Start with a Question

Podcast Use #1: Allow parents to hear, from their child's own mouth, what went on in class today. " So, what did you learn at school today? " Now parents will actually know the answer to the question before they ask at the dinner table! My F block honors freshmen started researching various topics related to slavery in the American colonies during the 17th and 18th Centuries. Here are the results of their preliminary research today. After allowing them one class period to research certain online databases and the online textbook, I asked one representative from each group to talk about an interesting fact they learned today. Using a digital voice recorder, iTunes, and Audacity (an audio file editing program) I pulled their recordings together into a podcast. I posted this on our Edline class website and emailed a notification home so parents can check it out as well! Powered by Podbean.com Podcast Use #2: Provide students with step by step audio-visual instructions fo...

Over February Break my family took a trip that we have been planning for an entire year. We rented a beautiful three bedroom, three bathroom home in the mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado . There was even a hot tub on the deck for us to enjoy while the snowflakes danced around us in the steam coming off the bubbling water. We could take a short shuttle ride to the chairlift each day, and ski right to our door each afternoon when our legs were finally too tired to carry us down the mountain any more. We had everything we needed... full kitchen, washer and dryer, even a crib for my little daughter. And yet... there was no wireless Internet connection. I can't tell you how many times my father said they words, "We could look it up if we had wireless!" He actually called the property management company and complained contending that wireless Internet access should be considered a basic amenity in resort accomodations. Finally, on the last night my brother worked a little mag...

My Personal Challenge I have been working hard to teach my students research and technology skills this year. My freshmen have learned: - to read and summarize information from several sources; - to create an annotated bibliography using Turabian format; - to look up and use images from Creative Commons without violating copyright; - to use Google Scholar to find reliable scholarly sources for research; - to create a Google account and share editing privileges with multiple classmates; - to link Google Presentations with Google Documents. My goals for the rest of the year are for my students to be able: - to properly quote and credit primary sources with endnotes; - to write a research paper with a strong supported thesis; - and to create a documentary with PhotoStory. I think they can do it! My Latest Challenge to My Students Here is their latest research project using Google Applications: They had to create a lesson, complete with visuals, a handout, and optional multimedia on an a...