January BOAT Blog

What excites you about technology? 

Technology makes things easier and can bring us closer together and really makes the world smaller. It opens us up to experiences and information that we wouldn't have normally. It also makes work easier while saving paper!

--- Is there something new you've just discovered that you want to try? 
I can't say there is something new that I'm incredibly interested in. I do need to get into Bloxels more.


--- Or what is it about technology that ignites your passion?
I really love Graphic Design and wish I'd taken more classes in it. Coding is interesting too, but I'm not as into the code language as I am into making the pretty graphics that go with it. I'm writing a grant with Jane Scudder that allows us and students to improve some in the graphic design department, hopefully and I'm really excited about it.

December Blog Post

My goal for first semester in BOAT was to begin to get deeper in the SAMR model and begin using modification and redefinition more (at least once in each SS unit), because I feel I stay in the substitute and augmentation stages more often than not.

I feel I've done pretty well with this. In my first SS project I had students create a video about their region. Kids were able to research their region of the US, then they worked together to write a script, record themselves in front of a green screen, then edit their videos adding music and sound effects. It was a great project that really went beyond in the SAMR model.

My second project was a colonies video where students were able to use iMovie like last time or they could use Video Pro (whatever it's called) or ShowMe. They created a video detailing information on the colonies. This time I had my expectations a bit more set in stone with questions, so many ended up writing it and doing more of a reporter/interviewee type of a video, which was really cute. We played around more with editing this time adding captions along with music and worked to make sure the music didn't overpower, but helped the video.

I would say I've begun to meet my goal, but I've really stuck with videos, so I need to branch out in other technologies to create lessons that reach the MR stages of SAMR. 

November Blog Post

Reflecting on the SAMR Model, Modification refers to "significant task redesign" and Redefinition refers to tasks that were "previously inconceivable" without technology. 

Considering this, what specific activities have you tried this school year to use Modification and Redefinition with your students? What has been successful, and what would you do differently?

Today I actually had students doing this erosion lab that we've been working on. Students have created models of a section of the earth that include some type of landform. We've experimented with ice, wind and then today we were seeing how water would erode their landforms. We took before and after pictures and then I had one student from each class record the event in time-lapse to show how the water eroded the landform. They included all of that into a Google Slide to show the change, and let them have visuals that supported what they said happened and could compare that to their predictions. I really liked it. 

After doing it, we definitely need more practice with doing time-lapse. We're clearly not skilled with it. We also need practice with taking better photographs for the particular task in order to make these better next time. I think the practice would make it more effective and helpful.

October - Updating an Outdated Lesson

I wanted to integrate technology into a reader's workshop lesson on inferencing to take our learning to a deeper level. For this particular lesson I read a book, then we filled out a graphic organizer show what the evidence was, their schema, and then share the inference. 

I want to include technology and my goal is to make the lesson reach the M of the SAMR scale. My thoughts on what I can do with this is to have students use a video editing app like iMovie or ShowMe to take a picture book and make inferences involving the same pieces - What is the evidence, what is the schema and then give an inference. My thoughts are that students can snap photos of the evidence and maybe voice over them reading the evidence. After that, they can video themselves sharing their schema of that action, then finally, they can type up their inference and voice over what the inference is. I think they could then present their inference to another group or to the class to get feedback on their inferences.

My commitment is to teach this lesson before the next time we meet at BOAT.

September - Goals for this year!

This year, I would say my goals are largely workshop based when it comes to innovating my teaching. I really want to work on pushing my students further, meeting them where they are and really doing amazing things with reading and writing and building deeper thinking. I'd love to also improve my project based learning lessons to be better and build more critical thinking and integration as well.

Workshop

So, you know when you get really excited about a school year and you can't stop thinking? I'm totally there right now. I had a coaching session this morning with Carrie Rolling and it just has me so excited. She shared some ideas from the book To Understand by Ellin Oliver Keene and I just read 2 chapters tonight and didn't want to stop, but it is getting late...

Anyway, I'm acting the way I act when I'm taking a class. I'm taking notes over what I read. If I owned this book, I'd totally have highlighted it up. I'm looking at ways to apply this new information to my class and I'm so excited.

I know I usually use this blog for technology, but I think I'm branching out because I just needed a place to share my awesome learning and feelings about it and this is my blog, so it's where I plan on doing it.

I'm so excited to really revamp the way I do my reading and writing instruction this year. I'll move away from my quasi-workshop model and really dive into what it is meant to be. I'm so excited to be a part of the PDN with Ellin Oliver Keene and Debbie Miller. I can't wait to dive in with others on this journey and really see how far we can push ourselves and our students this year as we focus on literacy.

I'm so excited for such a wonderful group of kids who all want to learn. They aren't all proficient, in fact, many are behind where I'd like them to be at this point in the year, but I have no doubts that we are all going to grow and develop as readers and thinkers this year.

I'm pumped! Here's to a great year of learning!!!

Starting Back Up

This summer I had a great chance to rest and relax and I am so excited for this school year. In considering BOAT and its purpose, I am really excited to focus on making my lessons go deeper in the SAMR model. I think right now I use it a lot as a supplement, so really digging deep and using technology more effectively will be exciting. I'm ready to roll this year. It's going to be a great year of learning!