Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Critical Thinking and Technology in Math - Would You Rather?


This website posts "Would you rather?" questions which require students to justify their answer using math.  Some questions may require providing additional facts to students - the teacher could prepare this in advance or allow the students to search online for the answer.  (i.e. "How much is the penalty when taking the lump-sum?")

Go to:

This site offers the opportunity for critical thinking relating to real-world situations.

Critical problem solving is one of the 4 C's of 21st Century Learning:

Image from pixgood.com

Monday, February 2, 2015

Create Infographics to Share Information

Visual learners as well as students with linguistic, logical-mathematical, and/or spatial intelligence strengths will love creating infographics to show what they know.

Check out an example of a finished PiktoChart infographic:


You can create an account at PiktoChart.com and have your students make infographics directly from the PiktoChart website.  Elementary students can use the teacher's account, and students in 7th-12th grade can sign up for their own.  Students can present in class just by having the website up and running.  It is easy for students to show their PiktoChart on your Smart Board by using the "Publish" button, choosing "Open on Web", and clicking "Presentation Mode".


Monday, January 26, 2015

Subscribe to Colleagues' Blogs for Updates and Ideas!

Every staff member is encouraged to subscribe to a few colleagues' blogs.  This can help you to see how others are using this tool - and each teacher uses it a little differently!  Viewing others' content can also be a good source for reblogging ideas on your own blog or newsletter.

Click on a name below to get to that teacher's blog.  Use the "Follow by Email" section to get yourself subscribed.

Specialists:

Lisa Weninger






Classroom Teachers:






Monday, January 19, 2015

Present with Prezi - and Check Out Mr. Brown's Costume!

One great way to integrate technology into your classroom is to have students present their knowledge visually.  Power Point and Google Presentations are simple tools that can be used for this purpose.  If your students are ready for something similar to Power Point but a little more unique, try Prezi.com.

Your students can present their knowledge using text, images, or video.  Completed Prezis can also be posted online to classroom or student blogs.

I am available to teach you or your students about Prezi and guide them as they create a project demonstrating their knowledge.

Check out an example of what a Prezi looks like!

Click here to view

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Create Your Own Rubrics Online

Rubrics are a great way to help students monitor their own progress toward the learning target.  Create your own at Rubistar.4teachers.org.

Here is an example of a rubric I created there.  A teacher can edit everything from the number of columns/rows to the points given.  Enjoy!


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Chatterpix - A Quick Demonstration of Learning


Check out this video to see how your students could use a drawing and an iPad to demonstrate their learning in any subject.  Contact me if you would like help using this in your classroom!

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Email All Your Parents at Once - Google Email Tip

Want to be able to email all of your students' parents at once?

Create an email list.

If you teach more than one class, you can have a separate group for each class.

Contact Beth - I can help you by gathering parent email addresses, typing them into your Contacts, and setting them up into groups.

_____________________________________________

Or, here is how you can set up email groups yourself:

In your Google Email, click the drop-down menu next to "Mail" and choose Contacts.



Hover your mouse directly over this little line until it drops down for more choices. 


Scroll down and click on "New Group".


Enter a name for your email group and click "OK".


Your group has been created.  Now it needs email addresses.  To enter an email address, click on "New Contact".


Enter a name and email address.  Then click on the Groups button (looks like a 3-person party).  Choose which group(s) you would like this contact to be in.  Check the box, and click "Apply".


Repeat this until you have all the members of the group entered.  (If the email addresses are already in your contacts, find each contact and look for that same "party button" to add them to groups.)

Great!

Now how do I email this group?

Return to your email by clicking the drop-down menu next to "Contacts" and choosing "Mail".


Compose a new email, and choose "BCC".  This way, your parents cannot see one another's email addresses.


Begin typing in the name of the Group you created, and it will appear.  Choose that group, and type an email to them.