Comic Creator, Video Chat, Interactive Reading

Kindergarten & First Grade

This week and next, students are working on creating a comic panel.

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/

Mrs. Mouritsen's class did not create a comic this week.  We desperately tried to work a Google Hangout with a class in Wisconsin.  Here they are patiently waiting.  It was an epic failure!  I'm working on problem solving this issue so we can learn from people all over the country.

Second Grade

Last week and this week, students worked on computer coding.  Students helped each other think through the processes of directional thinking.  Last week's crier was actually the first student to complete the 20 levels.  He did not use the conventional process of thought, but isn't that what we look for to create in the 21st century?  We need people to think "out of the box".

Code.org

Student progress was tracked automatically.

Third & Fourth Grade

Finally, all of the 3rd and 4th graders have worked on NEWSELA.  Students are loving it!  These are high interest non-fiction articles at their level.  Students worked with interactive questions, highlighting and note taking within the text.  Every group had many students that did not want to stop.  Gotta love it!!!

Interactive Reading Questions

Below are some of the articles we got to choose from on NEWSELA:

End of February

Kindergarten

Students have learned how to make their own flash cards.  Some classes typed in Dolch sight words and others typed in teen numbers.  I love to watch the excitement in students eyes when they see they can extend the activity to their own level and interests.  One child wanted 'supermarket' on his cards. How could I refuse?

First Grade 

We've finally worked out the kinks in Padlet. We were able to identify the benefits of seeing everyone's work and assessing ourselves immediately.  Internet ettiquette was a part of this too.  We talked about instant viewing by others.  What we type can be saved on the internet in the form of a screenshot even if we delete something we shouldn't have posted.

Second Grade

I took the leap and tried coding with 7 & 8 year olds. In the first class, the range of reactions was like 0-60mph in 5 seconds.  We had 30 minutes of pure learning by doing.  Within that time, we had temporary quitting, crying out of frustration, self motivation to find out how to work through the problem, technical language spoken as students explained their processes to each other, listening to that technical language, repeating the language to check for understanding, elation as solutions were revealed.  All students experienced higher level thinking as I stepped out of the equation. Engagement caused the class to forget recess.  I had to shoo kids out.  Even the crying student had a desire to work out the task. One girl exclaimed, "This is so addicting!".  These coding classes have been the favorite part of my week. 😊

Third Grade

Students were taken through testing practice again.  I have added the SBAC practice link to 3rd and 4th grade symbaloo pages.  Parents are encouraged to work through these practice samples with their children to see what is expected.

Fourth Grade

Classes read a non-fiction article (some on Orcas, others were given a choice of four other topics), wrote a summary of what they read, stated their opinion on the issue, and took information from the article that supported their opinion.  We had them color code the 3 each parts to make it more evident that each piece (summary, opinion, evidence) is a separate thought.  All opinions were written on Kidblog so students could respond to each other.

Games/Testing/Padlet

Kinder:

We've done some reading and a lot of writing in class.  It almost seems wrong to actually play games in a 21st Century classroom.  But....we did!  Students did some money counting and fraction practice using www.turtlediary.com.  This included conversations about ads and how to move past them to the real business at hand.

Here is one student teaching another the path to get to these games:

First and Second Graders:

This week we are taking our writing skills into Padlet.  Padlet is a good way to let others collaborate on a thought or idea.  Since this is new to us, we hit a few permissions bugs (ok a lot of permissions bugs) but the students and I press on.

Enjoy our first attempts:

Padlet

Mrs. Roberts
Mrs. Cleave
Mrs. Richardson
Mrs. Segraves

Mrs. Anglin
Mrs. Munson

PADLET--Check it out!

Third Grade:

Back to Typing Web this week.  Students work toward 10wpm at 100% on home row posture. In addition, they are working on practicing the SBAC tests they will be taking soon.  Click below to see what the tests look like.

SBAC TESTING

Fourth Grade:

We took to our blogs this week.  Students are reading a non-fiction piece, summarizing it, and moving towards forming an opinion and backing up their opinion with evidence from the article.  We'd love to have guest readers.  Contact Mrs. Carney if you are interested.

Superbowl Sunday!

I've got my reserved Superbowl seat for Sunday's game.  I'll be waited on hand and foot.  (The fellas in my house think I helped with the last 2 minutes of the last game day)!  Truthfully, I'll probably be reading/listening to an audiobook or watching my vampire show on my mini screen.  To each his own...

On that thought, we've been working more and more with students creating and responding with their own choices.  We have scientists, dancers, football players, musicians, etc...all in the making in our student body.

Kindergarten students used Follett Shelf from our library website to access eBooks of their choice to read or have read to them.

First Grade had their second opportunity to create a scene using drawing tools.  This week, we really focused on the conventions of writing (proper use of spaces, capitals and punctuation).

Second Grade also read eBooks again.  This time they read from the Mackin Via eBooks.  They all took an Acclerated Reader quiz to boot!

Third & Fourth Grade answered a new blog post of mine.
If you were given 5 minutes to get out of your house, what is the one thing you would take first besides a person/animal?  Answer in one paragraph. 
How did you get it?  
Why is it valuable to you?  
How long have you had it?  
What does it look like?
Label your title "Treasure".

The posts are entertaining and insightful.  We'll be working on conventions and adding a picture to that post next week.

 

Reading & Writing with Technology

Ahhh yes....I have finished weekend work just in time to watch the last 2 minutes of the NFC Championship game. The best 2 min of the game! 

Here's what we've been up to:

Kindergarten-2nd go around for drawing using color, line size, text box etc... showed improvement.

First Grade-used Mackin Via to read books online. They are identifying books that can read to them, opening the title to a 2 page spread, changing the color background to be easier on the eyes, zooming in and out, etc...

Second Grade-continues to amaze me with their eagerness to complete very difficult tasks. Can you identify all the skills used in this little project?

Third and Fourth Graders-were introduced to the new Kidblog format. Students are adding pictures to their blogs and identifying resources. 

Mrs. Skeen's Class Shines

This very poorly shot video was amazing proof of how I want my tech classes to run.  Kids are out of their seats asking for help and helping others.  Classes throughout the week were reminded to tap a friend before getting help from me.  To communicate to someone else what you've learned is evidence of growth!

January 2015--And We're Off!

Kindergarten is working on using a digital drawing program to create a scene.  They are using line thickness, color, shapes, and learning to erase just part of their drawing not the whole thing when mistakes are made.  They are also adding text with text boxes to label their drawing with their name and a descriptive title or sentence.

First Grade is using our library eBooks.  They type in the username and password to access the school books, turn pages, make the layout a 2 page spread and can identify when the computer will read it aloud to them. Please contact Mrs. Paul, the librarian, or myself to obtain that username and password if needed.

Second Grade is creating a graphic organizer in the publishing layout of Word.  The pyramid shape is teaching them to visualize how large topics can be narrowed. The pyramid on the right is an extension.  Kids could use the internet to search for images that match their diagram and add them to their work.

Third and Fourth Graders were learning how to resize and move windows and work with them side-by-side.  They learned 3 new keyboard shortcuts to copy, paste and do a quick page find.  We worked with the internet (Google Chrome as the browser) and Microsoft Word (publisher format).  Some students learned about making pictures "hot" so they can be manipulated.  The 2nd Week of January, students will be blogging about their news finds using their Kidblog accounts.

The Earth, Santa, Blogging and Coding

Kindergarten has been learning that the Earth is full of places that look nothing like Selah. We live on the North American Continent and Selah is a speck on the planet Earth.

First and Second Graders have electronically participated in Macy's Believe Campaign.  For each letter submitted, Macy's is donating $1 to the Make a Wish Foundation.

We continue to blog in 3rd & 4th grade.  Our volunteers have been regularly commenting on posts giving the kids an authentic audience. Safety and appropriate uses for a blog are part of technology classes.  We need more adults to read and comment on these posts.  This is perfect for the newly retired.  Sign up today!

Our writing training this week has helped me to focus on the type of writing I'm asking kids to do. I will be far more intentional about making a plan and identifying the form (narrative, expository or opinion) of writing we use on the computer.

During intervention this week, I had the opportunity to participate in a program called an Hour of Code. Students were able to program characters from Frozen and Angry Birds.  Students enjoyed this so much, I may try this with regular classes. After all, computer programming takes a lot of higher level thinking and is helping society move toward the 21st Century.

Best EdTEch of 2014

Common Sense Media 
Best EdTech of 2014

What's New in our Woods

Kindergarten and First Grade both got to take a look at Google Maps.  We found Lince Elementary using the satellite, map and street views. Some students found their homes.  It was very exciting!  We got to zoom in and zoom out, but we still working on the concept of planet earth being broken up into continents and countries, etc.

Kinder has also taken a little walk through the forest this week.  We discussed how virtual tours can let us learn outside our classroom walls, but it's not quite like using all of your senses.  After all, we can't smell or feel the forest through a computer!

First Graders continue to write short letters with Kidpix.  We've also added a few Internet vocabulary words to our bank of knowledge.  Words include: tab, window, browser, Google Chrome vs. Firefox, home button, back button and homepage.

Second Graders are now moving faster through the letter writing process on Word Publishing view.  We've added clipart and can now grab a photo out of a folder sitting on our desktops.  I throw a lot of directions at them, they are very patient as I learn what is too much instruction.

Last, but TRULY THE BEST lessons these past few weeks have been about digital citizenship and starting our own student blogs with 3rd and 4th grade.  I've always had the hardest time with the quietest kids.   Blogging has always surprised me with how much those kids have to say.

We've already had a few lessons about what is appropriate and what is not appropriate online.  The students and I agree that it's nice to have a safe place to learn about being online.  We are allowed to make mistakes and safely talk about how we should respond to others thoughts even if we disagree.

I encourage all our 3rd and 4th Grade student parents and or grandparents to get in on this opportunity to see what your child has to say.  See how their writing skills grow. Give me a call if you are interested in learning more.

Veteran's Day Video

WIN time padlet-will post when complete

Looks something like this:

Oh the Horror! part 2

K-2 kids are letter writing.  I need to remember that creation is difficult because student skills and self confidence run at such a wide range.  One student might take the activity and make it their own and then some.  While another student struggles with identifying letters. Some students want so badly to "finish" their letters in the allotted 45 minutes that they end up crying.  I need to parcel these lessons out so kids can feel good about the part of the process that they are in.  This has not been a stellar week, but there has been a lot of learning going on!

Kindergarten trying to convey a message using letters and pictures.

2nd Graders trying to organize their writing with a thought and supporting detail.

Oh the Horror!

While taking the 3rd and 4th graders to internet safety today, I tried to illicit responses from students using technology INSTEAD of having an only 'me talking at them' teaching strategy (which is the ol' standby I fall into without forethought).

Today's presentation delivery was horrible and fantastic at the same time!
Horrible-the answers were short, not on topic, not clearly written, not good examples of writing conventions, etc...
Fantastic-we have a baseline of skills, kids were excited to have a voice...they couldn't wait to write & read (which is the whole point-right?), and we can draw from this experience, talk about conventions and communicating meaning to others.

TodaysMeet.com is the limited time chatroom I used for this activity.

This is not how I want kids to write, but now we have a starting point.