Category: Technology

Posted on

Digital Student Portfolios – Worth the Bother?

10 reasons why implementing digital portfolios like Seesaw and Dojo Portfolios is a fabulous technology initiative to showcase student’s accomplishments and growth over the course of a year.

  1. Showcases all students as learners.
  2. Improves teacher/family communication.
  3. Facilitates better feedback from teacher, family, and/or peers.
  4. Highlights the process of learning and being organized.
  5. Demonstrates progress and growth over time.
  6. Guides students to become self-directed and accountable.
  7. Maximizes formative assessment options.
  8. Recognizes the many ways of being creative and smart.
  9. Advocate for every student.
  10. Work smarter, not harder as a teacher.
Posted on

CodeSnaps Lesson on “Features on a Map”

Provided by Curriculum Pathways and just in time for the Hour of Code event held the first week in December, SAS CodeSnaps takes advantage of tangible, printed coding blocks allowing students to prepare programs together on a work surface without a device.  When blocks are scanned with the CodeSnaps app, the program is then executed on the connected robot. The video demonstrates how to scan coding blocks with the SAS CodeSnaps app.

Here is an example of how code can be used in the K-3 classroom. Check out this easy lesson plan.

Show with Code: Features on a Map
Lesson Plan 15-45 minutes
CodeSnaps block printout cards

Posted on

Poll Everywhere Within Google Slides

Do you teach from presentations you’ve put together in Google Slides? Are you interested in using those presentations and polling your students for immediate responses as you go through your material?  If so, please read on.

Poll Everywhere allows you to transform one-way presentations into a real-time engaging conversation within your classroom. Using mobile devices people carry every day, your audience can submit live responses straight to the Google slide. Here’s how it works:

– Create or log in to your Poll Everywhere account.
– Create the questions you’d like to ask the audience.
– Embed poll questions and surveys in your Google Slides.
– Invite the crowd or class to respond via the web or SMS.
– Watch responses appear instantly on the slide in real-time.

Posted on

Keep Active With MOVE IT

Tired of sitting at your desk or the computer? Do you need your students to release a bit of energy?

If you answered yes to either question, then Move It is certainly worth a try. Get the Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store. It’s the easiest way to be reminded that you need a break. Set the notification interval and your screen will present you with a random brain break and exercise to complete in less than a minute. Hit done and the next break will arrive after the designated interval elapses again.

Posted on

Schoology at the Elementary Level

There are 4 teachers (grades 4 and 5) at each elementary school that are going through Schoology Basics training and are piloting the online learning management system with their students.

At Lewis and Clark ES, Carol Yonkin (4th grade) and Melissa Taylor (5th grade) are diving right in with their students by starting with simple tasks for becoming familiar with the system.  Pictured below students follow oral directions for navigation and learn some terminology.  Then they explore by following course instructions.

schoology class
Taylor’s Class – First day in Schoology. Students watched Grammar Gorillas from Fun Brain and took part in a discussion.

 

Yonkin’s Class – First time in Schoology. Students reflected on a video and participated in a discussion using guidelines and a rubric.

Lewis and Clark ES students seem to enjoy this method of learning.

 

 

 

 

 

Schoology is packed with apps and resources that keep courses inclusive.

 

Students can work in Schoology without having to veer outside the platform.