Northstar Tech Tribune
Showcasing Greatness From Our Students and Teachers!
2nd Quarter In Review
Over the past 45 days, students and teachers have been very busy using technology to enhance learning. Weather it be a Skype or stop motion movie making, these technology experiences engage students while helping them build a real world understanding of the information taught. Below are some of the great examples of how students are using technology at Northstar Elementary this month.
Stop Motion Movies
Mr. Roozeboom and some of his ELP students have been using the LEGO Movie Maker app to create stop motion videos. They created these videos below with a partner after a quick how to session on using the app. They did a great job of diving right in and seeing what they could create for movies. Look for more stop motion videos in the future!
LEGO Movie Maker
2CH and 3D Team Up to Kahoot!
Mrs. Christian and Mr. Dunkin's classes teamed up to play a game of Kahoot. Kahoot is a web based game that teachers can use to take any information taught, and turn it into a fun and engaging game for students. http://www.getkahoot.com
Homophone Kahoot
Mrs. Kincade and her class have been working with homophones in reading. They played Kahoot to see what they have learned during the unit and if any reteaching is necessary.
Two Thumbs Up!
Mrs. Foster's 2nd grade class played Kahoot in class and the students definitely approve! Teachers get valuable feedback from using Kahoot in class. Kahoot takes student's answers and puts them into an easy to read spreadsheet for teachers to use for data on future classroom decisions.
Google Hangouts
This month Mr. Pearson's 5th graders and Mr. Dunkin's 3rd graders teamed up to perform various holiday themed readers theater's. The students rehearsed their parts for three weeks and then performed them LIVE on the internet via YouTube. Google Hangouts made it possible to broadcast these readers theater's live, so family members and other students and staff in the KCSD District could enjoy the all of the hard work.
Northstar Reader's Theater 3rd/5th
QR Codes
QR Code Scavenger Hunt
4F went on a scavenger hunt at Northstar using QR codes. Mrs. Findley took information from her lessons and turned them into QR codes allowing students to get up and active by walking around Northstar to find the QR codes.
Math QR Codes
Students in Mr. Dunkin's class are using QR codes to check their math problems. Students had to work through multiple digit subtraction problems, and then check their answer by scanning a QR code.
Science QR Codes
Students in Mrs. Dunkin's 4th grade class are using QR codes to help them review for a science test. The review questions were turned in to QR codes, and students scanned them to get their questions.
Google Docs
Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format text documents and collaborate with other people in real time. Teachers use Google Docs everyday to collaborate with staff members in and out of their buildings. Below students in Mr. Roozeboom's 5th grade ELP group are using Google Docs to make business plans. Each student came up with an idea for their own business they would like to run. Then they created a Google Doc and shared it with group members to collaborate and brainstorm business plan ideas.
SMART Boards
Inference Battleship
Mrs. Findley and her class played a game of inference Battleship. SMART boards are get tools that teachers use to help make lessons interactive for students.
Bonk!
Mrs. Hefner and her students used their SMART Board to play a game called Bonk! They used this game to review everything they had learned during their science unit.
Multiplication Fact Practice
Students can use SMART Boards to help them practice basic math facts. This is only one of the many ways SMART Boards help both students and teachers!
Yellowstone National Park Skype
Students in Mr. Dunkin's and Mrs. Leedom's 3rd grade classes were able to Skype with a park ranger from Yellowstone National Park. Over the past few weeks in science, students have been learning about different landforms around the world. The students were able to discuss and see pictures of landforms found in Yellowstone, and also how some of those landforms were made over thousands of years.
Governor Brandstad Skype
Mrs. Davis' 4th grade class had the opportunity to participate in the "Skype Your School" Program with Governor Brandstad. The students in Mrs. Davis' class have been learning about government, and the different branches of government over the course of their Social Studies unit. This Skype allowed the students to extend their learning experience by having a discussion with the Governor and ask the Governor questions about Iowa's government.
Northstar Elementary
Don't forget to give our Facebook page a like to stay up to date on all of the great things happening at Northstar as well as important information and announcements!
Twitter users, make sure to give the Knoxville PTO a follow. They do a great job of keeping up with Northstar's teachers that are tweeting out everything that is going on each day in their classrooms. Also, be sure to follow any teachers you might find while looking at the PTO Twitter account.
Email: matt.dunkin@kcsd.k12.ia.us
Website: www.knoxville.k12.ia.us
Location: 407 W Larson St, Knoxville, IA, United States
Phone: (641) 842-6527
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northstar-Elementary/324259501099321?ref=br_tf
Twitter: @KnoxvillePTO