web 2.0, and on to Web 3.0. The World Wide Web was an amazing connection of hypertext and linked documents. Web 2.0 shifted to being of the people, by the people -- interactive and open-source. Web 3.0 has shifted to more than just talk -- we share information and help each other manage and find meaning in the information that is out there.

What does Web 3.0 mean for students, parents, and educators?
Parents and educators have a responsibility to help students understand that there are real people with real feelings behind all the tweets, posts, and avatars. Every person is a citizen online, just like in the real world. We are all expected to follow rules, laws, and appropriate social behavior in life, so we must do the same online.
What does this mean for school work?
On school networks, no person should ever be anonymous. We should be asking our students to put their name on everything. Being anonymous is like wearing a mask. People behave differently. They feel that because nobody knows who they are, they can do things they would never do normally. They disconnect from their actions and therefore take no responsibility for them. Students should be taught to be responsible for everything they put out there -- every post, tweet, and comment they make. Teaching them to put their name on their work encourages them to take ownership and responsibility for it.

In addition, keeping things anonymous does not allow authorship. It does not allow students to take credit for the great work they are doing. Instead of encouraging anonymity, we should encourage authorship by finding people to comment and share with our students so they can experience the benefits of taking ownership of their work. How? We can use hashtags like #comments4kids on Twitter to get other educators to comment on student blog posts. We can let students know who has viewed their blogs. We can try to get student work published outside of the school -- linked to a local paper or on a public site. (For example, talk to an historian and create a site for the local museum, newspaper, historical society, or library.) We can get outside businesses and associations interested in what our students are doing. (This is mutually beneficial. The students gain an understanding of their potential influence, and businesses gain interest from the "under-30 crowd".) We should be helping students see how far-reaching their online influence can be.

The Eisenhower school safety project expands on this concept. Check out their blog titled "Generation YES Blog -- Thoughts About Empowering Students with Technology".

How should educators handle social network sites like Facebook?
I think that although we do need to be responsible online citizens, we do not want to create fear of social networking and sharing online. We want students to be able to reap the benefits of world wide access to incredible educational resources and social networks. Facebook is the "pizza parlor" or "shopping mall" of today, as the video below says. That means Facebook is also a great way to get announcements, news, educational content, and information out to students and the community. How? Teachers can create Facebook groups or fanpages for their classes instead of friending students. While we do need to be wise and thoughtful about the use of and access to social networks, we should not completely shy away from using them as resources.

How do we bring the family along for the learning?
Parents need to be involved in the online lives of their children. They need to help their children learn appropriate online behavior, just as they help them learn appropriate real-world behavior. We as educators can help parents. How? We can start by helping them become educated about digital citizenship. We can help parents understand the Acceptable Use Policy and Information Release Forms they are asked to sign. We can make them aware of available digital citizenship and network literacy resources. For example, UEN has created NetSafeUtah - a collection of movies about Internet safety and citizenship. I watched one NetSafe movie recently that focuses on parent involvement in the online activity of their children:

Educators should help parents understand what schools are doing with technology, particularly with Internet resources, so they can support our efforts. How? Schools can hold parent openhouse nights to encourage family involvement. They can hold family tech nights at the start of each school year and then again throughout the year on specific technology tools and topics. They can hold classes at various times and in various places for short periods of time to make it easier for busy parents to attend. Some schools even allow parents who do not have computers or Internet at home to have some access to computers and Internet at the school.

Educators can hold classes for parents where they actually participate in the same types of assignments, projects, and experiences that their children are participating in so they understand what is happening and what the value is. Experiencing what their kids experience can also help parents understand how to help their children with technology issues that arise at home (ie. what to do when you have trouble uploading a file). Have parents comment on each other's posts and projects so they can understand how it feels to interact and receive that kind of feedback. Try sharing class blogs from previous years so parents to see examples of what blogs are for and what can be accomplished with them.

What about kids who do not have access to technology at home?
Many educators are finding that it is difficult to press forward with technology use in education when so many of our students do not have the same technology tools and resources at home that they have at school. In public education we cannot require students to use tools unless we provide them. Even if districts can purchase equipment for students, it doesn't help much if they don't have Internet access at home. Here are some ideas our EduBloggerCon discussion group brainstormed to help families access technology and Internet resources at home:

Set up a rent-to-own program through the district, just like many districts have set up for purchasing band instruments.
Use the free/reduced lunch format to achieve one-to-one access.
Buy technology instead of textbooks.
Purchase mobile devices that do not require a home Internet provider.

What are we afraid of?
There are a lot of questions to be answered and ideas to ponder when it comes to managing and using technology in education, particularly Internet resources. There are many things we need to be wise and thoughtful about. But, it is clear to me that we cannot be afraid of the opportunities presented by the digital world. We should be excited about them! We should be providing our students the training and access they need to succeed and make a difference as digital citizens. The world of technology is their world. We are tasked with the responsibility to prepare them for it. I think I'm about the break into song... "I believe the children are our future. Teach them well, and let them lead the way..." You said it, Whitney.

VoiceThread

2010-10-04T11:05:00.001-06:00

VoiceThread - ISTE 2010

http://edtechvision.wikispaces.com/VoiceThread
VoiceThread on Twitter: voicethread
ISTE10's VoiceThread on Twitter: #istevt
Backchannel: http://todaysmeet.com/istevt

What is VoiceThread?
I attended a session at ISTE this summer about VoiceThread that provided me with some wonderful teaching ideas. First, let me explain what VoiceThread is. VoiceThread.com says:

A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate pages and leave comments in 5 ways - using voice, text, audio file, image file or video. With VoiceThread, group conversations are collected and shared in one place from anywhere in the world -- all with no software to install.

To get a better idea of what VoiceThread is, watch the following VoiceThread about VoiceThread:

Creating a VoiceThread
The first step in creating a VoiceThread is planning. Before beginning the technical process, be sure to answer the following questions: One: What is my goal? Two: What kind of presentation is this going to be? Once you have decided the direction of your VoiceThread, prepare the media you plan to use in your project. Save all the needed documents, video, audio, and pictures in a file ahead of time so they are ready to be uploaded when the time comes.

Once you have a plan in mind, the technical process begins. First, you will need to register and create a VoiceThread account. Once you are logged in, you will see the three steps to create your project. Step one: Upload the media you have prepared. Step two: Record your comments. Step three: Share your project. To edit, use the tools located around the VoiceThread's window to alter your project's elements, pages, comments, and settings.

Visit the VoiceThread support page to find more detailed instructions, answers to frequently asked questions, and helpful hints for creating projects.

Tips and Suggestions
There are a lot of things you can do to improve your projects, to make the creation process easier, and to adjust your projects to better fit the needs of your students:

You can upload the pictures you plan to use in your VoiceThread onto Flikr and automatically add a folder to your project.
Use your computer's built-in microphone or a USB headset to record audio for your VoiceThread.
You can input your cell phone number onto VoiceThread, and the site will call you to record your audio.
PowerPoints can be easily uploaded onto VoiceThread. Save your PowerPoint slides as jpg files and upload them to your VoiceThread.
If you need to include copyright information for photos you have used, you can screen capture the copyright information and upload the image onto your VoiceThread.
Record your voice or use video clips to upload to your VoiceThread.
Upload a variety of files to your VoiceThread including pdf, docs, etc.
You can record up to 15 minutes of audio per slide on the VoiceThread site.
The VoiceThread site will automatically scale photos so they fit the allotted space.
When recording, to avoid all the classroom noise, you can put a box on the student's head or hold a book up behind the microphone to block out the noise.
Allow anyone to view and anyone to comment on your VoiceThreads, but be sure to moderate all comments.
If you are concerned about sharing student work, you can opt to not allow your VoiceThread to be shown on the browse list.
You can create sharing groups to choose who can view and comment on specific VoiceThreads.
You can export your VoiceThread as a .mov file and burn copies for your class.
You can subscribe to VoiceThreads that you like.

Teaching Ideas
Using technology tools in your classroom can increase student engagement in the learning process and help them connect to the curriculum in an authentic way. Following are some ideas of how you can use VoiceThread in your classroom to enhance student learning. As you read through these ideas, keep in mind that with VoiceThread online discussions can be had with anyone anywhere in the world. Students can interact with classmates, or students and experts far beyond the walls of their school.

Asynchronous Debate - Students research, plan, and prewrite a debate speech, then record and upload their speech to VoiceThread. They find images to go along with their speech. Each debate team listens to the opposing speech and then takes five minutes to plan a rebuttle and record it on VoiceThread. Such a debate can be held between various class sections, between different schools, and at different locations.
Explorers - Students create slides about different explorers and record information about them. Later, students can compare and contrast the explorers they have learned about on the pages of their class VoiceThread. They can record their findings on their original page.
Civil War Simulation - Students record first-person accounts of historical figures from the Civil War.
Middle Ages Feudal System - Students post pictures representing all the different classes of people in the medieval social system. They record either a description of their rolls, rights, and lifestyles or mock first-person accounts of their lives.
Interview an Expert - Help an expert set up a VoiceThread about their field of expertise. After learning from the VoiceThread, students record questions for the experts to answer. The expert then records answers to the students questions. Finally, the students create a VoiceThread as a report (ie. on an animal), and the expert views the report, listens, asks questions, and makes comments.

For additional teaching ideas, visit the VoiceThread idea page or simply browse through VoiceThreads that others have created.

Benefits
There are many benefits to using VoiceThread in your classroom:

Creative Process - Creating VoiceThreads is fun and a great chance for students to be creative!
Motivation - Students are often motivated by using new tools and technology to create projects.
Collaboration - Students are able to work with a variety of people in their own classroom or from all over the world.
No boundaries - Students can communicate with others without the restrictions of time and location.
Writing - Those who may not be big writers yet can express themselves through VoiceThread.
Speaking - Students who are not yet comfortable with public speaking can get experience with speaking and gain confidence through VoiceThread.
Multimedia - Students learn to combine audio, pictures, video, etc. in creative and effective ways.
Audience - It is highly motivational to create a project that will be viewed by a real world-wide audience beyond just one teacher or class. A live, responsive audience adds validity and vitality to student work.
Feedback - The "conversation" between the creator and viewers of each VoiceThread are invaluable.

Examples
Following are some great examples of student VoiceThreads:

Math Strategies

Class Art Collection

Explorer Journals

Mission US

2010-10-01T11:33:00.003-06:00

http://www.uen.org/missionus/
http://www.mission-us.org/

Register - they don't track the accounts except to allow you to jump in and out of your game

Interactive game that allows students to make decisions as if they were a person living during the revolutionary war.
Historical fiction - some of the characters are real people from history, some are fictional
The decisions that the students make build and impact the events in their game later on, especially as it starts to show whether they are a patriot or loyal to the crown.
Students develop relationships with other characters and collect items that will affect the rest of their game.
Sometimes, you have to break the rules that the other characters tell you. You've got to decide whether you are going to follow what they say you should do or not. The teacher can help students make these discussions by educating them on the topics. For example, when told not to buy supplies from South Carolina, you need to decide if you should or not -- are they British imports or are they not?
It takes about 3 hours to play the whole game. Teachers could take as long as they want to guide the students through the game -- an hour and the rest at home, or a few days in class.
There are a lot of lessons that could be taught along with the game. Teachers can teach as many of these lessons and hold as many class discussions that tie into the game as desired.
Teacher resources include lesson plans, copies of the historical documents referenced in the games, etc.
There are EXTENSIVE resources for the teacher.
Recommended for 5th or 8th grade. Great for 5th because of the game/cartoon aspect. But, great for 8th grade because of the decisions that need to be made, and therefore the discussions that can be had.
Teachers should preview the game and the decisions before hand so they can help the students make the decisions they would like them to that will enable them to focus on the topics they would like most to discuss.
This is great at presenting multiple points of view in history. For example, when the Boston Massacre happens, each student may get different events and decisions. Then, they can discuss with their

Microorganisms

2010-09-24T10:53:00.005-06:00

A teacher recently asked if I could find some Internet sites that help reinforce the 6th grade curriculum on microorganisms. First I have included the Utah Core Curriculum on microorganisms, then I have listed some of the sites I was able to find:

Core Curriculum on UEN
Science Benchmark: Microorganisms are those living things that are visible as individual organisms only with the aid of magnification. Microorganisms are components of every ecosystem on Earth. Microorganisms range in complexity from single to multicellular organisms. Most microorganisms do not cause disease and many are beneficial. Microorganisms require food, water, air, ways to dispose of waste, and an environment in which they can live. Investigation of microorganisms is accomplished by observing organisms using direct observation with the aid of magnification, observation of colonies of these organisms and their waste, and observation of microorganisms' effects on an environment and other organisms.

Standard 5 : Students will understand that microorganisms range from simple to complex, are found almost everywhere, and are both helpful and harmful.

Objective 1: Observe and summarize information about microorganisms.

Examine and illustrate size, shape, and structure of organisms found in an environment such as pond water.
Compare characteristics common in observed organisms (e.g., color, movement, appendages, shape) and infer their function (e.g., green color found in organisms that are producers, appendages help movement).
Research and report on a microorganism's requirements (i.e., food, water, air, waste disposal, temperature of environment, reproduction).

Objective 2 : Demonstrate the skills needed to plan and conduct an experiment to determine a microorganism's requirements in a specific environment.

Formulate a question about microorganisms that can be answered with a student experiment.
Develop a hypothesis for a question about microorganisms based on observations and prior knowledge.
Plan and carry out an investigation on microorganisms. {Note: Teacher must examine plans and procedures to assure the safety of students; for additional information, you may wish to read microbe safety information on Utah Science Home Page.}
Display results in an appropriate format (e.g., graphs, tables, diagrams).
Prepare a written summary or conclusion to describe the results in terms of the hypothesis for the investigation on microorganisms.

Objective 3 : Identify positive and negative effects of microorganisms and how science has developed positive uses for some microorganisms and overcome the negative effects of others.

Describe in writing how microorganisms serve as decomposers in the environment.
Identify how microorganisms are used as food or in the production of food (e.g., yeast helps bread rise, fungi flavor cheese, algae are used in ice cream, bacteria are used to make cheese and yogurt).
Identify helpful uses of microorganisms (e.g., clean up oil spills, purify water, digest food in digestive tract, antibiotics) and the role of science in the development of understanding that led to positive uses (i.e., Pasteur established the existence, growth, and control of bacteria; Fleming isolated and developed penicillin).
Relate several diseases caused by microorganisms to the organism causing the disease (e.g., athlete's foot -fungi, streptococcus throat -bacteria, giardia -protozoa).
Observe and report on microorganisms' harmful effects on food (e.g., causes fruits and vegetables to rot, destroys food bearing plants, makes milk sour).

Websites:

UEN Educational Links, Standard 5
UEN Educational Links, Standard 5, Objective 1
UEN Educational Links, Standard 5, Objective 2
UEN Educational Links, Standard 5, Objective 3
BBC Bitesize Science - Microorganisms - Interactive activity about helpful & harmful microorganisms
Science NetLinks - Invisible Allies: Microbes That Shape Our Lives - Book
Science NetLinks - Microbes 1: What's Bugging You? - Lesson
Science NetLinks - Microbes 2: Louis Pasteur - A Microbe Discoverer - Lesson
Science NetLinks - Sanitation and Human Health - Lesson
Microbe World - Meet the Microbe - Informational site
Microbe Zoo - Digital Learning Center for Microbial Ecology
National Geographic - Creepy Critters - Quiz/game identifying microorganisms that live on the human body
NOVA - Disease Detective - Webquest-type activity to identify which microorganisms caused an illness in some campers
Harmful Algae - Informational site about the harm algae can cause
Utah State University - Microorganisms in the Macrocosm - Series of lesson plans, handouts, and other resource links
American Museum of Natural History - Infection, Detection, Protection - Several activities and informational sites about microorganisms and the connection to diseases
The Children's University of Manchester - Microorganisms - Collection of interactive learning modules and quizes about various types of microorganisms

Great Gadgets

2010-08-13T13:30:00.000-06:00

Gadgets for Everyone!
lesliefisher.com

This post is for all those techie geeks out there who like to learn about the latest and greatest gadgets. Leslie Fisher is an expert at keeping up with all the newest tech tools. Following is a list of gadgets Leslie shared at ISTE10 that you might find interesting and helpful. Some are very helpful teaching tools, and some are just for fun. Enjoy!

eventbrite.com
Eventbrite is a website that allows you to set up an event with online registration. With it, you can process credit card payments, accepts donations, manages recurring events, add number caps and waitlists, and create name badges and certificates for your events. This is a free tool for free events. If you plan to charge for your events, Eventbrite charges 2.5% +99¢ per event for each pay ticket sold.

Google Voice
Google Voice sets up a universal phone number that you can attach to as many phone numbers as you want. This universal number can be set up to ring multiple phones (like your cell phone, home phone, and work phone) or go straight to voicemail. You can also use Google Voice to send yourself text, SMS, or email transcriptions of any voicemail messages you receive.

tripit.com
Send your travel itineraries to plans@tripit.com from your signed-up email account, and
Tripit will create an itinerary for you. You can then share itineraries as well as output info to many calendar formats. You can even print a master itinerary if you still like paper. Tripit also supports social networking, but be careful making travel plans available to the world. You don't want those with ill intentions knowing when you will be away from your home.

Twitter
Did you know you can add your twitter feed to your website? Go to twitter.com/goodies, click on widgets, and click on the profile widget and it will give you the code to put Twitter onto your website. This can be used for tweets, for @replies, and to search any criteria.

Tweetdeck
Organize who you are following on Twitter into logical groups. Add multiple twitter accounts, photo support, as well as facebook feeds. Tweetdeck is free!

Remember the Milk
Rememberthemilk.com is free unless you connect to a mobile client. Use it create to do lists or to create task lists for conferences or trainings. Remember the Milk supports social networking.

Evernote
Evernote.com is free! It is note-taking software. Grab anything - web pages, pictures, notes - using your web cam, phone, camera, etc. Evernote will place all your notes in a central, private location on their server so you can access your notes from anywhere. Evernote will perform OCR recognition on all submissions, even photos, to allow easy searching. (OCR recognition means that it will read a scanned document and transform what you have scanned into a word processing entry that is then editable.) You can then create albums and organize your information further. Albums can also be made public on the web. Use the iPhone app to access your notes on your iPhone. The Evernote site has Great demo videos.

Etherpad/Typwith.me
Create a shared document with simultaneous typing so your students can work on the document at the same time. Each document has a time slider that allows you to go back to any of the edits that were made and play it back. Right now it is limited to 15 people at a time. Etherpad is now embeded in googledocs (go into settings to activate it) with no 15 person limit.

Zamzar
Zamzar.com converts files. Send them a file or URL you want to convert from one format to another. They can even convert files directly from YouTube. The converted file will be sent to your email. It's free!

UStream
Ustream is a free site to post streaming video. Use a webcam and stream your video online.

mozy.com
Mozy.com is online encrypted backup for Mac or PC. It is free for up to 2 gigs. It is $5 a month for unlimited data.

Cisco Media Hub
The Media Hub allows you to backup multiple computers. You can grant remote access to any device.

Apple Time Capsule
Time Capsule is part wireless router and part backup. When paired with TimeMachine, it will make hourly backups of your Mac.

Orbicule Undercover
If your Mac is stolen Orbicle will secretly transmit the IP and Router information so you can locate where it has been taken. It will also take a screenshot with your built in camera and mail it to you every 6 minutes so you can see who is using your stolen computer. If that still does not help you locate your stolen computer, it is ready with Plan B. Orbicle will slowly dim your computer screen to make it look like a screen failure has occurred. When your machine is then taken to the Apple store to be sold or fixed, it is like it has been returned to the mother ship. A message alerting Apple that yours is a stolen machine will appear. The volume on your computer will automatically turn up to the loudest setting, and your computer will yell, "STOLEN!" over and over again. The cost is $49.00.

Photos (paid)
These sites have a store of photos you can use for projects. These sites are not free, but offer more photos than some of the free sites do.

Clipart.com
Novadevelopment.com
istockphoto.com
istockphoto.com/lesliefisher-offer.php - If you would like 15% off the membership fee for istockphoto.com, go to this link for Leslie Fisher's discount.

Digital Cameras
Here are some suggestions of good digital cameras for personal use. Both of these cameras can take 6 images per second. They are particularly good for low light settings. They both have panorama mode.

Sony Cybershot Hx1 - $399 - more zoom
Sony Cybershot HX5V - $349

Camera Cards
Using a professionally rated memory card will improve the quality of your pictures.
The Lexar Professional and the SanDisk ExtremeIII are good cards. These take pictures more quickly and with better quality.

smugmug.com
If you use smugmug.com for photo sharing you can upload photos of any size. The charge is $75 per year for as many photos as you want at any size. Free accounts are available for non-profit organizations. Some schools have sold their photos from school events to make money for their school using Smugmug.

Fast, Easy Video
If you are looking for some simple, easy-to-use video cameras, here are some suggestions:

Sony Bloggie

Audio/Video Portability
Here are some suggestions for those who can't get enough of your TV!

Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick - Hooks your PC to your TV
EyeTV Hybrid - Onscreen TV Guide with DV
Sling Media - a box that hooks up to your home theatre and uses Internet connection to broadcast the signal to your CPU, phone, etc.

Video Options
Want to watch TV shows and movies online?

Netflix Streaming
Hulu.com
Boxee: "Social Media Center" - Access media from the web and your CPU in one central interface. You can share media with your friend list.

Home Theater Nut?

Logitech Harmony One - smart universal remote
Harmony 1110 - more expensive

Droid/iPhone
Enter text with continuous motion.

Swype - Droid
Shapewriter - iPhone

iPad
Why would you want an iPad? The iPad has affordable apps, has a 7-hour battery, and is portable. The iPad is bringing reading back because i makes it simple and fun it is to use e-readers! The iPad has a variety of cool apps like Proloquo2Go, Star Walk, iStudiez Pro, NewsRack, Instapaper, and GoodReader.
There are many cool cases that have been created for the iPad. The DODO Case is Leslie Fisher's favorite. A couple other good ones are the Quirky Cloak and Hard Candy. Hard candy is particularly good for use with kids because it protects well.

New Apps
It can be difficult to keep up with all the new apps that become available for the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Appshopper.com is a site that will help you keep up with the latest and greatest apps. Here are a few new, popular apps:

Loopt - Keep up with your friends and follow where they are on a map
Foursquare - Post where you are and get points and status for where you've gone
Gowalla - This app is like Foursquare but allows users to create new locations. It has a better interface, but is not as popular as Foursquare. It is a little like geo caching -- you collect items and give them away to other people.

Charging Devices
Keeping your devices charged is quite a challenge! Here are a few tools to help keep your devices running:

www.solio.com - a solar power charger - 1 hour of sunlight = 20 minutes of talk time

www.kensington.com - mobile device chargers
MoPhie Juice Pack - a charging case

Audio
At ion-audio.com you can find a whole variety of great audio tools that can plug your old-school audio devices (records, tapes, VCRs) into your computer through a USB port.
Visit livescribe.com for information about a pen that can record and play back the notes you take.

Miscellaneous Geeky Items:
keyspan.com - presenter remote controlls
thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/interactive/991e - Wi-Fi Detector T-shirt

sfbags.com - Great computer-carrying bags
thinktankphoto.com - Inventive camera bags
northface - laptop backpacks
loewpro.com - online training courses on a variety of skills
despair.com - unmotivational posters
diy.despair.com/motivator.php - Create your own unmotivational posters

EduBloggerCon - Speed Demos

2010-06-26T13:25:00.013-06:00

EduBloggerCon Wiki

Speed Demos:
Here is a list of handy websites and tools that may help you use technology in your classroom.

mashpedia.com - a multimedia encyclopedia - Find videos, images, Wikipedia articles, Twitter posts, new articles, blog posts, websites, books, etc. on topics you search.
paper.li - Create a newspaper from a hashtag. - "paper.li organizes links shared on Twitter into an easy to read newspaper-style format. Newspapers can be created for any Twitter user, list or #tag. A great way to stay on top of all that is shared by the people you follow - even if you are not connected 24/7!"
glogster - "Simply put, Glog is a kind of poster - fully designed by yourself! Glog is a fancy creation from text, images, music and video." - Here is an example of Glogster used by the Springfield library: springfieldlibrary.wikispaces.com
Sharaholic.com - Add a button for your browser to send links to any service. You can turn services on and off as desired. - "1-click posting to 100+ services from any webpage You'll have all your favorite social networking, bookmarking, blogging, and e-mail services at your fingertips. With Shareaholic you'll be able to share any page, anytime, with services you already love like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Mail, WordPress, and lots more!"
exchange.smarttech.com - ideas for teachers using SMART boards/SMART software - "Find lesson plans for your SMART board and connect with teachers."
express.smarttech.com - SMART Notebook Express - "View, save, and interact with SMART Notebook files online at no charge."
Yolinkeducation.com - free downloadable plugin - "yolink finds and organizes your search results for you, then takes them directly to Google Docs or your favorite social networking site so you can create."
SweetSearch.com - a Search Engine for Students that searches only 35,000 curated sites - Yolink is integrated into SweetSearch.
SweetSearch4Me.com - the new K-8 version of SweetSearch
letmegooglethatforyou.com
tinyurl.com - Shorten long URLs to make them easier to share.
longurl.org - Find out what a shortened URL points to.
hugeURL.com - when you need a really long URL
readitlaterlist.com - collects web pages, blogs, etc. in a list for you to read later
jumpcut - "Jumpcut is an application that provides 'clipboard buffering' — that is, access to text that you've cut or copied, even if you've subsequently cut or copied something else. The goal of Jumpcut's interface is to provide quick, natural, intuitive access to your clipboard's history."
textexpander - "TextExpander saves you countless keystrokes with customized abbreviations for your frequently-used text strings and images."
edmodo.com - Create a private social network - a place to post things for your class, a place to discuss topics, etc. - Edmodo looks like Facebook, but it is specifically designed for your classroom.
http://sverigesradio.se/p1/SRc/sing/ - "Let them sing it for you." - When you type in any text, this program takes excerpts from popular songs creating a collage of artists singing what you typed.
techhead.org - Find the lowest prices on Microsoft and Adobe products for k12/higher ed.
google.com/squared - Get the results of your Google search in a table format.
When using wordle, put a ~ between each word instead of a space and it will keep your words in the order in which you type them.
http://bingle.nu - Search Bing and Google at the same time and compare the results.

CRT Review!

2010-04-07T16:10:00.004-06:00

Have you been wondering how to review with your students for the CRTs in a fun way? Here are the suggestions the Ed Tech and Media Tech teams came up with. Comment and let us know your fun ideas!

UTIPS - Create tests on UTIPS for your class to take online. If you need help accessing your account, contact your school's Ed Tech. Click here for a pdf of basic UTIPS instructions.
Clickers - Create tests with your SMART clicker software and have your class use the student response system to answer the questions with instant results. Visit the Canyons EMT site for tests that have already been created.
Crossword Puzzles - Review vocabulary by having students complete a crossword puzzle containing key content words and definitions. Create your own crosswords and other puzzles, or have your students create their own, at Puzzlemaker.com.
Podcast - Have the students create podcasts explaining a math formula or demonstrating a grammar concept. Have them perform and record a skit detailing a science concept. Be sure to set a time to allow the class to watch the podcasts. And be sure to share what you have created with your Ed Tech so we can share your podcasts on iTunesU.
PowerPoint Games - Create PowerPoint games like Jeopardy, Who's Smarter Than a 5th Grader, and Hollywood Squares. Find templates for these games at PowerPoint Games.
ComicLife - Have your students create a comic strip in ComicLife explaining a difficult curriculum concept.
Science Around the World - Prepare science questions for your class and have two students at a time race each other to answer the questions. The student that answers correctly first stays to challenge the next student and earns a "gold coin" for their win. (Other variations: Spelling Baseball, Multiplication Football, etc.)

Need help trying out these ideas? Contact your school's Ed Tech!

South America Research Resources

2010-03-23T10:18:00.003-06:00

Following are some links about South America to assist 3rd grade teachers and students. Please comment if you know of other helpful links.

South America
CultureGrams via Pioneer Library
UEN - 3rd Grade Examine the Inca of South America
CyberSleuthKids - South America
Lizardpoint - Test your geography knowledge South America
National Geographic - guide to South America
Totally 3rd Grade
Aztecs, Mayas, & Incas: Study of Indigenous People (webquest)
South American Countries (webquest)
ProTeacher South America lesson plans and activities
WorldAtlas.com - maps of South America
PlayKidsGames - South America Country Find
Kidipede - Early South America
Kidipede - South America after 1500 AD

Peru
CultureGrams via Pioneer Library
National Geographic Kids - Peru
Kids Around the World - Peru
KidsKonnect - Peru
National Geographic - Peru
CIA World Factbook - Peru
CIA World Factbook Kids' Page - Peru
Come to Peru

Amazon Rainforest
Teachers' Domain: Amazon Rainforest (video)
Jungle Photos
Mongabay: Tropical Rainforest
Rainforests - curriculum research links
Amazon Rainforest Endangered Animals Game
KidsKonnect: Rainforest - link list

South American Food
FoodsofSouthAmerica.com
iTV Kids South American Food Recipes
Food of the Inca

The Incas
UEN - 3rd Grade Examine the Inca of South America
Aztecs, Mayas, & Incas: Study of Indigenous People (webquest)
The Incredible Incas for Kids
National Geographic Kids Brainteaser Incas Quiz
KidsKonnect: Ancient Inca
The Incas at ppst.com - free PowerPoint presentations

ESL Websites & Software

2010-03-18T10:59:00.004-06:00

I asked my teammates if they knew of any websites or software that help ESL students as they learn to read and write. We came up with the following:

RIF Reading Planet - Reading Is Fundamental - reading activities for kids
Kidspiration - software that can help build vocabulary with picture support
MES English - "free printables for teachers"
Boardmaker - software - "symbol-based printed activities for students with special needs"
Starfall - "where students have fun learning to read"

Do you have additional suggestions?

Science and Social Studies Educational Websites

2010-03-11T13:47:00.003-07:00

Science

Social Studies

Integrating Technology into the Curriculum

2010-03-11T13:34:00.004-07:00

Online K-12 teacher resources:

Canyons EMT
UEN Core Curriculum
UEN Student Center
Thinkfinity
Literacy Network
Elementary Technology Lessons
Miss Blunt's Engaged Classroom Blog - I frequently post ideas and links on my blog, so click on "Follow" at the bottom of the sidebar or get the RSS feed to receive notices about new posts. Also on my blog: use tags to make your search for specific topics easier, follow me on Twitter, and link to other Ed Tech and teacher blogs

**See also my "Reading and Math Educational Websites" post for a lesson plan outline.

County, State, & Country Reports

2010-03-11T09:53:00.009-07:00

Several teachers have asked me to suggest online resources to help their students research for county, state, and country reports. Following are some sites I found. Please comment and share your favorite county, state, and country information resources.

Counties of Utah:

UEN's Counties of Utah
Pioneer Library - Pioneer has a list of Utah resources. On the Pioneer site, click on "K-12 Schools", then check out the "Utah Collection" column.
UEN's Core Curriculum Links - UEN provides a list of helpful links for every Core standard and objective. Go to the UEN Core Curriculum page, and select the subject area you want help with. For example: Geography of Utah (SS Standard 1), Utah History (SS Standard 2), Government of Utah (SS Standard 3)
Utah - Life Elevated (utah.travel)
Utah.com
Try searching the name of your county in Google. Most counties have a homepage with cultural, historical, and current information about their county.

The United States:

CultureGrams - States Edition - My favorite! You can access this site through Pioneer Library. It does require a license to access. When you go to the site while on the canyonair network, you will automatically be logged in. If you need the login name and password to login at home, they are listed on the Pioneer homepage.
Pioneer Library - Pioneer has a list of research resources -- everything from encyclopedias, to search engines, to image collections, to sound clips. On the Pioneer site, click on "K-12 Schools", then check out the "General Reference Collection" and the "Additional Library Resources".
UEN's Core Curriculum Links - UEN provides a list of helpful links for every Core standard and objective. Go to the UEN Core Curriculum page, and select the subject area you want help with. For example: North American Colonies (SS Standard 1), American Independence (SS Standard 2), US Constitution & Bill of Rights (SS Standard 3),US Expansion (SS Standard 4), US as a World Power (SS Standard 5)
FactFinder Kids' Corner - Fun State Facts! - from the US Census Bureau
netstate.com
5th Grade State Report Websites - a list of helpful websites
States Timed Test
Sheppard Software Us Geography - states & capitals tests as well as state information
Encyclopedia.com
US States and Regions at ppst.com
Infoplease Origin of State Names
Regions of the United States
Try searching the name of your state in Google. Most states have a homepage with cultural, historical, and current information about their state.

Countries of the World:

CultureGrams - World Edition - My favorite! You can access this site through Pioneer Library. It does require a license to access. When you go to the site while on the canyonair network, you will automatically be logged in. If you need the login name and password to login at home, they are listed on the Pioneer homepage.
Pioneer Library - Pioneer has a list of research resources -- everything from encyclopedias, to search engines, to image collections, to sound clips. On the Pioneer site, click on "K-12 Schools", then check out the "General Reference Collection" and the "Additional Library Resources".
UEN's Core Curriculum Links - UEN provides a list of helpful links for every Core standard and objective. Go to the UEN Core Curriculum page, and select the subject area you want help with. For example: Ancient Civilizations (SS Standard 1), Middle Ages/Renaissance (SS Standard 2), Revolutions (SS Standard 3), Current Global Issues (SS Standard 4)
Embassy.org - Click on the "Embassies" link at the top to get addresses to send letters to embassies of countries around the world. Many embassies will send information, recipes, and even music, books, or posters.
Lizardpoint Geography - geography tests for various countries and continents
CIA World Factbook
Lonely Planet
countryreports.org
infoplease Countries of the World
Encyclopedia.com
Scholastic's Global Trek
Try searching the name of your country in Google. Most countries have a homepage with cultural, historical, and current information about their country.

Vancouver 2010 Olympics

2010-02-18T11:06:00.002-07:00

There are some really fun resources and activities on the Vancouver Olympics site, and plenty of unofficial sites with information and activities for kids. Here are a few of them. Feel free to comment and tell me your favorite Vancouver 2010 sites!

Official Site:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/

Mascot Games:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/mascot

Kids Activities:
http://www.kidsturncentral.com/links/2010olympics.htm

WritingFix

2010-02-02T14:14:00.004-07:00

The literacy facilitator at Midvalley Elementary is an incredible resource if you need help teaching writing. She recently showed me the site writingfix.com, created by the Northern Nevada Writing Project, that contains wonderful resources, ideas, and lesson plans for teaching 6 Trait Writing. We all know the Direct Writing Assessment is rapidly approaching for 5th grade, and every teacher at every level should be teaching the 6 Traits, so I thought this site would be particularly helpful. Check it out!

Be sure to pay attention to the following great content on the site:

Writing prompts
Writing lessons
The writing process
Reviser's Toolbox
6 Traits
Writers Workshop
Writing across the curriculum
Teacher books and resources
Poetry
Mentor texts
E-mailed writing lesson of the month
iPods Across the Curriculum

Other helpful sites linked to WritingFix include:

Listen Up! Using music and lyrics to inspire meaningful writing
Always Write
Write in the Middle

Let me know what you think of the site. Are there other sites about teaching writing you've found helpful?
(Check out other online literacy resources listed on my "Reading and Math Educational Websites" blog post.)

Skyward Review

2010-01-25T21:02:00.004-07:00

The end of the elementary grading period is rapidly approaching. Here are some reminders/updates to help you have success using Skyward Gradebook this time around:

Print Cue - IT has added more servers and more print cues to avoid the delay in printing we had last grading period.
Safari - Using Safari instead of Firefox has solved the problem of the rows and columns not lining up on the screen. Safari has also been loading Gradebook more quickly.
Guided Reading Levels - In order for your GRL's to appear on the report card, we had to assign each level a percentage. The numbers that are now attached to the GRL's don't mean anything. They are only there so the correct levels will appear on your report cards. The percentages will not show up on the report card.
Events - You must enter at least one event in each skill area you would like to have count toward the final grade. If you only enter a final grade for a skill area without any events, the subject area grade will not calculate correctly.
Points - Grades are weighted by total points. If you want each skill area weighted equally toward the subject are grade, you must have an equal number of points in each skill area.

Visit the Canyons EMT (Educational and Media Technology) website for Skyward documentation and instructional videos. http://emt.canyonsdistrict.org

Remember to start entering your grades early! Do a test run of your report cards at least a couple of weeks ahead of time to make sure everything is showing up correctly.

Your Educational Technology Specialist will not be in your building on your February 26th EBL day due to the UCET conference. Plan ahead and get help early!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few more notes from Help Desk:

The explanation of guided reading levels should be correct this term.
“M” for modification is an option in all events, skills and subjects.
You should also see an option for NA this term.
5th and 6th grade report cards should show the explanation in the number boxes at the top for the letter grades A,B,C, etc.
If you have any trouble running reports or with blank fields again, please contact Help Desk or you Ed Tech.

Simple Teacher Websites

2010-01-18T17:21:00.003-07:00

There are many options available to teachers who want to create a website for the class/classes. Here are a few options my colleagues and I have tried:

My UEN

Free
Utah teachers automatically have a my.uen account
Pre-set template
Fast, easy to use
Simple design
Content entered into boxes on the page
Tabs to navigate to multiple pages
Links to lessons on uen.org

Blog (I have always used Blogger, but there are many options for blogging.)

Free
Linked to your Google account
Choice of templates, or create your own if you know html
Can edit html
Simple, one-page design
Content entered in as posts or on side-bar
Multi-media

Wiki (I have always used Wikispaces.)

Free - educators can get a free account without advertisements
Create as many wikis as you want with the same account
Choice of templates, or create your own if you know html
Can edit html
Multiple-page design
Content entered onto separate pages that can be linked
Navigation bar on each page
Multi-media
Upload documents
Formatting of text can be a little challenging at first

iWeb

Pay through MobileMe account
Limited amount of space
Design your own layout
Similar interface to other iLife applications
Multiple-page design
Content entered like a Pages document - your choice of design/layout
Multi-media
Quickly draws on items in iPhoto and other iLife applications
Upload documents

Google Sites
Google Sites is fairly new, so I haven't actually tried it yet. I have seen it, though, and it looks simple and really great. If you have used Google Sites, please comment and let me know what you think.

Dropbox
I have had several colleagues recently tell me that Dropbox can make a nice, simple website too. Comment if you know more about it!

What have I missed? What are the pros and cons of each of these tools? Are there other ways you are creating quick and easy-to-manage teachers websites? Please comment.

I have decided that each of these tools are useful in their own way. If a teacher is looking for something that is quick and easy, I recomment my.uen. I have loved using a blog to have students contribute with their own posts, pictures, links, and movies. But, my favorite for classroom management has been a wiki. I like that I can have several pages, each for a specific purpose (information about me, parents, homework, students work, calendars, content areas, etc.), and I love that I can upload documents (worksheets, permission slips, donation lists, assignment outlines, class rules, etc.).

Here are examples of my teacher websites:
My UEN: http://my.uen.org/myuen/77889
Blog: http://bluntsixth.blogspot.com/
Wiki: http://bluntclassroom.wikispaces.com/

Learn to Use the Mouse

2010-01-12T09:22:00.003-07:00

Activities to help kindergarten students improve their mouse skills:
Starry Night
Catch the Apples
The Three Monkeys
Fish World
Interactive Paper Dolls
Drag and Drop Matching Game
Feeding Frenzy
Click and Drag Animals

New NetSafe Videos

2010-01-08T10:05:00.004-07:00

UEN has new free online videos and public service announcements available to watch and download to help teach kids safe Internet use. Check it out:

http://www.netsafeutah.org/index.php

Also available on Nut Intuit:

http://www.nutintuit.com/Default/

Midvalley Elementary - ARISS Event

2009-12-04T10:20:00.004-07:00

ARISS = Amateur Radio on the International Space Station

Here are the YouTube links to the video footage from Midvalley's ARISS event:

Introductions by Mrs. Burningham and Mr. Bettinson & waiting for contact:

Students contact ISS:

After the event:

Dave Bettinson Interview:

Midvalley ARISS in the news:

Canyons Educational Technology Survey

2009-11-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

Canyons District Technology Survey

Podcasting

2009-11-17T10:02:00.016-07:00

This is an outline of my podcast training. It contains the movies and links that were used and discussed during the training. As soon as it is edited and published, I will add a link to the podcast of the training. (Imagine that! A podcast about podcasting!)

Samples

All About Me
Prison Blues
Willow Canyon Wonders
iTunes

Basics

What is a podcast?
Podcasting in Plain English:

What are the “rules” for podcasting?

Regularly scheduled - every week? every month?
Short segments - 10 minutes?
Audio bumpers between segments
Variety
Be organized and prepared.
Have a plan.
Have fun!

Planning

Storyboarding
ComicLife
Examples:

Starting a new project

Voice

Recording
Microphones: internal mic, snowball mic
Editing & moving clips
Special Effects

Photos

Adding photos
Editing & moving photos
Pics4Learning
Flickr Storm

Jingles/Songs

Adding music
Editing & moving music
GarageBand jingles
Soundzabound
Find Sounds
Create your own in GarageBand

Movies

It’s one or the other - pictures or a movie - not both.

Publishing

Standard intros and extros
iTunes U
Websites, blogs, wikis

Fair Use Policy

Creative Commons

How do I search for CC material?
Digital Copyright Slider: http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/
Fair Use Evaluator: http://librarycopyright.net/fairuse/
Exceptions for Instructors: http://librarycopyright.net/etool/index.php
Section 108 Spinner: http://librarycopyright.net/108spinner/
(Thanks to Ed Mondragon for the additional copyright links!)

Parent Permission

Canyons District Information Release

Spanish Immersion Links

2009-11-16T11:47:00.003-07:00

Activities
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage
Reading is Fundamental
Supermarket Spree
Poisson Rouge

Songs/Poems
Mama Lisa's World
Musical Spanish
RIF Canciones

Vocabulary
First Grade Español

Social Studies
Pearson Estudios Sociales

List of Websites
Best of Spanish Websites

Reading and Math Educational Websites

2009-10-29T16:46:00.017-06:00

Reading and Math Educational Websites

Reading:

Math:

Additional online K-12 teacher resources:

How to add these sites to the school folder

As with any other educational technology tool, educational websites should be used as part of a planned lesson to teach core curriculum concepts. For example:

Anticipatory Set - A short activity, dispatch or prompt that focuses the students' attention and ties previous lessons to today's lesson.
Purpose - An explanation of the importance of this lesson and a statement concerning what students will be able to do when they have completed it.
Input - The vocabulary, skills, and concepts to be learned.
Modeling - The teacher demonstrates what is to be learned
Guided Practice - The teacher leads the students through the steps necessary to perform the skill using multiple modalities.
Checking For Understanding - The teacher uses a variety of questioning strategies to determine if the students are understanding.
Independent Practice - The teacher releases students to practice on their own.
Closure - A review or wrap-up of the lesson.

(Source: Dr. Madeline Hunter http://www.csun.edu/science/ref/plans/lesson_design_hunter.html)

Example:

Patterns

Core Curriculum: 1st Grade Mathematics, Standard 2, Objective 1
Anticipatory Set: Patterns Shape Our World
Purpose: identify, create, and label repeating patterns using objects, pictures, and symbolic notation
Input: Mathematical language - attribute, repeating patterns
Modeling: Eyes on the "big screen"
Guided Practice: Polk Dot Shorts
Checking For Understanding: Pattern Dots
Independent Practice: Kid Pix Patterns
Closure: View student project and review concepts and vocabulary learned

Tips and Ideas for the Computer Lab

2009-10-08T21:21:00.010-06:00

Computer Lab Basics

Computer Care & Use

Leave the computers on. If you turn them off, they will have to be booted up by the next class and the techs aren't able to work on them remotely.
Mac laptops can typically just be closed and they will go to sleep. Turning them off means extra time for the next group who wants to use them.
On Macs you need to quit applications (Command Q), not just close application windows (red bubble).
What is the difference between an open application and an open folder? Folders contain files, documents, applications, etc. They can be closed using the red bubble or Command W. Applications are actually software programs you work in (like Word, GarageBand, or iTunes). They need to be quit using Command Q.
When do I single-click and when do I double-click? Why does it matter? Double-click to open documents, folders, or applications on your desktop or inside folders. Single-click to open items on your dock. Single-click almost all links when you are on the Internet. Double-clicking on items that only need a single-click can cause items to open when you did not intend them to, can take you to links you did not mean to follow, can submit information twice, and can generally "confuse" your computer.
Keyboard shortcuts: Command Q = Quit, Command S = Save, Command P = Print, Command W = close Window. Other keyboard shortcuts can be found to the right of menu items.
Projector: Learn how to turn it on and off, connect it to your computer (Macs need an adapter), and remember to turn it off when you're done.
School Folder: Create a new folder by going to the "File" menu and clicking "New Folder". I suggest you create a folder with your name, then create a file for each student inside that folder for them to save all their work.
You can drag websites to your school folder, too. Click and drag the icon next to the url of the website into your folder. Then the kids can simply double-click on the icon and they're in!

To add a picture to an icon you have created in your school folder, find a picture you like on the web, copy that picture, single-click on the icon you want to change, type Command I (I is for Information), Click on the tiny picture of the icon in the information window, then Paste (Command V) the copied picture. Close the information window when you're done (Command W).

Saving: The shortcut is Command S. Have the students click on "School Folder" in the left-hand column of the saving window, then click on your folder, then click on their folder. Now when they click the "Save" button in the saving window it will be saved to their folder. (Hint: If you cannot see the list of files to save to, click the triangle next to the saving title to expand the window.) Practice saving to the school folder with the kids over and over. It takes practice. Save often. Use a consistent file naming system to help find lost items. I like this format: title_name . I don't use any capital letters, spaces, or punctuation.

Cleaning

Computers, keyboards, screens, mice, and counter tops need to be cleaned regularly.
Dusting - Swiffer sweepers or Swiffer dusters work very well. Pressurized air cans can help with keyboards and other hard-to-dust computer parts.
Cleaning wipes work well for cleaning and disinfecting computer surfaces and keyboards.
Computer screen cleaner can help avoid streaks when cleaning screens.
Unplug the mouse and keyboard before cleaning.
Students can help clean computers if they're taught how.
If one person is cleaning, wear gloves and wash your hands when finished!
Every class is responsible for leaving the lab straightened and organized after each visit. Push in chairs, pick up pencils and papers, etc.

Trouble Shooting

School Folder: If the school folder is missing, you can always save to the desktop and drag to the school folder. Then, notify tech support which computer was having issues.
Finding applications: If you ever have trouble with the dock, you can get to all the applications several other ways. I use the "Go" menu.
Occasionally the Internet connection may be down. Have a backup plan that does not require the Internet.

Management: The computer lab is a classroom too. Rules, routines, and procedures are very important. Here are some suggested rules for your students:

Wash your hands! (Imagine all the little hands that touch these keyboards every day, and all the germs that come with them!)
Food, candy, gum, and beverages should be kept out of the computer lab.
Enter silently.
Stay in your seats while working (unless instructed otherwise).
Do not disturb switches, cables, or cords.
The computer volume stays off unless the teacher tells you to turn it up.
When headphones are used, set them to an appropriate volume level. If I can hear what you're playing through your headphones when I'm not the one wearing them, they're probably too loud.
Take good care of headphones. Wind up the cords, then hang them or box them up.
Focus on your own work. Helping your neighbor is usually a nice thing, but not in the computer lab, unless you have permission. Why? 1) You could be telling them the wrong thing. 2) The teacher can usually help more efficiently. 3) If you always do your neighbors' work for them, they will never learn to do it themselves. Does this mean you can never work together or share? Of course not! But the teacher will let you know when it's time for collaboration.
There are talking times and non-talking times. Your teacher will let you know what your speaking volume level should be.
Line up after class. Before walking out the door, check to make sure things are better than you found them.
The teacher is in charge of getting all copies from the printers. Students should only be near the printers if they have special permission.
"Hands off!" is the signal to stop what you're doing, take your hands off the computer, and listen for instructions. (Flickering the lights is the signal when headphones are in use.)
Sit on the carpet or turn your chairs when the teacher is presenting on the big screen.
Always work at your assigned computer. If the computer doesn't seem to be working, patiently raise your hand and wait for the teacher to either fix the problem or reassign you. (Tip: If your students have class numbers, assign them to the same numbered computers. This helps with accountability for computer care, pushing in chairs, finding lost documents, etc.)

Best Teaching Practices: The computer lab is a classroom too. Lesson plans and curriculum connections should be used in the lab, just as they are in the classroom. Here are some suggestions:

Grade Level Routines: Spend the first 10 minutes of each lab time doing a standard activity. This will get the students engaged right away. For example, 10 minutes of keyboarding, 10 minutes of math facts, 10 minutes of geography practice, 10 minutes of reading practice, or 10 minutes of story or singing time.
Tie your main lesson/activity into the core curriculum.
Plan your lessons. "Winging it" can be even more problematic when technology is involved.
Applications, software, and hardware are simply teaching tools. Their effectiveness depends upon how they are used. Plan and prepare for their use just as you would for any other lesson. For example, it shouldn't be Kidpix day or Internet free-play day every time you're in the lab. Yes, that takes effort and ideas. Ask me for help!
Keyboarding: Keyboarding for Kids, Dance Mat Typing, Typer Shark, Spider Typer
Math Facts: 2 Minute Warning
Math Activities: National Library of Virtual Manipulatives, Toon University
Geography: LizardPoint, States, Capitals
Reading: Starfall, ReadWriteThink, GameGoo, RIF Reading Planet, Sesame Street
Science: Science Clips, Bitesize Science
Social Studies: CultureGrams, The History Channel, Surweb
Lesson Ideas: 30minutelablessons.com, Thinkfinity, ArtsEdge, Edutopia, eMINTS

For more curriculum ideas, visit the Canyons School District Educational and Media Technology (EMT) website for more links and ideas! Click the link at the bottom titled "Great K-12 Sites".

Basic Blogs

2009-10-05T17:38:00.005-06:00

Camille and I have created two presentations to help beginner bloggers. I have previously posted our first presentation, titled Using Blogs to Teach and Learn. (Click here to view it.)
Following is our second presentation, titled Basic Blogs. We hope they are helpful!

A few more things:

To add more to your blog later, remember to log in at www.blogspot.com using your email address and the password you selected.
To direct others to view your blog, tell them to go to your url, which would be http://www.(whatever you chose).blogspot.com
Once you log in on blogger, you are taken to the "Dashboard" page. You can change the email address you use to log in, by selecting "Edit Profile" on the left hand column.
If you would like to edit the email address where comment or post notifications are sent, click on the "Settings" tab. (See the above slide show for more details.)

They Might Be Giants

2009-09-08T22:27:00.003-06:00

They Might Be Giants is an alternative rock group -- I guess that's what you'd call them -- who write very interesting songs. They are probably most well known for their songs "Istanbul" and "Birdhouse In Your Soul" from their album Flood. Some of their songs are strange, some of them are funny, some of them are political, and some of them are actually very educational.

I have used They Might Be Giants songs in my science class over the years. My favorite song to use in teaching is "Why Does the Sun Shine". The lyrics begin with, "The sun is a mass of incandescent gas - a gigantic nuclear furnace - where Hydrogen is built into Helium at a temperature of millions of degrees." My 6th graders learn and perform this song every year. We have also learned "The Guitar", which uses the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to sing about a rocket ship, just for fun. Other science songs include "Mammal", "Meet the Elements", and "Science Is Real". They have an entire collection of science songs on the album Here Comes Science which is now available on iTunes and was featured in Wired magazine.

These songs and some of the music videos that go with them are great for use in the classroom. As with everything else, be sure to preview any They Might Be Giants songs you plan to use in the classroom since some of their songs, like "Science Is Real" are controversial (it mentions the Big Bang Theory) and not all of their non-science lyrics are appropriate for students, but I highly recommend taking a look at some of their music.

Their website is www.theymightbegiants.com/

First Day of School

2009-08-26T20:18:00.000-06:00

Today was the first day of school for students for the Canyons School District. A big day! We have all been working so hard to have things ready for today. I have loved being in the trenches and being part of the effort to ensure a great educational experience for our students. I love the team I work with, our department, and our district leaders. Our superintendent is a great leader - caring, intelligent, energetic - and the IT department directors are too. I feel so happy to be part of such a great team.

Now I am anxious and excited to really get to work with teachers and students. It feels good to work hard, problem solve, and really make a difference. I am working hard to earn the trust of the teachers and principals at my assigned schools. I have loved the teaching and presenting I have done so far.

First day memorable moments:

Wearing a bright yellow district T-shirt and having everyone stare at me all day
Sitting in the computer lab working on teacher laptops and looking up in time to see a 2nd grader making funny faces at me as she walked down the hall
Talking with the superintendent for 20 minutes and having him genuinely enjoying conversing with me
Being able to say hello to my former principal and coworkers as I traveled from school to school
Helping a lost 2nd grader find her bus - and her smile when we found it
"Thank you"s from teachers when their laptops were returned and ready for use
Passionate conversations about how best to help students through good teaching practices and technology use
Sharing in everyone's first day experiences via Twitter
Jethro puncturing his Coke can with a plastic knife and causing it to explode
Liz sharing her ugly stick doll with everyone
The enthusiasm and nervousness of first-year teachers
Hard-working, dedicated teachers, students, administrators, and district employees

I feel fortunate and excited to have my new position as an Educational Technology Specialist! I love being a part of the new district! It's going to be a great year!

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Web 2.0 Smackdown!

2009-08-11T15:25:00.001-06:00

Firefox Personas

Rock Your Google Calendar in 18 Ways

Creative Commons

MyWebspiration

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Photo & Video in Web 2.0

2009-08-11T14:06:00.002-06:00

Cool Tools For Schools

Images:

Flikr

Cooliris

Big Huge Labs

Cameroid
Be careful because with this one they send your images out to their gallery.
But you can also download your photo to your computer.

BeFunky

BlingEasy - may not want to use with the kids

Video Editing:

Animoto

YouTube

Publishing videos on a blog or site:

You can download, then upload to another site but this can cause problems with file size limitations and copyright.
You can look for the embed code on whatever site the video is on, but with YouTube this shows related videos after the video has played. You can uncheck the related videos option first, then get the embed code to get rid of this.

ScreenCasting:
Jing

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Google Tools

2009-08-11T13:07:00.003-06:00

You have to have a google account to use these tools, but it's free and easy.

Google Forms
Create surveys

Google Maps
look at maps
get directions
street view

Google Earth

Picassa
Free online photo editor

Google SketchUp
Free
Pro Version is free in Utah because the state has purchased a license
3-D Warehouse

Google Talk
online chat

Google Voice
Get a free phone number
Control where all your calls are sent - home, cell, work, etc.

Google for Educators

Google Docs for Educators

Google Presentations

Google Spreadsheets

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Moodle

2009-08-11T10:33:00.002-06:00

Alpine District Moodle
course management
quizzes, assignments, surveys, rubrics, peer evaluations
create groups within a course
student profiles, pictures
must have a login
students can contribute, submit assignments, etc.
chat, online discussions, wikis, blogs, all on the same site
protected environment

Educational Technology Moodle

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Educational Social Networking

2009-08-11T09:27:00.003-06:00

ning

classroom 2.0

learncentral

Host Your Own Webinar

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Day 2

2009-08-11T09:05:00.002-06:00

Your Online Presence
What about teachers sharing thoughts and feelings, struggles even, on blogs, etc. Is it okay for teachers to be transparent online?
They can get help, support, and suggestions from other teachers.
But what if their principal, students, parents see it?
Should that stop you from being a part of a transparent conversation online?
Maybe there is a balance between being aware and concerned about what you put out there and being too concerned to participate.
We need to teach digital citizenship. How do we do that when we don't even know exactly how to be digital citizens ourselves?
So, what about the people who are too afraid or cautious to participate?
How open should we be?

Thoughts?

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Wiki Use

2009-08-10T15:14:00.003-06:00

What can I include on my wiki?
Course outline
Calendar of assignments and events
Discussion questions
Links to other information sources
Add widgets

audio
video
slide shows
bookmarks
chat
etc.

Each student could have their own wiki to post assignments and create reports, projects, presentations.
Group projects based on curriculum standards
Group projects can be edited by other groups in other classes that are studying the same content.
Display students work
Notes about what went on at school that day. Could require a student to be in charge of taking notes for a day.

Amazing Wikis!
http://kearnshigh.wikispaces.com/
http://kearnsathletics.wikispaces.com/

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Speed Demos

2009-08-10T14:07:00.004-06:00

Classroom 2.0 Salt Lake City 2009 Wiki

Dropbox
virtual storage space

Google Desktop

Google Custom Search Engine

Destiny

Voki
A speaking avatar
Can be attached to a blog or email
See it in action!

Dowload Helper
Saving YouTube videos

Picnik
Online photo editor

Weebly
Quick, free, online website building
Weebly is planning on creating an educational version so you can have each of your students have a website that can have an online portfolio.

ChaCha
text any questions and get answers texted back to you

Twitter Back Channel

USTREAM
Live feed

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Pocasting

2009-08-10T13:20:00.003-06:00

What is Podcasting?
Think of a podcast as a cross between a blog and a radio show

regularly posted
published in reverse chronological order
focus on a particular topic or subject
listen to on a computer, CD, ipod, mp3 player

How it works...
A podcaster (the person creating it) publishes content to a server and creates an RSS feed to that server. The listener subscribes to that RSS feed. The most popular way to do that is through iTunes.

Caution

Don't say anything derogatory towards the community, the district, people
Monitor content
Listen to the full podcast before publishing
Whatever you put out there will stay out there for a long time.

Where can you store your podcasts?

On your school's or district's server - then ask someone who knows how to help you create the RSS feed
iWeb has a built-in way to help you create the RSS feed.
You could publish through iTunes U K-12
The Internet Archive
Anyone can post their podcasts to iTunes
In Canyons district we are creating an easy district-wide place to publish and create your feed.
You could also post things to YouTube and people can subscribe to you on YouTube

Producing Contenet
Audacity
GarageBand

mp3 format will be audio only
AAC format allows images to stay in your podcast

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Using Blogs to Teach and Learn

2009-08-10T13:11:00.006-06:00

Link to view the Jordan School District Student Personal Information Release form

Classroom 2.0 Conference - Day 1

2009-08-10T10:07:00.003-06:00

How is technology affecting teaching and learning?
Who is the expert? People don't necessarily become an expert through the traditional means.
Students need new literacy skills. They need to know how to sort through the overwhelming amount of information and determine what is accurate and viable.
The teacher gives control back to the students.
Give students access to the real world. They're actually participating, not just practicing.

What is Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 Wiki
A culture of openness.
A culture of collaboration.
Experimenting and failing are free. You can go online and create something - try it out - for free.

Steve Hargadon's Conclusions:
Students will become increasingly autonomous.
Schools will be expected to provide more customization.
The coming innovation will not be easy. We do not have a good model for computers in schools.
Computer labs? Computers in the back of the classroom? Mobile labs? 1 to 1 student computers?

What do you think?

Carol Anne McGuire

2009-07-16T14:11:00.003-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Carol Anne McGuire

rockourworld.org

The teachers will remember how what you're teaching will fit into the curriculum and why it is important, but won't remember how to do any of the technology. The students will remember how to create using the technology, but doesn't care about how it fits into the curriculum. Bringing a student along with the teachers for training and workshops can be really beneficial. It's a good "marriage" to have both involved.
Not necessarily the smartest student in the class. Sometimes it could be the most wiggly of them all. Maybe it's the student who is great at music or into movies.

Chris Lehman

2009-07-16T13:44:00.004-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Chris Lehman

Principal at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia
1 to 1 laptop school

We don't do a blog project or a wiki project. We do a project about a subject and choose the tools that will work best.

Twitter - used naturally

Acceptable Use
A vision statement about whether what we are doing with the technology is for an academic use.
Teach them to be good digital citizens.
There are less "Thou shalt not"s and more vision statements.

Project-oriented school
What if high school wasn't preparation for real life? What if high school was real life?
Have the students work on projects that really matter.

Core values of the school:

Research
Collaborate
Create
Present
Network
Reflect

(Similar to our Big 6)

Amazing projects!
Every teacher shares the same core values and goals, so the language is the same in every class no matter what the subject is.
An incredible amount of scaffolding must take place each year and from year to year.

Words of wisdom:
Do it for a reason!
Don't use something just because it's a new tool, use it for a reason.
Don't put the tools first. Put the pedagogy first.

Joyce Valenza

2009-07-16T11:05:00.003-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Joyce Valenza

What does a technology rich teaching environment look like?

Use technology to promote books, not replace them.

Google search - click "Show options"

Wonder Wheel
Related Searches
Timeline

Springfield High School Library

Page Flakes

This is what a modern librarian does. Help organize data and resources for their students.

Wikis

Use it as a place to organize their research.
Embed RSS feeds from the research sites they like the best on their wiki, instead of having to keep going back to the sites.
It's a container or a parking lot for all the work they're doing.
Also use for collaboration
Also use for presentation

turnitin.com
Checks student work for plagiarism
Students have to check their work at the early stages, and they know right from the beginning whether they're in trouble with it.
Gives them a chance to discuss copyright, fair use, etc.

They have banned reports from their district.
No more reports on presidents, for example. Instead, compare two presidents' policies.
Or instead of doing a report on cats -- What would be the best pet to have at home?
Don't do wasteful, unproductive reports. Ask questions and encourage inquiry instead of giving an assigned report.

Librarians are defenders of

Access
Equity
Intellectual Freedom

Joyce Valenza Homepage
NeverEndingSearch
Reading 2.0 Wiki

Dean Shareski

2009-07-16T09:15:00.003-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Dean Shareski

We need to be social beings along with being learners. Teachers have so much coming at them already. We can't just throw more at them. We really do need to build relationships with them. Allow your personality to come through.

We tend to think that our students already know all about technology tools, but they typically don't know how to use them as learning tools. The teachers often don't either. That's where we can help.If the best thing about the Internet to you is looking up stuff, you're missing the point. The point is connecting with people. Everything published on the Internet was created by someone. Connect with them. Talk directly with them. Share content online.

The teachers that are more easy to connect with are the ones that consider themselves learners first. We need to be learners first too. Many teachers feel that school works fine, why change it? Because they succeeded in school. They were the winners in school. That's how they got where they are. But, some of the best teachers are those who teach when they weren't the winners in school. If they struggled in school, so they know how to adjust the way school is set up to better meet student needs. We need to realize that sometimes we do need to change the way we are doing things. Some things are working fine, but some things need change.

To help hook teachers, find out what teachers absolutely love to teach, and help them learn to teach it even better.Find ways to honor and celebrate the good work teachers, students, schools, and we are doing. Elevate the awareness in the district of the great things going on.

School Websites
How else can we share these successes?

ideasandthoughts.org

Doug Johnson

2009-07-16T08:31:00.003-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Doug Johnson

Copyright
It can be helpful to just avoid the copyright questions by using resources that have no copyright restrictions, like Creative Commons.
However, if we don't use the rights we have under fair use, we might lose them.
Look at the fair use guidelines and use them as your guide. They need to be considered. They don't need to all be followed, but considered. Achieve an informed level of comfort with fair use.
Any piece of student work ought to have a creative commons license on it. Kids will then think of themselves as a producer and how they want their work used.

The future of the library:
Libraries are for people/schools who are interested in creative thinkers, analyzers, independent thinkers, open-minded students. A library is a creative commons. Maybe in 10 years the entire school will be a library - a place where students gather to do their own research and produce products and direct their own learning. Libraries will become more and more web based, but it could be a portal for information.

www.doug-johnson.com

Other copyright information:
copyrightconfusion.wikispaces.com
A Fair(y) Use Tale

Kevin Honeycutt

2009-07-15T15:39:00.002-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Kevin Honeycutt

Our students need us to lead them in technology use.
Engage in conversation that convinces teachers they need to do this!

The Strongest Dad in the World YouTube video

Teachers love their kids. Go for their heart first. Let them know their kids needs them.

Analogy - The kids are already on the playground, who's on duty?
Kids are doing things right in front of everyone online. They should be thinking about it. What footprint are we/they leaving? Help kids build a digital future.

Talk positively. What can we do to help?

Make connections in networks so you have resources to get help and ideas when you need it.
Be who you really are online. Be in the real world online. Because the online world is the real world.

artsnacks.org

Sue Waters

2009-07-15T09:23:00.001-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Sue Waters

Network Learning

More ideas
People all over the world to learn with
You don't have to be an expert at everything because you're connected to other experts

Blogging

Write about what you want to write about, not what others want to read.
Ownership is key to keeping up a blog.
If I don't know something, others probably don't either, so it might be worth blogging about.
Blogging isn't just about writing posts, it's a conversation. Comment on other people's posts so people will check out your posts and comment.

http://suewaters.wikispaces.com/
http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/

David Warlick

2009-07-14T14:02:00.002-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A conversation with David Warlick

Technology integration -- Not!
It's not about the technology, it's about the information.
Networking has allowed us to get information directly from the author instead of through a publisher.
We get overwhelmed by all the information that is available to us.

Book: Redefining Literacy
Literacy is no longer only being able to access text, it is now being able to determine what is true and valuable from the abundance that is available.
Students need to learn how to communicate with images, sound, etc. as well as in text.

Questions to ask teachers: What are students learning about finding information?
For the first time in history we are preparing our children for a future we cannot clearly describe. So, we need to teach students to teach themselves. In the industrial age it made sense for us to teach kids how to learn, but today we need to teach them how to teach themselves. Talking, defending, deciding. Ask them the question, "How do you know that's true?" Defending how and where you got your information.

Students should be publishing for a real audience. - Blogging - Their learning and thinking becomes a conversation. It's not just about writing for grades, it's about sharing and conversing. For example, use tag clouds to analyze plays, books, speeches. 21st Century teaching is all about conversations. And conversations in new ways.

This is hard because it's asking teachers to redefine what it means to be a teacher. A teacher needs to be a master learner. This gives you permission to say:

"I don't know."
"How did you do that?"
"How would you figure out how to do that?"
"Let me find out and get back to you."

If a teacher brings in information from the Internet, they can model how to be a master researcher. This is done as a conversation in the classroom everyday, not necessarily the kids sitting in front of a computer doing a project.

The teacher is a curator. Help the students be information artisans. Take information and shape it. Mold it. Make it beautiful. Show it off.

David Jakes

2009-07-14T14:00:00.001-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With David Jakes

It's not about technology, it's about people.
Be patient.
Be aware that everyone sees things through different lenses. Try to see things through a variety of perspectives.

Fallings Rocks

How will you model continuous learning and professional development? How will you help that person you're working with to grow?

Read blogs, share websites and resources.

Find David Jakes on delicious.
jakesonline.org
jakes.editme.com
jakes.editme.com/dls

Robin Ellis

2009-07-14T13:59:00.001-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Robin Ellis

Communicate with each other and help each other with professional development.
Go to faculty meetings.
Give business cards with your contact information.
Get to know the content areas for the grades/subjects you will be helping with.
Start with something small within a unit and add technology tools to the unit.
Add one simple element and model the first time. Then, have the teacher try that the next time, and you add something more to model.
Students are the focus. What can I do to enhance their learning?
Be accessible. Meet whenever they can.
Keep repeating things over and over.
Scaffold.
Have a set location within each building so you are more accessible.
Work closely with your librarians. They can be a great asset.
Think outside the box.
Use digital cameras. For example, take photos on a field trip and podcast about it later.
Work with every teacher individually and meet their needs where ever they are.
Offer teachers choices.

Jeff Utecht

2009-07-13T13:57:00.001-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Jeff Utecht

It's all about relationships. Get out there. Smile. You work for the teachers. Get your foot in the room. Be nice. Help. Even if it's just helping them unjam their printer.

Go to team meetings and department level meetings at the schools. If you're there when they're planning you can get in at the ground level and show them that technology is embedded not an add-on.

Sheryl Nussbaum

2009-07-13T13:55:00.001-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Sheryl Nussbaum

There exists non-equity from school to school and teacher to teacher.
Develop a strong, compelling argument for change.
Build trust, relationships, community. Let them see that you're really willing to help and believe in what you're doing.
Model the use. Show how you use the tools, be transparent in how you use them, share what you do so people can see.
Put kids first. Don't put the schedule first, don't put the budget first - put kids first.

Traveling the Techno Trail

PLP - Powerful Learning Practice

We are facilitators, not fountains of all knowledge. Create networks of experts.

Chris Craft

2009-07-13T13:50:00.001-06:00

Notes from the Canyons School District Ed Tech Retreat:
A Conversation With Chris Craft

Don't blindly believe everything people tell you in blogging, twitter, etc. There is a lot of misinformation out there. Don't agree with everything everyone says about using technology tools, networks, etc. Think it through as an educator. What is really in the best interest of kids? If a tool doesn't improve your educational practice, then why use it?

teachjeffspanish.com
spantube.org

Educational Technology Specialist Essay

2009-06-01T13:22:00.001-06:00

Question #2
I have always considered myself a right-brained person. I love music, dance, art, and literature. Growing up, science, math, and computers were for other people. I was capable of using computers and I enjoyed them, but I preferred to go to a musical rather than sit in front of a computer. It wasn't until college that I realized how wrong I was and the potential technology has for enriching my life and the lives of students.
E-mail and the internet were the first "wonders" of technology that I became aware of as I attended college as an undergraduate. As I have progressed in my education and teaching, my awareness and love of technology as a learning tool has greatly increased. In graduate school I definitely moved beyond simple emails to creating websites, blogging, and online college courses. With the advent of more creative and interactive computer programs and technology tools, education has been greatly enriched.
I am someone who learns by hands-on experience. I need to move, create, discuss, and try in order to understand. I have found that most of my students are active and interactive learners too. Technology is able to create new learning environments. It can bring experiences to you -- whether it be a YouTube video that takes students on a tour of Mars or a blog that allows students from around the globe to discuss topics. Contrary to what I once believed, technology is about creativity. It is about collaboration, interaction, and experiencing life. I want to present students with learning opportunities that stretch them, engage them, and excite them. I have used technology to accomplish this with my students.
Technology is for everyone, from the computer programmer to the kindergarten student. When learners engage in meaningful, real-life projects that integrate curriculum and a variety of learning tools and styles, the needs of every learner can be met. Technology in education can provide this kind of opportunity.

Engaged Classroom Goals for 2009-2010

2009-04-27T20:54:00.001-06:00

I definitely plan to increase and improve my technology use in my teaching in 2009-2010. This year was just the beginning - an introduction - of all that I would like to do.
Now that I have my document camera and projections unit and screen, I will never go back to overhead projectors. (Let's face it -- I hardly ever used an overhead anyway.) It is such a great tool for demonstration and instruction.
One of my biggest goals is to become more adept at using the clickers. The students enjoy using the student response system so much, and their being engaged in lessons is the key to them learning. I want to use them on a more regular basis.
I have loved having a class wiki. I typically use My UEN, and I have not yet decided if I prefer that or wikispaces, but one way or another I plan to further advertise my class wiki to parents and students. It is a great resource and an efficient form of communication.
I have been a blogger for a little while now, but have just barely gotten my students into it. They are so excited about writing because of our blog. The potential for improving their communication skills and for teaching the Six Traits if writing via blogging is exciting to me. Next year I plan to be more organized with my class blog and really get my students participating with it.
I have used various forms of digital story-telling for many year in my classroom, and I plan to continue to do so. I hope to have a great student news broadcast running at our school next year. I would like to increase my students' use of digital cameras and PhotoBooth.
I have also been building a collection of technology-based lesson plans and activities to share with others. I plan to expand my website (http://www.30minutelablessons.com) to help teachers incorporate technology tools into their teaching of the core curriculum.

Student Response System (Clickers) Reflection

2009-04-27T20:45:00.002-06:00

I have not gotten to use the clickers as much as I wanted to this year. I like to use them, and better yet the students like to use them, so my goal is to become better with incorporating them into my teaching. So far we have used the clickers to poll the students, to review for tests, and to play educational games, like Jeopardy. The students are engaged in the learning process when the clickers are being used.

Document Camera Reflection

2009-04-27T19:30:00.002-06:00

My favorite way to use the document camera is quite simple. I use it to help the kids see things they would otherwise have a hard time seeing. Duh, right? But this is actually huge. It is amazing how much it helps my students follow along when doing daily planners or assignments. My instructions make so much more sense to them when they can see on the big screen what I am talking about. I have shown them how to fold paper for geometry projects, helped them view bacteria and mold samples in science class, displayed art work by Leonardo da Vinci in social studies, and graded homework assignments, just to name a few things.
I love the document camera! I am excited to continue to use it, particularly for its more advanced features I have yet to explore more.

EC Sharing Session II

2009-03-31T16:20:00.001-06:00

Trainer Observations
Must be scheduled by April 30th
3 Things Turned In:
Summary
Check Sheet
Planning Questions

Time Cards & Assignment Sheets
Due on or before April 30th, 5 pm
NO EXCEPTIONS
Attach Trainee Assignment sheet to the time card.

Lesson Plan
Email to Bonnie by April 30th

Tonight's Agenda
ProScope

Frosted Mini Wheat
Brown Sugar
Chair
Dried Apricot
Ring

iTunes U
Lectures from various universities recorded and posted online ("Universities")
Podcasts by or for kids ("K-12" -> "Utah Electronic High School" -> "Jordan School District")
-UCET Sessions
-Student Podcasts
-TEDTalks by Arthur Benjamin
-University of South Florida -> College of Education -> Lit to Go

Favorite Podcasts:
NPR
-Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!
National Geographic

Sharing

boinx.com - mouseposé
quicksilver
microscope adapters to attach ProScope
google docs
Use a Wiimote as a SmartBoard - Download Wiimote Whiteboard software
slide show of technology assignments played at parent conferences
use uTips in conjunction with clickers
student music videos - songs on GarageBand, then movie
weekly student reports on GoogleDocs to share with team
planner on the computer projected for the kids to copy & follow along with
biographies in ComicLife - kids dress up as the person & take a photo, then add info.
still photo movies - use cameras, use PhotoBooth, etc.
still photo movies about heat, light, & sound concepts drawn on whiteboards

Wikis:

embed a google calendar
assignment list with links to documents or powerpoints
embed surveys
student pages
photos
slide shows

Blogs:

student entries
parent notes
class journal
assignments

Cool Software

2009-02-18T17:34:00.001-07:00

OmniGraffle
Popular for Macs
Requires Leopard operating system

Pencil
2-D Drawing Software
Pencil Firefox Ad-on

EC Sharing Session

2008-12-09T16:34:00.002-07:00

Ideas from other teachers about what they are doing with technology:

ComicLife

Animal Reports - Heredity and Survival - 5th grade
Animal Reports - Predator/Prey - multiple pages - 9th grade
Demonstrate patterns created with pattern blocks - work displayed on a ComicLife page - this was used as the consequence for his students fighting at recess - they had to learn to work together to create the patterns
Class Newspaper - produced monthly

Movies

Moon Movies - kids took photos of moon phases, then put them together into a movie - 6th grade
Claymation Movies - students take still photos and put them together into a movie

Podcasts

Non Fiction Book Reports - audio & still photos - created on GarageBand - 6th grade

Blogs

Club Blog - for groups and clubs at the school
Teacher Blog - teacher posts assignments and worksheets on the blog - links to google docs - so if the students lose their copy they have to go online and print themselves a new one - they could even submit online

Office

Use Excel to create graphs - to avoid problems with different versions of Excel, SaveAs the older version

Wikis

Posting assignments online

My UEN

Notes to parents about what is going on at school and in the class
Links
Calendar

Ideas From Bonnie
Picnik
Jing Project
ScreenCast
Wee World
PhotoFlex
Screen Capture - Shift Apple 4
Lulu
Plasq
Skitch
Digital Teaching Tools
Export entire albums from iPhoto to Picasa
Create a Podcast using the document camera - See Kelly's Podcast to learn how:

http://t4.jordan.k12.ut.us/t4
Go to "T4 Tips Podcasts"
Go to "T4 Tips Podcast #40 - AverVision 300 AF+ Document Camera"

Create a movie using the document camera

Plug in a USB port from the document camera to your computer
The AVerVision screen will pop up
Click the record (the movie reel)

By the way, there is an anti-glare screen for the document camera!

Engaged Classroom

2008-12-01T12:21:00.002-07:00

This blog has been created to post items required of me as a "21st Century Engaged Classroom" teacher. I have several other blogs that I have been using to display and discuss technology use in the classroom already, but I decided it would be easier to one central location for this particular assignment. I also decided I didn't want my personal blog on the Engaged Classroom wiki. I may eventually use this blog as my classroom blog, but I haven't decided yet if I prefer to use a blog, a wiki, or just my UEN site. I think having all 3 may get a bit confusing for my students!

So, please take a look around. I am linking my existing graduate school blogs and several websites I have found helpful in teaching with technology. I would like to go back at some point and add some labels to my old blog posts to make them more easily searchable, but for now you can simple search them by key word.

That's all for now!