Kahoot's Customer Service is Fabulous

This is a completely unsolicited testimonial of my experience using Kahoot in my classroom this year.  I do occasionally write posts for products when people ask me to, but only for something I have actually tried in my classroom. My opinion is always my own.

My students love to play Kahoot.  

I started having them create math quizzes for each other at the end of a unit.  They were hooked.

Tech sites are great when they work, but not all of them are very responsive when something goes wrong.  I am happy to report that Kahoot got back to me every single time with a helpful suggestion.

My students are on 1:1 Chromebooks.  We log into Google for everything.  The problem started when they changed or forgot their passwords and tried to log in again.

The password reset process is an email sent to the account holder's email.  They problem is our district will not let students receive email from anyone outside our district.  (This is a good policy in general, it just made it a challenge to complete this particular project.)

After several emails back and forth to Kahoot, they gave me a work-around that allowed me to control password changes.  I was very impressed with their helpfulness and wanted to give them a shout out.

Now I love Kahoot!

Finding the Reading Level: Book Wizard on Scholastic.com

I read and review a book a week for this blog.  Recently another teacher asked me about the reading level for a book I recommended.  I immediately went to Scholastic.com and typed in the title to their Book Wizard feature.  I have used this feature for years to help students connect with books. 

Many of you may already know about this great feature.  Scholastic sells many books and they report the reading level using a variety of measures: grade level equivalent, guided reading (A-Z), DRA, and Lexile.

 

A Book Review, Honesty, and Internet Safety

I have been posting a book review every Wednesday for about three and a half years.  I love reading and sharing my finds.  Most of my reviews are positive meaning I don't bother to share the ones I don't like, so most of my reviews are blue or red ribbon books.

One day I received a comment on my blog asking me how the book ends.  I wondered if it was a student who was asked to write a book report.  I clicked on the Blogger Profile and found her name, her school, access to her classmates' blogs, and her teacher's name.  I emailed him explaining who I was and what I suspected.  He talked with her and the next day she deleted her comment and wrote a more open ended discussion type of question.

I share this story with my students because I want them to know that what they do on the internet is public and can be traced back to them.

I share this story with other teachers because I am concerned with the liability we place on ourselves.  I was a concerned teacher who reached out to a student and her teacher about integrity and love of literature.  What if my motives had been different?

Last year my district issued Google Accounts to every student in the district.  It took one of my students about three hours from the time I introduced the account to start misusing her email.   It was frustrating because I wanted to teach my students to use the platform, but I didn't want them to get into trouble with it.

I want my students to use technology as they learn.  I'm just concerned that sometimes we give them more than they can handle all at once.

My Students Love Word Central

This is BIGbot, one of the characters from Merriam-Webster's Word Central.  My students beg to play the word games on this site, and I let them because I know they are building vocabulary when they do.

Alpha-bot looks like a word search, but the students play an audio of a word and then move the letters around to spell the word correctly.

Robo-Bee is really multiple choice where students find synonyms, antonyms, and correct word usage.

Big-bot eats words that are synonyms or antonyms.

Jumble Kids is the online version of the word puzzles published in the newspaper.

I usually have a menu of choices for students to work on independent computer practice.  If I leave off Word Central, someone always asks for it.

MobyMax Tablet Review

MobyMax contacted me about a month ago and asked if I would try out their Moby Tablet with my students and write a review.  I already use MobyMax in my classroom and was happy to try it out.

In case you haven't heard about MobyMax, it is an online K-8 curriculum.  The students take a placement test as their first session. My students rotate through most days of the week for extra practice at their independent level.  Several of my students really enjoy sending me messages through the system.

The first thing I noticed about the Moby Tablet was the aluminum back.  I have routines in my room for my students to take care of my computers, but it is nice to see such a sturdy design. 

I also like the Sync & Lock features that come with the tablet.  I have had students try to use school technology for non-educational entertainment.  I position the laptop screens so I can see what my students are doing.  I found it more difficult to monitor on a device with a smaller screen.  By using Sync & Lock, I can make sure technology is used for assignments.

What questions do you have about using MobyMax with your students?  I'm happy to share what I know.

Astronomy Resources

If you are teaching astronomy this school year, I highly recommend Stardate.org. It is a part of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory. The pictures are amazing! I have had students choose to explore this site in their free time. I know I have barely touched the potential resources on this site.

Besides the pictures, the one part of the site I use every year is the Phases of the Moon Calendar. When I have had my students chart the phases of the moon, we often have cloudy skies here near Seattle, Washington. Stardate.org’s chart is my back up plan.

Here is a copy of my Moon Observation Chart.  Just click on this link to get this freebie.

I recently updated Sun and Shadows Observations in my TpT Store. This packet now contains three more activities.

 Students measure their shadows once in the morning, once in the middle of the day, and once in the afternoon. They will record their measurements and the direction of the shadow for each time. This activity can be repeated during each season. I have attached additional recording sheets with student directions should you wish to do this.

Xtra Math & Math Fact Fluency

Have you tried Xtra Math with your students?  I find it an easy way to track my students' progress on mastering their basic facts.  Students can log in at school or at home.  A typical practice session takes 5-10 minutes.  I receive an email each week with a class list and my students' results.

Perfect!

Here is another site where students can practice Math Fact Fluency.

I know I am always looking for ways for students to practice beyond flash cards and timed tests.

Word Central

Have you explored Word Central?

 

Merriam-Webster has a website for students where they can build their vocabulary and it has resources for teachers too.

 

 

Build Your Own Dictionary is a feature where students invent definitions for words and can read what others wrote.

 

Daily Buzzword is this site's Word of the Day.

 

The Games are ones I would allow my students to play during the school day.

 

I like the Browse section where students can explore new words.

 

 



Why Technology Won't Take My Place

This weekend the newly licensed driver of the family drove by herself for the first time.  She went to a friends house several miles away -- from Edmonds to Sandpoint if you know the Seattle area.  She got directions from Mapquest.
On her way through Seattle, she got lost.  When I texted her to see if she arrived okay, I received the response "Hate. Seattle."  She knew she was on the right street, but couldn't find the house.
Before she left to come home, I texted her my directions to get back.  She followed a friend out of the neighborhood and then wasn't sure she was following the directions, so we talked and texted when she pulled over a couple of times on the way home.
My point: technology is no substitute for human interaction.  I use technology as a tool, but I know my students need a person to reassure them they are heading in the right direction.

You Can't Believe Everything on the Internet

This photo is from the Field Museum Library and is in the Public Domain

This lesson started several years ago when one of my students was convinced that there was a 1600 pound man-eating bear.  When I questioned her further, she told me she learned about it in email.  This sparked a conversation about Urban Legends and Snopes.com.  I showed her how to verify information she received.

Every year since then, I teach how to critically read information.  I don't usually have to plan to teach it.  The topic comes up naturally teaching nine to twelve-year-old students. 

Here are three websites that I show and we discuss during these lessons:

Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division
If you know that dihydrogen monoxide is another name for water, you can see how facts are twisted in this website.

Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
Since I teach in the Pacific Northwest, my students know from the beginning that this website is false. I have wondered about using this in another part of the country.

Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie
Every now and then I hear a second or third hand story about someone who actually wears a foil hat or a steel bowl to protect one from aliens or rays.

If you have another favorite site that helps students with critical thinking, please post it in the comments.

CIA Resources for the Classroom

Did you know that the Central Intelligence Agency has a site that is great for classroom use?  In addition to maps and pictures of flags, The World Factbook gives updated information about the history, government, economy, and other issues for "267 countries or entities."  For me it is a good replacement for the set of encyclopedias I started my teaching career with.  (Yes, I have been teaching a while.)

As someone who enjoys spy novels, I probably like the idea of using spy resources more than I should.

Update:  Here is a graphic organizer for a country report.

iCivics

My students (and some of their parents) love playing the games on iCivics.  Class favorites include "Do I Have a Right?" where the students play head of a law firm and learn about the Amendments to the U. S. Constitution, "Executive Command" where they get to be the President, and "Counties Work" where they learn more about local government.  I don't always feel like I have enough time to teach civics.  This resource sure helps.

Check out their teacher resources.

Question of the Week

Last week, I wanted to know what websites are your favorites to use with students.  This week I am wondering what websites you find the best as teacher resources. 

What websites to you use for planning?

Question of the Week

This month I will receive a computer cart with 12 laptop computers to use in my classroom.  I received some technology training in November, but I would love to have more ideas about how to use the technology in my class. 

What is your favorite website to use with third through sixth graders?

Storybird

At a recent technology training, I was introduced to Storybird.  I have yet to use it professionally, but I started some collaborative stories with my nieces who live on the opposite coast and will be moving to London soon. 

Do you use Storybird in your classroom?  I would love to hear some management strategies from teachers who don't have a class set of computers.