Why do you think it is important to tie the technology to the objective?
Kids these days are growing up in a world that DEPENDS on technology. If we can integrate technology into education and content objectives, this will hopefully make it even esier for them to adapt and transform to an environment that seems to change everyday!! It seems to me that technology is different each time we approach it; there is ALWAYS something new and cool!
Why should we hold students accountable for the stations/centers?
I am a FIRM believer in establishing routines and independence at a young age. Holding children accountable for their own learning is one of the most empowering tools you can give a child. They can create their own sense of responsibility and accountablilty if you allow them to explore the experience of being able to make their own choices and self monitoring their progress!
Visit 2 of the applicable links to interactive websites for your content/grade level. Which sites did you like. How could you use them as stations? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations?
Brainpop.com is a wonderful interactive website that integrates Bloom's Taxonomy to create the level that is most appropriate for the learner. Most of the Texas TEKS are present on this website and the kids find it fun and entertaining! It is VERY grade level appropriate and provides a wealth of information!
We use Words Their Way for our word study and have found that Spellingcity.com is a great tool for parents and kids at home. It was not on the list, but I have heard so many great things from parents how their kids love coming home and playing on this site. We have been using this website for 3 years at RCE and we think it is a very useful tool!
We use both of these websites in stations. If they are visiting the computers as a station, they have the choice to visit these sites. Also, the iTouch has an app for brainpop that could be used as well.
As far as accountablity, after eaach unit in Brainpop is taught, kids can take a quiz over the material they have learned. Spelling city is obviously a tool that will help a student excel on a spelling test!
List two to three apps you found for the iPod Touch/iPad that you can use in your classroom. What do you see that station looking like? How can you hold the students accountable for their time in these stations?
Houston Zoo (Helps navigate when you are at the zoo, but also gives animal specifications. It also helps with the Map skills and reading a map with cardinal directions.) We visit the Houston Zoo each year and this app will be a HUGE success with my children.
Funny Flash (This one is neat because it morphs animals and then spells them out verbally and in print.) This will be a great app for those ESL students.
Math Drill (Addition & Subtraction - primary grades.) Awesome for students learning their math facts!
Louvre Our art teacher will love this, I will share with Ms. Lehman. The only issue is that you need to connect to WiFi.
NASA Some of my colleagues participated in a NASA webinar and found it fascinating. I would like to participate in this in the upcoming year.
Sight Words (Great way for students to learn their sight words.)
Tic Tac Toe (Just for fun! My kids especially LOVE playing this.)
The Weather Channel (Keep current with weather conditions anywhere. Goes well with our Seasons/Graphing Weather Unit.)
What about other ways to use the iPod Touch/iPad? Share another way you can see your students using the device as a station.
I am already using the iTouches during both math and literacy stations. I plan to use them for self guided projects with my gifted learners as well as to differentiate learning. I love the Brainpop app and plan to add this to my apps on the iTouches. The sight word apps will be used for my ESL students to reiterate English language verbiage to their internal repertoire of knowledge.
I have purchased several audio books for loading on the ipods...the test classrooms were successful last year. You can put the rockstar on the ipod and have several students listening at the same time. New apps pop up every day...we'll have to keep up with what is available. I've tried to get itune cards...can't purchase with school funds..if you do a wish list in your classroom...ask for parents to give you itunes cards so that you can purchase some of the good apps that the lite version is limited.
ReplyDeleteCurrently the BrainPop app is limited - the video of the day. However, coming this fall, they have plans to improve the app and allow users to access content on demand. Additionally, they have made BrainPop available in the Google Apps Marketplace. We are in the process of pulling it into Google Apps just as we have done with Stupeflix!
ReplyDeleteGlad you are already implementing iPod touches as tools for learning in your classroom! You are so right about our kids needing to be able to use technology to adapt in an ever-changing (quickly) world!