Reading plus…

Prep enjoying story sacks with librarians Mrs. Bond and Mrs. Lumsden. ‘Handa’s surprise’ by Eileen Browne and ‘If only’ by Neil Griffiths. A story sack has puppets, masks and nonfiction resources that link in with the story. They are used in classes by our teachers and librarians. Story sacks encourage the students to recall the story, retell it in their own words using puppets, masks or other props. This exploration of story encourages the development of foundational literacies such as reading and story telling.

Touch Typing

Teachers and parents always ask for a good website for students to learn and practice typing.  We recommend BBC Dancemat Typing.  It is free and works through the keys with the proper keystrokes.

 

Common Sense Media in Grade 6

Students in Grade 6 started working on Digital Literacy using the Common Sense Media curriculum.  They watched videos, had small group and whole class discussions, worked on their computer using shared Google Docs, and hand-wrote some ideas in the lesson.

The lesson overview and objectives were as follows:

Students first watch a short video in which teens share their rules of the road for connecting with others online. Through a guided class discussion, students then learn strategies for recognizing and responding to risky online interaction. Finally, students work in groups to rate the riskiness of several online scenarios using the Internet Traffic Light Student Handout.

Students will:

  • Describe positive aspects of online talking and messaging
  • Identify situations in which flirting and chatting become inappropriate and risky
  • Understand rules for safe online messaging, and feel empowered to deal with uncomfortable situations when communicating online

Interactive Whiteboards

Sharing files made with Notebook with students

  • Anyone can now share Notebook files without additional software being loaded onto computers.
  • If you go to the site: http://express.smarttech.com students simply download the Notebook file you have shared (via email, uploaded on SchMoodle etc) to their computer an open it up using the open file link on the website.
  • Students can then view, interact, save Notebook files.
  • Students can also make their own (but more basic) Notepad files.
  • This is ideal if students are away and need notes from the lessons, or for review etc.

Flipped Classroom Information

http://catlintucker.com/2012/04/flipped-classroom-beyond-the-videos/ Caitlin Tucker’s ideas on how to do this successfully.
She has three main suggestions
1. Take advantage of the ready-to-use content available.
2. Don’t just show them.
3. Use the flipped model to create a student-centered classroom.

Resources to use for flipped classroom from TED ED

21st Century Classroom 12 resources to help teachers with Flipped Classroom

ISTE community forum on Flip or not to Flip

5 best practices for flipped classrooms from Scooped It

You Tube video on How to Flip a classroom – slides from Robin Metaj

You Tube video from Katie Gimbar on Flipped Classroom

To flip or not to flip?

Engaging students with flipped learning

Daniel Edward’s collection on mentormob on Flipped Classroom

Interesting Reads and Resources

Adding a sidebar in WordPress

Inserting a Picture Gallery in WordPress

Embedding Youtube in WordPress

Embedding Powerpoint in WordPress