Internet Safety: What can I do?

After reading and viewing sources on internet safety I talked to my mom about the topic. She was very aware of the dangers of the internet and had set up her home in a way that promotes internet saftey. She talked about how she beleives it is very important to keep the computer in a high traffic area, so it is visible to many. She felt it was importance of being aware of the dangers of the internet and teaching children to aviod them. I had a very postive experience talking to my mom and many of her views and methods of internet safety were similar to what I had read.

She also recognized it is a serious issue and I shared a source providing docutmentaries on internet safety with her. The url is,
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/view/main.html

This expereince has helped me become more aware of the dangers of the internet and I feel that I have gained a lot of valuable information. Other sources that I found valuable were, http://www.netsmartz.org/resources/reallife.htm and
http://ikeepsafe.org/assets/videos/?vid=fauxpaw_video
If you get a chance visit them and share them with others too!

A great artcile on internet safety can be found on lds.org, it is Let our Voices be Heard - M. Russell Ballard

From what I have read and discussed, I believe it is critical that we get involved with students/children and guide them to have positive internet and media expereinces. We can each make a difference by encouraging others to have high standards and only participate in wholesome and uplifting activities.

Best Ideas

1. It is very important to have a back-up plan. Sometimes the technology we want to use just dosen't work like we expect it too. Technology is a great resource, but problems can occur, so be prepared for the unexpected!

Also, be well prepared and know how to use the technology you have chosen. This can also help you avoid problems.

2. Make technology lessons an active learning experience for students. The more active students are in the learning process, the more engaged they will be.

Internet Safety

1. What article did you choose to read for your fourth article?
An Ensign to the Nations, a Light to the World, President Gordon B. Hinckley

2. What were the most important things you learned from the readings?
We need to be aware of the dangers of technology and help our families and friends become aware too. There are many ways we can avoid problems with media and the internet. We can set up filters, place our computers in high traffic areas, and council with our families to teach them best practices for using these resources.
I also believe it is very important to be firm in what we believe and always seek after those things which are virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy. We need to have the courage to keep away from those materials that are inappropriate, even if others do not. We can encourage our students, family and friends to participate in good, wholesome, and uplifting media forms.

3. How will what you have read influence your actions as a parent and/or teacher of children and youth?
First of all, I want to make sure I am an example of one who always seeks after that which is wholesome and uplifting. I also believe it is very important to discuss the different dangers and uses of technology with students/children. I want to encourage my future students/children to utilize resources like the internet or media in the most positive ways possible. Children must be cautious when using these resources, but it is important to teach them of how beneficial these sources can be.

4. How can you use what you have learned from the reading to have a positive influence on family and friends?
We can positively influence our family and friends by sharing what we know! It is so important that we open our mouths, so others can be aware of the benefits and dangers of technology. We can help others avoid problems and enjoy the blessings of technology by letting them know what we know.

Spelling with Bookr!

Spelling With Bookr!

View more presentations from kimiadamson.

Something I learned from viewing other presentations is that technology can be a great way to make a lesson more engaging and interesting for students.

Technology in the Classroom!

For my technology-enhanced lesson I am going to use my digital spelling book I described in the last post. I will be using this book in my spelling lesson tomorrow. Our school provides a projector shared between teachers that I will use to project my book.

Bookr!!!

I found this great website called bookr through a link on a website titled,Technology Tips for Classroom Teachers. The url for this site is http://www.edzone.net/%7Emwestern/stuff.html. This website was very helpful to me and gives multiple ways to use technology for teaching all subjects.

I am using the bookr website to teach spelling in our 2nd grade classroom. This website can be used to create, easy to use, digital books. The website provides a great database of pictures you can use for your books and allows you to type in your own text.

I created a book to help reinforce our students' spelling words. In the digital story I created, students will see a picture for each spelling word along with a clue to help them figure out what the word is. Students will write down the spelling word they think the clue it referring to on individual white boards. Students can also look at a list of their spelling words to figure out what the word is.

I think this will be a new and fun activity that can help our students learn this weeks spelling words. It was simple and efficient, and allows students to think about their spelling words in a different way.

I hope it goes well! Here is the link to my book if anyone would like to view it. http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr/?id=6284

Technology within the Classroom

The 2nd grade classroom I am in for my practicum experience does not frequently incorporate technology. We have access to five computers within our classroom, but they have not been used since I have been in the class. However, students do receive technology experiences in the computer lab once a week and are excited to go. The school provides students with a great computer lab of 34 Mac computers.

Google Earth Virtual Tour

To view my virtual tour of rural, suburban, and urban communities, click on the link under My Filing Cabinet. (http://sites.google.com/site/kimiadamson/my-files)

Content, Pedagogy, and Technology

Content:
2nd grade
Standard 2
Students will develop a sense of self in relation to families and community.
Objective 2
Examine important aspects of the community and culture that strengthen relationships.
• Compare rural, suburban, and urban communities.
Pedagogy:
I will use guided imagery, a shared writing and my virtual tour to teach the content. This form of pedagogy will help students relate the material to themselves and when students are able to make connections to what they are learning they retain more content.
Technology:
For this lesson I will use a virtual tour to show the different types of communities within Utah. This is a great way for students to visually learn what these communities are really like. This will also help students apply their understanding of the example communities to their own community.

My Virtual Tour!

Rural, Suburban, and Urban Communities: Where do I fit in?

2nd Grade
Standard 2
Students will develop a sense of self in relation to families and community.
Objective 2
Examine important aspects of the community and culture that strengthen relationships.
• Compare rural, suburban, and urban communities.

Lesson Objective:
Students will be able to differentiate between rural, suburban, and urban communities after viewing a digital tour showing examples of each community. Students will be expected to complete 90% of a worksheet assessing their understanding.

To begin this lesson I will use guided imagery to get students thinking about the topic. Students will lie down on the floor and close their eyes for this activity. I will ask students to imagine they are walking out of their home to go to school one morning; however, on this particular day they decide to stop and look at what surrounds their home. They walk to the back of their house, to the sides and then back to the front and think about everything they see outside their home. Then they walk to the street and look up and down the street taking note once again of everything they see. Soon they realize they need to get to school, so they hurry and go.

After this imagery is completed I will have students gather on our classroom rug for a shared writing. I will ask students to share what they saw during the guided imagery activity and will make a list. After the list is complete, I will tell students we are going to learn about rural, suburban, and urban communities today. I will tell them that it is important to understand the community we live in, because our community is an important part of who we are.

We will then use the Google Earth digital tour I am creating, to learn about the differences and similarities of the communities we are studying. After we have viewed and discussed the tour we will continue our shared writing. I will add a chart with 3 columns labeled rural, suburban, and urban. We will take traits from our previous list and place them under the column where they best fit. We will also add traits or facts learned from the virtual tour to our chart. Once we have completed the shared writing activity, students will fill out a worksheet to reinforce how to differentiate between these communities.

The Life Cycle of a Butterfly!

Storytelling: Content, Pedagogy, and Technology

The content I am using for my Storytelling is the Life Cycle of a butterfly. My objective is for students to understand the 4 stages of the butterfly life cycle: Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis, and Butterfly. To do this I am using interactive pedagogy. My storyboard is created in a way that gets students involved and gives them opportunities for discovery. I try to relate the content to what they already know and then introduce them to what they may not know. I do this by asking them questions throughout the story board to create an active learning environment. The technology I am using for this lesson will be digital storytelling. This is a great way for students to listen and view the concepts of the butterfly life cycle at the same time. In this lesson I will use content, pedagogy, and technology together to maximize student learning.

The Life Cycle of a Butterfly!

Here are a couple images of my Story Board!! I am doing a documentary on the life cycle of a butterfly. Don't worry...for my final story I will use digital images.

Content, Pedagogy, and Technology

The content we focused on for our lesson was: Utah Standard 2, Objective 3d: to describe and justify how the surface of Earth would appear if there were no mountain uplift, weathering, or erosion. To teach our content we used a class discussion, created lists as a class, and viewed Google Earth. Our Pedagogy was discussion and technology based. We taught the content this way so students could brainstorm and think for themselves about what the world would be like if it was flat and then experience and view what the world really looks like. Technology was an important part of our lesson because it enabled students to see and explore the various geographic features of our world.

The Tech Savvy Teacher

Mrs. Campbell and Ms. Adamson's 4th Grade Technology Tribune!!

In a world where technology has become a large part of every day life, we as teachers have a duty to expose students to the technologies used around the world. We need to be more “tech savvy” in our teaching, and need to be more aware of the technologies that can be used to enhance learning for our students. Using technology in the classroom can prepare students for the technology-based society they live in. Seeing the need for increased use and understanding of technology, we decided to use Google Earth to meet a fourth grade science objective.

Students used Google Earth to locate seismic disturbances and see their effect on the Earth's surface.

In this picture, a student is searching for seismic activity that may have effected the physical characteristics of the Earth's surface. One feature of Google Earth shows a volcano symbol (shown above) where volcanic action occurs making it easy for students to locate independent of the teacher.

In this picture, you can see a student beginning work in Google Earth.

Our class has been focusing on the geological features of the Earth including weather, erosion, and mountain uplift. For this lesson, we were specifically concerned with Standard 2, Objective 3d: to describe and justify how the surface of Earth would appear if there were no mountain uplift, weathering, or erosion.

To introduce our topic, we passed an apple around the room and wrote the physical characteristics on the board. We wanted to bring attention to the smoothness of the apple. We then asked students to imagine they were holding the Earth in their hands and as a class listed the characteristics we would feel. We then visited our schools computer lab to view Google Earth. Students were able to explore the Earth’s surface and see the features of the Earth they have been learning about in class. We explained to students that if the earth did not undergo these physical changes, it would be smooth like the apple.

In this picture, a student has zoomed in on a spot with seismic activity to see the effects on the Earth's surface. It is easy to tell this region is mountainous and rugged. A student would interpret this data to mean this activity under the surface effects the surface.

The technology used enhanced student learning by showing an accurate depiction of the Earth’s surface. While it is good for students to imagine what the Earth looks like, seeing it on the screen and locating different features brings greater understanding. From our experience, we have seen how technology can extend learning beyond the capabilities of the past. We have the resources available, and it is our responsibility to utilize them for the benefit of our students.

Students participated in a classroom discussion to discuss characteristics of both an apple and the earth.

Students were able to feel the smoothness of an apple.

Stellarium

I really liked this resource and I think it would be a great way to help students get excited about astronomy.  It's awesome that you can use it to look at the sky from any point on the earth and I think students would think that was pretty neat too. 

TPACK

TPACK is a great way for teachers to identify the balance between pedagogy, content, and technology within their classroom and how they can modify that balance to meet an objective.  As teachers are aware of these three factors and how they are related, they will be able to create effective and engaging lessons for their students on a variety of levels.  I hope I take advantage of TPACK in my future classroom because I think it could help me be aware of how I can improve my teaching to help my students become competent in a technological world.  

Web 2.0 and RSS

I have never really heard much about Web 2.0, but I am really excited about the goodreads and delicious websites. I think these sites will be very beneficial when teaching and are a good way to organize resources. I also feel like they were fairly user friendly and easy to get started. On the other hand, the RSS feed was really hard for me to figure out and I did not feel like the instructions were very easy to follow. It took me a while to set up, but I think it will also be a good way to keep track of good resources.

My Technology Experience

My technology experience may not be great, but I feel pretty comfortable using computers and I am open to learning how to do new things. I have had a computer in my home since I can remember and I feel like I am pretty good at figuring out how to use programs if I have good instructions. I feel comfortable using the internet for research and communication. I have not been exposed to a lot of computer programs, but I know how to use PowerPoint and Word fairly well. On the other hand, my excel skills could definitely improve. I do not have a lot of technology skills, but I am excited to expand and improve them.