Monday, April 22, 2013

Tool #6

Todays Meet: http://todaysmeet.com/stackattack

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Tool #7


1. The content objective for this post would be as follows:
    The student will be able to attain the data for multiple generations to determine the genetic traits tha appear due to natural selection and this would include sharing data with multiple classes of teachers.
2. Content objective - Students will average the number of genetic traits that appear due to genetic variation in a large population that includes data from six classes of Mr. Stachowiak's' data, six classes of another science teachers data and two classes of another science teachers data.  This will allow the students to view a wider range of data to determine how physical traits change over a generation in a lab experiment.
B.  The natural selection lab activity will occur in the third week of the second semester.
C. I would share the data among teachers with Today's meet. Each class for each teacher could post a data table that would be accessible to my classes.  The students would tally the data and create a master table to include the data for each teacher to make the data more accurate since there would be about 300 students participating in the data survey.
D. In the natural selection experiment, students must pick a certain color bean to survive the generation or they die.  This data could be accumulated by class and then posted on Today's meet.  I could view the other teacher's data by logging onto their classes and having my students record the accumulated data for each teacher.
E. To be successful on this project, I would need the name of the posted classes for each teacher as they log onto Today's Meet and post their data.  We would need to keep the data for an extended period like a month so that students that are absent have access to the data.

Tool #8

 I learned that the ipod touch and ipads must be syned to the teacher's computer to receive updates, and requires the teachers iTunes password tos tart the process. I also learned how to take a screenshot, which is done by pressing the sleep button and the home button simultaneously.

To keep the devices safe, they will need to stay locked up in a cabinet or a specified shelter which should require a key to unlock. The key will be kept inside my desk which also needs a key. Nothing's getting stolen here today.

Post #9

It is important to tie technology to the objective because the world is growing and the students will need to know how to use theese things when they get into highschool, college, and the real world.

Students must be held accountable for the information that they receive by using the technology or they will soon just use the technology for their own personal use - looking up grades, facebook, etc.  Students must realize that the use of technology is a tool that can be used to gain the knowledge for the class.

 I visited the Interactive site and although it lists science as one of the subjects that it has activities for, I searched the site and only found math activities.  The PhET web site did have some science activities.  They wanted a donation before anything was downloaded.  It looked like there were a few nutrition simulations and body system simulations that might be useful.  These simulations could be used as an additional lab station that the students use after a reading or they could be used to teach a concept that is currently not in our 12 year old book that was adopted before the new TEKS we adopted last year. 

In the SBISD app iwebsites for middle school science, most of the things listed are flipcharts.  There were a few apps like Create a Graph - web 2.0 that could be used as an extension to a lab.  The students could graph the data they collect during a lab activity.  Big Huge Labs have products the students create like trading cards and posters.  They could use this site as a product after a unit to demonstrate their mastery of the subject.

 I have used learning stations for years in the science classroom.  It is a fun way to cover a wide variety of material in a short time.  I could visualize using various stations throughout the classroom to either reinforce a concept or to introduce a concept.  A group of two to three computers could be grouped together with an app for the students to complete.  One station could have a flipchart that they read and complete questions, another station could have a lab simulation activity, and another station the students could either use the Create a Graph app or type a response to an open ended question or write a conclusion for the lab using Today's Meet or a blog application.

Post #10

1. Discuss at least three things you would want to make sure your students understand about being good digital citizens.  
    *  With the age of students I teach, an important tool to share is that of appropriate communication.  The selection of words, use of pictures and the direction of their conversations is sometimes not ideal.  Add to that poor choice the fact that it will now be visible to all their peers and teachers on shared websites, they will need direction on what is allowed to be put in print for all to see.
    *  As students are held responsible for researching and completing assignments, discussions need to be had that encourage them to "consider the source".  What they find and where it is found should be verified and cross-referenced for accuracy.
    *  Online safety is an important aspect of being good digital citizens - students too often are willing to share their locker combination with their best friend, only to find their possessions have been removed.  The importance of keeping security information will be reinforced......this carries over to website passwords and login credentials.  Students should NOT share their information to allow anyone else to access sites to which they have individual rights.
2. Share at least one of the resources mentioned above or on the Ed Tech website that you plan to use instructionally......and......
3. Explain briefly how you would "teach" the idea of digital citizenship to your students.
    * The easy and quick way to share with students is always Brainpop.  The videos shared on this site are on their level, quick and to the point. I also liked the NetSmartz site - videos like "Miketosis" are easy ways to show students the result of poor digital citizenship.
4. Explain briefly how you plan to share the idea of digital citizenship with your parents.
    *  One tool would be to use the NetSmartz workshop link.  There are some presentations that would be helpful for adults.  I will be making a page on my classroom blog designed just for parents, and can include this information there. 
    *  Not all parents have access, or time, to use the internet.  For all parents, flyers will be shared explaining safe practices and expectations regarding school-related use.
    *  As mentioned on a few other blogs, parent night is a good opportunity to share information with parents regarding important points to consider regarding digital citizenship.  The number of parents I have for parent night is minimal, so this is not the direction I can rely on, but it at least provides an opportunity for face-to-face discussions should parents have questions.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Post #11

1. The favorite tools I found were; simply learning how to make a blog, the makebeliefcomic strip, wallwisher and the PhET site for science lessons. I would like to use the comic strip activity for an environmental project in the Pre-AP classes. Students would need to identify a problem, illustrate the problem and finally illustrate consequences and possible solutions. 
2. I think the major change in my classroom will be to simply have the technology equipment available for the students when we need it. My vision has changed, I would like to make the time to actually try some of the tools in my class. The biggest problem is that the students are probably going to know more about using the technology and be more proficient than I am. I'm OK with this, I know the science, they know the technology so maybe we can teach each other. 
3. I guess the biggest surprise was the amount of material available for students and teachers. It almost seems like there is too much material. Students and teachers need to learn to sort the important and correct material from the "fluff" material.

Tool #5

The 2 examples i made were unable to embed, so i left the links up for the students.



The comic strip can help with comparing different concepts, and abcya would be good for students wanting to practice memorization of certain key concepts or terms.