The art and craft of teaching with technology
I created a book about scarlet macaws that would be used as a model to show student what is expected of them. This could be used in a project about rainforest animals, where each student is asked to choose an animal and create a book about it to be shared with the class. I would show my book, pointing out along the way how I used facts and pictures, and included the sources I used at the end.
The link for my book can be found here.
I asked Chat GPT to “create a lesson plan teaching first graders about the Amazon Rainforest,” the written plan is also included in this post. This is a great resource to help teachers plan lessons, as it is able to come up with detailed plans that include assessments, talking points, and activities to do during the lesson. This would be super helpful in developing new ideas and strategies. It is important to consider the specific needs of my class and individual students, what the class already knows, students’ interests, etc. before I teach using a lesson plan created by Chat GPT. While it is an excellent tool, it cannot replace teacher planning entirely, and should instead be used as a starting point. For example, if I was going to teach a lesson using the lesson plans here, I would first want to consider adaptations/modifications that I would need to make to ensure the lesson is appropriate for my students. I would also want to consider what lessons will be following this one to ensure that this is consistent with them, and matches the standards and unit goals.
Title: Exploring the Wonders of the Amazon Rainforest
Objective: Students will learn about the Amazon Rainforest, its geography, and some of the animals and plants that live there.
Materials:
Introduction: Begin by asking the students if they know what a rainforest is. Explain that a rainforest is a type of forest that is always wet and humid. Introduce the Amazon Rainforest, and show pictures of the rainforest and some of its animals.
Body:
Activity: Have the students create a rainforest collage using construction paper, scissors, and glue. Instruct them to cut out pictures of animals and plants from magazines or printouts, and glue them onto a piece of construction paper. They can use crayons and markers to add more details to their collage.
Closure: Ask the students to share their collages with the class, and have them explain which animals and plants they included. Review the main points of the lesson, and encourage the students to share what they learned with their families.
Assessment: Assess the students’ understanding of the Amazon Rainforest by reviewing their collages and listening to their explanations of the animals and plants they included. You could also ask them questions about the geography and climate of the rainforest, or have them draw a picture of their favorite animal or plant from the Amazon Rainforest.
Throughout this course, I have gotten to explore many fascinating tech tools that can be implemented in my future classroom. For each of these tools, I created various projects to showcase the tools in action and how I can use them in my future career in education, as you can see throughout my portfolio.
One of my favorite projects I created was my professional development on Book Creator. Book Creator, although at face value seems like it just makes books, is a versatile tool that has man uses. I wanted to share those uses with other educators, so I decided to create a professional development presentation on Book Creator, complete with a deep dive into the interface, an interactive tutorial, and activities.
Another one of my favorite projects was my Travel Budget lesson/project for use with Google My Maps. Google My Maps is a tool where you can create an interactive map complete with travel routes, pins, and so much more. I thought the interface could be used to have students plan a trip and cross cut the assignment with math!
Technology is something that is rapidly changing and evolving and expanding. It will continue to do so long after my students leave the classroom, so I believe it is important that, as their teacher, I provide them with access to new technology, as well as the tools they need to responsibly use technology that currently exists and will exist in the future. It can be easy to stray away from using newer technology in the classroom out of fear, especially technology like ChatGPT and other AI, but that technology will still exist outside of your classroom, and in your students’ future classrooms, so helping them navigate it in a responsible way and giving them a comprehensive overview of what the technology truly is and how it can be used.
May 4th, 2033
Dear former me,
It seems like only yesterday, I was at UP. It was the spring term, 2023. It was the week before graduation and I was finishing up finals anxiously awaiting receiving my diploma.
So much has happened since then…
After graduation, I went back to school to pursue my Masters and to student teach. I student taught in Vancouver in a second grade classroom and did a SpEd practicum. It was one of the hardest years, but it was so rewarding and fun! I learned a lot and I felt so much more confident going into my own classroom.
After a busy year of student teaching and grad school, I moved back to Seattle. I got to fulfill my dream of living on the Hill for a few years. It is one of my favorite places, and living there has some of the best memories for me. Walks in Cal Anderson Park, nights at QB and Neumos and Cha Cha Lounge, and delicious meals at the various hole in the wall places will always be cherished!
After moving back to Seattle, I got my first teaching job in a second grade class! I taught in second grade for several years, and then began my journey as a SpEd teacher. I knew I would always end up in SpEd, but I was still passionate about GenEd, so I wanted a few years in the classroom before going to SpEd. I have been at the same school ever since I started teaching and I wouldn’t trade it for the world! I still teach SpEd today and, although it is hard, it is the best job I could’ve ever wished for. I am so passionate about what I do and I love the kids and my team.
You got this! I know it seems like a long road ahead between grad school, student teaching, moving out on your own, and starting your career, but you really were built for this. I can’t wait for you to see what lies ahead!
For this assignment, I have created two different types of Google Forms, both intended for use in a first grade class. One Google Form is a graded response quiz and one is a branching form. Both forms target phonological awareness skills.
The first form, the graded response quiz, is a phonics quiz. The quiz asks questions related to letter-sound correspondence, syllables, and more.
The second form, the branching form, is a treasure hunt. Students are tasked with a “choose your own adventure” treasure hunt where they have to answer phonics questions in order to proceed. There is room for students to choose which direction they want to go with the treasure hunt, however.
Welcome to my Portfolio of classroom technology resources I have learned about in my college course, Technology in Education. Over this course, we learned about a variety of online platforms that can be used by teachers to support student learning. This course taught me that there are so many different ways we can use the internet to educate students in fun, engaging ways. Below are a few resources that I enjoyed learning about and wanted to highlight. I encourage you to check them out, as well as the other online platforms within my portfolio. Happy learning/teaching!
Citations:
Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash
May 3, 2033 Dear former me, It seems like only yesterday, I was at UP. It was the spring term, 2023. So much has happened since then. It's crazy to think that a whole decade has passed. 10 years ago from today, or I guess your present, I was finishing up finals and getting ready to graduate with my Bachelors in Education and my teaching license (congratulations, by the way!). It's so weird to think that you're applying to jobs to be an Elementary teacher. I know it seems scary, but remember how exciting it will be to finally fulfill your dream of educating young minds. :) Like you've experienced recently, the past 10 years have been an emotional rollercoaster. We've gone to a few different grades since joining the team (I won't tell you where though, that can be a surprise for you :) ). While it feels like the stress will never go away at times, this journey has overall felt so rewarding, and trust me when I say there's no greater feeling than seeing your students grow and eventually graduate. That's right, we had our first set of students GRADUATE high school. Isn't that insane to think about?! It was so nice to see them all grown up and talk to a few about what it was like to attend UP. The memories and connections you will make over the next 10 years will be so so amazing. While it seems like your career and life could go down a million different paths, just know that whatever you choose will be the best choice for you in the moment, and will lead you down a great path. Make sure you take care of yourself, enjoy the little things, and have the most amazing next 10 years!
Citations:
Photo by Kate Macate on Unsplash
I am from late night drives,
from rolled down windows and loud singing.
I am from Seattle adventures,
spent with good friends and filled with laughter.
I am from a kitchen filled with the smell of cookies,
and stolen bites of batter.
I am from firehouse trips,
from paramedic stories and firetruck tours.
These moments have defined me,
taught me to be spontaneous and caring,
encouraged by friends and family the entire way.
You can find my poem on Microsoft Sway here.
Over the course of this semester, I have learned how to use multiple new sites that I can actively see myself using when I become a future teacher. Using new technology is essential for teachers because it allows us to stay current and adapt to the rapidly changing world of education. In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of the learning process, and teachers who are proficient in using it can provide students with more engaging and interactive learning experiences. These are some of my favorite post that i have made this semester. I hope you enjoy!
Google Forms can be an effective tool to use in my 4th grade classroom. It allows me to create surveys, quizzes, and polls that students can complete online. I can use Google Forms to gather information from my students, such as their interests, opinions, or understanding of a topic. Additionally, I can use it to create assessments and track my students’ progress throughout the school year. The platform is user-friendly and customizable, allowing you to choose from a variety of question types, add images or videos, and set up automated grading. By using Google Forms, i can save time grading and gain valuable insights into your students’ learning needs.
Throughout this past semester at the University of Portland, I have had the opportunity to learn about various forms of educational technology and learn ways to incorporate them into my own math classroom. In today’s world, we are surrounded by technology and it’s important to understand how to implement it in your classroom. While it might not be realistic to incorporate technology in every lesson, certain educational technologies can be useful in supporting students’ learning.
As I learned about various educational technologies this semester, I made a digital portfolio on WordPress to showcase lessons, assessments, or reflections I have created about that specific technology. Below, I have linked three of my favorite lessons that I created this semester using different educational platforms.
Featured Image: Image by Werner Moser from Pixabay
Before beginning this course, I had a decent understanding of how to use technology in the classroom. However, I had mainly only had experience with Google and Microsoft tools, with the exception of Seesaw. Now I have a much larger tool box and have strengthened my skills with other familiar platforms as well. Here are some of my favorite examples I’ve created this semester.
This is a short and simple book I made using Book Creator that’s intended to be used in the second lesson of a kindergarten unit on the plant life cycle. It has clear visuals and a little video to support early learning.
This post uses Google My Maps, which was one of the Google tools I was previously unfamiliar with. It’s an interactive map detailing three fun geology themed field trips for 1st-3rd grade and gets students familiar with My Maps and conducting simple research.
Here you can see two different uses of Google Forms for a range of grade levels. The first is a self-graded quiz for 5th grade math and the second is an interactive adventure involving fossils, the rock cycle, and ancient civilizations.
Featured image by elnaz asadi on Unsplash.