Tech Tools for Writing

I recently read an article from eSchool News:

13 Inexpensive Ed-tech Tools for Writing 

 

Plenty of  tools/apps for elementary students including:

1) Primary Pad -- shows students how to peer edit

2) Toontastic -- digital storytelling

3) Storybird -- social storytelling

4) Story Dice -- story-starters

5) Kidblog -- classroom blogs

iPads, iPads, iPads

After a long hiatus, I'm back to blogging!!!

Recently, I accepted a position at Steck Elementary within DPS.  Part of my new job consists of acting as the school's technology rep (leading professional development).  We recently purchased iPads for the building and I just happened to stumble upon this article from eSchool News:

How to Have More Meaningful iPad Professional Development

Main points:
1) We often focus on "nuts and bolts" of a tech tool, but we should be focused on how to implement.
2) Implementation includes thinking about existing curriculum, current pedagaogy, & collaboration.
3) Learning and Creating with iPads in Kindergarten-- youtube video of iPads in use
4) EdTtech Teacher--helpful website for iPad implementation
5) Edcamp--free, online professional development

Information Literacy (5/27)

It's the last day!!!

Here's the agenda:

1) WARM UP: cool math games

2) FINISH VOICETHREAD or GLOGSTER

-choose 1 person from the list of TIME's most influential people (2011)

-In your presentation:

a) give background info on who this person is

b) explain why this person is influential

c) explain what has this person accomplished

d) provide at least 8 photos/slides

e) comment on all 8 slides/photos

3) GO TO: www.befunky.com

-edit 5 different photos of your choosing

-start by clicking on "Get Started"

Information Literacy (5/25)

Here's today's agenda (please copy it into your planner):

1) WARM UP: Spooky Space Sounds

-listen to sounds actually recorded from space

2) FINISH VOICETHREAD or GLOGSTER

-choose 1 person from the list of TIME's most influential people (2011)

-In your presentation:

a) give background info on who this person is

b) explain why this person is influential

c) explain what has this person accomplished

d) provide at least 8 photos/slides

e) comment on all 8 slides/photos

3) GO TO: www.befunky.com

-edit 5 different photos of your choosing

-start by clicking on "Get Started"

Objective: SWBAT effectively access information and use it to create

a well-constructed paragraph AAPOAL.

Information Literacy (5/23)

Here's today's agenda (please copy it into your planner):

1) WARM UP: NASA @ Home and City

-Learn about items you use on a regular basis that were invented by

NASA for space exploration.

2) CHOOSE TO COMPLETE VOICETHREAD or GLOGSTER

FINAL PROJECT

-choose 1 person from the list of TIME's most influential people (2011)

-In your presentation:

a) give background info on who this person is

b) explain why this person is influential

c) explain what has this person accomplished

d) provide at least 8 photos/slides

e) comment on all 8 slides/photos

OBJECTIVE: SWBAT to creatively present biographical information on

an influential person using a chosen computer application AAPOAL.

Learning Log: If you could add three people to the most influential list,

who would you add and why?

Information Literacy (5/19)

Here's today's agenda (please copy into your planner):

1) WARM UP: Interactive Anne Frank Secret Hiding Spot

-take an interactive tour of Anne Frank's actual home when

her and her family hid from the Nazis.

2) CHOOSE A TECH ARTICLE

-After clicking on the link "TECH ARTICLE," choose any article to

read from CNN.com's tech section.

-Write a well-constructed paragraph summarizing the article using

a Word document.

3) CHOOSE TO COMPLETE VOICETHREAD or GLOGSTER

FINAL PROJECT

-choose 1 person from the list of TIME's most influential people (2011)

-In your presentation:

a) give background info on who this person is

b) explain why this person is influential

c) explain what has this person accomplished

d) provide at least 8 photos/slides

Objective: SWBAT complete a well-constructed paragraph AAPOAL.

Information Literacy (5/17)

Here's today's agenda (please copy it into your planner):

1) WARM UP: Scrible

-What is Scrible?

-How could it help you?

2) EVALUATING SOURCES
-Go to 10 Cool New Sites (http://apps.exploratorium.edu/10cool/index.php)
-Choose 3 sites you would like to evaluate.
-Answer the following questions during your evaluations:

Authority:

a) Who created this website? How do you know they can be trusted? Do they have training, professional skill, or expertise to provide this information? Do they cite their sources? If so, provide 2 examples of sources they used.

Content:

b) What information does this site provide? Why was it created? Do they provide you with enough information? What did you learn from this site? What could others learn about this site?

Reliability:

c) Is this information up to date? How do you know? Are these real numbers and facts? Do they match reality? How do we know they are real and on target?

Design:

d) Can you find what you need at this site relatively quickly or is it loaded down with graphics and elements, which prolong your visit and your searching unnecessarily? Is the information laid out in a logical fashion so that you can easily locate what you need without wandering around and wasting time?

Out of the 3 websites you evaluated, which site could one of your teachers use to improve your learning and the learning of your classmates? (Learning Log)

3) DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY (http://teens.denverlibrary.org/)

-Name three new events happening at the teen library

-Explain three events you would be interested in participating in.

-How do you go about signing up for these events?

Objective: SWBAT demonstrate their understanding of website evaluation by

completing the content, authority, reliability, and design form AAPOAL.