Thing 18: Student Assessment & Feedback Tools

Remindchat- I have been looking for a way to communicate with parents and students outside of school that does not involve giving out my personal information including phone number. Over the last few years, I have been giving out my cell phone number to parents to keep contact with them. I have found a lot of success in it because parents seem to respond better to text messages as opposed to phone calls. The downfall is that I receive calls and texts at all times of days and night which can be difficult when I have responsibilities that I have to take care of with my family. As I was looking through the app., I found that you can set "office hours" so you will only receive messages during the hours that you set up when you make the account. In the beginning of the year, I tired to use an app but was unsuccessful because the parents had to download it and use a class code and I was only able to get 1 parent to sign up even after sending weekly flyers home for the first 2 months of school. This app. is different and better because you can send an invite right to the parents phone and they can just click a button to join the class. I am hoping this will allow me to have 100% participation from parents. Many parents are working during the day and cannot answer phone calls. This app. would allow me to communicate with parents during the day who cannot answer the phone. Parents can read and answer at their convenience. This app. would also be beneficial when it comes to documentation. It keeps track of all of the conversations back and forth so it takes the "he said, she said" out of the mix. When you go on the website, you can quickly print or email the conversations that you have had with each individual parent throughout the year. This documentation can be used as evidence during meetings for parents, students, administrators, and even helpful for RTI, IEP, retention and much more. Another benefit of this is that it shows when a message has been viewed. Once it has been viewed, a parent cannot say they are unaware of whatever message that was sent. Being able to send message to parents guarantees that they will receive it. By 6th grade, very few students are willingly sharing letter, especially negative ones, with their parents. Using this app., I can ensure that parents are in the loop and I can even reach out to them and let them know something is coming home so that they can ask their child for it and it does not get "lost" in their book bag. I am looking forward to testing this out with my students for the rest of this year and implementing it starting first thing in September with my new class!

Thing 15: BreakoutEDU

I think that I spent the most time on this website than any other website in both Cool Tool sessions. It was so much fun to play around and use those critical thinking skills. I think this would be a lot of fin for kids but also challenging. Kids love to solve puzzles, but I think they give up too easily and do not know how to use critical thinking skills. I think this is a great way to improve those critical thinking skills and to get kids out of the habit of giving up so easily.

I definitely would start off using this website as a whole group lesson. I would have the class come up and we were work through one together. After that, we can talk strategy and how to find clues. When I feel like the students are starting to understand the website, I will have them try it in groups of 3. I feel like it would be important for students to work in small groups at first because I do not want my students to work alone and get frustrated and give up. Students find critical thinking activities difficult and easily give up on them. I am hoping that working in small groups will help keep the students motivated and not want to give up so easily. When creating small groups, I would want to pick the groups so I can create heterogeneous groups so students at different levels can work together and be successful. This will also get students working with classmates that they might not normally with with, since I made the groupings, and help improve the social skills of the students in my classroom. Eventually when my students begin to start feeling more comfortable with the website, I would want them to start working alone. When students begin working on this website independently, I will make sure that I start off with easier tasks and when they become more comfortable and then slowly increase the difficult of the assignments.

I am looking forward to trying this out in class! I am planning on introducing it as a whole group next week during Common Core testing. I think it is a fun and exciting change in routine that would be motivating after taking a grueling test. Students probably will not even know that they are learning while they do it!

Thing 24: Google Drawings

I choose to explore Google Drawings. I didn't even know that it existed. I decided to start basic and create a motivational poster for the class. That was so easy!!! I loved how user friendly it is and how there are so many options on it. The one thing that came to mind is graphic organizers!!! We do so many graphic organizers in class, that it would be great for students to create their own on the computer as opposed to using the one that I have provided for them on paper. As a 6th grade teacher, I try to start getting my students to become more independent when it comes to organizing information. I try to get my students to begin to choose which graphic organizer would work best for them. Google drawings would be perfect for that because students can both choose their own graphic organizer and then create their own!
There are many other ways I might use Google Drawings in my classroom. It could be something as simple as an "All About Me" poster in the beginning of the year all the way to creating a new cover page for a book they read. There are so many ways I could tie in Google Drawings to reading and writing lessons. I am looking forward to implementing some of these ideas in my future lessons and reporting back to let you know how they go!

Thing 30: DIY You Pick

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/timeline_2/

I decided to do a project in my class for Black History month where my students were to choose a African American king or Queen and they were to write an encyclopedia entry and create a timeline with 10 events in it. Since I have been doing this PD, I decided to bring technology into it and discover a new way (for me) to create a digital timeline. I did some research and found the above website. This website was super easy to use, kid friendly, free, and the kids LOVED using it.

Before sharing the timeline with the class, I decided to create my own not only as a model, but also to explore the website. I found it really easy to figure out. One thing that liked about it is that there were not a ton of options when it came to creating the timeline. There was no choices when it comes to font or color so I do not have to worry about my students spending too much time on the "fluff" part of their project.

After  I created my model, I introduced the timeline website to my students. They were so excited to use it and really motivated to finish the rough draft of their project so that they could move on to the fun part of it! I had the students make a practice timeline together as a class so I could show them all how it worked at the same time. This was an independent project so all students would be working at different paces so I thought it would be important to introduce it at the same time.

Due to time constraints, I was not able to use all parts of the website. One part I am excited to use in the future is the part when you can upload photos. I think that would be very motivating and exciting for students to add to their timeline. I hope that later in the year we will have the opportunity to create another timeline so they they can upload pictures to go along with their timeline.

I am very excited I started this PD because it pushed me to use technology that I might not have used before. This project showed me that integrating technology in my lessons makes projects more exciting and meaningful and kids are more excited when it comes to learning .

Thing 6: Digital Storytelling

My Powtoon

I  decided to explore Powtoons for my digital storytelling blog. The reason that I chose this is because my school librarian uses it with the kids and suggested I try it out with my students. I wanted to learn a little more about it so I created a Powtoon to go along with an ELA lesson that I would be teaching in class on point of view.

I started off clicking the link at the bottom on the Powtoon called "Tutorials Page." This part of the website has a library of videos that you can watch to help you learn how to use the website. I watched the first one which was about two minutes long that gave an overview of the how things work on the site. I definitely think the video was helpful and it was kid friendly so it will be great to show my students before they begin creating their own projects.

I think that my students would love this tool to use to present their work. It requires a lot of problem solving and creativity to come up with a presentation. It gives the chance for the students to work on these skills that they might not have to use often or at all. It might be frustrating and time consuming at first, but in the end I think that my students would take ownership and pride in their work.

I plan on implementing it in my class by having the students create a Powtoon to present their project that they will be researching in class. I am going to have my students pick a persuasive topic and have them come up with evidence to support it. This will cover many standards in ELA including having the students make a claim, support it with evidence from multiple sources, and explain their evidence. At the end, the students can create a Powtoon to present their work. I hope that the Powtoon will make the students motivated to do their best work and finish their research at a reasonable pace so that they can get to the fun part....their Powtoon!

I was considering purchasing the "pro", but it was much more expensive than I realized! It is $59/month for the "most popular" plan with the cheapest plan being $16/month. It is definitely something that my school or district would have to decide to purchase as I could not afford it!

A downfall that I see is that unless you pay for the "pro" plan, you cannot upload the Powtoons. This may be difficult for presentations because the students will not be able to send their presentations to me, we will have to individually log on to each account from my computer to show completed Powtoons. It may take longer, but I do not want the students to be limited to just the free parts of the website.

I look forward to trying this out with my students and will give you an update of my results!

Thing 14: Bitmoji Fun

I am excited to say that I finally have a bitmoji (I think I am the last one of my friends to have one)! It was really hard to make one for myself! I do not think I look like that but I tried. I tried using the method where you take a picture of yourself first, but I think that one looked worse!

I didn't realize all the uses for the bitmoji and how you can use it for more than just social media. I like the idea of even using it as a signature in my email. I also enjoyed reading about some other uses in the classroom like brag tags, book marks, creating comics, and using a bitmoji expression for reading responses.

I think I would start off, using it with my students, by having them download the chrome desktop bitmoji on their Chromebooks and have the students create their own character that resembles themselves. There are so many directions that I can go from there after they are created. I would definitely use them as a beginning of the year activity where students can introduce themselves. We could even make a bulletin board out of them!

This year with my supply money, I purchased a label maker. I decided to try out the bitmoji with my label maker and it turned out great! The downside is that they are not in color, but they would be great for name tags in the beginning of the year when I am getting to know my students names. Also, they would be helpful if we go on a field trip or have guests to wear them. It is a great way to spice things up and make learning more fun! The second picture above is the print out of what the label looks like. I can add names to it also! It would be nice to allow students to show their creativity by not only creating their original look, but also letting them pick the bitmoji of themselves that suites their personality best!

When I created my bitmoji, I downloaded the app on my phone. I would like to spend some more time on the desktop app to see the differences. I also noticed that there was a disclaimer stating that not all bitmojis are appropriate for school. As a result, I want to double check the desktop app to make sure all of the bitmojis are appropriate. I will also have a conversation with my students and discuss with them what things that are okay for school and how somethings might not be bad, but they shouldn't be used during school hours.

***I did not do "Thing 4" because of the fact that those sites are blocked in our district. I wanted to pick something that I was not blocked and could be implemented within my classroom.

Thing 5: Audio Tools

I have always wanted to try a podcast with my students, but have never taken the time to do so. The first thing that comes into mind when it comes to incorporating it into my lessons is to create a classroom podcast that my students can plan, research, record, and present. It could be something as simple as a daily news or weather report or more complex where students can use higher level thinking skills to demonstrate their understanding of what they have learned in the classroom.

Before I get my students recording audio, I would like to get more comfortable with it myself first. I might start of recording myself reading chapters in a book or teaching lessons so that if a student is absent or not in class, then they can listen to my blog. I can even use these podcasts over again for lessons that I do year after year with my students.

I LOVED the link that you can upload a picture, find a mouth, and upload audio to it. I think the students would have so much fun with this and it would be a great way to get the students started with blogging. It is fun, exciting, new, funny, and is still educational!

One major advantage of student podcasting is that students who are shy or get anxious being up in front of the class can have an alternative way to present their work to the class. If a student creates a podcast to play for the class, then they can still present their work just like the rest of the students but they do not have have the anxiety of presenting to their peers.

The audio that I decided to create was an assessment reading passage. I read through a passage that my students were taking as an assessment. I chose this because I have a few students that require tests read according to their IEP. I do not always have a special education teacher in the classroom so it is hard for me to read to just those students and also monitor the rest of the class. This way when IEP students are being assessed, they can listen to the passage that I can send to them via Google classroom and they can work at their own pace. As a result, I can monitor the entire class and the IEP students can move on when they are done and not have to wait for everyone to finish before we move on to the next passage.

Click here for audio

Thing 3: Photo Fun

I have had Snapchat on my phone for a year or 2 now and I have friends and get messages, but never check them or use it. I decided that this would be a good time to dig deeper into Snapchat and learn more about it. I decided to do some editing on a picture that I took recently when I got engaged so I could have some fun with it.

I read some articles on Snapchat and learned about filters, geofilters, stickers, adding text and more. I learned that you can add up to 3 filters to each photo. I changed the filter in the above photo. I also looked into geofilters.  I learned that you can create your own to use. The only problem is that you have to do it in advance because Snapchat has to approve it and they cost money. I tried doing an engaged one and it said it would be available within 2 hours, but it was going to cost $7.99. I decided to stick with my own editing and save my money. I also added text in which I was able to change the font, color, size, and move it around anywhere I wanted in the picture. Lastly, I added some stickers to my picture. Stickers were easy to add, there were a lot available, and they are easy to move around and change size. After I was finished with the photo, I saved it and uploaded to my computer from my phone which was very easy!

Overall, I had a lot of fun playing with photos and editing pictures. It was very easy to do so I am sure that it would be easy for 6th grade students to catch onto. The only concern that I have is  that I was looking around and couldn't access it from my work computer. An application has to be downloaded and it is not available in chrome. Could this still be used in the classroom or would students have to edit photos at home for homework and upload them at school? I kind of like the idea of switching up a regular math homework assignment to something more fun and exciting like photo editing. Also, this day in age all students either have a tablet or a phone so we do not have to worry about them having access to technology.

I would like to explore more of Snapchat and eventually begin to use it in my classroom. I envision using it first as away that students con contact me in the classroom in the evening time. I have an app. for parents, but many times kids are on their own and it would be helpful if they had a ways to contact me outside of school hours. If I make a Snapchat account, I could post information for my students to see and it would be likely that the students see my posts because there are already on Snapchat with their friends at home. I think it would be great not only for academics, but also for building relationships with my students. If they know I am available to them, then they are going to be more trusting of me. Solid teacher/student relationships means better behaved students and allows me to focus more on academics as opposed to nonsense!

Thing 2: Student Blogging and Writing

I enjoyed learning more about blogging in my classroom. I don't know how I have gone this long without ever considering incorporating it into my lessons! One of the greatest weaknesses in our district is writing. I think blogging is an excellent way to get students excited about writing. Writing can be difficult for students and therefore, students try to avoid it often in the form of acting out through disruptive behaviors.

After reading the articles, here are a few things that stuck out to me.

      ~ One thing that I wanted to highlight is the idea that blogging gets students excited about writing. I am open to anything that will develop a passion for writing within my students. Many kids find writing difficult and boring and therefore dislike it. I want to find a way to bring back the love and passion for writing. I feel like blogging is an excellent way.

      ~ Another thing that i wanted to highlight is the fact that blogging gives the students freedom to write. Most writing assignments these days are given to students. There is not as much time spent on allowing the students to freely write. This may be uncomfortable to the students because they are not often given the opportunity to write about what they want. They are so used to being given a topic that it will take them awhile to get used to free writing.

      ~ Another thing that I think is a benefit of blogging is that fact that it allows students to write comments on the blogs of their classmates. Many students struggle to edit their own work or their peers work.I feel that with blogging, students can practice the skill of giving constructive criticism, positive feedback, making connections, or even asking questions without even knowing it.

     ~ When students begin making comments, this  is a great time to tie in education on cyber bullying. It is important to discuss this topic and continue to discuss it after so that students are aware of what it is, what to do if you are being cyber bullied, and how to deal with it when you are cyber bullied. Many students do not get this education at home, so it is important that we provide it to our students within the classroom. Students also need to know that there are people that they can go to if they are a victim. We also want to provide an environment to the students were they can come to us for coping strategies that they can use to help them overcome the effects of cyber bulling.

All in all, I am really excited to begin blogging in my classroom. I will definitely have to take my time rolling it out because of all of the aspects of it that will be new to students. As long as I take my time introducing it to my students, I think that we will be able to get into a routine where students could improve and even possible spark a passion for writing that the student didn't even know that that they had.

Thing 1: Getting Started

Hello! I am brand new to Cool Tools and put off getting started until now. My coworker (Kim Lee) introduced me to this PD. I took a long time getting started because setting up a blog is new to me and I was dreading getting started learning something new. Now that I have gotten started, I realize that it is not bad at all and I was silly to procrastinate starting this!

Now to introduce myself. My name is Carinne Mull but I have always gone by Carrie because people have a difficult time pronouncing my name correctly. I am in my 13th year teaching in the RCSD. Most of my years teaching have been in 6th grade at #30 school that changed part way through my years to #54 school. I enjoy teaching 6th graders because I like how the kids are more mature, independent, and they understand my sarcasm. Teaching 6th grade can be difficult because the kids get an elementary version of "senioritis" because in my school 6th grade is the highest grade in the building. Also, it is not always easy to find teachers that are willing to teach 6th grade!

I originally joined this program because I wanted to get PD credit hours through a program that I could do from home. I am a single mom and I have my kids during the week, so it is difficult for me to get PD credit unless it is a program like this. I don't like to miss out on time with my kids during the week and I also cannot afford to keep hiring babysitters for after school. Now that I am learning more about the program, I am excited to dive in and learn more ways to integrate technology into my daily lessons. Kids love technology and it helps keep them engaged on their academics as opposed to fighting and doing other things that take away from academics.