Looking for a fun and interactive element to add to your science lesson? Check out Science for Kids for interactive games, quizzes, projects and a lot more!
You're probably thinking, "what, Twitter in the classroom? NO WAY" - but I promise you, it's more than just a social media site. Twitter is a platform that has expanded the horizons of collaborative work in the classroom and has allowed many classrooms to stay engaged and interested in the work they are creating. Twitter can be utilized in the classroom in many different ways - it all depends on your purpose and intent. The link below describes three main ways in which Twitter can be used used within the classroom to promote learning and a positive environment. By typing "twitter use in the classroom" into the Google search bar, you'll be pleasantly surprised with all of the ways one can integrate Twitter into the classroom. As technology is becoming a huge part of teaching, and students are enthralled with the topic, why not integrate it into the classroom? If you still aren't sold on the idea of Twitter in the classroom, check out some of the links below - you won't be sorry!
I'm sure that every teacher has thought about how they are going to set up their new classroom, or what their ideal classroom would look like if they could create their own.. Am I right? Well you're welcome in advance because FloorPlanner.com is a cool and technological way to envision and create your own classroom! Though not limited to classroom creations, this resource allows you to choose your desired dimensions and place objects within the space to create a room that screams you. Check the tab titled Assignments and Exemplars on my blog to check out one of my own creations.
You're welcome! Ok teachers, brace yourselves for an awesome technological resource.. Animoto. This online tool allows you to upload a series of photos and create your own story. Cool right? This is a great tool in the classroom as it allows students to showcase their understanding of a topic, as well as demonstrate their creativity and imagination. This resource allows you to choose the theme in which your photos will be displayed, add music from a wide variety of tunes, and add text and messages wherever you please - awesome! While I was playing around with the site one day, I thought how cool would this be if you could create a sort of photo album showcasing all the students in your class, and the events and ideas you have taken part in throughout the year? (Almost like a classroom yearbook) This then got my gears turnin' and I started to think of all of the ways this could be used within the classroom, which got me very excited. Some of the ideas I came up with are as follows:
The ideas really are endless! This resource is valuable as it adds technology into the classroom, and allows students to be creative and demonstrate their understanding in a way they are proud to display. ALSO, make sure to check out the Assignments and Exemplars tab on my blog to see out my own personal video using Animoto! Want to check out Animoto for yourself? Go to https://animoto.com! It's a well known fact that teachers are always looking for new and innovative ways to get their students engaged in their learning. Teachers, I present to you Wordle. What's Wordle? Besides super fun, it's an online tool that allows you to create word clouds. This educational resource makes it easy and accessible for students to take their information, and display it in a fun and creative way. As Wordle is simply an outlet for your student's to display their knowledge, this resource can easily be classified as cross-curricular. Examples of how Wordle can be used in the classroom include:
A neat aspect of this resource is that it demonstrates words that have been used more than once. If a word has been entered multiple times, it will create a large and bold word within your word cloud. This way you can emphasize words within your cloud to draw attention to the main idea. It could also be used as a marking tool for teachers - if students are given instructions to make a word cloud consisting of various characteristics of a character in a book they are reading, a teacher can easily pinpoint certain words that the child is continuously using. This can then help you as the teacher determine whether the student was challenging themselves, coming up with various adjectives, or if they chose to use the same one time and time again. Overall I find this resource a very powerful and educational tool. Though not very complex, Wordle offers children the option to display their knowledge in their own creative way. Being able to express themselves is something students thrive on, therefore this tool engages and teaches the students. As the use of technology is becoming more prevalent in today's classrooms, students need to be informed of the do's and don'ts when engaging in such material. As I am navigating through various websites and online resources, I subconsciously started gathering a list of skills I thought necessary to be a safe and successful twenty-first century learner - something I would share with my future students. Though there are many skills one could have that would be beneficial when engaging with media and technology, I have narrowed it down to ten well rounded skills set up for success. My list is as follows:
Top 10 Skills for Successful Students 1. Stay Alert and Stay Safe Being able to recognize what technological resources are safe and what pose harmful threats are a valuable skill to have when using technology. Walking into a "technology trap" can easily be done - but knowing how to avoid them or maneuver you're way around them will save you time and turmoil in the end. 2. Remain a Constant Learner Think you know everything about technology? Well think again - no one knows everything about anything, as we constantly learn new things on a daily basis. If you remain open to learning new things on a daily basis, you're technological experience will grow - and so will your brain! 3. Remain Optimistic Using new resources can be tough - things don't always go as we'd hoped, we run into unexpected roadblocks, and frustration arises - and that's ok! Remaining optimistic through the rough patches will allow you to power through whatever obstacles are thrown your way, making you a better technological navigator in the end. 4. Collaborate With Others Think you have a ton of super cool ideas? Imagine how many ideas there would be if you and millions of other individuals could share and pool your ideas together. Cool right? Collaborating with others can expand your thinking and lead you to the creation of new ideas. Two heads are always better than one! 5. Innovate and Create Many resources allow you to explore and create beyond your imagination - harness your inner creativity, take advantage, and create or discover something you've never done before! 6. Ask Questions Like I said before, no one knows everything about anything. If you have a question, make sure you ask it - chances are someone else has the exact same question as you do - so ask it for them! Asking questions will also ensure you're safety and help you avoid unwanted sites, resources and applications. 7. Educate Yourself Make sure to educate yourself on the tools before venturing out on your technological journey - being able to understand the tools you are about to use will allow you to navigate safely and effectively through your technological journey. 8. Manage Your Time When engaging with technology and media, one can lose all track of time. Keep in mind how long you've been on the computer, or whatever resource you're using as sitting in front of a screen for too long can cause unwanted health risks. So even though using media and technology is super fun, remember to take a breather - go outside, read a book, or play a game with a friend and come back to your technological search later. 9. Reflect It is always important to reflect on your experiences no matter the circumstance. What did I do today? What can I take away from it? How could I have done things differently? What did I enjoy about this experience? Taking the time to understand what you discovered or learned and reflecting upon those experiences can deeper your understanding of the provided material. 10. Have Fun Last but not least, have fun! Engaging in the use of media and technology is always a blast as you discover new games, resources and applications. Remember to try new things, take (safe) risks and learn something new - you won't regret it! |
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