Sunday, March 29, 2009
Super Spreadsheets!!!!
Creating a spreadsheet can be very difficult. Working with numbers and functions are not my specialty, but somehow I was able to get through this assignment. Spreadsheets can serve many purposes, such as monitoring your finances, creating your own grading system, and basically to manage any kind of important data.
Incorporating creating spreadsheets in the classroom will allow students to substitute their calculators for a spreadsheet program. Inquiry based learning will definitely be the center of attention when using spreadsheets. Both support the main elements of teaching students to learn through a hands on approach. Three questions I would suggest students to consider while tackling a spreadsheet are:
1. Which plant or flower grew the fastest/slowest in 6 weeks?
2. Determine the hottest and coolest days along with any rain, and the positive or negative affects the weather had on the plants during a 6 week period.
3. Create a budget of all the necessities to grow a garden. Your allowable budget will begin at $100.
Incorporating creating spreadsheets in the classroom will allow students to substitute their calculators for a spreadsheet program. Inquiry based learning will definitely be the center of attention when using spreadsheets. Both support the main elements of teaching students to learn through a hands on approach. Three questions I would suggest students to consider while tackling a spreadsheet are:
1. Which plant or flower grew the fastest/slowest in 6 weeks?
2. Determine the hottest and coolest days along with any rain, and the positive or negative affects the weather had on the plants during a 6 week period.
3. Create a budget of all the necessities to grow a garden. Your allowable budget will begin at $100.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Basics of Gardening Digital Storytelling
This was by far the most interesting and extremely challenging project I have ever experienced! What a great tool to promote education to students! The numerous resources available such as MovieMaker, to create a minimovie was very fun to play with and become familiar with the resource. I chose MovieMaker and mostly all of the images used in the digital story were actual pictures taken from my in-laws' beautiful garden.
It is truly amazing the wonders of technology and how we as future educators can incorporate these types of resources in our teaching. Although my movie was not directed in a classroom or the script was also not student-teacher friendly, I believe the main points were given. Teachers who would like to begin a unit on plants or gardening now have a new and simple guide to use by viewing my movie. The simplicity of the movie was created intentionally so the viewers would not be overwhelmed with a great amount of information.
As a future teacher, this project will instill the knowledge I need to pass on this awesome new way of teaching to my students. Designing a digital story is million times more engaging as oppose to pencil, paper, and textbook. All students would appreciate this particular type of project and embrace the challenges that comes along with it.
Go watch my movie
It is truly amazing the wonders of technology and how we as future educators can incorporate these types of resources in our teaching. Although my movie was not directed in a classroom or the script was also not student-teacher friendly, I believe the main points were given. Teachers who would like to begin a unit on plants or gardening now have a new and simple guide to use by viewing my movie. The simplicity of the movie was created intentionally so the viewers would not be overwhelmed with a great amount of information.
As a future teacher, this project will instill the knowledge I need to pass on this awesome new way of teaching to my students. Designing a digital story is million times more engaging as oppose to pencil, paper, and textbook. All students would appreciate this particular type of project and embrace the challenges that comes along with it.
Go watch my movie
Monday, March 2, 2009
7 Elements of Digital Story Telling
Teaching teachers and students the basic tools to grow a garden will intergrade math, science, social studies, and reading. It is a great hands on project and can be a great opportunity to focus on all core subjects with one project. My unit plan will be a wonderful experience for all children.
The seven elements of Digital Story Telling are related to my storyboard for the following reasons:
1. Point of View - I simply started with my view on the basic and most simpliest tools to plant a flower.
2. Dramatic Question - This will be located at the end of the video when the viewers will be able to see the end product, a fully grown plant or flower.
3. Emontional Content - The importance of planting flowers is good for the bee population to continue to pollanate and carry it over the enviornment.
4. The gift of your voice - My voice will be spoken in a calm manner.
5. The power of soundtrack - The soundtrack will touch on a calm but soothing melody and also the sounds of digging, and children having a good time planting.
6. Economy - Growing a garden can have an overwhelming amount of information, so I chose to focus on growing a plant or flower.
7. Pacing - I think the amount of time for each clip is long enough for the viewers to absorb the information. The clips are short and straight to the point.
The seven elements of Digital Story Telling are related to my storyboard for the following reasons:
1. Point of View - I simply started with my view on the basic and most simpliest tools to plant a flower.
2. Dramatic Question - This will be located at the end of the video when the viewers will be able to see the end product, a fully grown plant or flower.
3. Emontional Content - The importance of planting flowers is good for the bee population to continue to pollanate and carry it over the enviornment.
4. The gift of your voice - My voice will be spoken in a calm manner.
5. The power of soundtrack - The soundtrack will touch on a calm but soothing melody and also the sounds of digging, and children having a good time planting.
6. Economy - Growing a garden can have an overwhelming amount of information, so I chose to focus on growing a plant or flower.
7. Pacing - I think the amount of time for each clip is long enough for the viewers to absorb the information. The clips are short and straight to the point.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Digital Story Telling
Digital story telling is a wonderful tool to implement in the classroom. It is a tool that is used to tell a story through text, images, audio, and video clips, or music. The computer will substitute the actual book and children will be able to appreciate a story through wonderful and exciting images. In a sense, viewing a story from a digital aspect brings the story and it's characters to life. Digital story telling ranges from recapping historical events to biographies, and personal tales. This form of a story telling usually requires at least 10 minutes of length.
The great thing about digital story telling is teachers along with their students can collaborate together to create interesting images, audio, clips, and much more to produce a story. During the process, the students will enjoy and have fun completing the story telling project. For example, if students are assigned to create a digital storytelling project based on historical events,this will allow students to explore their own creativity and research historical events they may not be aware of the occurrence. Students will gather as much information as needed including video and audio clips, and images.
Voice thread, Slide Share, and Slide Cast are all great tools to use in the classroom. Students will be to learn the core subjects and more through these high tech tools. Why should our students be restricted to the same old text, worksheets, and pen? They should be exposed to more technology and fresh ideas to enhance their learning. Students will be able to retain the information provided by this new age technology because of the way it is presented. These new technology tools will also give students an opportunity to be creative, work in small groups, and just the idea of exploring other possiblities of learning.
All of the tools mentioned above are great to enforce in the classroom. How will these ideas correlate with growing a garden? The voice thread method provides a mini slide show. Students will be able to research images of the basic needs or steps in order to grow and maintain a garden. Students can also record their own voice to provide information to go along with each slide. The students will be responsible for including all the important elements in their voice thread but all the hard work will be extremely rewarding because it will have been published by them!
For future use, these tools will work well for all core areas. Students can work on sequential ordering for a story, recipe, historical events, and even the scientific process. A science project can be recorded through voice thread and each step will be noted. Students can use images and other video clips from the internet or if they have particular information saved on their own personal computer. Technology is a new and exciting way to engage all students. If the students are taught the proper way to take advantage of technology and it's tools, the students will definitely benefit academically.
The great thing about digital story telling is teachers along with their students can collaborate together to create interesting images, audio, clips, and much more to produce a story. During the process, the students will enjoy and have fun completing the story telling project. For example, if students are assigned to create a digital storytelling project based on historical events,this will allow students to explore their own creativity and research historical events they may not be aware of the occurrence. Students will gather as much information as needed including video and audio clips, and images.
Voice thread, Slide Share, and Slide Cast are all great tools to use in the classroom. Students will be to learn the core subjects and more through these high tech tools. Why should our students be restricted to the same old text, worksheets, and pen? They should be exposed to more technology and fresh ideas to enhance their learning. Students will be able to retain the information provided by this new age technology because of the way it is presented. These new technology tools will also give students an opportunity to be creative, work in small groups, and just the idea of exploring other possiblities of learning.
All of the tools mentioned above are great to enforce in the classroom. How will these ideas correlate with growing a garden? The voice thread method provides a mini slide show. Students will be able to research images of the basic needs or steps in order to grow and maintain a garden. Students can also record their own voice to provide information to go along with each slide. The students will be responsible for including all the important elements in their voice thread but all the hard work will be extremely rewarding because it will have been published by them!
For future use, these tools will work well for all core areas. Students can work on sequential ordering for a story, recipe, historical events, and even the scientific process. A science project can be recorded through voice thread and each step will be noted. Students can use images and other video clips from the internet or if they have particular information saved on their own personal computer. Technology is a new and exciting way to engage all students. If the students are taught the proper way to take advantage of technology and it's tools, the students will definitely benefit academically.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Internet Resources
Good Afternoon to all of you who possess a "Green Thumb",
I have done extensive research through the internet to provide more resources to assist my fellow bloggers on gardening. These we websites include, informational sites, videos, images, and so much more. I encourage all of you to take some time and search through these websites for additional information on how to grow a garden.
See what I've found in my works cited document so far!
I have done extensive research through the internet to provide more resources to assist my fellow bloggers on gardening. These we websites include, informational sites, videos, images, and so much more. I encourage all of you to take some time and search through these websites for additional information on how to grow a garden.
See what I've found in my works cited document so far!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Great Info!
I found a great article by David Warlick on 2Cents Worth he stated very interesting ideas on questioning our students. Check out his article link..... Are You Asking Dead Questions?
It is very interesting to read about the type of questions we as educators should be asking our students. He points out great ideas about starting off a question by taking small steps and then eventually leading into higher level thinking questions. These types of questions will encourage students to promote classroom discussions that students will be able to enjoy. He also discussed a reverse method about teaching History. Warlick along with other educators feel to teach History, we should begin in the present and then proceed to discuss the past.
Bottom line, if we want our students to ask questions and become activley involved in our lessons, we need gain the focus by asking questions that will lead to bigger and greater questions.
It is very interesting to read about the type of questions we as educators should be asking our students. He points out great ideas about starting off a question by taking small steps and then eventually leading into higher level thinking questions. These types of questions will encourage students to promote classroom discussions that students will be able to enjoy. He also discussed a reverse method about teaching History. Warlick along with other educators feel to teach History, we should begin in the present and then proceed to discuss the past.
Bottom line, if we want our students to ask questions and become activley involved in our lessons, we need gain the focus by asking questions that will lead to bigger and greater questions.
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