Gettin' My Learn On

Do the math.  Scan the code and check your work.  Your results!                                            Addition and Subtraction Fun   Classroom The augmented learning experience that I have created for my students will be done in small groups during math stations or center time. The use of QR codes will allow for students to accomplish the tasks provided in an independent way. I chose a QR activity instead of an augmented reality experience because I felt that QR's would be more user friendly for my target audience (Kindergarten).  My students will be able to see how to videos to reinforce what we have learned in math as far as addition and subtraction is concerned. They will also be able to access some online math adding and subtracting games to exercise their skills. The best activity is the actual need for application of kno...

Classroom This video would be used at the beginning of the school year when the time is appropriate to introduce basic 2D shapes. This would be a great introduction video (and maybe even better if it was fine tuned 😊) I would use this video during whole group discussion or perhaps during small group time at centers. Students would watch this video and then with a clipboard and writing materials they would walk around the room and gather a list of two dimensional shapes they find. Another idea would be to have them just keep track of the number of times they find each shape using a chart of some sort. This would incorporate other math skills like graphing or tallying to collect data. Students could always refer back to the video via their iPad at their table if they forget a shape.  Students will identify and chart basic 2 dimensional shapes around the classroom.   Creativity  This is a tough one as far as Kindergarten goes (multimedia resources, p...

Frog Life Cycle  www.turtlediaries.com  Published on July 30, 2012 In Kindergarten we learn about the life cycle of a frog during our Life Science studies. This video would be used as an introduction during the launching of the unit. It would provide my students with a little bit of prior knowledge and give me an idea of what they already know before digging deeper into the unit.  1. Is the content appropriate for your current area of study? The content of this video is certainly appropriate because we learn about the life cycle of a frog in Kindergarten. 2. Does the content add to or enhance your current lesson plan? It does enhance the content of my lesson plan because it provides an accurate visual for each stage in the life cycle. 3. Does the content and production of the video meet school and community standards for acceptable use in your school? This video is approved and watchable by Big Rapids Public Schools. My school district filters videos a...

Manipulated Digital Image                                                                     Original image by Monique Dinkel, 2015 GIF  http://makeagif.com/i/V9TxBf This was created using the video Relaxing 3 Hour Video of a Waterfall on an Ocean Beach at Sunset  by MoneySavingVideos (2013) under an attribution License. Lesson Plan Idea Both the edited image along with the GIF that I created will be presented to the kindergarten students in my class during our unit on adjectives. My intention is for students to immerse themselves in the images and come up with describing adjectives that directly pertain to each image.  The edited image of the M&Ms may be the warm up activity on day 1 and then maybe by day 2 the use of the GIF would be appropriate as it will also include...

My students took the NWEA test this week and I had one student almost in tears over the types of questions she was getting. Now that it's all over and she absolutely crushed the test, we can make light of the situation. Poor girl though! I have already shared this with my cooworkers who experience this with their students at any grade level. We all sympathize with our students who basically see questions that seem to them like foreign languages and that's a sign that they are doing well on the test. 😒

Use in the Classroom or Educational Setting In Kindergarten we study the Symbols of the United States of America. This unit of study is coming up for us in the next two weeks and will wrap up our year of learning social studies concepts in Kindergarten.  My plan for this Padlet is to have the students explore the links independently during their small group iPad time during Literacy Stations. I will have them explore the links on the Padlet the week prior to our Symbols unit as an introduction. This will give them some prior knowledge for us to build on as we explore each symbol.            Objective: The students will identify five symbols of the United States of America The students that I teach and those that will be utilizing this Padlet are Kindergarten age, therefore, their understanding of copyright will just simply be an introduction. They understand ownership of one's own work as we discuss it every day in writing time. When I do a model r...

Hey everyone! My name is Melissa. I am a Kindergarten teacher for Big Rapids Public Schools.  I am about to complete my tenth year teaching. I taught first grade for four years and now it's been almost six teaching Kindergarten. I am just four classes away from obtaining my Masters Degree in EDU Tech. I am so excited about this course in particular because I'll get to play and experiment. As educators, we don't often get that kind of time. I learn best through hands on experiences. I am also excited to be able to share some of the things I learn about various multimedia resources with my fellow teachers. I am definitely concerned about juggling the first six weeks of this course with the last six weeks of the school year. However, a little time management, organization and of course a little anxiety will get me through. 😜 I am looking forward to collaborating with and learning from you all throughout the next eight weeks.