Blog Posting #8 - End of Semester Reflection The big takeaway for me from this course was simply being introduced to the many different ways we, as teachers, can incorporate technology into the classroom. From coding for kids to creating our own virtual field trips, the abundance of resources I was given will be incredibly valuable going forward. I am excited to continue to learn how to include more technology into my lesson plans and interconnect the use of technology into other subjects as well to provide a more rich and authentic learning experience. My burning question at the beginning of the year was asking what we, as teachers, should expect in the classrooms within the next five years as far as technology is concerned. The example I provided explained that Ontario recently added coding into their curriculum. I now understand that the use of technology in the classroom is only going to accelerate. Therefore, it would my responsibility to f...
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Blog Posting #7 - Coding For Kids Introduction to Scratch Coding Link to Lesson Plan This lesson plan could be used to introduce students to coding and to the Scratch program. Introducing students to useful technology skills at such a young age could spark interest and curiosity which would be beneficial to them longterm. Possessing skills such as coding are valuable in today's opportunity landscape, and would be attractive to any future employer.
Blog Posting #6 - Using technology to explore the natural world Lesson title: Why are bees important? Technology (Ipad) will be used to photograph an image of a local plant species that depends on bees for its survival. Students will be required to use that image afterwards to create an original sketch in their inquiry journals. Link to lesson This lesson can be used in either grade 1 (needs of plants and animals) or grade 2 (small crawling and flying animals). I would use this lesson if I ever get the opportunity to teach either grade as I believe bees to be a fascinating topic that students would enjoy inquiring about. This lesson also interconnects science, art, english, and technology outcomes into one interdisciplinary lesson plan.
Blog Post #5 - Creating a Virtual Field Trip Location : Sintra, Portugal Points of Interest: 1. Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) 2. Palácio da Pena (Pena Palace) 3. Quinta de Regaleira I could use this virtual field trip in my teaching practice for showing the students architectural concepts and variety that occurred over centuries in the same place. It can also be used as a starting point to explore the history of Portugal. Link to Field Trip
Blog Post #4 - Creation App (Adding fractions using a number line) Being introduced to and understanding new concepts in math can be an intimidating step for any student to overcome. Fortunately, there are many helpful and informative apps and websites that can be used to help students reach that goal. The mini-lesson we created was an introduction to place value and we employed the assistance of Starfall - an aesthetically pleasing, easy-to-navigate website. It was exciting to familiarize myself with this technology and these educational aids as I hope to fully incorporate them in my classroom one day. Lesson Plan Link StarFall Resouce Link The mini-lesson Sydney and I demonstrated went as planned. We introduced the topic, provided a refresher using a whiteboard, and then taught the new skill of adding fractions. We then welcomed our student to operate the StarFall application and practice adding ...
Blog Post #3 - Digital Storytelling In the video that is linked below, I talk about three things: a brief history of treaty agreemtns that led to the creation of a First Nation, a brief history of schooling on First Nations, and lessons that I have learned for my future professional teaching practice. This was a challenging blog post for me because I am unfamiliar with this technology. However, I persevered and troubleshot my way through it and now I will be much more prepared the next time I encounter a task that needs to be digitized. First Nation Screencastify Video
Blog Post #2 - Tweeting with Twitter for education
Link to James' Twitter Twitter can be an incredibly useful tool in the classroom for teachers, students, and parents alike. As a future teacher, I plan to familiarize myself with Twitter so I can utilize it effectively in the classroom, and so I can keep the parents of the students informed and up to date. I am excited to learn the fundamentals of Twitter, and hopefully, implement them in my own classroom one day.