Tech Time

I think we all know that technology is becoming an increasingly useful tool in the classroom.  If we are not utilizing technology in our classrooms, we are missing out on so many opportunities to enhance our lessons and connect with our students.  While I've had success using technology to enhance my teaching, I have struggle with figuring out how I can get this technology into the hands of my students.  I find this particularly challenging as an early-elementary teacher because my young students do not have the same 24-7 access to the Internet that many older students have and my little ones need to be taught how to use it properly.  This means that I need to use class time to teach them to use it and more class time to give them computer access. No!  Not my precious class time!

Yes, our class time is indeed precious, but I have found that the benefits of being able to use certain technology far out-weigh the sacrifice of a few minutes teaching time.
 
Today I want to tell/ask you about a couple of specific software tools that have been worthwhile in my classroom of 6-year-olds (this tool can absolutely be used with older students too;).  One of these tools is called VoiceThread.  Simply put, VoiceThread is an online discussion board.  We have used this forum to discuss our favorite books, get and give feedback on creative writing, and review concepts we've studied in class.  I've found that certain students who shy away from speaking out in class will share openly and with confidence on VoiceThread and all of my students have benefited from the peer-feedback shared on VoiceThread.

Initially I hesitated to use VoiceThread because I was afraid it would be too complicated to teach them to use.  Then I was introduced to ScreenCast.  ScreenCast is an online tool that allows you to video/audio-record your computer screen as you complete a task.  Here is the ScreenCast I recorded to teach my students how to comment on VoiceThread.  Using ScreenCast I was able to show my students exactly how to use the VoiceThread software and I was able to post the recording so that my students always have access to it if they need to watch it again.

In my class, as in many other early-elementary classrooms I know, we make use of "centers" for independent learning and research.  To ensure that all of my students have access to a computer at some point during the week, I created a Computer Center in our room.  Every student rotates through the Computer Center at least once during the week and can use that time to access the current VoiceThread. 

What are some technologies you use with little ones?  Do you have any tips or tricks for teaching computer skills?  Am I  under-estimating my young students?......it wouldn't be the first time I'm afraid :-/ They amaze me every day!

Timeline on Steroids!

Recently in our classroom I've enjoyed using a wonderful online tool called Capzles.  Very basically, it's an online tool that allows me to create a timeline or power-point type presentation with lots of layers and bells and whistles;)  Here is an example of a Capzle that I use in my classroom to support our lessons about the life cycle (please forgive the gaps in info in this capzle. The website has had some recent issues.)

Where Power Point has slides, Capzle has what they call "stacks".  I like to think of them more like file folders.  So instead of clicking through slide after slide of information, I (or my students) can click on a stack (file folder) and view many pictures, videos, documents, or other interactive materials that pertain to that bit of information.  Capzles works especially well for projects like timelines or presentations that have stages (like life cycles!) because it allows you to really expand on specific ideas while staying on track.

Something I've thought about doing with my younger students is creating a poster-board Capzle.  Perhaps group up the students and give each group a stage of the life cycle or year on a timeline.  Each group could create a "stack" on their poster-board and in the end we could put them all together as a "capzle."  Older students who are most experienced with research and online tools would absolutely be able to build a Capzle online and not have to use poster-board;)

Have you used Capzles before?  Are there other topics you think would go well with this software?

Another online tool I really enjoy is called Powtoons.  I LOVE to use this tool to create little cartoons to introduce new topics:)  The graphics and colors are quite catchy and work great as attention-getters:)  After I've used the 'toon to introduce a new topic, I'll play the video over again as the kids are coming in from recess or transitioning activities in the classroom.  This really seems to help those kids that struggle transitioning their little brains to new topics.  In another post on another day, I'll share some of my own powtoons, but unfortunately I've lost them at the moment.....:-/

Do you have an attention-getter that works well?  For what else could we use Powtoon in our classrooms?

For Your Information...

We all love a good picture book.  Even the most avid of readers can get overwhelmed by a wordy explanation in her text book and appreciates a good graphic now and then.  We teach our students to highlight main ideas with bright markers and color-code their notes because we know that colors stick in our brains and help us remember things.  Sometimes we even draw little pictures, or circles, or arrows pointing to the most important information in our books.  There is no question that color and pictures support our understanding and memory of information.

Enter, the infographic.

I'm sure you've seen these popping up all over the place lately.  I've learned all kinds of fun new facts about the difference between nerds and geeks and what's in my coffee.  There's even an infographic to help me know if I'm wearing pants!  

The infographic posted above is one that I created using easel.ly.  As the site's name suggests, it was super easy!  It took a little time to get the design just how I wanted and find just the right graphics to support my goal, but easel.ly made putting my design thoughts onto paper easy peasy;)  I had this infographic printed out poster-size to hang on the wall in our classroom library corner.  

Infographics are also a great project for students to create themselves.  Like concept maps, infographics allow students to collect and highlight main ideas within a concept.  This project is fun for your visually-oriented and/or artsy students:)

I try to support my lessons with visual aids every chance I get.  Infographics are a fun way to do this, but I also like to use real-life photos.  Using photo-editing tools like Picasa allows me to enhance and highlight photographs to support student learning.  I like to use real-world photos (as opposed to graphics) when I can because students can connect through and relate to photographs of real places and people in ways that they cannot with computer graphics.

How do you use graphics and photos in your classroom?  Do you use these tools more as teaching tools or do you have your students use them for projects?

What Gets Me From A to B

I have always loved maps.  Even with the convenience and ease of modern GPS systems, I still prefer the old-school atlas that we keep in the back pocket of the passenger seat:)  There is something satisfying about being able to see the whole big picture and figure out my path for myself.  Some might say that's because I'm a control freak, but I think there's something to be said for having a clear vision of where you want to go and how you plan to get there.

Maps can be extremely useful in the classroom.  A tool I like to use is the Concept Map.  Here's an example of a concept map I put together to map out a unit about the human body:

Sometimes I will create a map like this ahead of time and use it as an instruction tool but I also really enjoy building maps with my students.  We've built them as a variation of a KWL chart to stimulate background knowledge and brainstorm at the beginning of a new concept and on the flip side we've used them as a review or assessment tool at the end of a lesson. (i.e. giving my students a partially filled in concept map to complete or rebuilding a concept map as a class for review)

I like road maps because I can look and see exactly where I've been and/or where I need to go.  In the same way, Concept Maps:
1.  Help students organize their thoughts and ideas about a lesson into main ideas and details or supporting elements.
2.  Allow us to teach with a clear goal at the center of the lesson.  Since concept maps build on a main idea, every new thought must connect back to the center concept.  This goal-oriented learning is helpful for both students and teachers!
3.  Present an organized, interactive collection of the most important points of a concept.  (Perfect for reviewing!)

In my classroom, I try to present all my lessons like a Map and not like a GPS.  Instead of directing my students around each curve as we come to it (like a GPS does) I try to make sure my students know from the very beginning, what the end goal is and how they can achieve that goal.  I have learned that
EVERYONE does better if he can see the point of the lesson, and I don't think that makes them control freaks;)

P.S.  I created this concept map using Kidspiration.  Some other good resources are:  Mindmeister, Mindomo, MapMyself, and Bubbl.us.  

Have you used any of this software?  There are lots of examples out there of concept maps for older kids but I haven't seen as many for early elementary.  What concepts have you taught using maps?  Do you have a favorite use for concept maps in your classroom?

I'd love to hear your ideas! 

Let's Talk About Behavior Charts.

As I was scrolling Facebook a few days ago, I came across THIS blog post.  A friend of mine who's husband is an administrator (and also a friend;) had posted it.  To say that this article was thought-provoking would be quite an understatement.  I might even say that Miss Night's thoughts here are revolutionary.  In our day, when our classrooms are becoming so standardized, I think many of us (myself included) have also standardized our classroom behavioral management plans.  While blanket classroom behavior plans (i.e. the "stoplight" or, the rainbow, or card-flipping) are neat and certainly easier than 20 to 30 individual discipline relationships, I tend to agree with Miss Night that neat and easy are not always best.

It is becoming more and more clear to me that Fair is not always Equal, but it's scary to think about giving up my neat (and pretty cute) little classroom management rainbow.  Not only do I fear the added pressure of coming up with logical consequences, (as opposed to "move your clothes-pin" or "flip your card") I worry that the kids won't understand the concept that Fair is not always Equal. I appreciate Miss Night's post (and this follow-up post) because she shows that kindergartners can and do understand the concept, even if many adults cannot.

I'm learning that as I make an effort to differentiate my lessons, I should also make an effort to differentiate my discipline in the classroom.  We learn in teacher-school that it is important to teach to our students differing educational needs.  If our students learn academics in different ways is it not logical to assume that they would also learn behavioral management in different ways?

I think Miss Night says it all when she says that behavior management should not be about systems, but it should be about relationships.  I am most definitely still in the learning stages of differentiated behavioral management and would love to hear your thoughts.  Have any of you given up your behavior charts for a more individualistic approach?  Do you have a fool-proof behavior system in your classroom?

Wordle Shmrdle!

This is a Wordle.  It's a word-picture that I created to describe myself.  I love to use this online tool as a "get to know you" activity at the beginning of the school-year.  I like this project because we learn a LOT about each other and I find that each year I learn a lot about myself as well.  I think the students do too:)

This activity is SUPER easy;)  Here's how we do it in Ms. Becca's class:

1.  Ask your students to write words that describe themselves.
           -Sometimes with younger students I will type the Wordles myself so I let them use crayons and/or markers to make their lists so I can design their Wordles with colors they like;)

2.  Either have your students create their own Wordle or have them turn in their lists and you can type them up.
           -it's super easy, all you have to do is go to wordle.net, type in your list of words, and pick your colors!
           -piece of cake:)

3.  We spend the week sharing our Wordles with each other and at the end of the week we, as a class, create a Wordle that describes our class.
           -I print our class Wordle poster-size and post it in our classroom
           -The Class Wordle is my favorite part of this activity because I learn so much!  It's truly enlightening to see your class through the students' eyes.  The Class Wordle is also a great way to talk about class goals and what you HOPE for your class (i.e. How do we want others to see our class?, What do we want our class to be like? What are words that describe a good classroom?)


I've learned lots of fun things about myself and my students through using this tool.  There are so many creative ways to utilize it at home and in the classroom.  I've known parents who create Family Wordles with their kids.  Isn't that a great idea?!  I'd love to see some of your Wordles!  Check out www.wordle.net and let me know what you think!