Friday, May 30, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/31/2014

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Sixth Digital Citizenship- Thursday

For our sixth grade students, digital citizenship is a required course.  For one quarter we meet together to navigate our way through topics like cyberbullying, social media, communication, media habits and more.  The students play games like Taboo to familiarize themselves with the vocabulary that surrounds these themes.  They work together to put words to their themes as seen below.






They then embark on a project where they create a piece of digital media that addresses one of the following prompts:

  • Every person should know ...
  • You might not know it but, ...
  • Mom and Dad: Did you know ...
  • As a sixth grader, I already know ...
They document their sources using NoodleTools. And in the vein of providing an authentic audience, I promise them that I will share with other teachers what they have learned.  Like educator Tom Daccord, I believe it's that last bit that really gets them to the next level. This class is not graded, yet, all of the students work diligently to create something meaningful that they can share beyond the classroom walls.  So without further adieu, here is their work!  The password for the sites is learn.









Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/29/2014

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/28/2014

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/20/2014

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Maker Faire 2014 Reflection

This weekend my family and I visited Maker Faire in the Bay Area for the second year in the row.  What an amazing experience!  My husband, a middle school math teacher, and I walked through on Saturday just marveling at the spirit and energy of each person attending the fair.  We attended several talks at the Education Stage and then meandered through the plethora of interactive exhibits.  If you like to make ANYTHING (bread, robotics, gardens, model trains, etc), this should be a must!  Even our 21 month old son had a great time.

This led me to think.  What can I make?  I know the answer to that.  So then I thought, I wonder what our faculty can make?  Could we create a PD day where we host a Maker Faire of our own and teach one another how to garden, sew, solder, woodwork and more?

Below are images and captions from the fair that I found inspiring.

How's this for a pony ride? Using mobility cart bases with plastic ponies!

The images below were taken at the Castilleja School's booth.  Check out their Bourn Idea Lab for more information on how they made each of these projects.


American history monument designed using SketchUp.

Microscope built using a laser cutter.

Calculus project

3-D printed art project with ties to sixth grade ancient history.

The remaining pictures just made me think, "I bet I could do that, better take a picture to inspire myself."

A bubble machine that provided endless entertainment for our family.

I can cook and sew, but I can't do anything with an Arduino...yet.

I have enough ripped jeans.  Could I make this?

Old ties = new belt



Lamps made from a laser cutter.

Marble run made using popsicle sticks.


Another marble run

Those crazy cupcakes.  Could this be a Halloween outfit?!

Friday, May 16, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/17/2014

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/16/2014

  • Why it's important to consistently offer our teachers quality PD.
    tags: PD
    • The goal must be to provide ongoing professional development that moves an entire faculty forward, consistent with the school's vision and core values.
    • New teachers, whether experienced or not, participate in a three-year program—yes, three years—of thoughtfully scaffolded skills matched to the school's chosen direction for teaching and learning. Some topics reinforce the school's traditional strengths; others reflect the major strains of innovation
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/13/2014

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

GCT App Submitted!

Alright GCTers, I have submitted my application for the Academy!  Boy, that took some work, parring down my resume, writing short answers (really short!- 800 characters) and then making a one minute video that showcases my innovation in the classroom. Whew! I'm glad to have gone through the process.


Thursday, May 8, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/09/2014

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Educational Resources & Tech Tools 05/02/2014

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.