Fine Tech in the Classroom

I was looking over the DEN website and new STAR member blogs as well as a few STAR members I like to follow and I thought it was about time I posted something.  Each year I learn new things I want to share with my students and this year was, I thought, the exception.  I have, after all, three Window 98 computers in my classroom and everything I introduce to them has to be through my personal laptop and projector and then share 10 computers in the lab (which are at least XP, but slow).  Then, I remember there has been something I have been sharing with my students - learning a step ahead of them. 

This past summer I was able to attend an XO laptop training.  Last year, our mayor (now indicted and convicted - but he did one decent thing for the kids) gave an XO laptop to each child in 1st through 5th grade.  While at first I thought it was just a toy, I learned it could be a powerful tool.  My favorite program to learn on it was Scratch.  This program was created by MIT and is free.   I am learning just one step ahead of the children and we are having a blast learning to create our own stories and games.  To download this great program go to http://scratch.mit.edu

http://www.sciencewithmrnoon.com/

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/

http://www.planetpals.com/

Now, this is too funny.  My local NBC affiliate is having a problem with squirrels in the building.  The squirrels even have a Twitter page.

http://twitter.com/squirrelnbc13hd 

They also have a Youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sugUcanWkLE

I am taking an online course on the how-to of creating a virtual field trip.  I have created the following and would like some feedback.  Any suggestions from DEN member?

Go to: http://fineskids.net/vft

I came across this fun site (may have already been posted on DEN) http://buildyourwildself.com through Tech Thoughts by Jen  My students are going to love it!

Exciting and FREE Online Game that I learned about from Laura Candler!   It’s called Multiplication Grand Prix and it allows students to practice their times tables by racing against each other.

Today the teachers at our school received their XO Laptops. We had a short training so I expect our students will show us how to do the things we missed. You can see a YouTube video about our initiative, which is the only one at this time that covers an entire school district ( grade 1-5) at this link.  I am looking for ways to REALLY use this effectively in my gifted classroom.

Today my 87 year old Dad did something that most people do not even know what it is.  He Skyped!  I took my laptop to his assisted living apartment and I set it up so he could Skype with my brother, who lives in West Virginia and my niece and children, who live in Tampa.  He was thrilled to be able to see and talk to them at the same time.  Now he will be able to see his great grandchildren grow.  It was truly awesome. 

Thank goodness for my PC Card!  I am fortunate to have a husband who is as crazy about tech as I am, so we budget for our wireless cards.  He travels a lot and often finds that he cannot get a connection in a hotel in which he is staying or the company he is visiting has to give him permission to use their internet - so - the wonderful PC wire card is great.  I am able to check my email (not the schools - down) and get to my Google docs where I have a lot of my information stored.

 Today, we are back in school and as usual after a long break, all internet and email is down.  I have been unable to get into our district’s email for over a week.  I don’t know why, in this day and time, that a business (and yes, a school should be run as a business) can operate without their internet service.  If this were a business, the employees and management would be jumping up and down and work would grind to a halt.  As educators, we change what we planned and move on without stopping (well, I didn’t, I have my PC card - and I was able to get to that Brainpop movie and to Discovery Eduation).  The teachers are unable to enter their attendance or enter grades and the secretary cannot run report cards.  I know they are frustrated. 

Last spring I found this site http://www.contentgenerator.net/ and made one game but forgot about it.  I was looking into my lesson plans and remembered it and how my students loved playing the game.  They have several free games you can download and customize to your lesson.  I used the “Fling the Teacher” game and “Teacher Invaders” as review for my Greek and Roman unit.   Kudos to the maker of this product.