December Newsletter

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Mathematics 3rd grade, OPERATIONS AND ALGEBRAIC THINKING (3.OA), Standard 3.OA.1:
Interpret products of whole numbers, such as interpret 5 × 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each. For example, describe a context in which a total number of objects can be expressed as 5 × 7.

Ed-Tech 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

This was a great tool to use on Microsoft Publisher, and it was very easy to use as well. There is endless posibilities with personalization, and saving a template that you are fond of to match themes of your classroom. Students in 5th or 6th grade could create their own newsletter once they are familiar with how Publisher works. This has been a great tool for me when I was in grade school and gotten me through dozens of projects. This is one of the number one online tools that I would urge teachers/educators to use for several different classroom planning, organizing, and information options. The best experience I have had with this tool is for flyers, small announcements, and especially classroom newsletters. This is a tool that I will definitely teach my students how to use and to be comfortable with.

Click the link below to see a pdf format of my December Newsletter!

Miss Poulsen December Newsletter

StoryBird; Simon and Simone

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Health Education, 3rd grade, Standard 3:

The students will understand and respect self and others related to human development and relationships.

Objective 1 :Summarize the functions of the skeletal and muscular systems.

Objective 2 : Model behaviors that foster healthy interpersonal relationships. (SS) *PD

Objective 3 : Model strategies for preventing abuse.

• Name the major body systems and their basic functions. Describe the skeletal and muscular systems. Demonstrate ways to strengthen the skeletal and muscular systems. (PE)
• Examine the benefits of healthy relationships among peers, family, and community members.
  Recognize ways in which peers, families, and communities may change over time.
  Model ways to contribute to healthy relationships among peers, family, and community members. (Teaching kids how to make friends and not be worried to take risks)
• Maintain personal boundaries. Identify situations that may put one at risk for abuse. Demonstrate ways to avoid, manage, or escape risk.
  

Ed-Tech Standard 9: Determine when technology is useful and select the appropriate

tool(s) and technology resources to address a variety of tasks and problems.

StoryBird was a great site to make an easy picture book online for students. There were many different options for stylization and picking what was best going to suit the type of story you were wanting to tell. This was kind of a hard program to navigate and I wish there were more options to surround a theme. This is a great tool for students if the teacher had time to make several different stories to teach a lesson. Younger grades are more adapt to learning on computers in this generation, so this would be a great learning tool for them. Older grades would have any easier time creating a story. I love being able to have a ready template to create a story for my class to teach a more personal subject. I will definitely keep this in mind for when I have a classroom of my own.

Click the link below to read my story of Simon and Simone on StoryBird!

Story Bird; Simon and Simone

Popplet; Mind Mapping; The 4 Seasons

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Science, 1st grade, Standard 2:

Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.

Objective 1 :Investigate the natural world including rock, soil and water.

Objective 2 : Observe and describe the changes and appearance of the sun and moon during daylight.

Objective 3 : Compare and contrast seasonal weather changes.

• Observe, compare, describe, and sort components of soil by size, texture, and color.
  Identify and describe a variety of natural sources of water, including streams, lakes, and oceans.
  Gather evidence about the uses of rocks, soil, and water.
• Observe the sun at different times during the day and report observations to peers.
  Observe and chart the moon when it is visible during the day.
• Identify characteristics of the seasons of the year.
  Identify characteristics of weather, e.g., types of precipitation, sunny, windy, foggy, and cloudy.
  Observe and record weather information within each season.

Ed-Tech 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.

Popplet was a fun, alternative way to making a learning web. This is perfect for younger grades and have students follow the lines to connect to different aspects of the seasons. This activity would be great way for younger grades to interact and follow the web, and the colors to see what points go together and are related. This was a very easy site to use and 5th graders and older would have to problem using it. I would use this to teach any number of subjects that have a lot of vocabulary, so that my students can make connections with what goes together. I really liked this tool. Students can personalize this and use as many or as little nodes to explain different subjects as they would like.

Click the link below to see an example of Popplet explaining the 4 seasons!!

Popplet: The 4 Seasons

Prezi; Theater Basics

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold.

Fine Arts, 6th grade, Strand PERFORM, Standard 6 T.P.1:Analyze the character, setting, and essential events (plot) in a story that make up the dramatic structure, and use choices to enhance the story in a drama/theatre work.

The process of writing, producing, and some behind the scenes look on what happens on the stage.

Ed-Tech 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.

This is my favorite form of presentations that we have used. I can use this in my classroom to show another different type of presenting a subject that not everyone may find interesting. This was very easy to use and it would be very appropriate for 6th graders to format their own. I taught about some of the basics of theater because it is one of my hobbies and I was able to make a teaching tool that was grade appropriate, and make it very professional as well. I would recommend this tool to other teachers and educators, and those that teach grades 6 and older. This is my favorite tool that we have used in this class thus far.

Click the link below to see my Prezi Presentation

Prezi: Basics of Theater

Animoto; Body Image and Eating Disorders

Animoto

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Health Education, 5th grade, Standard 1:

The students will learn ways to improve mental health and manage stress.

Objective 1 :Summarize how communicating with others can help improve overall health.

Objective 2 : Demonstrate coping behaviors related to grief and loss.

Objective 3 : Predict the influence body image may have on body acceptance.

Objective 4: Demonstrate constructive ways of managing stress. *PD

• Compare the benefits of social interaction and time alone. Communicate the need for social interaction and time alone. Adopt behaviors to help maintain mental health; e.g., reading, exercise, lifelong learning, abstaining from substance abuse.
• Recognize the tasks associated with the grief and loss process; i.e., acknowledge loss or death, feel the feelings, go on living and loving. Recognize emotions associated with grief and loss.
  Identify common ways individuals may cope with loss. Identify ways to help others through the grieving process.
• Explain body image and body acceptance. Recognize influences on body shape and size; e.g., diet, disabilities, exercise, heredity. Recognize factors that may affect body image; e.g., media, peers, self-expectations.
• Explain how both positive and negative events can cause stress. Identify physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to stress. Predict how neglecting personal responsibilities may increase stress. Develop and apply a personal stress management plan.

Ed-Tech 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.

This was a great tool to make an easy classroom presentation video. There really wasn’t much room for personalization, but it came with a few good videos, and quality pictures to add to the video. It was very easy to preview and see where I could make changes to make the video better. I think that this wouldn’t be a media tool for elementary students to use, unless they felt really confident using it. This would be a good challenge for students to try and put together their own videos on a subject they enjoy. This is a great tool for teachers who want to put together a video or several videos to teach a subject. This would be a great site for Junior High and High School students for presentation purposes. I really liked this tool, but it wasn’t one that I would use as my first pick. Give it a try and see what all of you think about it!

Click either link below to see an example of an Animoto on Body Image and Eating Disorders!

Animoto: embeded link

Animoto: Body Image and Eating Disorders 5th Grade

Padlet; Cloudy Sky Science

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Science, 1st grade, Standard 2:

Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.

Objective 1 :Investigate the natural world including rock, soil and water.

Objective 2 : Observe and describe the changes and appearance of the sun and moon during daylight.

Objective 3 : Compare and contrast seasonal weather changes.

• Observe, compare, describe, and sort components of soil by size, texture, and color.
  Identify and describe a variety of natural sources of water, including streams, lakes, and oceans.
  Gather evidence about the uses of rocks, soil, and water.
• Observe the sun at different times during the day and report observations to peers.
  Observe and chart the moon when it is visible during the day.
• Identify characteristics of the seasons of the year.
  Identify characteristics of weather, e.g., types of precipitation, sunny, windy, foggy, and cloudy.
  Observe and record weather information within each season.

Ed-Tech 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.

Padlet was a fun way to have a class interaction with an assignment and collaborate with other people. I wish I could see how it works when a whole class is able to put their own comments, and see how they respond. This was one of the easiest tools to use and I really want to remember to use this once I have a classroom of my own. I believe that 5th grade and older would be able to navigate this program and have some great learning engagement activities to pair with it. I can use this tool to connect with my class, and watch them converse online with each other. This is an easy tool to teach students to use, and I would refer other teachers to use this site as well for interactive activities with their students. I loved this site

Refer to the link below to see a Padlet project in action!!


Padlet Project

emaze; 5 W's

emaze

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Reading Literature, Standard 1:

• Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

Ed-Tech 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)

I thought that this was a great tool for presenting materials in a different way other than a stiff powerpoint. There are several ways to make these presentations have more personality. This was kind of a difficult program to use, and it probably wouldn’t be my first choice, but other people may enjoy it! This standard focus was for 2nd grade, and I think that they would be too young to navigate this program. I liked at the very end when you can view the presentation and it moves very smooth and it keeps you focused because it moves around everywhere. I thought this was a good program to change things up with presentations on simple subjects, and making things look very professional as well. I liked this in the end after learning how to work my way around the site.

Click the embeded link below to see a presentation of the uses of the 5 W's of literature!!

emaze 5 W's

Tiki-Toki

Tiki-Toki

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Reading Literature, 6th grade, Standard 10:

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

There were not specific objectives in this standard.

• The purpose of my Tiki-Toki is to teach students that all different types of novels win these nationally recognized awards, and learn the genres and different writing styles of each acclaimed author.

Ed-Tech Standard 8: Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities.

This is something that I could use in my classroom as an alternative to a powerpoint. It is interactive in a sense that each section of the timeline moves in a different way and it can be made very colorful to keep the students attention. This is not something I would recommend elementary age students using, just for me personally it was hard to navigate this program and try to get the hang of it. This is a great organizational program and it would be perfect for dozens of different history based assignments as well as any sort of timeline a student or teacher may be wanting to use. I really did like this program after I was able to understand it better and feel comfortable using it, and making it exactly how I wanted it. I would recommend this program to other teachers and educators definitely.

Click the link below to see my Tiki-Toki of the Newbery Medal Winners!

https://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/826406/Newbery-Medal-Novels-since-1980/

Flyer; Library

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Elementary Library Media (K-5) Strand 3:

Library purpose and function

• Standard 1
  Exhibit library etiquette.
• Standard 2
  Understand the library layout, the library classification system, and the circulation process.
• Standard 3
  Contribute to a reading and learning community, including recommending reading materials to peers and respecting others’ reading choices.
• Standard 4
  Make use of personal, community and global libraries, both physical and electronic.
  
  Ed-Tech Standard 1: Use keyboards and other common input and output devices (including adaptive devices when necessary) efficiently and effectively.

This media file is something that is perfect for any teacher and it is such an easy tool to use. I would use this in making a flyer on publisher every time. It is easy to navigate, move pictures and text around, and has plenty of room for personality. This tool is more geared towards teachers, and older students that are in about 5th grade at the youngest, and then any grade after that. The flyer can be used for hundreds of different community announcements, school announcements, and every classmate invites/announcements. I had no complaints about about this site at all and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to do a project like this.

Click the link below to see a larger image of the classroom field trip announcement!!!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1O9XQKiRffeVjQtZFVPYl9FdDA/view?usp=sharing

Youtube: Being Healthy and Safe

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Integrated Core Content 1st grade, Standard 1:

Students will develop a sense of self

Objective 1 : Describe and practice responsible behaviors for health and safety.

Objective 2 : Develop and demonstrate skills in gross and fine motor movement.

Objective 3 : Develop and use skills to communicate ideas, information, and feelings.

• Practice appropriate personal hygiene (e.g., bathe, wash hands, clean clothes). Describe the benefits of eating a variety of nutritious foods. Describe the benefits of physical activity. Describe substances that are helpful and harmful to the body. Practice basic safety and identify hazards.
• Participate daily in short periods of physical activity that require exertion (e.g., one to three* minutes of walking, jogging, jump roping). Perform fundamental locomotor (e.g., skip, gallop, run) and nonlocomotor (twist, stretch, balance) skills with mature form. Develop manipulative skills (e.g., cut, glue, throw, catch, kick, strike). Create and perform unique dance movements and sequences that strengthen skills while demonstrating personal and spatial awareness.
• Recognize and express feelings in a variety of ways (e.g., draw, paint, tell stories, dance, sing). Express how colors, values, and sizes have been controlled in artworks to create mood, tell stories, or celebrate events. Sing a melody independently, with developing accuracy and a natural voice that is free from strain. Create simple rhythm, movement, and melody patterns with body percussion and instruments.

Ed-Tech 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)

This tool is useful for any teacher that is wanting another form of a visual aid for students. This helps students to learn at home watching instructional, educational, and also for some entertainment. This is media that is easy to use for teachers and students to make projects in the classroom. I will use this as a tool for storytelling and songs for younger grades, and as a project/teaching tool for older grades. This is the easiest website to use and navigate, but there are boundaries that need to be set to inhibit searching for inappropriate content, or accidentally stumbling upon something that was not wished to be seen.

Info Graphic; Piktograph

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. World Languages K-9, Novice Low Language Competencies, Interpretive Listening :NL.IL:

I can recognize a few memorized words and phrases when I hear them spoken.

Learning Indicator NL.IL.1
I can occasionally identify the sound of a character or a word.

Learning Indicator NL.IL.2
I can occasionally understand isolated words that I have memorized, particularly when accompanied by gestures or pictures.

• I can recognize the sound of a few letters when they are spoken or spelled out.
• I can understand greetings. I can recognize some color words. I can understand some numbers. I can understand some food items.

Ed-Tech 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)

This was a very fun and personalized tool. This infographic can be best used to introduce simple graphics and colorful visuals to stimulate the students learning engagement. This was a very easy online tool to use, and it was fun being able to personalize it and make it adhere to whatever age group that I was gearing towards. This Piktograph showed basic spanish vocabulary and easy to identify pictures to go along with them. I would recommend this to any teacher trying to come up with another presentation style, for students I think that this is something that should wait until at LEAST 6th grade for the student to use this tool on their own. I really enjoyed making this presentation, and look forward to working on my skills to make it even better.

Today's Meet

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. English Language Arts 5th grade, Standard 8:

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

There were not specific objectives with this standard, but the standard itself made for the perfect question for the discussion. It gives students the opportunity to come up with the information and have their own personal input, and see others views and opinions as well.

Ed-Tech Standard 7: Use telecommunications 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)

Reflection: Today’s Meet is an easy tool for teachers to use in their classroom. It is a creative way for students to collaborate and voice their answers, and view others to gain new ideas and build a stronger knowledge of the topic. This is the kind of tool that I would have liked to have in grade school so that I could collaborate with the other students, and see what their answers were. All the work the students really have to do to use this tool, is have access to a computer, open the link that is given to them, and answer the prompt. This online tool can be used for any grade, so long as the question is written for their grade level, and they have some typing knowledge. I am glad that I now know about this tool, it is one that I would like to use often in my classroom.

Click the link below to start the conversation!
https://todaysmeet.com/MissPoulsensClassroom

Google Forms: HIV, AIDS, and Transmissions test

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Health Education 4th grade, Standard 4:

The students will understand concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention.

Objective 1 : Determine how communicable diseases are spread.

Objective 2 : Demonstrate personal hygiene and universal precautions.
Objective 3 : Demonstrate ways to help people living with HIV and other diseases.

• Compare modes of transmission of diseases. List ways that people cannot contract HIV.
• Demonstrate proper hand washing.
  List reasons to avoid contact with blood and other body fluids.
  Describe procedures to follow in the event of a blood spill.
  Demonstrate decision-making and Refusal Skills for HIV prevention.
• Identify ways to show compassion for others.
  Identify needs of people who are living with long-term illnesses.
  Plan an activity promoting compassion for people living with long-term illnesses.

Ed-Tech 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)

Reflection: Google form was pretty difficult to use at first, but after using it for a little while and figuring out how to format everything, it will be easier next time. This is a very good tool for any teacher who wants to make test taking easier. This is a faster assessment taking strategy, and perfect for those who want to go completely paperless. I believe that this age is one that is focused on technology, and this is an easy tool for children to take a quiz/exam on. The topic that I chose was HIV and AIDS, and how they are transmitted. This is an important topic, especially to teach at this young age. I highly recommend using this in the classroom, but I wouldn’t go any younger than this grade for reading purposes.

Click the link below to take the exam!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfS_9Sh6SJnPRae2bQsk_oxG4oxxPsycVwn17XGOylPXdk_AA/viewform?c=0&w=1

Google Doc: Skittles Math

This is the perfect site to use for making any type of assignment! As an example I have created a classroom assignment for 1st Grade Math that is fun and also tasty!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r6DCdy5yXmADOYVce_WFYC1RY9gv5Q4cqnlqjeR_sFA/edit?usp=sharing

I put my main focuses in this standard in bold. Mathematics 1st grade Standard 1. MP 4.:

Standard 1.MP.4
Model with mathematics. Identify the mathematical elements of a situation and create a mathematical model that shows the relationships among them. Identify important quantities in a contextual situation, use mathematical models to show the relationships of those quantities, analyze the relationships, and draw conclusions. Models may be verbal, contextual, visual, symbolic, or physical.
There were not specific objectives for this standard, but by the ISTE standard for this project, it drives the students to be Computational Thinkers. Student’s use data to identify step by step problems.

Ed-Tech Standard 2: Discuss common uses of technology in daily life and advantages and disadvantages those uses provide

Reflection: I created a google doc to make a Skittles Math Game that I thought would be very fun for my students. I am very familiar with Google Docs because I use it often to do school work and make lesson plans for my education classes. This activity is not only good for creating some good cognitive math skills, but it is colorful, and the student is rewarded in the end by being able to eat all of the Skittles that they used for the assignment! There is a lot that a person can do on this program to make it fun and it is very easy to use. Most assignments and templates are on a drop down menu when you start to use this page. The best thing about Google Doc for any user is that it saves AS you are typing so there is no worry about needing to Save after you type every paragraph.