Google Docs: English Language Arts

     I used Google Docs to create a worksheet which will teach common prefixes and suffixes, as well as encourage my students to think of words that they already know which include them. I gave my students the option to print off the worksheet or submit it to me through Google Docs. I included a definition of the prefixes/suffixes section, listing words that start with the chosen suffixes, define words based on their knowledge, and an opportunity for bonus points by listing as many words as they can with those prefixes/suffixes.
     I liked how easy it was to format everything. It was easy to add pictures, links, tables, text and other similar features. It is very easy to adjust text font and size as well as color. And, if you want to highlight text, it is simple to do that as well. I am familiar with this tool, and there isn't anything that I don't like. It even saves automatically for you, so you aren't at risk of accidentally deleting an entire project and having to start all over.
     My students can use this tool as a way to turn in essays or worksheets (if I use it for worksheets). They can use it for group projects and study guides as well. I can also have students put together mock worksheets that demonstrate their understanding of a subject, or have them exchange worksheets in groups to evaluate both the creator of the worksheet and the one filling it out.

Standards:
ISTE: Global Collaborator: "I strive to broaden my perspective, understand others and work effectively in teams using digital tools".
EdTech: Standard Six, "Use telecommunications efficiently and effectively to access remote information and communicate with others in support of direct and independent learning and for pursuit for personal interests. (4)".
UEN Content: Reading: Foundational Skills Standard 3a., "Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes".

Project: Common Prefixes and Suffixes--3rd Grade

Tiki-Toki: Social Studies--Kindergarten

     I used Tiki-Toki to create a timeline of United States holidays, focusing on those which commemorate people or events, in order to teach kindergartners about holidays and what they mean. I discussed 18 holidays, though I think that if I use this in my classroom, I will add more holidays to it. I can also use this timeline to document my student's birthdays and have it accessible on my class page for students to see when their peers' birthdays are coming up. I can also use this tool as a way to detail what the plan for the school year is, including lessons, assignments, and assessments. I can either make it only accessible to myself, or let my students access it.

     I liked the layout of the Tiki-Toki and that it was easy to name as well as insert a background. I liked that it was relatively easy to add events to the timeline, including adding pictures and text. Although I did not use this feature, I thought it was helpful that you can color code categories of events. For example, blue could represent national holidays while green represented only state holidays. I didn't like that the "free sign up" meant that I would still have to pay for some features. Obviously, I did not use these features, but I think it would have been fun.

     My students can use this tool to discuss events in history (such as the events of the revolutionary war) or to do a biographical timeline of a person's life. They can even use this tool to detail the plot of a book as a nontraditional book report. My students can use this to create a timeline of scientific discoveries in a certain area. There are many possibilities for how I can use this in a classroom, and I can make the projects into group projects because it would be a collaborative tool.

Standards:

ISTE: Knowledge Constructor: "I critically select, evaluate, and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflect my learning and builds my knowledge".

EdTech: Standard 7, "Use telecommunication and on-line resources (e.g., email, online discussions, web environments) to participate in collaborative problem-solving activities to develop solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (4,5)".

UEN Content: Standard 2, Objective 3d. "Identify the people and events honored in Utah and U.S. commemorative holidays".

Link to my project: Timeline of Commemorative Holidays

Padlet: Science--3rd Grade

     I used Padlet to create a collaborative project discussing how a smaller environment is affected differently than a larger environment. It is also used to discuss the differences between how living and nonliving things interact within those environments. I posed questions for my students to answer on the board.

     I liked how it was very easy to add a picture or text to the padlet. I liked how the background could be customized, and that it offered many options that were already uploaded onto the site. I liked being able to move things around easily. There is also an option to have the boxes organized (ex: in columns or staggered), if you do not know how you want to place them. It was also very easy to navigate, which I liked. The only thing that I did not like was that resizing boxes was a little bit difficult and it looked like I could only extend them horizontally. It worked out, but it would be inconvenient if I wanted to extend it diagonally or vertically.

     My students can use this resource to put together projects in which they discuss topics that they have learned about. They can either post a discussion to me, or share it with a few of their peers in a group collaboration. I can even have my class put one together as a class, with each child posting their name with their contribution. Then it opens a discussion to the whole class and they can share information with each other that the others might not have known. 

Standards:
ISTE: Innovative Designer: "I solve problems by creating new and imaginative solutions using a variety of digital tools".
EdTech: Standard 5, "Use technology tools (e.g. multimedia authoring presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing ,communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3,4)".
UEN Content: Standard 2, Objective 2: a. "Identify living and nonliving things in a small environment (e.g., terrarium, aquarium, flowerbed) composed of living and nonliving things. b. "Predict the effects of changes in the environment (e.g., temperature, light, moisture) on a living organism". d. "Compare a small-scale environment to a larger environment (e.g., aquarium to a pond, terrarium to a forest)". e. "Pose a question about the interaction between living and nonliving things in the environment that could be investigated by observation".

Storybird: English Language Arts

     I used Storybird to create a story about a little witch whose wish one day came true! I created a simple story that includes opinion questions which allow my students to decide what their opinion about the book is and separate their opinion from the character's. I can use this format to add questions for comprehension (or to consider the reader's opinions) for my students. I can also use this tool as a fun way to create narratives that teach concepts for math, science, or social studies. This can help students who tend to learn better through audio (I can read it aloud) or through anecdotes. 

     I liked all of the artwork that is available to use and the different styles. I liked how easy it was to add text, pictures, and pages. I wish that the offered pictures were a little bigger so that I could see them better without having to add them to the page. I also wish that you could use pictures from different collections in order to better illustrate the story. I felt like the story was a bit at the mercy of the pictures available.

     My students can use this as a nontraditional book report, or to present what they have learned in social studies. They can present them to the class or share them within groups, depending on what the assignment is. They can write stories that illustrate a math or science concept so that they have a little way of remembering it.

Standards:
ISTE: Creative Communicator: "I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats and digital media".
EdTech: Standard 8, "Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5,6)".
UEN Content: Reading: Literature Standard 6: "Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters".

PodCast: Health Education

     I used PodOmatic to create a series of podcasts about major body systems, the muscular and skeletal systems, and ways to strengthen the muscular and skeletal systems. I can use this tool to create podcasts that my students can listen to at home with the use of a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. My students can listen to podcasts while doing other homework or housework, giving them the ability to multitask.
     I liked how easy it was to upload and title a podcast, as well as adding cover art for it. I like that it also has podcasts by other people that are available to me, which would allow me to choose podcasts to share with my students while we are doing work in class. I can also access podcasts for personal use as a teacher for suggestions on how to teach different subjects. The only thing that I didn't like was that this tool did not offer a way to record a podcast on the website. It requires that the user record audio outside of the website, and then uploading it from there. That was my only complaint, because I could not do the whole project in one place.
     My students can use this as a form of nontraditional book report, a study guide for themselves that they can listen to while they do other work, or to talk about different subjects. I can have my students create a podcast about a topic (i.e. history) and have each student create a series of short podcasts about a historical figure. Or, I can have students create one podcast for a couple of different historical figures.

Standards:
ISTE: Creative Communicator: "I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats and digital media".
EdTech: Standard 5: "Use technology tools (e.g. multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)".
UEN Content: Standard 3, Objective 1a. "Name the major body systems and their basic functions". b. "Describe the skeletal and muscular systems". c. "Demonstrate ways to strengthen the skeletal and muscular systems".

Create Tool of Choice (Lensoo Create): Mathematics

     

     I used Lensoo Create, which is similar to eduCreate, but is a tool available to Android and Samsung users. There is also a website, so it can be used on a computer. I used it to create an educational video about bar graphs and picture graphs as well as how to answer two step "more than" and "less than" word problems using the information represented on the graphs. I can use this to narrate a video as I draw it as substitution for drawing on a whiteboard. 

     I liked how easy it was to draw on the screen; it was like actually drawing on a whiteboard. I really enjoyed how easy it was to change the color of the marker and how many different colors were available. I liked that you could start recording the video with text or drawings already on the screen and that you could erase all of the drawings at once. The only thing I didn't like is that you could not restart the recording if you made a mistake. So I would have to start the video all over again, which could become frustrating. Other than that, I loved this resource.

     My students can use this to do math homework instead of using paper. They can write in the corner what number they are working on (ex: Problem 1) and then solve it on the screen. This way, I can save paper and listen to how the students are thinking through the problem. My students can also make videos of themselves taking notes in class so that they can play them back later to study and hear everything that I said or they said while taking the notes.

Standards:
ISTE: Innovative Designer: "I solve problems by creating new and imaginative solutions using a variety of digital tools".
EdTech: Standard 8: "Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5,6)".
UEN Content: Strand: Measurement and Data, Standard 3.MD.3, "Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one-and two-step "how many more" and "how many less" problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs. For example, draw a bar graph in which each square in the bar graph might represent five pets."

MindMapping with Popplet: Physical Education

     I used Popplet to create a mindmap. I used the first few nodes to break the main concept of 3rd grade physical education, then used some more to discuss concepts within the subtopics. I chose different colors to separate the different sections of information.

     I liked how easy it was to put together the nodes. It was very easy to add images into the different bubbles, and to then add text to those. It was easy to navigate and edit colors and text sizes. I did not like that it could get messy very quickly as you add more popplets. I would have to use this tool for older students if it got really messy and complicated or simplify concepts for younger students so that it was easier to follow. I could also use this tool as a pre-and-post assessment. At the beginning of the year, have students create a mindmap that includes everything they know about a subject (social studies, science, English, etc). Then, at the end of the year, have them make another mindmap to show what they know, then give them the chance to compare this new mindmap with the first one that they made.

     My students could use this tool to present everything that they know about different subjects. For example, in response to a history lesson, they could break the popplets into people, places, events, etc. Or, for science they could show me everything they know about different branches of science (biology, chemistry, astronomy, etc). They can also use it to create study guides for themselves.

Standards: 
ISTE: Creative Communicator: "I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using diffeerent tools, styles, formats and digital media."
EdTech: Standard 6: "Use telecommunications efficiently and effectively to access remote information and communicate with others in support of direct and independent learning and for pursuit of personal interests. (4)."
UEN Content: Strand 5, Standard 3.5.1, "Discuss the relationship between physical  activity and good health". Standard 3.5.2, "Reflect on the personal selection of particular physical activities over other options". Standard 3.5.4, "Describe the positive social interactions that result from participation in physical activity".

Animoto: Mathematics

     I used Animoto to create a series of videos about math tools, both physical tools and mental tools such as estimation. I made a video for compasses, estimation, rulers, and calculators. I can use this tool for very simple videos about different concepts in math subjects. I can use the app to present vocabulary, both in math and other subjects. I can then present them in class and/or have them available on my class website for my students to quickly review subjects.

     I liked how easy it was to put together the videos and how I could use my own pictures. I liked the many templates that were available to use, which would make it easy to customize for the different subjects. However, I did not like that it limited the characters that I could enter on each slide with the pictures. This resource would be most useful for vocabulary or simple concepts because there isn't much room for long explanations. However, I could offer commentary during the video while presenting it to the class.

     My future students can use this to teach each other simple lessons. I can also have them use this to present their favorite vocabulary words. If I wanted to teach English or spelling with this tool, I can have my students research their own list of words to spell or define and then have them send it to me. This way, I can see what they have learned about the words they looked up. My students can also use this resource to put together picture assignments to show reading comprehension or present a nontraditional book report on a character.

Standards:
ISTE: Creative Communicator: "I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats and digital media".
EdTech: Standard 6: "Use telecommunications efficiently and effectively to access remote information and communicate with others in support of direct and independent learning and for pursuit of personal interests. (4)".
UEN Content: Mathematics, Standard 3.MP.5: "Use appropriate tools strategically. Consider the tools that are available when solving a mathematical problem, whether in a real-world or mathematical context. Choose tools that are relevant and useful to the problem at hand, such as drawings, diagrams, technologies, and physical objects and tools, as well as mathematical tools such as estimation or a particular strategy or algorithm."

EDpuzzle: Health Education--Substance Abuse Prevention

     I used EDPuzzle to create a video about the statistics and risks of passive smoke, also known as secondhand smoke. I can use it in my class as a simple way to have students take quizzes at home. I can also present it during class and have them write their responses to the quiz questions down on paper.
     I liked the large variety of videos that were available for me to access for all sorts of subjects and grade levels. I think I would have a difficult time finding such a wide variety if I only had access to YouTube, but with this tool I am able to find a plethora of potential videos with the simple search of a topic. I did not like how the audio recording got rid of any background music that came with the video. I also did not like that the whole video had to be recorded before you could save the recording. It is a resource that very much requires that you sit down and finish it instead of something you can work on a little bit at a time. If I wanted to use this, I would have to set aside the time to put the entire video together.
     My students can use this to give presentations and quizzes in the class. Their peers would write the answers to the quiz questions on paper. For example, if we are studying Native American history, one student can present a video and quiz on the Cherokee tribes while another can present the Navajo tribe. They can either give these quizzes to the class, a couple of peers (like we did with the Kahoot! project), or send them to me to evaluate their understanding of the questions that they presented.

Standards:
ISTE: Knowledge Constructor: "I critically select, evaluate and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflect my learning and builds my knowledge".
EdTech: Standard 5, "Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)."
UEN Content: Health Education, Substance Abuse Prevention, Standard 2, Objective 1.b, "Describe the effects of passive smoke."

YouTube: Fine Arts--Visual Arts

     I used YouTube to compile a playlist of videos that will teach my students about art--through artist biographies and techniques and tutorials. While teaching my students about different artists, I can show them a video that tells about the artist's life in addition to images of paintings done by the artist. While teaching my students about different art mediums, I can show them different videos which will give them ideas about creating their own art pieces.

     I liked that YouTube has so many available resources that can be used to teach students, as well as to entertain. I like that it is very easy to start a playlist for videos which teach different subjects. Videos can be helpful to auditory and visual learners, so this will be a valuable resource to include in order to cater to those students. I don't like that YouTube can contain inappropriate content, which I would not want my students to encounter while they create projects. When I use videos in my classroom, I can filter through inappropriate content to find clean videos which will be fun and educational.
     My students can use YouTube to compile videos which they used to learn about different techniques. Or, I can have students focus on an artist/art form and have them create a YouTube playlist which teaches about that subject. My students can use YouTube to learn more about subjects that I have taught outside of class, or to put together playlists that help them study.

Standards:

ISTE: Digital Citizen: "I understand the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world".
EdTech: Standard 8, "Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5,6)."

UEN Content: Fine Arts--Visual Arts, Strand: Create, Standard 3.V.CR.2:
Create a personally satisfying artwork using a variety of artistic processes and materials. Standard 3. V. CR. 3: Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and proficient use of materials, tools, and equipment for a variety of artistic processes.

Infographics: Health Education--Stress Management

     I used Piktochart to make an infographic about mental health. I included a list of personal responsibilities that my students may have, as well as some that they may have in the future. I discussed the consequences of neglecting or completing responsibilities. Then I included some tips to managing and preventing stress. I also decided to include numbers for some mental health hotlines in order to offer my students a resource to help them if they do not feel comfortable talking about stress with family, teachers, or a doctor.

     I liked that I could use a wide variety of images to add some details to my infographic. I liked that it was easy to organize information and that I could easily move slides up or down the infographic depending on where I felt that they should go. It was easy to change the text and backgrounds of the template. I did not like that some of the tutorials kept popping up in my way while I was trying to work on something. It's pretty easy to navigate, so it was a little annoying when the pop-up tutorials would keep me from adjusting something.
     My students can use this tool for a nontraditional book report or to present information about a person from history that they are interested in. They can use it to discuss a scientific concept as well, or something from health education. They can use it for themselves as a creative study guide, including the main facts that they need to know for upcoming tests or quizzes.

Standards:

ISTE: Creative Communicator: "I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats and digital media."

EdTech: Standard 5, "Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)."

UEN Content: Health Education--Healthy Self, Standard 1 "The students will learn ways to improve mental health and manage stress." Objective 1, "Demonstrate responsibility for self and actions." a. Identify personal responsibilities. b. Predict the consequences of neglecting responsibilities; e. g., increased stress, poor grades, punishment, no sense of accomplishment, impact on other people. c. Report the outcomes of completing responsibilities; e. g., sense of accomplishment, feeling good, contribution to cause, less stress. d. Determine how good decision making can help complete responsibilities.

Google Forms: Science--Earth and the Moon

      I used Google Forms to create an assessment in science, specifically regarding the Earth and moon. I used as many different question types as I could in order to experiment with different assessment types. I decided to ask a variety of questions in order to assess vocabulary, while also evaluating observation abilities and information recollection. For example, I have a question which requires them to select "revolves" as the answer instead of "walks" or "flies". I have students list three characteristics of the Earth, which they can come up with from an image of the Earth which I included. To assess memory recollection, I have a question in which they have to remember that it takes 28 days for the moon to orbit the Earth.
      I liked that there were many question types. Some questions are more beneficial if they are asked and answered in one way than another. I also liked that if you typed in a question, Google Forms would suggest a type of question that you could use. Sometimes I wasn't sure how I could pick a different kind of question, so it was a neat and helpful feature. I also liked that it was easy to set up all of the questions and the answers, and to add a background and other images. Like most Google products, it was very easy to use. I did not like that some of the questions did not have explanations for how to use the questions (like the multiple-choice grid). If I knew how to use some of the less common question types, I might have used them.
     My students can use this resource to create quizzes for each other as a way to study as a group. They can create quizzes for me to take as a project and, based on what they choose as the correct answers and how diverse their questions are, I will be able to evaluate their understanding. They can take quizzes repeatedly (though only the first take or two counts for grades) in order to study and master a concept if they have struggled with it.

Standards:
ISTE: Empowered Learner: "I use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them, and demonstrate my learning."
EdTech: Standard 5, "Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)."
UEN Content: Science--Standard 1, "Students will understand that the shape of Earth and the moon are spherical and that Earth rotates on its axis to produce the appearance of the sun and moon moving through the sky." Objective 1, "Describe the appearance of Earth and the moon." a. Describe the shape of Earth and the moon as spherical. b. Explain that the sun is the source of light that lights the moon. c. List the differences in the physical appearance of Earth and the moon as viewed from space. Objective 2, "Describe the movement of Earth and the moon and the apparent movement of other bodies through the sky." a. describe the motions of Earth (i.e., the rotation [spinning] of Earth on its axis, the revolution [orbit] of Earth around the sun). b. Use a chart to show that the moon orbits Earth approximately every 28 days. c. Use a model of Earth to demonstrate that Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours to produce the night and day cycle. d. Use a model to demonstrate why it seems to a person on Earth that the sun, planets, and stars appear to move across the sky.

ThingLink: Consumer and Community Health

     I used ThingLink in order to explore several healthcare services within the community. On each building or vehicle, I defined their purpose and an instance in which their service would be used. I decided to include some of the better known services since those would be the ones that my students would be more familiar with. I can show this to my class as an initial introduction to health services. Then, if I want to, I can have each of them create a ThingLink for a variety of assignments. They can either create one to talk about some less common services within the community or to go more in depth on one of the services that I covered. A student might create a ThingLink that has a picture of a hospital room and then explain what some of the different medical supplies are for.
     I liked the easy accessibility of the information. Instead of having to click on a link that would take me to a different page, I could roll my mouse over a link and learn about the health service. I like that it is a kind of interactive learning and I think that will help some of my students in the future. I liked how easy it was to add pictures and text to the links. I did not like that it took quite a bit of time to put together all of the links and the information to go with them. It will have to be something that I use when I have a bit more time to plan it out.
      My students can use this tool to describe environments (as a science standard), including labeling the living and nonliving organisms within it. They can either draw pictures and upload them (as I did), or download pictures from the internet to create the project on. They can also use this tool to explore the classroom during the summer, before class has started.

Standards:
ISTE: Knowledge Constructor. "I critically select, evaluate and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflects my learning and builds my knowledge".
EdTech: Standard 8, "Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, an extended learning activities. (5, 6)".
UEN Content: Health Education--Standard 7 Objective 3, "Summarize the role of health services in the community. a. List various health services. b. Define the role of each service. c. Identify situations in which the health services can or should be accessed."

Pinterest: Reading Comprehension

     I used my Pinterest Board to gather pins to teach reading comprehension to a third grade class. I included pins which had activities to practice and teach comprehension as well as how to assess comprehension. I can use Pinterest in my classroom as a place to gather creative ideas which will develop a more engaged classroom when I am teaching. It is also a place where I can post my own ideas and share them with fellow teachers or parents who homeschool. My students can use Pinterest for different projects. For example, if we read a book as a class I can have my students put together a Pinterest board that includes quotes that describe their favorite character(s). They can also make a board with pictures that describe different settings that were in the book. This would assess their comprehension of the book because they are required to find descriptions within the book in order to build their Pinterest board.
     I liked using Pinterest. I really liked that I could see ideas from teachers all over the country and the world in one place. It is a nice tool for organizing ideas into different subjects, especially since you can break them into even smaller categories. For example, I can have a science board and I can also have a biology board, chemistry board, etc. It can even have boards for lessons about cells, photosynthesis, and more narrow lessons. A small downside is seeing the same pins over and over again while searching for ideas, but this is a minor inconvenience and not a reason to avoid the tool.
     My students can use this resource to gather information about books or other subjects that we are learning in class (history, science, etc). They can use it as a way to gather inspiration for projects, or as a project itself, just creating boards with pins relevant to their subject. They can also use it as an introduction project, meaning that they pin things which they like/dislike (including whether or not they like it), or things they are interested in learning about.

Standards:
ISTE: Knowledge Constructor: "I critically select, evaluate and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflects my learning and builds my knowledge."
EdTech: Standard 5, "Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)".
UEN Content: Reading--Literature Standard 1, "Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers"

Pinterest Board: 3rd Grade Reading Standard 1

Additional Sources (Some favorite teachers' blogs with additional ideas):
Totally Terrific in Texas
Who's Who and Who's New