Showing posts with label Redefinition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Redefinition. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

To Blog or Not to Blog

KidBlog (Modification and Redefinition)
Students on the Lightning Team have been blogging all year using KidBlog for both science and social studies topics. Students are encouraged to use tags (hashtags) to quickly access and highlight their topics. Students have learned how to make positive comments to one another and ask thoughtful questions within their blogs. KidBlog has allowed us to monitor, make private and public comments, and even edit student posts and comments, if needed.  You may view our blog at the following website: http://kidblog.org/MixsonZone/

Here is an example of one of my student's blogs:

To Dump or Not to Dump. That is the Question.

Students are given opportunities to use technology through Discovery Education's Board Builder application.
Here are a couple of examples showing how technology is redefining my classroom:

March 16: Technology/SAM-R (Redefinition) : Discovery Education Board creation by teacher and students BLOGS - To Dump or not to Dump, That is the Question

February 26:  Technology/SAM-R (Redefinition) :The following is a Discovery Education Board Created for students regarding the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.:


This is an example of a student blog on Roman Legacy:


In Spanish class we have used a Google Document to redefine an assignment. 

Standard:
Every learner will use a world language, other than English, to engage in meaningful, intercultural
communication, understand and interpret the spoken and written language, and present information,
concepts and ideas in local and global communities.
Through learning another language, they will gain an understanding of the perspectives of other cultures
and compare the language and cultures learned with their own.
 Summary of Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century

Language Competence:

Presentational Speaking (PS) and Writing (PW)

I can present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of
listeners or readers on a variety of topics in a culturally appropriate
context.


Objective:

1. Students can describe their own personality traits, likes and dislikes.
2. Students can describe likes, dislikes and personality traits using he/she
3.Students can describe others likes, dislikes and personality traits using they.

Assignment:

Students were asked to take a picture of themselves and a friend. Using Google Presentation students created a slide in which they included both pictures and wrote sentences about their own likes, dislikes and personality traits. They wrote sentences about a friend too. Students shared the document with the teacher and a friend. As they were writing their sentences in the target language both teacher and friend were able to ask questions or suggest correction in real time. Students were able too make corrections before errors become fossilized.

Reflection:

Students enjoyed the interaction with their classmates. Students paid more attention to detail to avoid being corrected by a friend. Students produced better quality sentences and more sentences because they were willing to take risks and tap into their competitive side to complete the assignment.


Transformations With Scratch

Geometry students have been studying transformations in the coordinate plane: translations, reflections, rotations, and dilations. In this assignment students applied their knowledge of transformation rules to implement those rules in the Scratch programming language. They were also required to demonstrate their code by programming the cat sprite to trace a pattern that the penguin sprite would copy under the appropriate transformation.




Feel free to look inside students' projects to see how they implemented these as well as other transformations.

Monday, March 16, 2015

TI-Nspire Navigator System Encourages a Higher Level of Thinking and Provides Immediate Feedback

Throughout the year, my algebra students have used the TI-Nspire handhelds (graphing calculators) in conjunction with the TI-Navigator System in a variety of meaningful ways. This technology encourages collaboration, individual learning and problem solving, and immediate assessment of each student’s progress.  I can easily observe each student’s level of understanding at any point and adjust the lesson if necessary.  Some features that are unique to the TI-Navigator System include:

  • Class Screen Capture - At any point in the lesson, I can capture the progress of each student and the class as a whole with a quick Screen Capture.  This encourages rich, math discussion as students analyze each other’s graph/work for accuracy.  As the teacher, each Screen Capture immediately reveals exactly which students understand the algebraic concepts as well as those students who may need additional explanation or practice.  The lesson either builds in complexity at this point or reinforces the algebraic concept based on the evidence from each Screen Capture.




  • Quick Poll – This feature has many advantages: I can introduce a concept with an “I Wonder” question, survey the students to discover the most challenging homework/class problems, or send a specific problem or activity to the entire class and immediately see their answers in the form of a class graph.  This feature is invaluable as it helps accurately assess the level of understanding of not only the class as a whole, but also of each individual student.







  • Live Presenter - Any student can easily become a ‘Live Presenter’ and project their handheld screen from anywhere in the classroom in real-time mode. I use this feature to introduce a new concept or graphing process so students can observe the procedures one step at a time.   




The continual use of the TI-Nspire Navigator System with its real-time features meets the Redefinition stage of the SAM-R model.  Without the use of this technology, students would not have the ability observe their peers’ work and the overall level of understanding for our class at any time throughout the lesson.  This system encourages a higher level of thinking for every student that simply does not occur otherwise.

Pep Rallies for EVERYONE!

Pep Rallies--a right of passage for middle schoolers.....

Several times each year our student body gathers to celebrate athletes and their accomplishments. These events are celebrated with loud music, cheerleaders, performances by groups and the famous spirit competition. Students look forward to these events and enjoy the festivities!

 This year I have a student who gets so excited to see the Pep Rally symbol on his calendar. He spends all day anticipating the event and working hard to be able to attend. We make it to the pep rally, secure a seat by his friends and then quickly he asks to return to class. In reality, the event is too loud, too crowded and too overstimulating for him to handle. I always feel so deflated for him to not be able to attend!

Fast forward to February at the SC CEC conference......

 I attended many wonderful sessions at the event, but between sessions I was talking to a fellow educator about Google Apps. We were talking about how nice it is use to the calendar to schedule IEPs, how Drive and creating forms has made my peer tutors assignments more streamlined and then she mentioned Google Hangouts. I couldn't figure out why she would have even used this app. She then told me how they live stream pep rallies and assemblies for her students who wish to attend, but have the same concerns as my student. I returned to school with a mission. After meeting with Mrs. Swetnam and sharing my findings, we spent some time with the process and figured it out!!

I am thrilled beyond belief to be able to stream the upcoming Spring Sports Pep Rally for my student. This will allow him to enjoy the event in the comfort of our classroom.

Image result for google hangout logo

Book Trailers: Redefinition

One of the most challenging and rewarding projects that we did this year was to create Book Trailers using WeVideo. I allowed the students to work in small groups/partners to read a book together. The students then filled out a story map for the plot of the book. Afterwards, we used a storyboard that was shared with me by Tristan Evans, an 8th grade ELA teacher.  It was created by Lorena Swetnam, and its purpose is to get students to think about and discuss the aspects of the novel that they want to feature in the trailer. We then enlisted help from Mr, Abernathy, our Teaching and Learning Coach,  to learn how to use WeVideo and find images that are free to use. Eventually we needed to fill out a sequencing chart before creating the trailer in WeVideo.  I really enjoyed learning this technology with my students. I was very impressed with many of the final products, some of which were featured on our school news show.

I think that this project is a great example of  REDEFINING in the SAM-R Model. It absolutely would be impossible to create this learning experience without the use of technology.  The learning is student centered and collaboration is crucial. The final products are shared beyond the four walls of our classroom.

Hatchet book trailer

The Ghost of Graylock book trailer

Cover-up book trailer

Staple Food Crop Project

In collaboration with Social Studies, students were asked to identify a staple food crop that might be used to meet the needs of a growing global population.  Armed with their challenge and some considerations from their teachers, students set out to use what they were learning in class and could find out using their research skills to solve a real world problem.  We invited our media specialist to help students get started by learning to CART websites.  Students found it helpful to judge websites based upon the CART criteria (Current, Accessible, Relevant, Trustworthy).  Based on our study of plants in science class, students considered the variables related to the growth and development of their selected crop.  Students worked with their peers to create a presentation illustrating their findings.



I believe this project meets the redefinition stage of the SAM-R because use of technology allowed students to access cutting edge research to solve a real world problem.  Without technology students would not have had access to real time data needed to complete this project.

Redefining Homework in the Modern Language Classroom

Description of Student Work

Students are expected to use the online program Memrise Students are expected to use the online program Memrise to practice for French class.  Through the program students practice with teacher-created content.  Students can add pictures to help them remember the concepts, review material that they are currently learning, have learned, and will learn.  Students earn points for correctly using the material.  Students can compete with each other to see who can earn the most points.

Screenshots of Memrise Content


Example of words to learn
 Example of how vocabulary is presented to students

Example question

Example of Leaderboard


How this fits with SAM-R

Memrise helps redefine homework for students.  Without technology, students would practice with the material in workbooks or creating flashcards.  Students who wanted to study with someone else would have to go to that person's house.

With Memrise, students can get tailored help with their studying.  The program identifies which words each student does not know and repeats those words more often according scientific research about the memory curve..  This is something that would be nearly impossible for students to do without the aid of technology.

Memrise awards students points for answering a question correctly.  More points are given to words that students need to review, as opposed to words that they already know well.  This feature allows for students to quantify the amount of time and quality of studying the students are doing.  This is something that they could not show without technology.  This feature also allows students to compete with each to see who gets the most points; another feature that is not available with traditional studying.

Overall, using Memrise for homework helps redefine the works that students.  Now, students and teachers can get valuable feedback about the quality of studying that is happening at home.  Students can feel more empowered about what they are studying at home as they receive information about what they know in a way that would not be possible without technology.


Adjudication Form in VoiceThread

In preparation for our annual Concert Festival Performance Assessment, 7th and 8th grade orchestra students must sight-read a new piece of music for the adjudicator for a rating. They have 10 minutes to learn the music without being able to play anything aloud! This experience can be daunting, so to prepare them, they practice sight-reading simulations. I give them a piece of sheet music they have never seen before, and we go through the 10 minute process: we learn the piece only using silent methods and perform it while being recorded (audio). 
I like to give the students the chance to be their own adjudicators: I let them fill in the adjudication rubric with their own scores. In previous years, I have printed out copies of the SCMEA Orchestra Division Concert Festival Adjudication Form for them to use. This year, I was able to upload it into a VoiceThread so the students could input their scores and be able (for the first time) to see what their classmates thought of the recorded performance.

SCMEA Concert Festival Evaluation Form







Surprise Performance Padlet

The 8th grade orchestra performed a “surprise” performance in the lobby for Mrs. Mazyck in honor of National Bosses Day on October 14, 2014. The students are accustomed to reflecting on their performances, but never with the use of a padlet. Thanks to Mr. Abernathy, the students were able to showcase their performance feedback into a padlet. For the first time, students were able to see what their peers had to say about their performance. They really thought it was neat to watch their classmates type while they were typing!




Noteflight Compositions

Students were given the opportunity to compose their own piece of music using the free website noteflight.com. All compositions had to be 8 measures long. 6th grade students had to use three different kinds of rhythmic notes: quarter notes, half notes and eighth notes. 7th and 8th grade students had to incorporate slurs, dynamics and sixteenth notes into their compositions. This piece of evidence is an example of the redefinition level: the technology not only allows the students to compose their music easily on their chromebooks, it allows a playback feature for them to hear their own masterpiece. Students can also select the instrument they would like to hear play their piece. This would not be possible without the use of this incredible technology!







Sunday, March 15, 2015

Math Homework with "Digits" is a Real-Time Experience


Students in my pre-algebra classes use their chromebooks daily to access their online “Digits” assignments.  This digital curriculum program includes video lessons, online tutorials, homework practice, online quizzes and tests - all in real-time.  Each assignment is customized to fit my student’s learning needs.


For homework assignments, I set the number of attempts to three tries per problem. At any time during the assignment, students can choose the “help me solve this” option or “show me a similar problem” option for clarification.  As they answer each problem, students receive immediate feedback so they can rework any missed problem.  This instant feedback provides the positive motivation for them to continue through the assignment.  


As soon as students submit their assignments, I can assess their level of understanding.  When I choose the “view submissions” option, I can easily see exactly how much time was spent on each problem, view their answers, and their number of attempts.


At the beginning of each topic, I can customize a short pre-assessment, assign to each student at the beginning of class, and in a matter of minutes assess each student’s level of understanding.  This capability immediately determines the direction of the learning for every student.  


Using the “Digits” curriculum in math meets the Modification and Redefinition stages of the SAM-R model.  While the traditional paper-and-pencil provide students with important practice on classwork and homework assignments as well as assessments, the addition of the technology features enhances the teaching and learning.  The real-time capabilities through the use of technology provide immediate feedback on the success of each student at any given time. Because this type of assessment cannot be accomplished in this quick amount of time without the use of technology, it becomes a strong example of the redefinition stage. Students are also more motivated to complete their assignments and do their best work when they receive ongoing progress of their level of understanding.  And because this digital curriculum provides instant results for every student, I can design the work in more meaningful ways.










Kids Use WeVideo and Flip Cameras to Teach Others


  • Assignment: Photosynthesis Video Project
    • Your group will be teaching the process of photosynthesis to 3rd graders.
    • You may use flip cameras, your Google Chromebooks, the white marker boards, paper, etc. You can create a movie, skit, rap, whiteboard lesson, etc.
    • Your lesson should be 2-3 minutes long.
  • Assistance: Mr. Abernathy, Mrs. Swetnam, and Mrs. Turner all helped teach students to use WeVideo as we worked in the media center all week and used the recording studio and extra classroom spaces for recording.
  • Examples:


2nd Period Winner (above):
Here is a blog entry about a student reflection on the project:
Screenshot 2015-03-15 at 7.07.41 PM.png

Blogging with 6th Graders

KidBlog (Modification and Redefinition)
Students on the Lightning Team have been blogging all year using KidBlog for both science and social studies topics. Students are encouraged to have catchy title, include a picture, and have proper grammar. Students have learned how to make positive comments to one another and ask thoughtful questions within their blogs. KidBlog has allowed us Mr. Sid Smith and I to monitor, make private and public comments, and even edit student posts and comments, if needed.  You may view our blog at the following website: http://kidblog.org/MixsonZone/

The following are sample blog entries from my students:
Screenshot 2015-03-15 at 6.01.31 PM.png

Screenshot 2015-03-15 at 6.14.20 PM.png

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Better Than Poster Board

   Students used both Discovery Education, as well as other outside sources to investigate tools of science from each century (1500s-current).  Students were required to use at least three different sources. They used a combination of photos, illustrations, and video clips to convey their research to other students. These Board Builders were shared with other students so that students could teach each other about scientific tools. Here is a link to one:
Student Board Builder Sample
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/builders/boards?assetGuid=52A94996-9EF2-9CE9-FBD1-39D65CDD4429 

Do You Kahoot?

      Kahoot is an interactive "game" system that assesses student knowledge while they answer content related questions in a timed fashion.  At the start of the blog, teachers can upload video or music as students sign in.  For this particular example, (astronomy unit), I uploaded "The Planets" by Gustav Holst, which is a classical collection of music based on the planets.

    Students sign in before starting. I require students to use their first names and not nick-names because I collect data from this exercise and need to know who each student is. (More about data in a minute)

    Once students log in, the teacher starts the game.  A teacher can find already created reviews on Kahoot.  I generally design my own.   Questions that I design include content based questions and photos/illustrations to go along with the questions, whenever possible.
When designing the game, a teacher can choose from a list of times that they would like the question to be available (20secs, 30 secs, 60secs, etc).  If all students answer prior to that time, the quesion automatically ends.

    Students read the question on the Smart Board and then use their mobile device (Chromebook) to answer the questions.

     Teachers then have the opportunity to review each question and discuss.  At the end of the game, teachers can save their data (who answered what questions correctly) on an Excel sheet.  I offer extra credit on a unit test to the top 10 scorers of each class.

A link to Kahoot (For teachers to create their own)    Students log in to Kahoot.it

Straight at the Sun

This year we also focused on the fact that technology doesn't just mean using the computers and videos.   We tried to expose students to technology in the field of science.  In this activity we had a guest speaker talk to the students about solar telescopes and how they are used.  Students not only learned what can be seen, but they had the oppotunity to experience it first had.
Students also had a chance to use a spectroscope to determine elements that were on the sun (star).
Students were able to use their own cameras from phones and connect them to the telescope to take their very own pictures of the sun, safely.   Students then identified sun spots.  Student pictures of the sun were used to compare pictures of the sun from SOHO over the next several days. Students then drew conclusions about movements of the sun spots. Utilizing background knowledge from class, students drew conclusions utilizing level three vocabulary.
Embedded image permalink

Monday, March 9, 2015

Board Builder- Teacher

Another way technology becomes part of our day to day routine is through the use of a Discovery Education tool called Board Builder.

From a teaching perspective, I break down the standards into key parts.  Some key parts are made into a Board Builder lesson which may cover a couple of days to a week, depending on the content. 

This tool can be utlized for students to learn new conent through video, reading selections, graphics, or even a video I make for them.  Acitivies can be added.  I can attached lab or investigative activities, a webquest or a simple worksheet, as well. These units are often a combination of the facets of SAM-R.

This particular mini unit pertains to hearing. (waves) It incorporates a reading selection, video clip and content related questions, a webquest, and a video which was discussed as a class.
https://google.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/79017BF1-BC48-8E3B-205C-173628FB25A6 
Students practiced determining distance and displacement, along with average speed, while tracking actual sharks on the West Coast.  Several sharks are fitted with a GPS device and every time they "fin" (come up to the surface), their locations are documented on a map.  Without technology, this activity would not be possible.  Here is a copy of the task, including the live website with shark locations.
###
The next activity is all about a shark. This is an actual shark that is tracked by marine biologists. Please go to the following website and follow the instructions. All answers will go in your notebook. Date today's entry and label it: MACK

http://www.fishtrack.com/live-track/
On this website, find Mack the Shark.
Locate his position on August 22 at approximately 2:57am. What was his displacement from the day the previous measurement was taken until August 22? E-mail me the answer.

Record data/analysis in notebook:
Later in the day Mack was found again. This time, at 4:39:48. What distance did it travel? What was its average speed?

Graph each leg (each spot) of Mack's Journey on the erasable graph. By simply looking at your distance/time graph, determine which leg was traveled at the fastest pace. How do you know?

What was the average speed of the journey from start to finish- in days? hours?
Why do you think he traveled so far compared to Sugarlips?
Using the reading selection below, determine what do they mean by "finning" and why is that when they take the coordinates of the shark?