Making Algebra Fun!

This lesson attempts to make algebra fun!  Students will solve a radical equation and present their work via Movie Maker.  Students will also use GoAnimate as a tool to discuss the process of solving the same equation.   


Movies and Videos

Web Site

I think many teachers would like to use video games in their classrooms but are concerned that today's games are inappropriate for classroom use.  Although many video games are violent, other games can be a value in the classroom.  This site was created to help teachers determine which video games are appropriate for the classroom and which games should never be used in a classroom setting.

Which Games Are Appropriate?  

Global Learning:

This video contains images of learners from around the world, learning under different circumstances.  I chose the music, 'Eyes On Fire' to accompany the video because it says to me that people should face and defeat those obstacles that prevent them from learning.

'Eyes On Fire" song by BLUE FOUNDATION:

Animoto

Animoto was extremely easy and fun to use.  I plan to use this tool on my job for a number of activities.

http://animoto.com/play/ZkGUE74MmnYhpHvD7DqflA

Educational Change Challenge -- Darren Cannell

Viewing this video should be a requirement for all new and current teachers.  Too many of us just don’t get that our educational institutions were developed and maintained for the convenience of teachers, not students.  If a student is not focused, she is sent to the principal’s office.  If a student is not interested in a subject, he is diagnosed with ADHD and is sometimes prescribed drugs.   One powerful quote from the video:  ‘Every student can learn, just not on the same day or the same way’ -- George Evans, is extremely true.  We all know this quote is accurate but we do nothing positive to address it.  There is nothing wrong with focusing on differences in the classroom.  It’s what makes each of us special. For me, there were no new ideas here.  I’m just glad to know that I am thinking like others in the fields.

The Kids Know It Network

I really enjoy the setup of this site.  Just about every topic is covered and it’s easy for students to locate what they need.  There are interactive learning movies that describe/teach how tornadoes work, or teach concepts like DNA or Absolute Value.  There are also links to games and educational music.  I think this site is valuable for students because,  like School Tube, they can access the site themselves and participate in their own learning.  

School Tube

I know You Tube has everything you can imagine but School Tube more likely contains topics that will not be offensive or inappropriate for students.  Because I don’t teach currently, I didn’t know this site even existed.  It is fantastic.  I performed a number of searches on technology and I was able to view many videos of teachers using technology effectively in their classrooms.  I want to explore the site further and introduce it to my own kids for their use.  

Go Animate Topic:  Diary of a Wimpy Kid

I will be introducing the book Diary of a Wimpy Kid to my students.  This book is about a young middle-school boy who tries to navigate the problems of middle school.  It also focuses on relationships with family and friends.  I think this book is appropriate for its stated age group (8 – 12) because it addresses many of the social issues kids have, and will encounter as they move through life, such as bullying.  What makes this book different from other books on the same topic is that ‘Diary’ readers are able to see their beloved characters come to life on the big screen.   

This lesson will be geared toward 6th graders and the following standards will be addressed:

Conventions of Standard English

1.       Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

2.       Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Students will read ‘Diary’ then write two paragraphs that describes one point in the book to which they can relate.   

http://goanimate.com/videos/0DPuJ5SoVHAI?utm_source=linkshare

VoiceThread Topic:  Video Games in the Classroom

The topic of using video games in the classroom is being discussed by academics around the world.  I decided to use voice thread to get the student’s point of view.  Students will view the voice thread and discuss why they agree or disagree with using video games in the classroom as a learning tool.   

This voice thread is geared toward 7th grade English.  This thread will address the following Indiana Academic English Standards: 

7.7.2      Determine the speaker’s attitude toward the subject

7.7.11    Deliver persuasive presentations that state a clear position in support of an argument or proposal

I think students will be more engaged in the discussion process because I’ve chosen a topic that affects their everyday lives, and one that is fun and engaging.  

https://voicethread.com/?#u3660475.b4369114.i22282600

http://voicethread.com/share/4369114/

How to Write a Check

http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=189539

Hello everyone, 

This is my podcast.  What I’ve tried to do is connect my first lesson plan, where I use the video game Rock Band to teach a lesson on comparing examples of music genres, with the Book I chose to read:  Googled – The End of the World as We Know it.   This song is actually recorded from a YouTube video where two people are playing REMs, 'The End of the World As We Know It (teotwawki) using the Rock Band 3 video game.  

Please enjoy.

REMs TEOTWAWKI

The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

This methodology is commonly used in software development, but it can also be used to create other types of projects.

No matter what class I taught in the past, students always questioned why they had to learn one thing or another.  One of the classes I taught during my student teaching was Computer Applications, which included Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word.  I attempted to use a pun in this comic to get my point across about learning.  Students always appreciate a good pun - even if it is corny.  Teachers can use Pixton in the classroom to allow students to reflect on their own learning.  Students can create exit tickets before leaving the classroom, for instance. 

Pictures can say a thousand words. . .

When I saw this picture online I just had to post it to my blog.  I LOVE dogs -  especially when they're doing something out of the ordinary.  This dog seems to have complete trust in his owner and is comfortable riding in the basket.  We should give dogs more credit for their abilities.  Very cool picture.  

This is a picutre of our cat Perl.  Perl cannot be trained and does her own thing all the time.  She is very unpredictable.  She allows us to live in her world when she decides to tolerate us.

I used Picozu to edit Perl's picture.  Picozu offers a number of options for editing.  In my version, I was able to add a frame, a tecturing option called 'disco', and an option called 'noise', which gave the picutre a grainy look.  I think students would use this tool because it allows for creativity.  Teachers can use this tool in technology classes, for instance, if students are desiging graphics for video games.  The tool is intuitive and requires little effort to learn.

Are video games an effective learning tool for boys?

I chose the TED presentation ‘Gaming to Re-engage Boys in Learning’ (Gaming) by Ali Carr-Chellman because it is a topic that is near and dear to my heart.  I have two school-aged boys who regularly play video games, and we have experienced some of the issues discussed in the video.  Fortunately for our family, we have been able to overcome and our boys are doing fine academically and socially.  I think this presentation was effective because teachers and parents alike can relate to the issues that Carr-Chellman discussed in her presentation.  I felt she knew her topic well and her presentation style was casual which probably made her audience feel more comfortable with the subject matter.  As I watched the presentation, I remained engaged the entire time.  Carr-Chellman used power point slides that were straight to the point -- bold images of ‘our’ innocent children who need our guidance.  As a mom who plays video games with her kids, I can agree with Carr-Chellman.  Most of the games we play force my kids to think, focus, and make educated decisions.  The one improvement I would suggest for any presenter is to NEVER wear stretch pants during a presentation.  We all know that dressing the part is just as important as what you say.