TRIG: Classroom Readiness T3 January - March 2014

My score was 1000/1000 on the quiz.  I am pretty sure if I did not already take 21 Things for 21st Century Educators and also teach online, there would have been questions I didn't know!

I really like the "What do you want to create today?" I think I will use that for my Capstone lesson to help the students decide what they want to create and which tools they could use the help them do that.  The other useful picture is the mind map that students can use to find tools that will help them create what they are hoping to create.  There are so many tools, this organizes them nicely and helps the students decide which to use.  I plan on using this one too, very useful.

I played with Padlet, it was pretty fun to mess around with it, close to Glogster, but more 'simple', a good alternative option for students to use, I was surprised it wasn't in 21 Things.

I scored fairly well on this quiz.  There were only a couple questions, that I wasn't absolutely sure of the answer.  I use the computer on a daily basis, so I'm fairly comfortable with using it, or knowing where to go to help solve any issues that may arise.  I still have lots to learn when it comes to incorporating it into the classroom though.

Looking through the web 2.0 tools, I really liked the media mapping ideas and the blooms taxonomy tools.  I liked the media mapping because I think it's very beneficial and crucial for our students to visually see what they may be thinking.  To have a mind map, it helps put things in a more concrete understanding.  It helps to see where their understanding it, and where it needs to be.

The blooms taxonomy is beneficial, because it allows the teacher to see where their students are on their higher level thinking.  It can help guide the teacher in their planning for each student, by knowing where they are, and where they need to be.

One of the tools I liked was the tools available based on Bloom's Taxomony.  These were great looking tools that would help a teacher reach the higher levels of learning which are usually hard for us.  I also like the K-12 teaching tool link.  I would be able to use some of the ideas located her in my own classroom.  Another link I am intersted in exploring is the connected educator map.  There are teachers throughout the U.S. I could connect doing e-pals, co-lessons etc.  I would also love to connect with an overseas teacher and allow my students to explore how life is the same and different in another country.

I got 100% on the quiz, though I did get a lucky guess on one question.

While searching through the different options I kept in mind what would be fun and intuitive for my 7 graders to use in my history class.

I found www.ToonDoo.com

I think this would be a great way for them to tell stories and show their understanding of historical events.  What better way for them to "describe the life of an average person in Ancient Egypt" than through a cartoon comic strip?

I was able to get all the information correct on the quiz. It kind of surprised me of how quickly some of the answer came to me...must have been doing this longer than I thought.

Web 2.0 Tools to explore:

"What do you want to create today?" would allow me to offer multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding and for them to find different learning strategies. Prezi is my favorite way to demonstrating knowledge and it is visually appealing.

Mind maps from sites such as bubbl.us, exploratree, wisemapping, and popplet are useful especially with the brainstorming and note taking that my students continue to do,

After reading some of my colleagues ideas I might have to also explore the bloom's taxonomy, K-12 teaching tool link, and connected educator map to work with throughout my units.