Instructional Technology Tidbits
a few notes from the ITS
Osmo
I downloaded the teacher's guide for you to take a look at too.
Below are the games currently available.
Masterpiece
Newton
Tangram
Words
Numbers
Share to Classroom
Have you added the Share to Classroom extension to Chrome yet? If not, you will love it! Share to Classroom allows you to easily push webpage links to your class. Not only can you send your students links to websites, but you can send them links to apps and extensions from the Web Store too. That way your students don't have to type in long web addresses or search for the app you want them to install.
Once you install Share to Classroom, a Classroom icon will appear to the right of the omnibox (the box with the web address in it). To use the extension fully, both teacher and student need to have the add-on installed.
So how does it work? If you are on a page you want to share with your class, simply click the icon. If it is installed on both teacher and student devices: choose the class you want to share to, click push, and magically all the student will be on the same page. Yes, really! If it is only on the teacher device or if you want students to access the site independently: choose the class you want to share to, from the push to students drop down choose how you want it to appear to them (assignment/announcement), type in the title/information and click either assign or post. Then the link will appear in your class stream ! Try it out!
Microsoft Educator Network
Have you ever taken the time to check out Microsoft's Educator Network? Yeah, I hadn't either. If you have some time it is a great resource! You can create an account (it does not have to be your school account), or just poke around without one. The two areas I think you will find the most interesting are Get Trained and Find a Lesson. In the Get Trained area, you get trained. It is the professional development area of the site. The Find a Lesson area has fantastic lessons created by other educators using Microsoft products. There is a section in Find a Lesson devoted to Skype lessons (yes Microsoft owns Skype) and one to Virtual Field Trips. Take some time and check them out!
Math Collaboration Highlight
1 - Google Classroom - We had everyone join the Lynnhaven Math Collaboration Google Classroom. In Classroom we created an announcement which contained a link to the Blendspace for the day. That way everyone could access it easily.
2 - Blendspace - We used Blendspace to house the materials we were presenting during collab. This made it nice ... everything was in one place. Here is a link to the Blendspace we used at collab.
3 - AnswerGarden - We used the AnswerGarden site to see some of the mathematics tools you were using in the classroom. AnswerGarden automatically turns the answers into word clouds. Great way to formatively assess.
4 - Google Form - We used a Google Form to pre-asses your knowledge of Growth Mindset. Then showed how as a teacher you can see all the responses.
5 - Padlet - We used Padlet as a reflection tool.
6 - TodaysMeet - We used TodaysMeet as a way to brainstorm ideas for using Pixie in math. TodaysMeet did not drag into Blendspace like other sites did, so we had to have it typed in the comment area. That made it a bit of an extra step if you plan on using it with kids.
That is six different tools!
TenMarks Math Madness
For more information see the flyers on Math Madness and setting goals for Math Madness.
Don't Forget - Achieve 3000 Read to Succeed 2
All you have to do to qualify for the contest is get 75% of your students to complete at least eight multiple-choice activities between February 22 and March 18 (just like you did in the fall). Achieve 3000 will keep track of the progress and notify you when your class has qualified.
To encourage your students to put forth their very best effort, Achieve 3000 is giving out extra points for high scores. Every time a student does an activity, your class earns a point. For every score of 75%, the class earns two points and for every score of 88% or higher, the class earns three points! The winning class is the qualifying class with the most average points, per student. If there is a tie, a winner is randomly selected. Please note that only classes that have 5 or more students at the close of the contest are eligible to win a prize, a $30 gift card.
Lynnhaven Elementary
Email: rbmartin@vbschools.com
Website: http://www.lynnhavenes.vbschools.com/
Location: Library Office
Phone: 757 648-3019
Twitter: @rbmartinette
Trantwood Elementary
Email: rbmartin@vbschools.com
Website: http://www.trantwoodes.vbschools.com/
Location: Lab Office
Phone: 757648-4017
Twitter: @rbmartinette