-Counting and Writing Numbers (Kindergarten)- (playlist)

Incredible video with more ideas to use

http://connect.tech4learning.com/video/research-without-copying

Word Clouds for Kids/D5 Comprehension strategy

I asked my students to read their book again.  This time they used a circle map to retell their story.  Once they had the circle map finished with words from the story that helped them retell the story and describe the character they were allowed to go out to the computer and create a word cloud.  Attached are some of the picture of the word clouds.  The kids were excited to get to use technology for this project.  It was our first time doing this and it did take some time.  Teacher alert:  Of course you should make sure that your computers, Ipads, technology device has the most up to date Java and Shock Player.  Many of the computers we were using did not have the updates.  I had about 5 computers that were updated so I had the kids stand in lines behind the working computers taking turns.  I'll make sure that the computers in my work area are updated before I do this again.  Otherwise, I would have had to sign them out, sign me in, update, sign out, and then have them sign in again.  The update takes about 5 to 10 minutes.  Not sure you want to use that much time.  Much easier to check them in advance.

http://www.abcya.com/word_clouds.htm
This can be done as a rotation or as a whole group depending on the computers in your pod.


Here is a D5 strategy I've recently started.  It is called word cloud for kids.
Procedure:
1. Students read their book.
2. Students write (10 or more) single describing words of character (characteristics of character) and story
3. Go to website referenced above and type in the words.
4. Hit the enter button.
5. Print the results.
6. Students share out about their word clouds.
6. Turn in to the teacher.

Assessment: 
Student using describing words.
Student accurately depicting character.
Students being able to retell the story.

D5/CAFE using Comprehension strategy

This week I decided to do something different with the D5 strategies.  I wanted the students to do a comprehension activity.  So instead of the normal comprehension activities I asked the students to read the books and then draw a new cover for the book. 
Below are some examples of what I got.  I liked their ideas.

I ran across this interesting article

and thought I would share.  It makes me reflect on my own practice.  Especially in light of the fact that I'm teaching students how to do research and turn that into written reports.  I'm going to have to go back and look at what my real goal is for teaching research.  Is it just to cover the CCSS or is it to give the students a chance to learn for the future.  I originally started out wanting to cover the CCSS but is it an authentic learning experience.  What to think, what to think.

shttp://teachbytes.com/2013/03/17/whats-the-difference-between-doing-projects-and-project-based-learning/

What’s the Difference Between “Doing Projects” and “Project Based Learning”?

Posted on 03.17.13 by Aditi Rao 5 Comments

Thanks to Amy Mayer of FriEdTechnology for this fantastic comparison describing the key differences between “doing projects” and project-based learning! This, my friends, is exactly what I have been trying so ineptly to explain to educators at my own school. There’s a BIG difference, and one that completely changes how the classroom is run and what students take out of it.

It's an interesting time.......

http://www.screencast.com/users/terry2449/folders/Jing/media/ed58e5e4-5a43-471e-ad11-76c907ed9f67

Thought I would add this Jing that I made about utilizing the website Eduplace.com/graphic organizers.  It was referenced in an earlier blog.  I'm still working on the full lesson plan for the Daily 5 activities.

In today’s classroom environment we are asked to teach students utilizing more than the standard paper and pencil routines.  We are asked to allow students to use different structures and tools in order to be able to show mastery of a topic.  With technology leading the way in business it behooves us to teach our students to utilize technology especially if it can help them show mastery of concepts.  For that reason I chose to demonstrate how to use Eduplace.com/graphic organizers (http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/.  Many of the Common Core Standards that I teach in my grade level (2^nd) deals with getting students to comprehend the reading that they are doing.  They may show mastery of comprehension by using a graphic organizer.  If they haven’t quite mastered a subject, they can use graphic organizers to help them.  Hence, the reasoning for using graphic organizers. 

My students started out by using a paper pencil copy of the graphic organizers.  I am able to teach them how to utilize each one.  I am also able to teach them how to search out the information that they need in order to fill it out.  This front end loading pays off dividends on the back end.  As students become fluent in their reading they are able to spend more time concentrating on the comprehension of their reading rather than the fluency (or sounding out words).    There are many graphic organizers at educplace.com for the students to utilize. 

The structure that I use for teaching is Daily 5/CAFÉ.  The website for this is http://www.thedailycafe.com/

 

I have read the books associated with this structure.  I have also gone to their professional training.    The structures utilized in the teaching of reading.  Student choice is the heart and soul of this program.  Allowing students to choose their own structure for the week empowers the students.

The students have the structures listed on a bulletin board.  They choose which structure by placing a sticky note on it with their name on it.  They are now responsible for practicing and learning the structure that week.  

So this week my students were working on a research report about their pet or favorite animal.  They had to use three different references and cite the references in their works (we use Super 3 for projects, I'll cover that later).  So we got books from the library about our animal and went through and made notes (on sticky note).  We were researching where they live, what they eat, what they look like, and an interesting fact.  Everyone makes it through this part of our research.  Next, I introduce them to the encyclopedia.  I show them how to utilize the encyclopedia and look things up.  My students enthusiastically started combing through the encylcopedia's in order to make their notes. Then I hear a commotion coming from our pod so I go out to investigate.  One of my students had found pictures of the male and female body--and you know they were naked.  This evidently brought on quite a few comments by said student along with some pointing and giggling.  Oh no.  How do I explain this one to parents.  I decided not to chase the problem but to let the problem come to me.  And you know it did.  "Hello, would you come up to my office and visit Mr. Loomis" came over the PA system in my room from the principal's office the next day.  "Busted", I said to myself.  The principal needed to talk to me about another issue that had come up.  Since I was in the office itself I decided I might as well bring the situation to light just in the off chance that a parent called in.  The advice that I received was to write up the student and let her deal with it.  Which I did.  Whew! I think I got off easy.  Said student didn't, five days detention and a phone call home. 

It's Friday and I'm ready for that weekend to get here.  Guess what's waiting on me at home.

 Next week we conquer Wiki with our searches for more information about our animals.