Non-Fiction Work; Hour of Code, Typing, Lesson Sign Ups & More

 

Students have been hard at work learning how to navigate Non-Fiction books, either through text features or by examining the text structure.  To reinforce these ideas I have created several activities.  

• Text Feature Find with Beebots
• Text Feature Task Cards & QR Codes
• Non-Fiction Text Feature Collage 
• Create Your Own  "All About Non-Fiction" with Book Creator

Please add a day & time to THIS CALENDAR  if you would like to try these in your classroom over the next week or two. 

(Learn how to use THIS CALENDAR HERE! (2:29 video)

Did you know that December 6th - 12th is considered Computer Science Week & CODE WEEK? What does this mean?  It means that students all over the globe are focusing on CODING and Computer Science.  What does this mean for Boyden? It means that there are all kinds of activities to inspire students in this area.  

• Unplugged Coding Activities (Cup Stacking)
• Coding Activities (Online)
• Coding Activities (Beebot/Dash)

Coding is not just about computers and robots.  Coding is a component of Computational Thinking. What is computational thinking?  Computational thinking involves predicting, analyzing, breaking things down into smaller parts, removing unnecessary detail.  Sound familiar?  It should because your students do this every day (during reading, math, science etc). 

Please Add a Day and Time to THIS CALENDAR if you would like to try and activity in your classroom over the next week or two. 

Okay so the GAME is NEVER over....the Digital Citizenship game that is! For those of you who were not able to schedule a Digital Citizenship lesson a few weeks ago, there is still TIME to do so!  Please use THIS CALENDAR to add your day and time.  

So you may have noticed we are no longer have access to Typing Agent. We do however have an alternative for typing practice which students in the other schools seem to enjoy.  It's called Typing.com  You can create a class by importing from Google Classroom (as they have signed the SDPA!!).  I am happy to assist you in getting your students started.  Learning how to type is one of those invaluable skills. 

So THIS CALENDAR is for you to use to SIGN UP for one of the above Lessons.  An email was sent out (inadvertently) to ALL Boystaff to add the calendar. (please add it if you want to use it to sign up.)  The appointment slot calendar didn't work so well as our times do not necessarily match up.  ANYWAY, please note, that if you add a day/time to the calendar, please wait for a confirmation from me as I need to cross-reference it with my calendar for conflicts.  

If the calendar is not something you are comfortable using...email me! 

Again here are the Directions on how to add your name & time to the Calendar. (2:29 video)

 

FREE Resources for you!

• Telling Time (O'Clock & Thirty) Beebot
• Fred Rogers Songs for Rituals & Routines  (Blog post here)
• Holiday Greeting Card Template (Google Drawing) 
• Winter Magnetic Poetry
• Esti Mystery Collections (new mysteries have been added!)

Discovery Ed, Classwize, Spirit Day Winners & MORE!

 

Many of you may remember the days when we had a subscription to Discovery Education. Though we no longer have access to DE, they are offering FREE activities (by grade levels) in the form of a monthly calendar. These daily lessons will supplement your curriculum.  Sign up HERE.  Check out the fabulous resources.

Research has shown that student learning is greatly impacted when provided with timely feedback.  Seesaw has come up with some new features when it comes to giving students Feedback. Now you can send work back after it's been approved for students to edit in response to your feedback.  Plus they can view your comments right within the creative tools while they are working.  And now you can assess student work quickly by giving it a "star rating".  Won't you take a few moments (3.43 min) to learn about these features?

The district has paid for a subscription to Classwize this year.  Classwize is a program that gives teachers the ability to shape and monitor their students' internet use.  More information about this will be shared at the November Staff Meeting.

                             Here's a sneak peek. in the event you can't wait or Click on the images below to make see them full screen.) If you want to give Classwize a try, let me know. 

              

The Adopt-A-Cow program has begun!  Our little calf, Capri, was born on the Fletcher Farm in Springfield, MA.  Updates can be found in the Media Center.  However, I'll also send information periodically.  This program ties in nicely with many life science standards. Here's a great video of a Virtual Farm tour that took place this week. Your students will really enjoy learning about this dairy farm. (Start at 5:39 min)

                     

The winners of the gift certificates are as follows:  "Pats Vs. TB12: Suzanne G; "Stripes & Dots": Karen M. and "At Your Leisure": Jill A!  I can drop the gift certificate to you or you can come by my office. Thank you to everyone who sent their pictures along!

Here are a couple of ideas for using Book Creator in your classroom.   Some of my favs: 4. Say NO to "Said" and other over used words. 9. Math Riddles 

ST Math Visit Signup, Book Creator Idea and Fat Bear Week!

 

You asked and ST Math listened. Kristen Berthao (our ST Math Representative), is going to come and spend the day (if there is enough interest) one day next week (hopefully).  She will do either ONE of the following:

    1. She will lead a whole class lesson using a puzzle, similar to a number talk (10-20 min)

    2. She look at the data with the teacher briefly and make a plan to support the students that need support (10-20 min)

The only stipulation is that she will need students working on ST Math during her visit...makes sense, right?   If you are interested please express your interest in this FORM. 

Your students are working on their Personal Narratives.  Book Creator would be a perfect way for students to publish their stories, share with others or as a celebration.  They could fill the pages with text, graphics, photos & even videos to make their writing even more exciting.  Let me know if you would like to learn how to make this happen.

According to my pal, even though it's not quite as popular as Shark Week...Fat Bear Week is gaining in popularity.  

This is a March Madness type activity and you'll have to act quick if you want your class to participate as voting closes October 5th.  (I suggest doing this as a class as you will need to give YOUR email address). 

Besides the voting there is all kinds of information about these Katmai National Park Alaskan bears and hibernation.  Ask your students these questions:  Why are there differences in the ways bears look and act? How does each bear survive and how might their individuality be influenced by variation in brown bear traits?

For even more participation your students can watch the Katmai Bearcam LIVE to see some of these bears in their natural habitat. For grades 3-5 there are three lessons on Inheritance & Variation of Traits.

Here's a Google Form to complete if you want to send in your student questions which may be selected for answering during a live broadcast with the Park Rangers. Let me know if you would like to work on this.

Keeping with an animal theme, I have signed up the school for the Adopt-A-Cow program through DiscoverDairy.com. We will be receiving lessons, pictures and more. Updates will be posted in the Media Center (thank you Kristin!) so that all of Boyden will be able to share in the excitement. (Not quite sure what to expect, but thought it would be a great way to bring the whole school together - we'll see what how it goes!).

Last minute pitch....if you haven't already you'll want to get your students signed up for Google Classroom (please add me if you do). It will help when rostering other programs like Seesaw, Edpuzzle and our newest program, Classwize - which I'll be introducing at the staff meeting.

Resource Reminder, Request, Lesson Sign up, Printing & some Freebies

Have you seen this look on your students' faces while using their chromebooks? 

Well, we could change that look into this... 

   Just by using one or two of the many amazing resources we are paying for!  I've highlighted just a few of the tools below.  These tools will not only engage your students, but allow you to gain a better understanding of what they know.  And as an added bonus...these will save you time!

👉  Screencastify: New Updates:  New Callouts - These change the way the cursor looks and will draw the students' attention to particular areas.  They even have a little "fireworks" to make things pop & stand out. Another new feature is the ability to add in "checks for understanding".  (similar to EdPuzzle -- see below).   

👉Did you know your students can use Screencastify too to make videos sharing their work?

👉 Check out the video below to learn more about the new features (start at .51 and go to 2.25 min).  

                              
👉 Edpuzzle: (K-5) Don't have time to make your own videos?  You can find ready-made video lessons or you can create your own. 

👉(Sign up here if you haven't already Import students using Google Classroom). Would love to walk you through this! Teachers have said they can't live without it!!

👉 Seesaw: (K-5th) Okay, okay - I know you think I work for them...because I'm always going on about the benefits of using it.  But it's a product beyond compare! 

Students have the opportunity to share their thinking using the video or record tools.  BUT, there are so many wonderful content-related activities already in the Community activity library. 

👉 Typing Agent:  (K-5th) Online keyboarding and typing platform. Keeps track of student progress.  Accessed though Clever.  Keyboarding is a skill that once learned will save students time when completing writing assignments!

👉 That's right - there's even more!  We have access to Generation Genius, Mystery Science, Brainpop & Brainpop Jr., ST Math, Starfall, Reading A-Z (younger students), Brainingcamp, Flipgrid, Peardeck and new this year...BOOK CREATOR! (hopefully you got my email & signed up for your account!)

Let me know if you want me to help you leverage these amazing tools within your curriculum.

 I am wondering if you would please add me to your Google Classroom like you did last year.  It is super helpful when I'm sharing resources with students or providing Digital Citizenship lessons.  Thank you so much! 

👉 Speaking of Digital Citizenship...If you haven't taken advantage of the Chromebook Care lesson, please sign up HERE.  You can also sign up for and Introduction to Digital Citizenship as well HERE.  These lessons are 30 min in length. Please specifiy which lesson you'd prefer. 

 It's not what you're thinking!! Really!!

👉 This week I will be working on student printing.  Students will be able to print via WPS Virtual Printers.  In order to retrieve it, you will log into the Print Release station and sign in.  This will most likely take me til the end of the week.  Thank you for your patience.

👉FINALLY.... A couple resources. 

Here's a Weekly Organizer (Created by Michelle Emerson!

Esti-Mysteries by Steve Wyborney (Organized by Grade Level)

Fall Dress Up Pets - Students can dress up pets and then write about them!

Welcome Back! DLC Role, Resources & Lesson Sign Up

 

Welcome Back!

What a great beginning to the 2021-2022 year! Students are back in school - in person, together, happy and ready to learn!

As your Digital Learning Coach, I am here and ready to assist you!  As a reminder, I am a partner, mentor and  developer. Please reach out so we can start working together. 

My primary responsibilities are to model, co-teach, and coach you on effective integration of digital tools and resources within the curriculum.

When working with you I will always keep the the curriculum and the students at the forefront.  It's always about the learning, not the tool!

RESOURCES: 
 

Building relationships is always major focus these first couple weeks.  Here are some ways to get to know your students:

• Use Google Classroom  'Ask a Question' Feature
• Customize your Google Classroom Banner with Student Names (9.36 video)
• Digital Name Tent  - I love this to help classmates learn about their peers
• All About Me - Google Slides Template with Simple Directions
  

Don't DITCH the TECH just Yet!  I know there have been concerns about the amount of time kids spent in front of screens during the pandemic.  While this is a legitimate concern, technology can still be used in many different ways to enhance student learning.  We just need to be mindful about the quality of the task - are students just being consumers or are they being producers?  I would love to expand upon this conversation so stay tuned!

Finally, please sign up for a quick 20 minute lesson for your class on Chromebook Care & Use! If one of these times doesn't work for you let me know and we will work out something else. 

As always reach out if you have questions or you want to collaborate.