Laptops, Google Docs, and Grade 5/6 Social Studies Oh MY!!!!

I must admit, I had a wonderful lesson on graphing climate averages for ten Canadian Communities using the spreadsheets on Google Docs.

What made it particularly pleasant was the portability of the laptops; I could create small groups of 3 students per laptop and move them well apart from each other. This way, there were no other computers and students to distract group members from the task at hand. Three can cluster around a laptop and be totally involved.

We started with one of those S & S Learning maps which showed 10 communities all over Canada with their minimum and maximum average temperatures. Students had to create a spreadsheet with 3 columns: Communities, Average Winter Temperature in Degrees Celcius, and Average Summer Temperature in Degrees Celcius. They entered the data from the maps. (One group member could read as another typed). They then created a bar graph; winter temps for the most part below the zero mark in blue and summer temperatures above the zero mark in red. I then asked them to share the document with their two buddies so all had a copy. Too too cool. (No more, "The document is stored on his/her computer and he/she is not here.")

(As well, grade six has been studying basic integers in math; this ties in with integers and data management. Not bad eh?)

Is blogging becoming passe?

I've noticed fewer and fewer blogs (mine included) - not only from LSKYSD teachers, but also from the formerly prolific bloggers to whom I subscribe? Is this because we have found new tools - Twitter, Yammer, Edmoto..... in order to communicate our peals of wisdon and insight, or do we have less and less to say? Have we lost our sense of wonder with these new tools, or are we being more judicious about what we do say? Are we just plain tired, or have we found our networks and are we sticking to them?

For me, I'm not sure I have as much to say. I am not directly teaching a technology class per se; however I am using technology to teach most of my classes. I'm experimenting with Edmodo. I'm using Google Docs for students to complete short historical research assignments in ArtsEd 9/10. My grade 5/6 social studies class is epaling with Epals, and teleconferencing using Skype. Of course, we are wordprocessing assignments! I've written about these already; how much more can I say? As well, like everyone, I'm "busy, busy, busy....".

We are still Skyping with a class in the states. I'd like to Skype with a class in LSKYSD. Anyone interested?

"Don't ever kid yourself....everyone in this room is wearing a uniform..."

Somewhere in my seventies socializations, I learned to attribute the above quote to Frank Zappa, whose music I loved, but whose lyrics sometimes escaped me (thank goodness).

Which brings me to this website http://www.exactitudes.com which explores the uniforms of different identifiable social groups in various cities around the world.

To summarize from their website:

"Rotterdam-based photographer Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek ...Inspired by a shared interest in the striking dress codes of various social groups, they have systematically documented numerous identities over the last 14 years...
They call their series Exactitudes: a contraction of exact and attitude. By registering their subjects in an identical framework, with similar poses and a strictly observed dress code, Versluis and Uyttenbroek provide an almost scientific, anthropological record of people's attempts to distinguish themselves from others by assuming a group identity....

I love this site. When you go to the home page, all you get is a grid of torsos. You click on a grid where most of the torsos look the same, and voila, there is a grid of 12 people. The name of the group and the date taken is at the bottom.

Eldon you are right: Edmodo does rock!

Silly me; at the technology meeting I did not hang out with Eldon and listen to what he does with Edmodo. It was only later that I twigged onto its possibilities. However, when I did create an account, I had nothing but difficulties. I assumed them to be due to my incompetence and only in desperation did I seek help. Enter Jeff O'Hara of Edmodo. Through email communications he and his colleagues worked tirelessly until my Edmodo account was functioning perfectly. That was service above and beyond!!! And imagine: it wasn't my fault after all that it didn't work.

Keep me posted Tekkie ones as to what you are doing with Edmodo.

Our Final Assignment for the Day...

DDonna said we had to blog before we go home...so I'm blogging.

Tech committee meetings are great. Wonderful. Superb. Why? We learn lots. We network. We schmooze. We network some more. We exchange ideas. How can one adequately describe what one learns when the fruits of the meeting only have their genesis here. I guess these meetings never really end. They are a professional and personal development day that keeps on giving and growing.

Thanks Donna. Thanks Living Sky School Division. I come out of these meetings wanting to go back to teach and keep on learning with my tekkie colleagues. Does being an educator get much better?

My brain is full.

C

Does not teaching a computer class mean I have nothing to say?

Yikes! I haven't posted anything since September 3. I'm not teaching any "computer classes" this semester, but I am using computers with my teaching of classes. For example:

I'm teaching Arted 9 and 10 this semester. I've asked my students to create a Google Docs account so they can create and post some assignments. So far, I've asked them to create a presentation of 10 digital greyscale photos as part of a unit on Value. In my next unit, on colour, I am having them create a short research presentation on De Stijl Art (for primary colours). After they do research (art history) I'll have them create a project based on it.

My Grade 5/6 Classes: I remember back in the day spending long periods of time on handwriting skills. Now I spend time on keyboarding skills. As I am lefthanded, I find keyboarding a lot less stressful than handwriting. I start with All the Right Type, but soon have students keyboarding language arts assignments. Social Studies: We are still Epaling: we are still writing to Waterloo, Illinois and Lagos, Nigeria. As well, I've started experimenting with Google Earth (just baby steps mind you!) Next on the agenda is using an online "game" to practice latitude and longitude. I also want my grade 5/6 students to get Google accounts. We have a class blog, but haven't been updating too much.

Me: I'm still record keeping with Google Spreadsheets. So far it's going!!! I also faithfully read my Google Reader every day.

Have a great weekend, and we'll see the tekkie types at the tech meeting next Thursday!

I love having a laptop on my desk...or how Google Docs are changing the way I organize myself at school

Thank you Living Sky School Division for giving me a laptop for my desk. Thank you also for the wireless internet that goes with it. I am finding that I am finding new ways to use it productively while I am at my desk. For example, I've been experimenting the first days or weeks of school with the Spreadsheets on Google Docs to not only create class lists, but also to record marks, lockers, locker combinations etc. etc. I know I can use Open Admin; however it takes time for all the info to be inputted into the system. So far, I've created a spreadsheet for each grade I teach, and have been adding pages as I need them. I can keep them open all day with out them logging off. I can also access them on any computer on any network. I can also add student names when I need to. I'm a little nervous going "paperless"...

So far, after 4 days, it seems to be working. Any tips from anyone using it for the same thing?