Screen Recordings

Another classmate posted that they would use a screen recording to show students how to use a computer and how to navigate through some different programs. I think that is a great idea because a lot of my students do not know how to use a computer. Many of them do not have computers at home. I would like to use some webquests in my classroom. I am currently working on one about insects and spiders. I would use the screen recorder to show my students what a webquest is and how to use one. This allows them to visually see what they are going to see on their screen. I will be able to answer some questions that may come up during the webquest.

Flickr

I think it would be fun to have a set of pictures on flickr that would correspond to a lesson. Then you could have each student make comments about the pictures you posted. You could even use pictures from a previous school year to help explain the steps in an experiment that they are about to complete. Sometimes visuals make things easier to understand. It would also be great to use the map section for a history lesson. Then the students could click on a location and look at a picture that corresponds with that specific location. A class photo album would also be nice for the students. They could help you choose photos and write comments, what a great memory for the end of the school year.

One more You Tube svideo

I chose another video about the ABC'S since my other link wasn't working. I hope to figure out the problem because I may run into the same problem with a video that I want to use in my classroom.

This is a cartoon about a dog that sings the ABC's with other children. This would be an entertaining way to introduce a lesson about the ABC's. It was my second choice because it showed the letters as they sand the names. This will help the children make a connection between the letters and names.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V85jXP9tvA

Help about You Tube Video

I am open to any suggestions. My third URL does not show the ABC's video. When I go back to You Tube and search for it, the video comes up with the URL I have listed. Does anyone know what my problem might be?

You Tube Videos

The first link I am going to post is about telling time. I think this would be good to use to introduce a lesson about telling time. It could then lead into a lesson about making their own flowers and counting the petals. Then we would turn the flowers into clocks and use them as a manipulative to help in learning how to tell time.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnst_mkCEu4

The second link I chose is about counting. There were several counting songs, but I liked this one the best because my students could participate. They could all have blocks at their desk and follow along with the video as we count aloud. This is a fun way to practice counting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxPfPyYp84E

The third link is based on the ABC's and American Sign Language. Not only does this video sing a song, it shows pictures that have letter sound correspondence, and sign language. This would be a great introduction or a conclusion to a language arts lesson about the alphabet.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMQHd1UBkel

Finally, my last link is about the days of the week. I am always looking for a new catchy song to help my students remember the days of the week. We could sing this song during calendar time.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2KljtB73Z8

Articles and Ideas about Podcasting

I'm going to share these links with you because they either had an article about podcasting that caught my attention, or there appeared to be some great ideas for podcasting in your classroom.

www.wtvi.com/TEKS/05_06_articles/classroom-audio-podcasting.html

http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~nshelley/resources.html

www.fcit.usf.edu/podcasts/book_talks.html

www.teacherworld.com/hersheyderryblogws.html

Podcasting in the Classroom

Podcasting is an interesting way to use technology in the classroom. There are so many ways you can use a podcast in your classroom. I would use podcasting the most to help my students with the content in their textbooks. Unfortunately many of my students cannot read at the level of their textbooks. They come to the resource room to have it read to them or to listen to a CD when available. It would be so easy to read the text aloud ahead of time, and then it would be ready for my students to listen to when they came to the resource room. This would also be very handy when a test needs to be read aloud. I could also make a podcast to reteach a lecture. If my students watched a podcast to have a lesson retaught, Iwould need to make sure it helped them get a better understanding of the information. I would have to be very careful with that approach. Not only could my students listen to stories and follow along, but they can read stories and then go back and listen to themselves. They could even have their parents listen to their podcast. I like the idea of my students listening to a podcast to get their morning assignment because my students do not usually have the same assignment.

I actually linked my blog to my wiki. Wow!

More on blogging

When blogging I need to make sure that I do not give out too much personal information. I will not use names and dates. I will also make sure that I set my security to only allow people to read my blogs that have permission.

Blocking Blogs etc.

I am currently not teaching. I do not know if the school I was teaching at previously blocked blogs because I that time I had no idea what a blog was. I do know that they blocked social sites because memos were sent out about the issue. I do not know if a school would lift a blog for a specific class or not. It would be a great opportunity for the students, but it could be risky for the teacher. The teacher would have to be responsible for whatever their students blog about. There has been issues with texting and it could easily happen with blogging. Is there a way to avoid that kind of situation when blogging?

Internet Safety

At this point in time I do not have very many veiws on internet safety. My classroom experience with the internet is very limited. When I was teaching I did not have very many opportunities to work with my students on the internet. If I was working with them on the internet it was one on one so I could see everything they were doing. The school I was teaching at also had filters on the system so that was helpful. Fortunately, I haven't had any bad situations that deal with internet safety.