Create A Graph

I recently found a Web 2.0 tool called Create A Graph. This is a great site where students can create different types of graphs and use them as learning tools. This is a great way to make a paper-and-pencil assignment into a computer-based skill. I encourage you to use it in your classroom! My kids love using it and "playing" with the different types of graphs. Sometimes just them exploring with this programs gives my students lots of prior knowledge that they need. So enjoy! http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/

iPODS iN tHE cLASSROOM

The more and more I think about it, the more and more I realize that as helpful as technology is, sometimes it is not relevant to our students. For example, how many situations are our students going to run into a Smartboard or an eClicker. Probably not many when they go into the real world. Depending on their profession, they may never use this equipment again. But I think that the students need to learn the technology that is relevant to them and learn to use it in such a way that they can learn with it. An example of this would be iPods. Students are comfortable with iPods, but they aren't really used much in the classroom. Well, that should change. I think that iPods have a tremendous ability to be used in the classroom in a significant way. The students can use them to communicate with the teacher, submit assignments, research, etc. The possibilities are endless. I found a teacher who is using iPods in the classroom. Just from watching this video, I can already visualize an idea for a educational grant. Maybe you will envision the same!



ipods in the classroom from william seng on Vimeo.

Seng, W. (2009). Ipods in the Classroom. [Web Based] Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/7904069.

The Wonderful World of Wordle

Words….We use thousands if not millions of words each day! Some of those words are more important than others, and some words we use more than we do others. But when it all comes down to it, the words we use are all important. In the classroom, teachers talk about subjects using important vocabulary. Students read text where the important words show up many of times. Students need to know how the use of words can be connected; how they have importance and that they do have meaning. I believe Wordle is a tool that can do this. Using Wordle, you can create a visually aesthetic word wall. Students can use this to clump important vocabulary terms. They can turn their writing pieces into a main idea collage of words. This is a great tool and a fun tool! Just try it out for yourself! www.wordle.net