Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Google Groups - Goldie Fly's



There once was a little eagle named Goldie.  Goldie wanted to learn how to fly so bad, but his mom and dad would not teach him.  So one day after Goldie’s morning meal he decided he would stand on the edge of the nest and teach himself how to fly.  (Haylee Herndon)
Goldie stood on the edge of the nest. He started to flap his wings continuously. He flapped his wings as hard as he could, until he was lifted a few inches off the nest. Goldie started to go higher and higher. He flapped his wings faster and faster He was going straight up in the air.  (Mary Kirchner)
Goldie was amazed that he was flying on his own, until suddenly he began to fall downward.  Goldie was so frightened he did not know what to do.  He was scared and alone and could barely keep himself up in the air.  Goldie was sinking fast and before long he was going to collide with the ground.  He only had so much energy left in his tiny little wings.  Suddenly Goldie heard something flying towards him, he was afraid that it might be a hawk that his parents had warned him about but he hoped that it was one of his parents. (Hayley Kavanagh)
With his eyes fixed to the ground that was getting closer and closer, all of sudden something  grabbed Goldie and pulled him back up towards the sky. He tried to look up and see what had grabbed hold of him but he could not see who it was, or what it was. At that moment, Goldie closed his eyes and told himself that if only he could be back in his nest with his parents he would never try to fly again. Whatever it was that had hold of him landed, and when Goldie opened his eyes it was his mother and he was back in his family’s nest. The first words he spoke to his mother was his promise to never to try to fly again, but his mother told him that he is suppose to fly, because that is what birds are suppose to do, but you have a lot to learn and I must teach you all the things you need to learn before you are ready. When the time is right you will fly! (Robin Herndon)

I enjoyed this creative assignment. The ability to have multiple students working on the same document without being crowded around a computer together is amazing. I would have my students write throughout the year and then publish the book for them to keep with them always when they finish my class. Very inspiring! You can also use this to keep up with assignments, questions for all students to view, as well as a tool for new ideas pertaining to an assignment and students to modify each others work without sending and receiving hard copies due to the document automatically updating.The NETS-T Standard that this exhibits the best would have to be 1d. To model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in fact to face and virutal enviornment. Google groups was a way for students all in one group to communicate via google to create a story. The group could also communicate face to face.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

A Little Piece of Heaven!!



My video is a bunch of photos of my little boy. The photos show the period of time in which he was born until now. He is one. I chose the song "Dont Blink" by Kenny Chesney because the song ties my pictures together by revealing how quickly a little one can grow up. This video is a great reminder to have expecially for my little boy when he is not so little anymore. (:
Window movie maker is the tool I used in order to create this little album of memories. This tool could also be used in a general education classroom. For example, teachers could use windows movie maker to reflect the time the students had throughout the year for an end of the year presentation to the parents. The students could also use this tool as well. If all students has access to this tool (school library), perhaps the students could create a movie for an assignment or for their parents. Overall, Windows movie maker is fun. Students and teachers can be creative.
This video maker also can correlate with the NETS-T. The standards that I feel it fits best with is also 2a. This video maker will be a great way for students to open up, build self confidence, and develop a creativity. It is a great technology that students can use to learn from.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Web Tools



The web tools I used to create a test, puzzle, rubric, and print a worksheet, I thought, are going to be very valuable when I become a teacher. These tools are very helpful when it comes to quickly creating an activity. It cuts down the time I will be spending at my computer creating these documents. What is even greater about these four web tools is that these websites are free to use for the most part. I downloaded simple math worksheets. I created a word puzzle that was just for fun. I created a rubric which was almost completed for me, and I made a math test. There was a variety of different options I could have used with each website. I could of made any type of puzzle even a word search. It literally took five minutes. I could of picked any worksheets for any subject. My test could have been in a variety of formats such as true/false or multiple choices. It was simple. The hardest part is going to be memorizing my user names and passwords. :) I loved them. They will be very useful in my career to come. I am going to list the links below.
The NETS-T Standard that these websites introduce, I think is, 2c. The standard states to customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources. All of these websites have many options. There is a variety of different puzzles the students could do. There is multiple choice, short answer, and discussion. Each of these options can be done by the teacher based on how the students each learn best.
 
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

http://www.classmarker.com/
http://www.abcteach.com
http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/

Here is a picture of what my Puzzle looked like :)