Skype in the Classroom - Sometimes it IS about the Tool!

Being home sick is no longer an excuse to miss school!  Well, okay, it really is.  However, it doesn't mean you have to totally miss out with what is going on in your classroom.  With the right tool you can attend school even from home!

Student skyping from iPad while Ranger Skypes Class

Today, the fourth grade classes at our school participated in a skype call with Yellowstone National Park Ranger, Beth Taylor.  This pre-arranged call coincided with our study of another national park, Yosemite through the story, Letters Home from Yosemite, by Lisa Halvorsen.

For weeks the anticipation of speaking to a real park ranger had been building.  One of my students, a nature and animal lover, asked me almost daily if 'today was the day'.  Well, today was the day, and as it turned out the nature and animal lover was unable to attend school due to an illness.

Her genuine disappointment was evident through her mother's email as she shared her daughter's absence.  This program was something I knew this young lady would love.  So, I contacted her mom and suggested she procure a skype account so that we could skype her daughter at the same time we would be skyping with Ranger Taylor.  (We used two different skype accounts.)

As soon as my colleague received the call from the park ranger, I quickly skyped my student using an iPad.  She answered the call and was ready to go.  I placed the iPad near the laptop that was being used to communicate with the ranger.  Now as all the other students were watching the call projected on the screen at the front of the room, my absent student watched from inside her home. Talk about a front row seat!

Sometimes it is the tool!  Watching the excitement on my pupil's face when she first saw the Ranger was priceless.  (Watching the excitement on the 70+ others in the room was also priceless.)  Without Skype accessing this primary source would not have been available to her.   Just think of a child who is at home for one reason or another.  How could Skype be used to include that student in your daily lessons.  This really is one tool that can be used in so many ways to enhance learning! 

How have you used Skype to enhance the learning of your students?

Liebster Award - Times 2

Last year around this time I was nominated in one of the Edublog Award categories. Although I was a bit disappointed that I was not nominated this year, I was surprised and honored to find that two separate educators selected my blog for the Liebster Award!  The Liebster Award is given by other bloggers to a blogger who has less than 200 followers.  In this way, their blogs will be shared.  Thank you to Stacy at What's New in Room 202 and to Dana at Live Learn Teach for Life!

The rules for the Liebster are as follows:

1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

2. You must answer the questions that the nominator set for you. 

3. You must create 11 new questions for the people you nominate.

4. You must choose 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them in your post. 

5. No tag backs to the blog that nominated you, but do leave a comment on their post with the URL of your Liebster post.

Random Things About Me:

1. Have held only 3 jobs in my whole life! (A store clerk, an insurance assistant & teacher :))
2. When I visit my folks we always enjoy a cup of hot tea!
3. Before Thanksgiving I always dress up like a Pilgrim woman at school.
4. Went skydiving twice (both on the same day)!
5. My favorite car was my 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo!
6. Love the smell of my sheets after they have been hanging on the clothes line.
7. Will someday apply to be the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail!
8. Pizza is my favorite food - especially Papa Gino's!
9. Sunday nights I "Hang Out" with several other educators from around the US.
10. I love musicals!
11. My favorite thing in the world is spending time with my family!    

Questions from Stacy:

1.  Why did you start blogging? Was introduced to it in Grad School & found it interesting - then took the Edublogs 30 Day Challenge (glad I did too!)

2. How long have you been blogging? Since December 2010

3. What's your favorite post that you've written? No School - All Schools!

4. Any pets? 2 Cats - Striker & SeeSaw

5. Favorite vacation spots? Lake Winnipesauki & Cape Cod

6. Favorite TV show? Modern Family

7. Fears? Small Enclosed Places; Dentist chair

8. Celebrity you resemble most? Ingrid Bergman

9. Favorite quote?A teacher affects eternity. He can never tell where his influence stops. Henry B. Adams

10. Wine or beer? Beer

11. Thoughts on country music? I like it! 

Questions from Dana:

1. National or International traveler? National
2. main course or dessert? Main Course
3. What is the best compliment you've gotten from a student or parent? I became a teacher because of you!
4. What is your favorite technology to use in the classroom? I love using Skype with my students
5. ocean or river? Both-but I spend more time on the river!
6. Apple or PC? Apple all the way!
7. What is your favorite first day of school activity? Find a Friend Who....
8. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Carrot Cake
9. If you could travel anywhere where would you go? Alaska
10. Favorite quote? A teacher affects eternity. He can never tell where his influence stops. Henry B. Adams
11. beach or mountains? Mountains

Questions to MY nominees:

1. Favorite Book?
2. What is your earliest memory?
3. Favorite Sound?
4. Book or eReader?
5. Last movie you saw at the theater?
6. If you weren't in education - what would you do?
7. Can you speak another language? If so, which one?
8. Favorite subject to teach?
9. Sports team you like to watch?
10. A favorite lesson to teach?
11. Would you rather receive an email or letter in the mail?

Finally, my 11 nominees are:

1. Mrs. White's Class
2. Conversations Learning & Growing  
3. The Connected Teacher
4. Dare to Care
5. Chalk & Slate
6. Math is Elementary 
7. The Sensibly Savy Teacher
8. Wired for Technology
9. wwwatanabe
10. Sing to Learn
11. Creation Castle

"Shared" Field Trip Using Edmodo!

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While on Twitter one evening I mentioned to a fellow fourth grade teacher that my class was traveling to Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA  to learn more about the Pilgrims and Wampanoags. 

She tweeted back:  “Jealous!” 

As she is located in Indiana it made me sad to think that she and her class would never, in all likelihood, get to experience this amazing ‘living’ museum, and that’s when my “Shared Field Trip” using Edmodo was born!  

As I’m a new Edmodo user I have been looking for ways to seamlessly incorporate it into my daily lessons.  Being able to connect and collaborate on projects with classrooms around the globe makes this a valuable real world tool.  Knowing that many of my Twitter PLN also use Edmodo made me think that this would be an effective way to share our trip.

How it worked:

·      Created an Edmodo Group and Tweeted the “request to join” URL a day or two before the trip

·      Students/Classes joined the Plimoth Plantation Field Trip Group

·      Links to set prior knowledge were shared to the Group

·      Groups brainstormed and asked questions about Pilgrims/Wampanoags

·      2 iPads were utilized on the field trip to retrieve/respond to the groups’ inquiries

·      Further responses were made upon our return to our classroom.

Helpful Hints:

Screen Shot of Edmodo Page

·      Group code or “request to join” URL Code should be sent out well in advance (a week or more)

·      Questions should be made known before leaving for the trip

·      Upload Video & audio links from the trip

·      Decide ahead if it “shared field trip” will be in ‘real time’

·      Check for Wifi connections before arrival

·      Try to use more than one device

Benefits:

·      Motivating for students

·      Makes trip even more interactive

·      Gives students greater purpose

·      Many students/groups benefit from shared knowledge

·      Connecting and Collaborating Globally

Truly my students were more motivated knowing their counterparts in the Group wanted information.  It became important for them to inquire for the ‘group’ as they realized this was a way to help the students in the far away classes.   Each one of my students wanted to be able to respond and be a part of the learning.   I heard from the other teachers in the group that their students were just as excited to receive answers from us, thereby extending the learning for all.  

In May we will be going to the Museum of Fine Arts and I know Edmodo will be right there with us! 

Resources:

Edmodo

Ideas for Using Edmodo

The First Thanksgiving

Cybraryman: Thanksgiving Page

 

Mock Presidential Election

Every four years the students at our school are treated to a Mock Presidential Election.  This year the Fourth Graders were in charge of "manning the polls".  

 In preparation of the day, students created Obama/Romney posters that were to adorn the walls of the school or to be held by the campaigners during voting hours.   

Students at the "check in" table were given class lists and conducted the check in just like it would be done  an actual election. Instead of "Street Name", the poll worker asked "Teacher's Name", then Student Name.   The child's name was crossed off the voting list. 

Checking In

Next, voters were handed a ballot and then directed to the polling booths (desks with privacy screens).  

Voting in the Booth

After choosing their candidate, the voter proceeded to the "check out" station. 

Checking Out

The most exciting moment came when the ballots were entered into the antique ballot box, which was actually used for the town's Precinct 6 many, many years ago.  As each ballot was entered, poll workers cranked the handle.  As the ballot dropped into the box a  distinctive "ding" alerted all that the ballot was officially entered!  

Ballot being Counted!

At the end of the day, Poll workers tabulated the results.  A total of 458 students and staff participated in today's event.  

The final results announced at the end of the day:
264 votes for President Barak Obama and 
221 votes for Mitt Romney    
  
Our results were then added to the KidVote Result Google Doc.  Schools from all 50 states are sending in their class/school results. We will review the information at the end of the week to compare our class/school with the rest of the United States. 

This 'election' experience has given the students a better understanding of events that take place at the this special time of the year.  Hoping that this experience will remain with them not only for the next four years but for many years to come!

Visit from German Exchange Students

An opportunity that couldn't be passed up presented itself this morning.  It seems that our local high school is hosting three exchange students from Germany who happened to be visiting our elementary school this morning.  They were good enough to come to our classroom and spend some time with us.

When they entered our classroom we were preparing for our Mystery Skype call. They sat right down with the to help and guide the students as they worked to guess the state.  (Kansas has now been added to our growing list of Mystery States!).

Towards the end of the day the three visiting students, Daniel, Maren & Esther, returned to Room 310.  They were given a list of color, number, food and sport words and asked to teach the students the German translation.  All of the students Americans and Germans enjoyed the experience.  It was an engaging and heartwarming activity.

The fourth graders were so interested and curious about what life is like in Germany.  The high school students in turn were patient and thoughtful with their answers. Esther shared with her group that today just happens to be German Reunification Day (which is like our Independence Day). She explained about the Berlin Wall and how it was removed. 



This type of learning doesn't happen everyday and so when an occasion such as this arises we need to capitalize on it.  All of these kids will remember this day for many years to come! So happy to be a part of this Global learning!