Field Trip, Google Map and Class Wiki
Posted by Juli on May 17, 2010 in Blogging, Social Studies, Web 2.0
Teacher Kent Daniels tapped the power of web 2.0 tools as he planned, tracked and documented a recent class field trip. He used Google maps to plot out the trip, including descriptions about the significance of each location marker. The class has a wiki that includes the trip itinerary, planning documents and a link to their blog that documented student experiences.
McClure Librarian “Blogging” in Norway
Posted by Gary on May 4, 2010 in Blogging
The Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association selected McClure Middle School librarian, Kristan Gale, for a three-week residency in Bergen, Norway. The Bergen-Seattle teacher exchange, was created in 1994, to encourage more dialogue between the cities of Seattle and Bergen on educational and cultural issues. Ms. Gale leaves for Bergen on May 8th and will return to McClure on June 8th. In Bergen, she will visit a variety of schools, interact with educators and students, and explore Norwegian fjords.
During her trip Ms. Gale will use the McClure Library Blog she created to share about her experiences. Within the blog she will share information through blog posts, an embedded Google Map of Bergen, and a Twitter account connected to her iPhone. For Jan Robbin’s eighth grade class, Ms. Gale created individual student accounts within her blog for them to post questions and comments during the trip and to start a conversation with a seventh grade Bergen class. Ms. Gale consulted with her building’s Instructional Technologist to work on commenting, posting, and embedding functionality for her blog. Through this blog Ms. Gale has created a collaborative learning opportunity for herself as well as the educators and students in Bergen and McClure-Seattle.
Beyond 3D Journey
Posted by Abbey on May 2, 2010 in English Language Learners, Language Arts, Social Studies
This year Ms. Clausen’s 8th grade class at Denny Middle School embarked upon their own journey into Skoolaborate. Skoolaborate is an international online learning community that incorporates a blog, a wiki, and the 3-D virtual world of Teen Second Life. The subscription for membership to Skoolaborate is funded through a pilot program sponsored by the World Affairs Council. To learn more about how this journey started you can refer to my post Embarking on 3DJourney.
The level of engagement from students has been phenomenal during the second phase of this project. Each student chose an issue to research and write about. They then presented their work by adding panels to the “Dilemmas Tapestry.” The tapestry was started by a class in the United Kingdom as a forum for young people to express their concerns about the world in which they are coming of age. As students add their own panels, the tapestry grows to show a range of issues that are on the minds of students in different places.
On Monday, April 12th, 2010, Ms. Clausen’s class held a showcase to share their work with administrators, counselors, and other adults in the school community. Students presented their work using panels in both the real world and the virtual world. Take a look at the video in which we feature the culminating event and reflections from the students and the teacher.
The team of teachers working on this project agreed to share their lesson plan here.
To view the lesson plan click PDF format only. Coming soon, the digital kit of resources used for this technology-integrated lesson will be available as webpage.
Why Not the Mobi?
Posted by Abbey on April 25, 2010 in Language Arts, Math
Why MOBI? The better question is….Why NOT the MOBI?
The MOBI wireless interactive whiteboard is a cost effective innovative teaching tool that has completely changed the dynamics of teacher to student engagement and learning in classroom environment. The power in this tool is that it places the technology in the hands of the learners on a regular and consistent basis. It is a tool designed for teachers and students to use in a collaborative setting, its mobility is one of the desirable features the MOBI has to offer.
Here is what a couple of teachers from Broadview Thomson K-8 have to say about their use of a MOBI:
“The Mobi allows me to move freely about the room to give instruction. I can KWIK immediately and re-teach as needed when used with the student response clickers. My favorite feature is that I have the freedom to teach from any point in the classroom and save anything I do with it to a computer wirelessly.”
–Carole Lynch-5th grade teacher at Broadview Thomson
“I have found the wireless pads to be very helpful and useful in my classroom. I am able to move freely around the room and still write responses, math problems, etc on the screen in the front of the classroom. I can stand behind that student who may be a bit distracted and help them stay focused.”
—Ron McFarland, 4th grade teacher at Broadview Thomson
To view MOBI in action you can watch a video from link here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZccNj2fwj0
To learn more about why teachers are choosing the Mobi click More.
Conferring App for iPhone, iPod & iPad
Posted by Juli on April 20, 2010 in Language Arts
Seattle teacher David Lowe has created an app for his iPhone to help him manage conferring notes needed for tracking student progress in Readers and Writers Workshop. He recently released a free version for others to use in order gather feedback as he works on a full release. Confer is an app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad that allows teachers to take and track notes on the students in their class. Confer Lite is the free preview version, prior to the full release of Confer this summer. His website has more details about the features of this app as well as a link to download it in iTunes.
Mr. Lowe checks his notes prior to conferring sessions in order to keep himself on track with all students. He quickly reminds himself about the details of prior individual or group conference and makes notes after each session. He’s currently thinking about ways to transfer the data he collects to his desktop, because now all his notes stay on his iPhone. He’s a pioneer, willing to step out and see how mobile devices might making teaching in a workshop classroom more efficient and effective.
Great Resources for Readers/Writers Workshop
Posted by Juli on March 23, 2010 in Language Arts, Libraries
Highland Park Elementary’s literacy coach and math specialist Stephanie Paolone has created 2 great online resources to support her work with SPS teachers using Readers and Writers Workshop in their classrooms. My Writers Workshop and My Readers Workshop provide teachers with ideas, resources and opportunities to collaborate with others who engage in similar instructional activites. Although her in-school work foucses on K-5 students, the sites may be useful for those working with older students.
For example, teachers can explore book lists for particular genres, such as letters, diaries and journals. Each entry includes the title, author, and guided reading level of the text.
Stephanie maintains these sites “on the side” while mainting her full-time job. Both sites are a work in progress with more resources coming as time permits. Check it out and let her know what you think!
SBOC Student Animated Videos
Posted by Gary on March 10, 2010 in Digital Photography, Language Arts, The Arts
Check out the animated movies created by students at the Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center as part of an Adobe Youth Voices grant received by art and media teacher Lori Leberer. Watch and listen as SBOC students share their stories accompanied by original art.
Click the More link below to see and hear the movies created by these students.
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