Students are completing algebraic equations with variables on both sides. They are also experiencing equations with no solution. In an attempt to see some daily work in an easy, readable format, I am having the students solve four problems using the Tactilis app. They will need to create steps of the mathematical process in different colors, which the Tactilis app provides.
Students published the work to their blog. Upon completion, I will be commenting on their blogs for each problem.
Students becoming much more familiar with the app, which speeds up the process. I do think this app has a place in my tech toolbox for evaluation.
After students completed their work, they were instructed to place the work on their blog. I will be reviewing their work on their blog and leaving comments. Since this skill directly relates to one of our mathematical benchmarks, I will be placing one single point or check in the grade book if the student demonstrates the proper steps for solving an algebraic equation that has one solution or no solutions.
I think this moves toward standards based grading, and I like the fact that students will get feedback prior to the quiz and it is not a homework assignment.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Dictation App Speeds Up Blogger Reflection
I Get It!
We can't stop writing, but with so many things to do in an educational time frame, sometimes a more efficient manner is needed...and the app is F.R.E.E!
Today, I used the Dictation app for students to create a one sentence definition of a solution. It worked quite well in speeding up the reflection/assessment process. Students simply stated their one sentence definition on Dictation, copied it, and pasted it into their blogger app.
Some students needed two times to slow their talking down, but most students felt it was a useful app.
We can't stop writing, but with so many things to do in an educational time frame, sometimes a more efficient manner is needed...and the app is F.R.E.E!
Today, I used the Dictation app for students to create a one sentence definition of a solution. It worked quite well in speeding up the reflection/assessment process. Students simply stated their one sentence definition on Dictation, copied it, and pasted it into their blogger app.
Some students needed two times to slow their talking down, but most students felt it was a useful app.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Google Sites - Forms - Blogs - Twitter - Personal Econ
Today we concluded our week long personal economics unit and may I say it was exhausting, but outstanding! We created an entire city using Google sites. All items students needed to complete were completed through Google Forms. Students discussed their experience by using Twitter and Google Blogs.
We communicated each day's agenda by sending an email to all students.
BOTTOM LINE: We couldn't have done it without iPads, desktops, laptops, Google tools, and Twitter. It was our largest problem based task to date.
*some material will not be accessible as we made them only available to our domain. If you truly want the forms and other things, leave a comment with your contact information!
Our Town: Raiderville, Wisconsin (created in Google Sites)
Some videos:
We communicated each day's agenda by sending an email to all students.
BOTTOM LINE: We couldn't have done it without iPads, desktops, laptops, Google tools, and Twitter. It was our largest problem based task to date.
*some material will not be accessible as we made them only available to our domain. If you truly want the forms and other things, leave a comment with your contact information!
Our Town: Raiderville, Wisconsin (created in Google Sites)
Some videos:
Persuasive Writing - Lesson & YouTube Resources
As we complete our afternoon block combination class with social studies and communication arts, we created a persuasive writing lesson complete with the ways that people use propaganda.
Our class in direct instruction...
The entire play list of videos we used with descriptions of the type of propaganda that they are...
To combine this with social studies, students will need to persuade someone to live in Raiderville.
Our Google Presentation is below...
Our class in direct instruction...
The entire play list of videos we used with descriptions of the type of propaganda that they are...
To combine this with social studies, students will need to persuade someone to live in Raiderville.
Our Google Presentation is below...
Individual Mathematics Class
Today, I created a correction video with additional teaching information...
I then gave them small instructions...
Followed by students implementing the plan...
Completed with students filling out the form and moving to the quiz...
Resource For Students - (What They Viewed)
Positives:
Students moving at own pace, but with a purpose.
Believe I saved five minutes in the class by doing this way.
Able to move throughout the room and determine if students were correcting accurately.
Video gave additional explanations on process of solving problems.
Students could review those processes if they felt need be.
Negatives:
Google Embedded form took small amount of time to load.
I then gave them small instructions...
Followed by students implementing the plan...
Completed with students filling out the form and moving to the quiz...
Resource For Students - (What They Viewed)
Positives:
Students moving at own pace, but with a purpose.
Believe I saved five minutes in the class by doing this way.
Able to move throughout the room and determine if students were correcting accurately.
Video gave additional explanations on process of solving problems.
Students could review those processes if they felt need be.
Negatives:
Google Embedded form took small amount of time to load.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
iOS 5 - Picture Upgrades - More Efficient Classroom
In the old days, I would spend a great deal of time and energy standing at the board and showing how all problems in math were to be completed. One would think this would be effective, but it really wasn't.
Fast forward to the use of iPads and a classroom blog and a new way to discuss the problem has emerged.
Take a picture of students' work and quickly email it to our blog. Show the pictures of students' steps to complete the problem and ask if people agree? If not, they will ultimately explain what parts of the problem they do not like and the discussion begins.
Students have expressed multiple times that they like this process and all too often students will volunteer their work for discussion.
In the past, I have used the Genius Scan app as it allowed for cropping and fixing of the picture. Unfortunately, it is not a native iPad app. It is iPod first.
Two days ago, I upgraded to iOS 5 and noticed the editing features when a photo was viewed. The edit button reveals the options on the bottom of this picture.
AWESOME!!!
It truly helps in eliminating excess paper or board space that might be associated with students' work.
Photo that was not edited - there is a ton of white space that should be eliminated!
Photo that has been edited!
BIG WIN for efficiency in the classroom!
I encourage you to try this practice. Set up your classroom blog to receive mobile posts. Use an iDevice to take the picture and whisk the picture off to your blog for discussion!
Fast forward to the use of iPads and a classroom blog and a new way to discuss the problem has emerged.
Take a picture of students' work and quickly email it to our blog. Show the pictures of students' steps to complete the problem and ask if people agree? If not, they will ultimately explain what parts of the problem they do not like and the discussion begins.
Students have expressed multiple times that they like this process and all too often students will volunteer their work for discussion.
In the past, I have used the Genius Scan app as it allowed for cropping and fixing of the picture. Unfortunately, it is not a native iPad app. It is iPod first.
Two days ago, I upgraded to iOS 5 and noticed the editing features when a photo was viewed. The edit button reveals the options on the bottom of this picture.
AWESOME!!!
It truly helps in eliminating excess paper or board space that might be associated with students' work.
Photo that was not edited - there is a ton of white space that should be eliminated!
Photo that has been edited!
BIG WIN for efficiency in the classroom!
I encourage you to try this practice. Set up your classroom blog to receive mobile posts. Use an iDevice to take the picture and whisk the picture off to your blog for discussion!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Side By Side iPad2 App
The Side By Side iPad2 browser app comes in very handy when students need to complete a Google Form again due to errors or incomplete due to time. Check it out.
The Big Climb @ PCMS
To culminate our Chapter 2 concepts of integer operations and graphing equations, I modified our textbook problem to that of a three act math problem.
The best part of our problem was the "hook" found below. Students had great expressions of "uhg" and "awe" when I asked them if they wanted to see the winner of the "climb to the top" they needed to complete the work. So many times, students want the teacher to do more work than themselves.
I felt that they time and energy it took to create the videos (taken with iPad2) and produced using YouTube Doubler and Camtasia was well worth it. The student version of the lesson can be found HERE.
Students used a Google Form to give their predictions. Great accountability. I thought the winner was obvious when viewing the prediction video, but many students did not guess the correct winner.
Students then received a "slowed down" version of climbers which allowed students to count the number of stairs versus the time.
I included the prediction video in this video along with the slower version. Next year, I will NOT include the prediction video...it took students some time to realize that the slower version was half way through the video.
Students then received a Google Spreadsheet that allowed for them to gather data for each climber. See some classroom video below.
CHALLENGE: The biggest challenge is that all climbers did not have a CONSTANT rate. We eventually are going to create a rule that gives us an average of a climbers rate.. Not sure how to get around this, but felt this video of real people was better than the book.
CHALLENGE: This problem did not involve negative integers. Next year, I would like to have students go up and down the stairs.
Overall, I believe that the problem engaged and assessed the students. Obviously when we were done, we showed them the answers...
NOTE: the whole process took about 4-5 hours of prep. Was it worth it? Yes!
The best part of our problem was the "hook" found below. Students had great expressions of "uhg" and "awe" when I asked them if they wanted to see the winner of the "climb to the top" they needed to complete the work. So many times, students want the teacher to do more work than themselves.
I felt that they time and energy it took to create the videos (taken with iPad2) and produced using YouTube Doubler and Camtasia was well worth it. The student version of the lesson can be found HERE.
Students used a Google Form to give their predictions. Great accountability. I thought the winner was obvious when viewing the prediction video, but many students did not guess the correct winner.
Students then received a "slowed down" version of climbers which allowed students to count the number of stairs versus the time.
I included the prediction video in this video along with the slower version. Next year, I will NOT include the prediction video...it took students some time to realize that the slower version was half way through the video.
Students then received a Google Spreadsheet that allowed for them to gather data for each climber. See some classroom video below.
CHALLENGE: The biggest challenge is that all climbers did not have a CONSTANT rate. We eventually are going to create a rule that gives us an average of a climbers rate.. Not sure how to get around this, but felt this video of real people was better than the book.
CHALLENGE: This problem did not involve negative integers. Next year, I would like to have students go up and down the stairs.
Overall, I believe that the problem engaged and assessed the students. Obviously when we were done, we showed them the answers...
NOTE: the whole process took about 4-5 hours of prep. Was it worth it? Yes!
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