http://hitekco.com/ed/index.htm - Is a site that actually is a technology sales business. One of its buttons on its site has the Education Links, public service. These Internet sites are divided into 3 columns. Kids and Preteen, High School and College and Free Downloads and Softwares. I looked under Kids and Preteen and found many sites that were very cool. Some were not still available. They had one site: uptoten.com that has games and activities for children only up to the age of 10. The site also provided links to National Geographic for Kids and magickeys.com. Magickeys.com has childrens' books with audio. Very cool for kids with special needs.
http://ejw.i8.com/educweb.htm - Was another connector site. It has more than just lesson and games links. Includes connections to classroom discipline sites, Technology and Education Links and Education and Special Needs Links. More diverse listing of educational sites.
http://www.teachnet.com/ I liked the Power Tools button on this site. The Power Tools button had How-To ideas as well as 5 minute fillers. It also had connections for lessons and sharing opportunities.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Three Technology Lessons
For the three lessons I tried to find one lesson per grade level I am going to teach as well as one that would cover both grades. All three lessons were found on www.ideas.wisconsin.edu.
For my first graders I found a lesson on Friendly Letter Writing. Within the letter the students have to insert a kidpix drawing about a hobby he/she has as well as a few sentences describing hobby. These letters are then forwarded to high school students for a response. I liked this lesson because it allowed the students time to edit pre-computer lab time and yet utilize the lab.
For my third graders the lesson Does Your Book Make the Grade? applies. The students are making a chart of books they have read with a rating for each book in Excel. I liked this lesson because I have never worked with Excel and felt it would challenge the students as well as myself. Once the chart is done students will then copy the chart into a letter in Microsoft Word. This letter is addressed to a friend. At the completion of the letter students do a self-eval using a rubric.
The lesson that would cover both of my grades was not intended for 1st grade but I feel it could be adapted to them. Animal Quest gives students an opportunity to design a newly discovered animal. The students are then to make a presentation of 4 slides using HyperStudio. There are requirements for all slides. (physical characteristics, habitat, diet and name of animal) When slides are complete, the students then present to the class. The lesson also has students making a model of animal. My only issue with this lesson is that it calls for 8 or 9-45 minute sessions. It seems a lengthy unit for spec. ed. students so that may need to be adjusted.
Mainly these lessons are geared towards Lang. Arts. However, the letter writing could be used in a social studies class for a community lesson or Animal Quest could be used in Science. Does Your Book Make the Grade? would be a great way to evaluate at the end of the year to make adjustments in reading assignments.
For my first graders I found a lesson on Friendly Letter Writing. Within the letter the students have to insert a kidpix drawing about a hobby he/she has as well as a few sentences describing hobby. These letters are then forwarded to high school students for a response. I liked this lesson because it allowed the students time to edit pre-computer lab time and yet utilize the lab.
For my third graders the lesson Does Your Book Make the Grade? applies. The students are making a chart of books they have read with a rating for each book in Excel. I liked this lesson because I have never worked with Excel and felt it would challenge the students as well as myself. Once the chart is done students will then copy the chart into a letter in Microsoft Word. This letter is addressed to a friend. At the completion of the letter students do a self-eval using a rubric.
The lesson that would cover both of my grades was not intended for 1st grade but I feel it could be adapted to them. Animal Quest gives students an opportunity to design a newly discovered animal. The students are then to make a presentation of 4 slides using HyperStudio. There are requirements for all slides. (physical characteristics, habitat, diet and name of animal) When slides are complete, the students then present to the class. The lesson also has students making a model of animal. My only issue with this lesson is that it calls for 8 or 9-45 minute sessions. It seems a lengthy unit for spec. ed. students so that may need to be adjusted.
Mainly these lessons are geared towards Lang. Arts. However, the letter writing could be used in a social studies class for a community lesson or Animal Quest could be used in Science. Does Your Book Make the Grade? would be a great way to evaluate at the end of the year to make adjustments in reading assignments.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Article Review
The two articles I read were Blogs and Teaching and School Blogs. In Blogs and Teaching, Hernandez-Ramon commented that "(students) expressed a lot more uncertainty about their writing because they didn't have a target audience". That would be me. Blogs are very open and I tend to need those checklists on what to write. (Yes, I have been working on this blog awhile)
However I will say the articles made me think of possible options of how to use blogs in my classroom. One way would be to create a class blog. Allow the kids to post what they are doing in school. What better way for a teacher to see if what activities he/she is doing are relevant and even fun? What works and what doesn't? Also, the parents could see the students activities and reactions. It would also allow the students to take ownership of school-to-home communication.
I also wonder if you special ed students and regular ed students could connect for friendships using blogs. Students with cognitive disabilities often need lots of opportunities to "talk" with others. I wonder if blogs could be used as a less-stressful way to reflect and connect with peers. Students could write a blog about life, classes, interests etc and see who responds.
I think for me allowing the students true "free" blog writing would be difficult. I would be more willing to use blogs through carefully planned opportunities. Maybe through use and time I would be more willing to loosen up my activities.
However I will say the articles made me think of possible options of how to use blogs in my classroom. One way would be to create a class blog. Allow the kids to post what they are doing in school. What better way for a teacher to see if what activities he/she is doing are relevant and even fun? What works and what doesn't? Also, the parents could see the students activities and reactions. It would also allow the students to take ownership of school-to-home communication.
I also wonder if you special ed students and regular ed students could connect for friendships using blogs. Students with cognitive disabilities often need lots of opportunities to "talk" with others. I wonder if blogs could be used as a less-stressful way to reflect and connect with peers. Students could write a blog about life, classes, interests etc and see who responds.
I think for me allowing the students true "free" blog writing would be difficult. I would be more willing to use blogs through carefully planned opportunities. Maybe through use and time I would be more willing to loosen up my activities.
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