Hello. On this blog which I recently began, I have bee describing new and exciting technologies, many of which we will be using to complete class activities. My favorite technology tool discussed on this blog is.....(you guessed it) blogs.
The reason I like blogs is because blogs offer opportunities to collaborate with and write to a variety of audiences, to reflect on one’s writing and to be engaged in each stage of the writing cycle (including revising, editing and publishing). As a future high school and college student and adult, you will have to work with others on important projects and be able to write clearly to different people for different reasons. Blogs offer opportunities to improve these skills.
Blogs also allow a student to be actively engaged in the learning process. Everyone has to contribute and offer input for a blog to be successful. A teacher may begin a blog’s prompt; however, students then respond, not only to the teacher, but also to one another. Blogs can also be a great way for students to save and add to a group project.
I am hoping to post engaging and higher level thinking questions on this blog. You will be expected to contribute responses to these questions. This blog will also be used for groups to share ideas and resources during group projects. Are you ready? Let’s bog!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
What Shape Is The Earth?
What shape is the earth? If you said round, oval or a sphere, you are correct as you are probably referring to the physical shape of the earth. There exist a recent expression which states, “The earth is flat.” Have you heard this expression? Do you know what it means?
The expression is from a book titled “The Earth is Flat”, written by Thomas Friedman. In this book, the author argues that technology has made the earth “flat”, because people from all over the world can log unto the Internet and share resources, ideas and information.
As technology has changed, teachers have also had to change what and how they teach. Teachers have to teach students much more than basic facts, skills and concepts (i.e. addition, spelling, geography memorization). Teachers now have to teach students how to communicate, how to think critically and how to use technology effectively and responsibly.
Teachers have to make sure students can communicate by reading, writing, speaking and listening to others. All of these communication methods can occur face-to-face or at a distance due to technology tools such as blogs and wikis. Students should understand respectful ways to communicate with others no matter what the communication medium may be.
Critical thinking includes investigating, analyzing and evaluating (upper levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy). Teachers have to mentor and assist students in thinking critically when solving problems. Teachers also have to mentor and assist students to think critically about the large amount of information that exist electronically and digitally (i.e. radio, television, Internet). A flat world can be an interesting place to live!
The expression is from a book titled “The Earth is Flat”, written by Thomas Friedman. In this book, the author argues that technology has made the earth “flat”, because people from all over the world can log unto the Internet and share resources, ideas and information.
As technology has changed, teachers have also had to change what and how they teach. Teachers have to teach students much more than basic facts, skills and concepts (i.e. addition, spelling, geography memorization). Teachers now have to teach students how to communicate, how to think critically and how to use technology effectively and responsibly.
Teachers have to make sure students can communicate by reading, writing, speaking and listening to others. All of these communication methods can occur face-to-face or at a distance due to technology tools such as blogs and wikis. Students should understand respectful ways to communicate with others no matter what the communication medium may be.
Critical thinking includes investigating, analyzing and evaluating (upper levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy). Teachers have to mentor and assist students in thinking critically when solving problems. Teachers also have to mentor and assist students to think critically about the large amount of information that exist electronically and digitally (i.e. radio, television, Internet). A flat world can be an interesting place to live!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
iPods Are For More Than Just Music
Many students have iPods or other portable MP3 players. Of course, many students use their MP3 players to download and listen to music. Did you know that you can listen to an audio file called a podcast on MP3 players as well? You can also listen to podcasts using a desktop or laptop computer.
A podcast is an audio file that can be placed on the Internet. Many podcasts can also be automatically downloaded to a MP3 player. Podcasts that I listen to are usually interviews with someone who is knowledgeable about a specific topic. Some podcasts, such as those at NASA’s web site (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/index.html), explain exciting events or challenges. I have found that National Public Radio’s (http://www.npr.org/) web site has many interesting and quality podcasts. I will let you (as students) know when I listen to a podcast that is relevant to what we are studying in class. We may use relevant podcasts as discussion or writing prompts, class introduction activities, research materials and to assist with class experiments and or activities.
If you have visited the podcast page of my science web site (http://msweb.scasd.us/pecora/pages/podcasts.html), you may have listened to some podcasts that I have created for students and parents. I recently developed a new podcast as part of my Real Scientist Series about the utilization of science in cooking. The person I interviewed you are very familiar with. Listen to find out who!
This school year you (in groups) will be creating your own podcast. Your podcasts will tech others about the immune system using a song or skit. You can listen to some immune system podcasts other sixth grade classes created on the podcast page of my web site (see above to link to podcast page). I look forward to hearing your unique and creative podcasts!
Note: Immune system podcast meets the following National Education Technology Standards (NETS-S) (add URL): 1 (A-B), 2 (A-B, D), 4 (A-C), 5 (A-D), 6 (A-D)
Note: You can also follow changes to my blog at http://feeds.feedburner.com/SixthGradeScience.
A podcast is an audio file that can be placed on the Internet. Many podcasts can also be automatically downloaded to a MP3 player. Podcasts that I listen to are usually interviews with someone who is knowledgeable about a specific topic. Some podcasts, such as those at NASA’s web site (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/index.html), explain exciting events or challenges. I have found that National Public Radio’s (http://www.npr.org/) web site has many interesting and quality podcasts. I will let you (as students) know when I listen to a podcast that is relevant to what we are studying in class. We may use relevant podcasts as discussion or writing prompts, class introduction activities, research materials and to assist with class experiments and or activities.
If you have visited the podcast page of my science web site (http://msweb.scasd.us/pecora/pages/podcasts.html), you may have listened to some podcasts that I have created for students and parents. I recently developed a new podcast as part of my Real Scientist Series about the utilization of science in cooking. The person I interviewed you are very familiar with. Listen to find out who!
This school year you (in groups) will be creating your own podcast. Your podcasts will tech others about the immune system using a song or skit. You can listen to some immune system podcasts other sixth grade classes created on the podcast page of my web site (see above to link to podcast page). I look forward to hearing your unique and creative podcasts!
Note: Immune system podcast meets the following National Education Technology Standards (NETS-S) (add URL): 1 (A-B), 2 (A-B, D), 4 (A-C), 5 (A-D), 6 (A-D)
Note: You can also follow changes to my blog at http://feeds.feedburner.com/SixthGradeScience.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Have You Ever Heard of Flickr?
Have you ever heard of Flickr? I heard of Flickr; however, until recently I did not visit Flickr’s web site or use this powerful web application. Flickr is a web site where people can post digital photographs to share with others. Besides uploading, sharing and viewing photographs, you can also tag (add descriptive words) to photographs to help others when using the search feature. The photograph below (see Figure 1) I found on Flickr. Of course, this picture reinforces recent science class lessons and activities related to glaciers.
Flickr was easy for me to begin using. After creating an account, I clicked on the Explore Flickr link and typed “glaciers” in the search box. Many beautifully taken glacier photos were posted, including the image below (Figure 1).
Visual Literacy Blog Activity:
After studying Figure 1, answer the following question by posting a 4-5 sentence paragraph (use complete sentences, capital letters and proper punctuation).
In your opinion, what unique glacier characteristic is the photographer helping us to visualize? Focus on the one characteristic which you feel is most important.
Visual Literacy Blog National Education Technology Standards (NETS-S) (add URL): 2 (A-B), 5 (A-D), 6 (A-B)
Figure 1
Flickr was easy for me to begin using. After creating an account, I clicked on the Explore Flickr link and typed “glaciers” in the search box. Many beautifully taken glacier photos were posted, including the image below (Figure 1).
Visual Literacy Blog Activity:
After studying Figure 1, answer the following question by posting a 4-5 sentence paragraph (use complete sentences, capital letters and proper punctuation).
In your opinion, what unique glacier characteristic is the photographer helping us to visualize? Focus on the one characteristic which you feel is most important.
Visual Literacy Blog National Education Technology Standards (NETS-S) (add URL): 2 (A-B), 5 (A-D), 6 (A-B)
Figure 1
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Becoming Social
I have used social bookmarking for the first time! Social bookmarking is a web site where people can share their favorite web sites. In addition, people can tag, or give web sites descriptive names. Social bookmarks, unlike bookmarks saved on someone’s computer, can be shared with other people on the Internet. A user can also find their social bookmarks on any computer with an Internet connection by logging unto the social bookmaking web site they use. Tags allow someone or others to remember or know what a web site’s content is about.
I have created a list of social bookmarks about educational technology, middle school science and middle school teaching. You can visit my social bookmark list by clicking on the web site listed at the bottom of this entry.
The social bookmarking web site I used is called Delicious (dil.icio.us). The web site is easy to use. I think that adding tags will help me keep saved web sites organized, compared to saving bookmarks on my computer (which are not tagged). I did have one minor problem while using Delicious. Some of the sites given to me while using the search feature were not quality sites or were no longer active web sites.
We are going to use Delicious during class while working on an upcoming Lewis and Clark as naturalists science project. You will have to complete Internet research while completing this project. With my assistance, we will find, save and tag web sites to my Delicious social bookmarking page together as a class and a grade level. Then, you will be able to visit my page as needed through out the project.
Social bookmarking Lewis and Clark project national technology standards (NETS-S): 2 (D), 3 (C), 5 (A-B),
Check out my social bookmarks at: http://delicious.com/apecora.
I have created a list of social bookmarks about educational technology, middle school science and middle school teaching. You can visit my social bookmark list by clicking on the web site listed at the bottom of this entry.
The social bookmarking web site I used is called Delicious (dil.icio.us). The web site is easy to use. I think that adding tags will help me keep saved web sites organized, compared to saving bookmarks on my computer (which are not tagged). I did have one minor problem while using Delicious. Some of the sites given to me while using the search feature were not quality sites or were no longer active web sites.
We are going to use Delicious during class while working on an upcoming Lewis and Clark as naturalists science project. You will have to complete Internet research while completing this project. With my assistance, we will find, save and tag web sites to my Delicious social bookmarking page together as a class and a grade level. Then, you will be able to visit my page as needed through out the project.
Social bookmarking Lewis and Clark project national technology standards (NETS-S): 2 (D), 3 (C), 5 (A-B),
Check out my social bookmarks at: http://delicious.com/apecora.
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