Jan

31

I guess I have an easy audience

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I started my new Grade 9 course yesterday, Applying Information and Communication Technology 2 15F. (Nice snappy name, eh? Blame the Government of Manitoba for that one.) I’m supposed to show the students some of the cool things they can do with technology. One of the things I’ve got planned is stop motion animation (which is remarkably simple to do with a free program and a cheap web cam).

All I managed to do is set the kids up with e-mail (courtesy of Google Apps) and blogs (courtesy of 21 Classes). Yet after 70 minutes of class it was time to leave, and quite a number couldn’t believe that class was over. It seemed like no time at all. I suppose when you’re playing around with Internet goodies even school can seem fun to some people.

Jan

30

Talk like a teacher

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Just for fun, here’s an “educational jargon generator.” The whole thing is entirely tongue in cheek, yet it sounds suspiciously like some principals and a lot of people in education departments and universities. The worst part is that though I think I speak clearly, I can actually figure out what most of the jargon generated really means.

Jan

28

Out of this world: Premier Planets

Filed Under Science | Leave a Comment

This site is a promotional site that’s intended to go along with a product. Premier School Agendas, probably the largest seller of student agendas in Canada, has set up a site to go along with this year’s elementary school collection. Premier Planets is space themed and gives you basic information about all the planets in our solar system. It’s colorful, has lots of sound, and is a lot of fun. The guy who wrote much of the text for the site (who just happens to be my brother) has an off beat sense of humor that I think you’ll enjoy. If you’re looking at astronomy with your elementary class, this site is worth your time.

Jan

25

Persuasive Games: Gaming in the Class

Filed Under Games, Social Studies | Leave a Comment

I heard about a site that provides links to Social Studies related games that deal with real life issues, whether that’s airport security, immigration, or Christmas shopping. The games are intended to make a point, which is why they call the site Persuasive Games, of course.

Some of the games are downloadable, and some can be played online. A couple are NOT free, but the vast majority are free for the asking.

You’ll have to decide whether the games are age appropriate, and whether you can justify them in your class. The amount you’ll learn from some games is more than you’ll learn from some of the others.

It’s a nice way to teach about some of the concepts covered. Learning can actually be fun.

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