Seek and You Will Find!

Earlier this week I woke up to my frantic husband waking me at 4:00am because our dog had gone outside and wasn't coming back to the door! I hopped out of bed (which I NEVER do), I threw on my jacket and boots, grabbed a flashlight and started roaming the neighborhood calling his name. "Sparky...Spaaarky!", while Mark drove around in the neighborhood searching for our beloved, 13-year-old, naughty, ornery dog family member. After what seemed like forever, Sparky came be-bopping around the corner as if nothing happened. We were so relieved and never so happy to see that little guy. I had a tough time going back to sleep, so I laid awake thinking about how someone should develop an app for run away dogs! Seriously, I think this could be a genius idea. There could be a chip in their collar and you just click on the app and a map tells you where they are! I'm calling Apple after I write this and see what they say...maybe I will be a millionaire the next time I post!:)

Searching for people, places and things has never been easier than it is today! When I think about the resources I had as a kid and the vast improvements available for my own kids and students, it is mind-blowing! Google has a ton of cool features that make searching for information quick, easy and specific. When you go into Google there is a drop down search bar that allows you to filter your search by reading level, file type, location, time period and relevance. There are also Google search tools that give you quick answers such as the calculator, dictionary, videos, books, maps and images without having to search through a website. Check out this video to see how many cool features Google has that you probably never knew about!

Another amazing search tool found on the Internet is called Wolfram/Alpha. I had never heard of it before, but let me tell you, it is worth checking out. When you go to their site, you simply type in a question or topic and you will receive a plethora of information about your search. I tried it out for myself with a math problem and not only got the computational answer, but an illustration, a step-by-step solution and the answer plotted on a number line! Next I tried it with a social studies query about the 13 original colonies. I got information on population history, a list of the colonies, a map, land area and much more! Wolfram/Alpha is impressive and especially with math calculations, students will be able to see explanations and pictures to help them understand the algorithm! What an awesome search tool! Check it our for yourself by following this link!

Even though we don't have tools for everything we might be looking for (lost dogs, lost keys, a lone sock), there are many amazing tools out there to help us find just what we are looking for! Hope you will explore and seek new ways to search with Google Search and Wolfram/Alpha! 

Happy Seeking!

-Sarah

Social Media Savvy!

To social media or not to social media....that IS the question! For me, the answer has been a resounding "NO" for a long time. I mentioned my issues with it in a former post, but this week I was asked to look at it from an educator's perspective. Come to think of it, I have been challenged a lot in this class to think about social media in new and different ways. Although I will likely not become a Facebook fanatic in the near future, I am more open to the advantages of using social media in my profession. In order to prepare these 21st century learners in my classroom, I must jump on the social media bandwagon!

Since I am not social media savvy, the first thing I did in preparing for researching the pros and cons, was to do a little digging. I used an awesome feature in Google Drive to help me write, research and cite all in the same place! To get started, you go into your Google Drive and access documents, then "tools" and click "research". The search tool in the upper right corner of the screen (see below) gives you the research articles, related images and even allows you to add links and cite your resources right onto the Google document. It was so easy and actually fun to use. Never thought I'd say those words together...research paper + fun??? Whaaaat??????

This is how the Google Drive research tool looks! So awesome!

I love that this week challenged me to think about my thinking. I'm such a thinker, some may say an"overthinker"(thanks Mom:)). Because of this flaw attribute, I generally know how I feel about most things. So when my thinking is challenged, I actually embrace it because I enjoy opening my mind to new ideas. I pretty much knew the disadvantages of social media ...it's a time sucker, it subtracts from face to face relationships and there are many dangers in putting yourself out there. I was curious what the experts had to say about advantages with students. As I researched, I found some pretty good arguments for social media. It improves student engagement, helps students connect/share, improves reading skills and gives them quick access to information. One fact that stood out is that students must be internet savvy to be competitive for college and future employment. Teachers must also be intentional about how we use social media with students. Teaching internet safety and citizenship will be as important as teaching them how to be safe on the playground. Being newly educated on the advantages of using social media, I am on board to try it out with my students. I think sites like Edmodo and kidblogs are most appropriate for my class, but there are many others to explore. Check out this site for a great list of social networking ideas for younger kids.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself! I just love the Keep Calm posters!

Ok, when I saw Pinterest on the assignment list I said "HALLELUJAH!!!" Finally, something I know about and know how to do (quite well, I might add). I absolutely love, love, love Pinterest. I never really thought of it as "social media", but I guess technically, it is. Pinterest is a free application that allows its users to collect and share ideas from the web. You can save ideas to different boards and organize them by naming and describing each board. Sharing is easy among pinners and searching for new ideas is made simple with the search tool. When you pin an idea it is linked to the full site and will link to related pins as well. I have gotten so many awesome ideas from Pinterest and highly recommend it! The video below is great for beginners. 

I hope you have become a little more social media savvy with me this week. I can truly say that I realize now the importance and urgency of incorporating social media into my classroom. It's the future, so we better get prepared!

Happy Pinning!

-Sarah

Buckle Up and Google Drive!

Ok, so maybe what I'm about to share won't save your life...but it can make life a whole lot easier! Google Drive might be the best, most coolest thing on the entire face of the Internet! It stores everything in a "cloud" and gives you the ability to access anything from anywhere and share everything with everyone! I have been using it for about a year now and I still learn new aspects of it's amazingness each time I go exploring! 

As if Google Drive wasn't already awesome enough, they went and created add-ons to become even more fabulous. The first one I want to share with you is a function in Google Forms called Flubaroo. Kinda fun to say, isn't it? Come on, say it out loud! FLU-BUH-ROO...FLU-BUH-ROO...FLU-BUH-ROOOOOOO! Ok, that's enough! After creating a form for let's say, a class survey, a quick assessment or an interest inventory; you can immediately view a spreadsheet with the data from your questions. Next, you can access Flubaroo right from the toolbar and it will actually grade your form and give you stats. I can't even believe there is something so cool out there! I "heart" Flubaroo!!!! After finishing the book, Out of My Mind (tear-jerker alert) with my 5th graders, I created an assessment in Google Forms for my students. Check out my form here. Then I went in and "Flubaroozed" it and this is what I got (see below)!

Did I mention, I "heart" Flubaroo!? Check out this video on more...

Another awesome add-on in Google Forms is Form Notifications. Utilizing this tool will let your respondents know when their form has been submitted and allows you to customize a message for your test/survey takers. You could give a link or webpage for additional information related to the survey or just send a sweet thank you. You can also set up email notifications for yourself so that you know when everyone has finished. Check out this short tutorial to learn how to add on this add-on! Ha!

There are so many great features of Google Drive and the recent add-ons that are available. If you don't already have a Google account, sign up for one NOW! Once your in, buckle up and Google Drive into some amazing technology tools! 

Happy Driving-

Sarah

Time to Get Organized!

Being organized is something that has always come pretty naturally to me. I like to be able to put my hands on things when I need them and actually feel peaceful when items are in their place and look neat. My classroom is a reflection of how I feel about being organized...I have my tubs and drawers labeled, crates with extra materials, a color coordinated theme and a tidy desk. My students are well aware of how important organization is to me and make sure their desks and AVID binders are tidy. I don't think organization is something everyone thinks about teaching to their students, but it has almost as much to do with their success as anything we teach them! 

I think we can all agree that Benjamin Franklin knew what he was talking about!

An awesome technology tool I learned about this week is Diigo. It is a social bookmarking website that allows users to save, tag and share websites. One of the coolest features is that you can create or join groups to share websites with others. It was fun to play with some of the features like highlighting and using sticky notes to annotate right on the text! You can also set up student groups, which allows them to be able to use all of these cool tools. I can see my students using the highlighting and sticky notes for close reading annotations and then commenting on their classmates posts. Aside from all of that, Diigo keeps all your webpages organized by tags. It makes searching your favorite websites quick and easy! Plus... because it is a web-based site, you can access your bookmarks from any computer. How great is that? Check out this video for more information on how to use Diigo.

My learning of new digital organizational tools did not end there folks! I was introduced to a classroom behavior management tracking system called Class Dojo. Tracking behavior and keeping up with different systems is an area where organization is a bit of a challenge for me. This cool tool offers a simple way to track student behaviors all in one place! Parents can view progress and students are awarded points for their choices. I plan on using Class Dojo as soon as I get my class set up. This tool is a winner for me, plus it's FREE! View this short video, then sign up and get organized with classroom management!

Being organized as well as teaching students to be organized cannot be underestimated! Students will use these skills when studying, turning in work, monitoring behavior and managing time. I hope you check out and sign up for one of these free online resources that will make your life and your students' lives more manageable!

Happy Organizing-

Sarah

Keep Calm and Use Edmodo!

This week I learned how to use Edmodo, which was described to me as the Facebook of schools. Uhhh....okay, but what if I've never been on Facebook?!? I'm pretty sure my resistance to social media has finally caught up with me! 

I began learning about this new technology tool in my usual way-watch some YouTube videos, take some notes, watch more YouTube videos and get started! Problem was, I was still stuck after a few hours of research. Plan B led me to meeting up with our school's technology guru this afternoon. She explained it so easily and she quickly helped me see the light! I wish I had her calm demeanor when it comes to technology. Personality defect: OVERTHINKER. Yep...that's me!

So what is Edmodo exactly? It's a school appropriate social networking site that allows teachers to share ideas with other teachers and students to share ideas with other students in their class. But that's not all Edmodo has to offer, students can answer polls, take quizzes, post comments, ask questions and submit assignments. Check out this quick video for an explanation of exactly what Edmodo is all about! 

Teachers can use Edmodo to collaborate and share resources with each other in a couple of different ways. They can join an existing group like the one I picked this week, CCSS Math and PLC. Or they can create their own group like the one I did called "Purposeful Planning". In the past I might just email my colleagues or hunt them down for a response, but now I will use Edmodo to get the answers I need! After creating a group, you just invite people to join your group. Here's a tutorial for teachers on how to get started! 

My new goal is to use Edmodo with my students. I know they would love to respond, share opinions and turn their work in using this cool tool. Hope you will stay calm and start exploring the awesomeness of Edmodo, like I did!

Happy Posting-

Sarah

Twitter...It's Not That Scary!

I have to say that Halloween is NOT my favorite holiday! Don't get me wrong, I love the costumes, pumpkin patches, parties and candy, of course. The scary movies and the creepy haunted forests, not so much. Another thing that scares me...social media! Eeeek!!! Sometimes I feel like the only person on Earth who didn't jump on the Facebook or Twitter bandwagon. It just didn't interest me. So when I saw that this week's assignment was going to be about social media, I was a little scared!

Turns out, Twitter is not so scary after all! I had no idea that educators have been using it as a way to connect with each other and share great ideas. It's really just a mini blog and I LOVE blogs! In fact, writing this blog has been one the best parts of my entire Master's program. When I can share ideas and get ideas, it makes me feel empowered and enlightened. One of the "tweeters" I chose to follow this week is an educator named Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher. She has awesome ideas on just about everything educational! She's an expert presenter on topics like differentiated instruction and blogging. Links to current education topics and motivational clips can also be found on her account. As a school I can see using Twitter to alert parents about upcoming events, school closings and celebrations. As a classroom teacher, I could use it to inform parents about field trips, needed supplies or class projects. It would also be a great resource to keep my grade level current on the latest technology and Common Core integration. 

Here's the "cool cat" I mentioned above! Go visit her Twitter account @coolcatteacher.

Once you've dipped your toe into blogging and Twitter, you can begin building your own Personal Learning Network, or PLN. These networks should include a collection of people you want to follow and exchange information with regularly. Other PLN's include social networking, webinars, nings and professional profiles. Getting connected to others in the field of education keeps us on the edge of the latest technology, best classroom practices and educational news. It's like going to a professional development or an inservice in the comfort of your own home!

I hope I didn't scare you this week with my new learning. I'm glad my mind was opened to the many possibilities that Twitter and other PLN's have to offer. Go ahead and check it out for yourself...there are a lot of great minds out there, including yours!

Happy Connecting!
-Sarah

Get the Buzz on Blogging!

Well...looks like I'm back in school! I truly enjoyed my little break and actually made an effort to have some "me time" that I documented on my Instagram! So...I fully planned on getting started on my assignments mid-week, but then I was hit with my annual sinus infection/strep throat combo! I even missed a day from work, which never happens! I was laid up for the last part of the week and am just now beginning to feel like my throat might not catch on fire and my head probably will not explode!

So this week, while I was laying in bed, I researched a ton of awesome educational blogs! I have previously found most blogs through Pinterest, but searching topics in feedly was really quite simple! I could really get lost looking at all the teacher resources, ideas and tips...it could be a full time job just taking it all in! I loved that most of the blogs I checked out allowed you to specifically choose your grade level or area of expertise. I think my favorite one was Teaching Blog Addict! Not only were there links to hundreds of related blogs but there were also teacher freebies (which I adore!) and pin boards organized by themes!

In the past, I have subscribed to the few blogs I follow through my email. Each day when there's an update, I get an email. That was the "old-fashioned-ME", but the new "techie-ME" will be using feedly as a way to organize and get updates for my blogs! It was really simple to search and add the blogs I wanted. I loved that I could organize them into categories as well. For now, they are all under "educational", but as I add more, I will be more specific with my categories. Who knew this even existed? Probably everyone...except me! Ha!
Check out this quick tutorial on how to set up and use feedly!

Hope you learned something new about blogging like I did this week. It's such a great way to share ideas and acquire professional development right at your fingertips! Have a great week!

Happy Blogging-

Sarah