This free service lets the user create nodemaps (a.k.a. webs or concept maps) about a topic. What takes this tool beyond traditional webbing and graphic organizers of the past is the user’s ability to customize for an audience’s experience.  Images (both uploaded and online) as well as YouTube videos may be added to text. Because this nodemap lives online, it can be linked to or embedded into a blog or webpage. A visitor to the posted nodemap has navigational controls to explore the topic at his/her own pace and with viewing preferences. The visitor also can use a search function to find information in the displayed nodemap, making it ideal for research. All of these features truly make it a tool for sharing knowledge that appeals to many different learning styles and needs. One idea is to have older students create nodemaps on topics that younger students could access since age appropriate resources sometimes do not exist. Since curriculum often spirals, this does not have to be an add-on for older students. (For another example of this older student creation model, see my Mass Confusion post.)

Here is an example of a grade 4 animal research project created by Ms. Sandi Guild. Click away!

Historically, this project has been a word processed report. This project will continue to meet research and organization objectives; however, now, its final product will be in a much more appealing, interactive, and (Do I dare say it?) “spicey” format for sharing with an audience. Please check back at our special blog to see the student self-embedded examples by the end of May.

Good news for teachers! There is an educator resource section at SpiceyNodes. Furthermore, email addresses are not necessary for creating student accounts. (Personally, I like to have an email affiliated with my students’ accounts for managerial purposes, and the Gmail hack method works like a charm at the site.)

As always, I’d love to hear about your ideas or experiences!

(If yes- keep reading! OK- and if you don’t have time to read, at least watch the demo video at the bottom of this post!)

Just setting students loose on a search engine is not an option. Even though we have a strict filter set at Google, there is so much sifting that has to take place. The more we scroll, the further we get away from our topic usually. Then there is the readability issue. I know we can use the Advanced Search at Google to choose a reading level, but even then I still find the results are not always what we want as well as the format is a bit cumbersome for the elementary level. Things need to be a little more straightforward.

Perhaps, something that came across my radar last week is the answer to our searching woes: instaGrok.

instaGrok is a search engine with a very visual appeal. It allows students to set the complexity of the information searched with a simple toggle bar. The results are easy to navigate from a web or on a sidebar. The key facts are quickly offered up in their own category. Perfect for elementary searchers! The sidebar also offers more websites, videos, pictures and even quizzes- all on the topic. So far all of my random test searches have yielded appropriate, and even great results.

But wait there’s more! A bonus feature of this site is a built-in journal for students to use for their research, gathering all information, links and pictures all in one place. It’s a snap to use, too. No multiple steps necessary!

This free site can be used with or without a log-in. The advantage of getting a log-in is that you can save your journal pages for an extensive research project. The sign up requires no email. (“Yay” again for elementary!) When a teacher signs up for an account, s/he can assign a class code. This class code is used by students when they set up their accounts. It links the teacher to the students, and the teacher now can see student journal pages and keep better tabs on student research.

If you research with students (and have felt the frustrations), then it’s well worth the minute and half to check out this demo of a search engine designed for students- instaGrok:

Anyone using this site already? I’m looking to get a collaboration going in my school!

Lesson One: Pilgrims

Third graders flew to several locations where the Pilgrims traveled. The task was simple: type in the locations, answer some specific geography questions and write two-three descriptive sentences at each stop. Even though the areas have changed significantly in 400 years, students got a sense of the distance that the pilgrims traveled and how far away these locations are from our school. They also got a feel for what communities who live on coastlines look like.

The best part of the whole adventure was when students zoomed in on the Mayflower 2 with the 3D building layer at the ground level view. Being able to spin and interact with the model of the ship gave them more insight into this historic vessel and what it must have been like to travel on it.

Lesson Two: Town Centers

The teacher and I chose five Massachusetts’ town centers for third graders to visit. This lesson took a little more preparation as exact views were chosen for students to observe.

A folder was created in Google Earth containing each of these five stops. Students double clicked on each of the placemarks in the folder in order to fly to the locations. Once at the locations, students wrote down three things that they observed about the town center. The views included aerial as well as street level views where the students could “drive” through the commons. Students were given about 5 minutes per stop to make observations. The goal was for students to begin to see patterns in town centers and to use this information as they drew their own Puritan town. (If you’d like to try out our town center tour, please download the MA Town Centers KMZ file. You will need to have Google Earth installed on your computer.)

In both lessons, students had a specific purpose and task, and they were given strategies if they got off-track. If students zoomed off-course or became disoriented, they would click on the search button (Pilgrims) or double click on the placemark in the folder that never disappeared in their My Places (Town Centers). This simple act righted students and kept confusion and chaos out of the lesson.

Therefore, we were left with two lessons that allowed students to take field trips without leaving their school. Moreover, the lessons were engaging and extremely hands-on. A great tool to use with third graders. I’m excited about the future possibilities.

Want to know more about the basics? Start here with these great video tutorials from Google.

Essentially, Thinkfinity is an educational resource engine powered by the Verizon Foundation. Free lessons plans, ideas and interactives only are a search away. And it’s easy. Look at the screenshots below to see how you can tailor your search to meet your particular age level, learning style and curriculum needs.

One also can search by standards. The site has both state and Common Core listed.

The content partners are impressive, too: National Geographic Education, ReadWriteThink, Smithsonian’s History Explorer and EDSITEment to name a few. Plus, Thinkfinity is affiliated with leading educational organizations like iste and NEA.

So go ahead and take a tour of Thinkfinity here. It’s worth a look and a definite visit the next time you’re looking for a resource.

Your thoughts and comments as always are welcome!

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 to keep students (and parents) accountable for learning basic facts.

However, this is a lot of paper, and how will teachers manage these accumulating piles? How will they collect the data from these sheets? And who has the time to analyze all of this?

The proposed solution: using Forms in Google Docs. Here is a sample of an online math log. Feel free to take it!

Below is a partial screen shot of what results would like from this log. It is housed in an online spreadsheet.

Pros:

• Students seem to be a lot more interested in doing the math sheet online versus the traditional paper method. There is something also very powerful and real world about a submit button!
• Parents like that students are using computer skills, and there is no paper being sent back and forth to school.
• Each student submission is time stamped in a spreadsheet for the classroom teacher documenting accountability.
• A simple sort in the spreadsheet allows a teacher to see the number of submissions and answers for any student over the course of the week. A teacher easily can see the progress a student is making with the number of facts completed.
• Also, the data at a glance can identify with which facts a student needs correction, and the teacher can on Day Two of the log week quickly meet with the student to give him/her a post-it of facts that the student should focus on in study.
• More math logs are created simply by making a copy of the Google Docs and then plugging in new math facts.
• The teacher takes the quiz first, typing in “” for the student’s first name and “Key” for the Last Initial fields. This Answer Key makes it easy for comparison to student results as they are filtered.
• A tool called Flubaroo may be used right in the Google Doc to grade the results to give the teacher more information about how the whole class and individuals are doing.
• Data is secure since only collaborators (teachers) have permission to view the results.
• Data can be downloaded to a teacher’s computer as an Excel spreadsheet for archiving purposes.
• Old data can be cleared from the online Google Doc, so it may be reused year to year.
• Google Docs is free.

Cons:

• There is no built-in timer. The student has to use the same timing method that s/he would have used for the paper sheet.
• Students need to remember not to use the Enter/Return key to go from problem to problem.
• All students may not have computer/Internet access at home, and a paper copy may need to go home instead.

More grade 4 classrooms will be using the online method this month. Every week a new online math log will be available for students from a teacher’s web page and/or a central math curriculum web page.

Your feedback is welcome!

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. Please add your own ideas as well!

Ideas for using a Computer Projector

•    Daily Slideshow for Students – Eye-catching slideshow of regular routines and new information that is displayed each day as students are settling into the classroom.

•    Notes – Type notes using an application like Word or Excel for students to view and copy. Easy to store and print out for absent students.

•    Review Books – At the end of each lesson (science or studies) create a page/slide in PowerPoint that summarizes what has been learned. At the end of the unit, this book/slideshow can be made available for students to review.

•    BrainPOP or online videos – watch current, up-to-date, curriculum related videos as a whole class.

•    Maps – View maps from Google or take virtual tours through Google Earth.

•    Graphic Organizers – Use Inspiration or another application to create and fill out Graphic Organizers with your students. Online organizers also are available.

•    Skype – Connect with another classroom or expert in the field to share and exchange ideas on any topic. Find partners at Skype in the Classroom.

•    Graph – Survey your students in the moment and create a graph using Excel or an online tool.

•    Flashcards – Make your own or use an online tool, such as Flashcard Machine, to study as a class.

•    Photo Slideshows – Take pictures of events, experiments or any topic and then as a class watch as iPhoto slideshows. Students can discuss observations, connections and reflections, even record annotations.

•    Jeopardy – Review topics by playing as a class with a game board created in PowerPoint.

•    Your Own Classroom Computer Lab – Sign out the laptops and use your classroom computer and projector to guide students right from their seats through a technology infused project.

Ideas for using an IPEVO P2V USB Camera with a Computer Projector

•    Sharing – You no longer have to pass artifacts around which can become a management and focus nightmare! Students can see when it’s placed under the camera and the projector is on, letting everyone concentrate on the discussion.

•    Read-Aloud – Place a picture book under the camera, and everyone has a great view to enjoy the pictures as well as follow along with text. Don’t forget to flip the text!

•    Textbooks and Maps – Don’t have a digital copy or no time to make one? No worries- put your document under the camera to enhance your directions or lesson.

•    Math Manipulatives – Much easier to see than on an overhead.

•    More Demonstrations – Show students what buttons or apps to push on an iPod. Or maybe you need to show them how to do some intricate origami folds. No matter what the demonstration, the camera and projector make it easy for everyone to see clearly.

•    Microscope-like – Perform science experiments and analyze results right under the camera. No more crowding around a table! Snap pictures with the camera, too.

•    Need more ideas? Go to IPEVO’s website for Tips, Tricks and Ideas.

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 simply are not available for all these leaders.

Our solution:

Enlist the help of a 5th grade class to analyze the resources and create podcasts and flash (quick fact) cards that would serve as an accessible, multimedia, research experience for the 3rd graders. A newly, created Library Wiki and dedicated iPods served as the portal of learning.

The outcome:

Third graders were engaged with research materials that were appropriate for all learning styles and reading levels. In the end, these flexible materials helped yield a “green screen” sharing of knowledge. Third graders produced a mock CNN style interview.

What follows is our presentation that we shared at this fall’s MassCUE Conference. Please check it out to read more about our goals and see the specific equipment and software that we utilized.

Five years ago, I used to say: if only we had digital cameras then… (Did I just date myself?) Then we could have made quick, authentic, non-fiction books using a word processing program….

Time to jump to today’s innovations. I now say: if only we had iPod Touches back then…

Recently, a third grade class started using Touches to check out trash barrels in our school as a part of a grant. The goal: to see how we could improve and promote our UpCycle program. Would we find trash or treasure in these barrels? This week, these third graders are going to present their initial findings in the form of a slideshow at an all school assembly. From there, we will develop short movies or public service announcements to target the areas of environmental awareness need.

The power of the Touches is how each student can be so independent and involved in the process of completing this project. Each Touch has been given a free Gmail account. The classroom teacher’s email has been added into Contacts. Therefore, when a student snaps a picture, s/he can email it to the teacher with a tap. A note, thought or reflection may be typed into the email’s body. (For example: Look at all the paper in here!) The teacher can evaluate the child’s work from her inbox.

If the objective is to combine the images from the different devices, the teacher may put them in a shared folder for a slideshow in iPhoto. Or the students may select the images on the Touches to go into a free Dropbox app on the Touch. Now, these images will be accessible on a designated computer or from any of the other Touches through this Dropbox app. Using Photos or  iMovie right on the Touch,  students also can create their own slideshows or movies using each other’s images. These can be shared via email to the teacher again. (Or put in the Dropbox.) Soon they will be posted to a class blog or wiki for viewing by an audience beyond the classroom walls.

Putting the power in students’ hands… love it! And how great is it, that we’re saving paper and toner while teaching people to be green?!

Does anyone else want to give this tool a try? Or please share how you’re utilizing the camera and/or sharing features of the Touches!

What I want to focus on right now is what is already available to teachers in Google Earth. There are tons of tools, but no creation is necessary to access rich content compliments of Google and its content partners. You have to be willing to do a little exploring, but it’s like a candy store.

Here is what the Layers look like at first glance:

Let’s peel back the Layers  and see what awaits you and your students. In Google Earth, you simply click on the drop down arrows and see the goodies.

• Borders and Labels: standard map fare helping to define boundaries clearly. No need to use outdated classroom maps anymore!
• Places of Interest: a feature that shows places like businesses, transit stations, mountains, parks & golf- great for legend reading skills and commerce lessons.
• Photos: current and authentic pictures about a location submitted by users are available. No worries- the pictures are screened before being chosen. The pictures focus on the location (without people). There are two options: Panoramio and 360 Cities.
• Roads: traditional map info regarding highways, routes and streets for map reading skills.
• 3D Buildings: This is what sets Google Earth apart from traditional maps. Actually go and check out a city, and let your students get a feel for what it’s like there. Switch over to the Street Level view and take your own virtual tour strolling the streets. And don’t miss the Trees feature in this layer!

• Ocean: where to even begin… see National Geographic articles and quizzes tagged to locations; find shipwrecks; and track marine life to name a few.

• Weather: maybe charting temperatures for a location is old hat, but what about cloud watching?

• Gallery: You’ve got to see it to believe it! With partners like Discovery Networks, NASA, National Geographic and the New York Times supplying content in various multimedia as you visit a location, students are engaged in learning, not just being entertained.

• Global Awareness: See what organizations are present in an area, such as Greenpeace and WWF.

• More: This section has plenty to offer from National Parks to US Senators that can be integrated into social studies lessons.

So power up that classroom projector, and with a simple check mark in the Layers of Google Earth, vast content is within flight. You just have to choose the destination for your students’ learning.

It would be wonderful if we had an unlimited amount of time to let learning come full circle. I believe that is where the true reflection happens and deeper learning transpires. Often, I feel like we just make a project, and it’s put it “out there”. But then what happens? Was the purpose met, and could there be more to it?

As the school year draws to a close, I’m thinking about the great projects that I have assisted over the past ten months, and wondering how could I help build in this important part of the process. Perhaps, this is an authentic use of our fixed block time when students come to the computer lab without their teachers every three weeks. Having the opportunity to explore and share each other’s work, to leave/answer comments or to reflect (with the aid of a guided sheet) would be completing the circle.

Something that we need to do more.

Something to think about this summer.