Blogging on being a SMART teacher
December 8th, 2009 by jennstewartmitchell
What have I done so far with my SMART board with my grade 7/8 class…
1. Grammar: Every morning the students complete Daily Oral Language Lessons via the SMART board. They seem to love the opportunity to not only discuss the corrections, but enjoy the opportunity to use the board.
Reading: I like being able to play video clips that relate to what we are studying (for example we are exploring Greek Mythology, I was able to view a pre-made ppt that explored Greece and ancient ruins etc. with the students. It was nice to have the immediate accessibility to the resource, so we could stop and discuss different images.
We also had a chance to examine a couple other websites that had resources that connected to what we were doing in Greek Mythology. One was Readwritethink.com and the other was scholastic.com. On the first site, there was an interactive story starter for writing a myth that we examined, after a class lesson on how to use the tool, the students went to their own computers and tried it out. On the second site, the students viewed the process in writing a myth and things to consider; then we analyzed other myths written by students from around the world. It was cool just being able to read and discuss as a class the writing and how they can apply points from our discussion to their own myths. The students are quite excited to post their own myths on this site and ”show those other kids… How it’s done” (note these are their words).
2. In math class I downloaded a lesson on Pythagorean Relationship. It was a short pre-created multiple choice quiz. Although it was a little easy for grade 8, I used the quiz as a warm-up for a couple of lessons. Then I found the graphics from the quiz (right angled triangles with attached squares) to be quite useful for other lessons… so I copy/pasted them into other math lessons for the unit. I use the SMART board daily for this class, because I can save my lessons and review them for the next day.
3. In Social Studies, I used the koosh ball game to create review questions for the lesson. It was fairly easy to create and definitely interactive.
4. In Arts Ed. we had a chance to briefly tour a virtural art gallery and I plan on using the SMART boards to explore other galleries and museums around the world. Just the size of the SMART board gives the students opportunities to view images in detail.
Drama – We are using the SMART Notebook software to create “interactive backdrops” to reader’s theatre presentations. The students inserted background images that they obtained from the internet (google images etc.), then incorporated some of the sound effects that is part of the notebook software (which of course was quite exciting). Groups each came up and took turns using the SMART board to get ready for their presentations. It was neat watching them navigate through the software. I didn’t have to help them… most of them learned how to use the program by watching me! They even know where to find different files that I have saved, usually I have comments like, “Oh that’s in ____ folder and it’s called ___.” It seems that inadvertently I am teaching them how to organize and navigate folders and files … just by chance.
5. Social – Having access to the SMART board has been awesome for teaching current events. I don’t feel like I am limited to paper sources or that I can only send them to computers to view cbc news clips without the benefits of discussion (plus it’s easier to view the SMART board rather than trying to get the class to gather around a computer, or having to connect everything for the portable SMART board). Of course the SMART board is super for viewing maps or images that connect to our unit on Resource Management. It was nice that I even found a great Notebook lesson on-line that relates to this topic.
So far in terms of a project that I would like to work on with my students, I feel that I am on-track. I have many ideas and ways I want to involve the students with the SMART board… from having the students post their writing and responses on Edublogs to an interactive presentation on renewable energy… For me, the issue is usually narrowing everything down.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
SMART BOARD PD - PROJECT PERCEPTION RESPONSES
RCSD SMART Project Perceptions
1. So far parents seem really positive about having the SMART board in the room. A couple parents even stated that they think EVERY classroom should have one; and I quote,”Most companies have SMART boards and that’s just adults, we should be doing more for our kids”.
2. The students are incredibly excited to have a SMART board in the classroom. I have noticed that even with the most mundane lessons like in Grammar (Daily Oral Language), students are excited to share or make corrections to sentences and paragraphs on the SMART board. They also say that they feel extremely fortunate that I made the effort to apply for the SMART board… and that all the other students in the other classrooms are jealous. ;-)
3. The SMART board has definitely enhanced the teaching of new curriculum in my classroom. Students are definitely more interested and involved in the lessons. I found that having the SMART board is like having access to many textbooks and videos all at once, plus they are all up-to-date. In many ways, because the new curricula is extremely outcome oriented and inquiry focused, having access to a huge variety of media is beneficial. The students have demonstrated interest in more inquiry based lessons by offering me ideas on what we should research or sites that are applicable to our lesson. Integrating the SMART board with new curriculum has been pretty much seamless.
As a side note...Another inadvertent skill that I noticed the students have developed with the SMART board is their navigation abilities on the internet as well as their level of comfort on the Notebook software. I have even found that having the SMART board has even influenced the teaching practices and the integration of technology for the other teachers who come into my classroom to teach. It has almost been like an “inadvertent technology P.D.”
4. Challenges... As everyone has stated previous to me time is also my greatest challenge. I just need time to figure things out.
1. So far parents seem really positive about having the SMART board in the room. A couple parents even stated that they think EVERY classroom should have one; and I quote,”Most companies have SMART boards and that’s just adults, we should be doing more for our kids”.
2. The students are incredibly excited to have a SMART board in the classroom. I have noticed that even with the most mundane lessons like in Grammar (Daily Oral Language), students are excited to share or make corrections to sentences and paragraphs on the SMART board. They also say that they feel extremely fortunate that I made the effort to apply for the SMART board… and that all the other students in the other classrooms are jealous. ;-)
3. The SMART board has definitely enhanced the teaching of new curriculum in my classroom. Students are definitely more interested and involved in the lessons. I found that having the SMART board is like having access to many textbooks and videos all at once, plus they are all up-to-date. In many ways, because the new curricula is extremely outcome oriented and inquiry focused, having access to a huge variety of media is beneficial. The students have demonstrated interest in more inquiry based lessons by offering me ideas on what we should research or sites that are applicable to our lesson. Integrating the SMART board with new curriculum has been pretty much seamless.
As a side note...Another inadvertent skill that I noticed the students have developed with the SMART board is their navigation abilities on the internet as well as their level of comfort on the Notebook software. I have even found that having the SMART board has even influenced the teaching practices and the integration of technology for the other teachers who come into my classroom to teach. It has almost been like an “inadvertent technology P.D.”
4. Challenges... As everyone has stated previous to me time is also my greatest challenge. I just need time to figure things out.
SMART BOARD INQUIRY WORKSHOP - FEBRUARY
TEACHING IDEAS VIA THE SMART BOARD
Picture Word Induction Model
- Use the words that students brainstorm by looking at your poster.
- Make “Sort Columns” (cut the words out and students place in their own Ziploc bag).
- Students write their own sentences
- Cut/paste into word sort columns (vowels and parts of speech…)
- Make sentences using words adding in articles, prepositions etc. and submit sentences for DOL.
National Standards Math
- multiplication grid
Sumo paint 2.0 – on-line image editor software
www.sumopaint.com
save this file as a jpeg
open and load
kids can create a sumo peg account (kids just quick register)
do art on it…
Math dragon - animation on fractions – youtube.
Blog Spot
http://stewiessmartthoughts.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html
password – where oars go!
Weebly – free website
Username
Password
Email
Click on orange button – create a site
Title your site
Learning to use
Pre made site
Click and drag
New favourites/ bookmarks site: www.delicious.com
COMMUNITIES OF INQUIRY
How can inquiry get us to “deeper understanding” in an outcome based curriculum?
What is inquiry? Inquiry is a way of looking at the world, a questioning stance we take when we seek to learn something we don’t know yet. (Diane Parker, Planning for Inquiry is not an Oxymoron)
Inquiry is a stance or model we take, not a methodology or teaching strategy.
Inquiry is a dynamic process of being open to wonder and puzzlement and coming to know and understanding the world. As such, it is a stance that pervades all aspects of life and is essential to the ways in which knowledge is created. Inquiry is based on the belief that understanding is constructed the process of people working and conversing together as they pose and solve the problems, make discoveries and rigorously test the discoveries that arise in the course of the shared activity.
www.galilleo.org/inquiry
Characteristics of an inquiry based approach to teaching include:
- Focus on few ideas or areas for inquiry (ex: extinction vs. dinosaurs) in great depth
- Select a focus with the greatest potential to spark thinking and controversy.
- Continually ask students to make tentative judgments about understanding.
- Use disciplines as a repository of information in addressing pressing concepts or issues.
- Employ large quantities of data form diverse sources.
- Draw on firsthand experiences of students and teachers
Inquiry is messy and constantly cycles back… It is a philosophical stance rather than a set of strategies, activities or a particular teaching method.
INQUIRY STANCE
Operating with an inquiry stance… critical to being an effective teacher… An Inquiry stance is one that positions teachers as a problem poser , asking questions… viewing learning in a more complex and dynamic fashion rather than …
HIGHER LEVEL THINKING
- What did I do? (Remember knowledge – 1st level Blooms)
- What knowledge, skills and strategies did I use to complete the task? (Understand/Comprehension)
- What is important given where my student are at (focusing inquiry)
- What strategies (evidence based are most likely to help my student learn this?
- What happened as a result of the teaching and ware the implications for further teaching.
- What steps did I take to achieve this? (analysis)
- What are may strengths and what would I learn to learn more about or develop my skills and strategies more in? (Evaluation)
- How will I use this new knowledge and these learning strategies?
WHY PROMOTE INQUIRY?
- To encourage learners to think for themselves.
- To explore their thinking
- To facilitate their understanding
- To encourage higher level thinking
- “To raise children into citizens who think clearly and deeply, who have gained knowledge and acquire judgment, and who take action with humanity in mind.” ( Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels)
WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT?
It boils down to the quality of learning we desire for those in charge…
COMPETING ASSUMPTIONS
Craft Culture Assumptions
Knowledge is created primarily by outside authorities not with oneself.
Think learning is a fairly uncomplicated affair. Most students are not naturally eager to learn.
CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH
-Individuals and /or communities create knowledge. Sense making is a complex process.
-Students are naturally curious. Students can engage in higher order thinking students will undertake meaningful challenging tasks.
-Risk taking by teacher and students is necessary and good to stimulate thinking, explore multiple perspectives and to make responsible decisions in an ambiguous world.
SPIRAL OF KNOWLEDGE
A spiraling process continues throughout each individual’s lifetime and occurs in practical situations in the workplace and community as well as in educational institutions.(G. Wells)
INQUIRY ORIENTED INSTRUCTION CURRICULUM MODELS
- Project based learning
- Expeditionary learning
- Problem based
- Group investigations
- Inquiry groups
- Guided inquiry
- Simulations
BANCHI AND BELL 2008
Level 1 Confirmation - teacher gives the questions procedure and outcome
Level 2 Structured -teacher gives question and procedure outcome not known in advance
Level 3 Guided - teacher gives question student generates procedures outcome not shown in advance
Level 4 Open - Student generates question and procedure outcome is not known in advance
PLANNING FOR INQUIRY
As teachers plan for inquiry some questions would continually drive their thinking and decisions making including:
How can I help my students realize that they have questions and that their questions matter?
How can I crate a classroom environment that supports my students inquires without directing them?
How can I help my students connect inquiry to questions and issues of deeper personal and social significance?
How can I help my students share their learning in interesting relevant authentic ways?
Units can be thought of as opportunities to explore, define and make sense of the “big ideas”
Conceptualizing Instruction and framing the unit/module
What is a concept or understanding that is rich and significant enough to deserve in depth treatment?
FACILITATION OF DISCUSSION THAT PROMOTES INQUIRY
What made you think of that?
Can you explain your reasoning?
How did you solve that problem?
What made you decide to try that strategy?
How would you explain that to others?
Out of the Question – Quick reference resource
Why ask questions in the classroom; assessing questioning process (flip book format)
Mini inquiries are short term small group inquiries that lest
5 E Learning Cycle - engage; explore; explain; elaborate; evaluate
INVITATION TO INQUIRY QUESTION…
Why is inquiry so critical in a constructivist approach? I need more information on the constructivist approach.
How can I use inquiry to aid in my project using the SMART board? How should I get the student Inquiry Global Citizens project started? What learning skills do I want to teach in this project? Jot not making; analytical research skills;
How can we teach without the focus on the technology but on the learning outcomes?
Picture Word Induction Model
- Use the words that students brainstorm by looking at your poster.
- Make “Sort Columns” (cut the words out and students place in their own Ziploc bag).
- Students write their own sentences
- Cut/paste into word sort columns (vowels and parts of speech…)
- Make sentences using words adding in articles, prepositions etc. and submit sentences for DOL.
National Standards Math
- multiplication grid
Sumo paint 2.0 – on-line image editor software
www.sumopaint.com
save this file as a jpeg
open and load
kids can create a sumo peg account (kids just quick register)
do art on it…
Math dragon - animation on fractions – youtube.
Blog Spot
http://stewiessmartthoughts.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html
password – where oars go!
Weebly – free website
Username
Password
Click on orange button – create a site
Title your site
Learning to use
Pre made site
Click and drag
New favourites/ bookmarks site: www.delicious.com
COMMUNITIES OF INQUIRY
How can inquiry get us to “deeper understanding” in an outcome based curriculum?
What is inquiry? Inquiry is a way of looking at the world, a questioning stance we take when we seek to learn something we don’t know yet. (Diane Parker, Planning for Inquiry is not an Oxymoron)
Inquiry is a stance or model we take, not a methodology or teaching strategy.
Inquiry is a dynamic process of being open to wonder and puzzlement and coming to know and understanding the world. As such, it is a stance that pervades all aspects of life and is essential to the ways in which knowledge is created. Inquiry is based on the belief that understanding is constructed the process of people working and conversing together as they pose and solve the problems, make discoveries and rigorously test the discoveries that arise in the course of the shared activity.
www.galilleo.org/inquiry
Characteristics of an inquiry based approach to teaching include:
- Focus on few ideas or areas for inquiry (ex: extinction vs. dinosaurs) in great depth
- Select a focus with the greatest potential to spark thinking and controversy.
- Continually ask students to make tentative judgments about understanding.
- Use disciplines as a repository of information in addressing pressing concepts or issues.
- Employ large quantities of data form diverse sources.
- Draw on firsthand experiences of students and teachers
Inquiry is messy and constantly cycles back… It is a philosophical stance rather than a set of strategies, activities or a particular teaching method.
INQUIRY STANCE
Operating with an inquiry stance… critical to being an effective teacher… An Inquiry stance is one that positions teachers as a problem poser , asking questions… viewing learning in a more complex and dynamic fashion rather than …
HIGHER LEVEL THINKING
- What did I do? (Remember knowledge – 1st level Blooms)
- What knowledge, skills and strategies did I use to complete the task? (Understand/Comprehension)
- What is important given where my student are at (focusing inquiry)
- What strategies (evidence based are most likely to help my student learn this?
- What happened as a result of the teaching and ware the implications for further teaching.
- What steps did I take to achieve this? (analysis)
- What are may strengths and what would I learn to learn more about or develop my skills and strategies more in? (Evaluation)
- How will I use this new knowledge and these learning strategies?
WHY PROMOTE INQUIRY?
- To encourage learners to think for themselves.
- To explore their thinking
- To facilitate their understanding
- To encourage higher level thinking
- “To raise children into citizens who think clearly and deeply, who have gained knowledge and acquire judgment, and who take action with humanity in mind.” ( Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels)
WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT?
It boils down to the quality of learning we desire for those in charge…
COMPETING ASSUMPTIONS
Craft Culture Assumptions
Knowledge is created primarily by outside authorities not with oneself.
Think learning is a fairly uncomplicated affair. Most students are not naturally eager to learn.
CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH
-Individuals and /or communities create knowledge. Sense making is a complex process.
-Students are naturally curious. Students can engage in higher order thinking students will undertake meaningful challenging tasks.
-Risk taking by teacher and students is necessary and good to stimulate thinking, explore multiple perspectives and to make responsible decisions in an ambiguous world.
SPIRAL OF KNOWLEDGE
A spiraling process continues throughout each individual’s lifetime and occurs in practical situations in the workplace and community as well as in educational institutions.(G. Wells)
INQUIRY ORIENTED INSTRUCTION CURRICULUM MODELS
- Project based learning
- Expeditionary learning
- Problem based
- Group investigations
- Inquiry groups
- Guided inquiry
- Simulations
BANCHI AND BELL 2008
Level 1 Confirmation - teacher gives the questions procedure and outcome
Level 2 Structured -teacher gives question and procedure outcome not known in advance
Level 3 Guided - teacher gives question student generates procedures outcome not shown in advance
Level 4 Open - Student generates question and procedure outcome is not known in advance
PLANNING FOR INQUIRY
As teachers plan for inquiry some questions would continually drive their thinking and decisions making including:
How can I help my students realize that they have questions and that their questions matter?
How can I crate a classroom environment that supports my students inquires without directing them?
How can I help my students connect inquiry to questions and issues of deeper personal and social significance?
How can I help my students share their learning in interesting relevant authentic ways?
Units can be thought of as opportunities to explore, define and make sense of the “big ideas”
Conceptualizing Instruction and framing the unit/module
What is a concept or understanding that is rich and significant enough to deserve in depth treatment?
FACILITATION OF DISCUSSION THAT PROMOTES INQUIRY
What made you think of that?
Can you explain your reasoning?
How did you solve that problem?
What made you decide to try that strategy?
How would you explain that to others?
Out of the Question – Quick reference resource
Why ask questions in the classroom; assessing questioning process (flip book format)
Mini inquiries are short term small group inquiries that lest
5 E Learning Cycle - engage; explore; explain; elaborate; evaluate
INVITATION TO INQUIRY QUESTION…
Why is inquiry so critical in a constructivist approach? I need more information on the constructivist approach.
How can I use inquiry to aid in my project using the SMART board? How should I get the student Inquiry Global Citizens project started? What learning skills do I want to teach in this project? Jot not making; analytical research skills;
How can we teach without the focus on the technology but on the learning outcomes?
January Reflection - Three and 1/2 Months with the SMART Board…
Three and 1/2 Months with the SMART Board…
Will Teaching Ever Be the Same??
1. English Language Arts: Lessons via the SMART board. The students have not lost their interest in language building lessons in this format. I downloaded a few lessons/activity question sets from the SMART Technologies on-line resource. To access these resources, go to: (http://www.education.smarttech.com/ste/en- US/Ed+Resource/Lesson+activities/default.htm)
The following are lessons that I have used…
Introduction to Grammar ( introduction to parts of speech)
Figures of Speech Question Set
Word Identity Parts of Speech Question Set (easy for grades 3-6… but a good review for grade 7-8)
Paragraph Writing (again for grades 4-5, but a good review)
Punctuation “Skool” Lesson (“Punk Rock” Teens and a “semi-animatronics” British voice take us through an excellent lesson. I had the students also make notes as they participated in the lesson).
Anyways, there are many others, I recommend just checking out the site.
On-line there is a plethora of resources that can aid in teaching. Being able to show students information on the Internet and discuss it or play news clips – then pause and discuss what we are seeing has allowed our class more opportunities for discussion and opportunities to make connections. Having the information on-line and visible for the whole class also reduces photocopying. Teaching students how to make jot-notes as a whole group, model effective practice with the students also has been very beneficial. Overall, it seems like the level of engagement for simple things like making jot notes or out-lines via the SMART board has also been increased.
Another practice that I have found simple, yet effective is starting my day with Daily Oral Language Lessons via the SMART board. Initially I would just type sentences with mechanical and usage issues, the students would copy and correct, then we would share our corrections and discuss the lessons behind the corrections. Now I’ve taken the DOL lessons further, the students still have sentences and paragraphs to correct, but now the passages’ topic connects to what we are studying in other subjects. One thing I love is that it beats work sheet after work sheet, and it’s far more interactive.
When we were studying Greek Mythology and students were preparing to write their own myth, we used sites like: http://teacher.scholastic.com . On this site we explored the “Myths Writing Workshop”. There were some great interactive tools for students such as the “mythmachine” or samples of other students’ myth writing. These student written pieces, were also effective for analyzing craft. Other useful sites for myth writing included: www.readwritethink.com and www.mythman.com. Some of these sites have myths online with cute eye-catching animations too. Why is it better to explore these sites first as a class? First, students have the chance to ask questions as a group while we all look at the same thing; second, students can learn to use the technology as a group, then if they have access to computers at that particular moment (ie, laptops) they can more easily navigate through computer oriented projects or assignments (modeling).
Lastly, our latest unit of study has been an exploration of issues in Justice and Human Rights. Having the SMART board so quickly accessible, has been wonderful for accessing Human Rights related videos via United Nations High Commission, CBC or even interactive games that capture the students imagination of what it’s like to be a refugee (Refer to www.darfurisdying.com and www.playagainstallodds.com for these interactive learning games). Of course it’s more than just playing games, it’s opportunities to read, view, listen and finally “experience” what it’s like to be a refugee via technology.
In this unit of study, I hope to also go further with responding to what we read, view or discuss in class through blogging at Edublogs. I have to always remember that with projects such as these, there is a certain amount of time necessary in order to implement the new project, not to mention a learning curve in learning how to use the site. But with patience, we will move towards our goal!
2. Math: Sometimes it can be difficult to have a super interactive lesson everyday for the students, but I have found it useful to just use the SMART board as the tool for recording lessons (procedures, steps and examples for solving). It’s not always “flashy”, but obviously indispensable, especially if I wish to review with students what we explored in the previous class. Reviews go much faster and if a student misses a class, they can copy anything they miss because it’s recorded!
Recently we completed a unit in percent. In this unit we need to utilize percent grids to help students understand the concept of “out of 100”. Rather than painstakingly creating grids on the white board, I just downloaded a percent grid image from the Internet and copied and pasted it into a SMART notebook page and… voila… a nice, neat percent grid that actually helped the students understand better! This strategy also came in handy when we were exploring Pythagorean relationship or measuring angles… the SMART interactive protractor was also a fun tool to use when teaching how to use this device.
3. Social Studies: Most recently we have a great deal of time viewing news clips or viewing slide shows reflecting the devastation in Haiti. As part of current events, I wanted them to learn how to write an expository essay on an issue that has impacted Canadians. Originally this essay was supposed correlate with ELA and Canadians in Afghanistan, but with the earthquake the subject matter slightly changed. For over a week, the students were able to view news clips, read blogs by famous young Canadians like Craig Kielburger, and view slide shows of distressing images. We explored the poverty stricken status of Haiti pre-disaster and post disaster. What I have noticed is that this event is really reaching the hearts of the students and this is definitely reflected in their writing. Of course, aside from the news-oriented value of having the SMART board, it has also been a valuable tool for students in terms of posting information such as the format of an expository essay, effective leads and clincher conclusions.
4. Arts Ed: Most recently we have been studying Music in Arts Ed. With the help of Michelle Richter, I learned about an amazing interactive tool on the Stomp Pulse Odyssey website (www.pulsethemovie.com). On the website I accessed a great unit plan to accompany the Stomp video and music cd (also borrowed from Ms. Richter). The best part however is interactive tools like the “Beat Chaser” or the “Sound Lab”. These tools are really best via the SMART board. Not to mention being able to access You tube to view music videos or clips from Blue Man Group.
With the SMART board, I’ve really had the chance to do many of the activities that I wanted to do, and it doesn’t take tons of photocopies or the extra time to order videos… Almost everything I need is made much more accessible!! Once again, all I need is just more time to explore the interactive software… I just remind myself, one step at a time!
Will Teaching Ever Be the Same??
1. English Language Arts: Lessons via the SMART board. The students have not lost their interest in language building lessons in this format. I downloaded a few lessons/activity question sets from the SMART Technologies on-line resource. To access these resources, go to: (http://www.education.smarttech.com/ste/en- US/Ed+Resource/Lesson+activities/default.htm)
The following are lessons that I have used…
Introduction to Grammar ( introduction to parts of speech)
Figures of Speech Question Set
Word Identity Parts of Speech Question Set (easy for grades 3-6… but a good review for grade 7-8)
Paragraph Writing (again for grades 4-5, but a good review)
Punctuation “Skool” Lesson (“Punk Rock” Teens and a “semi-animatronics” British voice take us through an excellent lesson. I had the students also make notes as they participated in the lesson).
Anyways, there are many others, I recommend just checking out the site.
On-line there is a plethora of resources that can aid in teaching. Being able to show students information on the Internet and discuss it or play news clips – then pause and discuss what we are seeing has allowed our class more opportunities for discussion and opportunities to make connections. Having the information on-line and visible for the whole class also reduces photocopying. Teaching students how to make jot-notes as a whole group, model effective practice with the students also has been very beneficial. Overall, it seems like the level of engagement for simple things like making jot notes or out-lines via the SMART board has also been increased.
Another practice that I have found simple, yet effective is starting my day with Daily Oral Language Lessons via the SMART board. Initially I would just type sentences with mechanical and usage issues, the students would copy and correct, then we would share our corrections and discuss the lessons behind the corrections. Now I’ve taken the DOL lessons further, the students still have sentences and paragraphs to correct, but now the passages’ topic connects to what we are studying in other subjects. One thing I love is that it beats work sheet after work sheet, and it’s far more interactive.
When we were studying Greek Mythology and students were preparing to write their own myth, we used sites like: http://teacher.scholastic.com . On this site we explored the “Myths Writing Workshop”. There were some great interactive tools for students such as the “mythmachine” or samples of other students’ myth writing. These student written pieces, were also effective for analyzing craft. Other useful sites for myth writing included: www.readwritethink.com and www.mythman.com. Some of these sites have myths online with cute eye-catching animations too. Why is it better to explore these sites first as a class? First, students have the chance to ask questions as a group while we all look at the same thing; second, students can learn to use the technology as a group, then if they have access to computers at that particular moment (ie, laptops) they can more easily navigate through computer oriented projects or assignments (modeling).
Lastly, our latest unit of study has been an exploration of issues in Justice and Human Rights. Having the SMART board so quickly accessible, has been wonderful for accessing Human Rights related videos via United Nations High Commission, CBC or even interactive games that capture the students imagination of what it’s like to be a refugee (Refer to www.darfurisdying.com and www.playagainstallodds.com for these interactive learning games). Of course it’s more than just playing games, it’s opportunities to read, view, listen and finally “experience” what it’s like to be a refugee via technology.
In this unit of study, I hope to also go further with responding to what we read, view or discuss in class through blogging at Edublogs. I have to always remember that with projects such as these, there is a certain amount of time necessary in order to implement the new project, not to mention a learning curve in learning how to use the site. But with patience, we will move towards our goal!
2. Math: Sometimes it can be difficult to have a super interactive lesson everyday for the students, but I have found it useful to just use the SMART board as the tool for recording lessons (procedures, steps and examples for solving). It’s not always “flashy”, but obviously indispensable, especially if I wish to review with students what we explored in the previous class. Reviews go much faster and if a student misses a class, they can copy anything they miss because it’s recorded!
Recently we completed a unit in percent. In this unit we need to utilize percent grids to help students understand the concept of “out of 100”. Rather than painstakingly creating grids on the white board, I just downloaded a percent grid image from the Internet and copied and pasted it into a SMART notebook page and… voila… a nice, neat percent grid that actually helped the students understand better! This strategy also came in handy when we were exploring Pythagorean relationship or measuring angles… the SMART interactive protractor was also a fun tool to use when teaching how to use this device.
3. Social Studies: Most recently we have a great deal of time viewing news clips or viewing slide shows reflecting the devastation in Haiti. As part of current events, I wanted them to learn how to write an expository essay on an issue that has impacted Canadians. Originally this essay was supposed correlate with ELA and Canadians in Afghanistan, but with the earthquake the subject matter slightly changed. For over a week, the students were able to view news clips, read blogs by famous young Canadians like Craig Kielburger, and view slide shows of distressing images. We explored the poverty stricken status of Haiti pre-disaster and post disaster. What I have noticed is that this event is really reaching the hearts of the students and this is definitely reflected in their writing. Of course, aside from the news-oriented value of having the SMART board, it has also been a valuable tool for students in terms of posting information such as the format of an expository essay, effective leads and clincher conclusions.
4. Arts Ed: Most recently we have been studying Music in Arts Ed. With the help of Michelle Richter, I learned about an amazing interactive tool on the Stomp Pulse Odyssey website (www.pulsethemovie.com). On the website I accessed a great unit plan to accompany the Stomp video and music cd (also borrowed from Ms. Richter). The best part however is interactive tools like the “Beat Chaser” or the “Sound Lab”. These tools are really best via the SMART board. Not to mention being able to access You tube to view music videos or clips from Blue Man Group.
With the SMART board, I’ve really had the chance to do many of the activities that I wanted to do, and it doesn’t take tons of photocopies or the extra time to order videos… Almost everything I need is made much more accessible!! Once again, all I need is just more time to explore the interactive software… I just remind myself, one step at a time!
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