Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/28/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/27/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/24/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/23/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/21/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/20/2009


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Could've heard a pin drop!

I've divided my kids into groups (based on their suggestions on index cards of whom they could work well with) and they are now responsible for adding content to the class science wikis (Core 1and Core 2).  Unlike in the Fall however when they added whatever, whenever they wanted.  I have decided to be much more structured at this step in Project WISE.

The kids chose questions related to our Earthquake unit which they must answer as "experts".  In an effort to ensure they were exploring meaningful sites, I put together a Jog the Web (one of my favorite tools!) where they could do most of their online research.  I also checked out every book in our library on Earthquakes!  The kids have been researching and collecting their information in a Word document.  Today we began copying and pasting their research into their wikis.  They LOVE it!  The room was completely silent with the exception of whispers of assistance from one to another and the click of laptop keys!  Although we do have a few entries which will need to be edited due to the questionable high level vocabulary that showed up "using their own words", our first attempt at a more organized wiki is going well.

Next week they'll add many of the lab photos and videos they've taken.  Should be interesting!!



Photo Credit: Silence is Deafening

Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/19/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/18/2009


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Great start to the week despite lack of visitors!

This week we were supposed to welcome visitors from the UK who were coming to see how we are using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom.  Unfortunately, we found out today while awaiting the arrival of our guests, that due to planning problems at our Department of Public Instruction, the teachers from England would not be coming to our school after all.  Needless to say, we (the kids and I) were very disappointed.

However, in anticipation of their visit, I stepped my Web 2.0 teaching up a notch.  Something I should've done months ago, but had gotten into a rut!  What the kids have done the last few days has been wonderful!  Needless to say, having access to the laptop cart made it all COMFORTABLY possible.  I know it all could have been done sharing the 5 desktop computers, but there is a real and measurable advantage to every child having their own laptop on which to complete their activities!

The kids have been using Smart Notebook and the Smart recorder which is on all of the laptops, to create soundless screen capture videos of how to complete various math problems.  They then upload their one to two minute videos onto their Gaggle Blogs and write a post which explains in words how to solve the problem.  As I look over the blog posts, I am amazed at what a great formative assessment tool this has become for me!  Not only are the kids motivated, but I can see first hand what the patterns of errors are, and the kids are challenged to explain their thinking.  It has been great!

In addition, we had a great Skype session today with a wonderful seismologist from the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory!  The kids got to ask the many questions they have developed as we have been conducting our unit on plate tectonics and the lithosphere.  Dr. Peggy Hellweg did a wonderful job keeping her answers interesting and at a level which my students could understand.  Thank you Dr. Hellweg for "visiting" our classroom!  Can't wait until tomorrow - and I haven't felt that way in quite awhile!

Great start to the week despite lack of visitors!

Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/14/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/13/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/11/2009


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Igniting Hope

Great news! I've just been given permission by my Superintendent to explore finding sponsors who will donate funds to make the 1:1 initiative I've dreamed about for 6 years now a reality!! Guess I need to start blogging again as this journey's dim coals begin to ignite! If you know of anyone/company who would like to sponsor a child for $500 please let me know!

Find out more about The STELLAR Project at http://stellarproject.wikispaces.com



Photo Credit: Embers from Flickr

Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/10/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/09/2009


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Cool Sites from Today's Surfing! 02/05/2009


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