Today one reluctant writer asked if he can answer the blog question. This is a great opportunity for conferencing at a level that interests the student. Then my weakest student helped me create a story with sound on PowerPoint. She prepared the reading and then we showed the class. Now everyone is excited about reading aloud. How great is this??
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Looking Ahead
I have learned so much from this course that I am integrating into the classroom and the lab. Our network has been upgraded so some of the programs I have used all the time are working again AND we have our rollout in January so there are lots of great things happening.
In my spare time I am trying to go a step beyond my comfort zone. For the course I could have used the SMART software, but instead I learned to use PowerPoint. Today I learned how a SMART presentation can be exported to PowerPoint. This is so very exciting :)
The grade 4s are creating picture books and I see endless ways that they can use technology to enhance the outcome. We are also heading into a research unit about Canada that excites me. I model what the students need to do using the province of Ontario and then they must follow the steps to discover the information about the province they are studying. Eventually we piece it all together and share the information. My goal this year is to have them each create a slide and then we can create a class PowerPoint presentation.
The grade 1 classes will be creating slides in Kid pix about Community helpers and then we can show the slide show and talk about the helpers.
The grade 2 class will use Plumo at the Zoo to show basic patterning: ABABAB, ABCABCABC and then use Kid pix to create and extend patterns.
All in all term 2 proves to be a very exciting term from a technological standpoint.
In my spare time I am trying to go a step beyond my comfort zone. For the course I could have used the SMART software, but instead I learned to use PowerPoint. Today I learned how a SMART presentation can be exported to PowerPoint. This is so very exciting :)
The grade 4s are creating picture books and I see endless ways that they can use technology to enhance the outcome. We are also heading into a research unit about Canada that excites me. I model what the students need to do using the province of Ontario and then they must follow the steps to discover the information about the province they are studying. Eventually we piece it all together and share the information. My goal this year is to have them each create a slide and then we can create a class PowerPoint presentation.
The grade 1 classes will be creating slides in Kid pix about Community helpers and then we can show the slide show and talk about the helpers.
The grade 2 class will use Plumo at the Zoo to show basic patterning: ABABAB, ABCABCABC and then use Kid pix to create and extend patterns.
All in all term 2 proves to be a very exciting term from a technological standpoint.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Final Reflection
As I am doing the final touch ups on my PowerPoint presentation I am looking over all of the new icons on my desk top. My desk top is where I keep everything I am doing at the moment. These icons are a true representation of the learning that has taken place in this course. Without listing them all, I see: Audacity, video clips, web sites ranging from digital cameras to podcasts and blogs, and how to's for powerpoint.
Although I have gone to several inservices and learned about the things such as: PowerPoint or blogging I have not sat down and worked with them extensively enough to be comfortable using them. I already considered my classroom to be fairly high tech, but now it is moving forward in a way that has made learning much more fun for students. It has also been fun for me.
I hope to take Part 2 in January, 2010.
Although I have gone to several inservices and learned about the things such as: PowerPoint or blogging I have not sat down and worked with them extensively enough to be comfortable using them. I already considered my classroom to be fairly high tech, but now it is moving forward in a way that has made learning much more fun for students. It has also been fun for me.
I hope to take Part 2 in January, 2010.
Friday, December 4, 2009
All in all a Great Day!
There are so many great things happening in technology today. Our new lab is finally scheduled to roll out. We had our roll out planning meeting last March, so it is exciting that it is finally happening.
Today was interview day so there was no computer lab time, however I spent a lot of time between interviews putting my power point together. I have sound, visual, motion, and transitions. It is not finished, but it is well on its way and I am feeling much better.
It is so exciting to try new challenges!
Today was interview day so there was no computer lab time, however I spent a lot of time between interviews putting my power point together. I have sound, visual, motion, and transitions. It is not finished, but it is well on its way and I am feeling much better.
It is so exciting to try new challenges!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Today's blog
Today in the lab all of the computers were working and Kidpix is working again consistently. This means I will be able to do the math patterning activities with the Grade 2s for second term and I will be able to introduce different tools to the Grade 1s.
The Grade 4s will do independent research and then create something to demonstrate what they have learned. Perhaps I will walk them through powerpoint.
My presentation is getting there. It is a challenge, but a very good learning curve. This is a program I have always wanted to sit down and learn and this assignment leaves me no choice. That is a good thing.
Today I also found out our new lab rolls out beginning January 20th. I cannot wait.
The Grade 4s will do independent research and then create something to demonstrate what they have learned. Perhaps I will walk them through powerpoint.
My presentation is getting there. It is a challenge, but a very good learning curve. This is a program I have always wanted to sit down and learn and this assignment leaves me no choice. That is a good thing.
Today I also found out our new lab rolls out beginning January 20th. I cannot wait.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
SMARTboard and PowerPoint
Today the class was creating the story to go along with pictures on the SMART board. The final task is for the students to create their own picture book and we are using a shared approach to write the story. This could very easily become an audio book. I find I am constantly seeing and elaborating my lessons while using things I have learned from my course.
The grade 4s were researching online today and filling out a sheet and I was thinking about how they would take this to the next level instead of just researching and inputting. Typically I model what needs to be done, then they copy it using a different province or territory and finally something is created using this new found knowledge.
The Grade 2s were using Kid pix and our network has been adjusted so that Kid pix now works again, so we may just get a slide show in before the break.
Meanwhile I am learning lots with PowerPoint. Today I was scanning in pages with success, added some voice, and have lots of the layout done ready to do the transitions. It is all coming together.
The grade 4s were researching online today and filling out a sheet and I was thinking about how they would take this to the next level instead of just researching and inputting. Typically I model what needs to be done, then they copy it using a different province or territory and finally something is created using this new found knowledge.
The Grade 2s were using Kid pix and our network has been adjusted so that Kid pix now works again, so we may just get a slide show in before the break.
Meanwhile I am learning lots with PowerPoint. Today I was scanning in pages with success, added some voice, and have lots of the layout done ready to do the transitions. It is all coming together.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
...so much to do, so little time!
I was away this weekend and did have my laptop, but no Internet connection. This was a good thing because it forced me to plan and create a storyboard template of what I would like to do for my PowerPoint presentation instead of doing more research. It also gave me a chance to read all of the materials that I had on hand.
Tomorrow I will create a few pages to use as my background templates. I know exactly what I would like to do and the materials are at work. I will then scan those pages and start creating. This has been a real weekend of planning and organizing my ideas. I hope everything comes together the way I am hoping it will, but the one thing we all know about technology is we must always have a back up plan just in case.
When I got back I was reading the forum and thinking about what I would like to do next in the classroom. I am hoping to create a digital story book using PowerPoint this week too. I think that would be great for a read aloud on the SMART board.
As far as PowerPoint goes, I haven't used it very much with my students because I did not use the program too much myself. Instead I have done storyboards using kid pix and then created slide shows with them. Now I see where this would be a great transition to PowerPoint through the year. Also our lab is acting up a lot these days as we wait for our new computers and KID PIX crashes a lot. I am interested to see how PowerPoint works in the lab. Perhaps I will move the Grade 4s on to PowerPoint second term instead of using Kid pix.
This blog has been good for me to record reflections as well as next steps. Even when I am not blogging now I am reflecting and looking ahead and thinking about how I will blog these thoughts. This has been a very good project for me as the reflection helps me think about how to improve and that is ALWAYS a good thing.
Tomorrow I will create a few pages to use as my background templates. I know exactly what I would like to do and the materials are at work. I will then scan those pages and start creating. This has been a real weekend of planning and organizing my ideas. I hope everything comes together the way I am hoping it will, but the one thing we all know about technology is we must always have a back up plan just in case.
When I got back I was reading the forum and thinking about what I would like to do next in the classroom. I am hoping to create a digital story book using PowerPoint this week too. I think that would be great for a read aloud on the SMART board.
As far as PowerPoint goes, I haven't used it very much with my students because I did not use the program too much myself. Instead I have done storyboards using kid pix and then created slide shows with them. Now I see where this would be a great transition to PowerPoint through the year. Also our lab is acting up a lot these days as we wait for our new computers and KID PIX crashes a lot. I am interested to see how PowerPoint works in the lab. Perhaps I will move the Grade 4s on to PowerPoint second term instead of using Kid pix.
This blog has been good for me to record reflections as well as next steps. Even when I am not blogging now I am reflecting and looking ahead and thinking about how I will blog these thoughts. This has been a very good project for me as the reflection helps me think about how to improve and that is ALWAYS a good thing.
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