Classroom Management Carry-Over

December 18, 2010 ~ Recently, I had to take time out of the classroom to be with my daughter as she underwent a tonsillectomy. I left substitute plans that included the seating chart, strategies for the day, content activities as well as extra activities for those that may have finished early.  I was hoping for a report back that the students were good.

Now, I understand when a sub is in the classroom, in lieu of the regular teacher, students do not always behave the best. I am looking for any strategies  that work for you and your students. I am very much a technology infused classroom but when a substitute is there, technology use is not applicable because I am not always guaranteed a person that understands how to use the technology in the classroom.
Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.....

Blogging with my Students

September 29, 2010~ I am in the infancy of blogging with my students. We are using the Kidblog platform and iTouches as the vehicle to access our blogs. Students are currently responding to my posts. My next step will be having the students creating their own blogs as a reflection tool for activities, content and learning that is happening in and out of the content classroom. Students are doing remarkably well considering we have used the iTouches to blog only twice (and once was a shortened early release day with weather causing us Internet interruptions).The students and I are excited about the future use of blogging in the classroom.

If you currently blog with your students, please share some experiences. I am looking to be proactive to any troubleshooting issues, extension to the learning activities or concerns that you may have experienced to better be prepared for my students.

Links for Week of 9/28/2010

September 28, 2010~
Simple Machines:
http://www.mcsdk12.org/curr/simple_machines.htm

Museum of Science and Industries: Simple Machines Game
http://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/Activities/Games/simple_machines/index.php

Science Spot: Physics~Simple Machines
http://sciencespot.net/Pages/kdzphysics2.html

Mesopotamia: Geography Challenge
http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/geography/challenge/cha_set.html

Park Forest Middle School Daily Geography
http://www.scasd.org/249741102410043/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=50188

Links for Week of 8/09/10

August 10, 2010~ 

• Tools from the Stone Age (http://www.donsmaps.com/indextools.html)
• Tools, clothing, etc of prehistoric people and times
• Prehistoric People (http://www.42explore2.com/prehist.htm)
• Hunter Gatherer information and resources
• 6th Grade SC Science Standards (https://www.ed.sc.gov/apps/cso/standards/supdocs_k8.cfm#area_6)
• Science Standards
• 6th Grade Social Studies Support Document (http://www.s2martsc.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=277&Itemid=348)
• Social Studies support documents
• All About Picture Books (http://www.suelebeau.com/picturebooks.htm)
• Bibliography of Picture books for content areas

Mthtchr2 Delicious RSS Feed

Polling and Survey Resources

July 28, 2010~ In pondering how my instruction for fall will go, I have been looking for resources in order to incorporate Hinge Point Questions. Free Technology for Teachers blog shared a relatively quick and easy tool for creating polls and surveys. It is called Flisti. The nice thing about Flisti is you just create and go as there is no registration required.
Here is a sample poll I created:

What is your favorite season?

winter

spring

summer

fall

or View Results

Create your own poll at Flisti.com

Below are additional lists of poll and survey tools that I am familiar with using:

Poll Everywhere: There is an app for iPods as well for this one and I have used the app as well as the web-based tool
PollDaddy
Survey Monkey: Used professionally in teacher workshops but not with students
Google Docs has a survey tool

Do you have any experience with these tools or any additional suggestions? I welcome the additional resources for my tool kit to use with students....

7 Days to a Better EduBlog Mini-Course Reflection

July 26, 2010 ~ Having just recently participated in the 7 days to a Better EduBlog Mini-Course allowed me to understand and be mindful of what my students will experience during their blogging endeavors. I particular appreciated the use of exemplar blogs as a way to model the process for each lesson.
I learned:
*pages, trouble-shooting gadget issues, and the variety of post styles

What I need to work on:
*pages, content and scheduling and reflection

My next steps:
Utilizing this type of format for classroom use

Students and Blogging Part 2

July 23, 2010~ Reading through my comments from yesterday led me to a thought on how to introduce blogging to my students. I came across these: Blogs in Plain English by Common Craft.
and below....



Do you feel these would be helpful for sixth graders beginning their blogging endeavor or is there something else you have used in your classroom?