Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tool # 5

I created a cartoon from comix.com on the Gettysburg Address.  It was actually fun and I think the kids would enjoy this activity a lot.  I have included the link to my cartoon in case you want to view it.

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=38604731C503078

I also used ABCya to create this word cloud on the three branches of government. I think my students would enjoy this activity also and it would be a great way to review key vocabulary.  Okay, on to tool #6.

Tool # 4

I created a google document on the Boston Massacre.  This was an assignment I did last year.  I found 4 pictures of the Boston Massacre and the students went to different stations. Each station had a picture.  They already had background knowledge of the event.  Their task was to decide which picture was the most accurate and why. I also created a form from Google Docs.  It was a survey that I sent to the social studies department asking them what supplies they needed for the start of the school year.  I think I can use the Google Docs in my classroom when I do stations and group work.  I know the Language Arts teachers have used them a lot.  There is so much information to remember.  I would really like a "cheat sheet" with printed directions.

Tool # 3

I love You Tube and used it a lot last year.  I also visited the School Tube site which I did not know about until now.  I found several videos under history that I could use as reviews or for reteaching.  I also liked BLINKX as a search engine. I am still a bit confused on the copyright issues and will need to revisit that video again.  I had difficulty trying to figure out how to embed the videos into my blog.  I also logged into Picasa Web Album through Google Apps.  I chose Washington D.C. pictures to look at and found several pictures of famous buildings that I could use in my classroom esp. when we study the three branches of government.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Wow, I think I have now completed tool #2.  I posted comments on the blogs of 5 of my fellow teachers.  I visited some of the sites listed in the tool #2 directions.  I visited Technology Integration in Education, Always Learning, The Fischbowl and Technology in the Middle.  I liked Technology in the Middle.  It had a History site where students had posted their work.  I really liked the site where students were epals and communicated with students in other countries.  I could see that as a possibility for use in my class.
These blogs take a lot of time to read and look over.  I have read lots of comments on different blogs but so far have not commented on any except the ones at Spring Oaks.  I am still rather uncomfortable with people everywhere reading my comments, I guess I am just old fashioned and a private person.  Hopefully, I will become more comfortable making comments as the year progresses, I guess I am now ready to move to the next tool.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Tool # 1

Wow! I have now created my blog, with lots of help from  Karen Justl.  I think this will be a very useful tool once I can get the "hang of it".  All this technology gets very confusing to me. My students could blog their reactions about videos that we watch or they could blog about different historical events and their feelings about what transpired.  For example:  what is your reaction to what happened on the Trail of Tears?  How would you have felt if you were a Cherokee Indian at that time?  How might the situation with the Cherokees have been handled differently?