lsanderson

I wanted to share something that we are piloting at grade 4 in our school: online math logs. Four nights per week, students are expected to complete a two minute timed math fact practice sheet. These sheets must be returned to school. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and the school district is looking [...]

Last winter, I wrote about the excitement of mounted projectors in our school (Classrooms with a View). This month, more projectors were powered up and ready for business in classrooms. What follows is a little sample of how projectors are being used as well as how they could transform learning in the classroom. Get inspired. [...]

Last spring, my Librarian colleague, Valerie Loughman, and I completed a project funded by a MassCUE Initiative Grant. Background: Third graders traditionally study famous people who have lived in Massachusetts (MA HSS Standard 3.7). Unfortunately, what should be a celebration of contributors to our state turns into mass confusion for this age level. Appropriate materials [...]

When I taught first grade we used to go on a hunt around the school for things that we were studying. For example, if our focus in math was right angles, we would grab our clipboards, papers and pencils and walk around the halls, library, cafeteria, office, playground and where ever in the school twenty [...]

Google Earth has been around for a while, but how many teachers are using it with their classes? We have it on every machine at school; however, I don’t think people really know its power or even potential. It’s fun to fly to your house and possibly some popular tourist location in the world using [...]

So much preparation, energy and enthusiasm goes into projects. Teachers identify a curriculum need. They plan and collaborate with the technology specialist. Lab times and equipment use are scheduled and coordinated. Thoughtful mini-lessons are executed. Students work hard to learn and demonstrate their core curriculum knowledge via a new tool, method or medium. AND THEN [...]

A few months ago, I wrote about Goodreads. (Check out the post here.) A fifth grade teacher was trying out this site with her students on a voluntary basis. Recently, she surveyed the students who opted to use this site instead of the traditional, paper reading log. Here are the results: 78% of the students [...]

Last post, I wrote about stop-action movies. This is a quick follow-up to share two movies that were completed with our May Challenge Crew. The Snow Man Chicken Little These movies are very simple attempts at a “how-to” narrative and a retelling of a story. For both movies, we used IPEVO Point 2 View USB [...]

It’s almost the end of the school year. Things are crazy, but at the same time, they can be a bit stale. Especially, after testing has come and gone, students often see that milestone as a sign to check out. Looking to continue to engage your students right down to the end? Give stop-action movies [...]

I feel like I’m bursting at the seams with new ideas and approaches to share with teachers, but there is never enough time during the school day to grab their attention. And a jam packed curriculum makes things a very hard sell these days. But I know that teachers want to learn. I know that they [...]