Technology has the power to take a mediocre lesson and make it jaw dropping. To take an uninterested student and get them involved and excited. Technology can change EVERYTHING.
However, it is so important for us to keep the focus on the learning, on the engagement, on the skills and the take away. We need to only incorporate technology where it enhances the learning, when it breaks down barriers and takes learning to a new level. We do not want to have the focus of any lesson to be the use of technology. If you objective for the day is to "make a Prezi" you are sadly missing the boat. We need to focus on the learning at hand and look at ways where the technology can bring your teaching to life.
The Common Core Standards
English Language Arts Standards
Every Common Core Standard Related to Technology- From Ben Rimes, K-12 Instructional Technology Coordinator, Mattawan Consolidated School
Every Common Core Standard Related to Technology- From Ben Rimes, K-12 Instructional Technology Coordinator, Mattawan Consolidated School
General Sites
50 Resources for Implementing the Common Core for Teachers
Tools for Teaching- Great teaching. Inspiring Classrooms.
Better Lessons- Common Core: National Education Association
Tools for Teaching- Great teaching. Inspiring Classrooms.
Better Lessons- Common Core: National Education Association
The College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing
The Production and Distribution of Writing
K-5
6. Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others
6-12
6. Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others
When I read this statement the tool that stands out (actually, it is more like standing on the roof top yelling its name!) is Google Apps for Education, Google Docs in particular. Google Docs allows you to collaborate with up to 50 people at one time and share your document with up to 200 other collaborators. When you share you can designate if you are giving editing rights, commenting rights, or just viewing rights. This tool is in the cloud and is a free. That means that as long as you have the internet, you are seeing the same thing as all of your classmates- as Google always gives you the latest version of the software. It evens the playing field between your wealthiest student and your poorest student. Google Docs keeps track of every single revision made on the documents- so you can look back at any time and see who contributed, what they wrote, and at what time. You are also able to restore the document at any time. AMAZING!
With the integration of Google Hangouts, you can "hangout" with up to 9 different people and work on the same document from 9 different locations all while seeing their face and hearing their voices.
Check out these links for more information on Google Apps for Education. But keep in mind, it isn't the tool that we need to focus on, it is the learning, the collaboration and the empowerment that matters.
The Lexile Framework for Reading- Enter your Lexile measure, select your interests, and find books you'd like to read!
Level It Books- Scan the barcode of the book and you will be given the Lexile score among other information
iBooks- Great source of digital text, particularly books in the Gutenberg Project. You are able to book mark, highlight, add notes, find specific words, change text size, have words read aloud and define words.
My Favorites
64 Sites for Storytelling and Information- A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet
English Language Arts Resources
Ohio Resource Center- Common Core English Language Arts Standards Find lesson plans, activities, and resources sorted by standard
Collaborative Writing and Digital Story Telling with Google Apps for Education
How Students Use the Internet for Research- Edudemic
Common Core Language Arts Lesson Plans
The Library of Congress
Achieve the Core
Collaborative Writing and Digital Story Telling with Google Apps for Education
How Students Use the Internet for Research- Edudemic
Common Core Language Arts Lesson Plans
The Library of Congress
Achieve the Core
Math Resources
Ohio Resource Center- Common Core Math Standards
Stella's Stunners
Khan Academy- Thousands of video tutorials explaining mathematical concepts and practice problems available to support students in developing their understanding of math.
Common Core Math Lesson Plans
Learn Zillion Instructional videos and resources sorted by standard
Achieve the Core
PAARC Resources
PAARC Online- The PAARC site offers information about the online assessments our student's will be given
Technology Guidance from PAARC- Outlines the minimum requirements for new technology purchases
Smarter Balanced Practice and Pilot Tests- This is NOT used in Ohio but it is one of two major Common Core Testing Agencies (Parcc and Smarter Balanced)
Smarter Balanced Practice and Pilot Tests- This is NOT used in Ohio but it is one of two major Common Core Testing Agencies (Parcc and Smarter Balanced)
Ohio Specific Resources
INFOhio Common Core Toolkit- Tools outlined here require a password that is available to every public school student and teacher in Ohio. Contact your technology coordinator or librarian for the password.
INFOhio Symbaloo of links
Apps
The Common Core... There's an App for That- Article from Tech and Learning
The Common Core... There's and App for That- Easy to Print Version- Henderson County Public School
APPitic- Amazing resources from Apple Distinguished Educators
The Padagogy Wheel- iPad Apps sorted by Bloom's Taxonomy level
Videos
Watch, Know, Learn. Videos from all over the web compiled in one place. The videos are teacher approved and rated then compiled and sorted by grade level and common core standard. AMAZING! They also have videos for many of the text exemplars!First Grade Classroom
Second Grade Classroom
Third Grade Classroom
Fourth Grade Classroom
Fifth Grade Classroom
Sixth Grade Classroom
Seventh Grade Classroom
Interesting
One of my favorite graphics about technology in the classroom
The Rise of Blended Learning- Smithsonian
Five Requirements of Technology Before it Enters the Classroom- Edudemic
The Rise of Blended Learning- Smithsonian
Five Requirements of Technology Before it Enters the Classroom- Edudemic
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