Exciting Times

January has been a busy month with much excitement! I am expecting to go out on maternity leave within the next two weeks and as a result have been working to get in one final lesson with many teachers and provide them with professional development they can use to continue their technology integration while I'm gone. I've supported teachers in their use of PicCollage, SMART Boards and Notebook 14, Seesaw, Kahoot, and navigating the new TestNav 8 software that students will use to take their SOL tests beginning in May. Additionally, I've worked to get student iPads on our new management system so that hopefully they can be more easily maintained while I'm out and limit the number of password and update pop ups that students have been experiencing. Oh, and we can't forget the three snow days! Below are some of the lessons I've been fortunate enough to be a part of this month.

Map Skills
Second grade teachers have been working to incorporate social studies and science content into their reading centers. As a result, I've created a couple of webquest type activities that help students explore these concepts further and deepen their understanding. I worked with Mrs. Davidson's second graders on a map webquest where they looked at how a legend, compass rose, and title provide information for a map. Students used Google Earth to locate major geographical features in the United States such as the Appalachian Mountains and Great Lakes. Students compared the location of major mountain ranges and practiced labeling features on maps.

Story Retelling

First grade students have been working on retelling stories by identifying the beginning, middle, and end of books they have read during guided reading. I had the opportunity to work with Mrs. Ahladas' and Mrs. Dingman's classes helping them create digital retellings in Seesaw. This learning experience allowed the teachers to hear each student retell a story and share the work with families. Additionally, saving the work to Seesaw allows teachers, families, and students to revisit the work throughout the year to monitor student progress.

Passion Projects

Mrs. Davidson's second graders have been working on their passion projects for several weeks now. This month they finished up their presentations - which range from posters, to Pixie projects, to booklets - and will have the opportunity to share with others next week. I loved being a part of this project because providing students with this opportunity built on their natural curiosities and created an experience that made learning meaningful for them. 

A student working on her Pixie presentation

Students working on their final products

Digital Citizenship

Four of the five fifth grade classes have completed their three digital citizenship lessons with me where we've focused on Acceptable Use, Private Information, and Netiquette. Students should now be aware of the impact sharing information digital can have on themselves as well as their family and friends. I've emphasized the notion that information shared digitally is easily spread. Students have been encouraged to err on the side of caution when sharing digitally and to consider if they would like the information they're communicating shared publicly. We've also explore the importance of clarity in digital communication. Without the help of body language and voice it can be challenging to interpret the tone of a digital message. While our lessons are "finished" these are concepts that students need continual reminders of at both school and home. 

Graphing

Kindergartners have been learning how to create tally charts and bar graphs to represent a set of data. To practice these skills independently, Mrs. Sinsabaugh and Mrs. Wagner's classes were given a series of winter images and a blank tally chart which they took a photo of in Seesaw. They then drew on top of the chart to create a visual representation of the data. After creating the tally chart, students then followed the same steps and created a bar graph. Using the information they recorded in the bar graph, they included an audio recording sharing information. A student sample can be found here. 

A tally chart in progress

A student constructs a bar graph

Animals and Ecosystems

Mrs. Hanneman's third graders have been learning about animals and the ecosystems in which they live. To apply concepts such as habitat, community, population, and environment and practice their writing skills, students conducted a brief research project where they learned about the ecosystem of an animal and then wrote a paragraph sharing their learning. Students were required to include some of the key terms to deepen their understanding of these concepts. Additionally, they practice paraphrasing while taking notes and developing thoughtful endings to their paragraphs. Here is an example of student work.

Students typing their paragraphs as a caption in Seesaw

Hard at work

Geometry Scavenger Hunt

Mrs. Gillam's fourth graders applied what they've learned about geometry to the world around them by completing a geometric scavenger hunt. Students were given a list of terms studied in class to find examples of in their classroom and the courtyard. They created PicCollages that included photos of the terms with the example highlighted and a label. Here are two examples of completed student work Student Sample 1 and Student Sample 2 This was a great way for students to review the terms and make connections between the content learned in class and real world. Additionally, it was a formative assessment for the classroom teacher to determine what concepts students had a firm grasp on and which needed additional instruction. 

Searching in the courtyard

Drawing on a photo to identify a term

Skip Counting

In younger grades, learning how to count is a basic skill that is essential to future math development. But how does a teacher have time to listen to 20 or more students count by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s? Seesaw provides a great platform for students to practice their counting skills that their teacher can review during planning or even while relaxing at home. First grade students took a photo of a hundreds chart and then used the drawing and record feature to demonstrate their ability to skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s. Here is a student sample. In addition to providing a formative assessment for students, sharing the work with families on Seesaw allows them to see how they might be able to provide additional support to their children. All work, even that with mistakes, was saved so that student progress can be monitored over time. 

Digital Storytelling

Students in Ms. Hoggan's second grade class have been learning about the elements of fairy tales and crafting their own stories. I was fortunate enough to join them in class and teach them how to use the app Toontastic that they'll work with to tell their original tales. This learning opportunity was especially powerful to some of the reluctant writers in her class. They are excited about crafting a toon that will showcase their writing. Additionally, with the ability to create their own characters in the app, students are excited about putting themselves into their stories. 

Creating original characters

More original characters

Let's Get Started!

After getting classroom routines established, one group of first graders has been working on integrating technology into their reading and math centers. While coding is fun, it also works to improve students' sequencing, directional, and problem solving skills. These students were introduced to coding through the app Kodable. Students work to move the "fuzzy ball" through increasingly difficult mazes. As they progress through the program they begin using conditions and loops. One of the things I really love about coding is that some students who are searching for their niche in academics excel at coding.

An example of a maze from level 1

Creating the code sequence

In order to become better readers, students must read! These students learned how to access a plethora of eBooks using Epic! Students let the program know their interests and based on their selections books are recommended to them. Beginning readers can pick from books that read aloud to expose them to new vocabulary and model reading fluency. The program is entirely free for educators and parents can access the vast library of books from home for $4.99 a month. A price well worth it considering the quality and quantity of books available on Epic!

Reading about hockey

These students wanted to learn more about sharks

Second graders have started using manipulatives to represent story problems. They are working with part-part-whole method to solve addition and subtraction problems. After modeling the story problem with counters, students took a photo and wrote the corresponding number sentence in the app Seesaw. This is a challenging skill! Students are typically able to identify a fact from the fact family associated with the problem, but struggle to identify the fact that represents the problem.

Taking a photo of the representation

Writing the corresponding number sentence

Developing Communication Skills

Across the grade levels, developing communication skills was a common theme in the lessons that I supported teachers with over the last two weeks. Students have been working to improve their written and verbal communication not only in reading and writing, but also social studies, math, and science. 

Most classroom teachers are using the app Seesaw as a way for students to create as well as a communication tool between school and home. It's amazing to see how much even our youngest students can do when we give them the opportunity! 

American Symbols

First graders are learning about American symbols including the Statue of Liberty and bald eagle. To share what they've learned and become familiar with the app Seesaw, students drew a picture of their favorite symbol and then recorded themselves sharing their new knowledge.

Did you know using a plastic container can help block out background noise and amply a student's voice when recording?

The Statue of Liberty

Where in the World?
Third graders should now be able to locate the seven continents. As an informal assessment, students took a picture of a world map and then created short videos showing where each continent is located. This was a great review of content while teaching students how to use Seesaw. Afterwards, the classroom teacher could use the recordings to guide future instruction.

Labeling the Continents

Going on a Sound Hunt

Kindergartners are learning about letters and the sounds that they make. To help reinforce this skill, students went on a beginning sound hunt around the classroom. They took pictures of different objects that started with a specific sound and either recorded themselves sharing what they had learned about the letter and its sound, or created a Pic Collage of several pictures of objects beginning with the same sound. 

Books starts with "B"!

Recording a Finding for the "T" Sound

Students Creating Pic Collages of Objects that Start with the Same Sound

Fact Families
Second grade students reviewed their knowledge of fact families by rolling a die twice and then using unifix cubes to create a number "train" with those numbers. Afterwards they used Seesaw to take a photo of their train and then write down the four facts associated with their family. For example, if they rolled a four and seven their facts were 4+7=11, 7+4=11, 11-7=4, and 11-4=7.

A Student Writes Facts on His Photo

I Wonder... 
Have you ever wondering how big the largest piece of hail was? Or maybe where the biggest hurricane was located? As an introduction to a unit on weather, fifth graders brainstormed questions they have about the topic. They then used the app Shadow Puppet to create a short video of their "wonders". Work was then shared with families and classmates via Seesaw. As they dive deeper into their study of weather they'll hopefully be able to answer their questions.

The Weather was Great, so We Worked Outside

Students Used Library Books in the Creation of Their Projects

Writing with Google
Our district "went Google" last year giving students access to the Google Apps for Education suite. This week fourth graders logged into their accounts for the first time and learned the basics of word processing. They learned about features unique to Google apps, like not having to save your work and the revision history, as well as traditional features like how to indent a paragraph and center your title. As the year progresses, students will share their work with others and receive constructive feedback on their Docs.

Behind the Scenes

Writers at Work

A Gingerbread Man on a Pirate Ship...

Second grade students worked on identifying a character and setting through creative story telling this week. They selected a character and setting from a stack of cards and then developed a short story which include a problem. While writing can be cumbersome for some students, this activity allowed them to voice record their stories so that they could focus on the elements of the story. Students developed some unique stories that they'll be able to share with their families and classmates through Seesaw. 

Recording a Creative Story

Good Citizens 

What makes a good citizen? First graders considered this question as they were introduced to Seesaw. After completing a sentence about what they can do to be a good citizen, they photographed their work and then recorded themselves sharing their thought. Students worked on their writing and verbal communication skills while considering how they could contribute to their classroom and school. 

Photographing Work

We're Back!

This school year has started off with a bang! It's been excited to see familiar faces and meet new friends. Many teachers are committed to getting their students familiar with technology tools as they establish classroom routines. Below are just a handful of the ways students at JGES and HCES have started using technology in the learning process during these first two weeks of school. Stay tuned throughout the year to see how students will use these tools to redefine their learning experiences.

Third Grade is Going to be Awesome!
Third graders got to know their classmates better through the use of Seesaw. Students took a selfie and then recorded information about themselves, including things they were excited about for the new school year and worries that they still had. After recording students listening to one another's work to better understand their peers and build a stronger classroom community.

A Student Records

Students Listen to their Classmates' Work

All About Our Class
Second grade students created picture collages of aspects of their classroom that were important to them using the app Pic Collage. The collages were then uploaded to Seesaw to share with their parents the different components of their learning environment.

Pic Collages in the Works

How to be "Paw"some
Second grade students shared how they would be "paw"some tigers this upcoming school year. They worked in pairs to record themselves in Seesaw so that they could share their ideas with their families and classmates.

"Paw"some Tigers Helping One Another

Shapes
Even the youngest tiger cubs have started learning to use the app Seesaw to share what they know. This week a couple of kindergarten classes used the drawing and recording features of the app to illustrate squares and triangles and record the names of and defining characteristics of the shapes.

Tiger Cubs at Work

Recording What She's Learned about Shapes

Beauty is Everywhere
Fourth grade students have been looking to find the good in one another and the world around them. During a walk around the building, students took photos of sights that exemplify beauty when examined closely. With keen eyes students found cicada shells, patterns in tree bark, uniqueness in pipes, and much more. Using the app Seesaw students recorded what they thought was so beautiful about the ordinary object they observed.

Cicada Shells were Found in this Tree

Sharing their Findings

Curiosity
Fifth grade students had a chance to share their curiosities by creating Shadow Puppets of questions they had about objects in our courtyard. They've been working to develop questions that could be used to guide scientific investigations. Students used what they've learned about developing these questions to use as they developed questions about everyday objects. For example, do certain types of soil make trees grow taller? The projects were then shared with families via Seesaw.

Scientists at Work

I Wonder if this Tree... 

Who's Teaching Who?

Last week was a bit of an anomaly - Wednesday I participated in training for our district's assessment management system, Thursday was an early release day for students, and Friday I took a personal day. 

With that said, these two classroom experiences demonstrate why I love my job so much! And in going along with the anomaly theme, this post takes a more reflective tone.

Fact Families

Last year I was fortunate enough to work with four first grade classes on a regular basis. I got to know the students well and looked forward to working with them each week. It was astounding how much they learned and changed over the course of the school year. Fast forward to this school year and those students are now second graders. 

The first few weeks of school those students and I passed one another in the hallway with waves and smiles, but this week I had the opportunity to help some of those students share what they know about fact families using the app Educreations. The app allows users to create "movies" that include visuals and voice recording. As students are explaining what they know about fact families, they can illustrate or highlight key points. Students worked to model a fact family and the series of equations that belong to their chosen family. 

A student recording his fact family knowledge with Educreations

While they have only been second graders for a matter of weeks, they are so different than the first graders I worked with a few months ago. Students who used to become frustrated when they were unable to articulate their thoughts or didn't get it "just right" the first time showed perseverance and patience. Others, who sometimes tested boundaries, were excited by the task at hand and engaged in the lesson. 

It was amazing to see the progress these students made and caused me to reflect on the changes I see in my son from day to day. At home I try hard to take in these moments and only hurry when it's a must. We often get so caught up in the hustle and bustle and working toward our end goals that we forget to stop and celebrate the small (or big!) changes that happen along the way. With pressures of pacing, testing, deadlines, 20+ students and more it's often easier to get wrapped up and lose sight of these changes at school. While I hope I taught these students something about fact families and Educrations during their center with me, I am certain that it was not as valuable as the lesson they taught me. 

A student works on the title slide for his Educreations video

Programming with Kodable

As mentioned my first post, one class of first graders is learning the basics of computer programming, or coding, with the app Kodable. The classroom teacher and I are working to help the students become independent coding so that it can become a regular part of their math rotations each week. I've found that with this "new" way of thinking for students, many of them benefit from talking through their strategies, or sharing why their "fuzzy ball" keeps getting stuck at a certain point in the maze. While helping other students talk through their work, I glanced over and noticed this... 

These two students were stuck on the same level and began working through the task together. This, to me, is learning. Go beyond the surface of two students sitting next to one another looking at their iPads. Here are two students deeply engaged in the task at hand - in this case problem solving. They are communicating their strategies, analyzing what's working or not, collaborating to develop a solution... skills that will be used far beyond the walls of our school! This is my happy place!

Creating experiences for students that allow them to get wrapped up in their learning and go beyond the content is what I strive to do each day. I'm already looking forward to my next post. Third and fourth graders are using technology as a way to "go beyond the content" in Social Studies and Reading this week!