New Pro-Ohio Feature: Web Test Bookmarking

Pro-Ohio has a new feature! Students can now bookmark a short-cycle assessment test when they don't have enough time to finish it. They used to have to just close out and not get scored on any of the answers they had completed. Now, they have two options when class time is up:
Click on
'Save Test and Exit' or 'Finish Test/Submit Answers'. There will be a new link up by the subjects called "Bookmarked". The next time the student logs in they can click there to get to a list of all unfinished tests. From there, they just click on the test they want to finish. The test will pop up just like the regular ones do and the student can finish answering the questions. Then, submit the test for a score.

The elementary buildings are just about ready to start using the web accounts! Morgan's database is up with just a few changes that need to be made. Elda's accounts will be soon to follow! Once all the accounts are ready, teachers can begin using Pro-Ohio with their students via clickers and/or individual web log ins.

Keep Parents, Students or Staff Updated with Google Calendar

Are you looking for an easy way to keep track of events and share then with others? If so, Google Calendar might be the right tool for you. It is a personal, web based calendar that lets you keep all of your important dates visible on-line and accessible anywhere. This is a great way to share important classroom dates for field trips, tests, project due dates and more. You can also use it to check availability for others to set up a meeting or event or just keep track of your own personal dates. Whether you are communicating with parents, students or co-workers it is convenient and easy to use.

Web-based calendars are great when you work from more then one computer or when you want to share your dates with others. You can get to your calendar quickly and easily no matter what computer you are working on as well as share your calendar with anyone. Some calendars can be hard to share when the other person does not have an account set up or use the same email system.

You can also embed your Google Calendar into your classroom wiki or link it to your blog. That way, everyone can see what important dates are coming up. I have two examples below. The firs is the URL (web address) to my calendar. Once you have a calendar created you can share it with others just by giving them the website. The second is an example of a calendar embedded in a website (a wiki in this case).

Sharing the URL for your calendar:
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=tak9nku%40yahoo.com&ctz=America/New_York

Calendar embedded in a website:
http://triciakluener.wikispaces.com/Schedule

There are many other web-based calendar options out there that are also great to use. You can always do a key word search and find more calendars. To learn more about Google Calendar or to set up your own, check out:

www.google.com/calendar

First Classroom Wiki: Kudos Mrs. Kingsley!

Mrs. Kingsley (3rd grade teacher at Elda) has created the first class wiki in her building! She is hoping to showcase student work, spotlight her 'Super Star Students' and share class news with students and parents. Beth's site is a "work in progress" as any class website should be. There will always be new updates and pictures to add throughout the year. Check out her wiki and let her know what a great job she is doing! The link is below. It will also be added to the Elda school website 'Links' and 'Staff' pages soon!

http://mrskingsley-3rdgrade.wikispaces.com/

She used Wikispaces to create the site. Wikispaces is a website that provides free wiki sites to the public and free educator accounts to teachers. It is the site I use for my 'Technology, Tools and Updates' wiki and recommend it to others. There are other great wiki sites available too. It just depends on what you prefer. Check out Wikispaces to set yours up!

http://www.wikispaces.com/

Morgan will have several class wikis to share soon! We are having a training session on September 23 to get teachers up and running with their own classroom wikis. There is a lot of interest through out the building and I can't wait to get people started!

Morgan Has a New Art Blog!

Ross has a new addition to the elementary blog list! Jenna Rahrig (pictured Right: Art and Technology teacher for Morgan) has created a blog for her Art students. This is in addition to the web pages she has already created for her classes and the building website for Morgan. Jenna's goal for the Art blog is to be able to communicate with students and parents. One of her students has already posted a comment!

We now have 3 class blogs between Elda and Morgan along with 5 class web sites at Morgan, 1 at Elda and a few more on the way in both buildings! The list just keeps growing!

The links below will take you to Jenna's web creations:

http://morganartroom.blogspot.com/
http://www.rossrams.com/Morgan/art.html
http://www.rossrams.com/Morgan/tech.html
http://www.rossrams.com/Morgan/index.html

If anyone is interested in creating their very own class web page or blog let me know and I will be happy to help!

Create Your Own Class Web Page in Just a Few Easy Steps!

Have you ever wanted to create a web page for your class but don't have the right software or skills to do it? Well, all that is changing now! You can create a blog or wiki for free and they are super easy to use. It is a live URL (web page that you can share with parents, students, staff, etc) that you can update as often as you like. You don't need any special software to create the page, just internet access and a computer. Blogs and wikis are easy to edit too. Basically, if you can edit a Word document then you can edit a blog and/or a wiki too.

Blogs

Blog is short for 'web log'. It works as an on-line journal. Blogs can have many classroom uses. Typically, a blog is started by one person (a teacher posts a question to students or writes a paragraph to read) and others can post comments about the question/information. You can add pictures, files, widgets and links too! Here are just a few classroom examples:
o To post materials/resources for parents and students
o Create a class website
o Share student work/ group projects
o Post writing prompts
o Literature circle: student comments, observations, connections, predictions
o There are unlimited possibilities!!!

Check out these examples of Blogs in the Ross District:
http://eldamusic.blogspot.com/
http://trishtechnews.blogspot.com/
http://eldaartblog.blogspot.com/
http://mrsgriffith.edublogs.org/

Wikis

A wiki is a website that you can create or edit without any special technical knowledge, tools or software. Editing a wiki is very much like editing a Word document. The end result is a web page that you can share with other staff, students and/or parents. You can set the privacy settings on wikis to let others change and edit content (great for group projects and working with other staff) or lock it down so only the creator can change information. This use would be more like a 'traditional' website that others can visit and view.

Wikis are great for sharing/organizing information, web quests, posting study guides/homework, classroom resources, links to other sites, etc. You can add pages, links, pictures, widgets, content and more!

Here are a few ides of how to use wikis from: http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/wikiideas1.cfm

• An elementary class “encyclopedia” on a special topic, such as explorers or state history – to be continued and added to each year!
• Post new spelling or vocabulary words each week
  
• Family Twaditionwiki- elementary students share their family’s ways of preparing Thanksgiving dinner or celebrating birthdays (anonymously, of course) and compare them to practices in other cultures they read and learn about.
• An annotated virtual library: listings and commentary on independent reading students have done throughout the year
• Collaborative book reviews or author studies
  
• A virtual tour of your school as you study “our community” in elementary grades
• A travelogue from a field trip or NON- field trip that the class would have liked to take as A culmination of a unit of study: Our (non) trip to the Capital and what we (wish) we saw.
• Detailed and illustrated descriptions of scientific or governmental processes: how a bill becomes a law, how mountains form, etc.
• A wiki “fan club” for you favorite author(s).
  
• A Where is Wanda wiki: a wiki version of the ever-favorite Flat Stanley project. Have each Wanda host post on the wiki, including the picture they take with Wanda during her visit. Even better: keep an ongoing Google Earth placemarker file to add geographic visuals to Wanda’s wonderful wanderings as a link in the wiki. WOW! Where in the world IS Wiki Wanda?

The link below is a fantastic resource for educational wikis. The site contains background information wikis as well as many ideas for classroom integration through multiple subjects and grade levels. Check it out!
http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/wiki/

Personally, I use Blogspot for blogs and Wikispaces for wikis. However, there are many great sites offering free space to create blogs and wikis. Wikispaces offers free educator accounts that restrict advertisements. I have found both Blogspot and Wikisipaces very easy to use. To create your own accounts visit the sites, check out my wiki (linked below) for handouts (created for Blogspot and Wikispaces) or contact me for help!

http://triciakluener.wikispaces.com/Hand+Outs

Good luck!

Welcome Back! Great News for EasyTech and Other Updates!

What's New?

EasyTech:
EasyTech will have a new feature this fall. Students will now be able to save their progress through the interactive lessons! They will be able to 'bookmark' their spots and pick up where they left off in a lesson instead of starting all the way at the begining! The scheduled date for 'bookmarking' lessons to be available is currently October.

We also updated the Classroom and Media pacing calendars (list of lessons) for the EasyTech curriculum. Most of the changes are due to new/updated lessons replacing the outdated ones along with removing some of the review lessons in specific grade levels. The other changes deal with the 'Technology Mastery Grid' that will be implemented this year. If you are wondering what that is and think you missed something, read on! It's new! You haven't missed a thing!

Check your email for a list of updated EasyTech assignments for your grade level.

Technology Mastery Grid:
The grid lists out specific skills for each software program and grade level. The district tech team wants to make sure that all students are learning software skills. It creates a base level skill set that each student should have by the end of each grade level. It will also help the teachers know what skills the students should have when they enter each grade level.

There are 4 levels students will work through from grades K-5:
Introduce
Learn
Proficient
Reinforce
Each level has different skills associated with them depending on the software program and grade level. Software programs covered in the grid include: Word (grades 1-5), Power Point (grades 2-5), Excel (grades 3-5), and Web Browsing (grades 2-5), A/R, EasyTech and Pro-Ohio.

Hopefully everyone had a great summer and is refreshed for the new year. The student data base for EasyTech is up and ready to go. If you need help adding your students to your class or updating your lessons please let me know! I am happy to help!

Technology Updates for Next Year

There are a few updates and improvements in store for the technology use in Morgan and Elda for the 09-10 school year. Some of the details are still being worked out, but here is what we know so far:

EasyTech:
EasyTech will have a new feature this fall. Students will now be able to save their progress through the interactive lessons! They will be able to 'bookmark' their spots and pick up where they left off in a lesson instead of starting all the way at the begining!

We will also be updating the Classroom and Media pacing calendars (list of lessons) for the EasyTech curriculum. Most of the changes are due to new/updated lessons replacing the outdated ones along with removing some of the review lessons in specific grade levels. The other changes deal with the 'Technology Mastery Grid' that will be implemented next year. If you are wondering what that is and think you missed something, read on! It's new! You haven't missed a thing!

Technology Mastery Grid:
The grid lists out specific skills for each software program and grade level. The district tech team wants to make sure that all students are learning software skills. It creates a base level skill set that each student should have by the end of each grade level. It will also help the teachers know what skills the students should have when they enter each grade level.

There are 4 levels students will work through from grades K-5:
Introduce
Learn
Proficient
Reinforce
Each level will have different skills associated with them depending on the software program and grade level. Software programs covered in the grid include: A/R, EasyTech, Word (grades 1-5), Power Point (grades 2-5), Excel (grades 3-5), and Web Browsing (grades 2-5).

Professional Development-August 17, 18 (Possibly 19th)
Ross will offer Technology Professional Development this summer to get ready for next year. The sessions will cover a variety of subjects for all grade levels. Keep an eye out for the 'save the date' email listing the available sessions.

Tips from the editor:
Keep and eye out for the Excel classes! There will be beginner and intermediate sessions. Excel is a fantastic program for teachers to stay organized at school and in personal lives. The skills will also come in handy for the Technology Mastery Grid for grades 3-5. :)

Also, keep in mind that your 'Technology Integration Specialist' will be out of commission from sometime in October until probably sometime in December/early January due to a new arrival! The summer sessions are the perfect opportunity to get all of your ducks in a row for tech use during the 09-10 school year!

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

Have a great summer!

Coming Soon: Elda Art Blog!

Elda has another teacher on board to create a classroom blog! Patricia Kerr, Elda's Art teacher has just started her own Art blog! She was inspired by the other blogs in the building and district (Stacy Strawser's 'Elda Elementary Music Blog', my 'Ross Elementary Tech News' and Mr. Yohey's 'Ross Ramblings' blogs). I worked with Pat yesterday to set up her account. She has already added pictures and is writing about the great projects her students have created!

Blogs are a great way to keep others informed. Whether you are a teacher and want to keep staff and/or parents updated or use them for social purposes to keep friends and family updated they serve as a great communication tool! Teachers can also use them with students for writing assignments as well. I know Mrs. Strawser's students love reading the Music blog and seeing themselves in the pictures! They seem to always be asking their parents to check it out too! I'm sure Pat's Art blog will be just as popular! If you are interested in setting one up, there is no better time then this summer. You can update them as much or as little as you want and take your time to get a feel for what you want to say.

There are many free websites you can use to set up your own blog. The preferred site in Ross seems to be Blogspot or Blogger.com (same site). This is the site I use and I really like it. It is user friendly and provides several options to customize your page. You can keep your blog as basic and easy as you want through pre-created templates and layouts or add your own to personalize it! To set up your own account, go to:

www.blogger.com

You will need a valid email address and be asked to create a password. The website will walk you through the steps to set up your own account and blog. If you have any questions, I am happy to help! Good luck!

Breaking the Code: Switching Between Macs and PCs

Which one is better? A PC or a Mac? Well, I think that answer will vary depending on who you ask and what you are using your computer for. They are both great products and have strengths in different areas. So, what is the answer? If you ask me, I say just learn to use both! This can be tricky if you are already used to one platform. However, with the right tips you can easily learn to navigate both types of machines. I have broken down a few features and functions that I have found to be very helpful when switching between a PC and Mac...or a Mac and PC. The list below will help you get navigate and find what you need if you are already familiar with one type of computer.

For a printable version in Microsoft Word, click the link below:
http://triciakluener.wikispaces.com/Hand+Outs

Video-Conference at Morgan

We had our first video-conference at Morgan this week! Ms. Tara Smith and her 3rd grade students were able to communicate on-line with Nik Scheffler through Skype (video-conferencing software). It went really well! Several students had questions about how it worked and what we were actually doing. It was a great opportunity to talk about communicating on-line and current technology! We used a laptop in the classroom this week and plan to use a computer in the Media Center with a web camera for future conferences.

Ms. Smith tutors Nik at home to keep him caught up on all of his school work. Nik's classmates have been divided into groups called literacy circles to read books and discuss them. Up until now, Nik has not been able to participate and discuss the books with his classmates. That is about to change! Ms. Smith's idea is to be able to include Nik in the literacy circle discussions for the remainder of the year. I will be downloading Skype on a computer in the Media Center next week and working with Tara to get her own account set up. She will be able to send Nik's literacy group down during the group discussion times so they can video-conference with Nik about the current book they are reading.

Nik and his classmates are really excited to see more of each other and work together in the literacy groups! I am sure this will go well and lead to more opportunities to include students who are unable to be in the school buildings.

For more information on how this works, check out an older post: 'Video Conferencing In the Classroom'. You could also Google search video-conference software or go to:
www.skype.com

Aha! Math Software for Everyday Math

The teachers and students at Elda have been fortunate in getting a trial account to use software called Aha! Math. The software was created by the same company who produced EasyTech. EasyTech is web-based software that provides standards-based tutorials, interactive lessons and activities for teachers and students to learn technology skills. Aha! Math uses the same teacher management system, however is based around Math standards. The version we are currently using is designed to work with the Everyday Math program that has already been implemented into the Math curriculum. Like EasyTech, it is also web-based and interactive. Students really seem to enjoy (and of course learn from) using the Math software. It has instruction modules that will explain the concepts to students and "re-teach" the concepts. It also has lessons, which are interactive and will teach students concepts along with helping them actually work out problems. Once they are comfortable with a skill, they move on to learning games. These are not regular games! They incorporate problem-solving skills, practice time for students, and increase in difficulty as students get correct answers. Students accumulate points as they progress through the games and higher levels. The software will also provide immediate feedback if the child needs more explanation. Once the students have had time to practice they move on to a quiz over what they have learned. It is a great way for teachers to track progress!

The software targets students in grades K-5. The feedback from Elda teachers and students has been fantastic! The software really works well for differentiated instruction. Students who need more help can work through the tutorials on their own or at home with parents, then practice the skills. The software also provides opportunity for students to move ahead if they need more of a challenge. This happens by increasing the difficulty level of the games or moving on to new concepts assigned by the teachers but not covered in the classroom yet. Teachers have complete control over what the students are working on and assigned. They can also run grade book reports to see how the students are performing. The students will even have access to the software over the summer to keep their skills sharp!

Mimio Boards for Media

The Media Centers at Morgan and Elda have a new edition! Mrs. Mueggenberg (Media Manager at Elda) and Mrs. Godbey (Media Manager at Morgan) decided to use a portion of the money they earned from the Book Fair to purchase wireless Mimios. They are the same concept as Smart Boards, however can turn any surface into an interactive space and are made by a different company. Smart Boards require the actual Smart Board (large, interactive white board) to work. A mimio uses a small device that is mounted on an existing wall or white board (dry erase board). The device sends a signal over the board or wall space and communicates with the computer being used with it. So, to make it less confusing it basically turns a dry erase board or wall into an interactive space and is used for similar purposes as a Smart Board. The Mimio has software that you install on your computer that consists of various tools and gallery items (similiar to Smart Board software). The gallery items provide hundreds of resources for educators that are all ready to go! There are shapes to be manipulated, money and change to be counted, fairy tales to read, maps to use, music staffs and notes; the list goes on! Many of the gallery items are interactive too!

Why a Mimio and not a Smart Board, you ask? Well, they are both great products but there are a few differences. One difference is price. Mimios are much less expensive then Smart Boards. Other reasons are portability and less equipment set up. The Mimio device is very small (about 2 feet long and 4 inches wide). It can be easily transported from room to room and can be used on any wall space or white board (dry erase board). Although the Media Center Mimios will live in the Media Centers and not travel, this is a great opportunity to check out new hardware and software to see if the concept could work for other classrooms in the future. There are a few small user differences between Mimios and Smart Boards once they are set up, however I think they will be easy to learn!

The Mimios will be a great teaching resource for the Media Centers. Mrs. Godbey and Mrs. Mueggenberg are currently learning how to use the new hardware and software. I know they are looking forward to introducing the new equipment into Media lessons for the students!

Technology Showcase-Elda Elementary

The April District Board meeting was held last night at Elda Elementary. There were many important topics covered during the evening, however my favorite presentation happened to be the 'Technology Showcase' for Elda Elementary. Mrs. Johnsen (Elda Principal) wanted to make sure that all of the fantastic technology integration happening throughout the building did not go unnoticed. So, I put a presentation together showcasing a sampling of the innovative ways our staff uses technology with students everyday. The actual presentation at the meeting consisted of the slide show, a demonstration of CCI/Pro-Ohio and some commentary from me! Our board members were asked to take a 3 question quiz from Pro-Ohio on 4th grade math using the clickers. They did great! It provided the perfect opportunity to explain how we use the clickers and Pro-Ohio software in the classrooms. Of course, no technology presentation would be complete with out its share of glitches. The laptop crashed part way through! The audience was very patient and we were up and running again in no time. That just goes to show that 'technical difficulties' can happen to anyone! Overall, the presentation was a success! The board seemed pleased with the information and as always, the Elda staff looked great!

The slide show will be uploaded and linked below for your viewing pleasure shortly. You might notice the theme of 'In their own words' as the show progresses. My idea was to get the information straight from the people who use it most; the teachers and students. Make sure you have the volume turned up on your computer. You won't want to miss the audio!

link coming soon!

Video Conferencing in the Classroom!

We held our second video conference in Mrs. York's room today! It was really neat! The class was able to see and speak with Dalton Chandler along with his mother and grandparents today. Dalton is unable to attend school at Elda right now and is currently in Children's Hospital. The Chandler's have worked with the tech staff at the hospital, Mrs. York, Mrs. Thomas and I (and several others) to get the equipment and connections set up for everything to work. It didn't take much to get our end at Elda set up since we have access to so much equipment. Here is how it worked:

First, Mrs. Chandler and I both set up accounts with Skype and loaded the software onto our computers. The Mac laptop I used has a built in web camera as well as a built in microphone. Add an internet connection and that is all either side needs! However, the PTO purchased Elda a 'Snowball' external microphone so it would pick up sound better and be a higher quality for us to communicate with. Mrs. Chandler had her PC laptop (does not have to be a laptop, desktops work too!) and purchased a web camera to use with it. Her computer did not have one built in, however it did have a microphone.

Step two: We coordinate the time when we will log in to Skype and start the call.

Step three: The students were able to see and speak with Dalton and he was able to do the same. We hooked the laptop at Elda up to a projector so the whole class could see Dalton.

This provided a great experience for Dalton and the rest of the students in Mrs. York's class. The students at Elda were exposed to new video conferencing technology and Dalton was able to listen in and interact with students during classroom activities! Skype is free video conferencing software and works with PCs and Macs. For more information about Skype and web cameras, check out the Skype web site below:

http://www.skype.com/

The site includes links to download Skype as well as links to accessories like webcams. Just click the 'Shop' button for the accessories.

Fine Art Show-Morgan Elementary

Morgan’s Fine Arts Show was held last night and it was wonderful! The students are so talented and creative! They have great leaders to show them the way. Jenna Rahrig (Art teacher) and Greg Thatcher (Music teacher) guided students to create fantastic art projects and an entertaining musical. The theme was dental hygeine, which was displayed through the musical and several sculputres throughout the building. It was obvious that Jenna and Greg put a lot of work into making the evening such a success and to show off all the talent at Morgan!

The art projects ranged from small to large sculptures, clay, oil pastels, watercolor, lego-mation movies and iExpress posters. Many of the projects were inspired by themes from famous artists and several incorporated a variety of technology. They utilized digital cameras with tri-pods and iMovie to create the videos. There were iExpress posters that were created with the Elmo and a digital camera. The students chose an activity or emotion (iSing, iPaint, iConfused etc). Digital pictures were taken of students portraying that action then projected with the Elmo and traced to be larger then life! The posters were inspired by the iPod commercials seen on TV. Even the clay sculptures utilized technology by being fired in a computerized kiln.

Visitors also had the opportunity to get their pictures taken with their faces as part of famous paintings! The Elmo was used to blow up pictures of famous paintings. The paintings were traced onto fabric and painted to look like the originals. The faces were cut out so people could put their own faces in the paintings instead!

The entire Fine Arts production showcased the great talent that runs through the halls of Morgan Elementary. Technology played an important role as well. It is always amazing to me how much technology can be incorporated into every subject!

Google Earth-Studying Landforms

I worked with Mrs. Sester's class this week at Elda and used Google Earth with the Smart Board. The students loved it! We were studying landforms. Google Earth was a great application for this. We flew to many different areas in the world to look at islands, peninsulas, mountains, valleys, rivers and flood plains. It was really interesting to see all the different terrain across the earth! We flew to Nepal and checked out Mount Everest, Egypt and the Nile river, the Hawaiian Islands and the volcanoes, and Antarctica with the ice caps. We also looked at Florida as a peninsula, the Rocky mountains, and the ocean floor of the Atlantic along the United States coast. The students were really able to see where the ocean floor dropped off from the coast! We discussed underwater terrain and how it relates to terrain above water . Students gained map skills by looking at the differences of the topographic maps of mountains, rivers and plains. Students also were able to see an areal view of Ross as we flew over Elda!

The most interesting thing we found were the flood plains around the Nile river in Egypt. From high above you can see what looks like a huge river in the middle of the dessert. However, as you zoom in closer you can see where the actual river runs through and that the rest of the green area surrounding it is actually planting fields for crops. It illustrates how much water rivers provide to communities and sparked discussions about river flooding and why people tend to live near natural water sources. Everyone in the classroom learned something new that day and had a great experience utilizing technology for education!

If anyone is interested in working with me to provide a lesson using Google Earth to your class let me know! For more information about Google Earth, visit:

http://earth.google.com/

The Art Show at Elda Elementary

The Art Show for Elda was last night. It was great! It was so exciting to see all the students showing parents and loved ones their work as well as the work of their classmates. All the projects were so creative! The sculptures throughout the building were all made from recycled materials. There were activity booths set up for students and parents to show off their art skills along with local artists showcasing their work. The local artists provided some great inspiration for our students and their work gave children an idea of how much creativity and art are flowing through the Ross community. There were also a few special performances from our own Elda students. The building was filled with talent!

Pat Kerr (Elda Art teacher) utilized countless materials and resources to teach the students and guide them on projects. Of course, technology played a role too! The art room is equipped with an Elmo (document camera), laptop and projector that Pat uses to show pictures from Art books, the internet and other materials she has to provide instruction and inspiration to students. There also student computers in the room providing art software, internet access and many other resources.

Pat wanted to show the parents how hard the students had worked on their masterpieces. She used a digital camera to snap pictures of all the students during the months spent preparing the art work and displays. She also used a digital video camera to capture footage of the sculptures being made and the lip sinking students practicing their performance. Both the video footage and digital pictures were on display during the show.

Both Elda and Morgan have Art shows every year to showcase student work and talent. This was another big success for Elda and I am sure Morgan will put on a fantastic show as well! Jenna Rahrig (Art teacher at Morgan) and Pat do a fantastic job working with the students and letting creativity flow! The Art Show for Morgan is scheduled for April 2 this year. I hope to see you there!

Collaborate with Google Docs

After going to the Tele-Tech Tuesday video teleconference on March 3, I realized how great Google Docs can be! Basically, it is space to create and save files that you can access from any computer. I think of it like a giant, free flash drive that I don't have to carry around with me. Google will give you server space for free (space to save files) on the internet. So, it acts like email through Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc. You can log in and check your files from anywhere with internet access. Here are a few scenarios that I can see Google docs coming in handy for:

1. You have files on your teacher computer that you would really like to take home. You could email them to yourself as attachments but this can get tedious when you have several files. You could also save them on a flash drive. What if you don't have a flash drive? Or, what if you loose it? Google docs to the rescue! You just upload (with about 2 clicks) your documents to your internet space from school. Then, go home, log back in (just like you would email) to your space and voila! There are all your files! You can download them onto your home computer or just work on them right there in your internet space (Google Docs).

2. Think of the above scenario, but the other way around. You have documents at home that you want to bring to school. It works the same way!

3. Your class is working on a power point project in the Computer lab and you want to combine all the slides from each student into one presentation. Just upload the first student file to Google Docs. From there, you can import slides from each student's file directly into the main one. No more copy/pasting!

4. You have created a file that you want to use with your students. You realize how wonderful your work is and want to share it with other teachers from your grade level. If the other teachers have an account with Google Docs you can "share" your file directly with them. No more emailing attachments or worrying about a server at school. As soon as you share it that other teachers will see the document in their own Google Docs account. Things brings me to scenario 5.

5. You want to work with a few other teachers to create documents (slide shows, word documents, etc). The goal is for each person to do his/her part and put everything together to finish the project. Here is what to do: Have one person create the file and share it with the other teachers. From here, each person can log in from any computer with internet access and work on the file. When they save their changes the new version will show up in all the teachers' accounts! You will be able to immediately see what changes have been made.

Is your interest peaked yet? If so, check it out! Go to:
www.google.com

In the upper left hand corner it says:
Images, Maps, News, Video, Mail, More

Click on the 'More' link and click on 'Documents'. The site will walk you through setting up an account. If you have a blog spot, Google Calendar or Gmail account you can use the same username and password you have already created. If not, you set up a new account. If you have additional questions or want more information please let me know. I am happy to share everything I know, copy the handouts from the tele-conference for you and walk you through using Google Docs!

Have fun!

Smart Board Activities and Tools

I gathered some great Smart Board resources while I was at the eTech Ohio conference this year. The links below cover a variety of grade ranges and subjects. Hopefully you will find something that works for your classroom! There are a lot of lessons and educational games that have already been created and are ready for you to use with your Smart Board and students.

The following sites and information are from Samuel Roman's (Cleveland Metropolitian Schools) eTech Conference presentation 2009, Tips From the Field.

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=447
A collection of ready-made Notebook software activities in various subjects and themes.

http://smartboards.typepad.com
Created and maintained by James Hollis, it is the best resource for Smart Board ideas, activities, resources and training. Use the “Search this Site” function to find lessons for your grade level and subject.

www.superteachertools.com
Allows you to create your own Jeopardy, Who Wants to be a Millionaire and Board games, which can be played online or offline.

http://almarolh.googlepages.com/harvey%27shomepage
Created by L. Harvey Almarode from James Maddison University. Offers free Notebook files for Math.

http://e-learningforkids.org/index.html
Established in late 2004, e-Learning for Kids is a global, nonprofit foundation dedicated to fun and free learning on the Internet for children ages 5-12. Provides great activities that are great on the Smart Board.

http://technic.googlepages.com/home
Developed by Nicole Mobley, a kindergarten teacher at Sandlapper Elementary in Columbia, SC. Offers free activities for KG students.

http://technology.usd259.org/resources/whiteboards/smartlessons.htm
Offers great resources for training and ready-made activities for all grades and subject areas.

Cafeteria Makeover: Using Technology to make it happen!

The cafeteria in Elda Elementary is getting a make-over! Mrs. Kerr (Art teacher at Elda) had the idea to paint a mural on the stage wall to brighten up the space. The new wall will have silhouettes of children in action poses painted in different colors. Each pose is different and gives the feelings of fun and enjoyment. The project is underway and will be finished shortly. I have been working with Mrs. Kerr to get the silhouettes outlined and painted. Here is how we are making it happen:

First, she used a digital camera to take action shots of students as they were shooting basketballs, running and any other fun movements the they could come up with. Once we had all the pictures we looked through them and choose 5 that went well together and gave the feeling of movement as they progressed. From there, we used the document camera (similar to an Elmo) and projector to blow up the images bigger then life size on the stage wall. We traced the outlines of each child to create the 5 silhouettes across the wall. The last step will be painting. Mrs. Kerr has chosen cool colors for the project. Each silhouette will be a different color.

This has been a fun project to work on and is looking great already! If you are at Elda, feel free to sneak a peak in the cafeteria to check out the progress!

Blogs in the Classroom-Popularity on the Rise!

Blogging has become very popular these past few years and isn't just for socializing! Popularity for classroom blogs is on the rise in Ross. We have several educators throughout the district that have already 'taken the plunge' into blogging. Just to name a few, our Superintendent, Mr. Todd Yohey has a weekly blog and our own Music teacher, Ms. Stacy Strawser (Elda) has one too! Check out my "Blog List" in the left column to read their updates!

Blogs can add value to classroom education in many ways! Here are a few examples:

• Serve as a news center for general information, homework and project updates ("Monthly Newsletter", "What We Did Today")
• Give parents a place to stay connected by reading about what is going on with their children's school work
• Give students a place to practice writing:
• They could each set up their own blog to be used a a journal (any subject)
• Blogs can be used for homework: the teacher posts a question or reading selection, students are required to post answers/feedback, etc
• Expose students and parents to new technology
  

Internet safety is always a priority when creating on-line content. There are many security settings available to keep students and teachers safe. You can have all comments sent to you before they are officially seen on-line, you could set comments to be hidden until after an assignment due date, usernames and passwords can be set up to control who submits comments...the list goes on!

If you are interested in starting your own blog feel free to contact me with questions! I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Using an IRT (Infrared Thermometer)

For the last two weeks I have been visiting classrooms and working with teachers to provide a lesson using the Smart Board and an IRT. What is an IRT you ask? It is a digital, infrared thermometer. It is a hand held device that can take Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature readings in just a few seconds. The lesson varies depending on the ability of the students and the grade level. The basic set up goes something like this:
We begin the discussion with the introduction of the IRT, how it works and how it compares to other types of thermometers. We then create a table on the Smart Board to record the data we are about to collect. We choose objects from around the room to take readings from items like the furnace, projector, lights, people, windows, etc. I always try to bring in additional items such as a tray of ice and a cold can of pop. Students take turns with the IRT collecting data for Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures. Depending on the amount of time alloted for the lesson and what the teacher would like to focus on, we also use an interactive thermometer on the Smart Board. Students practice converting a digital reading to show the temperature on a scale. The students have to move the "mercury/alcohol" level up to show the temperature we just collected using the IRT.

Students are encouraged to use critical thinking skills and hypothesize for what temperatures will be for each object. We ask for answers to questions such as: "If we take into consideration that the outside temperature is 60 F and the inside is 73 F, what do you think the temperature will be on the inside of the window?", or "If our average internal body temperature is 98.6 F what do you think the temperature of the outside of our hand would be? What factors would effect the temperature?" When we use the ice and cold pop we talk about what the freezing point is. I let the students see the ice tray. It is usually partially melted by now. They start guessing what the actual temperature will be and explain why. I have heard some great reasons! We take the readings and record them into our data table. The next object we measure is the cold can of pop. Students get to feel how cold the pop is and have to determine if it will be warmer or colder then the melting ice and by how many degrees. It is a lot of fun to hear and see how their minds work!

We have the students come up with the average internal body temperature and explain how they came up with their hypothesis. We also have the students predict what the reading will be in Celsius once they know what the Fahrenheit temperature is. The lesson can be adapted for multiple grade levels by varying the amount of information provided, how much we focus on Celsius temperatures and what the discussion questions are. A great extension activity is to use the data we recorded to make a graph.

Students seem to really have fun with this lesson! It helps their understanding of thermometer use and understanding temperatures along with providing practice in data collection and critical thinking skills. It is an easy way to integrate technology into a lesson. The IRT is small and easily portable. I have borrowed the IRT from a colleague of mine outside the district. As long as she does not need it back, I am happy to work with any teacher to provide this lesson to a class!

If you are interested in purchasing an IRT, check out the link below. The IRT pictured is very similar to the one I am using. They vary in price depending on how accurate they are and seem to start around $40. I know there are several other companies who sell them. This is just one example!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96451

eTech Ohio Technology Conference

I attended the eTech Conference in Columbus, OH this week. It was great! It is always so helpful to hear what other educators and districts are doing across the state. I came across some completely new ideas plus some helpful tricks to incorporate into projects our district is already involved in. I was really fortunate to be able to go to the conference! Thanks, Ross Local Schools! I have listed a few of my favorite topics from the conference below.


Digital Backpacks-This seems to be a great idea for making technology portable, convenient and easily accessible. The idea is to load up backpacks (yes, actual backpacks) with all the tech equipment a class would need for specific projects. Then the teacher (or a student) would just pick it up when it was time for the project and have everything they need. We already have that concept with the traveling carts (Turning Point, laptops, etc). This would be the same idea but for smaller projects or projects outside of the regular classroom (fieldtrips). For example, if a class were going on a nature walk for science to exam a local stream, they might want to take the following items: digital camera or video camera to document findings, IRT (Infrared Thermometer) to take temperatures of different habitats (water, soil, etc), laptop to record data into tables and take notes. All of these items could easily fit into a back pack to be brought along. So much of our hardware and software are portable. Why not take it with them just like scientists do?!

Ohio on iTunes U-free educational resource through iTunes-You can download educational videos and content right from iTunes! If you are interested in checking it out, go to:
www.apple.com/itunes
Once in iTunes, go to the Apple iTunes Store. Search iTunes store for "Ohio on iTunes U". Under 'Institutions', select 'Ohio'.

Creating non-Linear Power Points- I always knew this was possible but didn't know how to do it until the conference. If you are wondering what I mean by "non-linear Power Point" don't feel bad. I didn't know either until I attended the session! The term refers to creating slides, then playing the slide show in a different order. If you have ever seen a Jeopardy game in Power Point then you have seen a non-linear presentation. Basically, you have one slide that links out to other slides in the presentation. You can jump around from the main slide to the other slides and back again. So, for example, when students pick "Congruent Shapes for $200" the presentation will jump directly to the slide with that question on it even if that isn't the next slide in the order of the presentation. The question slide is also linked to the main slide with all the subject choices on it. So, after the students answer the question you can jump back to the main slide.

Stay tuned for my future blog posts for more information about the conference topics below!

• More examples for using blogs in classrooms
• Smart Board gallery items for Notebook 10
• Smart Board resources (on-line)
• More info on using iWeb

President Obama's Inauguration and You Tube

Students and teachers at Elda were able to watch our new president be sworn into office as well as his inauguration speech on Tuesday. Since the event actually happened around 12:00 we were unable to catch it live. 12:00 is right in the middle of lunch at the elementary. However, thanks to our principal, wireless internet, You Tube and a few other staff members the whole school gathered in the gym at 3:00 and we were able to take part in the historic and educational event.

There were a few challenges getting everything ready but our technology equipment and access provided everything we needed! It amazes me how far the internet and communication have come! Our first challenge was having access to the video coverage of the event. Elda does not have any access to television stations (no cable or antennas). We have TVs in every classroom, however we use them with DVD/VHS players and classroom computers (use a presenter cable to show the computer screen on the TV). So, there was the question of, "How can we record the event?" Many of the news stations provided a live video stream so online viewers could watch just as they would on a TV. This was great except for the fact that we didn't have software (or at least not that I am aware of) to record a live streaming video from the internet onto the computer or CD/DVD to watch at 3:00. This is where You Tube saved the day! Many of the news station websites provided clips of the president being sworn in, however I couldn't find any video clips of the entire inauguration speech until I searched You Tube. A helpful viewer recorded the CNN live video feed of the speech on their computer and posted it on You Tube. So, after setting up a wireless router to provide internet access to the gym we were able to use a laptop and projector to show the entire school our new president being sworn in and his speech straight from You Tube.

This was a great learning experience for our students! They were able to witness President Barack Obama's inauguration through the use of the wonderful technology we have in our building! The fact that the entire oath and speech were available to view online only minutes for the oath and a few hours for the speech after it happened live was amazing!

Working with our new Pro-Ohio and Clicker Software (CCI)

Teachers have been using Turning Point with students since last year to assess student achievement. I have heard a lot of great feedback from teachers and students! Turning Point is a system that combines software based in Power Point with hardware that resembles TV remote controls (we call them clickers). Questions are shown through a computer and projector and students get to 'vote in' their answers. The class gets immediate feedback once all the votes are submitted. A graph displays what percentage of students voted for each answer choice. Teachers can create their own questions or use the questions from our Pro-Ohio test practice software. Teachers can quickly and easily see how the class is understanding concepts and use the results from the graphs to guide instruction and discuss each question. Students have fun with the clickers and feel like they are voting in on a game show! It is a great way to motivate students to participate!

We have a new software program to use with our Turning Point clickers and Pro-Ohio. It is called the CCI Application and it is connected to the Pro-Ohio testing database. CCI stands for 'Classroom Clicker Integration'. In the past, we have used Turning Point software with pre-created slides containing questions from the Pro-Ohio tests. It has been a great way to quickly assess student comprehension in a whole-group environment. The only down side was they way the reporting worked. Teachers needed to run reports from Turning Point to see the results from the tests as well as run reports from Pro-Ohio to see how students were progressing using their individual accounts. Since the questions were the same in Turning Point as they were in the Pro-Ohio individual accounts, teachers would compare the two reports to look at progress. The new CCI Application sends the whole-group test results directly to the Pro-Ohio database. The software tracks answers from each student and imports them directly to individual student accounts. Teachers no longer have to worry about saving test results and going to multiple places to see them. Now, all they have to do is log into Pro-Ohio to see how students are progressing with the standards. Teachers can still use the Turning Point software to create their own questions, however the CCI Application will make using Pro-Ohio questions a much smoother process.

Both Morgan and Elda are just getting started with the new CCI software. They will use a combination of the clickers and individual computers/log ins to help students prepare for upcoming tests. I have worked with several teachers in the past few weeks and have more on my schedule for the upcoming weeks. Everyone is doing a GREAT job jumping in with the new software!