Showing posts with label 20% Time. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 20% Time. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Innovation Ideas Opportunity For AP Students


Everyone associated with high school AP (Advanced Placement) classes knows that "after the test" can be a challenging time to engage and empower student to continue to learn.  This year, through the original creation of Ms. Slusarek, I adapted the Genius Hour she created for her Spanish I students to Innovation Ideas that any content teacher could use.  Ms. Slusarek had one student in particular create an amazing project.  She is a French V student who took Spanish in her senior year.  She wanted to know more about a topic and did an incredible job of presenting per product.

Mr. Martinson, AP Stats, and Mrs. Krause, AP European History, spent one hour apiece with me understanding, learning, and designing what a two to four week "Innovation Ideas" learning opportunity looks in their classes.  We really want students to find their passion relating to a concept or two that was learned during the year.

Students will need to

  • Find passion utilizing tools such as the "Passion Bracket"
  • Devise a question that will help them create a product
  • Create a "Shark Tank" pitch for peers with constructive feedback
  • Develop several quality steps to accomplish the learning
  • Create a final presentation of concepts learned and problems solved
  • Reflect on Epic Fails and Epic Successes
For those teachers who have seniors and a smaller time frame, we will utilize a Canvas assignment for uploading of the presentation slides along with an audio recording of their final presentation.  If seniors want to video tape a presentation they can do that as well.







VIEW ALL RESOURCES

All of the resources can be "copied" by clicking "File" then "Make A Copy".  They can be customized to the teacher's content.

From a technology stand point, we are focusing on "creativity" and "communication".  As educators, we are asking students to complete tasks and reflect on the process.  We will do that as educators as well with the entire process.

UPDATE: Students presented their "Shark Tank Pitch" and received feedback from students.

UPDATE: Students working through part 3.  The Process!



Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Recommended Apps: News360, Hitpad, MapBox

I used a QR code to introduce students to two new apps that they may use during D.E.A.R. time.  See the QR code for message below.


The apps are actually outstanding.

  • Visually Appealing
  • Easy to Navigate
  • Fun
  • Interactive

News 360



MapBox




Monday, January 9, 2012

Student Reviews: Factor Samurai, My Math, Fraction Factory, Tic Tac Frac

On Friday, we gave students the opportunity to choose a math app for personal learning.  Students provided some short answers to questions about the app while playing them.

By far the MOST favorite app was FACTOR SAMURAI.  As a teacher, I found it was the first time that students quickly identified prime numbers.  It was addicting and students were excited about their high score.    We even tweeted about it.

Factor Samurai  FREE


My Math App  FREE


Fraction Factory  FREE



Tic Tac Fraction Review $4.99 (Worth It)

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Utilizing Time After Standardized Tests

Today, a two hour block was allotted for testing.  After everyone was done, we customized our professional blogs and linked our tweets with our blogs.  Students had fun and many learned new features of their blog without me guiding them!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Setting The Stage With an iPad

Our problem is quite boring with black words on a white paper.



The iPad (and really any device) allows us to do some 20% time of learning.  We investigated what the Iditarod  is all about prior to us attacking this problem.  There were no limitations.  I just emphasized with the students that I knew nothing about this race.  Students found maps, videos, past winners, distance, and many other items.

It definitely was my hook toward getting their attention.



Students were able to share their findings by having their iPad mirror to the large screen so that all students could view the information.  Great discussion.

We continued with three additional problems, followed by the students creating their own intersection of two equations.  We used Screenchomp to create.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Zite App Becomes Popular During D.E.A.R. Time

Our school dedicates 20 minutes to Drop Everything And Read.  Students must read books, magazines, Nooks, something!  The ZITE app has become a VERY popular choice.  Three weeks ago we introduced the ZITE app as an option for current events.  The beautiful thing about the ZITE app that students are given the freedom to CHOOSE the category of topics that they want to read!

Having that freedom of choice gives students specific control of topics and interests that they want to read!

Zite App Explained


Our Students Using The Zite App

Friday, September 16, 2011

Your Time. Your Choice. Your Learning.

We took the 20% model from Google and applied it to our study of a box-and-whisker plot.  Having iPads allows us to search for any data that the students are interested in.  After finding data that they care about, they placed it in a box and whisker plot.


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