March Technology News
Digital Literature Circle
Looking for a way to increase student engagement and comprehension during reading? Literature circles allow students to take control of their learning and collaborate with others to improve their reading skills. Each student in the group is given a specific job that they need to complete before the next group meeting. The students run each reading group discussion/meeting and hold each other accountable for completing their jobs. Literature circles can be made even more engaging by adding technology. Take a look at the jobs and accompanying FREE apps below to get started with your own digital literature circles:
Summarizer
Students can use the Seeding Comic Studio App to write a summary of the section they read and include a photo to accompany it.
Discussion Director / Questioner
Students can use the Google Keep App to develop a list of questions from their reading section to ask their group members. The discussion director is in charge of running the meeting for the day.
Connector
The connector is responsible for making text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections while reading the assigned section of the text. Students can use the Inspiration App and create a concept map with the connections they made while reading.
Illustrator
The illustrator is responsible for making a picture of of something they visualized as they read. Students can use the Doceri App to make their illustration and explain what they drew. I also have students explain why they chose to illustrate that particular mental picture. Their illustration and explanation is saved then saved as a video.
Character Analyzer
Just as the job title suggests, this person is responsible for analyzing a main character in the book. Students can use the Trading Cards App to create a trading card about the character. The app gives students prompts for each section of the card including a section where they must include their opinion of the character.
Word Wizard / Vocabulary Enricher
The word wizard must select words that have a special meaning and/or are new to them that can enhance their vocabulary. Students use the Trading Cards App again, but this time use the "vocabulary" card template. They must also include a photo that represents the word. Students then put their vocabulary trading cards into Doceri to create a movie explaining the cards.
* If you would like help implementing digital literature circles in your classroom, please contact me. I would love to teach your students how to use the apps for their literature circle jobs. I also created samples of each job along with directions for students for you to see. The files can be found in this Google Drive Folder.
March Technology Stars
Cathy Appleyard
Cathy Appleyard is a 4th grade teacher at Forge Road Elementary. Cathy started using iPads to increase student engagement and learning during literature circles. Her students LOVE using the iPads to demonstrate their learning and cannot wait for reading each day. Great job, Cathy!
Kensi Antol
Kensi Antol is a 5th grade teacher at Forge Road Elementary. Kensi's students recently studies landforms in social studies. During the unit, she took them on "virtual field trips" around the globe to see the landforms up close. In the past, students created a replica of a landform to demonstrate their learning. This year, students used Google Tour Builder to create their own virtual field trip to demonstrate their understanding and teach others about landforms. Check out this virtual field trip about _______ here!
Summer Technology In-service Offerings
This summer, there are several in-service sessions focused around elementary technology. These sessions will give you ideas for increasing technology use in your classroom while providing you time to play and experiment with the tech. tools.
Skype in the Classroom: Skype in the classroom is an amazing tool for extending learning beyond your classroom walls. This session will taught as a "blended" course. Here is what that means for you- you will complete half of the learning at home and half of it at school. I will send you all the information you need to know about Skype in the classroom prior to the in-service. You will learn about virtual field trips, mystery Skype guest speakers, and mystery Skype. Then, at the in-service, we will be using the information we learned to complete a real-life Mystery Skype. (Led by Jess Miller)
Digital Daily 5: This session will focus on free apps and websites for your students to use in Daily 5 literacy centers. You will also get time to explore and play with the tools so you are prepared to use them in your classroom. (Led by Jess Miller)
iPad Creation Tools: Come learn how to move your students into higher-order thinking using the iPads. We will explore creation tools for all subject areas. I will also show you how to easily collect student iPad creations for devices that are shared between classrooms. (Led by Jess Miller)
Digital Portfolios: Ever wonder what your students are REALLY doing during reading and math centers? Come find out how I use student driven digital portfolios to hold students accountable. Using a free app/website, called See Saw, students can "show what they know" using photos, drawings, text, pdf, and links. Not tech savvy? No worries! This app is user friendly! (Led by Emily Stephens)
Google Sites: This session will show you the basics to starting a website through the free services of Google. (Led by KK Knudsen and Tyler Binkley)
Mobile Technology in the Classroom: 4-12 teachers- learn how to effectively incorporate mobile technology, including phones, iPods, iPads and tablets into your class with educational apps and websites. We will explore the instructional use of Nearpod, Verso, Kahoot, Plickers, and more! (Led by KK Knudsen and AJ Hull)
Technology and Engineering Strategies in the Elementary Classroom Parts 1 and 2: Did you know that PDE requires Technology & Engineering Education experiences at all grade levels, including the elementary? This session has been designed to aid and encourage elementary teachers to teach Technology & Engineering Concepts. Attendees of this session will be presented with the pedagogy associated with Technology & Engineering Education. They will also have the opportunity to engage in FUN hands-on/minds-on experiences that model these two instructional areas. (Led by Scott Farmer)
Google Classroom: 4-12 teachers: Google Classroom helps teachers create, assign, and collect student classwork and homework paperlessly. With Google Classroom, teachers can seamlessly integrate Google Docs, Google Drive, and Gmail to create assignments, provide feedback for in progress and completed work, and communicate with their students directly and with whole class announcements--all without using a single piece of paper. (Led by KK Knudsen and Jeff Wilver)
Skype in the Classroom: Skype in the classroom is an amazing tool for extending learning beyond your classroom walls. This session will taught as a "blended" course. Here is what that means for you- you will complete half of the learning at home and half of it at school. I will send you all the information you need to know about Skype in the classroom prior to the in-service. You will learn about virtual field trips, mystery Skype guest speakers, and mystery Skype. Then, at the in-service, we will be using the information we learned to complete a real-life Mystery Skype. (Led by Jess Miller)
Digital Daily 5: This session will focus on free apps and websites for your students to use in Daily 5 literacy centers. You will also get time to explore and play with the tools so you are prepared to use them in your classroom. (Led by Jess Miller)
iPad Creation Tools: Come learn how to move your students into higher-order thinking using the iPads. We will explore creation tools for all subject areas. I will also show you how to easily collect student iPad creations for devices that are shared between classrooms. (Led by Jess Miller)
Digital Portfolios: Ever wonder what your students are REALLY doing during reading and math centers? Come find out how I use student driven digital portfolios to hold students accountable. Using a free app/website, called See Saw, students can "show what they know" using photos, drawings, text, pdf, and links. Not tech savvy? No worries! This app is user friendly! (Led by Emily Stephens)
Google Sites: This session will show you the basics to starting a website through the free services of Google. (Led by KK Knudsen and Tyler Binkley)
Mobile Technology in the Classroom: 4-12 teachers- learn how to effectively incorporate mobile technology, including phones, iPods, iPads and tablets into your class with educational apps and websites. We will explore the instructional use of Nearpod, Verso, Kahoot, Plickers, and more! (Led by KK Knudsen and AJ Hull)
Technology and Engineering Strategies in the Elementary Classroom Parts 1 and 2: Did you know that PDE requires Technology & Engineering Education experiences at all grade levels, including the elementary? This session has been designed to aid and encourage elementary teachers to teach Technology & Engineering Concepts. Attendees of this session will be presented with the pedagogy associated with Technology & Engineering Education. They will also have the opportunity to engage in FUN hands-on/minds-on experiences that model these two instructional areas. (Led by Scott Farmer)
Google Classroom: 4-12 teachers: Google Classroom helps teachers create, assign, and collect student classwork and homework paperlessly. With Google Classroom, teachers can seamlessly integrate Google Docs, Google Drive, and Gmail to create assignments, provide feedback for in progress and completed work, and communicate with their students directly and with whole class announcements--all without using a single piece of paper. (Led by KK Knudsen and Jeff Wilver)
EdCamp Lancaster
On Saturday, April 23, 2016, edcamp Lancaster will take place at the Lancaster/Lebanon IU13 conference center. Edcamp Lancaster is a part of the global edcamp "un-conference" movement which brings local educators together to collaborate and participate in customized workshops. Rather than a planned speaker or an outside consultant, edcamps draw on the strengths of the participants. The free event will focus on offering practical, technology-based training to K-12 teachers from across the Susquehanna Valley. To register for this FREE event, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/edcamp-lancaster-tickets-21043723343. Breakfast and lunch will also be included!