Ed Tech #5...Flipped Workstations

I have been experimenting the last few weeks with flipping workstations. This is an internal flipping of lessons where students watch videos on www.sophia.org in the areas of phonics and vocabulary. I love the idea of flipping a classroom or lesson but have struggled with it at the elementary level.

My students watch a video at the workstation and then complete the assignment. I like how engaged my students are during the flipped workstations. I also like the collaboration I see and hear as they help each other after the video. It promotes a 21st century skill of working together. I'm still experimenting to get it ready for next year. 

I've enjoyed using www.sophia.org & educreation to set up flipped workstations. 

May 12 - 16, 2014...Chocolate Fever

I always forget how hectic the end of school is and this year I am SOO happy I decided to end it with a novel study. Thank you Step into Second Grade for your awesome unit!!!

We have been busy reading Chocolate Fever, watching our butterflies and reviewing math to prepare for 3rd grade! We have also experimented a little more with flipped workstations. I have decided Phonics and Vocabulary are the best to introduce flipped internal learning. This week we also worked with Storybird to encourage writing and retelling of stories.

Until next week...

Ed Tech Update #4...Videos as Exit Tickets

I love to use videos as exit tickets. I'm sad to say that a few of my students do not have permission to be photographed or in videos, so I will not be posting any videos.

After a unit lesson, I like to ask my students what they learned or a question about the content covered. I feel their open responses are much more meaningful and powerful than a bubble the answer test. At first the students were shy and timid, but over the course of the semester they have become so confident and intentional in regards to their answers. I like to use iMovie, Vimeo and Animoto to create videos. 

I also like to use video when I've been absent to see what the day was like when I get back. The students are always so honest and insightful. 

May 5 - 9, 2014 - Cinco de Mayo & More

This week started off with a Cinco de Mayo celebration presented by the ELL Department. We learned about the holiday and wrote facts inside of tacos. The class helped decorate the door...and we won. YES!!!

We also had a field trip to the YMCA for pool safety and swimming lessons. It was a blast!!!

We reviewed story structure and time this week.  We also watched our butterflies as they entered their chrysalis stage.

We continued our ABC Countdown with the following.

F is for finger paint day

G is for game day

H is for happiness day

I is for ice cream day

J is for jump rope day

Only 16 days of school left...holy cow!!!

Ed Tech Update #3...SMART tools

I really like using my SMART board and I like my SMART response clickers even more. I have used the clickers to take vocabulary quizzes most of this year. I even convinced one of my team members to start using them! Once you model appropriate use of the clickers and the procedures to go along with them, it's a breeze. I create quizzes every week about the definitions or synonyms/antonyms of our vocab words and then we take the quiz and it grades it automatically for you. I feel like the students stay on task and are smarter about their time management when taking a quiz using the clickers.

Ed Tech Update #2...Google & Guided Reading

I'm sort of an old school teacher when it comes to reading, specifically Guided Reading. I think Guided Reading is AWESOME but tracking each student's progress and each group's progress can be daunting. So I created google forms to help me. I have one to track guided reading level throughout the year. I have another to track what we work on during small group time as well as one more to track CAFE strategies practiced. 

I love Google forms because it drops all of you information into a nice, neat spreadsheet. 

I'm sure I saw something similar to this on a blog or on twitter, just can't remember where. Sorry!

I know there are many other ways to use Google Docs but this works for me and my students.

Have a great day!

Ed Tech Update #1

So, I'm not a big blogger or writer but a friend convinced me to blog about how I use tech in the classroom. Here goes nothing!

First, I love coding and second graders love coding. Since we do not have a BYOD policy and are not 1:1, this is how we roll! We use Daisy the Dino & I give them tasks such as "Make Daisy moonwalk." The students then figure it out using their critical thinking caps... or trial & error. Once it's figured out they record it in their journals. They also love to assign tasks to each other.We do this as whole group or in small groups depending on the time we have available.

We have experimented with Hopscotch and a few of my kids are successful at Hopscotch, but Daisy the Dino works the best.

Below is a picture of us working on coding as whole group as well as a picture of a journal in progress.

April 28 - May 2, 2014...Ladybugs & Butterflies

This week we started our butterfly unit by ordering caterpillars from Insect Lore to watch them become butterflies. We started by learning about the life cycle as well as some key terms...aka vocabulary words! We then made our first observation of them as caterpillars.

We started the week by reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We also used popplet to create a visual organizer of the items eaten during the week. We also read many other butterfly books.

In math we have been rocking fractions. We sorted fractions, then made a flip flap chart and the kids are excelling at fractions. YES!!!

I also attended a professional development about coding in the classroom. I feel like everyone does what I do in the classroom, but I was proven wrong again this week. My students love Daisy the Dino. I give them task such as, " Make Daisy walk backwards to the sun. Then touch the sun and walk back forwards." We then record our program code in our journals, since you cannot save them. I love coding, even in 2nd grade. All of my students have shown success in coding.

We started our ABC Countdown to the end of school. This week we celebrated A Day with a butterfly art project. Then B Day was bubbles. C Day was Career Exploration using The Career Zoo website. D Day was donuts and E Day was a Science experiment with mentos and diet coke. I cannot wait until next week!

April 21-25, 2014 - Earth Day & Arbor Day

This week we are studying drawing conclusions, measurement as well as Earth Day and Arbor Day.
 We read Ira Sleeps Over to discuss drawing conclusion. We also made a popplet to review the story structure of this book.

There was a huge push on vocabulary this week, so we worked with partners and by our selves to practice ways to remember the meaning of our vocab words. We also worked hard on identifying synonyms and antonyms.

In Math we are still working on measurement. We made Gallon Man which was a huge hit.

We learned about the 3 Rs of Earth Day, which are reduce, reuse and recycle. We also made a cute craft to help us remember the 3 Rs.

Next week we are studying making judgements, fractions and butterflies and ladybugs. We also start our ABC Countdown. I cannot believe we are in the last 26 days of school!!!