Monday, November 28, 2011

District Wide Information


Profile for Technology Literate Students
This week's example is from the Profiles for Technology Literate Students for grades 3-5.
10. Apply previous knowledge of digital technology operations to analyze and solve current hardware and software problems. (4,6)
This profile is best with general troubleshooting techniques when having trouble with a computer.  Such as restarting or making sure all cords and cables are properly plugged in.  It is important to remind students that although they often feel that they know how to solve technology problems at home it is sometimes best to ask for teacher help at school so students are not held responsible if they make the probem worse.  (I've witnessed students trying to solve a computer problem only to further damage the computer).  There are many teachable moments in the classroom and with technology this is an important time to remind students frequently what is appropriate in solving technology problems and when it is better to ask for further assistance.
1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Research and Information Fluency
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
5. Digital Citizenship
6. Technology Operations and Concepts

Spellathon
http://www.spellathon.net/
The global and digital Spellathon is a new free resource for teachers and students to practice English spelling in the classroom and at home in a fun and engaging way.
Spellathon has been a successful, paper based annual fundraising event for learning disability charity Mencap for the last 18 years. In 2011, went digital where Spellathon will reach a global audience.
Registration is now open, so check it out to see how Spellathon can be a great resource to you and your students in your class or at home.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

District Wide Information

Profiles for Technology (ICT) Literate Students


This week's example is from the Profiles for Technology Literate Students for grades 6-8.
9. Integrate a variety of file types to create and illustrate a document or presentation. (1,6)
This profile is can be addressed in a variety of ways using web 2.0 tools such as Prezi, VoiceThread, Wordle, Voki, ToonDoo or Animoto.  If you are interested in learning more about using any of these web 2.0 tools before trying them with a class project, let me know so we can focus on one or two together.
1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Research and Information Fluency
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
5. Digital Citizenship
6. Technology Operations and Concepts

Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

http://historyexplorer.americanhistory.si.edu/ 
This site offers hundreds of free, innovative online resources for teaching and learning American history.  It includes lessons/activities, interactives/media, and museum artifacts.  Our Story is designed to help children and adults enjoy and explore American History together.  The following link is Our Story titled Martin's Big Words which is a wonderful way to learn about and celebrate Martin Luther King's Birthday.  http://americanhistory.si.edu/ourstory/pdf/mlk/mlk_reading.pdf
Check it out!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

District Wide Information

Profiles for Technology (ICT) Literate Students


This week's example is from the Profiles for Technology Literate Students for grades 9-12.
6. Analyze the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technology resources and assess their potential to address personal, social, lifelong learning, and career needs.(4, 5, 6)
This profile is can be addressed in a variety of ways.  Students that take online courses, use of Edmodo as a learning platform and technology in the Careers classes taught at the high school are ways that this profile is already being used.
1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Research and Information Fluency
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
5. Digital Citizenship
6. Technology Operations and Concepts

One for Books Program
At each book fair held in our schools, we collect donations for the One for Books Program where Scholastic matches what we collect and donates to a national charity.  We are fortunate then to take the amount collected to purchase books.  These books are then donated to Adopted Families at Christmas time and the remainder are donated to Heart to Heart.  This year we will be donating over $500.00 in books.  Thank you to all that support this program through the encouragement of your students to participate.  Nicole Mortenson's class alone collected $106.00 in coins to donate toward this program.  We will have a collection box at the upcoming Community Book Sale at the high school.



Sunday, November 6, 2011

District Wide Information

Gaming and education:
The following article recently found in US News and World Report provides some insight as to how schools are using gaming to teach.  http://education.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2011/11/01/high-school-teachers-make-gaming-academic?PageNr=1
If you are interested in more about gaming and education consider joining the edWeb http://www.edweb.net/ learning community titled Game-Based Learning. This free professional learning community explores how to integrate games into the learning process to provide higher engagement and achievement for students.

Profiles for Technology (ICT) Literate Students



This week's example is from the Profiles for Technology Literate Students for grades PK-2.
7. Demonstrate the safe and cooperative use of technology. (5)
This profile is something that I address in one media class per year, but with your help and the help of parents this is definitely an important profile that should be integrated in all aspects of technology.  Of course the more students hear about being safe online the better.  I use Netsmartz resources http://www.netsmartzkids.org/


1. Creativity and Innovation

2. Communication and Collaboration

3. Research and Information Fluency

4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

5. Digital Citizenship

6. Technology Operations and Concepts

NPR's Back-Seat Book Club
http://www.npr.org/series/141728003/nprs-back-seat-book-club
NPR's Back-Seat Book Club is another way for parents and teachers to encourage students to read!  This is a relatively new program for NPR with the initial installment focusing on Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book.  This is a fantastic read!  Check out this Newbery Award winning story. This story can be heard in full length read by the author on his website during a national book tour.
http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx