Argentar's Use of Technology Blog

Interactive Whiteboards and Digital Voice Recordings

2007-10-22T19:17:00.000-05:00

The uses of interactive whiteboards and digital voice recorders are limitless as long as you are creative. Lets begin with the interactive whiteboards. This year I'm having a real hard time with my students and writing quality lab reports. I think it would be very beneficial for my students if we could go over some lab reports my students have written and have them use the interactive whiteboard to either correct or point out key aspects of the lab report. How this lesson would work is I would first scan several different lab reports showing below average, average, exceeding, and excelling areas. Then I would display them on the interactive board and call on several students to make any corrections they feel are necessary. After discussing the different lab reports and the key components the class will create a rubric for the "perfect lab report". You might be thinking to yourself why not just put them on an overhead transparency and write right on it there. That's a very good question the major benefit to using the whiteboard is that it will allow me to save the file and upload it to my web-site so if my students ever need to refer back to how to create a perfect lab report or what not to put in a lab report they would be able to bring up the file anytime, anywhere.

I've always wanted to incorporate real life science into my classroom and the digital voice recorder would allow me to do this. A project I have been thinking about it is how is Biology used in real life situations and careers. The students would be split up into groups of two and would have a list of adults in several different careers that they could choose from. Then the student would need to go and interview the adult and create an iMovie or powerpoint or another type of media and present a type of commercial job posting piece on their specific career. This would incorporate so many different technologies and most importantly they will utilize their communication skills with adult figures. In addition to the project deliverable I would have the students critique their own interviews and write a reflection piece on what went well and how they could improve on it for the future.

A second way of using the interactive whiteboard would be during my genetics unit. There is a ton of genetic story problems that the students have to learn and perform and so the whiteboard would allow both myself and the students to get up out of their chairs and work together. The best part is at the end of the class period I can save the information and be able to bring it back up the next day and not have to worry about what point we left off.

Output Devices, Output Devices, How I Love Thee.

2007-10-09T19:25:00.000-05:00

Let me count the ways.

1. iPod. There are several uses for the iPod in my classroom. First use would have come in handy today. My idea would be signaling when it's time to clean up the lab. My lab classroom is separate from my regular classroom so instead of lugging my laptop back and forth i can just play the iPod with speakers. Another idea is to actually tape my lectures and podcast them for students who have missed that day. My high school is a very grueling stressful environment and to miss one day feels as though the student misses a week. If podcasting allows the student to catch up more quickly then it might be worth the little extra effort on my end especially since I could use the same podcast each year for the lectures.

2. Jumpdrives. I love these things. I make my students purchase one for any project that we do in class. For example first semester students need to create a power point project and present them in class. Since students are using my computer to project the presentation the file needs to work on my computer and also be saved onto my computer. The fastest and easiest way to transfer files is by using a jump drive. I love these things.

3. iMovies. Creating iMovies in class could keep more students engaged in certain subject areas that may be lacking their interest. For example, my students must create their own experiments from scratch second semester. Right now I have the students present their experiment and findings through a power point presentation. It might be very interesting to have them create an iMovie and present that instead. The iMovie will also allow the students to capture their entire process from start to finish and present it out. Ooh, I'm liking this idea, I think I might try it out with one of my classes.

Brief Overview of Teaching Situation

2007-09-17T19:29:00.000-05:00

My name is Brandi Argentar and I teach Biology to 9th and 10th graders. I teach both Regular and Honors classes. The demographics of my students are mainly upper-middle class students and come from strong parental support families. I would say 80-90% of my students have a home computer and printer, and if they do not my school has over 100 computers for the students to use both before, during, and after school. I utilize technology everyday of my life which includes my courses. I try to incorporate several different technology strategies including but not limited to: PowerPoint, Internet Activities, Student Response Systems, Word Processing, Email, Web Sites, etc. My new passion is the Student Response Systems (SRS) and you can read more about that on my Current Use of Technology post.

Current Use of Technology in My Classroom

2007-09-17T18:51:00.000-05:00

I think the main technological advance that I would not be able to live/teach without is the computer. My overall teaching career would be completely different if I didn't have a computer. First and foremost, everyday I put a daily sheet up on the overhead projector, yes I could use overhead transparencies, but that wouldn't be very environmentally friendly being that I am a Biology teacher. Also, I teach freshman and during the course of a unit I lecture 2-3 times. I like to use powerpoint in order to allow my students to follow along and learn proper note-taking skills. Another aspect is Word Processing on the computer. Without Microsoft Office, everything would either have to be hand written or typed on a typewrite. Which requires perfect typing skills and no room for grammatical error. Finally, without the invention of the computer, we wouldn't have the web, email, or IM. Without these tools it would make communication between myself and my students/teachers much more sparse and difficult. As of right now, I have 50 of my 120 students already IMed me, plus I frequently email with both students and parents. It enables the students/parents to keep on top of their classroom work and grades.

My current passion are the Student Response Systems (SRS). I'm trying to always continually engage my students with different types of technologies. The SRS remotes allow the students to use a common remote which makes them feel like it's a game (and sometimes I will incorporate like a review game. This keeps them engaged and also allows me to see where my students are having trouble and address it right away.

Evidence Based Post #4 - Rise of Plagiarism

2007-06-02T23:36:00.001-05:00

Brandi Argentar
TIE 542

Evidence Based Posting #4 – Internet and Rise of Plagiarism

This past Friday I had lunch with several colleagues and one was complaining about a student who decided to plagiarize her final paper in her class. This made me start thinking about my own students and how often plagiarism occurs. I have already caught three students this year alone plagiarizing from the Internet. Because the Internet is so easily accessible these students are able to just copy and paste in a matter of minutes. I try to look closely and guess which students may have plagiarized and then put the phrase into a search engine but unfortunately it doesn’t work all of the time. Plus I don’t have the time to enter phrases into search engines for each of my students. In addition to all of this the Internet is both a public and private source, so how does a teacher know what to be looking for as actual plagiarism versus a web-site allowing the user to use their information? Sometimes I feel that keeping up with all of the new sites out there makes it a much more difficult and time-consuming task for us educators. Another aspect of all of this is that I am more skeptical of all of my students because of the rise of plagiarism today. I don’t like thinking the worst of my students all the time. Brian Greggs from Roosevelt High School makes me feel very uneasy when he said, “I wouldn’t say it’s rampant, but everyone’s done it.” How can we educate our students with the difference between right and wrong? Is there a way to combat all of this, besides purchasing the plagiarism software?

Thompson, Lynn. "Educators Blame Internet for Rise in Student Cheating." Seattle Times 16 June 2005. 2 June 2007 .

Site of The Week #4 - howstuffworks.com

2007-05-22T18:25:00.001-05:00

Site of the Week #4 How Stuff Works

http://howstuffworks.com

This is an excellent tool for both teachers and students. If a teacher needs to look anything up they can come directly to this web site. Also if students need a resource to figure out an answer to a specific area they can use this website. Many of my students have used this site for their research assignments. In addition to text information ‘How Stuff Works’ may contain pictures, animations, videos, and sound bytes to further supply knowledge on the subject matter.

Right now in Biology there is something going on in the environment that I believe requires a teacher’s attention. You may not be aware of this but the 17-year cicadas are due to come out of the ground this week. When I type in 17-year cicada into the search box five different links popped up, one of which was labeled “Introduction to How Cicadas Work”. This is an excellent starting ground for student research.

‘How Stuff Works’ can be used in any content area, but this specific search on cicadas goes along with the following standard:
12.B.4a Compare physical, ecological and behavioral factors that influence interactions and interdependence of organisms.

Evidence Based Post #3 - Should Educators Use IM with Students?

2007-05-19T09:18:00.001-05:00

Brandi Argentar
TIE 542

Evidence Based Post #3 – Should Educators Utilize IM to Communicate With Students?

Instant Messaging (IM) is all the rage right now, not only with students but adults as well. My high school piloted a program last year to incorporate more technology into the classroom, and one suggestion was to create a school screenname in order to communicate with our colleagues. A few teachers have taken it a step further and shared their school screen name with their students. I am one of those teachers who has given out my school screen name to students for them to access me at night and weekends.

Chickering and Gamson (1987) created the ‘Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education’ which I think can be used for high school students as well. These principles are:
1. Encourages contact between students and faculty
2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students
3. Encourages active learning
4. Gives prompt feedback
5. Emphasizes time on task
6. Communicates high expectations
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

After using IM for two full school years I have witnessed the first four principles almost every day, while the remaining three have been scattered throughout the year. At the beginning of the school year my students are very surprised when they find out their teacher uses IM, but by the time the first test rolls around they are extremely happy that they can reach me at night to ask questions.

Don’t get me wrong there is one major drawback to the use of IM by a teacher. Robert Farmer states it perfectly, “Time Online!, Time Consuming!, Time Commitment!, and Time!!!” I often fund myself online for hours at a time helping students. I need to set virtual office hours and stick to them. The students need to be able to still rely on their own resources and their own drive to find answers. They mustn’t rely just on me because I’m the easiest source to touch.

In conclusion, I believe IM is very beneficial to the instructional environment and adds another component to the growing array of knowledge at the students’ fingertips. But as with anything, educators must set limits and realistic policies or else the students will become to reliant on IM and the teacher, and the teacher will go crazy with the amount of time and energy put into Instant Messaging.

Chickering A. W and Gamson Z. Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. 1997 May 2007. http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/7princip.htm

Farmer, R.: Instant Messaging -- Collaborative Tool or Educator's nightmare!
The North American Web-based Learning Conference (NAWeb 2003) (2003).
http://www.unb.ca/naweb/proceedings/2003/PaperFarmer.html

Site of The Week #3 Lab Write Up

2007-05-13T21:29:00.000-05:00

Site of the Week #3 Lab Write Ups

http://labwrite.ncsu.edu/index_labwrite.htm

I grabbed this web site from Sara Cahill. Sara showed me this web site last week and I am in love with it. My students right now are performing their own inquiry based lab experiments and need to write a professional lab report. The problem is, they have no idea how to properly write one. “Lab Write guides you through the entire laboratory experience, from before you walk in the lab till after you get back your lab report.”

Lab Write is split into 4 areas: Pre-Lab, In-Lab, Post Lab, and Lab Check.

Pre-Lab – deciding on what type of lab you will be conducting and how to prepare for it, standard, descriptive, and student-designed.

In-Lab – Once again the student selects the type of lab they are conducting (which they will do for the remaining two steps). But for this step Lab Write helps to teach the student how to create a kind of lab log and what data should be gathered.

Post Lab - This section, I think, is the most valuable. Most of our labs in class are the standard kind and the students aren’t able to write a comprehensive lab report. Students often start writing at the intro and ends with the conclusion, whereas Lab Write guides them on how to start with the Methods portion and end with the References.

Lab Check – Many times once I hand back a lab report they look at the comments and then either quickly file it away or throw it away. They don’t learn from their mistakes despite the amount of times I tell them you’ll need this info for the next time. This area is the hardest for students because they don’t quite understand how reflect and revise. The Lab Check has several components one of which is a checklist of what each section should contain and a short description of what is expected.

I think that I will begin my year next year using this website with my students. It’s an invaluable skill to properly write a lab report and I will definitely use this site.

11.A.5e Report, display and defend the results of investigations to audiences that may include professionals and technical experts.

Evidence Based Post #2 - Wikipedia, Reliable Source?

2007-05-02T22:49:00.000-05:00

Brandi Argentar
TIE 542

Evidence Based Posting #2 – Wikipedia, Reliable Source?

In my Biology class my students are currently working on Genetic Disorder projects. Included in the requirements are for them to use three reliable sources. These sources can come from print resources or online resources. My students keep asking me if I will accept Wikipedia as a reliable source? This class allows me to really look at this question.

Wikipedia is a free web-based content encyclopedia. The name Wikipedia is a combination of Wiki (a collaborative website) and encyclopedia. Wikipedia is an online reference source that unlike a paper reference source, Wikipedia can be constantly updated, with articles on topical events being created or updated within minutes or hours, rather than months or years for printed encyclopedias, based on information from Wikipedia’s website. Almost all reference sources can be updated by anyone. Wikipedia even writes in their ‘About Us’ section that, “Allowing anyone to edit Wikipedia means that it is more easily vandalized or susceptible to unchecked information, which requires removal.” and “Wikipedia articles generally attain a good standard after editing, it is important to note that fledgling, or less well monitored, articles may be susceptible to vandalism and insertion of false information.”1

The difficult part when using Wikipedia is determining what information is correct and what information is false. There is a very high instance of errors in Wikipedia. If one is doing research and needs factual information it is advisable not to rely on Wikipedia for your information. “Perhaps a more stringent registration process and a review of those allowed to make entries could prevent many false information entries,” states Angela Russell from The People’s Media Company.2

The bottom line is that whether we like it or not, or if it’s on purpose or not, Wikipedia contains errors and misinformation. Based on my research I will not allow Wikipedia to be counted as a source but I will tell my students that it might be a good place to begin.

1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
2Russell, Angela. Wikipedia: Useful Information or Unreliable Source? The People’s Media Company. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/180706/wikipedia_useful_information_or_unreliable.html March 2007

Brandi Argentar's Website Hotlist

2007-05-02T21:55:00.001-05:00

Brandi Argentar
TIE 542

Website Hotlist

1. http://www.brainpop.com
Brain Pop is a website that contains short animated movies and activities that cover the following 7 content areas: Science, Social Studies, Health, English, Math, Arts & Music, and Technology.

2. http://www.nclark.net/Biology
This is a very useful site for Biology Teachers. It contains links to the main subject areas within Biology, useful lesson plans and other teaching materials, plus has a section about science in the news.

3. http://science.nhmccd.edu/biol/bio1int.htm
My second site of the week is the Biology Animations, Movies, and Interactive Tutorial Links. This site is a must for any Biology teacher. It is broken down by units: Basic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Cell Structure, Mitosis/Meiosis, Cell Transport, Cellular Respiration, Photosynthesis, Heredity, DNA Replication, Protein Synthesis, Gene Expression, Evolution, Viruses.

4. http://msjensen.education.umn.edu/webanatomy/default.htm
This website allows students to quiz themselves on all of the different anatomy systems of the human body. There are simple diagram quizzes or multiple choice/short answer quizzes as well. Some of the material is geared towards the college level, but I have been very successful using this with my high school students.

5. http://howstuffworks.com
This is an excellent tool for both teachers and students. If a teacher needs to look anything up they can come directly here. Also if students need a resource to figure out an answer to a specific area they can use this website. Many of my students have used this site for their research assignments.

6. http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/
This website contains interactive and print-based resources about Genetics, free of charge, to Internet users worldwide. The website is broken down into two parts: Information and Activities, and Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans.

7. http://www.teachersdomain.org/
This site is a multimedia goldmine for teachers. It contains videos, audio clips, lesson plans, articles and relates it all back to national and state standards. Has an array of subject areas included on this site.

8. http://www.unitedstreaming.com
United streaming offers over 5,000 videos which allows teachers to actually download and cut/paste or change however the teacher chooses to use it. That’s the feature I like best, I can cut out the clips I need and paste them together.

9. http://www.whitman.edu/biology/vpd/main.html
Earl Fleck created this wonderful virtual pig dissection website. He has included pictures and interactive animations for students to virtually dissect. Along with these activities he has several quizzes for students to study from.

10. http://www.dnai.org/
Exactly what the url implies, this website is all about DNA. This site includes a timeline when DNA was researched and discovered, the actual DNA code, genome, and different applications of DNA among other things.

11. http://accessexcellence.com/AE/
Access Excellence Activities Collections is a page that is useful for Biology teachers. There are tons of internet activities, and regular paper activities as well. My favorite is the Mystery Spot where kids need to unravel a Biological mystery.

12. http://nsta.org/
This is a must website for any science teacher. It’s the National Science Teachers Association website. On the homepage there are two main features. First you have the recent news in Science. This is always important because science is ever changing and always making headlines. The second feature is the Your classroom section where it’s broken down into grade levels which makes it very easy for a teacher to navigate.

13. http://www.nabt.org
This site is very similar to the NSTA site. It is also a must for every Biology teacher. They have Publications, Conferences and Workshops, News and Events, Resources and a section for Members Only. In the Members Only section you can download the NABT publication and access more resources.

14. http://www.teach-nology.com/
This website offers teachers free use of over 27,000 lesson plans, pre-created rubrics, games, printable worksheets, web quests and more. The subject areas that Teachnology offer are Arts and Humanities, Language Arts, Mathematics, Music Education, Science, Physical Education, and Social Students.

15. http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/
Kathy Schrock has a wealth of information on her website. It is a website for all educators. She has links for each subject area which gives you web links to various other sites. Plus there is a section for teachers to go for help on various professional development areas. For example there is a whole section on web quests, what they are, how to create one, etc.

16. http://www.plantingscience.org/
Planting Science is a unique website that has students from around the country work on the same research project and work with plant scientists. At the end of the research timeframe they all come together to discuss.

17. http://www.biologycorner.com
The Biology Corner website is for biology teachers. It contains Lesson Plans, Web Quests, Web Lessons, Images, and Quizzes. This is an excellent resource for teachers and Shannon Muskopf does not mind if you use any and all of her resources. She also gives you authority to change whatever you would like to meet your needs.

18. http://www.biology.arizona.edu/
The Biology Place is a site through the University of Arizona. They have an array of problem sets and tutorials. Students can go here to review or teachers can assign some problem sets. It is geared for the college level but advanced high school Biology students should be able to complete most of the activities.

19. http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/biocoach/index.html
“BioCoach activities allow students to visualize and apply their understanding of biological concepts. During these practice activities, students manipulate graphs, complete biological puzzles, and answer questions.”

20. htttp://www.hhmi.org/resources/
Howard Hughes Medical Institute contains an Online Resource Center for scientists, educators, parents, and students. It contains links to resources that were created by HHMI personnel. Here you'll find links to resources developed by HHMI, HHMI grantees, and others. The resources available are research training and professional development, online learning, interactive activities and more.

21. http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/maderbio6e/studyqs.mhtml
This site is geared to the AP classroom. It has a button for each chapter of the McGraw-Hill textbook and when you click on the button you are presented with sample test questions and when you submit you receive instant feedback and explanation of answers.

22. http://www.users.nac.net/challoran/apbio.htm
This web page created by Chris Halloran from North Warren High School comes with a complete online syllabus. It has excellent web links and practice problems that will help both the AP and Honors biology student.

23. http://biog-101-104.bio.cornell.edu/BioG101_104/tutorials/microscopy.html
This website has tutorials for 6-7 different microscopes. Microscopes are very expensive and some schools are unable to obtain the funds, so this tutorial allows for students to virtually work with the microscopes.

24. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/index.php
This is the University of California Museum of Paleontology and it is a virtual museum. You can select to visit the online exhibits and within that section there are online resources and other information about evolution and fossils.

25. http://www.mic.ki.se/History.html history of medicine
History of Medicine goes through the history of man and how medicine was used in different eras. It also compares how medicine has changed over time.

26. http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/index.html
This site contains a variety of educational and supporting materials for students and teachers of microbiology. You will find information about microorganisms, extremophiles and extreme habitats, as well as links to online resources, teaching and learning activities.

27. http://medmyst.rice.edu/
The Medical Mysteries website is a problem-based adventure game that puts the student in the role of scientist, historian, and detective. There are three missions, each with its own learning objectives.

28. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/geotime/gtpage2a.html
This activity takes you through a 10-step history of the earth’s geological timeline. At the end of the activity there are some review questions directed toward the student.

29. http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/biology/
This is a fantastic site that most biology teachers are unaware of. From about 1992-2002 Princeton sponsored a fellowship for biology teachers to create resources for these fellows to use. Once the Internet became popular they published these resources online.

30. http://www.biosciednet.org/portal/
BioSciEdNet (BEN) is a site that also contains resources for teachers. But unlike other sites other educators have reviewed all of the resources and managed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science..

31. www.actionbioscience.org
Action Bio Science contains seven biology topics with different challenges for the students within each topic. It allows the students to dive deeper into the topic and many of the lessons are thought provoking debate oriented ideas.

32. http://www.nsf.gov/
National Science Foundation is a not for profit organization that funds many important projects. Schools can work with them to write grants and obtain money for other science materials. In addition their website is always up to date with current science news.

33. http://school.discovery.com/
DiscoverySchool.com contains materials for all teachers. Not only are there materials for each subject area but it also contains tools to become a more effective teacher and Kathy Brock’s website is linked through Discovery Channel. This site is also peer reviewed which means they are truly reliable sources.

34. http://www.ncsu.edu/sciencejunction/terminal/imse/lowres/index.htm
Instructional Materials in Science Education has a plethora of links for all areas of science. They also have links to science journals, internet help (HTML, projects, etc) along with a ton of other instructional material.

35. http://www.pbs.org
PBS is an excellent resource for all teachers. Not only do they have lesson plans and activities but they have free movies as well. You can also sign up for their email and they will let you know what programs are on in your area.

36. http://www.yourgenesyourhealth.org/
In both of my Biology classes I have Genetic Disorder projects and this website has information on several types of genetic disorders. Your Genes Your Health is a multimedia guide that defines and describes genetic disorders.

37. http://www.thebiozone.com/links.html
BIOZONE has an extensive database of biology links. Just select a subject and you will get a list of websites, news articles, and other researching options.

38. http://www.johnkyrk.com/index.html
The cell can be very difficult for students to grasp. It is so small and yet so complex. John Kyrk has created a website dedicated to animations that all of have to do with the cell. Animations truly help students retain more of the information.

39. http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html
Innerbody is an online anatomy site. It has diagrams of all the body systems and it’s in low bandwidth because that was part of their mission statement. “To provide high quality educational content through low bandwidth Internet access to children, parents and schools worldwide."

40. http://www.the-scientist.com/
The Scientist is an online journal that keeps educators and researchers up to date with the latest developments in life science. These are accurate articles and are excellent resources for student projects.

Illinois Standards that are tied to this hotlist.
STATE GOAL 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences.
Why This Goal Is Important: This goal is comprised of key concepts and principles in the life, physical and earth/space sciences that have considerable explanatory and predictive power for scientists and non-scientists alike. These ideas have been thoroughly studied and have stood the test of time. Knowing and being able to apply these concepts, principles and processes help students understand what they observe in nature and through scientific experimentation. A working knowledge of these concepts and principles allows students to relate new subject matter to material previously learned and to create deeper and more meaningful levels of understanding.

A. Know and apply concepts that explain how living things func¬tion, adapt and change.
B. Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environ¬ment.
C. Know and apply concepts that describe properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.
D. Know and apply concepts that describe force and motion and the principles that explain them.
E. Know and apply concepts that describe the features and processes of the Earth and its resources.
F. Know and apply concepts that explain the composition and struc¬ture of the universe and Earth’s place in it.

STATE GOAL 13: Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.
Why This Goal Is Important: Understanding the nature and practices of science such as ensuring the validity and replicability of results, building upon the work of others and recognizing risks involved in experimentation gives learners a useful sense of the scientific enterprise. In addition, the relationships among science, technology and society give humans the ability to change and improve their surroundings. Learners who understand this relationship will be able to appreciate the efforts and effects of scientific discovery and applications of technology on their own lives and on the society in which we live.

A. Know and apply the accepted practices of science.
B. Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology and society.

Site of The Week #2 Biology Animations

2007-04-25T18:58:00.000-05:00

Site of the Week #2 Biology Animations

http://science.nhmccd.edu/biol/bio1int.htm

My second site of the week is the Biology Animations, Movies, and Interactive Tutorial Links. This site is a must for any Biology teacher. It is broken down by units: Basic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Cell Structure, Mitosis/Meiosis, Cell Transport, Cellular Respiration, Photosynthesis, Heredity, DNA Replication, Protein Synthesis, Gene Expression, Evolution, Viruses.

Animations are vital to science. It’s very difficult for a student to visualize DNA being replicated then transcribed and translated into a protein. This is just one example of how animations are useful in the classroom. There are other animations that enable a student to view a process that occurs on the microscopic level, but now can see it on the computer screen.

A teacher can use this to supplement a lecture, demo an experiment/process, or to even introduce a new topic. The teacher can also include this link on their own web-site so that the students could access this at any time.

STATE GOAL 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences.

This website really is at the heart of State Goal Number 12.

Site of The Week #1 Brainpop.com

2007-04-23T14:17:00.000-05:00

My site of the week is http://www.brainpop.com

Brain Pop is a web-site that contains short animated movies and activities that cover the following 7 content areas: Science, Social Studies, Health, English, Math, Arts & Music, and Technology.

Once you choose your topic, for example, Circulatory System under the Health section a screen to play the movie is displayed. You can either play it on a small screen or zoom to make it a full screen. The premise of the animated movies are that students have written letters to Tim and Moby asking them questions about various subjects. Tim is a boy and Moby is his robot. Then they proceed to answer the question in a act like manner. They use excellent vocabulary words infused in the film and at the end of the movie there is an option to take a quiz.

I teach high school students and even though it's animated kids, they absolutely love Brain Pop. I find that it's an excellent tool to introduce a new unit, or to review key terms. They also enjoy the quizzes, some of the questions are very easy, but by quizzing them after it holds them accountable to remain engaged throughout the movie.

Also, I've been seeing ads about the new BrainPop Jr. I don't know what grade level it is for, but it's worth checking out.

The one down-side is that BrainPop is no longer free. You can either have your school buy a school pass which has restrictions on the hours you can access, or purchase a family subscription. There is a free 14-day trial so if you are interested I recommend signing up for the free trial, and then share with others. Once word spreads your school may sign up for one, I know that's what happened with my school.

III. TEACHING, LEARNING, AND THE CURRICULUM.
Teachers implement curriculum plans, that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning. Teachers:

facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards.