Activity 4: Screencasting

After quite awhile looking through the different options for screencasting, Katie, Anne, and I decided that SMART recorder was the way to go. I already had the Notebook software downloaded on my computer but have never used the recorder option at school or home. I am so happy to have this new knowledge! 

I have been exploring the flipped classroom approach (now referred to as blended learning I hear!)because Amanda and Katie have been implementing it this year. I was so impressed and excited about it, that Anne and I talked about trying to do it in 3rd grade. I guess the district has decided to hold off another year on further implementation, and I was feeling a bit deflated. I think that blended learning would also help parents help students in 3rd grade. I teach the intervention math group. My parents are often telling me that they aren't sure how to help their kids with math concepts. We also use a lot of tricks to help students remember processes. I am sure you all do. I think being able to use SMART Recorder will be a great way to bridge that gap! I am hoping that once embedded, they wouldn't need the software the view the video. 

I chose to start simple! I made a recording showing my students and families how to get to my website and math practice websites. I highlighted ixl as I hope to have a class membership next year.

Activity 3 - Digital Storytelling

I chose to use ZooBurst to create a pop-up book. I think it was fun to create a story and then go out on the internet to find pictures to support the story. I think my kids would like to play around with the visuals.

I can see my kids using this site to develop paragraphs. Each slide could be a part of the paragraph. It would be a great way to show them how to develop details and include topic and concluding sentences. It would also get them typing without requiring much text.

I didn't like the way you navigated though the stock pictures was antiquated and slow. I also didn't think the pictures were that appealing. After working with Prezi last week, this seems less user friendly.

Activity 1: Blog Bling

I would incorporate this video in my classroom as a review of telling time. My students have covered this skill before, but it just doesn't "stick!" I think the song would help them as we try to remember which is the minute hand and which is the hour hand. I would probably use this as a warm-up activity several days in a row. Movement helps to focus them first thing, and the song will hopefully stay in their heads as we practice.

Activity 2: Pimp My Presentation

Activity 2: Pimp My Presentation

This was fun! I chose to use Prezi because I heard that many students were already using it, and I want to keep up with them. Impossible I know, but I am going to give it a shot! I thought it was easy to use and navigate, but maybe that is because I had helpers working with me. It felt like I was creating something on Notebook.

I like how it zooms in on things and moves from place to place. Even though my presentation is not flashy, it appears to be. I didn't really know what information I was going to include when I started, and then needed to learn how to edit the format which was good for me. I feel like I can remember how to put one together. There are endless possibilities for using this in the classroom. It will be great for introducing and letting kids get to know me. It also will be good for projects that follow a sequence of events - plot of a story, writing instructions, science investigations, math problems, etc.

Creating one presentation with kids would give them a great purpose to use a ton of technology skills that third graders are still learning. Maybe I will have them create memory pages of our big activities throughout the year to create a memory book.