Tool #5

I used the tag "elementary education" and found some sites that I think I will be visiting again in the future.

Reading Rockets-This site has tons of information for teaching literacy. Whether it is new strategies, ways to motivate struggling readers, activities, or articles that teachers may find interesting, this website is full of resources and tools for teachers.

Math Playground-This site is a great tool for problem solving. The "Model Your Problems" section is very kid friendly by providing a video explaining the directions, how to use the website, and guiding students through a word problem. Students are then able to do problems on their own and can easily show their thinking. Having this online is a lot easier for students that may have language barriers, so this is definitely a tool I will be using in my ESL classroom.

I think social bookmarking is a great way to get students motivated to learn. When students know they are able to share information they are finding online with their friends, I think they are likely to put more effort into their work. It's also a very easy way for them to stay organized and start to learn effective research strategies. I can think of many ways to use this in my classroom, but I think I will start off by trying it in a workstation. I can bookmark several options and have students choose which site they visit. Students can also add comments so I can track their understanding and learning.

Tool #4

1. I was able to share an activity with one of the teachers on my team using Google Docs. It is much easier to do this, especially if the activity isn't going to be used for a few weeks. With email, you have to save it, or hunt it down when you're ready to use it. However, with Google Docs, it's just sitting in the same spot and is much easier to access when needed.

2. I subscribed to the following blogs:
Putting the Puzzle Together
Shopping Teacher
Summer 2010
Tools for the 21st Century
Dancer Feet

3. I think both of these tools are great for the classroom. Google Docs can be used to post instructions for small group activities or work stations. It is easier for students to keep up with this than another sheet of paper with directions. Students can also post their work on Google Docs to share with their classmates. Google Reader can be used when students are learnig about a specific subject that requires a lot of research. It is very organized and easy to read without students having to venture off on their own.

Tool #3

I decided to use WordItOut to create a word cloud about the Social Studies topic my 3rd graders are currently learning...citizenship. I think this is an extremely simple, yet powerful tool that students can use. It can be used for any subject area, at the beginning of the year for "getting to know you" activities, spelling words, vocabulary, and more. I will definitely be using this in my classroom.

I also decided to create an Animoto video about healthy living. Again, this is a very simple, powerful tools that students can also use. This one, however, goes a little bit deeper and requires higher level thinking because students have to find appropriate pictures to represent concepts. I will definitely be using this for projects and group work, as well as a teaching tool for gaining student attention and sparking their interest in the learning.
http://animoto.com/play/k9fOiQItoc3aWC31jmZgMg?autostart=true

Tool #2

1. I think that being part of an online professional community is a great way to stay connected and learn from each other. When I was student teaching, we were required to have professional learning communities with other student teachers, both in person and online. I was able to learn a lot by having this online for many reasons. It was very easy to stay in touch and have full participation because it was done at our own ease. It was also very easy to learn from each other through comments and the ability to read each other's blogs. I think that technology allows us "think time" so we can compose our thoughts and ideas and really express ourselves in a comfortable setting.

2. The main thing that stood out to me in the commenting advice was that commenting opens the door for people to read each other's blogs. If someone consistently comments on your blog, you are more likely to read their blog, and possibly learn something from them or build a relationship with them.

3. I commented on the following blogs:
Shopping Teacher
Putting the Puzzle Together
Tools for the 21st Century
Summer 2010
Dancer Feet

Tool 1

I'm very excited to be able to implement so much technology into my classroom this year! I think technology is one of the best tools that we have for learning because it appeals to almost all learning styles. I am also looking forward to being able to try new things that I can possibly use in my classroom through 11 Tools. Setting up the blog has been a fairly easy process that I think students would also enjoy to document their learning in the classroom. The avatars are definitely a fun way for them to make the blog personal to them and express themselves in a really fun, fresh way!