Three teachers at Alloway Creek have a forward thinking mindset when it comes to their classrooms. Melanie White, Natalie White, and Sue Aldinger combined classes to have the Whites' class peer coach Aldinger's class on navigating through the Personal Math Trainer. The Personal Math Trainer (for those unfamiliar) is a part of the new Go Math series that the K-5 buildings use and it can be very tricky for students to understand. These teachers decided to let their students train each other and honestly there is no better way to show understanding of something than by teaching it to someone else. Great job White, White, and Aldinger!
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I visited the classroom of Ms. Heather Fowler and saw some great tech going on in Alloway. Her students created projects where they were "taking a trip across the USA". They had to use the Chromebooks to stop at different state capitals in their quest to travel from the east coast to the west coast. They had to research each capital along the way, as well as, figure out the distance between each capital and the total distance they traveled in all. Then, they used all of that info to create a Google Slide presentation, which they will present to the class. It was great to see students using so many resources and websites to accomplish a task. Great job Alloway!
This week we have 3 amazing teachers using Kahoot in their classrooms. First, I visited Todd Gantz and Nate Staub's classroom. These 2 amazing teachers not only co-teach their class together, but utilize technology to do so. Their students were using Kahoot! which is a game based review type game where students compete to answer questions correctly. The students would answer and then afterward Todd and Nate did a nice job getting their students to discuss why something was correct or incorrect. A lot of meaningful discussions were had. Their students were doing so in small groups. Then I stepped across the hallway to visit Amy Shermeyer where she was using Kahoot! as well. She had her students answering individually rather than in groups. Two great ways to make reviewing interactive and fun! Great job LHS!
We are all probably very familiar with Danielson's four domains by now. I saw some Distinguished characteristics over at Littlestown Area High School this past week. Mr. Scott Staub's Web Applications and Business Presentation classes were tearing it up using a number of instructional technologies. In Web Applications, students created Google Presentations on how to demo different tasks in Google Apps. They learned how to do the steps, screen capture them and finally, created a demo presentation of the steps. Then the students embedded them into a class wiki site. In Business Presentations, students created digital stories using Photo Story. All of these tasks were assigned to students via Google Classroom so students could login to the Google accounts and get started right away. These students were literally directing themselves through the instruction. Using Google Classroom gave Mr. Staub the freedom to move about the room and assist students with more complex questions and issues. It was great to see students creating meaningful projects to engage in deeper learning.
This week, I also had the pleasure of visiting Biology class. I know that most of you are probably thinking, eww Biology, seriously? Whether you enjoyed Biology or not, you would definitely enjoy the technology integration happening here. Lindsey Kress had her students creating S'mores. No, she was not making the delicious camp fire treat you are all craving now that I mentioned it. She was having her students make an interactive poster about cell organelles. Mrs. Kress uses Google Classroom as her home base where students can go to get all directions needed for the day. She walked them through the basics of using S'more to create an interactive poster then the learning was all on her students. They were the presenters of cell organelle information.
Watch out LASD! Mindy Rebert's radical readers have arrived. Students in her class were found reading on the Chromebooks, reading in small group, and completing tricky grammar practice. Mrs. Rebert has implemented a hybrid learning model in her classroom. Her students are grouped into three sections. One group is with her in a teacher led situation while the other two groups are working independently or collaboratively. How can 4th grade possibly do this you ask? Well, very easily in fact! Mrs. Rebert's students were managing themselves in these small groups. This is personalized learning at its best! Hats off to you Mrs. Rebert for having student-driven instruction!
Just when you thought our Little Bolts couldn't get any more fabulous, they strike again. I spent Thursday afternoon with Anna Sanders and her fabulous first graders. Why, you ask? Not because they needed my help, but so they could show me how they login to the Chromebooks AND login to GO Math (K-5 math curriculum for those unfamiliar). You might think this feat too tough for first graders, but not the Little Bolts of Rolling Acres. These students were proud to show me how to use the Personal Math Trainer and Math on the Spot Videos. I was honestly shocked at how quickly they could login and get started working. Ms. Sanders also came up with an innovative and brilliant way to ease the logging on process with a large group of students. She appointed, as one of her classroom jobs, a technology helper. This student (pictured above helping another student) is there to assist those students who may forget, or just take a little extra time, when logging on. I loved seeing the communication and collaboration within this first grade classroom. Great work Ms. Sanders! I applaud you for giving control to a student so young and having such success!
My first teacher feature this week comes from Maple Avenue. Kasey Smith has been working hard all week with her students to learn all about the 6 iPad minis that Graig Henshaw procured via grants. Together, Mr. Henshaw and Ms. Smith have been teaching students to use Adobe Voice to create fun, easy videos containing a theme project. How can an entire class use only 6 iPads you ask? Well. Kasey actually had 2 projects going on at the same time. Her students rotated using the iPads each day so all students have the opportunity to film. It was a pleasure to see the two teachers working together to teach the students. Mr. Henshaw had students all over the library filming and working hard on these projects. The students utilized the book room, hallways, and every other inch of the library to complete these videos. What great collaboration going on over at Maple Avenue. Jealous are you? Mr. Henshaw is waiting for you, Maple Avenue, to utilize his many talents and of course iPads! Congrats Kasey and Graig for great teamwork!
This week I had the pleasure of visiting Ms. Rakowicz's art class. The students were creating digital art portfolios using an app called SeeSaw. It was amazing to watch the students use SeeSaw with no instruction. Her students were not afraid to click on buttons and try things out. This natural spirit of curiosity shows me just how bright our students are and how much we can learn from their no fear attitude! Great job Ms. Rakowicz and art angels!
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AuthorThis blog has been created by Mrs. Gabrielle Sipe, the K-12 tech integrator in the Littlestown Area School District, for the purpose of sharing tech tips with the school community. Archives
May 2016
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