Tool # 11

Wow!! Finished 11 tools! Test is done!  This was a lot of information in a short amount of time.  I would love to revisit some of these tools again throughout the year so that I can try them out one at a time with the kids.  I used Google Docs in the Spring with my kids to write their reader's response and saw great success and excitement.  I will definitely use that again this year.  I would like to see about all the ways I can use the iPads in the classroom.  I think it would be great to use them in small group and stations!  It will be fun to watch what happens in the classroom this year with all the new ideas and technology.

Tool # 10

1. Discuss at least three things you would want to make sure your students understand about being good digital citizens. I think one big thing that kids should know how to do well is search for accurate information and understanding that not everything on the Internet is correct. I also think that it is important for kids to learn self management when they are on the computer, meaning, that if the teacher has asked them to do something specific on the computer that they stay on task and focused on doing what is being asked.

2. Share at least one of the resources mentioned above or on the Ed Tech website that you plan to use instructionally. I think that I would use Brain Pop because I am familiar with it and the kids love it. It's also easy to use.

3. Explain briefly how you would "teach" the idea of digital citizenship to your students. I think digital citizenship should probably be part of the "back to school" information that you share with them before they ever touch technology for the year.

Tool # 9

1. I think it is important to tie the technology to the objective because you need to have purpose for what the kids are doing and why they are doing it.
2. Why should we hold students accountable for the stations/centers? I have been wanting to get more involved in having stations in my fifth grade classroom, but the management of those centers is something I worry about. I think that it is very important to have accountability in the stations to keep kids focused on the tasks. With no accountability the kids have no way of showing you want they know or understand about what they have been doing. I also think that using some sort of measure can help assess informally.
3. What about other ways to use the iPod Touch/iPad? Share another way you can see your students using the device as a station. I think it would be great to use the iPad for Discovery Education videos or Brain Pop videos. You could have a groups watch a video on a subject you are studying and then have them work together to create a product to show you what they learned.

Tool # 8

I attended the ipad/ipod training session back in June. I was already familar with the ipad because we are an Apple family at home. It was a great way to see what the possibilities are and the different apps that are available for the ipad. It was good to be able to speak to other teachers about how they are thinking about using the ipad in their classrooms. One of the questions a lot of us had was how to pay for apps that would be useful in the classroom. Some suggested getting an itunes gift card to help purchase apps that you want, or asking your PTA to give the teachers gift cards to help purchase apps.

I am very excited to have ipads in the classroom this next year and have many ideas for their use. I think it would be great to use them in the morning as a station for kids to post their thoughts to a questions I have asked on wallwishers as everyone is getting ready for the day. I can also see the ipads as a great way for the kids to watch videos or live news feeds about things going on around our state and nation.

My dream is to have enough ipads to have one of my book club groups be able to read their book on Kindle and make notes while they read and share their thoughts live. Wouldn't that bee exciting!!!!!

Tool # 7

Tool # 7 is the most confusing to me!  I visited edmondo, (where I needed a password I didn't know!) and class to class.  I think you could probably use class2class as a civic project for the grade level.  

I really like the idea of sharing something with another classroom in the district or even out of the state.

Tool #6

I have created an account on wallwishers and poll everywhere. I also already have accounts with Google docs and twitter.

http://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/MTI5MTQxMjM4NA

Get a free sms student response system at Poll Everywhere

http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/nonamemommy

I am so excited about using wallwishers and polleverywhere in the classroom!! I think I could have either one of these up on the activ board when they are coming in in the morning and getting settled. You could have some computers up or the ipads for that matter and the kids could go and write a sticky or give an opinion and go on their way.

As far as encouraging participation, I think there is no question that this will be a huge booster to those who don't always do their work, and will also give some accountability too.

Tool #5

I had a great time playing around with the different sites. Two that I think I will try to incorporate into my language arts class are Wordle and Storybird. I would love to use Wordle in reading and in social studies. Storybird would be great to writing and publishing individual or group stories. I can't wait to use these and see how the kids take off!

Tool #4

I was introduced to Google Apps back in the Spring. I thought using Google docs with my kids would be a great way for us to interact when they were writing their Reader's Response. Starting out was a little tricky, because they were so excited to be on the computer, but we had trouble getting everyone logged on. I assigned a day for each child to write me about the book they were reading(5 each day) and I would respond right on their document. It was a wonderful new way to share information and I didn't have to lug a stack of notebooks home. Because it was on the computer, I could check on a daily basis to see who keeping up with the assignment and in turn they would check to see if I had responded, which kept me accountable! I will be using this app this next year again!!

Tool #3

I am very familiar with video in the classroom.  I use Discovery Education for Social Studies and Brain pop for Language Arts.  Using video is a great way to engage the kids in the topic we are studying. Even our Scholastic reading magazine this past year had links to video and activ board activities with were great to use with the stories. Was was even better about it is that everything was in one place and you didn't have to search to get it all!

I really liked exploring the Freedigitalphotos.net!  I can see that it will be a useful site for the kids and for me in the coming year.

Tool #2

This tool lesson was very time consuming!  Visiting different blogs and trying to find things that will be helpful was a lot of work, especially when most sites were not something I  could use.  I do follow a lot of blogs on my personal time but do not subscribe to new feeds.  After hearing about Google reader, it would really save time by subscribing and having them all in one place.


I did visit Classroom 2.0 and ficshbowl and I think with more time to navigate each site, I might find some useful things.

11 tools!

Well, I have set up my blogger account.  It has been a difficult experience going through Google apps with the district.  I finally just set it up through Internet Explorer.  Hopefully this will not be a problem down the road.  I am excited to learn more about what they have in store for us this next year in respects to technology within the classroom. I guess on to Tool #2!