Capstone- 21 Things Lesson Plan
The following links are the four QR Code activities I refer to in my lesson plan.
Sight word bingo
Sight word farm animals
Reindeer 0-9 counting practice
Farm animal teen counting
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Problem Solving and Programming
Problem Solving
Bubble Ball- You use wood and metal pieces to get the ball to roll to the flag. This game was developed by a 14 year old kid. You can pay to add-on a pack with multiple balls, springs, gravity, and even teleports.
I used the Bubble Ball app and easily went up the first few levels.
Cargo-Bot- is a puzzle game where you teach a robot how to move crates.
Then I played Cargo-Bot and it was a little more challenging for me. Of coarse, I'm not into video games at all so the students would probably breeze through it. I like that there was a little more thinking involved in this game.
I know it said to decide on one but we as teaching know one is not always a good fit for everyone. What I would do is start everyone on Bubble Ball as a beginning or introduction to problem solving apps. Then as they feel confident or bored, I would be able to say here, try this (Cargo-Bot). It's a little more challenging but just like when you play video games at home, keep trying until you figure it out. At first grade students don't realize there are usually several steps in solving any problem. That is another plus to Cargo-Bot, it shows you how many steps you have to take to solve the problem and that you don't always solve it on the first try.
Programming
As I mentioned above, I think it helps students to see there are several steps to problem solving and that solving a problem may not always work the first time. I had the all set up then played it and was like what? The characters were talking at the same time. Well that didn't work so I had to work with it until I had that fixed. It took me several try but I finally figured it out. When I was talking with another teacher this morning about the troubles we were having completing some of the assignments for this class and we talked about how we would then go ask someone else how they completed the task. Which made me realize, that some children are also better problem solvers then others and when they showed their finished product, they could show others how they got their problem solved.
Bubble Ball- You use wood and metal pieces to get the ball to roll to the flag. This game was developed by a 14 year old kid. You can pay to add-on a pack with multiple balls, springs, gravity, and even teleports.
I used the Bubble Ball app and easily went up the first few levels.
Cargo-Bot- is a puzzle game where you teach a robot how to move crates.
Then I played Cargo-Bot and it was a little more challenging for me. Of coarse, I'm not into video games at all so the students would probably breeze through it. I like that there was a little more thinking involved in this game.
I know it said to decide on one but we as teaching know one is not always a good fit for everyone. What I would do is start everyone on Bubble Ball as a beginning or introduction to problem solving apps. Then as they feel confident or bored, I would be able to say here, try this (Cargo-Bot). It's a little more challenging but just like when you play video games at home, keep trying until you figure it out. At first grade students don't realize there are usually several steps in solving any problem. That is another plus to Cargo-Bot, it shows you how many steps you have to take to solve the problem and that you don't always solve it on the first try.
Programming
As I mentioned above, I think it helps students to see there are several steps to problem solving and that solving a problem may not always work the first time. I had the all set up then played it and was like what? The characters were talking at the same time. Well that didn't work so I had to work with it until I had that fixed. It took me several try but I finally figured it out. When I was talking with another teacher this morning about the troubles we were having completing some of the assignments for this class and we talked about how we would then go ask someone else how they completed the task. Which made me realize, that some children are also better problem solvers then others and when they showed their finished product, they could show others how they got their problem solved.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Research and Reference
Online Bookmarking
The good thing about this is that you can narrow down to what you find useful. If you're limited on time, you can go back and read it later or if it's a subject you teach ever year, it's right there and you don't have to search them out the next year. It's on your iPad so you don't have to worry about losing papers or remember where you put it. This would be more for me then my first graders though.
Dictionary
I would recommend Dictionary.com. Because of its ease of use. I couldn't even get the microphone to work on the other app. With first graders the microphone is a necessity, since they won't be able to spell most words they are looking for.
Citations
This is much easier than the old days (hand writing), my high schooler used to use citation machine online and was AMAZED at how much better this was. He said, "we've had iPad's at school for two years now, why didn't we learn about this app for our English papers?" It's easily enough that a first grader can use it!
Study Skills and Visual Thinking
Study Skills
http://quizlet.com/_10kf2p
I have used Quizlet before to make Spanish flash cards for my high school son. I didn't know you could add pictures though. This could be great for first graders to learn vocabulary, syllables, definitions, spelling, and other stuff I haven't imagined yet. This is taking flash cards to a whole new level.
Mind Mapping
We could use mind mapping for mapping out a writing idea, describing the word in the middle with interesting vocabulary words, or organizing a group of pictures that they want to turn into a story.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
QR Codes and Augmented Reality
QR Codes:
Reindeer Video
Reindeer Facts
Reindeer mom and baby pictures at SanDiego Zoo
I could use QR codes to show directions for a center, give a book review, or QR code attached to book that gives questions for the student to answer about the book.
Augmented Reality
When I did the picture of the present, it was cute and I would let the students do this as a special treat at Christmas time but I didn't really see the point or educational purpose. The alphabet app was better. I can see how the students would enjoy this and it would probably help the most reluctant learners. The alphabet one was the only free one and there aren't that many to choose from so it's limiting in it's usefulness in my opinion.
Movie Making
Movie Trailer
This app was very easy to use. Just drop in the pictures and put in the titles. The trailers moved fast though and I wished I could have slowed it down a bit. Students enjoyed seeing the activities they participated in turned into a "mini movie". This would be a great cooperative learning group project for our upcoming December activities. It could also be used to assess what students had taken from an activity, however, I'm not sure how it could change my delivery method of instruction. Perhaps I could use it to teach a step by step lesson.
Stop Motion
I had great fun making this Lego movie! My seven year old had a sleepover that night so I let his friends each make one in pairs. I noticed the more objects included, the more complicated it was to make the video. Also, it was harder to keep the hands and other body parts out of the video. The movement might have turned out better if I would have had a stationary platform to balance the iPad on. I think kids already have the skills required to effectively communicate a message. In this medium they could bring that message to life. Even though my boys didn't record voices on their video, they knew exactly how they wanted the vehicles to move and the plot to their story. When they watched the finished product, they were able to retell their story. It can enhance oral communication and written communication.
Creative Expression
Talking Avatar
I liked how the figure's arm moved as she talked. I used it to introduce a new writing topic. Because it is 30 seconds or less, it does limit your options but it also forces you to be very specific and to the point in the message you want to deliver. Two other ways it could be used are (1) as an assessment, students could answer a question and present their answer from their avatar; (2) directions for a center activity could be prerecorded, then you wouldn't have to repeat the directions 100 times for that activity. I like the app but you are limited in what is free.
Talking Face/Object
Loved, loved, loved this! I used my son and his friends to make this. One way I got around the short time limit was to use YouTube Capture to connect them into one piece. I took a picture of the boys and they recorded their voice on someone else's picture. They thought it was hilarious. Using a talking animal for the animal you were studying could be both entertaining and educational. We have a big focus on geometry/shapes in every grade at our school, having the shapes talk about their attributes could help cement the information for students. Students could use this to teach others something they learned.
Audio Expression
This was fun but challenging because I'm not musically inclined at all! I know when you listen to it, it actually sounds like it's spaced out too far. This was intentional. There is actually enough time in between for the students to repeat what they hear. I feel like some students could really excel with this. There are always those students who, as teachers, we're like, "why can't they get this?" Yet they can belt out every song they hear- word by word!? For others, like me, it would take them out of their comfort zone and push them to new levels of learning.
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