Using Google Hangout in Education - 10 Ways to Use in the Elementary Classroom

I'm no expert - especially when it comes to Google+ Hangout. In fact, I've only used it a couple of times. However, I can see the many and varied possibilities for use in an elementary classroom. Classes can collaborate in ways not been done before! Here are 10 ways elementary classes can use Google+ Hangout to connect for more collaborative, authentic learning. (Class would need a Google+ Account)

English Language Arts:
1. Reader's Theater: Each participating classroom will have one or several parts in the play; or each classroom will share a different play. After the play discuss the elements of the story.

2. Book Club - Each class can read the same book (off line) then come together to discuss the setting, character, plot, rising action, conflict and solution. Or classes can participate in their own mini read aloud based on the Global Read Aloud.

Writing:
3. Create a Story: Using a basic story (outlined by participating teachers) each class will work on one element of the story (based on the Narrative Writing Diamond by Empowering Writers). Classes will share via the Google Doc component of Hangout & read together.

4. Poetry Author Study: Classes will find favorite Poets and share several poems with the other classes. Classes will collaborate and try to create a poem based on their favorite author's style. (Some authors: Jack Prelutsky, Shel Silverstein, Jane Yolen, Ken Nesbitt and more. (Poem below was written in a Jack Prelutsky style).



Math:
5. Gather Data: Classes Poll each other, create graphs and gather back on the Hangout to analyze the data. Classes can poll their school and share that information. Other classes can draw conclusions based on the data.

6: Math Mysteries: Participating classes will be introduced to a Math Mystery via the Hangout. They will work on the problem separately, then return do share their answers and to show their thinking.

Science:
7. Conduct Experiments: Experiment will be introduced via the Hangout. Each class will be assigned a different variable. Classes will predict what will happen in ALL classes based on the variables. Reconvene on the Hangout to share and discuss the results.

8. Science Share: Using a current event site like Science News for Kids classes can each read and share an article - then discuss. Or classes can share science experiments done in their own classrooms.

Social Studies:
9. Regional Conference: connect with other classes from states in your own region. Compare and contrast data relating to climate, resources, industry, major cities and more.

10. Map-Making: Each class would be assigned a different type of map: Political, Relief, Climate, Population, Road, Resources or other, for a particular state or region. All maps will then be shared and discussed.

As stated in the beginning, I'm no expert. However, these are some activities that I would conduct in my own classroom. Why not flatten those classroom walls and share the experiences, learn others' point of view and Hangout with some new friends via Google+.

I would like to thank the following collaborators for creating and sharing ideas:
@cybraryman1
@dandanscienc
@missbamberger
@plnaugle
@powell4thgrade
@wkrakower

Other Resources:
Google+ Hangouts in the Gifted Ed Classroom by: @elle_gifted:
Google Hangout Page by: @cybraryman1


Please share how you might use or will be using Google+ Hangout in your classroom or what you think of the suggested ideas in the comment section below!

Using Google Hangout in Education! Part 1

By this time last year I had my summer PD all planned out. So far, I hadn't really planned anything for these first 2 weeks off from school, and to my delight a professional development opportunity arose before my very eyes.

Every other Thursday night I meet on Twitter with a group of people interested in Elementary Science. The creator and moderator of that chat, Bill Krakower (@wkrakower) of New Jersey, suggested that we try to conduct the chat via 'Google Hangout'. I have heard Bill, as well as some other folks, referring to this 'Hangout' a lot lately, and decided I would LOVE to be involved.

What is a Google Hangout? Think Skype on steroids! Google Hangout is a feature of Google+ which allows up to 10 people to video conference at one time. Within the Hangout there are many extra great features as well. These include Screen Sharing, Google Doc sharing, Watching the same Youtube Video together, a Sketchpad and more. These features promote collaboration which is just perfect for educators, students and administrators!

The other night there were 7 of us participating in the 'Hangout'. It was fun playing around with the different features (see below!). We didn't talk much science, but we were able to come up with a plan to get our classrooms connected through Google Hangout in October. A 'real-time' document outlining how we will use it in the fall was created in the Hangout. Many of the other features were examined as well. It was decided that in October each class will poll the other classes regarding their 'favorites' (ice cream, subject, color, etc.) then get back together at a later date for another 'Hangout' to analyze and share our graphs.

@cybraryman1 et al testing the 'Special Effects' during a Hang Out!

This exploration of Google Hangout and the collaboration that happened during the evening will certainly be filed under "Professional Development". My Twitter PLN has afforded me the opportunity to investigate a new tool in a comfortable, safe setting with the intention of future collaborative efforts. This is educational collegiality at its finest!

Thank you to @wkrakower, @plnaugle, @missbamberger, @cybraryman1, @ICETeacherSara & @dandanscienc for your patience and encouragement!

Feel free to share any of your experiences with Google Hangout in the Comment Section below!

Upcoming Post: Using Google Hangout in Education Part 2 - Ways to Incorporate Hangout into the Curriculum

Skype in the Classroom Continues!

How do you keep 81 fourth-grade students engaged for over an hour?   The answer is simple: Skype with a group of soldiers overseas in Afghanistan! That's exactly what we did today! At approximately 0900 we received a call via Skype from Petty Officer Second Class Christine Henault. She and 4 other soldiers who are part of the NTM-A spent some time describing their days in Afghanistan to our three (3) fourth grade classes. 

Back in November of 2011 our class was writing 'Thank You' letters to our veterans, and one of my students wrote to Miss Henault (who is my neighbor's sister).  After that, we sent her a package at Christmas time.  When she came home on leave at the end of March she made a surprise visit to my class.  At that time she described her training and how she ended up in Afghanistan.  Her presentation included a Powerpoint, sharing artifacts and doing some calisthenics with the group.  They loved it and HER!  As she left, I asked if she might be interested in skyping with the class.

And so, we planned the call. During the Skype call Christine introduced her fellow soldiers, some were Army, some Navy.  The students were introduced to Major Shelly Frank (USAF), Technical Sergeant Alysia Parsons USAF, Master Sergeant Conrad Hernandez, USAF, Technical Sergeant Jason Girvin, USAF, and Sergeant First Class Miguel Soriano, USA.  The soldiers took turns speaking to the students about their jobs in Afghanistan, their hometowns and life in overseas.  They fielded questions from the 10 year olds who asked: "What do you miss most about the USA?", "What kinds of food do Afghan people eat?" "Can you compare the weather of Afghanistan to your hometown?" "What do the schools look like?" "What kinds of missions have you gone on?" and many more.  The students applauded and pumped their fists in a "Power to the Team" (a gesture that Miss Henault had taught them when she visited.) 

The soldiers were wonderful with these kids.  They explained things appropriately and succinctly.  Some of them are getting ready to leave Afghanistan while some are newly appointed. Some have been all over the world and for some it was their first assignment away.  Some were there in charge of the construction crews and some were part of the Computer Operations.

One thing the soldiers all had in common was that they left families back home that they miss dearly, and yet they were all upbeat and positive and excited about the work they are doing because they know they are helping  the Afghan people while serving their country at the same time.  

My gut feeling is that the Soldiers truly enjoyed their visit to our school as much as the students enjoyed seeing and listening to them.  However, I'm not sure the students fully understand or appreciate the magnanimity of the call.  But one thing is certain, this experience will remain in their memories for a lifetime. Speaking with these brave men and women and learning about life in the Military will surely be remembered for years to come.

(One side note:  I am so proud of the 4th grade students for their thoughtful questions, their rapt attention and their excellent behavior.  It is tough to keep the attention of children that age and the students were just so good!)

Do you see the value of Skype in Schools?  How have you used it?

RESOURCES:


Skype in Schools: Wikispace outline ways to use Skype.

Projects on Skype in the Classroom: from Skype, a place to find or list your projects. 

Skype Resources: A collection of sites compiled by Cybrary Man (Jerry Blumengarten)

PowerPoint Alive and Well in Elementary School!

I feel almost guilty writing this post as I know many folks think PowerPoint is "passe".  Honestly, I really felt that way too until the other day.  With such a wide variety of presentation tools available for use including Prezi, Voicethread and Glogster,  it seems almost silly to be using 'boring, old' PowerPoint.  As I'm constantly searching for new ways to incorporate technology into my classroom it seems that I sometimes overlook the obvious.

My students have been studying and using this essential question to guide their learning: "How Can Scientists Classify Animals?"  They have learned about the major groups of Vertebrates: Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals and Fish.  Initially, the plan was to have the students create a poster using a rubric agreed upon by my colleagues.  As we had time in the computer lab I decided to give the students a choice between making a poster and creating PowerPoint presentation.  One hundred percent of the class voted on the PowerPoint.

Before we went into the lab I surveyed the class to find out how many students were familiar with the program.  A few students raised their hands and stated they had used it in second grade.  For most of the other students this would be their first attempt.  So off they went, with notes in hand to work with their partners.

In the lab, they were given some basic instructions regarding the program itself: How to choose a layout and how to insert a new slide.  Most of the instruction was on how to create a PowerPoint that was not 'text heavy' or too glitzy. Using the modified poster rubric they started a storyboard and began creating the slides first with plain text. When that was complete, they were allowed to go back and add pictures, change fonts/colors/themes and add transitions if wanted. The focus of this lesson was really identifying the information needed to answer the Essential Question.

It took about 2 class periods for the students to finish their work. Early finishers were taught how to add transitions and animations, which they picked up quickly.  Those students then taught other classmates, and so on.  It truly was great to watch the students in action helping one another and problem solving.  Some students discovered how to add sound while others found they could add a video clip! Needless to say, all the students were proud of their work.  Sharing begins this week!

So, when I look back and see the excitement, motivation and enthusiasm for this project, it makes me think that PowerPoint is not to be overlooked at the elementary level.  I love that it is on most computers and therefore, accessible. By customizing the product, it can be used to differentiate. It's ease of use is another reason I like PowerPoint.  The trick is to not "over-use it" but that doesn't mean to NOT use it.   Students can also upload their Powerpoints to Voicethread as a way to share and allow comments globally or from classmates and relatives! 

When planning your next project - why not rethink PowerPoint.  It is attractive to the students and it might not be over-used to them.  

But make sure to alert your students to avoid the mistakes advised in this funny 4 minute video.(Quality is not the best but it is about what he is saying.)

Please tell me if you have used PowerPoint lately or do you prefer another presentation tool for your students? I would love to learn from you.


RESOURCES:
PowerPoint in the Classroom:  A tutorial that walks students through PowerPoint 2007.

What's Good About PowerPoint? Geared for teachers but some of the information is useful to students.

Project ideas for using PowerPoint


Encourage Students to Use PowerPoint Effectively - Great tips from Teaching Today

From Death to Life by PowerPoint - by Ellen Finkelstein

Taking Outdoor Science-Indoors!

Tadpoles feasting

During a science lesson yesterday about Vertebrates, the life cycle of a frog became a focus.  This of course led to a discussion about tadpoles.  In a weak moment, I shouted "Okay, tomorrow wear your old sneakers and jeans because we are going to go in search of tadpoles in the stream behind the school!"  The chairs went flying as the kids jumped out of their seats with joy. When the cheers died down, I instantly realized what I had done.

My lesson for the day was done as the students couldn't think about anything other than the upcoming science class outdoors.  Then came the questions and comments: "What about poison ivy? Last time I was in those woods, I got a bad case." "How long are we going to be out there?" "I don't have any old sneakers." "Wow, my mom can come because she knows all about poison ivy."  "Where are the tadpoles? Did you see them?"  I realized I was over my head on this one.

As a mom and teacher, I DO know how careful you have to be with your words.  In actuality I really thought it would be so fun to go outside in search of tadpoles.  The reality was that I needed to plan for an outdoor adventure of the science kind.  (Here is a great site that explains how to use the outdoors for science.) To really do justice to a lesson of this type, having a clear objective with careful planning is a must.

Interestingly, last evening on Twitter our elementary science chat group (#elemsci) was discussing "Outdoor Science".  Questions such as: What do primary students find fascinating about the outdoors? How do we tie this into their learning? and, If you can't be outside, how can you bring the outdoors in for a lesson? were discussed.  Little did I know how these would come guide me in the day to come!


I tried to sheepishly avoid any conversation about "the field trip". Some students remembered their sneakers, others were worried they hadn't brought them.  One by one, the students came to me to see if we were really trekking behind the school.  I felt awful about not taking them outside.

Then one child came to me and said, "You know, the third grade teachers have some tadpoles in their room."   I knew if I could somehow have my students observe THOSE tadpoles then I would once again regain their trust.  So I asked my colleague (thank you Deb for sharing!) if we could take a peek...she did better...she wheeled this large fish tank into our room when the kids were at recess.  Well, it was amazing as there were hundreds of tiny tadpoles swimming in that tank.  (Apparently, one of the third grade students got them out of their pool.)   This following video is what it was like when my students returned from recess to find the those little froggies-to-be in the classroom.

This excitement really inspires me to bring science to life for my students....allowing them real world experiences and providing opportunities for authentic learning.   I can't wait for Monday so that the students can really take time to make observations and learn about these creatures!

RESOURCES:

The Teacher's Guide:  Frog & Tadpole Lessons


Thinking Beyond the Classroom: 10 Lesson Ideas


Scholastic Outdoor Activities: Includes Skills and Objectives

Foss Video with Helpful Tips for Outdoor Learning