tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57183997954539189282024-03-05T13:52:20.783-05:00Reinventing the Teaching WheelA 4th grade teacher's journey into the vast world of educational technology tools.Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-69328747237084893232012-04-28T16:11:00.002-04:002012-04-28T16:11:23.143-04:00Literally, in the nest.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYae44dnY5RrXsXPMf2rbT9Zbioh13P7QcgQA1nLryEm2T3rwcu6l2KHoy7nPmX0X1SfW5noir1A4CO25CEO_-S7lmN3IMRVVrsfoA25Yt8PUDewVfw1vt4Jt7o8KBmH4DUI93Q0pcmBs/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-04-28+at+3.48.10+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYae44dnY5RrXsXPMf2rbT9Zbioh13P7QcgQA1nLryEm2T3rwcu6l2KHoy7nPmX0X1SfW5noir1A4CO25CEO_-S7lmN3IMRVVrsfoA25Yt8PUDewVfw1vt4Jt7o8KBmH4DUI93Q0pcmBs/s400/Screen+shot+2012-04-28+at+3.48.10+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Just found these amazing live videos of a <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2422&ac=ac" target="_blank">Red-tailed Hawk</a> and <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2433" target="_blank">Great Blue Heron </a>nest from the <a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478" target="_blank">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>. I'm a bit of a "bird nerd" so I could sit and watch this for hours (don't judge me). I can't wait to show my kids this on Monday, especially the RTH nest. It might be a little graphic (lots of small dead things in the nest) for some younger kids, but I really believe that if you prepare your kids for what they may or may not see, then they will not be shocked or horrified by the image on the screen. I wish I had known about this site earlier. I would have had my kids keep track of the progress in both nests from Day 1. There is also a running chat on the right side of the page. I find it to be super distracting, so I usually switch to full screen mode.<br />
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I'd like my kids to listen carefully to what they hear. This is clearly in an urban/suburban (Ithica, NY I believe) area. So, how does that affect what is available for food? How are the chicks interacting with each other? Can you identify some of the things in the nest besides the three little chicks? What are some different ways that you could incorporate these live streams into your curriculum? Oh, gotta go, it's feeding time!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="340" scrolling="no" src="http://cdn.livestream.com/embed/cornellhawks?layout=4&height=340&width=560&autoplay=false" style="border: 0; outline: 0;" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://www.livestream.com/cornellhawks?utm_source=lsplayer&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=footerlinks" title="Watch cornellhawks">cornellhawks</a> on livestream.com. <a href="http://www.livestream.com/?utm_source=lsplayer&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=footerlinks" title="Broadcast Live Free">Broadcast Live Free</a></div>Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-66838664802684825722012-04-20T08:43:00.001-04:002012-04-20T08:43:47.693-04:00Finding and Creating Angles with Skitch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWtt-_6kB_aukplNtrRkkpHKFkOmKOn1QvGfHqKWTc43HlPzDYU4y5mCy9o7fOQ_t3zdveRTs0-gZtJu86kkklAU_xcWZ0hXfG9PZcMM7RsspulPqyEY33A-MOQDsWXuhZBcTadzuzlE/s1600/imgres-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWtt-_6kB_aukplNtrRkkpHKFkOmKOn1QvGfHqKWTc43HlPzDYU4y5mCy9o7fOQ_t3zdveRTs0-gZtJu86kkklAU_xcWZ0hXfG9PZcMM7RsspulPqyEY33A-MOQDsWXuhZBcTadzuzlE/s200/imgres-1.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
I'm a huge fan of the <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skitch-for-ipad/id490505997?mt=8" target="_blank">Skitch IPad app</a>. I use it all the time in school, and find it very easy for my students to use. In fact, there have been times when they have been able to show me some features that I was unaware of. <br />
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My most recent experience with the app was while we were learning about the different types of angles. To assess their new vocabulary and understanding of the different angles, I sent them out of the room in small groups to search for real examples of acute, right, obtuse and reflex angles. Each student was responsible for a different angle. <br />
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First, they would take a picture of an angle within the app. Skitch then allows the photographer to chose whether or not they want to use the photo. This is a great feature because it avoids a huge confusing stockpile of blurry images with an errant thumb halfway covering the lens. Next, the students will draw the angle using the arrow tool, tracing over the part of the image that represents their angle. It is important that the student starts drawing from the vertex of the angle, otherwise the arrows will appear to be pointing towards the vertex. Next, using the text tool, they would name the angle. Finally, I printed each photo to display on our hallway bulletin board.<br />
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My students thoroughly enjoyed this activity, and were very creative with what they chose to represent their respective angles. Here are just a few examples of what they were able to produce. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-3v_xekrUMiaaStPwn-gf9zfpv-_ybd_sT7DNZRrv6R9nbOBwJ-_JRdk63ZRJNE4GT-c3UVJ2ODrJxgdCiB3U18DFv4JLOBZ2diVjRYY-VuikVcbW6Enew49w9pnCupyYHEVlvQZY10/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignleft" height="320" id="blogsy-1334879945435.4119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-3v_xekrUMiaaStPwn-gf9zfpv-_ybd_sT7DNZRrv6R9nbOBwJ-_JRdk63ZRJNE4GT-c3UVJ2ODrJxgdCiB3U18DFv4JLOBZ2diVjRYY-VuikVcbW6Enew49w9pnCupyYHEVlvQZY10/s320/Photo%252520Apr%2525202%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A59%252520AM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEX5oGa4LgBs5NI-uA40Mz3Cxq_hEXJ24Awsj_ePHgeOnzP6DGrF8xHFttOynsE7da4mFHLoUpDg9dCN_IPGdybIcbtKC1kdBIaM7E24XFUb4aWiA1XMtv7P7UeNqVlU-6t0tuYnPyAA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignright" height="240" id="blogsy-1334879945461.9678" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEX5oGa4LgBs5NI-uA40Mz3Cxq_hEXJ24Awsj_ePHgeOnzP6DGrF8xHFttOynsE7da4mFHLoUpDg9dCN_IPGdybIcbtKC1kdBIaM7E24XFUb4aWiA1XMtv7P7UeNqVlU-6t0tuYnPyAA/s320/Photo%252520Apr%2525203%25252C%2525202012%2525203%25253A45%252520PM.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7YLujQAGyi-3zSLOEwfuTH6UJu__HFbojOrn0loWyoWKPI4_pJZzqAvAhlzjqNOHbhOOqhVrEovAKc78XVjiI43Xq74M5Tk2ul0hJR6GL-q6vzes3fq6-erkySu20Fa4syIOEuv0mrM/s1600/Photo+Apr+03,+3+44+10+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7YLujQAGyi-3zSLOEwfuTH6UJu__HFbojOrn0loWyoWKPI4_pJZzqAvAhlzjqNOHbhOOqhVrEovAKc78XVjiI43Xq74M5Tk2ul0hJR6GL-q6vzes3fq6-erkySu20Fa4syIOEuv0mrM/s320/Photo+Apr+03,+3+44+10+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoVQczAbH3AhDtoNOecWBF427Nc-rp1NM3QxguOX1mmJIM8Cdb6uBgNismoSpohV_AMjSslmjoYq7ZL9E3fnNMxNxMfFy7mQdEuAwR9EgGgPO63i2_KM21nq78ZK0cPCfwRKGRIFw40Y/s1600/Photo+Apr+03,+3+44+28+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoVQczAbH3AhDtoNOecWBF427Nc-rp1NM3QxguOX1mmJIM8Cdb6uBgNismoSpohV_AMjSslmjoYq7ZL9E3fnNMxNxMfFy7mQdEuAwR9EgGgPO63i2_KM21nq78ZK0cPCfwRKGRIFw40Y/s320/Photo+Apr+03,+3+44+28+PM.jpg" width="320" /> </a><br />
<br />Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-72949052170391428862012-03-11T20:29:00.003-04:002012-03-11T20:29:37.932-04:00Storybird<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mfl-storybirds.wikispaces.com/file/view/larger_storybird_flying_birds_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://mfl-storybirds.wikispaces.com/file/view/larger_storybird_flying_birds_logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
We are about to embark on what I hope will be a wonderful excursion into the world of artistic pictorial writing prompts. As always, my students and I are going to experiment with a new (for us) Web 2.0 tool. This one has been around for a little bit. Storybird is an excellent site that provides amazing artwork with the intention to inspire creative writing. As writing teachers, we've been using writing prompts for ages, but usually it's just a simple sentence or maybe a single picture. Last year I provided my students with comic strips that had blank speech bubbles. <a href="http://storybird.com/" target="_blank">Storybird</a> takes this type of prompt to a whole new level with an extensive collection of artwork by many different artists. They've done a great job of catering to teachers by providing them with the ability to create classes, assignments, embed in websites and blogs, and the ability to collaborate and critique the stories of students in the class.<br />
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<b>My Plan</b><br />
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We start tomorrow with an introduction to the site. I always find it best to let the kids "play" a bit with sites like this. So, at first I will let them choose some artwork and create a story of their own. It will be interesting to see what they do with this freedom. I predict that they will spend most of their time combing through the immense catalog of artwork on <a href="http://storybird.com/" target="_blank">Storybird</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvibvNh1E4Sg-vbtt6-rqHE2m4Mw2xnvgXHeSup_zDooudaBRCI-QAJfKX35TUqXWuaOHbNAgeY4VcL6J6LHdZWjMi8tba-1-OrMevKl8b0NmCbi_DHA82R4c1gGilTDzNKrdMX4rN8Y/s1600/SequencingGO5_steps.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvibvNh1E4Sg-vbtt6-rqHE2m4Mw2xnvgXHeSup_zDooudaBRCI-QAJfKX35TUqXWuaOHbNAgeY4VcL6J6LHdZWjMi8tba-1-OrMevKl8b0NmCbi_DHA82R4c1gGilTDzNKrdMX4rN8Y/s400/SequencingGO5_steps.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Once they select an artist, they will choose just five pictures to create a story with. Then, they will complete a five panel storyboard. After that, it's time to write the story.<br />
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I have a great deal of trepidation about this project. My eventual goal is to create books with our Kindergarten Reading Buddies. My greatest fear at the moment has to do with the artwork. Once you choose a particular artist, you are given a blank canvas to work with. The only problem is that there are about 50 different illustrations to choose from. This seems like it might be a little overwhelming for my students. I worry that 75% of the time will be spent sifting through pictures. We shall see.<br />
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Anyone have any experience with <a href="http://storybird.com/" target="_blank">Storybird</a>? How do you use it? Any suggestions for how I should implement the site?Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-54915981996427779512012-03-01T14:27:00.000-05:002012-03-01T14:27:33.696-05:00App Shopper The Tech Gods have blessed me with a glorious new device. It's an Ipad. I know, some of you have had them for awhile now, I just got mine a couple weeks ago. It's amazing! I have just begun to scratch the surface of what it can do for my students. So, expect some app posts coming in the near future, but for now I'd like to introduce you to an app that is not necessarily educational.<br />
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<a href="http://blog.ihacksrepo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/appshopper.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://blog.ihacksrepo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/appshopper.png" width="200" /></a></div>
We can all agree that free is good, right? Well, with the app store, as with all stores, typically you get what you pay for. Yes, I know there are a million exceptions that are popping into your brain at the moment, but generally this addage is true. I have spent some of my own money on apps, and I don't regret it one bit. With that said, I also like a good bargain. That's where the <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/appshopper/id387037496?mt=8" target="_blank">AppShopper</a> comes in.<br />
When I find an app that I really want, but the price is a little high, I open <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/appshopper/id387037496?mt=8" target="_blank">AppShopper</a>, search for the app, and then add it to my wish list. If the price of that app ever drops, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/appshopper/id387037496?mt=8" target="_blank">AppShopper</a> sends me an email notification. If the price is right, I make it happen.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx96JnX9yeSmXRVFcM79AB_xkTEEoB_jFhtdtqfWWPe0-90gr7813xdD1ZA3dNWpzYKzx3njHVkCd4ZG8ED17pzRnFi9IjPGXBi27LfcEWxoNhLLhWXtg_9d97bJenW6g1dFzAsOxNSyg/s1600/IMG_00003.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx96JnX9yeSmXRVFcM79AB_xkTEEoB_jFhtdtqfWWPe0-90gr7813xdD1ZA3dNWpzYKzx3njHVkCd4ZG8ED17pzRnFi9IjPGXBi27LfcEWxoNhLLhWXtg_9d97bJenW6g1dFzAsOxNSyg/s640/IMG_00003.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot of my current Wish List</td></tr>
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You'd be surprised at how much the price of different apps fluctuates over time. Sometimes they even become FREE. Just the other day I scored an app that turned free, but just for one day. I never would have picked it up without my <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/appshopper/id387037496?mt=8" target="_blank">AppShopper</a> notification. Also, check out the <a href="http://appshopper.com/" target="_blank">App Shopper Website</a>. They have some great RSS feeds that have very precise filters depending on what types of apps you are looking for.<br />
Do you have any sneaky tricks for getting the best prices for apps? Do you even pay for apps, or are you a "free app only" teacher?Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-69919211603733084072012-02-11T10:27:00.000-05:002012-02-11T10:27:13.744-05:00Graphic Organizers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBTKWafL_9tMITT7_sLi1YzAUbkg_l-qg4VN9GWBqyq5kwCGib_4ytQC3JwyQieAjllAaTyheyUXpoRf-PyHuEZ-16R5oYlx414K8nEOqimeVfj_RhDgMDm_IfrrjFXgsmIfVtPXPK3A/s1600/medium_114155928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBTKWafL_9tMITT7_sLi1YzAUbkg_l-qg4VN9GWBqyq5kwCGib_4ytQC3JwyQieAjllAaTyheyUXpoRf-PyHuEZ-16R5oYlx414K8nEOqimeVfj_RhDgMDm_IfrrjFXgsmIfVtPXPK3A/s320/medium_114155928.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Prewriting is such an important part of my current Writer's Workshop. In fact, I'm sure if you ask my students, they would say we spend way too much time preparing to write instead of actually writing. I appreciate their "gusto," but their final prodcut following a strong prewriting session is noticeably different than if I just let them go to it with paper and pencil (computer and Google Docs). Elementary school writers need that guidance. Adults need that guidance. I don't write anything without first jotting down some sort of outline or note about my topic. So here are some sites I use to find great Graphic Organizers. I'd say that 50% of the time I make my own though, but they are typically based on ones I have seen published.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.teachervision.fen.com/graphic-organizers/printable/6293.html" target="_blank">TeacherVision</a></b><br />
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Hit this jackpot the other day. Tons of resources here for a number of grades. This site does a great job of tweaking standard GOs to fit your needs, no matter how specific they may be.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/graphic/graphic.htm" target="_blank">Graphic Organizers by John Rickey</a></b><br />
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<b> </b>Good collection of basic GOs. Many of them would be great for primary grades because of the way the paper is lined.<br />
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<a href="http://instant%20poetry%20forms/" target="_blank"><b>Instant Poetry Forms</b></a><br />
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This is sort of like Mad Libs meets poetry. Basically, you choose the type of poem you'd like to create, and then fill in the form based on the very clear parameters and directions. This site would be a great way to provide some "hurdle help" for those struggling poets who do not have the gift of free flowing verse.<br />
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<b><a href="http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/" target="_blank">Freeology</a></b><br />
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<b> </b>This site is a little heavy on the ads, and I can't seem to tell if the GOs are organized in any way. The quality of the GOs might be the best out of all of these sites though. When you have some time, scroll through the different pages to find what works for you. Most of these GOs are in a pdf format, but I did find some that are Word documents that you can edit to suit your needs.<br />
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<b><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tools-4-students/id472911218?mt=8" target="_blank">Tools 4 Students</a>-IPad</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlqSn4UdBlskN7dyjZzjQujUeBLEKHi2lah9w13WIXpJfL2TJtap9O9vqckVSIXV0pVJ3fjdDukzBDpMwugWgfrSxafUxYvWdLVeKni7zYzxzeidY1EbcF2VOKJVFSY_cruLWj3iuOb0/s1600/Picture+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVlqSn4UdBlskN7dyjZzjQujUeBLEKHi2lah9w13WIXpJfL2TJtap9O9vqckVSIXV0pVJ3fjdDukzBDpMwugWgfrSxafUxYvWdLVeKni7zYzxzeidY1EbcF2VOKJVFSY_cruLWj3iuOb0/s1600/Picture+5.png" /></a></div>
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Itunes description: "<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">25 graphic organizers for students to use to organize their thinking while reading or preparing to write. Covers all common comprehension skills: cause /effect, main idea/detail, sequence events, pro/con, story elements, characterization, word meaning, plot, KWL and much more. Save to your device and/or email. Use again and again. Project on board and collaborate with team members. Use to organize notes while reading or use them as a prewrite to school papers. Great tool for instructors as well."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are right ways and wrong ways to use Graphic Organizers, just as there are good times and bad times to use them as well. When you do decide to use them though, try digging around on some of these sites for some good ideas. Do you use Graphic Organizers in your classroom? If so, which ones do you use?</span></span>Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-34417256102062525832012-01-29T14:44:00.001-05:002012-01-29T14:44:31.618-05:00Some new blogs to check out... Danny Nicholson, author of the wonderful <a href="http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/2012/01/the-ed-tech-blog-carnival-2012-1/" target="_blank">Whiteboard Blog</a> is hosting an "<a href="http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/2012/01/the-ed-tech-blog-carnival-2012-1/" target="_blank">Ed Tech Blog Carnival</a>." There are some great links to blogs that you may have never seen before. I particularly like <a href="http://expateducator.com/2012/01/17/student-news-videos-an-alternative-to-newsletters/" target="_blank">Janet Abercrombie's idea </a>of having her kids create news videos as an alternative to the often mundane monthly newsletter.<br />
Using video with kids is so much fun. At the moment, my kids are using IMovie to create Book Recommendation videos <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHAb6TYNX4w" target="_blank">in the style of Reading Rainbow</a>. First, I give them a very simple script to guide their recommendations via Google Docs.<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/79766562/BookRec-Template" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto; text-decoration: underline;" title="View BookRec Template on Scribd">BookRec Template</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.772727272727273" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="400" id="doc_53808" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/79766562/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-29rowmtvwpes0jdafsc0" width="100%"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">
(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();
</script> When they finish writing the script, they are required to read their script out loud at least three times. <i>Always</i> have kids read their writing out loud before activities such as this. Often they read write through mistakes when they are reading to themselves. When they read out loud they are forced to hear all of their little mistakes. Once they feel confident with their script, they sign up to be filmed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGDRHyIr28W3HpPbaVoksKOjUaksNxIH9RnEERy7lqL-M_2gWyHCQi3vmWzC_yFzt1DswIap6HxrwtJ2DIvYp2odEtJ6eYOkQI96z20kjQ5BbQJ2Th282lJkK3FwItZ2EigzkVQ1XDho/s1600/medium_3634552812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGDRHyIr28W3HpPbaVoksKOjUaksNxIH9RnEERy7lqL-M_2gWyHCQi3vmWzC_yFzt1DswIap6HxrwtJ2DIvYp2odEtJ6eYOkQI96z20kjQ5BbQJ2Th282lJkK3FwItZ2EigzkVQ1XDho/s320/medium_3634552812.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
I have three pre-assigned "directors" who have been trained to be "experts" in using IMovie. Training experts for technology implementation is key to the management of this activity. In fact, whenever I introduce kids to a new tech tool, I always try to pull a couple kids aside, and train them to be "experts" with that tool. That way, when it comes time to start using our new tool, I have three kids that can bounce around the room and help others who have fallen behind or are struggling with a direction.<br />
My "directors" for this project take turns setting up a single laptop to film. They also create a split screen where the student being filmed can see themselves as well as their script on Google Docs. Then, the director shouts, "Quiet on the set please," the room goes silent, and the filming begins. Each book recommendation is only about one minute long, so we can usually film quite a few in a short amount of time. The last bit of editing is done by myself. I overlay an image of the book cover, upload it to YouTube, and add it to our catalog of book recommendations on our classroom website. Here's an example (Yes, we're working on trying to get Brian to slow down. You should have seen Take One. He also has one of the greatest Maine accents of all time.):<br />
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The kids enjoy this part of our Reading Workshop and we are all trying to get better using the tools that we have to create the short videos, and their summarizing skills have increased greatly since the beginning of this project. The eventual goal will be to have a searchable database of videos that will be linked directly to our school library. So, a child could search for a book, and watch the recommendation that comes with it. What are you doing with video in your classroom? Do you use IMovie? How involved are your students in the process i.e. filming, editing, publishing?Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-83884853222246314792012-01-23T20:54:00.002-05:002012-01-23T20:54:22.410-05:00Classroom Window<br />
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<img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAzrZ_xIMGh3ZgTpojW2jF7e-WkDNcC9BOC1v_X4drdMT21u4HOyATudeLWDEsH7C8eZs4u_LrfDR3M5bXkgp1jmEOPpSVxnIjHy69d1RhXKmS_c_QayPtRjU_VY1qzmE7Kzw-JE7gl8/s320/Picture+4.png" width="320" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been looking forward to getting an email from the folks at <a href="http://classroomwindow.com/" target="_blank">ClassroomWindow</a> for sometime now. Today I received an email from them announcing that they will be launching their website at the end of this week. If you haven't heard of <a href="http://classroomwindow.com/" target="_blank">ClassroomWindow</a>, they are a startup out of Needham, MA that has created a website that allows users to rate and review different Ed. Tech. resources. Here's an excerpt from their website:</span></div>
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<i><strong style="font-weight: bold;">No one knows better than teachers</strong> what works – or doesn’t work – in the classroom. But until now there hasn’t been a way for teachers to share their expert opinions about the books, curricula, and tools they use every day.</i></div>
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<i><strong style="font-weight: bold;">At ClassroomWindow</strong> we want teachers to have a seat at the table. We want their voices to be heard by publishers, product developers, and district decision makers.</i></div>
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<i>After all, with today's focus on student performance, shouldn't we know if teachers are being given the best tools?</i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Works for me! I couldn't resist the temptation to review a few "Web Tools" right away. It was very easy. You are given the space to write about what you like, a space for what you don't like, and an "overall" section for any other comments you may have. I chose to write something about <a href="http://www.diigo.com/" target="_blank">Diigo</a> and <a href="http://www.evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a>. There are not a ton of resources at the moment, but as a registered member of their site you are also able to submit resources of your own liking. I submitted a review about <a href="https://www.xtramath.org/" target="_blank">XtraMath</a>, and it was up and running very quickly. I think they review your submission before it goes live.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">There are character limits on everything a user writes, so you have to get used to being concise, which for me was a bit of a challenge. It should be fun to watch this site grow. <a href="http://classroomwindow.com/" target="_blank">ClassroomWindow</a> is basically doing what Ed. Tech. bloggers have been doing for a while now, but they are organizing the information in a much more accessible way, and accepting reveiws by people who are actually using these resources. It's one thing to have a blogger tell you all about a "great" website, but unless they are actually using that product in their classroom, it's hard to tell how truly effective that site may be. Like I said, the site should be fully up and running by the end of the week. Check it out when it's available.</span></div>
<br />Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-90171662878216541792012-01-16T20:35:00.000-05:002012-01-16T20:35:01.537-05:00Screencasting: A Pillar of the Flipped Classroom This morning I presented during a technology workshop at our school about "screencasting." Over the past year, I've become a bit of a "screencast" junkie. I've made them for students, teachers and parents. I've made web page log in tutorials, math manipulative explanations, concept introductions and Holdiay Craft instructions (that last one is cinematic gold). Here's a little screencast mash-up that I made with <a href="http://www.dragontape.com/#!/home" target="_blank">Dragontape</a> (the volume is a little weird in some spots because I've used different types of microphones over time). It also includes some professionals: Sal Khan and Vi Hart who have recently joined forces at the <a href="http://www.khanacademy.org/" target="_blank">Khan Academy</a>.<br />
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Below is the slideshow that accompanied my presentation, complete with helpful links and other fabulous information.<br />
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Thank you to all of my patient participants, and I hope that you were able to take away some valuable information and tools from my presentation.<br />
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Have you "flipped" your classroom yet? Do you want to "flip" your classroom? If so, what's your screencasting application of choice? Personally, I use <a href="http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/" target="_blank">Screencast-o-Matic</a>. I don't know if it's the best, but it's the one I am most comfortable with. I even sprung for the PRO edition ($12). Their customer support is excellent as well.Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-47518955266978558012012-01-14T08:16:00.000-05:002012-01-14T08:16:32.658-05:00Xtra Math<br />
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It never fails...every year my students come to school suffering from the "summer drip." The "drip" is especially apparent when it comes to their basic math facts. Conceptually, they understand that 5+7=12, and 3 * 9 is three 9s or nine 3s. But when it's time to sit down, get serious, and rattle off those facts like a machine gun, more often than not they can be seen sheepishly working their little "finger calculators" under the desk.<br />
If you have any experience with the Everyday Math curriculum, you know that time is extremely valuable, and, although there is some Math Fact practice built into the program, it's really not enough to help those students who need that daily practice that has proven to be the best way to learn math facts: daily short bursts. That's where <a href="https://www.xtramath.org/" target="_blank">XtraMath</a> comes in. I can't remember where I first heard of the program (perhaps <a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/" target="_blank">Richard Byrne</a>, <a href="http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/" target="_blank">Larry Ferlazzo</a>, or <a href="http://ilearntechnology.com/" target="_blank">Ilearn Technology</a>), but I started the program mid-September.<br />
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Here's how it works. You assign the kids to a specific program. The default program is<i> Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division. </i>Next, they take a pre-test in their program. After that, they just log in (at home or at school) and solve the given facts as quickly as possible. The program adjusts what problems the student sees based on need. Each session takes about 5-10 minutes. The students are able to see their progress on Math Fact grid after each session. Green squares are mastered facts, yellow are facts they need to work on, and white squares mean they will get to those facts later. There's also a substantial amount of progress data for the teacher as well (<i>the two images on the right)</i>.<br />
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Check this program out when you get a chance. The data that this program has collected for me proves that it works. It might not be right for every student though. For example, the program qualifies mastery as getting the answer correct in less than 3 seconds. I agree with the level of proficiency, but there are some students who get very anxious when you put a timer in front of them. I would like the option to increase the mastery timing. Other than that, I have been very pleased with <a href="https://www.xtramath.org/" target="_blank">XtraMath</a>. Set up is easy, so get started today.</div>
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What do you use in your classroom for math fact practice? Flash cards? Rocket Math?</div>
<br />Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-45658994103956160202012-01-03T20:45:00.001-05:002012-01-03T21:00:07.685-05:00WiseMapping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There seem to be more and more online mind mapping tools popping up everyday. How could you possibly have time to try them all out, and then decide which one is best for you? Sometimes it's frustrating when you just get comfortable with a particular web tool, and then you read some amazing review about the "best of the best" thing that your classroom cannot live without. Well, I strarted using <a href="http://www.wisemapping.com/c/home.htm" target="_blank">Wise Mapping</a> last year, and it really works for me. The true test will be when I have my students start using it during our Biomes Unit in Science this year.<br />
The video below does a good job of explaining the usefulness of this very handy Web 2.0 tool.<br />
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For my class Read Aloud, we are reading <u>Clockwork Three</u> by Matthew J. Kirby. It's a fantastic book, but the progression of events can be very confusing. There are basically three main characters: Hannah, Frederick and Giuseppe. In the beginning of the story, the chapters go back and forth, focusing on each character individually, completely separate from the other characters. As the book moves along, the characters' paths slowly converge until they are, all three, sharing the same story. The beginning can be confusing for students though. You've got three characters, each with their own collection of supporting characters. So, together we created the mind map below to help us keep everyone straight. <i>You can zoom in and out (buttons in the bottom left-hand corner) to see different parts of the map.</i><br />
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As always, I am by no means a master of this tool, but its intuitive design had me up and running in just a few minutes. The maps are easy to share and publish, and they also have a pretty sleek design. I'll let you know how things go when my students construct their own Biome maps. Like I said, that will be the true test. Until then, try <a href="http://www.wisemapping.com/c/home.htm" target="_blank">this one</a> out, or let me know what mind mapping tools you prefer.Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-45291338606563352092011-12-27T12:20:00.000-05:002011-12-31T22:28:50.375-05:00OrganizationTool-Pearl Trees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yjX7-akGrqk/Tvnn6iKs4FI/AAAAAAAAAqk/5L5yBxlj8l0/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yjX7-akGrqk/Tvnn6iKs4FI/AAAAAAAAAqk/5L5yBxlj8l0/s1600/Picture+1.png" /></a></div>
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Now that you know a little about the equipment I am using in my classroom, let's look closer at some of the tools that I use on my computer. These aren't necessarily tools that I use with my students (some are), but they are tools that I use to organize my teaching life. It's comforting to feel the calm of having everything in its place. The first tool I'd like to talk about is a new one for me. It's called <a href="http://www.pearltrees.com/" target="_blank">Pearltrees</a>. It's a unique and visually appealing way to organize your bookmarks. Now, if you are a web tool pack-rat like myself, you've learned by now that saving all of your bookmarks on your browser toolbar is completely pointless. Personally, I use Diigo to organize the steady stream of websites that inhabit my computer screen everyday, but <a href="http://www.pearltrees.com/" target="_blank">Pearltrees</a> offers an alternative solution to the chaos.<br />
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With <a href="http://www.pearltrees.com/" target="_blank">Pearltrees</a>, you are able to create a "bookmark web" if you need to group your websites according to different groups within categories. For example, right now I am building a Pearltree to help consolidate and organize different math websites according to which Everyday Math unit they belong in. So, I have a "Pearltree" called, "Everyday Math". Connected to that "Pearltree" are other Pearltrees named according to their unit number. If you click on one of those pearltrees, you'll find a bunch of "pearls." "Pearls" are actual links to websites. Confused? I've embedded some Pearltrees that I've been working on below. Also, watch the videos below my Pealrtree for an overview of the service provided.<br />
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<object data="http://cdn.pearltrees.com/s/embed/getApp" height="420" id="pt-embed-3708311-825-object" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"><param name="flashvars" value="lang=en_US&embedId=pt-embed-3708311-825&treeId=3708311&pearlId=28991219&treeTitle=chriscolemangsb&site=www.pearltrees.com%2F" />
<param name="movie" value="http://cdn.pearltrees.com/s/embed/getApp" />
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<a href="http://www.pearltrees.com/chriscolemangsb" alt="chriscolemangsb" style="text-decoration:underline;"><span style="font-size:14pt;color:black;font-weight:bold">chriscolemangsb</span><span style="font-size:10pt;color:#999999;font-weight:normal"> and Pearltrees videos / Reading / Everyday Math in Chris Coleman GSB (chriscolemangsb)</span></a></object>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_UnzYWinUhk?rel=0" width="560"></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YBy6jnmht3U?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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With <a href="http://www.pearltrees.com/" target="_blank">Pearltrees</a>, it is also very easy to embed, share, and collaborate. Once I finish creating this "Everyday Math Pealrtree" I will share it with my colleagues, and hopefully they will be able to add some resources that they are using.<br />
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It seems like there are a million different ways to organize your favorite websites. What's your favorite?Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-58623131454319326592011-12-15T22:03:00.000-05:002011-12-24T10:59:19.813-05:00The difference between men and boys...<br />
...is the price of their toys. I've got some pretty good "toys" in my classroom. Some of them are a little old, but they get the job done for my kids. Here's a list of the technology that lives in Room 176.<br />
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<li><b>15 IBook G4s</b></li>
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<li>It's entirely possible that there are little hamsters running around in these laptops, but they are running OS Leopard, so they make things happen. Our biggest issue at the moment is batteries that don't hold a charge. I was able to get a hold of a bunch of extra plugs though, so kids can plug in at the back of the room when their battery fades (it gets a little crwoded back there though). Don't think for one minute that I am complaining about a 1:1 laptop classroom. I am digitally blessed.</li>
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<li><b>InFocus Digital Projector</b></li>
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<li>Last year it was on a rolling cart (not good for the old SMART Board), but thanks to our amazing Tech Coordinator, she's mounted in the ceiling, fixed forever.</li>
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<li><b>SMART Board</b></li>
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<li>Inherited from a teacher who had it mounted on on wheels, and hated the fact that kids kept bumping and disorienting the device. After some cajoling, I was able to persuade our custodians to mount it in the center of my whiteboard.</li>
<li>I need some formal training with this device. I'm completely self taught, but I subscribe to a couple Whiteboard Blogs, and those people are truly gifted. There are wealth of resources out there that I have not even begun to explore.</li>
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<li><b>Ipevo Document Camera</b></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyXjUbbXfgqLRh6sAPmjJMnZeBWK4qIwkfF7xDMowUYp4B8xcuo88HIxGFh7I7qVZv2OQDjfjvOYQXB3IymSJ8NnkQn9rzdVbLXMzcHzABRymv_X95m0GYAStaRjdkl3kJAVrxuwf2lQ/s1600/Ipevodoccam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyXjUbbXfgqLRh6sAPmjJMnZeBWK4qIwkfF7xDMowUYp4B8xcuo88HIxGFh7I7qVZv2OQDjfjvOYQXB3IymSJ8NnkQn9rzdVbLXMzcHzABRymv_X95m0GYAStaRjdkl3kJAVrxuwf2lQ/s320/Ipevodoccam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li>21st Century Overhead Projector</li>
<li>I'm sure there are better document cameras out there, but this one does everything I ask it to do. I use it constantly for Screencasts, and it's very easy for the kids to use. They loved taking pictures with it for our leaf identification unit.</li>
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<li><b>Ipod 4th Generation</b></li>
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<li>This was a special treat this year for some of our faculty. It only took me four days to crack the glass. It was resting quietly in my shirt pocket, then I bent over to tie my shoe in the parking lot and...crack. It still works, but it's not very pretty.</li>
<li>After having this device for a couple months now, I want more of them. Having just one is not enough, but the camera has proven to be very useful, and their are some spelling apps that I use for some of my struggling spellers. Perhaps a separate post just on the Ipod is in order.</li>
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<li><b>MacBook</b></li>
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<li>Love my MacBook! Again, it gets the job done. There will always be something better out there, but as a public school teacher, I understand that the next big thing is not always a realistic option. I'm fine with that.</li>
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That's the nuts and bolts of what I have in my room. Rumor has it there is an Ipad headed my way for next year. So now you know what I'm working with. Does this look like your classroom? What kind of "toys" do you have? Now it's time to start talking about how we use these little gems to benefit the learning in our classrooms. Best wishes to you and yours during this holiday season!</div>
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<br /></div>Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-69053142343076205832011-12-14T20:18:00.000-05:002011-12-14T20:34:43.763-05:00Trying to be Better This is a tough time of year to be a Elementary School teacher. The Holidays are such a huge source of distraction and anxiety for children this age. I'm trying to be a better "Holiday Teacher." Sometimes I have a little academic tunnel vision, and forget what time of year it is. One of my colleagues made fun of me last year because her kids were decorating Gingerbread Houses at the end of the day, and my kids were still plowing through our math curriculum. This also happened to be on the last day of school before our Holiday Break. Well, this year will be different...sort of. Here is a site that my kids will be using during the last week of school...if they finish their homework.<br />
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<a href="http://sprintsweets.com/" target="_blank">The Gingerbread Man with Everything</a></div>
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Here are some examples of what this program is capable of. The angry, banana-throwing elf is my own creation, and the other two are Gingerbread Men already on the site that kids can customize.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3JRuEzDXRjPkVYphxMm4Suvlaqfet87m4PMRlhAW_rdoQSaALmtXsRCBlbrkGAlJhmhggJXnxaaTP_-To6SEQJoFHLRVxtfkp3gfNK7ZLV8uUMxnT1Fg1FHQdx5yR9HRGOymeBxLybw/s1600/ecards_4ee948dfe1f20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3JRuEzDXRjPkVYphxMm4Suvlaqfet87m4PMRlhAW_rdoQSaALmtXsRCBlbrkGAlJhmhggJXnxaaTP_-To6SEQJoFHLRVxtfkp3gfNK7ZLV8uUMxnT1Fg1FHQdx5yR9HRGOymeBxLybw/s320/ecards_4ee948dfe1f20.jpg" width="269" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OGn4fVO7TRV17HpXNMemg2uJDFcMjMG8z71xyUrfkGZp5lx_xoXzVenx2LoheJOQkaOVHidtl_CJ9iupie3ktblKNWVgn41WOQs95fPVnnMpG3BgZJJSsyDwWI_ajWNnu_10mSPVzAg/s1600/ecards_4ee94727cc930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OGn4fVO7TRV17HpXNMemg2uJDFcMjMG8z71xyUrfkGZp5lx_xoXzVenx2LoheJOQkaOVHidtl_CJ9iupie3ktblKNWVgn41WOQs95fPVnnMpG3BgZJJSsyDwWI_ajWNnu_10mSPVzAg/s320/ecards_4ee94727cc930.jpg" width="269" /></a></div>
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Because I am a scrooge of a teacher, my students will have writing assignment that goes along with this experience. They will have to write directions for their Kindergarten Reading Buddies on how to use the site. They will be reading the directions, but the Buddies will have to follow them to the "T." We're working on details and sequencing. We'll see how it goes, and maybe I will post some of their creations.</div>
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<br /></div>Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-55965044033969121012011-12-12T19:21:00.001-05:002011-12-14T19:53:29.939-05:00Lucky to be in Maine Despite the various challenges that come with our drastic changes in seasons, Maine is a wonderful place to live...especially for a teacher who loves to teach with technology. We are blessed to be a part of the <a href="http://maine.gov/mlti/about/index.shtml" target="_blank">Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI)</a>. From their website:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif, Arial, Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><i>"The Maine Learning Technology Initiative made Maine the first state to seize the potential of technology to transform teaching and learning in classrooms statewide; first with a plan to equip all students and teachers in grades 7 to 12 with personal learning technology statewide; first to equip every 7th and 8th grade student and 7th through 12th grade teacher statewide with personal access to learning technology; first to empower every 7th through 12th grade teacher in every school statewide with professional development and support to fully tap the potential of computers and the Internet; and first to provide the option of home Internet access to every 7th and 8th grade student in every school statewide."</i></span></div>
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Thanks to former Governor Angus King, Maine was a pioneer in implementing technology advancements in the classroom. It is this spirit of remaining "cutting edge" that seems to inspire many teachers in the state. After all, we are home to one of the most well known Educational Technology Bloggers in the country - <a href="http://www.freetech4teachers.com/" target="_blank">Richard Byrne of Free Technology for Teachers</a>. Since it's inception, the MLTI has reached beyond its original 7th-12 grade parameters, and entered every grade in most public schools.</div>
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In my classroom, I am lucky enough to have a 1:1 laptop set up. They are pretty old Apple Ibooks, but those little workhorse computers get the job done, and trust me, we put them through their paces. So that's where I'm coming from. I have to keep my mind on that as I dole out advice on implementing technology in your classroom, that you may not have the same computing environment that I have. That's OK though. There is no profession more flexible, adaptable and resourceful than a teacher. MacGyver ain't got nothin' on me.</div>Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5718399795453918928.post-55855879979846124222011-11-30T19:53:00.001-05:002011-12-08T18:01:36.881-05:00The beginning of the wheel... What am I thinking? I already have <a href="http://mrcolemans4thgradeblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">one blog</a> I can barely keep up with, and now here comes another one. Well, let's just see what happens. I find that if I'm writing about something I like, I can go on forever. No big revelation there, but it's something that I try to remember for my students.<br />
Let me take you through a little tour of my blog. Below you will find a screencast that will give you the nuts and bolts of what you're looking at. I'm a bit of a screencast addict as you will learn. My screencast web app of choice, at the moment, is <a href="http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/" target="_blank">Screencast-o-Matic</a>. I pay the menial fee ($12) for the pro version, and that allows me to get rid of the logo stamp. Also, there are more editing tools, and better recording features. Their customer support is fantastic. I was having a hard time with a feature of the program, emailed them, and received a response within the hour. The problem was fixed shortly thereafter. Then, the gentleman on the other end asked me how their service could best be utilized for educational purposes. That made me feel important. It is my belief that classroom teachers have a great deal of power in deciding which direction educational technology goes.<br />
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I think I'll just stop there for now. Future posts will describe some of the technology implementation that is currently going on in my classroom, and then we'll move onto some things that I might not be using in my classroom right now, but I think they would be great tools to have in other classrooms.Mr. Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09555116797222095530noreply@blogger.com0