Show Me What You Know

Socrative

         When you hear the words "Pop Quiz" what goes through your mind? Does your heart rate speed up? Do your palms start to sweat? Can you remember your own name, or does your mind draw a complete blank?

         Teachers always want to evaluate what their students know in a low pressure way that doesn't cause the students test anxiety. What teachers and students want is a fun and quick way to test and review the content that has been taught. Socrative is a great way to use technology to quickly assess students comprehension.

         Teachers write a quiz and share the URL with the class. Socrative can be used as an individual  quiz or in teams.  Teachers can ask questions in T/F, multiple choice or open ended format, teachers can even mix formats and choose one of each.  One great feature of Socrative is the team option. Teams can choose different icons to represent them, for example rockets, bears, unicorns, etc. The teams have the exact same questions and when they answer correctly it moves the icon along.

Blasting Off with Teams are fun!

         Teachers are able to see what information is understood and what may need clarification. Socrative also gives teachers the ability to share quizzes with other teachers.

         Socrative is a free site with limited options unless you subscribe to PRO paid account. This site also takes some getting used to. I suggest dabbling with it to see what the site has to offer.

Link

Socrative

My Map Quiz Example

UEN-Social Studies 2nd Grade

Standard 3               
Objective 2
Demonstrate geographic skills on a map and a globe.

Identify and use information on a map and on a globe (e.g., map key or legend, simple grid systems, physical features, compass rose).

Locate your city, the State of Utah, and the United States on a variety of maps or on a globe.

Locate and label the following on a map or a globe: the seven continents, the five oceans, the poles, and the equator.

UEN Ed Tech- Standard 5
Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)

ISTE- Global Collaborator

I strive to broaden my perspective, understand others and work effectively in teams using digital tools.

Prepare to be Emaze-d

Emaze

         Emaze is a tech tool that teachers can use to create visually unique presentations that keep students interested! Emaze offers numerous default templates that can be customized to fit the teachers needs . While Emaze is slide-based, it's more artistic than other slide show programs. Images and text can be layered on top of one another, and there are many different fonts to choose from. The Emaze tool was fun to use, I would recommend playing with the program before starting your project.

         One thing that I wish were different about Emaze is that it is a paid service so you need to be aware of that from the start. The other thing that I wish was an option with Emaze is that students could use it to collaborate with each other. This is not a great tool for students to use as a group project.

         Real world use and application using the Emaze tool. Teaching students about emergency escape plans and how to be safe can be scary. When students are taught what to expect in an emergency situation can help to ease their minds. Students who have practiced what to do in an emergency can save a life and stay safe.

Assignment: Have students talk with parents and make a fire escape plan for their home. Practice the fire escape plan. Discuss when it is appropriate to call 9-1-1. Be prepared!

Link
Emaze
Staying Safe


UEN-Health Education 3rd Grade

Standard 5
The students will adopt behaviors to maintain personal health and safety and develop appropriate strategies to resolve conflict.

Objective 1
Match safety procedures to potential hazards. (SC)
Describe procedures to follow in case of fire, flood, earthquakes, and electrical shock.

UEN Ed TechStandard 8 

Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5, 6)

ISTE-Empowered Learner

I use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them and demonstrate my learning.

Let's Write a Story

     

Storybird

                                                              

         Let's talk about Storybird! Storybird is an amazing creative tool that teachers and students can use to share their writing skills. Storybird allows a student to choose artwork that is already uploaded, and then write a creative story. The artwork is beautiful and will prompt the students to create a story that goes along with the pictures. No matter the level of writing Storybird is ideal for all learning levels. Storybird will take the anxiety out of writing and make it fun for students.

        The versatility of Storybird is great. Teachers can write a story for their students to read about specific subject matter that they are learning. Another option for teachers is to have students individually write short stories about subjects assigned. There is also a collaborative option that students can work with each other in small groups and add their own pages to contribute to an impressive final product.

Assignment: Read ABC My Monster and Me with a parent and choose 5 letters of the alphabet and make your own monster letter of each.

Links
My Storybird

ABC My Monster and Me

UEN-English Language Arts Kindergarten

Reading: Foundational Skills Standard 1

Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

UEN Ed Tech-Standard 8

Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5, 6)

ISTE- Empowered Learner

I use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them and demonstrate my learning.

Extra! Extra! Read All About Class News!

Mrs. Hansen's News!

Newsletter

         Have you ever felt like you were the last parent to know that the big science project was due? How about the last parent to pick up your child on an early out day? Here is a great way to share classroom news. No more sending your students home with important information and crossing your fingers that it made its way out of their backpack and into their parents hands!

         Newsletters are a great way to communicate with students and parents. My classroom newsletter will include information about class parties, remind students to bring back library books, schedules for special classes, remind about a up coming fieldtrip,  and highlight a special student!

          My personal favorite use of a classroom newsletter is to remind my students and their parents of the spelling words as well as fun ways to practice them.

Assignment: Students choose any 3 of the spelling activities to practice your spelling words and be ready for the spelling test on Friday.

Mrs. Hansen's News

UEN- English Language Arts Grade 4

Language Standard 2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
               
Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.

UEN Ed Tech-Standard 8

Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5, 6) 


ISTE- Empowered Learner

I use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them and demonstrate my learning.

It's Traditon

Tiki-Toki

         One of the best things about living in America are the wonderful cultures that we get the opportunity to celebrate. Holidays are a perfect example of those different cultures. Through holidays students have the opportunity to share the traditions of their own cultures as well as the cultures of others. Who doesn't love an excuse for a party?!

         Tiki-Toki is a wonderful tool to help students visualize events and to put them into perspective using a timeline. Tiki-Toki is an engaging way to share information, add pictures and videos to a timeline that make the information come alive.

Links

My Tiki-Toki

Assignment: Students will choose a favorite holiday and share with the class a favorite tradition from that holiday. Linked below are some of the holidays that students can choose from they do not have to choose from holidays listed. Let's learn and celebrate together!

UEN- Social Studies Kindergarten

Objective 2
Share how families celebrate occasions such as birthdays and holidays.

UEN- Ed Tech Standard 8

Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5, 6)

ISTE- Empowered Learner

I use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them and demonstrate my learning.

Connecting the Dots

Mind Mapping

      Many students have a hard time "Connecting the Dots" organizing their ideas and putting them to paper. This is where Mind Mapping comes in. Students can create a mind map easily while keeping organized. Students are able add pictures, colors, fonts all while having fun and while drawing connections from one idea to another.

Assignment

       Students will define differences between elements in different types of poems, find their own example of each and add a picture.  Students can choose from the following apps Coggle, Mindmap or Popplet.

Link
Teacher example

UEN-English Language Arts Grade 4
Reading: Literature Standard 5

      Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.

UEN Ed Tech-Standard 5

      Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)

ISTE-Creative Communicator

      Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

Blast Off!

Google Slides

         Have you ever wanted to blast off into outer space? With Google Slides you can! Google Slides is a wonderful tool that students and teachers can use for group work, collaboration, presentations and much more. Google Slides lets  a group submit photos, videos and text to make a beautiful presentation that is able to be used where ever they are, whether they are on Neptune or right here on planet Earth.

Assignment

         Students will use Google Slides to collaborate in groups. Each group will consist of 3-4 students. Each group will choose one planet to present on. Presentations will consist of 5 slides,  have at least 5 facts about the planet, and 5 photos of the planet. Let's get intergalactic!

Links

Moon Phases

UEN-Science 3rd Grade

Objective 1                 
Explain that the sun is the source of light that lights the moon.            

UEN Ed Tech-Standard 5

             Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)

ISTE- Global Collaborator

I strive to broaden my perspective, understand others and work effectively in teams using digital tools.