Digital Math Manipulatives

This week in math, my class is reviewing basic fraction concepts, and learning how to compare and order fractions. In the past, we used Play-Doh to model different fractions. However, this week, I decided to take advantage of the electronic tools provided through our math curriculum, Envisions. Within this program, several digital math manipulatives are provided. The tools are arranged in categories related to content. Some of these categories counters, bar diagrams, money, and fractions. Today, we tried out the modeling fractions tool.

To begin math today, we did an oral review of fractions. We discussed concepts like equal parts, the meaning of the numerator and denominator, and unit fractions. Next, I modeled using the modeling fractions tool to create a circle/rectangle, partition the shape, and shading to create the given fractions. Then, all of my students were placed into groups of 3 and given a Chromebook. Prior to the day beginning, I logged-in and bookmarked the Pearson Realize website to make this process a little easier. Students were easily able to find the tool, and begin making the fraction they were given first. We made several fractions this way until everyone was given a chance.

The lesson today was introductory. Students were given an opportunity to learn a new tool in a easier fashion for later use with a more difficult skill. My overall goal is for students to uses this tool to create two fraction models to compare. This would be an easy way to begin recognizing the different between fraction models. Next week, we will use the equivalent fractions tool to explore how fractions can be equivalent.

Creatively Created

In her blog, Adobe Spark: Ignite a Learning Fire in Your Classroom, Holly Clark shares a new, simple technology tool, called Adobe Spark. This tool allows students to create a post, page, or video with very little difficulty. Clark recommends this tool for classroom teachers because it doesn't have a lot of "bells and whistles" to get hung up on. It took very little instruction for her students to begin using it. She provides several ways to incorporate this tool within the classroom as well. I will discuss these a little later.

After reading about Adobe Spark, I wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately, I didn't find it as easy to use. I wasn't sure of the purpose of the tools, and how to add my own touch to my creation. I found this how-to video by Richard Byrne that walks you through the steps of making each of the three types of creations. I used his guidance to create a webpage displaying the technology trials of my student so far this year. After viewing his show tutorial, I found this tool much more manageable. The link to my creation is below.

My Spark Adobe Example


Clark gives a detailed list of different way it can be incorporated within the classroom. Being an elementary school teacher, I picked a few that I could see my student creating to share.

1. Character Profile: Students can create a page, or video, profiling a character from a story they have read. This could be a whole class reading or a book being read independently. Additionally, students could highlight a historical character from a non-fiction text the same way. My students could use something like this during their independently reading time to share their reading from the week. This would be much more engaging way to be held accountable. 
2. Class Weekly Summary Page: Clark suggest have a different student each week to create a page or a video about the learning taking place. This could be shared with parents or the school community. I can see my students doing this around topics they were successful with or sharing concepts that were once a challenge. Sharing with parents would be a great way to keep them involved. 
3. Field Trip Page: This would be used to students to share this learning from a recent field trip through a video or page. We have an upcoming field trip planned to Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, KY that I am sure my students would love to document. By collecting artifacts along the way using my camera, students can put them together in a creative way. 

Adobe Spark seems like it would be an easy tool for kids to operate without getting too overwhelmed. I do think it might take a little more explaining that Clark implies. However, sharing the how-to video by Byrne would be a great starting place! 

Engaging Google Docs

Over the past few weeks, we have been learning about the different text structures of informational texts. This is a challenging skill to master, and my students still needed some additional practice. So, on Friday, I took the opportunity to try out a tech tool and provide my students will a review of cause and effect text structure. In a Google Document, I copied a passage I had purchased off of Teachers Pay Teachers. Below that passage I created a graphic organizer using Google Drawings, which was inserted into the Google Doc. Because we don't have enough technology for each students to access their own Google Drive, this document was saved to my teacher Google Drive for all students to access.

In the beginning of this lesson, I showed students how to locate the appropriate Google Doc and how to create a copy. The copy was renamed with their group number, and their names were added under the title of the text. I instructed students on how to highlight information within the passage and how to type within the Google Drawing. Students picked their own groups and were sent off to begin reading and assigning typing roles for each part of the organizer.

Here is what I noticed when students were working. Students worked well together without arguments. Everyone, even my strugglers, were engaged within the reading and identifying

evidence. I feel this is because they needed to have appropriate evidence in order for their turn to type on the Chromebook to be successful. Students were not only experimenting with highlighting, many of them even changed the font colors as well. If students finished early they were encouraged to explore within the Google doc to insert images that would support the understanding of the text. Overall, this was a GREAT first experience using Google Docs within the classroom. I am sure my students are itching to learning more about them in the future.

Technology and the Writing Process

Writing is an area I consistently identify as an area of growth. So when I visited Eric Curts' blog, Control, Alt, Achieve, I was happy to see he shared a variety of technology tools that could help students improve their writing. He organizes the technology tools by within the 8 stages of writing: inspiration, planning, writing tools, self-editing, peer and teacher feedback, revising, assessing, and publishing. Below I identify couple stages of writing that I find challenging in the classroom and highlight some interesting tools at that stage. 

1. Inspiration

Several of my students tell me that they don't have anything to write about. When given prompts, they often sit for the entire writing time saying they have no connections to make sure the prompt. The Emoji Random Writing Prompt Generator gives students 2, 3, 4, or 5 emojis that they can use for inspiration for their writing that day. If they aren't happy with those emojis, then they can press control and R to get a new set. Click the link above to get your own copy the Emoji Random Writing Prompt Generator. 

2. Planning

Graphic organizers are a great way to help students organizer their thinking. Google Drawings allows you to create templates for students to fill in or they can't create their own graphic organizers. Curts provides 2 links to graphic organizers he has already created. Those are below. 
http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2017/05/graphic-org-drawings.html
http://www.controlaltachieve.com/2016/01/language-arts-graphic-organizers.html

Additionally, in a recent search, I came across this website that provides more than 100 Google Doc and Drawing templates for free use. 



4. Self- Revising

My students often had difficult seeing errors within their own writing. SAS Writing Reviser provides students with a menu of possible issues to choose from, including sentence economy, sentence variety, sentence power, sentence clarity, and support tools. By choosing a tool, the students will receive feedback in that area and suggestions from improvement. 

5. Assessing

Another issue I have in teaching writing is knowing what assessment tools to use. A rubric tool that Curts suggests is Orange Slice Teacher Rubric, which is an add-on for Google Docs. This add-on allows greater productivity by providing an "easy-to -use format." When previewing this add-on, it was clear that creating a rubric was pretty easy. Your choose the performance level and categories, and then you are prompted to customize the rubric if you see fit. After selecting finish, the rubric is submitted into the doc. If you are Google Classroom user, it can be sent distributed and used to provide feedback.





These are just a few of the tool discussed within Eric Curts' blog this week. Check it out to learn about more tools you can use within your writing workshop.

The Effect of GIFS!

After reading about using GIFs in the classroom from Meredith Aker's blog, Grow, Reflect, Share, I knew I had to find a way to incorporate this within my classroom, and soon. This week, we have been learning about the cause and effect text structure. My students have been struggling to determine the causes and effects within a text on their own. In order to give them more exposure to these relationships, I planned another cause and effect activity using GIFs!

After modeling the steps of planning and creating a GIF, students were placed in teams of 4, and given an effect. Students had to think of at least 2 causes for this effect. After planning and practicing the GIF they would create, students were given Chromebooks. I had already logged in and bookmarked andtheniwaslike.co to help the process go more smoothly. Two chances were given for each pair within the team of 4 to create their own GIF. Their hashtag was the effect they were given and their group number. After creating their GIF, students were asked to copy and paste the link into a classroom Google Doc for viewing later.

At this end of their recording time, we discussed the purpose of this activity again. Almost all students were able to tell me that we created GIFs to help make connections between effects and their possible causes. Students were highly engaged and more than willing to work together to complete this assignment. I was surprised by the parent involvement in this activity. I posted their GIFs to class Dojo and got great feedback. A first grader, who visits my classroom for reading, even told his whole class about it. The teacher reached out to me about doing the activity in her classroom. We are planning a paired activity with my students serving as experts to support her students.

Below you will find links to some of the GIF my students created. Happy Viewing!

#igotsick

#babycried

#thecarcrashed

#lostkitty

#lostkitty

PLICKERS!

Plickers are individual cards that have unique QR cards for each students. Questions can be inserted into the Plickers website or app. These questions would be multiple choice or true/false. Students read the question, select their answer, and how up their card with their answer on the top. A teacher can scan those cards using their smartphone. Students receive a check once their answer has been recorded. Teachers can see immediately whether a student's answer was correct or incorrect. Additionally, these results can be show to the room by individual students or as a class.

Plickers was the technology tool of the week in my classroom. While learning about text structures, my students struggled. As a way to provide interactive practice of the first three structures we taught, I created a Plickers lesson. I developed 7 multiple choice questions that included paragraphs with a variety of text structures: description, comparison, and chronological. I provided students with a hard copy of the questions that were used to practice identifying key words for each structures. The interactivity Plickers provided was helpful in keeping students on task. Additionally, the immediate feedback guided discussion and help to show improvement as the lesson went on.

My students absolutely LOVE Plickers. It keeps them engaged, and provides them with excitement to see if they were all able to determine the correct answer. It is a flexible tool that can be used in a variety of content areas.

One Word Goals

Meredith Akers shared One Word Goals recently in her blog, Grow, Reflect, Share. One Word Goals is a collaborative slides activity that Meredith used to create New Year's resolutions with her students. Students were asked to choose one word that they would focus on for the remainder for the year. This word should apply to different parts of their life to help them improve themselves as a person. Some examples she gave included disciplined and  joyful.

I created this example to share.

This is an independent activity that students complete within a shared google slides document. Add their name, choose and input their choice word, explain what the words means to them, identify 2 ways to apply this word to their life, and insert and picture or icon to represent the word. Meredith includes direction slides and models within this document as well.

Here is the link that will allow you access to the One Word Goals Template.

I think this could also be used to create goals related to school. Students could select words that would have them be more successful in school, like persevere, encourage, growth, and write goals that would help them improve in an academic area.