Back to the daily grind...

Well, spring break is over and boy did it fly by! I traveled to California to visit my sister/husband and friend and had a perfect vacation! Luckily, we brought the beautiful weather back to PA.

This week (actually, the next two weeks) we will be administering the PSSA's; always a nerve-racking time of year. However, I am confident that my kids are ready, so enough talk about that.

This week, I am starting the Earth Materials Science Unit. I really love teaching science. Partly because my kids are naturally interested in it, but also because it opens the door to hands-on activitites, simulations and explorations. This week my kids will have to simulate the different rock groups (sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic). I plan to give them a few web resources/videos and books and have then decide how they want to simulate how each rock forms. Constructivism at its best...hopefully it doesn't fail. :-) Here is a video to introduce the topic. I haven't used this one yet, but hopefully my kids will like it!

Happy Spring everyone! The weather is much deserved!

Instead of YouTube...

We all know that I love YouTube. However, because it is not really filtered, I do not encourage my 3rd graders to use YouTube as a resource, without my supervision. Rather, I use it whole group, where I have control of what is being viewed.  Because of this, I am always on the look out for other resources containing kid-friendly educational videos that align with the curriculum.

Here are some of my findings:

Kideos is a database that is more appropriate for primary-aged students. Some videos are just for fun like this one, and others are educational like these. Another awesome database that contains resources is NeoK12. I have used this site many times in my class. Finally, here is a new site that I have been introduced to recently. It's called ZuiTube and it's basically a kids version of YouTube.

Happy watching!

Music Music Music!

I think I was made to be a teacher. I can't imagine any other job that would allow me to sing as much as I do as a teacher. And mind you, I am as close to tone deaf as you can get. It all started when I discovered YouTube-- a long, long time ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Ok, not that long ago, but it really feels like it! Songs and videos that align with almost all concepts I teach are located there! Bill Nye, Tom Leher, and the Electric Company are frequently found playing on my computer. Why? Well, it's simple. It makes learning fun. Who doesn't learn more when they are engaged? Or what about that song you can't stop singing? Music makes learning fun.

Case in point: The "LY" Song. You might catch me whistling this song around my house. My kids like it so much that when I say the word "eager," they break into song... eagerLY, eagerLY, eager...LY!!!  Listen to the song. You will be hooked. I'm not embarassed to admit that I like this stuff. I really do. And most importantly, my students know that "ly" is a suffix that changes an adjective (root/baseword) to an adverb and holds the meaning "being."
 
I love my job.

Music and Multiplication

It's not too much fun memorizing multiplication facts! Flash cards work for some, but not all. So, I was on a search for fun ways for my students to learn their multiplication facts! I came across this video on square numbers. What a great find! I have used this video as an activator to several math lessons. The kids come to the carpet with a whiteboard and marker. The first two times I showed this video, I asked them to write down words or phrases that helped them understand the meaning of a square number. The following two times, they wrote down square number equations that they saw on the video.

Music WORKS! I hear my kids singing the song throughout the day, which means they are learning their facts. Here is a picture of my students in action!

Prefix Fun

It is definitely true that the more fun kids have while learning, the more they will actually learn the material! We are currently working with prefixes and I came across one of the most exciting games for my students. What I like about it is that it challenges many of my students and because we play this game frequently, the prefixes and base/root words are becoming very familiar to my kids. The game is called Race to Ramses and it is great fun! We play on the Smartboard where the students work together to beat the game, and they also play on their own, on the computers.

Another great find that has really become popular in my class is the Prefix, Suffix, Roots Rap from educationalrap.com. This website gives you clips of each song, but requires you to pay if you want the full song. Luckily, the Prefix, Suffix, Roots Rap is on teachertube (after the short commercial), so we are able to listen to it for free.

The Fun Theory

Who doesn't like to have fun? I came across this website and immediately became intrigued because of its direct correlation to teaching. Kids learn more effectively when lessons and activities are engaging and...fun!

Take a minute and watch how people choose having fun over doing what is easy!
Piano Stairs: The Fun Theory

Video Resources!

Do you ever feel lost inside your computer? Yes, I currently feel this way! On a search for educational blogs to subscribe to, for my Web 2.o class, I have come across more sites than I could have imagined. It's amazing how much is out there to help us teachers create engaging lessons.

Anyway, enough chatter. Look at this website! I have found videos for every subject area imaginable. Videos for lesson activators, videos for review, videos for fun, videos for reinforcement, videos for grades K-8. I couldn't possibly list them all. Visit the site and find out for your self! I have bookmarked many of them on Delicious but there is so much more to see.

Let me know if you find something especially interesting!