First, leave a brief statement about the best technology lesson you have had so far in your classes. This may focus on how you engaged students more effectively via their laptops or how you were able to present a specific lesson better using a form of technology.
Then, leave at least two responses to other teachers' responses.
Thanks!
My best technology integration unit so far actually occurred with my Lit & Lang 9R class. We were going to read Roald Dahl's "Lamb to the Slaughter," which is set in the 1950's.
ReplyDeleteI wanted students to have an idea of what America was like in that time period (where the man was the breadwinner in the family, culture was far more conservative than today, lack of technology, and so on).
I started out by explaining what America in the 1950's was like. Then I thought, screw this. They all have laptops. I had them search 1950's America and share two facts and two images or video.
We had a great discussion over their discoveries, one that was far richer for them than simply me lecturing to them.
My next step will be to have them contact a grandparent (or great grandparent) to share with them what it was like to actually live in that time period.
I might also have them do some kind of scavenger hunt to contrast today's culture from the 1950's culture. I might ask them to find the most popular movie on the 2010's and then find the most popular movie of the 1950's and so on.
I like that students are able to do visual research (not just word-based) with Google on their laptops. And it's instant. No more signing out labs and traveling during class time. :)
DeleteMy best and only tech lesson was the first day when I went through our student handbooks electronically and had students follow along online on Google docs. I also had them do an online survey which I was able to share on the projector after everyone had completed it. I have also been able to email students reminders through their myprowler account.
ReplyDeleteI do like the survey option to reveal a classroom wide view.
DeleteI used google forms to create the survey like a test....
DeleteWhat is a survey option?
DeleteDo you know how to make a test in google forms?
DeleteShared iMovie on "what it means to be a good citizen" in Civics. I had not really planned to use it but the students really got into it and produced some interesting video. I could see it expanding into something larger.
ReplyDeleteIt was a "man on the street" type video but a good start for freshies.
Already did iMovie. WOW. Impressive for early on.
DeleteHey can we keep this discussion for the board?
DeleteBest tech lesson: In geography we were studying maps and graphs that are useful in geography. I had the students create a google presentation and drag samples of each example into their presentations, trying to have a local flavor. In a matter of 20 minutes we had hundreds of map and graph image examples to share with the class.
ReplyDeleteSome examples: A climate map for Minnesota; a population demographic for TRF; a rainfall map for the US.
Kenny G,
DeleteThere is an app called Thinglink that would be great for Geography. It allows you to take a picture (say a map) and then insert links onto it that then take you to websites or documents. Could be a good review tool.
Might be great for useful for the Civil War and using for a seccession map.
DeleteI used "padlet" for a discussion in my Government class. It was a trial run, and it turned out great. I asked, "list some of the topics you read about in your reading for today." The entire whiteboard lit up with names, vocabulary words, and topics from the reading. We then had a discussion on a few of the topics on the board.
ReplyDeletePadlet is a great tool, though the screen tends to get cluttered up. I think it's a great tool for sharing documents or videos.
DeleteGet a real username.... and we'll take your comments seriously.
DeleteYou mean a real football team lol....
Deleteare responses anonymous or do the students create accounts first?
DeleteWhatever Hickmanstein.....
DeleteMy best tech lesson was a lesson on population growth. In the past we have looked at graphs and talked about old research studies done by other people. This year the students had the chance to see population growth for themselves. We used an online simulation that modeled the growth of rabbits populations and bacteria populations. The students had the chance to manipulate various environmental factors and observe how they impacted the population size.
ReplyDeleteCool, we did some population studies in geo. as well. Did you study human pop. too?
DeleteCould you share what online simulation this was? Was it free?
DeleteThat sounds very cool. I have one I use in AP Geo. that is a model of human pop. growth globally and by region.
DeleteKG: We are starting human populations tomorrow, any suggestions?
DeleteThere is a really cool scientist from Norway who has some cool vids- Nordine or Hickman know his name, I can't remember.
DeleteMy 10th graders read Tim O'Brien's short story "On the Rainy River" from the novel The Things They Carried. The story centers around the Vietnam controversy. Most students don't fully understand the "controversy," nor can they fathom the idea of the "brave" choice to be dodging the draft by crossing the border into Canada. Together we review possible search terms about footage, music, video, pictures... anything that yields them quick information regarding the events and history surrounding Vietnam. They create a document "collage" of images and links to share with me via Google Drive.
ReplyDeleteCool. That reminds me of kind of what I did when we read "Lamb to the Slaughter."
DeleteFor me, I am still trying to figure out how to integrate technology into my classes. I have a couple of programs that I have purchased that work great for my struggling readers to have anything computer based read out loud to them, plus a co-writer with words banks to help with their typings. Now if I can figure out how to get these programs on their laptops, their success in classrooms should improve immensely! :)
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way as far as trying to figure out the integration is concerned. My reason says it's okay to go slow, a little at a time, but it's easy to get caught up in trying to match what all the other "technology savvy" teachers are doing. Deep breath.
Delete