Posts
Funschool - Space - Planet Pursuit
Fun, informative game for space unit.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
Cool site for kids to learn about the Internet
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
Probability Activities.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Great probability activities with student sheets already made.
Probability Activity ideas
Probability activities
Probability for Middle School Math Teachers: Classroom Activities
Activities for probability
Science NetLinks: Exploring the Solar System
Project for space unit
Videos and activities to go with space unit
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
audio book clips
Great resource for space unit
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
Great science resource. Broken down by objective into various categories (ie PowerPoints, Smarboard, games, study guides, etc.)
Fantastic!
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
Some interesting thoughts on using rubrics can be found in this March 2006 article in the English Journal. Reading this article was especially thought-provoking for me as I try to wrap my brain around what "authentic assessment" really means and should look like. There is a great deal of discussion using the term, authentic assessment, but I haven't read much that helps me determine exactly what it looks like. Unfortunately, this article doesn't provide any real answers either, but the author, Alfie Kohn's, thoughts concerning the use of rubrics are fascinating. Four quotes that especially caught my attention:
I’d been looking for an alternative to grades because research shows three reliable effects when students are graded: They tend to think less deeply, avoid taking risks, and lose interest in the learning itself.[2] The ultimate goal of authentic assessment must be the elimination of grades. But rubrics actually help to legitimate grades by offering a new way to derive them. They do nothing to address the terrible reality of students who have been led to focus on getting A’s rather than on making sense of ideas.
Rubrics are, above all, a tool to promote standardization, to turn teachers into grading machines or at least allow them to pretend that what they’re doing is exact and objective. Frankly, I’m amazed by the number of educators whose opposition to standardized tests and standardized curricula mysteriously fails to extend to standardized in-class assessments.
But I worry more about the success of rubrics than their failure. Just as it’s possible to raise standardized test scores as long as you’re willing to gut the curriculum and turn the school into a test-preparation factory, so it’s possible to get a bunch of people to agree on what rating to give an assignment as long as they’re willing to accept and apply someone else’s narrow criteria for what merits that rating. Once we check our judgment at the door, we can all learn to give a 4 to exactly the same things.
Studies have shown that too much attention to the quality of one’s performance is associated with more superficial thinking, less interest in whatever one is doing, less perseverance in the face of failure, and a tendency to attribute the outcome to innate ability and other factors thought to be beyond one’s control.[7] To that extent, more detailed and frequent evaluations of a student’s accomplishments may be downright counterproductive.
The entire paper is interesting; please take a moment and read through it. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what authentic assessment should look like!
Photo Credit: Flickr - Rubrics Cube
Came across a great post by Ben Johnson, at Edutopia.org called "The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom". In the first 3/4 of his blog he describes the terrible questioning techniques teachers use (and the reasons behind why we do it). I must say I'm shamed into admitting that he was describing me on many occasions! Terrible! However, that is the wonderful effect educational blogs afford us as educators! We get a chance to view our weaknesses through someone else's writing, and make necessary changes that allow us to become better at our craft!
One comment left by Jeff Goldstein encourages me to put to greater use the eInstruction clickers available to me. I use them to review many times, but fail to use them on a daily basis for quick, formative, anonymous assessment. I really need to play around with how to best keep the app open and useful so that it doesn't become too tedious to use at a moment's notice. Also some advice on how to keep the remotes from growing legs would be helpful. Any of you have suggestions for how to go about this change most efficiently? I'd appreciate suggestions!
Photo Credit: Flickr - Question 3
One comment left by Jeff Goldstein encourages me to put to greater use the eInstruction clickers available to me. I use them to review many times, but fail to use them on a daily basis for quick, formative, anonymous assessment. I really need to play around with how to best keep the app open and useful so that it doesn't become too tedious to use at a moment's notice. Also some advice on how to keep the remotes from growing legs would be helpful. Any of you have suggestions for how to go about this change most efficiently? I'd appreciate suggestions!
Photo Credit: Flickr - Question 3
Great site with links to animations and other activities.
Science Labs - Learning Zone | Science Resources for Primary Schools - Key Stage 1 & 2
Great interactive science site (super for smartboard). Thanks D!
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
I read this blog post from Mr. W. at TeachPaperless and could only drop my jaw. If only.... then I was alerted by my Republican husband that we should not be paying for EVERYONE to have a laptop. I agree in most cases, but wonder what the world would be like if this became a reality! Sure would be interesting! Read his post "Breaking News: Empowering the Next Generation" and let me know what you think! (I'm counting on my Repub friend, Danita to make the first comment!)
Photo Credit: Flickr - L is for Lots of Laptops
Photo Credit: Flickr - L is for Lots of Laptops
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