Original Gadget Girl

Back to School with Cameras

2009-08-13T14:50:00.004-04:00

Here are a few ideas to ponder as the start of school draws closer....

In most elementary classrooms around the country you find teachers taking digital photos of their students on the first day.

What can you do with those pictures? Do you need some new, fresh ideas?

Here are some ideas:

*Create a bulletin board with the individual photos and then continue to build a collage of the learning that happens inside your classroom. This could be a yearlong project!

*Take a photo on the first day of every month of each child to show how he changes throughout the year.

*Put the photos together into a slideshow to be used during Open House/Curriculum Night.

*Have each child fold a piece of construction paper in half like a greeting card and put their photo on the back. Describe themselves inside, and decorate the cover. If you keep them secret while working on them, the teacher could pull one out, share with the class, and have the class guess which classmate it is about. A great way for getting to know each other!

*Make trading cards with the photo and key information on the front, and interests on the back.

*Make a "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Who do you See?" book with the classmates. "Sarah, Sarah, Who do you See?" Students take turns taking the book home so families become familiar with their child's class.

*Create picture schedules for the class to follow. Photograph locations and activities in the building and classroom.

*Have students bring in photos from around home and memorable times with family and friends to keep in the writing folder to eliminate the "I don't know what to write about" complaint.

*When discussing class rules, take pictures of what correct behavior looks like in order to reinforce the rule. This could also be a school-wide display of proper etiquette in the lunchroom, playground, library, hallway, etc.

*Do your students work in teams or table groups? Instead of just hanging up a group name, have the group pose in interesting manners and use that as the group label.

*Put a different child's picture in the newsletter each week and write an article about him.

*Send your students out with the cameras on scavenger hunts. (Have you picked up your
f*ree packet of scavenger hunt ideas from http://teachingwithcameras.com ??)

These are just a few ways to start the school year with your digital camera. The camera can play such an instrumental role in your classroom.

Enjoy the Day!
Kathy Cothran
"The Original Gadget Girl"

Capturing Family Memories

2009-08-11T00:07:00.002-04:00

Today I am reflecting on my weekend which included the best family reunion we've had in years. (OK...we haven't had one in years, so this was by far the best in quite some time!)

I had the little Flip Mino camera running throughout the day and night in hopes of capturing some real memories of my family members. Now that I've looked at some of them I bet many might hope to never see these again, but it really made me think. We spend quite a bit of time capturing the antics and smiles of the little ones of our family, but do we get enough of the more mature members? Instead of groaning that we've already heard that story over and over again, why not capture it on video to remember later when you'll want to hear it again? (A sign of the times is also seen when I was filming and family members would ask "Will this be on YouTube tomorrow?")

For the celebration of my grandmother's life I made a memorial movie. In there I was blessed to be able to add lots of video footage from the 1940s and on as my grandfather was an avid movie camera man. And, to top it off, I was able to find video clips so that we could even hear her laughing at her 73rd birthday party! Those are the memories I'm talking about capturing!

So, this message might not have anything to do with your classroom or your students, yet I find the use of today's gadgets such an important aspect of preserving our family memories.

I've managed to post a link to the memorial movie I made for my Grandma back in 2002 not because I think you want to see my family, but in case you'd like to gather some ideas for your own family. Near the beginning you actually see my dad as a child along with his sister. I'm sure that when the original filming took place the focus was of the children, but years later we like it since we can see the older folks. My aunt weeps every time she is able to see her dad wipe her hair out of her eyes. Even later I show up as the baby that is passed among the family members and I sure do like that since I don't even remember my great-grandma let alone remember her holding me.
Click the link below to see my Grandma's celebration of life movie:
http://www.me.com/gallery/#100090
And here's another one without video from my sister's mother-in-law:
http://www.me.com/gallery/#100026

So put those gadgets to good use as you see the important people in your life so you can be filled with celebration in the years to come. The more you integrate these great tools into your own life the more uses you will easily find in your classrooms.

Enjoy the summer, I know I am! (And as a side note...I will be so excited to soon announce that every current member of the Mastermind Group of Educators will automatically receive a complimentary copy of my newest book about using cameras in the classroom mailed to them without any charge!!! Whoo Hoo...that means it is almost finished....for real!!)

Kathy Cothran
"The Original Gadget Girl"

Scavenger Hunt Ideas

2009-07-29T17:24:00.004-04:00

Are your kids bored and looking for something to do? Watch this video for a few ideas:

Then, go to http://teachingwithcameras.com or http://technologylessonsforteachers and download the free activity packet.

Veteran's Day Planning

2009-07-10T16:19:00.002-04:00

I would presume to think that planning for Veteran's Day (Nov 11, 2009) wasn't on your list of things to do today, but I wanted to make sure you had a chance to sign up for this event and contemplate how your students could benefit from having a real live veteran come to visit their classroom.

Learn more about Take a Vet to school here:

http://www.history.com/content/veterans

Also, while you are thinking about Veteran's Day, I still have that whole packet of activities posted and you might want to check that out too along with all of the other packets still posted there!Be sure to click in the circle by the red arrow to get to the page with the other activity packets.

http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

Playing with Cameras

2009-07-10T15:13:00.003-04:00

Here is a fun way to experiment with your digital camera.

I don't know about you, but I am pretty much just a point and shoot kind of girl. I set my camera on Auto and take tons of photos and then sort out the good ones later.

The professionals use special lenses and all kinds of equipment and I have learned that I can use some of those too, even with my point and shoot camera!

Ready for the tip: try shooting some photos through your sunglasses!

Yep, that's right. The pros use polarized lenses, and you can too with your sunglasses! Polarized lenses can deepen the contrast andenhance the colors.

Now, a couple of things to play around with:

1. The color tint of your polarized sunglasses will have an effect on your photos. Some colors cool a photo while others warm up a photo. Try both!

2. Play around with the angle of your sunglasses. Rotate them around until you see something you like in your LCD viewer. Fiddle with it until the image looks right!

3. Keep an eye on the sun's position in the sky. Polarizing filters work best when the sun is to your left or right, and they have no effect if you've got your camera pointed directly toward or away from the sun.

4. Try all kinds of adjustments and combinations.

The hardest part I've found with playing around with these options is that when I bring my photos into the computer I can see all kinds of variations yet I can never remember what I did to each of the photos in case I'd like to try it again! But, I guess that's the power of digital photography and we can just delete the ones we don't like.

Put the camera and some sunglasses into the hands of your children and see what creative enhancements they can make.

Be on the lookout for another tip soon.....

Enjoy the day!

Kathy Cothran

"The Original Gadget Girl"

Stairway to Jail? Do You Have a Guide?

2009-06-27T14:06:00.005-04:00

In this short video I am highlighting an important reason why we all need a guide to help us when we get into areas where we aren't real sure of what we are doing. Take a look and leave a comment!

Survival

2009-06-01T20:52:00.003-04:00

For many teachers the beginning of June signals "Survival Mode" as we see the end of the school year quickly approaching.

As I work to shut down our library by collecting, shelving, and inventorying all of the books, I am also looking for meaningful projects that the children can do on the computers. What I've been working on last week and this are "Thank You" books for their teachers. Each child makes a page and then we bind them all together into a book for the classroom teacher. These have been such a big hit!

I spend a bit of time getting the kids to focus on specific ways that their teacher has helped them this year so they don't all write how "nice" their teacher is to them. I also try not to help with spelling during this activity so it is an authentic piece of writing. Hence, we get things like, "You are the beast!" or "Thanks for teaching me regroping" or "You are the best tether." And really, the child who thanks her teacher for teaching her how to spell, and mispelling every word in the sentence! These are priceless.

If you'd like to see some examples of this project, click here.

So, as we survive during the next week or so, know that I'll be back soon with lots of ideas to keep you thinking over the summer as we plan for another successful school year together!

Take care,

Kathy Cothran

"The Original Gadget Girl"

I'll Leave the Door Open!

2009-05-03T20:26:00.002-04:00

You've probably heard that old commercial for a hotel, "We'll leave the light on for you."

I've been wanting to write to you all weekend and have finally gotten a chance in the calm and quiet of Sunday night.

On Friday morning as we were getting ready to go to school and packing up everything the girls would need for a weekend with their dad, I left the back car door open.....only for a few minutes....

Then I went inside and told Kate to put her guitar in the backseat....while I ran upstairs to the bathroom. I'm taking care of business when I hear a blood-curdling scream from the driveway.

Next I hear Hannah run out to see about the commotion.....

At the top of her lungs (and I'm sure my 85 year old neighbors loved that) she's screaming (and crying, I might add) because when she leaned in to put her guitar in the backseat, there was a squirrel sitting on top of her suitcase staring back at her! Her scream scared the poor squirrel right into the front seat where he couldn't get out from, until Kate ran away from the car and the squirrel made his escape!

Now, you might be wondering how I am going to tie this into technology, or the Mastermind Group, and I've had so much fun trying to figure that out.

First, retelling this story while recording as a podcast or movie would make a spectacular short digital story. Mix in some random photos of squirrels.....add some titles....pose some photos.....Perfect digital story!

Next, in light on having to "leave the door open" I'll also disclose the special, secret link again, for the exclusive way into the Mastermind Group of Educators..... click here.....

So, beware of squirrels that can become the perfect story for writing with voice.

Enjoy the day...

Kathy Cothran

"The Original Gadget Girl"

Book Commercials & More!

2009-04-08T22:04:00.007-04:00

I know I told you yesterday that I probably wouldn't write again until I made it to Hawaii due to the stress of preparing for our trip to Hawaii and all of the other events in our life this week, but I had such a good lesson today with my fifth graders that I just had to share it with you tonight.

Kids inspired to do book reports? Have you ever heard of such a thing?

You see, just a couple weeks ago we had an entire new computer lab installed filled with new desktop iMacs. It was like Christmas morning that day....we left school on a Tuesday with a lab filled with ancient old flavored iMacs and returned in the morning to the brand new machines. The energy and excitement from staff and students has been amazing.

Anyway, back to the totally cool lesson from today. I gathered a collection of my favorite picture books and had fifth graders spontaneously make "Book Commercials." Each movie needed to have an introduction, a summary, a lesson or message learned, and reasons people might want to read the book. Some students asked to use the book they've just finished and others chose a picture book. We used iMovie and the built-in cameras and almost all students were done within the 45 minutes of work time. Our only issue was that by using the built-in microphones and all students working at once, there is a lot of background noise in the recordings.

The technical aspects included adding titles, text, video of their book commercial, adding music during the intro and outro when the titles and credits are rolling and transitions.... Great success and enthusiasm for book reports! Better yet, this has inspired their teachers to try a book report in this manner next month!

I plan to gather a couple tomorrow so I can work to post them on the Mastermind site while I am in Hawaii! I'll let you know when I have some posted.

Hopefully the rest of your week is great.....even with the full moon.

Some of you wanted more information about how the Easter date is calculated (which does rely upon the full moon, which means the week before Easter will always be influenced by the moon), so click here for the article I wrote on the topic.

Another funny thing I can report about this Gadget Girl is how I managed to find babysitters for our dwarf hamsters by using Facebook tonight! I was really stumped about how I was going to leave them for over a week when I decided to try Facebook....and found multiple babysitters within minutes! Buddy & Snickers probably won't know what to do with all of the attention they'll get this next week!

And, finally, just another example of how kids integrate what they learn at school with their

playing.....Hannah had all of her Webkinz pets out and she's slowly moving them from one room to the next. Then she explains to me how they all live on a farm that makes them work, so one of the animals is acting like Harriet Tubman and moving the animals to safety....just like on the Underground Railroad! Never would I have expected that explanation of her play tonight.

Made me realize I should ask her more often about what she is playing and why.

Something to think about....

Happy Easter.....

Kathy Cothran

"The Original Gadget Girl"

Do You Need Glasses To See This?

2009-04-07T22:32:00.002-04:00

You probably don't need glasses to see this, or if you do, you are probably wearing them.

My personal story from this week is about my daughter Hannah. She's in third grade and has desperately wanted glasses for the past six months or so. This reminds me of how much I wanted glasses when I was in fifth grade...those kind that were really big, and had the arms that linked from the bottom of the lens and whipped upwards in a loop...very snazzy for the day....

So, I told my parents I couldn't see. They promptly took me to the eye doctor....(the same one Hannah saw yesterday)...and he was able to figure out that I could see the best when he had window glass in the viewer! Caught.... and then, one year later, I really did need to have glasses...and do you think my parents believed me? The girl who cried wolf over the glasses....but I finally did get glasses....and 29 years later...I'm sick and tired of glasses and contact lenses! So, why would I want to "help" Hannah get glasses when she seems to see everything without squinting? My guilt set in....she failed the test at the pediatrician, she failed the vision test at school....and, this gadget girl knows that Dr. Guinta is the gadget guys of eye doctors! He has a machine that can tell if you need glasses just by looking into it! So, now Hannah will have glasses for when she needs to see far distances....like at the movie theater or when we go sightseeing next week in Hawaii....but not for reading and not for watching TV, or even for ordinary school time....so I'm anxious to see how long the novelty lasts! The doctor doesn't want her dependent on them so she continues to strengthen her eye muscles....

So, that leads me into my next topic....

Do you need a few ideas so you can see clearly and spend less time planning and more time enjoying your hobbies and family? I've posted some new ideas at the Mastermind Group of Educators site....Some new samples of student work about plants, and soon I'll even post a presentation my daughter Kate had to make about a college for her fifth grade project. I figured you might want to see it since her class voted it the best presentation of the class.

Hopefully you'll survive this week before Easter....definitely the full moon plays a part! If you want to know how Easter and the full moon fit together....you'll have to visit this lesson plan idea too!

Probably, when I write to you next, I'll be sitting under a palm tree in Hawaii. The girls and I are

going to visit my parents for 12 days and I think I need some time away (especially since it was

still snowing today!!!) Yet, I'll still be thinking about you and I bet I'll dream up a video or two

to share while I'm there! Stay tuned....

So, enjoy the holiday, and if you find yourself longing to think about school,

There are great things happening there....

Happy Easter,

Kathy Cothran

"The Original Gadget Girl"

And, for those of you wishing you had

joined us when the special offer was

available...here's your Easter gift...

the secret link again...available only

through email these days...

***Secret Special Offer Link***

P.S. Does anyone want to babysit our

adorable little hamsters while we are away??

Roof-Top Hot Tub Reflections

2009-03-22T23:14:00.003-04:00

Reflecting on how our day in Toronto reminds me of how the Mastermind Group of Educators can help you! http://mastermindgroupofeducators.com

Top 10 reasons why you need to join the Mastermind Group of Educators!

2009-03-08T21:31:00.002-04:00

#10 The cool people are already members (OK...so that only works on 10 year olds!)

#9 The great ideas you can download for free as a member will make you look like a rock star in the eyes of your principal.

#8 There are lots of student work samples to look at in case you can't picture the idea!

#7 The ideas are ready for you to use tomorrow.

#6 There are tons of links to use for various subject areas that will make your kids think you are the best teacher they've ever had!

#5 I have to pay the bill for the site!!

#4 You get great deals on books, products, and new products!

#3 Someday real soon you'll be able to earn continuing ed credits on the site!

#2 You can still get all of the books for only $18.95 by celebrating my birthday with me!
(and clicking here)

and the #1 reason you need to join the Mastermind Group of Educators is....

#1 You can spend less time planning great lessons and more time playing and relaxing!

Join us now!

And, if you already have the books or don't want
any more books (even though you could give them
away as gifts!) then you could check out the
other way to try out the site by
clicking here!
What are you waiting for?

Have a great day!
Kathy Cothran

Top 10 things I learned in my 30s….but never wanted to know…..

2009-03-08T20:13:00.000-04:00

(OK...so maybe this isn't technology related, but it is what is on my mind tonight!)

#10 How to be single parent to itty-bitty girls….
#9 Details about paying all household expenses
#8 What to do when the sewer pipes back up into the basement
#7 What to do when you’ve had the sewer pipes dug up from the front of the house all the way to the street and then the pipes still back up into your basement
#6 How not to sob (but still cry) to the contractor digging up the yard
#5 How to catch mice and deal with decomposed mouse guts inside of one of those fancy girly traps without dumping them onto the computer keyboard
#4 The intricacies of online dating (Did the guy really think I wouldn’t notice when he said he was 6 foot tall that he was only 5’2”?)
#3 How to waterproof the basement and have a sump pump installed and still have rivers running through the basement
#2 How to install a light fixture way up in the stairwell
And, the #1 thing I never wanted to know:
#1 What to do when the water from your shower on the second floor starts running through the kitchen ceiling.

Of course there have been many more lessons that I have learned in my thirties, but these are just a few that I really didn’t want to know about!

How Late Papers Fit Into A Grading Policy

2009-03-01T15:20:00.003-05:00

What role should responsibility issues of students play within the grading structure? Are we grading all aspects of the child, or are we looking at content mastery?

Grade level standards should provide the basis for determining grades.

There should be some performance standards as the reference points when determining the grades. Given clear descriptions of the performance standards, then grades will reflect that accordingly. For instance, proficient would equal a B.

Achievement of the standards should be the sole basis of the grades. Attendance, participation, attitude, responsibility, effort or potential should be scored separately.

Due to the deadly effect of issuing zeros for the failure to acquire the desired knowledge or to complete a learning activity, the only mathematically-sound practice would be to issue 50% E scores. Never should there be a score in the grade book below the 50% score.

Think about the students that typically turn in work late. There are a couple categories of students. One group are the children who struggle with the content. Another group are the children who are capable and disorganized. And finally, there are the academically talented children who are disorganized and disinterested.

Looking at the group of children who struggle: The activity is hard, they are unsure of what to do, may not have parents to help at home, and the activity takes them longer than expected. So, contemplate the idea that the child finally turns in the activity finished. Most is not correct, but the score is scraping by at 62% D-. Now you take another 31% off for being late since the grading policy says 1/2 off late papers. What has been achieved for this child? It will only take a couple of these activities scored in this manner for the child to be unable to pull himself out of E range even if he turns in a bunch of A papers. And what is that chance? Now the child is doomed for the entire marking period, and at the end, there still isn’t any concrete evidence that he has or hasn’t learned any of the content presented.

The next group of children are capable yet disorganized. The activity has been finished with a degree of accuracy and then folded up into a book, squashed into the back of the desk, or put into the black hole of the backpack. After repeated reminders the child produces the work, probably completed at an average or proficient level. By the time the late paper policy is imposed on this child, her grades reflect D or E level which would indicate that she hasn’t learned that content. Often a child’s assignment report in this group would have A's and B's for all of the assignments turned in and E's and F's for those hit with the late grade policy. Again, the grades imposed on the report card do not reflect concrete evidence that she has or has not learned any of the content presented.

The final group of children are the academically talented children who can respond to classroom activities in a manner that seems to be disorganized and disinterested. In this scenario it is imperative to discern whether a child knows the content that is being graded. Looking at the root of the issue and the content being graded and how these relate to the performance of the gifted child will glean important insight. Often these children do not need the same amount of practice to master a skill and that manifests itself as missing assignments, which turn into poor grades, which is then related to the report card grades as not mastering the content when the reality is that a child has learned the content and is bored. These children are often heard saying, "Why should I do this? I already understand." And if the answers to this question include "Because everyone else has to" or "Because the teacher says so" or "Just play the game and do what the teacher says" then there should be some reevaluation of the assigned activity. Again, with this group of children, the grades imposed on the report card do not reflect concrete evidence that he or she has or has not learned any of the content presented.

What are some solutions to this grading dilemma?

One option is to grade only for content mastery. The grades on the report card reflect whether a child knows or does not know the content. When using this method, another assessment tool is provided along with the report card to evaluate the proficiency of life skill types of attributes such as work ethics, classroom behaviors and initiative and study skills (as seen from a rubric used by Hudsonville Public Schools.)

Another option, if late papers must be integrated into a scoring system, would be to use a policy that a late paper/assignment/project cannot ever earn the grade of an A. In this manner, the child can still prove to be proficient in the content. Most grade book programs will allow for an assignment to be noted as late. Yet, this won’t affect whether a child is proficient in content area, just not exemplary.

Another question is about redoing learning activities that do not reach the proficient level on the first try. Looking back at child development we see that children learn to walk, talk, or use the bathroom at varying ages. So why would we assume that all children can learn to perform a task in the exact amount of time?

If using grades to reflect learning, then allowing for retesting or redoing assignments and then replacing with the new score should be the standard rather than averaging the two scores together. Again, most grade book programs allow for footnoting that an assignment was redone to meet the goals. By using proficiency of content as the goal, then children achieving "not yet proficient" scores should continue to work on that assignment until proficient. Having to continue working on an assignment until it is right (even during recess) is a much better lesson for children to learn than just getting a bad grade and moving on. There are children who find it easier to just do enough of an activity or none of an activity and get the bad grade than to apply effort. The pain of a bad grade lasts for a little while, but having to continue working on an assignment until it is correct builds strong character. Soon the child will understand that it is easier to do the activity right the first time.

Grades should be a reflection of learning. The bottom line is that the grades assigned to students should be a direct reflection of the knowledge the student has acquired. Did your students perform an understanding of the content? When parents read a report card does the grade given reflect the learning that the child has accomplished?

(Ideas in this article are based on experience and the rubric mentioned is referenced from http://www.mymassp.com/content/grading_mastery_middle_level)

Turn Book Reports Into Podcasts - Improve Reading Fluency & Promote Enthusiasm For Literature

2009-02-19T15:29:00.001-05:00

It is very common to have students give a book report. There isn't any faster way to bore your class than to have each student stand up and share the summary of a story.

What can you do to improve student attention and reading fluency all at once? Create some podcasts to share! By adding the element of a real-world audience, the quality of your student book reports will improve extensively.

One way would be to put children into groups of four. One child can pretend to be Oprah and interview the main character of each of the other books. Add some music at the beginning and end, and then post on the class or school webpage. You'll be amazed how many students from the whole school will be inspired to listen.

Another podcasting idea would be to do a reader's theater from a story. Have a couple kids read the same book and build the reader's theater themselves. This can be done faster if the students choose the scene to present and then copy the text and cut and paste it into play format. Recording the short section of the book will greatly enhance fluency as nobody will want to stumble around on the words on something that the whole world will hear!

Podcasting an "oldcast" is another way to bring a book to life. Take a historical fiction book and create a newscast around the olden times, hence the name, "oldcast."

Once you have a collection of these various book report podcasts, allow students to bring in their ipods and transfer the files to their iPods. You will be amazed at how many children actually take the time to listen. If possible, as an extension, set up a blog for each podcast so that students can comment on each one. This is a good opportunity to teach about proper online etiquette and what is appropriate to write about other people's work. Also, family members from around the world would love to have the opportunity to listen and comment.

So, let's liven up the traditional book report with the technologies that are a part of children's lives!

Download the supplemental pages such as the description, project planning sheet, and the grading rubric for this project from the download center within the Mastermind Group of Educators website at http://mastermindgroupofeducators.com

March is Reading Month Based on a Candyland Game Theme “Meet Me at the Candy Castle”

2009-02-19T12:59:00.003-05:00

Inspiring kids to read can be achieved through a month-long challenge during March is Reading Month. For every class reaching the Candy Castle the reward is to participate in a school-wide game day (or 1/2 day.)

One idea is to use a game theme. As a school, a variation of the Candyland game board will be hung around the school walls. This is especially easy since the Candyland game board is made up of colored rectangles. If not a school-wide activity, certainly this could happen as a classroom activity.

Then, weekly bookmarks are handed out to students. Each piece of candy is colored in for every ten minutes of reading. At the end of the week the class minutes are totaled and then the class game piece is moved along the school-wide game board. Or, if in individual classrooms, each child would move his or her game piece.

To spice up the school-wide game board it is especially snazzy if the Candyland game board characters are scanned and enlarged. This can be done by scanning the images and then using a projector to show them on a wall or using a document camera, and then draw around them with black marker. Using pastel chalks is an excellent way to color the pieces. The older children can help with this activity.

A book jog is another way to encourage reading. Kids bring in used books from home that they would like to exchange. For every book that a child brings in, he gets a ticket to exchange for a different book. Create a path by taping rectangles of colored paper through the library and around the halls. Next, lay out all of the books that have been brought in along the path. Children travel the path looking for a book. At the end of the path the child exchanges their tickets for the books. By using the ticket method children can leave with as many books as they brought. In honor of the book jog, everyone should wear jogging suits for “Jog into Reading.”

In addition to the game, theme days can correspond to the various characters such as

Wear Red for Dr. Seuss’ Birthday and play the games on http://seussville.com

Lord Licorice: Wear a funny hat in honor of Lord Licorice.

Wear Green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and Mama Ginger Tree

Princess Frostine & King Kandy Day: Dress as your favorite fairy tale character

Gramma Nutt: Nutty Hair Day (a favorite of all kids is to come to school with crazy hair!)

Inspire kids to read by bringing a challenge to your school or class this year.
Download the supplemental pages, such as the recording sheet bookmarks from the download center within the Mastermind Group of Educators website.

Great Educational Technology Clip

2009-02-17T14:38:00.002-05:00

This commercial features a professor apologizing to students for a system that has failed them.
The commercial has a couple great lines too:
"It's time to use technology to rewrite the rules of education."
"It's time to learn how you learn so we can teach you better."

Another 2nd Grade Snowman

2009-02-03T16:34:00.005-05:00

Using the same video footage, another second grade created an audio track.

We created the video track by using a Sony digital video camera. It is an old one too, but a good one. It has a setting for interval recording. We set the camera to record one second of video for every minute. Then I imported the video into iMovie (the old version) and increased the speed of the track. Then I copied the track, pasted it at the end, and added the effect of playing it in reverse. iMovie 08 doesn't have this capability as far as I know. Finally, the second graders added their voice tracks! Great fun!

But, it scared the heck out of a little kindergartener and he went running away! Something about the snowman coming back to life was too much for him!

2nd Grade Snowman

2009-02-02T22:05:00.002-05:00

Are Your Ready for a Challenge? I am...

2009-01-26T22:50:00.004-05:00

Are Your Ready for a Challenge? I am. Always.

How do you accomplish big things? By setting goals and making them public. There's nothing like quite like a good old fashioned challenge to see what we are made of, to push the boundaries and test the limits as it's only when we overcome these types of trials and challenges that we reap the sweetest rewards in life.

February 2nd is an important date not just because it's Groundhog Day and we all want to know if Punxsutawney Phil (the Groundhog) sees his shadow.

More importantly, it marks the date when thousands of people from around the world make the decision to accept the challenge that will change their life for the better and I mean much better.

With that in mind, I thought I'd recommend a resource to help you get things done. If you're
tired of struggling with debt, fearful of the current economic crisis, paralyzed by the pace of change, here's the best way for you to control your future starting today..

It's called the 100 Day Challenge.
It's from Gary Ryan Blair, otherwise known as The Goals Guy.
I finished 2008 with the 100 Day Challenge and loved every minute of it while accomplishing more than I ever imagined possible!

He has put together something cool. Check it out...

Click Here!!

The 100 Day Finish Strong Challenge is a structured performance improvement program where challengers compete against themselves to achieve a number of challenging goals and start the year with a bang.
I like it.

To get on the priority notification list for the challenge, go to this website now and watch
a really inspiring video as well:

Click Here!!

I wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year and encourage you to dream big dreams and take the necessary actions to make them reality!

Think BIG,

Kathy Cothran

A Hundreds Day Study For Upper Elementary Students-How Much is a Hundred?

2009-01-25T20:29:00.002-05:00

Hundred's Day is so much fun in the early grades, but it can also be fun when you add the older children into the celebration.

One focus in this activity is comparing how one hundred can be big in size, or one hundred can be small in size. For instance, one hundred could fit in the palm of a hand if you were holding about one hundred staples or one hundred grains of rice. A hundred can be huge if you are looking at one hundred cars in the parking lot or a pile of a hundred coats.

How stinky do you think one hundred shoes might be?

Could you read one hundred books? Even that could be compared. 100 textbooks versus 100 paperback picture books. Those stacks would be an interesting comparison!

Upper elementary aged students have a spectacular time creating a movie to be shown to the younger students in honor of Hundred's Day.

Digital still pictures are required, yet many students wanted to use the video camera and add the commentary with their comparisons. Both are nice!

In addition, when doing this with a class, the younger grades had made collections of one hundred objects in many different ways and upper elementary students photographed these projects and quickly dropped them into the end of the movie for added excitement from the younger children. One class had to wear their collections on their T-shirts so those photos were great with the smiling youngsters. Other classes had to put them on a poster board, so those photos were easier to take before the day of celebration.

The upper elementary classes that made these movies can join in the celebrations and have a spectacular time while also learning comparative mathematical skills along with photography, digital movie making, and cooperative teamwork skills.

Find the reproducibles for using this activity tomorrow in the product section of http://mastermindgroupofeducators.com

Super Bowl Activities to Use in the Classroom

2009-01-25T20:26:00.002-05:00

With the upcoming sporting event captivating the interest of the nation, why not use that enthusiasm to inspire learning?

The Super Bowl is filled with statistics, history, and opportunity.

When looking at this sporting event through the eyes of a teacher, one might see first the opportunity to have students plan a trip to the event. This requires finding flights, accommodations, transfers between the events, purchasing tickets, finding other things to do around the city, along with figuring out expenses. How much would it cost to take two people to the Super Bowl? To take this activity even further students could log the information into a spread sheet.

Geographically speaking, the Super Bowl has travelled throughout the United States. Students can find the locations of all the Super Bowls and then put that information onto a map of the United States.

Evaluating the history of the entertainment for the National Anthem and the half-time show is another activity. Why were these people selected? What types of groups performed? What was happening in the country at that time?

The tickets to the Super Bowl are also reflective of the location. Looking at tickets from the past is interesting. Thinking about what a ticket would look like if your city was hosting the Super Bowl is another activity. What aspects of your city are highlights that would warrant being a part of the design of the ticket?

Evaluating the data of the team members provided on the team rosters is another activity worth exploring. Are there any team members that came from colleges in your state? How do the two teams compare based on the information on the rosters?

Statistics are readily available through the National Football League. If you review the statistics of all of the teams throughout the season, did the very best teams make it to the Super Bowl, or are there other teams with betters stats?

Create your own playoff series, and gather and evaluate statistics by having your own "football" games. Fold the piece of paper, make footballs, and then flick them across the table to hold tabletop football games. Gather data and evaluate.

The learning opportunities that come from seemingly celebrating a national sporting event can inspire students to enthusiastically learn new skills while creating engaged minds!

Want these ideas ready for classroom use? Download the free packet of activities at http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

Join Kathy and a group of educators dedicated to improving student learning through technology in the Mastermind Group of Educators http://mastermindgroupofeducators.com for continued support, resources, book discounts and community in educational technology. Kathy Cothran is an elementary media specialist committed to helping teachers engage students through the uses of technology.

Inauguration Day Links

2009-01-10T23:14:00.002-05:00

I did some searching and came up with a couple resources for Inauguration Day just in case you were looking for something to do with your students.

This site is filled with essential questions and activities to meet the objectives.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/socialstd/files/inauguration-day-es.pdf

Inauguration 2009 countdown kit
http://www.smithsonianstudenttravel.com/splash/inaugurationcountdownkit/default.aspx

Students will learn about the inauguration process as well as what our constitution states about who succeeds the President of the U.S. when the office is suddenly vacant.
This site also links to audio and video files of other inaugurations.
http://www.firstladies.org/curriculum/curriculum.aspx?Curriculum=1689

And, there are current events in Time for Kids
http://timeforkids.com

Martin Luther King, Jr. Links

2009-01-10T23:04:00.001-05:00

Here's a collection of helpful links about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This site includes a biography, a selection of speeches, sermons and letters, and a photo gallery.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/special/mlk/index.html

Scholastic
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=11388

The National Civil Rights Museum
http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/home.htm

Powerful Days in Black and White: shocking photos brought the civil-rights struggle to all America. Relive it through the eyes of photojouralist Charles Moore.
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/features/moore/mooreIndex.shtml

Enchanted Learning
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/history/us/MLK/MLK.shtml

Dr. King Timeline Page: Illustrated by young children
http://www.pps.k12.or.us/schools-c/pages/buckman/timeline/kingframe.html

After listening and/or watching the "I Have a Dream" speech, children write their own dreams and then print using this page. (Link for audio/video on the page)
http://www.digitalpencil.org/Projects_AllGrades/IHaveADream/IHaveADream.aspx

Dr. King on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk

Dr. King on TeacherTube (This includes lots of great ideas for how your students can create projects on this topic.)
http://www.teachertube.com/search_result.php?search_id=Martin+Luther+King&search_typ=search_videos&x=34&y=13

Mastermind Group of Educators Intro at the Mackinac Bridge!

2009-01-03T14:18:00.002-05:00

http://mastermindgroupofeducators.com Join this online group now to be a part of an innovative group of educators and qualify for the introductory incentive!

Sorry about the bit of wind that was in the Straits of Mackinac the day we filmed this!

Time Lapse Photography: Melting Snowman

2008-12-30T13:16:00.002-05:00

The idea behind “time lapse photography” is take a series of images or short segments of video over a set interval of time. Combine these images together to make a slow event happen faster, or a fast event happen slower.

If you don’t have snow to build a miniature snowman, you can do this same activity with a couple ice cubes or a bowl of ice cream.

This works best if you have a tripod to put the camera on so there isn’t movement.

There are also video cameras that have a time lapse mode. This is the simplest way to do this. You plug in the camera, set the time mode, and then come back later to see the results.

Import the photos or short video clips into a movie software program. Then have children voice over with descriptions of what is happening in the state of matter change. Or, for a more creative twist, document what the snowman is thinking during the melting process!

Teaching with Technology about Snowflakes, Wilson Bentley, Perseverance & Snow

2008-12-30T13:15:00.000-05:00

Why is it common knowledge that every single snowflake is unique? Who had the time to figure this out?

The fact lies in the historical story of “Snowflake Bentley.” Wilson A. Bentley (1865-1931) was a man who loved snow and went on to extensively study and photograph snowflakes.

The story of his life is documented in “Snowflake Bentley” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. This book combines biographical data with scientific information. The illustrations are spectacular and the book is a Caldecott winner.

His story is one of discovery, yet also perseverance. Imagine the work that goes into trying to capture a photograph of a snowflake. Then add to that the time era he was working in and the technology tools he had available.

After reading about Snowflake Bentley the fun continues. By visiting the website of the museum that honors him, the snowflakes that he photographed are available to view. One by one, the snowflakes can be viewed and the intricate details exposed. Snowflake Bentley’s dream was to be able to share his passion of snowflakes with the world. If he were alive today he’d be greatly impressed with the ability of everyone in the world to view his work through the internet.

Besides being able to view the snowflake photographs, the internet makes it possible for people today to create virtual snowflakes. Fold the paper, cut little chunks out, open to see what you’ve made, and then continue to cut some more. All of this can be accomplished without a single paper scrap on the floor! Students love to make virtual snowflakes all year round. It is one of their favorite websites to visit. Save some of the snowflakes and import them into your favorite software to add snowflake poetry or stories.

Snowflake Bentley is also an excellent example of how multiple genres can be mixed within one story. There are online resources that allow students to choose a topic and pieces of writing to create their own multi-genre page of writing.

The story of Snowflake Bentley (by Jacqueline Briggs Martin) is an excellent way to kick off any unit about snow, seasons, water cycle, or states of matter.

The Moment We've Been Waiting for!!!

2008-12-17T23:36:00.005-05:00

Funny, last night I tried to send a message about the technical difficulties I was having, but it seems that due to technical issues the message didn't go through! At least I didn't receive my own message!

I've mentioned lately about the Mastermind Group of Educators that I am building. I used that survey from a few weeks ago to build a group for those of us who want to do things just a little differently, and add technology into much that we share with students.

I found that most of us want some day-to day assistance and some guidance with quality lessons so we don't have to work so much when we are at home at night.

The video above that I made tonight (filmed by a 10 year old...so please bear with me when she moves and cuts my head off here and there!) highlights what this will offer and the unbelievable incentive that I have to give to just the first 100 charter members to join me.

The best part is that I'm sending the incentive to you just in time to make many of them Christmas presents! Sure can't beat that! Shopping for others while also choosing to bring yourself a little more peace and stress relief by joining a group of educators willing to share ideas and projects and top-notch information in regards to educational technology! Can you believe that I would be willing to send you all 7 books for just $18.95 (and that includes shipping!) to inspire you to join me as a charter member in this technology group of educators?

To just give you a little hint, this site has:

· Lesson Plans (those on my site for a cost are all free downloads in the member section!)

· Articles of Ideas (lots of specific ideas and broad topics for technology integration)

· Project Samples (see exactly what the project could look like from students!)

· Discussion Groups (share the ideas, thoughts, and successes that you've experienced)

· Conference Reports (find out what other people are talking about out there)

· Skill-building Articles (have some how-to questions that need answering?)

· Emerging Technology Ideas (What's new that we should be thinking about?)

· Ideas you can use (take these ideas and use them with your students tomorrow)

· Reproducibles (even better...make copies and start your students working...)

· Downloads (read current aricles, download presentations, and lessons and activities)

· Forums for sharing (together we arealways stronger than alone!)

· Video Updates (see, rather than read, how some of these strategies work)

· Much, Much More!

So, consider this just a glimpse into the exciting new site that is launching! You can take a peek at the site at http://mastermindgroupofeducators.com

...it is freshly loaded! I've been working on it for a few weeks now to be just what we want...

Like I said, I only have 100 sets of my books to send out to the charter members and then I will be pulling the offer off of the site.

Good night, and I look forward to working with those of you who choose to join the exclusive

masterminds on a whole new level! Together we will rock this world (or at least the foundations of traditional education!)

I'll be back tomorrow with more details....

Kathy Cothran

"The Original Gadget Girl"

The Living Alphabet

2008-12-15T21:24:00.004-05:00

All of our written word is based on the alphabet. How many ways can we teach the alphabet and still engage our children?

Last night I shared the time lapse movie and tonight I'm sharing with you the techniques for bringing the alphabet to life! What fun!

For many years I've made the Living Alphabet book with my Kindergarten through third grade students with varying levels of difficulty. Tonight I'm sharing a movie that shows clips of how I manage this project. You'll see that I have multiple groups making letters and I usually have to stand on a chair to capture the digital image! I also learned that I can work up quite a sweat going up and down off the chair....so dress lightly on the day you plan to do this activity as it is quite a workout!

In the past I've made the book and then printed it and bound it and gave it to the classroom teacher. This last year I added the dimension of self-publishing the book and it sells on Amazon. Not too long ago the author, my daughter Hannah, said: "Mom, I really thought I'd feel different as a published author, and I really don't." That may be the case, but she sure was excited to write for a real-world audience.

Ever wonder what they do at night?

2008-12-14T21:58:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what caterpillars do at night? I was looking through my laptop when I came across one of my all-time favorite projects that my sixth graders did with time lapse photography.

There are so many fun ways to explore time lapse, and I'm looking for the movie my fourth graders made last year with the changes in the states of matter. We used time lapse to watch ice cubes and icecream melt. We also watched a pan of water boil away. Then the kids added the key science info to the movies and shared them with the other students. I'll look for those again tomorrow! In the meantime, catch a quick look at this time lapse movie:

Holiday Activities and Ideas

2008-12-11T07:19:00.002-05:00

Cool Movie Maker! Animoto

2008-12-08T20:03:00.003-05:00

See this cool movie I made of a school field trip by just uploading a few images! Try making your own by clicking here:
Click HERE

Create a Travel Log of Santa's Vacation by Superimposing Images: Teaching With Technology

2008-12-01T20:43:00.002-05:00

Tie the enthusiasm kids have for the holidays with a technology lesson!

Read "Mrs. Claus Takes a Vacation" by Linas Alsenas to your students. To begin this story, Mrs. Claus has become quite upset with her lack of vacations and travel. Daily jobs like feeding the reindeer seem boring. So she jumps in the sleigh and travels the world for the days before Christmas. Santa is worried about her. She returns and they head out on the one night, world tour.

After reading this story, ask students to think about where Santa and Mrs. Claus might want to travel. Santa doesn't ever stay anywhere but the North Pole for very long, so imagine they are going on a vacation.

Using photo software, either something so advanced as PhotoShop or as old as HyperStudio, students can combine two photos together. Have students find copyright-friendly images online and save them. Then insert the background image. Next "cut out" an image of Santa and/or Mrs. Claus and paste them over the background. This might look like Santa visiting Mt. Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, The Great Wall of China, or any other place you can imagine!

Next, have your students create a journal entry for the travel log describing where he is and what he's doing there. For instance, "Santa has always wanted to visit Mt. Rushmore. Usually he just gets to see it from overhead. This time, he and Mrs. Claus took a three day vacation to hike all around the area."

Type that journal entry and add to the superimposed photo.

Once the pages have been created there are a few options:

1.Print each page. Bind into a Travel Log book for the class.

2. Combine all the pages electronically and make a slide show. Record the voices of each student reading his or her entry.

3. Convert the electronic slideshow into a podcast and share with the world. Publish on your class or school webpage and send it to iTunes.

Children love this activity. It seems to be one that they ask for year after year.

So, disguise a strong technology lesson with the holiday content and watch your students rush to the computers to begin their project.

Final note: this exact same lesson can be done using the book "Liberty's Journey" by Kelly DiPucchio. In this story the Statue of Liberty wants to take a look around the rest of the United States. Choose background photos of places in the United States and then superimpose Lady Liberty. Write about where she is and why she chose to stop there.

Want to see samples of this activity along with pages of other holiday ideas? Download the free packet of Christmas Ideas at http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

Will It Be A White Christmas In Your Town? Teaching With Technology in the Elementary School

2008-12-01T20:34:00.001-05:00

Will it be a White Christmas in Your Town or wherever you'll spend the holiday?

If you live in an area of the world that sometimes has snow at Christmas you know about the annual anticipation of whether or not it will be a white Christmas.

Will it be a white Christmas in your town? Are the odds strong or weak? Are there places in the United States that are guaranteed to have snow on Christmas?

Your students can use the internet to read maps of historic data to decide what the chances are for your area to see snow on Christmas.

After looking at the historic data, use the internet to find the local forecast for your particular area. Students may have different information to analyze based on where they stay or travel to for the holiday.

Another aspect of the weather to compare is how the weather for the month of November and December compares to previous years. Has it been colder or warmer? Why could that be?

Reading these maps is also a great time to introduce the concepts of Lake Effect Snow that is especially prominent around the Great Lakes. There are maps online that show this data also and explains the process of Lake Effect.

Combine this activity with others to create a set of literacy work stations or centers based around the holiday theme.

Use the holiday season as a disguise for finding information, reading maps, analyzing historic data versus current conditions, and sharing with classmates. This is the kind of information that kids will go home and share with their families.

Would you like this lesson, the links, and more holiday activities to share with your class? Visit http://technologylessonsforteachers.com and download a free packet of activities for the holidays.

Kathy Cothran is an elementary media specialist committed to helping teachers use technology in the classroom with less stress. Her vast teaching experience ranges from preschool through Master's level education classes.

ABCs of Thanksgiving

2008-11-17T22:11:00.001-05:00

Making Kids Really Give Thanks & Be Grateful

2008-11-17T21:52:00.003-05:00

The Story Behind "The Original Gadget Girl"

2008-11-17T21:47:00.002-05:00

So now, a little story for you. Many of you have been following along with me over the past months, but we have a huge number (hundreds!) of new people who have joined us. That is one reason I have been feeling the need to create a forum for sharing and growing together.

I would love for us to be able to share. So many of you have great things that you share with me, yet the whole group can benefit from what you are doing around the world. Yes, that is right. People from all over the world have downloaded the activities and lessons and are working to improve technology education for teachers and students.

Some of you are very funny when I respond to your emails and you are shocked that I would
have the time to personally answer your messages.

That is why tonight I just wanted to give you a little bit of information about who I am...the
gadget girl behind the computer...behind the logo..

For one, as I write these emails to you and create all those lessons, I am just sitting in my
dining room in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. This is a suburb outside the city of Detroit.

I am a single mom of 2 girls...Kate who is 10 and Hannah who is 8. I have been a single mom
for six years now. Becoming a single mom was actually the best thing that could have happened
to me...personally and professionally.

During the day I am a media specialist and I teach computers to K-6th grades and run the library.

At night I turn into "The Original Gadget Girl" and burn the midnight oil while writing articles, lessons and activities to help teachers and students around the globe. (I don't watch TV...the key to time management for me!)

I see teachers all around me overwhelmed by the demands of testing, test prep, and curriculum.
There just doesn't ever seem to be enough time in the day for everything you want to do.

Going to conferences and learning new ideas is great, but then you have to learn it, figure out
how to make it work in your classroom, and then design lessons and rubrics to use. This is where I think I can help. I've taught preschool through adult education classes. I've taught Master's level education classes, and spent time as a technology trainer for teachers. What if I just give you some activities that are quality and ready to use with your students?

This is my main goal: Help you use technology with your students with ease and pleasure while eliminating your stress and saving you time!

And on a final note, I just had to share my wacky "gadget girl" gizmo for the day.....in my 1927 house I am lacking a fireplace. Someday I dream of living in a house with more than one bathroom....a house with closets (didn't they wear more than one outfit back in the 1920s?)....and a house with a fireplace... So, at Walgreens, Hannah and I found a DVD that
turns your big screen TV into a crackling fire! Finally, I've found the fireplace I've always wanted along with a use for the TV that I never watch!

Thank you so much for your support,
I'll talk to you again soon....
Kathy Cothran
"The Original Gadget Girl"

Thanksgiving: Fact Or Myth? Teaching Children to Investigate the Story Behind Thanksgiving

2008-11-06T22:27:00.001-05:00

Is what we celebrate in America today based on fact or myth? Did the pilgrims and the Native Americans really have a peaceful relationship that lead to a beautiful sharing feast? What primary documents exist to document the historical event?

Dispelling the myths and finding out what historians have to say on this topic is one of my favorite lessons of the Thanksgiving season. I share a comprehensive website that helps illustrate and teach the history behind the holiday.

Even the opening of the website can be dramatic and I add drama by reading it in a voice that gets the attention of the students. Then we imagine our trip in the time machine back to 1621.

Within the website, you can first sort pictures based on myth and fact. Next, view the only primary document about the Harvest Celebration of 1621 written by Edward Winslow. The historians help you to understand what is written and help you and your students draw conclusions.

Another segment of the website allows you to delve deeper into the lives of the English Colonists and the Wampanoag People.

Extremely interesting is examining the time line leading up to the 1621 Harvest Celebration and the opposing points of view. Most students (and adults) have never heard these specific pieces of information or facts from history. Seeing the story from both points of view is integral to the learning of the truths behind the holiday that we celebrate today.

The website does provide a teacher’s guide. The ages of your students will dictate how much of the site you will share together. It usually takes me almost a complete hour to share the whole site with upper elementary students. With lower elementary children I pick and choose what aspects I want to address and shorten the lesson.

Concluding the lesson I focus on what we believed to be true when we started and some key differences we learned and then how we can share these with our family members as we gather around our own feasts to give thanks. One key point I try to make sure everyone learns is that a "Day of Thanksgiving" for the colonists meant a very long day in church. What they were engaging in was actually a Harvest Celebration and how these two ideas merge for us as people who have much to be thankful for and really don’t worry too much about the harvest to sustain us through the winter.

Visit http://plimoth.org/education/olc/ to experience this website for yourself and to share with your students.

Download a free resource packet that includes this activity along with more Thanksgiving Ideas and Activities at http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

Giving Thanks: a Tricky Thanksgiving Activity That Makes Kids Think & Truly Be Grateful

2008-11-06T07:36:00.002-05:00

Can we really be thankful for doing dishes and laundry? Can we be thankful for cleaning up after our pets out in the yard?

Having students reflect upon aspects of their lives to be thankful is a common activity. Kids tend to just think of an idea and jot it down without really thinking about what it really means. In this activity students are required to think of aspects of their lives that they wouldn’t normally see as something to be thankful for, and put a positive spin on the event.

For instance, “I am thankful for doing dishes because it means my family has food to eat” or “I am thankful for cleaning up after my pet in the backyard because it means that I have a furry companion that always loves me.” “I am thankful for cleaning my room because it means that my family has a house to live in.”

In order for students to follow the pattern of the book I write “I am thankful for _____________ because it means ____________.” on the board. Some years I have even had to write under the first line, “something I dislike” to remind the students.

I have done this project in a couple different ways.
One is to use a wordprocessing software to type the words in a large font at the bottom of the page. I have the students change the page set up to landscape. After printing the students use multiple media to design the illustration from construction paper to marker, crayon, and paint. Or, using construction paper as the background, students can cut out their words and glue them to the background.

Two, students can design an entire page in a drawing program such as KidPix and add words to the bottom of the page.

Three, capture the pages electronically (either by scanning or holding in front of a camera) and put them into a slideshow, add audio of each child sharing their statement, and then publish as a podcast.

This concept of choosing something you hate to be thankful for and adding what it means seems to be difficult for children under fourth grade.

If you would like to attempt this activity with younger students, you may have more success if you compile a whole list of brainstorming ideas for the first section of the statement (for what they dislike) and then they have to choose one of those. Then they might be able to figure out the second half. If they don't nail the first half they go way off course! You will definitely see who has higher level thinking skills emerging!

Overall, this activity gets students thinking about the aspects of their life that they most complain about and putting those into a positive light. I often remind them that there are people all over the world who would be grateful for having a bed to make, a house to clean, and food to clear off of the table.

Download a free resource packet that includes samples of this activity along with more Thanksgiving Ideas and Activities at http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

Thanksgiving

2008-11-05T18:22:00.001-05:00

Have you had time to take a breath yet? It sure has been a busy school year so far....and it just doesn't seem to be slowing down! Last week I shared some Veterans Day ideas with you. Have you had a chance to download those yet? My students have written the letters and I'm mailing them to the Veterans homes in Michigan. Some of the thoughts from the students were so much fun to read!

So, the next thing on our agenda is Thanksgiving! It will be here before we know it!

So, just in case you haven't had the chance to devise some outstanding lessons and find some excellent books, I've put together some ideas and activities for you.

In case you'd like a quick introductory video, you can see it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15_LWMYETlY

Hannah (my 8-year-old daughter and videographer....) and I had fun outside this evening making this video...It isn't great...but we only used my still-shot digital camera to record! (Another easy option for your students to make videos.)

You can download the Thanksgiving Ideas and Activities at:
http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

Real Life Heroes

2008-11-03T20:26:00.002-05:00

Real Life Heroes

An essay written by an assistant principal in Ohio.
By J. Bradley:

"Where are the heroes of today?" a radio talk show host thundered.

He blames society's shortcomings on education. Too many people are looking for heroes in all the wrong places. Movie stars and rock musicians, athletes, and models aren't heroes; they're celebrities.

Heroes abound in public schools, a fact that doesn't make the news. There is no precedent for the level of violence, drugs, broken homes, child abuse, and crime in today's America. Education didn't create these
problems but deals with them every day.

You want heroes?

Consider Dave Sanders, the schoolteacher shot to death while trying to shield his students from two youths on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Sanders gave his life, along with 12
students, and other less heralded heroes survived the Colorado blood bath.

You want heroes?

Jane Smith, a Fayetteville, NC teacher, was moved by the plight of one of her students, a boy dying for want of a kidney transplant. So this woman told the family of a 14-year-old boy that she would give him one of her
kidneys. And she did. When they appeared together hugging on the Today Show, Katie Couric was near tears.

You want heroes?

Doris Dillon dreamed all her life of being a teacher. She not only made it, she was one of those wondrous teachers who could bring the best out of every single child. One of her fellow teachers in San Jose, Calif., said,
"She could teach a rock to read."

Suddenly she was stricken with Lou Gehrig's Disease which is always fatal,usually within five years. She asked to stay on job ... and did. When her voice was affected, she communicated by computer.

Did she go home? Absolutely not! She is running two elementary school libraries! When the disease was diagnosed, she wrote the staff and all the families that she had one last lesson to teach .... that dying is part of living. Her colleagues named her Teacher of the Year.

You want heroes?

Bob House, a teacher in Georgia, tried out for "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?". After he won the million dollars, a network film crew wanted to follow up to see how it had impacted his life. New cars? Big new house? Instead, they found both Bob House and his wife still teaching. They explained that it was what they had always wanted to do with their lives and that would not change. The community was both stunned and grateful.

You want heroes?

Last year the average school teacher spent $468 of their own money for student necessities ... workbooks, pencils .. supplies kids had to have but could not afford. That's a lot of money from the pockets of the most poorly paid teachers in the industrial world.

Schools don't teach values? The critics are dead wrong.

Public education provides more Sunday School teachers than any other profession.

The average teacher works more hours in nine months than the average 40-hour employee does in a year.

You want heroes?

For millions of kids, the hug they get from a teacher is the only hug they will get that day because the nation is living through the worst parenting in history.

An Argyle, Texas kindergarten teacher hugs her little 5 and 6 year-olds so much that both the boys and the girls run up and hug her when they see her in the hall, at the football games, or in the malls years later.

A Michigan principal moved me to tears with the story of her attempt to rescue a badly abused little boy who doted on a stuffed animal on her desk... one that said "I love you!" He said he'd never been told that at home.
This is a constant in today's society .. two million unwanted, unloved, abused children in the public schools, the only institution that takes them all in.

You want heroes?

Visit any special education class and watch the miracle of personal interaction, a job so difficult that fellow teachers are awed by the dedication they witness. There is a sentence from an unnamed source which says: "We have been so eager to give our children what we didn't have that we have neglected to give them what we did have."

What is it that our kids really need?
What do they really want?

Math, science, history, and social studies are important, but children need love, confidence, encouragement, someone to talk to, someone to listen, standards to live by. Teachers provide upright examples, the faith and assurance of responsible people.

You want heroes?

Then go down to your local school and see our real live heroes - the ones changing lives for the better each and every day!

Now, pass this on to someone you know who's a teacher, or to someone who should thank a teacher today. I'd like to see this sent to all those who cut down the importance of teachers. They have no idea who a public school teacher is or what they do.

Veterans Day: Activities to Honor Veterans While Teaching Technology Skills in the Elementary School

2008-10-29T21:06:00.002-04:00

During the first quarter of the school year we get many opportunities to explore our patriotism by celebrating Constitution Day in September, exploring the election process in early November, followed quickly by observing Veterans Day.

The world rejoiced at the end of World War I and in 1938 the federal holiday of “Armistice Day” was created. In 1954 the holiday was renamed to “Veterans Day” so that all Veterans could be honored.

What types of activities can we do to help children appreciate the Veterans that have served? My goal is twofold: one, to honor the Veterans, and two, to build some technology skills into the process.

Some ideas for using technology to honor the Veterans include:

Visiting the websites for children created by the Veteran organizations.
Write letters, poems, and create cards for the Veterans and distribute at local Veteran hospitals and homes. These cards can be made in KidPix or any other drawing program. This might include a flag with a note written in the stripes, or word-processed letters with clipart, or computerized drawings of the people of the armed forces (especially well done by kindergarten, first and second grades!)
Create a class book of all the pictures created by the class, bind, and give to a local VA hospital or VA home.
Podcasting of recorded histories created by interviewing Veterans, either in school or out of school.
Podcast by students about why we are grateful for the armed forces.
Bring Veterans to school and honor them through songs, skits, and stories from the children.
Bring a Veteran to school to share with the students about the history and experiences of being a part of the armed forces.

Around the world this day is celebrated whether it is called Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day. The idea is to renew our commitment to world peace. The children of our world need to be taught and reminded that world peace is a goal worth achieving. In addition, our children need to take time to connect with adults, learn to listen, and appreciate what the people who have served our country have to teach all of us.

Technology Lessons at Home

2008-10-21T20:08:00.002-04:00

Tonight I am writing to share a technology learning activity that we have been going through here at home. My oldest daughter, Kate, is 10. She would be quite happy if she never did another worksheet in her life and I spend quite a bit of time trying to find something educational that interests her. One thing she loves to do is to make movies.

Just recently we added two hamsters into our household. (After ridding ourselves of 8 mice, I'm not sure how the girls managed to convince me to allow these hamsters into our family, except that they don't have tails.....)

The girls discovered that the hamsters love to burrow and sleep together inside of snuggly tunnels of material. Kate started making "hamster beds." With some encouragement from me, and the contagious entrepreneur spirit in our house, she's now proud to have launched her very own online business! Not only has she filmed, edited, and published her first infomercial but she also created a webpage!

Now she's ready to package and mail her product. All she needs are a couple customers! If you know of anyone who would like to try some snuggly hamster beds, share Kate's webpage:
http://hamsterbeds.com

Even if you aren't at all interested in hamster beds, take a moment to look at her site to see how a 10 year old can launch an idea with a webpage and an infomercial with very little cost. Her learning through experience is amazing. She's already planning her next few infomercials!

The bottom line of all of this lesson is that the global economy can come into the lives of children these days. They don't have to only learn economics through bake sales any longer!

Halloween Activities: Using Classroom Technology & Multiple Intelligences for Classroom Lesson Plans

2008-10-05T19:02:00.002-04:00

Halloween Learning Activities

2008-10-04T20:31:00.002-04:00

Shh....don't tell anyone, because I would never want to sound like a party pooper, but I do have to quietly admit to you that holiday parties have never been a favorite time in the classroom for me. I don't know, 30 kids wired up on excitement, sugar, and costumes...what am I missing?

So, with that in mind, I've always tried to sneak in learning activities that have the disguise of holiday celebrations! When I was a classroom teacher my holiday parties strongly resembled "center activities" where students moved from one activity to the next. Kids know how to do this normal classroom routine and this kept craziness to a minimum.

Here it is Saturday night and I am at home working and I just finished a great activity pack for you for Halloween. Download the free packet at http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

On the pages you download you will find activities that were created to have learning purposes while also celebrating the holiday. Many of them have ties to the Multiple Intelligences. (Thanks for sharing to Celeste Chapman and Cheryl Hyslop who wrote these years ago and I reformatted them!) As a sixth grade teacher I would put one of these activities on each table and our “Holiday Party” included visiting all of the various center activities along with a treat table.

I have also done many of these activities in the computer lab; especially the history lesson, the map drawing (using KidPix), and the epitaph creation (using KidPix). I’ve used laptops with groups to do the interpersonal story writing.
Finally, at the end of the packet you have the pages for students to run a quick and easy fundraiser.

Hopefully some of these pages will help you continue to make kids think and expand their minds while also celebrating the holiday season.

So, sneak in learning when you can under whatever disguise is required!
Download the free packet at http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

And now, enough work for tonight......

Halloween Learning Activities

2008-10-04T20:31:00.000-04:00

Thinking Outside the Box

2008-10-03T23:06:00.002-04:00

I was inspired by "The Dash" movie to see what else was on the Simple Truth website and I found this paper airplane movie. It really made me think about the
children that come to see me every day and whether I am inspiring them to think outside the box, or am I asking them to conform? And, if I am asking them to conform and do as I ask (or tell) them, how do I alter that thinking to inspire and celebrate creative thinking?

Something to think about....http://www.paperairplanemovie.com/

And yes, I do realize it is Friday night and I should be thinking of something else rather than kids and work....especially since my girls are gone for the weekend!

If you have any comments about this idea, feel free to comment below!

Technology Education: When Classroom Technology Needs Troubleshooting & You're Stressed Out!

2008-09-29T21:48:00.000-04:00

One of the most common gripes of teachers working to integrate technology into their classroom is that they find themselves troubleshooting technology more than instructing.

I would be reporting from some alien nation if I didn't acknowledge and agree with you that working with technology will bring some technical issues. Add into that equation the variable of children!

The first step in dealing with this problem is accepting this so that when it happens it doesn't cause you any anxiety or stress.

One way to combat some of the stress is to always encourage students to save often for "when" the computer malfunctions, not "if" it will happen.

I also have a string of comments available for problem times:

"Bummer."

"Man, I hate when that happens!"

"Why don't you try another computer?"

"I sure hope you saved recently."

"I bet next time you'll save!"

Another way to deal with the technical issues is to use your students as the experts. As you troubleshoot an issue with a student, talk out loud and explain what you are doing. Then when the issue arises again, send that child to help the other. Remembering that the students of today have always had technology and technological issues as a part of their life, they are very understanding and patient....more than we are as adults!

By using these couple strategies you may find that you feel less stressed as you acknowledge that technological issues are just a fact of life when you use multiple computers with a class of children.

Would you like other tips for using technology in your classroom? Sign up for weekly tips at http://turningtoysintotools.com

Teaching Seasons With Technology in Early Childhood Classrooms: Integrating Science and Technology

2008-09-27T15:22:00.000-04:00

A Michigan radio commercial announces that the "Greatest Show on Earth" happens every fall. I ask children to identify this show. You don't need a ticket. It happens outside. You can probably see part of the show from your bedroom window. There's no age limit. This show is enjoyed by people of all ages.

Reinforcing the concept of seasons is often found in the autumn months of early childhood classrooms.

Using a drawing program such as KidPix, children can show their understanding of seasons while improving their concentration, dexterity with the mouse and knowledge of drawing tools.

We begin with the line tool to cut the screen into quadrants. Then with the alphabet stamper we put one season name into each quarter. With the "wacky paintbrush" bare branch trees can be added to each section. Finally, using the spray can in the "wacky paintbrush" tools we can add the proper leaves to each section. Lots of colors for the autumn trees. No leaves for winter. Bright green leaves for the new emerging leaves of spring along with some pink for all the flowering trees, and then full green for the summer.

I encourage writing the names of the seasons in a location where children can see them from their computer work stations.

With first graders, each season can be elaborated upon with the background, by adding some seasonal stamps and some common weather.

While this project can be difficult for kindergarten students at the very beginning of the year I often begin the week prior by just making a collection of fall trees all over the screen and spray painting them with the proper fall leaf colors. This helps the students be able to easily create the trees when having to segment them for each season.

After printing in color, I staple each paper to construction paper to emphasize how important our work on the computer has been. Regularly I hear from parents who hang the matted work on the refrigerator and around the house. As this becomes the practice, I see children putting in extra effort in order to have a work of art to proudly take home with them.

Visit http://kindergartentechnologyideas.com/ for examples of this project and many more.

Kathy Cothran is an elementary media specialist committed to helping teachers turn toys into learning tools. Her vast teaching experience ranges from preschool through Master's level education classes.

Connection Between Podcasting and Reading Fluency: Teaching With Technology, Podcasts, & Reading

2008-09-27T15:20:00.001-04:00

It doesn't sound earth shattering that the more that children read aloud, the more fluently they will read. That is pretty basic. But the question is, "How can we motivate students to practice reading aloud?"

In the "olden" days teacher would give students a tape recorder and have children read into it. In today's technology age there is a whole new dimension and reason for improving reading fluency. The trick is to activate student enthusiasm for a project! Creating audio tracks to be shared with the world as a podcast is an excellent motivator. Not that improving reading fluency for the teacher isn't motivation enough for students, but by making the audience world wide highly changes student drive and performance.

Any piece of writing can become a podcast. It doesn't have to be long. Quite simply, the writing may only be a few sentences. In this case, all of the children, or a group of students may be responding to something in common. The response might be to book, to an informational topic, or just a creative response to a question. Have the child write it, practice it, and then record it. This can be through a computer and microphone or through a voice recorder and then uploaded to a computer.

A longer, more involved piece of work might include an interview between a narrator and a historical figure, a complete written piece, or interpretation of a concept.

Whatever the length, students will practice, record, listen, practice, record again until the piece is error free for the world to hear. And this practicing is actually a practice in reading fluency which can happen without students even knowing that is one of your biggest goals in the project!

The more projects and compilations of student voices and responses that your class creates, the more savvy your students will become in their podcasting skills. To make this especially easy, choose a couple students to become your podcasting experts who can help teach the other students. Before long your class will be creating podcasts and audio tracks effortlessly and you will notice that the reading fluency of your students improves greatly. The other advantage you will find is that students will be asking for more projects of this nature! Amazing learning happens when students ask for more....I've never had a student come up and ask me for another worksheet to complete!

Inspire your students to become fluent readers by using this tool to share with the world.

Visit http://ipodsatschool.com/ to hear some podcasts by children and download a free sampler.

Columbus Day: Easy Technology Ideas for a Hallway Display and for Podcasting with Reader’s Theater

2008-09-17T23:53:00.001-04:00

As mid-October approaches there are teachers all over looking for some new and interesting manner of presenting the story of Christopher Columbus. How many times can you read the same book?

How about engaging your students and exciting them by creating a podcast that can be posted online for the world (or at least their parents and grandparents) to listen?

Simply choose a reader's theater script that you like. There are many available online for free.

Practice, practice, and then practice some more.

When you are ready to record there are a few methods:
1. Hook a microphone directly to the computer and record. The two most common applications for recording are GarageBand and Audacity.
2. Attach a voice recorder to your iPod and record. Griffin makes a nice one. (Be sure to set the quality to the best for recording so that the voices import correctly. If you end up with chipmunk voices in GarageBand you'll have to burn a CD with the audio tracks and then import.)
3. Use an actual voice recorder that then hooks to your computer.

After getting the best recordings, import the tracks, edit if necessary, and compile into a single track.

Post online for everyone to hear!

When kids know that their voices will be heard from anywhere in the world they have a real purpose for improving their reading fluency.

Another idea for celebrating Columbus Day is to build the three big ships on the hallway wall. Take each child's photograph. Using only the face, have each student create one of the people sailing with Columbus on the journey. The person should be dressed for the proper time era and/or position on the boat. Hang them all up on the ships! A slogan might be: Cruisin' With Columbus.

Make these Columbus Day lessons some that your children will always remember!

Teaching Latitude and Longitude to Elementary Students Using Technology

2008-09-17T19:24:00.001-04:00

Teaching children about latitude and longitude is challenging at best. Asking children to visualize imaginary and invisible lines that only seem to exist on a map is beyond many young minds.

When I came across the Confluence Project web site I was ecstatic! Now this was something that younger children could relate to and understand!

Alex Jarrett started the Confluence Project in 1996. He became interested in the unique spots on earth where the integer degrees of latitude and longitude intersect. What would be at each unique spot?

I begin my one-hour lesson with the globe. We look at it. Practice saying longitude and latitude while trying to remember which is which. I give a tip that the “flat” lines rhyme with latitude....flatitude, latitude. The long, up and down lines, begin with the word “long.” I find that even fourth and fifth graders need review on these terms.

Next we discuss the uses of latitude and longitude in regards to finding locations and absolute location.

At this point I like to talk about the various gps devices that are commonly found in households today including the navigation systems in cars and hand-held GPS units.

Next I share some background information about the fun adventure of geo-caching which is a treasure hunt all over the world using given latitude and longitude. Often I find one child who has heard of this before.

Finally, I discuss the Confluence project. We talk about the term confluence. Most often the term is used to define the meeting place between two rivers or two sections within one river. In the case of the Confluence latitude and longitude project, it is where the whole number latitude and longitude lines meet.

My first lesson on this topic usually focuses on our own state so I give a handout with the web address and the confluences of Michigan with the direction to check out each location. I first show a couple of the locations and share the neat stories that are shared in finding the confluences. And, of course, we find the one closest to our home.

Send your students out to actually “see” where latitude and longitude meet. This makes those invisible lines have meaning! As I’ve done this lesson over and over during the past I find the adults and parents walking by even more intrigued by the Confluence Project and the idea of being able to see each meeting place.

Visit http://www.confluence.org

Just before sending the students off at the end of class I remind them to share this idea at the dinner table when Mom and Dad ask what they learned in school today! Bet they can stump their parents by mentioning “Confluence” and kids love doing that!

Vocabulary Podcasts

2008-09-14T21:24:00.001-04:00

Wouldn't podcasting bring new enthusiasm to vocabulary lessons?

Let's see if we can't reinforce required vocabulary in a fun, engaging manner.

The idea is based on Sesame Street's podcast "What's the Word on the Street" which you can view here: http://www.sesamestreet.org/podcasts/

To do this with a class, assign 1-3 words per child.
Have students find the definition, write a descriptive sentence, and find the pronunciation, and use the word in context.
Next the student finds an image from either the real world, internet, draw one, or photograph it.

Finally the student uses Garage Band (or some alternative) to create a podcast.
Then share with the class and the world!

Need More Technology in Your Classroom?

2008-09-12T19:13:00.002-04:00

I was excited when I came across this resource and just had to share with you!

Ok....it is Friday night after the first full week of school (at least for us here in Michigan.) I'll admit to being wiped out! Yet, I was listening to a podcast earlier and thought of you.

Did you know you can make a wish for technology and then corporations or private sources can grant your wishes?

The name of the group is Digital Wish. They recognize the fact that as technology infiltrates every aspect of our lives, the funding for technology isn't keeping up to speed. Hence, many educators are sitting in classrooms or media centers with excellent ideas, the desire to implement, and no technology to support their needs.

I've made my wishlist. Now I have to spread the word to my community that we have specific wishes on this site. I have put a link on my school website. Multiple teachers from a school can register too!

I'm always teaching my own daughters that dreams can come true. And when it comes to the technology needs at my own school, we need a few wishes to come true!

What do you have to lose? Nothing.
What do you have to gain? Possibly some new gadgets for your classroom!

Create a profile, add some items to your wish list, and let the people behind the scenes at this website find some donors to help make your technology dreams comes true!

When you visit the site, if you search for me, you can see what types of items I put on my wish list!

Reinforcing Word Processing Skills While Focussing on Constitution Week

2008-09-10T21:08:00.000-04:00

By the time children reach third through fifth grade, word processing becomes an imperative skill.

While it isn’t all that much fun to teach or practice, without formal instruction on some key elements you will find students pushing the space bar to attempt to find the center. You’ll also find students forgetting to put a space after a comma or period. In addition, many kids will push the return button at the end of each line.

In regards to formatting text, I have a couple rules that I enforce with my students. First, the font must be one that uses upper and lower case letters. Second, the font must be easy to read for the average person.

Another interesting item to note is that there should only be one space after a period. In the olden days of typewriters, two spaces was standard. Now the rule is to only use one space as the letters are of proporational width. I have found many adults aren’t aware of this shift in standard typing practices as we grew up learning on typewriters!

A fun way to teach, practice, and reinforce word processing skills is to use the Preamble of the Constitution. After a lesson about the Preamble (which could include a book called “We the Kids” by David Catrow or the Schoolhouse Rock video about the Preamble) I give instruction for creating a one-page poster. Instruction includes how to center, change the font, size and color of the text, spell check, and add clip art. Next I give each child a typed copy of the Preamble.

Students work individually to create their one-page poster of the Preamble. After deciding that all of the elements are arranged on the page in an appealing manner the document is printed in color. Staple these to red or blue construction paper and you have an excellent bulletin board to aid in the celebration of Constitution Week!

And Now....The Rest of the Story

2008-09-10T20:57:00.000-04:00

And now.....the rest of the story.....

the mouse story that is.....

It is only fitting that "The Original Gadget Girl" would have some gadget related ending to the mouse story...

So, you know I had a critter visit me a while back.

I set the girly traps...

It appeared that nothing happened.

One of the traps did have the little red indicator move from the set mark, but not quite to the "mouse caught" section. So, after figuring out what to do, I picked up the trap a few days ago and shook it. I figured that if a mouse was in there, I'd hear it slide around as I moved the trap.

Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada.....

So, I set it back down in its spot by my computer on the floor.

Yesterday I was instant messaging with my friend and I mentioned that there seemed to be a funky smell around my computer area.

I removed the kids' shoes from the area (a likely suspect....)

Tonight, after spending 4 hours at a school fundraiser at Chuck E Cheese.....(yes, at least three hours longer than I would have liked...) I come home, check my email, and decide that the funky smell from yesterday is even worse tonight.

I convince myself, and my 10 year old, Kate, that the funky smell must be the peanut butter I had to use to bait the trap.

With Kate sitting next to me, I decide to throw away the trap. People told me these kind don't work anyway. I reach down, pick up the trap, flip it around, and just as it is over my computer keyboard, black liquidy gunk starts running all over my keyboard and coats my new pair of pants! This is the most horrific stench I've ever smelled!

I'm pretty positive that I've caught the mouse and now have decomposed mouse guts inside my computer keyboard!

I've disinfected the keyboard (even spraying lysol onto it) and now we have the beautiful scent of incense filling our dining room, and as I read this to Kate, she is making barfing noises and my new pants are in the washer!

What Am I Reading Now?

2008-09-03T20:12:00.002-04:00

Before I begin telling you about my newest additions to "My Nightstand" I want to give you just a moment of reflection and update: The stinkin' mouse is taunting me by attacking my nightstand! EWWWWW! He's made it upstairs (which I convinced my daughters he couldn't do.....and he's chewed up one of those neck relaxers that you microwave and hang around your neck to relax those muscles....Just to know he likes hangin' out next to my bed is yucky! So many of you gave me your stories and input on how to end my battle with the mouse that now I have a full array of weapons working for me (except for the snap trap....sorry Matt, can't bring myself to have to pick up the thing.....yet.)

Anyway, in the last month I've read a couple great books. One of them, "The Shack" I've actually purchased at least 6 copies as I keep giving it away.

If you've ever wondered about some of the big questions of religion and life, then this book is for you. If you've ever wondered how good and evil can be seen in the eyes of God, then you might like this. I'm not here to tell you what to believe or think, but when a book really makes me think, then I need to pass that on to my friends.

"The Shack" is written by William P. Young and you can link to it from my "What Am I Reading" pages on my website: http://originalgadgetgirl.com

I've shared this book with my family and friends and watched my sister and brother-in-law both try to read the same book over this past weekend!

The other book is "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks. None of us ever want to make this choice and all of us would struggle. I'd like to be able to someday have a relationship like the one in this book.

So, while the world is filled with so many other things to eat away at our time, I hope you find a few minutes to refresh yourself with some quality reading.

I highly recommend both of these books and you can find a link to them at:
http://originalgadgetgirl.com

Books on SALE!

2008-09-03T17:37:00.001-04:00

School is back in session and you see all of those faces looking at you, ready to learn, and expecting you to make it fun for them.....does that sound familiar? Each day the children show up to see what type of entertainment you can perform to catch their attention and trick them into learning?
In honor of those "eager to learn" faces and all of the new clothes, shoes, backpacks, and lunch boxes I have decided to help you create some learning experiences that seem like fun while meeting your learning standards. All you have to do is copy the pages that meet your needs and give them to the students. These activities are ready to use without tons of prep work.

I am offering you 25% off of all the ebooks and electronic lesson plans that are available on my sites!

Simply click on the ebooks that you'd like, and then use the coupon code BACKTOSCHOOL when you check out! It is that easy.

Your students will thank you and will continue to show up with increased enthusiasm and you won't have to search high and low and work late into the night to design another lesson!

Go to http://turningtoysintotools.com and http://www.technologylessonsforteachers.com and remember to enter the coupon code BACKTOSCHOOL when you check out! The sale is only happening from today until Saturday...so act fast!

Mouse Hunting....

2008-08-27T22:13:00.002-04:00

Tonight I thought I'd share a quick, funny tale with you. I'm betting that since the subject line said "Mouse Hunting" and I am "The Original Gadget Girl" you probably assumed I'd be talking about the kind of mouse that attaches to your computer, right?

Well, this Gadget Girl learned about some new gadgets just the other night. Mouse traps! For those of you who know me, you know I've been a single mom for six years now. I have handled just about anything you can imagine! You might assume that during those six years I would have been bound to run into a little furry friend visiting my house....but I truly haven't....unless I don't know about them and that idea creeps me out....

So, the other night I hear a little rattle by a bag sitting by my computer (which I spend a bit of time by if you can't tell!) but I wrote it off to the crinkly bag readjusting itself....

Then the next night I hear a bit more, pick up the bag, and EWWWWWWW! There was that little critter staring back up at me. I stared at him, he stared and me....and I'm not a whimpy girl....but I do admit to a little screech...and stomping my feet for just a moment while saying "EWWWW".....and then I looked around, grabbed the beach towel on the dining room chair and captured him....or so I thought.....

Can you believe that sneaky critter got away while I was trying to figure out how to possibly get him out of the house?

Next stop....the hardware store for mouse traps.

(This is where the Gadget connection comes in to the story...)

Did you know there are now nifty traps that the mouse goes into, you can't see him, and it simply changes the color on the outside of the trap telling you that you've captured the invader? I didn't either! I picked up 6 or 8 of them, just in case this fella wasn't cruising my house alone....

I read the directions. I set the traps.

I waited.

And waited....

I've checked every morning (with a flashlight to see the red indicator) and every evening...

And nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch...Zero.

Do you believe that my friend asked me if I had "imagined" the critter? The gall....

So anyway, The Original Gadget Girl has learned to set the "girly" kind of trap.

Another gadget advancement!

Wait until I share about how the Gadget Girl takes on the voice activated system in my Ford
Fusion! I'll have to save that tale for another day for you....

Using Digital Cameras to Reinforce the Learning of Concepts Through Scavenger Hunts

2008-08-26T21:42:00.001-04:00

Sending children out with digital cameras to find specific examples of a concept is an excellent way for the children to demonstrate understanding of a concept.

You might consider sending children out to photograph objects that are living and nonliving. Be sure to give the students a paper for keeping track of what they've photographed. When they are all finished, upload the photos to the computer. Either print the photos and let each pair of students write an explanation for each photo, or just show them on a large screen and let each child or pair of students explain to the class how their photo illustrates living or non living.

You might also specify geometry concepts you want your students to find. For younger students they may be looking for particular shapes such as circles, squares, rectangles and triangles. Older students will be looking for geometric concepts such as intersecting lines, parallel lines, specific types of triangles, tessellations, congruent and similar shapes, etc. All of these items can be found around the school and schoolyard. Once the photos are taken, you may want the children to create a mini book with a photo and explanation of each geometric concept. Or maybe you'd like to create a class collage and so you would put the titles of the types of geometric concepts on a bulletin board and children sort and hang their photograph in the proper location.

Another scavenger hunt idea is to have each child choose a letter from the alphabet (or a number) and then search around school or home for an object that begins with that letter or illustrates that number. Take a picture of the object(s). As an addition, or a getting to know you idea, include the child in the photo so when it is labeled the child's name is included! Compile into a class book that can take turns going home with the students.

The same type of scavenger hunt can be done for colors and shapes and compiled into a collage of your choice (whether electronic or paper.)

Try a digital scavenger hunt for rhyming words. Put the two objects together and take one photograph, or take a photograph of each object and put the photos side by side. Be sure to add the words!

If you need more cameras for your class to use, try asking parents to donate their old cameras. People are updating and getting new cameras much more often these days. Just be sure to ask for them to donate the cord along with the camera!

All of these activities are ways to engage children in their learning by using technology in a way that gets their attention and creates learners that are eager to start each school day.

Would you like some free sample activities for using cameras in the classroom? Visit http://teachingwithcameras.com and download your free sampler.

Digital Camera Lessons: Using Cameras to Teach the Alphabet in Early Childhood

2008-08-25T18:18:00.002-04:00

Teaching and learning the alphabet is a huge part of early childhood. Only after beginning to make sense of the letters and their sounds can a child begin to understand the world of print.

Cameras can help cement the understanding of the letters in many ways. In addition, children become enthusiastic about learning when they get to hold and use the cameras.

The most common way to teach the alphabet with cameras is to find objects that begin with each letter and compile either a class book, individual book, or bulletin board. We would see a photo of an apple, an acorn, and Ashley for the letter A. Some letters will be tricky unless you have an x-ray or xylophone hanging around! One method would be to make a page for each letter of the alphabet and then give each child a page to work on at home. Or, go on a scavenger hunt as a class and take turns taking pictures of the objects you find along the way. (Note: it is best to have the entire alphabet written down on a piece of paper, and then write down which object is for each letter. That will also help you keep track of what letters you still need to find objects to represent.)

Another more abstract way to illustrate the alphabet is to look for the shape of the letters. For instance, the wheel or steering wheel would be the letter O. An edge of a cement block or a hockey stick could make the letter L. The criss cross of a wicker chair back would show the letter x. Two fence slats with the parallel support bar in the middle could be the letter H.

The Living Alphabet is a way to involve everyone in the class. Break the class into groups of 4 or 5 children. Assign a letter to each group. Have the children lay down on the floor to make the capital letter. Take a photo. Have that group also write a tongue twister for the letter (for the more advanced.) It is best to keep a list of the complete alphabet and check off each letter as you photograph it so you know which letters are left to assign to the groups as they finish. Create an alphabet book with your printed out photographs!

When moving into ending sounds, you could photograph objects that end in each letter. Again, there are a couple letters that could prove challenging.

Taking pictures is an exciting activity for children. You may want to require that the neck or wrist strap is always worn in order to keep the camera safer. You will see children engaged in learning when you introduce these types of learning activities.

Visit http://teachingwithcameras.com to download a free sampler of Digital Cameras in the Classroom activities that are ready for you to use in your classroom tomorrow.

Body For Life Champion!!!!

2008-08-23T12:38:00.001-04:00

Today I am writing with just a bit of personal news that I wanted to share with you.

I am so excited to announce that I have been selected as a "Body for Life" Champion by Bill Phillips!!!

Bill spoke at a conference I attended last February, MegaBooks. He offered the challenge to the audience. Do the 12-week physical challenge and write a book (not an essay) about the transformations. This includes before and after photos (which is the scariest part, I think!)

I did this. I submitted my book. I was selected as one of the winners!
Now Bill Phillips will publish my book.

The bigger prize is my overall improved health, fitness, and body shape!

Back to School Ideas for Using Your Digital Camera

2008-08-22T14:32:00.000-04:00

School’s back in session. In most elementary classrooms around the country you find teachers taking digital photos of their students on the first day.

What can you do with those pictures? Do you need some new, fresh ideas?

Here are some ideas:

*Create a bulletin board with the individual photos and then continue to build a collage of the learning that happens inside your classroom. This could be a yearlong project!

*Take a photo on the first day of every month of each child to show how he changes throughout the year.

*Put the photos together into a slideshow to be used during Open House/Curriculum Night.

*Have each child fold a piece of construction paper in half like a greeting card and put their photo on the back. Describe themselves inside, and decorate the cover. If you keep them secret while working on them, the teacher could pull one out, share with the class, and have the class guess which classmate it is about. A great way for getting to know each other!

*Make trading cards with the photo and key information on the front, and interests on the back.

*Make a “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Who do you See?” book with the classmates. “Sarah, Sarah, Who do you See?” Students take turns taking the book home so families become familiar with their child’s class.

*Create picture schedules for the class to follow. Photograph locations in the building and classroom.

*Have students bring in photos from around home and memorable times with family and friends to keep in the writing folder to eliminate the “I don’t know what to write about” complaint.

*When discussing class rules, take pictures of what correct behavior looks like in order to reinforce the rule. This could also be a school-wide display of proper etiquette in the lunchroom, playground, library, hallway, etc.

*Do your students work in teams or table groups? Instead of just hanging up a group name, have the group pose in interesting manners and use that as the group label.

*Put a different child’s picture in the newsletter each week and write an article about him.

These are just a few ways to start the school year with your digital camera. The camera can play such an instrumental role in your classroom.

How Fast Are You?

2008-08-22T12:34:00.000-04:00

How fast can you type?

In this digital world it certainly has become very important.
Can't keep up with your friends on instant messenger?

I just came across this excellent typing practice game....
http://play.typeracer.com/

I thought I was a fast typer....but not so much after I competed in a few of these races! The top typing scores are double my words per minute score!

Anyway, try it out.
http://play.typeracer.com/

If you have students....I bet this would be a fun way to practice typing.

Need New Technology?

2008-08-20T22:04:00.001-04:00

Many of you may have the same issue I do around school.....the computers and technology are old. And I mean REALLY old, not just a little old.

Tonight I was reminded of a way to bring some new technology into your classrooms and schools. Grant writing isn't always easy, but the Best Buy Te@ch awards aren't too bad to write. I've been awarded one in the past.

Here's the catch though: the project you want to support with technology must already be in place and running for at least one year. (Also, it is only open to schools in the US and Puerto Rico)

More details can be found at:
http://www.bestbuyinc.com/community_relations/teach_awards.htm

You may already have a great project started. I know this because by asking for digital camera ideas I'm now prepared to award 8 books as prizes for excellent submitted ideas! Any or all of these could be projects for the Best Buy Te@ch awards.

Look into this opportunity! The little bit of time it takes to write the application could pay off in thousands of dollars!

Photo Contest for K-12 Students

2008-08-20T12:22:00.001-04:00

I was reminded today of a photo contest for K-12 students and thought you'd want to know about it.

In fact, I looked into the details and I'll post them below. Then, I decided that the best way to share this contest with my students would be to make a handout. See, if a child from my school wins, our school could win some cameras too! That is my incentive for encouraging my students to enter (besides growing enthusiasm in kids for photography.)

And then, since I made myself the handout, I figured maybe you'd like it too. Save you some time while encouraging kids to take pictures.

You can download the handout at: http://teachingwithcameras.com
(Yes, this is a new webpage...I haven't been keeping it a secret from you, but I had to make a new page to find a place to put these handouts but I figured I'll need the webpage later anyway when I finish the Cameras in the Classroom book.)

By the way, after asking for your favorite digital camera ideas, I now have five people who will be receiving the new book as a prize for submitting good ideas! If you didn't get a chance to send me your idea, I am still writing....send it in!

OK...power up those cameras!
You can download the handout at: http://teachingwithcameras.com
Kathy Cothran
"The Original Gadget Girl"

First Steps to Learning to Podcast With Your Students: Teaching With Technology

2008-08-19T16:41:00.002-04:00

You've heard your students talk about the various podcasts they are downloading to their ipods, but you are wondering what it is and how it can apply to your classroom.

A podcast is a digital media file that is distributed over the internet. The word podcast comes from the two words "iPod" and "broadcast." A podcast is different from other digital media formats by its ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically when new content is added. The easiest way to understand a podcast is to think of a radio show that you like to listen to often. Instead of having to tune in at a specific time you are able to download it to your iPod and listen at your convenience. By subscribing to the show you don't have to remember to go and look for the newest shows, your computer will automatically bring all of the new shows to your computer and then to your iPod.

Podcasts began as just audio files. Now you can find podcasts that are just audio or audio, video, and combinations of media.

The easiest way to begin podcasting is to choose one topic and ask each child in the class to respond to the topic and record their voice. A simple way to do this is to use an iPod and a voice recorder. A voice recorder plugs in to the iPod at the bottom where the dock cord connects. By using this setup the child can take the iPod to a quiet location. After each child records his contribution, bring each comment into an application such as Garage Band or Audacity. The pauses and repeated words can be edited out to save time and to make the listening more enjoyable.

The first podcast I ever made with a class was to ask kindergarteners to share everything the preschoolers would need to know for their upcoming move to kindergarten. One bit of advice is to build suspense with the children and encourage them to keep their ideas to themselves and to try to be different from what they think everyone else with say.

Before making your first podcast, take some time to search online and through iTunes to listen to various examples of what children around the world have shared. When you find something that matches what you teach in your classroom, try that idea with your students! Keep trying what others have successfully done to grow your repertoire of ideas and experience.

Some ideas to begin podcasting:

*Reading and recording writing pieces

*Give advice on various topics

*Ways children avoid doing homework

*Techniques for avoiding eating food you dislike

*Responses to a piece of literature

*Places in the world/country/state/city each child would like to visit and why

Once you've made a few podcasts you might want to consider some of these ideas

*Class newsletters given in an audio format with different groups responsible for different aspects of the class news

*Reporting of learned concepts about any subject of study

*Weird fact of the week

*Word of the week

*Internet safety tips

*An interesting aspect of the city or state that you live in

*Public service announcements

*Interviewing historical figures

*Literature responses

*Podcast school concerts

*Complete and Explain what clichés mean (such as "People in glass houses shouldn't.....or A stitch in time saves nine.")

Besides being great fun and an excellent way to show understanding of a concept, podcasting with your students will encourage them to read fluently when they know that their voice will be heard by the world.

Look at some podcasts made by elementary students at http://ipodsinschool.com/

The Best Night's Sleep Ever - No Pills Required

2008-08-19T11:39:00.001-04:00

If you're like most people with sleep problems, your
mind is simply overloaded with tension and strain by
the time your head hits the pillow.

You lie there trying to relax, yet you play the day's
events over and over in your mind. You dwell on money
problems. Kid problems. Marriage and relationship
problems. You can't shut off your brain and get to
sleep, no matter how hard you try ... and the frustration
mounts up.

But imagine if you could release the weight of the
world at bedtime. Automatically, too, so you don't even
give it a thought. And without taking a single pill,
either.

Well, that day is finally here...

And I don't want you to miss out.

Today, my friend Mike Brescia of Think Right Now
International has gathered together over 100 leading
authors and experts to show you breathtaking new ways
to ease your stress, calm your mind, enjoy greater
success - including the one, best way to get the
blissful night's sleep you deserve, night after night.

Go here now to find out what's going on:
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=804299

Mike and the research team at Think Right Now have
just released a remarkable new program called "Tranquil
Sleep Now." But this isn't just another self-help book
or tape. It's so important - life-changing, really --
that over 100 other health and self-improvement experts
are helping them spread the word.

You see, "Tranquil Sleep Now" does what no other sleep
aid in the world can do: It corrects the root causes of
your sleeplessness, instead of just knocking you out
with brain-altering substances like drugs and herbal
supplements do.

This program has only been out a few weeks, yet Mike
has already received testimonials from dozens of people
whose sleep problems disappeared the very first night.

That's right; lifetime insomnia gone -- just like that.

It's THAT powerful.

Go here to learn what the fuss is about -- and get
access to over 100 free bonus gifts:
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=804299

By the way, "Tranquil Sleep Now" is NOT hypnosis or
one of those "sounds of nature" tapes. Instead, it
combines two proven mental conditioning techniques in a
unique audio format that has a remarkable track record
for success.

It breaks the chains of troubled sleep naturally by
targeting and transforming the self-defeating thoughts,
feelings, and beliefs that loom in your mind when you
go to bed.

So if you're sick and tired of waking up feeling like
you've been through an ultimate fighting match,
"Tranquil Sleep Now" guarantees a full night's sleep
every night.

No drugs. No herbs. No time investment. No ongoing costs.

You'll love it.

This program is like an audio knockout pill that trains
your mind to shut down on command so that you can fall
asleep anytime you want anywhere you want without any
strain or effort.

Please take advantage of this now before this special
is over. Check it out here - and claim your 100 free
bonus gifts, too.

- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=804299

To the best night's sleep of your life every night,

Kathy Cothran

Teaching Children How to Search the Internet

2008-08-15T00:12:00.001-04:00

Have you ever looked over a child's shoulder while they search the internet? There is so much indiscriminate clicking going on! Whatever comes up first must be what they are looking to find. Add to that interesting graphics and advertisements it isn't long before where they've ended up isn't in any way related to what they were looking for to begin with!

When using the internet with younger children, particularly third grade and lower, it is in your best interest to have a predefined set of websites selected for the students to utilize. This will focus the work time and help the students become more productive since the issue of website credibility and random searching will be eliminated. Even with older students I often tell them that they must first use the online encyclopedia before venturing into the search engines.

When learning to gather key points of information from a website I often choose a topic being studied by that class, provide a website of high content that I have located, and then ask the students to find five key points of interest and jot them down on paper. The idea of "points of interest" is always worth exploring with a class as often children choose isolated facts that are not important in the big picture of learning or even remotely interesting. This teaches the skill of scanning a web page. Often students will begin to read every word of a web page and then give up after the first or second paragraph. Learning to scan a page is a skill worth teaching and practicing.

When citing sources, a common misunderstanding for students is that Google or any other search engine is the source. They cite that they found the information on Google. Helping students understand that Google is a method for finding information and not a source requires repetition. I find that students need to hear this over and over to fully understand the difference between a search engine and an actual web page source.

Trying to teach children to determine the credibility of a website is very difficult. I begin by explaining to students that anyone in the world can make a web page on any topic. I could make a website showing that the best tropical vacation would be to visit the North Pole in December. I could show tropical photos tied to a map of the North Pole. I could mix up photos from around the world and relate them all to a visit to the North Pole. There is an excellent website to show this point about taking a whale watching expedition in Lake Michigan. An excellent lesson is to send students to this website to gather key pieces of information. See how long it takes before one of your students questions the legitimacy of this site!

Teaching students to find information on the Internet is an important skill. The earlier we teach students how to find information by scanning pages will enhance the learning for all the research projects and activities throughout the school year.

Warning: Time is Running Out!

2008-08-14T22:22:00.002-04:00

Seems that the end of summer vacation is drawing near, much to my dismay.

Yet, that probably means that many of you are falling asleep and then waking up in the middle of the night wondering, "What am I going to do with my students to catch their attention this year?"

Will you need to create some new materials to reinforce standardized testing standards?

Do you need to create a theme for decorating your classroom?

Must you invent some new materials for "literacy work stations" or whatever your district calls the center activities you're students will rotate through?

I have an answer to some of these worries!
Why reinvent the wheel?
Why start from scratch?

You can easily harness the enthusiasm kids have for their toys and turn them into learning tools, with minimal work and planning on your part!

Yes, you read that right....minimal planning and work on your part! Caroline and I have done the work for you. We've created reproducible sheets that you can use without creating your own.

How about creating a "Webkinz Learning Log" in a duo-tang folder for each child? Then you can add the sheets that apply to your curriculum.

How many of your students would jump for joy seeing "One Webkinz pet" on their recommended supply list?

We've created enough activities to keep your students happily learning for weeks or months!

Check out the title of contents for the two books, "Using Webkinz in the Classroom" and "Hands-On Learning with Webkinz" at http://turningtoysintotools.com

These books can make your return to school so much easier.....so, if you want the paperback books before school starts, order now!! Time is running out before school starts! Order from Amazon by clicking http://turningtoysintotools.com

Developmentally Appropriate Practices: Teaching With Technology in Early Childhood

2008-08-14T22:18:00.001-04:00

When children come to school in kindergarten you will find they have a large range of computer skills. Some will have trouble just finding an available computer to work at, some will never have used a computer and some will be able to launch the internet and look for their favorite "dot com" web site!

Kindergarten is the perfect age for teaching children how to manipulate a mouse and enhance eye/hand coordination through drawing skills. In many instances students benefit from hearing a story and then extending the story by a response on the computer through drawing and typing a few words.

Beginning typing skills at this age simply include finding the letters, learning how to capitalize, and adding ending punctuation.

When thinking about having young children draw with the computer it is vitally important to keep developmentally appropriate practices in mind. For instance, if you want a child to draw a "hand turkey" on the screen then be sure that he has made one before by tracing around his hand and coloring it in. Gage their experiences with initial discussion. If there are children who appear to not have experienced this, then back up and make the concrete model. When asking a child to do this electronically, I find that the best way is to have him hold his non-dominant hand on the computer screen while using his other for drawing with the mouse.

Another developmentally appropriate practice includes practice. During the first interaction, give support and help the child and then when she returns for the next computer class or independent work time, then she can create the project without assistance. An example of this is in trying to draw overlapping circles to form a snowman. Show them how, hold their hands on the mouse while they try, and then let them try alone. By scaffolding the computer instruction in this manner children will find success. I often find that when giving free choice time when they've competed an assignment, the children will choose to retry a project we've done previously.

Some of my favorite projects with kindergarten include drawing characters from literature, their families, snowmen, penguins, and constellations. I often print the projects in color and staple to construction paper to make every piece seem special.

Visit http://kindergartentechnologyideas.com for specific technology ideas and samples of student work.

Webkinz Olympics

2008-08-07T21:11:00.004-04:00

With the Olympics starting really soon, my girls and I took the opportunity today to play Webkinz Olympics. These Olympic games are taken from the newest books, "Hands-On Learning with Webkinz" and "Volume 2 of My Webkinz Companion Guide."

We had a great time in the backyard today!

In order for you to share in some of our fun, we made a short video so you can easily imagine how much fun you could also have!

You should be able to see the movie below.

You can also view our movie a few different places and link to the books from there....
First, on my webpages:
http://teachingwithwebkinz.com
http://turningtoysintotools.com
http://playingwithwebkinz.com

And also on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA8sAushM_k

Questions?

2008-08-06T22:30:00.000-04:00

As I shared earlier about the launches of my new "Hands-On Learning with Webkinz" and Volume 2 of "My Webkinz Companion Guide" I have been writing and publishing articles on this topic. You can view these on my blog: http://originalgadgetgirl.blogspot.com/

At this point, I'd love to know if you have any particular technology or writing/publishing questions that I can address for you? Often I just write on whatever topic comes to mind, but I'd also like to answer any and all questions you might have on your mind (within reason of course!)

For instance, some of you have written and asked me about the logistics of selling ebooks online.
Others of you have wanted to know the online publishing process to get to paperback format on Amazon.
Many of you have sent me questions about particular technologies (some of which stump me!)
Yet others have questions about how to integrate the technology into lessons.
Some of you want to know what to do if all the computers at school are really old and worthless.
Others want to know how to teach students how to make decent presentations.
And still others want to know what we should be teaching students about presentations. What types of requirements.

So, what do you want to know?
I've been answering these questions on an individual basis but I realize that if someone is asking a question, then probably others have the same questions.

I will do my best to answer all questions and post answers on my blog for reference.

Let me know what is on your mind so I can help you along this journey....for which I am learning about every single day!

Kathy Cothran

Webkinz in the Classroom

2008-08-06T21:21:00.002-04:00

Are your students more interested in their toys and their life outside of school than they are with what you are teaching them?

Watch the faces of your students light up when they see that they can play with their favorite Webkinz pets and learn at the same time.

Your students will be eagerly awaiting the start of every school day when you harness the enthusiasm they have for their toys and turn those toys into learning tools.

This video was made by Kate, a 10 year old, to highlight the uses of Webkinz in school.

The ideas are taken from the book: "Using Webkinz in the Classroom" which is available at http://teachingwithwebkinz.com and http://turningtoysintotools.com

Volume 2 "My Webkinz Companion Guide"

2008-08-06T11:26:00.005-04:00

Today marks the launch of Volume 2 of "My Webkinz Companion Guide" on Amazon. This book has sold tons of copies as Volume 1 and Volume 2 is filled with twice as many activities! Over 85 pages of fun for kids to have by themselves, with their siblings, at a birthday party, sleepover, or just a fun gathering of neighborhood kids.

Order your book from Amazon today:
My Webkinz Companion Guide: Volume 2

There are even Webkinz Bingo cards to tear out of the back of the book!
There are more games that you can put together to play outside (even Webkinz Olympics--perfect for this month!) and some for playing online and recording your scores. If you know a kid that likes to mix things up in the
kitchen, there are even cooking activities to do online. Will you make something yummy or will it be Gak?

With Volume 1 there was a contest to submit an idea for me to use in Volume 2.
If I used it then you would win a copy of Volume 2! There are two winners: Maddie and Devon. We used their ideas and there are pages in Volume 2 thanks to them! If you submit more ideas, you could win a copy of Volume 3. We are constantly staying up to date with all of the new aspects of Webkinz to include in our next books.

Order your book from Amazon today:
My Webkinz Companion Guide: Volume 2

This book is an excellent birthday gift idea for any child who owns a Webkinz pet (and I find it very hard to located any children these days that don't have at least one pet....most have twenty or more!)

I co-authored this book along with the newest teacher book "Hands-On Learning with Webkinz" with Caroline Laurin-Young. Caroline had purchased my first book, "Using Webkinz in the Classroom" and then planned on using it for the basis of her summer-school program. She needed to add some activities to what I had written, and many of those are what you'll find in this newest book.

I am sure you'll be pleased with these newest books in my "Turning Toys into Tools" collection.

Finally, I've been writing and publishing some articles lately about how to use the Webkinz pets for learning. You can read these on my blog: http://originalgadgetgirl.blogspot.com/

There's also a sampler of webkinz activities available for no charge at: http://turningtoysintotools.com

Enjoy the day! The girls and I are heading out for a bike ride and picnic at the park!
Kathy
"The Original Gadget Girl"
http://theoriginalgadgetgirl.com
Visit my blog at:
http://originalgadgetgirl.blogspot.com/

My other sites:
http://howtopublishonline.com
http://turningtoysintotools.com
http://teachingwithwebkinz.com
http://playingwithwebkinz.com
http://technologylessonsforteachers.com

Learning about Animals using Webkinz Pets

2008-08-04T13:54:00.000-04:00

The study of animals takes place throughout the elementary years. Imagine the enthusiasm in children if learning about animals included using their favorite toys?

Within the world of Webkinz, there are animals of all sorts; dogs, cats, farm animals, wild animals, reptiles, birds, etc.

Thinking about the types of content expectations that range through the grade levels there are easy applications for hands-on and multidisciplinary learning with the Webkinz pets. Whether you are studying habitats, predators, types of animal coverings, or food chains I can show you how to harness the enthusiasm kids have for the Webkinz pets to increase the learning in your classroom.

Let’s start by thinking of simple sorting exercises. There are an endless number of ways to categorize the Webkinz pets. This may depend upon which animals the children bring with them to share in this activity! But, since most children I talk to have more than twenty pets, I bet you could gather an extensive set of animals to work with in your classroom without investing in them yourself. Note: Before having children bring their pets to school, be sure that each pet is labeled with the owner’s initials and all secret code documents removed.

Use hula hoops on the floor to compare the animals. The hula hoops simulate the circles of the Venn Diagram. You might use two hoops or three depending upon what characteristics you are comparing. For comparing more than three characteristics you might use meter sticks to make columns for animals instead. Some suggested classifications for sorting include: omnivore, herbivore, carnivore; color; jungle, forest, farm, or house; mammal, reptile, bird, amphibian; feathers, scales, skin, or hair; legs or wings; how many legs; pet or not pet; long hair, short hair, no hair.

During or after classifying the animals on the floor students can transfer the information onto charts or venn diagrams.

How about building a food chain or food web by laying the animals out on the floor. After creating the web it can be transferred to paper or computer (especially with a mapping software such as Inspiration or Kidspiration).

Other animal study ideas include choosing a Webkinz pet and making a brochure that is about that real animal. A tri-fold brochure could include five sections about the animal in real life. Then one segment could be about the child’s Webkinz pet. This could include a digital photo.

A writing activity could include the topic, “Make Me Love Your Pet” and the child uses descriptive writing to captivate an audience with the antics of his or her pet. Or, with a photo of the pet on top, children could write Missing Pet advertisements, acrostic poems, or animal adventure tales.

These are just a couple of activities that can make learning exciting within your classroom by using the enthusiasm kids have for their toys and turning toys into learning tools.

Newest Book Available on Amazon!

2008-08-04T10:56:00.002-04:00

What is really exciting for today is that the newest book for learning with webkinz is now available on Amazon as paperback! It is called "Hands-on Learning with Webkinz" and is over 85 pages of activities ready for you to use with students, enrichment groups, scout groups, or any assortment of neighborhood kids! The activities within this book range in level from K-6 (although many could be adapted to any level!)

Access the book directly:
Hands-On Learning with Webkinz: Turning Toys Into Tools: Teaching with Technology

Or visit: http://turningtoysintotools.com and click on the Amazon link for the book.

Later this week you'll hear from me again when I announce the release of Volume 2 of "My Webkinz Companion Guide" which is the edition for children to write in. This is due to arrive on Amazon any moment now!

Enjoy the day and hurry out to Amazon to pick up a paperback copy of the newest learning with Webkinz book!
http://turningtoysintotools.com

And, if you happen to be on Facebook, look me up and let's become friends on Facebook! I've been hearing from some of you out there!

Enrichment Classes based on a Webkinz Theme

2008-08-01T15:09:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for a way to add excitement to after-school enrichment classes that are offered at the elementary level?

Why not use toys that kids are excited about? How about having a Webkinz themed class?

This Webkinz class could be one session or it could be a weekly session for 10 or 20 weeks! That's how educational the land of Webkinz can be for children.

There are books available that allow you to reproduce the pages to use as handouts for the children with activity tips and suggestions for the leaders.

Within the world of Webkinz some games are really just arcade games. Others actually facilitate learning. If you have a computer lab available there are many specific activities that students could do. For instance, children can spend some time in the kitchen creating recipes and testing them. Will they create something delicious or will it turn out yucky like Gak?

Making two-minute skits/movies highlighting the pets could easily consume a two-hour enrichment session. Students could make commercials or music videos based on a given theme. Planning, practicing, and then performing for the rest of the group would be fun for all.

Another enrichment day could focus on measurement. Measure all the dimensions of the various pets. Which pet is the widest? Tallest? Longest?

The focus of another enrichment session could be based on animals. Comparing and contrasting the various types of animals. Are there carnivores? Herbivores? Omnivores? Do we own more house-type pets or wild animals? What are these animals like in real life? Would they make a good pet?

Webkinz craft ideas could include a gem hunt, making charms, creating trading cards, iron-on shirt decals, and a multitude of other animal crafts.

Trivia games could be played (using BrainQuest cards) as an adaptation to Quizzy's Questions.

With the Olympics taking place, Webkinz Olympics would also be a great way to enjoy the outside, get some exercise, and play with pets.

How about a fashion show with pets and kids? By using dress-up clothing for the children and doll clothes for the pets, the combinations are endless. During the fashion show you could take photos of each combination. Then, with a craft project, children could decorate frames to hold the photo.

So, whether your enrichment class is for one session or for the entire school year, there are endless options for creating enthusiasm for learning by using the Webkinz pets. Kids will be begging for the next activity to begin!

You can find a free "Webkinz Activity Sampler" to download at http://turningtoysintotools.com

Specific Ideas for Using Webkinz Pets for Learning - Turning Toys into Tools: Teaching with Technology

2008-07-28T10:54:00.005-04:00

You've contemplated how excited children are about these Webkinz pets. You've pondered how that could impact your classroom. Yet, you still aren't sure how to go about using this toy in school.

In the following paragraphs I am going to give you specific ideas for using this toy for learning purposes.

First, the world of Webkinz has an extensive economy based on Kinzcash. You must earn cash to support your pets. So, just maintaining a log of Kinzcash earned and spent is a learning tool for children. Earning Kinzcash happens by engaging in the games and visiting the employment office.

There are two main types of games in the arcade section. One type is just arcade type games, and the others have educational value. Some with educational value include "Quizzy's Word Challenge," "Booger Gets an A" (addition math facts), "Home Before Dark" (visual geometry skills), "Get Eleven Solitaire" and many more. With recording sheets students could keep track of their progress.

Food is an important aspect of caring for your pets. Within the land of Webkinz you can even grow your own food in your garden. You must tend your plants, water them, weed them, and then harvest. If you don't take good care of them you'll have to dig up the garden and start again. Monitoring plants is another way that the world of Webkinz is educational.

Needs and wants are inevitable in caring for your pets. There are so many neat items that you can purchase for your pets but you will have to determine the need and if you can afford the item. By setting goals and saving, you can earn enough Kinzcash to purchase the special items. Children can practice this with their Webkinz pet, and then hopefully apply this to their own lives.

Another educational tie for using Webkinz pets in the classroom revolves around the study of animals. There are all types of animal pets now, including herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores. What a fun way to sort and study animals!

If we look for a moment beyond the virtual world of Webkinz we can tie these pets into writing instruction with activities such as "Make me Love Your Pet...write a descriptive paragraph about your favorite webkinz pet" or "Webkinz Theater...write and perform a play with your pets" or nonfiction animal reports.

Many of these activities are perfect during Literacy Work Station time when students are engaged in an array of various activities. I would encourage you to have each student keep a folder just for Webkinz activities.

Most children have their own Webkinz pets and would be able to participate in these activities on their own logins and accounts. For those children that don't, a class pet or two would allow all students to participate and enjoy the experience.

Whereas most people would think that the Webkinz pets and activities are geared for younger children, that isn't the case. Due to the large number of adults who are addicted to playing Webkinz, I believe that there are activities that people of all ages can benefit and learn from inside the land of Webkinz!

Download the free "Webkinz Activity Sampler" at http://turningtoysintotools.com

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!

2008-07-13T12:15:00.001-04:00

It's finally here! The moment so many of you have been waiting for!

Curious yet as to what has arrived??

Have you ever stood in front of your class presenting an action-filled lesson only to feel like your students were more interested in their toys and life outside of school?

How will it change your enthusiasm for teaching if your students are eagerly awaiting the start of every school day?

Well, I'm very excited to announce that "Hands-On Learning with Webkinz" is now available in ebook format! This is over 85 pages of activities ready for you to use tomorrow, whether you are teaching or running a Girl Scout function, or having a birthday party with the Webkinz theme!

Download at: http://turningtoysintotools.com
Use the coupon code 48HOURS to receive your 20% discount!

After the first book "Using Webkinz in the Classroom" was released, I had so many questions about more activities using the Webkinz pets if you had a group of kids with you, or a theme day at school, or a birthday party! Then, another teacher emailed me and told me she was teaching summer school with the Webkinz theme, which led to the collaboration for this book. You'll notice that this newest book is co-authored by Caroline Laurin-Young.

In honor of the launch of this newest book, this new ebook and the original, "Using Webkinz in the Classroom" ebooks will be available at a 20% discount for just the next 48 hours. Use the coupon code 48HOURS to receive your discount! After that they will return to regular price!

Download at: http://turningtoysintotools.com

Visit the website and download your copy today. For those of you who would prefer the paperback version, it will be available in the next couple of weeks on Amazon.

Download at: http://turningtoysintotools.com
Also available at: http://teachingwithwebkinz.com

Kathy Cothran
"The Original Gadget Girl"
http://theoriginalgadgetgirl.com

Vocabulary Building and World Hunger?

2008-07-09T14:22:00.003-04:00

Are you wondering about the connection between vocabulary building and world hunger? Interestingly enough, I came across this great resource! Whether you are a teacher, retired, business person, construction worker, or stay-at-home mom, working with words is a great way to keep your brain active and engaged.

I love it when I find a site where I can have fun, learn and also do something good for the world, and that's just what I found at www.freerice.com. With freerice.com you play a game to improve your vocabulary. For every word you get right, 20 grains of rice are donated to hungry people through the UN World Food Program! If you're online playing games anyway, you might as well play this one. You'll learn some new words, and help feed some people in need at the same time!

FreeRice is a sister site of the world poverty site, Poverty.com. To learn more about the world hunger problem, and the solutions they have in place to help, visit their site.

FreeRice.com

If you happen to be a teacher reading this, you might consider having students keep track of how many grains of rice they can earn. Then, in the FAQ section of the site, it tells you how much rice (in grams) it takes to feed one person, and how many grains of rice are in a gram. So, while learning vocabulary (and they aren't easy words...sorry lower el teachers..) your students could keep track and graph how many people in the world they are helping.

So, try it out! See how many pieces of rice you can earn. I played until I earned 1,000 pieces of rice. And, I thought that I had a pretty healthy vocabulary, yet, I found I have plenty of room for improvement!
Kathy Cothran
"The Original Gadget Girl"
http://theoriginalgadgetgirl.com

Webkinz in the Classroom: Turning Toys into Tools/Teaching with Technology

2008-07-09T13:48:00.004-04:00

Have you ever stood in front of your class presenting an action-filled lesson only to feel like your students were more interested in their toys and life outside of school?

So often the aspects of life that excite children the most are banned or excluded from the school curriculum. What would happen to our classrooms and the engagement levels of our students if we turn toys into learning tools? When I look inside the bags my daughters carry around with them everywhere I see their digital camera, Nintendo DS, phone, Webkinz pets, and an iPod. This made me ponder this idea: what if I could harness the enthusiasm kids have for their toys and turn them into learning tools?

As I was listening to my daughters play online one day I realized that the games they were playing weren’t all arcade games but many are educational! Imagine that! Kids are raving about something that is actually educational too! I knew I needed to find out more.

If you aren’t familiar with Webkinz pets, they are stuffed animals that come with an access code attached. You visit the Webkinz webpage and adopt your pet which gives you a virtual, animated pet identical to your stuffed animal. You must care for the health, hunger, and happiness of your pets. Within the world of Webkinz there is an extensive economy built around KinzCash. With the Kinzcash you earn from playing games you can purchase all kinds of items along with the food that your pet requires. If you aren’t familiar with the world of Webkinz, ask any eight to ten-year-old child to give you a guided tour. Children are experts and usually very excited to teach something to an adult.

So I started asking kids what they would think about participating in some Webkinz-based activities during school. The faces of children were lighting up around me (which is every educator’s desire, right?) and this clearly showed me that students would be excited to learn through these activities.

I began to create activities based on the world of Webkinz. Many of the activities could be utilized during literacy work stations. Whether children are building words in Quizzy’s Word World, answering questions in Quizzy’s Questions, creating a play with their pets, practicing math facts and typing, graphing their pet’s hunger, growing plants in their gardens, mapping their house, or keeping track of their kinzcash, they would be learning!

Adopting classroom pets is an excellent way to begin using Webkinz pets in your classroom. In many cases, you will find that almost every child in your class probably has at least one Webkinz pet of their own. I have surveyed class after class of children and it is not easy to find a child that doesn’t have at least one pet until you reach some sixth grade boys. Even then, the activities are good for that age group and beyond, so you may need a couple pets with unique logins for those students to use. I’ve even heard of high-school classes using Quizzy’s Questions and Quizzy’s Word World.

Amazingly, there are many adults who find themselves addicted to the world of Webkinz. So, if this is possible, there must be activities to engage students of all ages. I have played many of the games and can’t even come close to the high scores, indicating to me that there are more than just children playing! I wonder if these adults have the stuffed animal sitting on their lap while they play like my daughters often do!

How will it change your enthusiasm for teaching if your students are eagerly awaiting the start of every school day?

Visit http://teachingwithwebkinz.com for more information and to sign up for email tips on using technology with your students.

Reflection of the 4th of July

2008-07-07T22:33:00.000-04:00

I hope the 4th of July brought you time to refresh and revive yourself and your family. Relaxation is supposed to be just that, relaxing. So often we get tied up in activities that actually bring us more stress during a time when we are supposed to give our bodies and brains a chance to relax. Think about that for a moment. When is the last time that you really, really, let your mind have time to relax? A time to ponder? To wonder? To think beyond today to the past, and to the future? From where we've come to where we'll go?

Below you will find a message in reflection of the 4th of July from a lady I highly respect, Susan Kovalik. She's always looked at education just a bit differently than the masses, and in a way that I prefer. So, if you didn't take a moment to ponder or contemplate, or wonder this past weekend, read what she has to say and give yourself that gift, if only for a few moments.
Kathy

From Susan:
As I observed the various venues where large numbers of people gathered to celebrate the 4th of July I was struck by the diversity of people: young, old, past military personnel, varied nationalities, current Olympic contenders, people in wheelchairs and children riding on the shoulders of the parents.

We have so much to celebrate in relation to the world-at-large. A nation only 232 years old that is vibrant, that believes that all children deserve an education, that is a beacon of opportunity for all those who come to this country for a better life for themselves and their families.
We are unique in the world.

On this weekend I revisit some of my many books on citizenship and patriotism and try to recapture the struggle and hardship taken on by so many who came before us and once again realize that we must never stop looking for ways to make sure our students understand their responsibility for the future.

Abraham Lincoln once said, " The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next."

What is our philosophy as a nation committed to this incredible goal of education for all?

Will all our students have an opportunity to extend their classroom studies into the community in form of social action? Will they all know "where in the world" the countries are that influential in what happens in America? Can they identify acts of leadership, citizenship and stewardship at home and abroad?
Are they studying science at a deep enough level to understand the issues surrounding global warming? Can they ask deep questions and understand deep answers? Does their A+ represent a veneer of understanding or an integrated look at the content they are studying?

"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people...They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
Thomas Jefferson

In the classrooms of America we hold the responsibility of a free and knowledgeable society. I have always believed that the last week of school should center on freedom, patriotism, citizenship, liberty, something to ponder as all of the celebrations marking these critically important ideas comes after school is out.

Have a restful summer and remember how young our country is and what amazing things we have accomplished.

Sincerely, Susan Kovalik

Print on Demand *I've Got the Book Written! What Do I Do Next?

2008-07-02T12:31:00.003-04:00

Are you one of the people who have written a book but don’t have any idea what to do next? Have you sent your manuscript out to publishing houses and received those rejection letters in return?

There is a solution, and not one that will cost you tons of money. Actually, publishing your book into paperback format and offering it for sale on Amazon as print on demand could cost you less than a week’s worth of coffee at Starbucks!

I had written a book for teachers and children based on a current trend and an agent told me that even if the book were accepted, it wouldn’t become available until 2009. Now why would I want to wait that long for a trendy-topic book?

As I lamented this fact, my friend, Daniel Hall, introduced me to a process called “Print on Demand” through a company, CreateSpace, where I could upload my finished inside book pages (in pdf format), upload a cover design, and after approving a proof copy, begin to sell my book personally and on Anazon! I’m sure there are other companies that do the same thing, but I just happen to use CreateSpace (and no, they aren’t paying me to say that!)

Are you thinking to yourself, “That sounds too easy, and my mom taught me that anything that sounds too good to be true, probably is?”

I am here to tell you that the print on demand process is easy. The hardest part is writing your book. You may need a little technical help formatting your book if you are scared of your computer. You can find a high-school student who can do that for you! After you put your book into production, all you do is check your account to see if you sold books while you were sleeping, while you were traveling, or spending time with your family. With print on demand publishing, every time someone purchases your book from Amazon, the company prints one and sends it to the buyer along with the other books purchased.

The other extremely important aspect of print on demand publishing is that you control the rights to your book. You also earn a much higher percentage of royalties than the traditional method; although print-on-demand companies won’t ever call you and offer you a million dollars to write your next book! (Or, if they do, I’ve missed that call. Maybe I should check my voice mail?) Then, at the end of the month, you receive the money from the previous month’s royalties deposited directly into your bank account.

In the olden days of self publishing you had to pay a large up-front fee and also agree to purchase thousands of copies of your book which you would peddle from the trunk of your car or store in your garage. And while I can still buy as many copies of my books as I’d like for a reduced price, I only purchase what I anticipate needing month by month.

You can do this!

If you need a few tips to get your book started so you can reach the point of being ready to publish, visit http://howtopublishonline.com and download the free tips sheet for starting your writing project.

iPods in School

2008-07-01T23:06:00.004-04:00

iPods in School
Turning Toys into Tools: Teaching with Technology

By Kathy Cothran

Everywhere you go in the world today, you see people with iPods connected to them. Do you ever wonder what they are listening to? Maybe you assume they have some crazy music pumping into their brain? What if they are listening to award-winning works of literature? Reading is imperative to becoming a successful and productive citizen.

Students who struggle with reading will struggle in most subject areas in school and in many avenues of life. Using audio books to improve reading fluency with all readers promotes success for students in most areas of life. Intervening early improves student achievement along with self-esteem.

Audio books are an excellent solution for teachers to use when attempting to instruct students of differing ability levels and with different learning challenges such as struggling, reluctant, below-grade readers, bilingual students, special needs children as well as those children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorders or Dyslexia.

The iPods in School program started at DeKeyser Elementary in early 2007 with 25 iPod Shuffles and some audio books. Children in second and third grades check out the book and the iPod for use outside of school. Students document whether they read along with the audio book, or just listen, and whether they discuss the book with their parent after listening. These books and iPods are in great demand within these two grade levels. The excitement for reading is immense and parents and children report pleasure in the project.

In addition to listening to books commonly found in the library, I would like to expand the program to include the textbooks from different classes and grade levels to help those students who need to either hear the text again, or are struggling to read it the first time.

Research (from Boston Public Schools) proves that audio books accelerate reading gains. Data shows that audio books can improve reading comprehension by 34% as it bridges the gap for students attempting to read text above their individual reading level. Listening to oral reading is also proven to help students acquire new vocabulary while stimulating vocabulary development by allowing opportunities for students to hear and see words multiple times. Research tells us that effective fluency instruction begins with modeled reading. Audio-assisted reading can provide unlimited practice for students, while silent independent reading alone has not shown to increase reading fluency. Finally, audio books create motivated readers.

There are at least four ways iPods in school increases student achievement and motivation; independent reading, shared or small-group reading, whole class listening, and lending out the audio books for home use.

“Do you have any brand new audio books?" "Which one is your favorite?" "Have you listened to this one? It has a great person with lots of expression reading!" These are common questions from seven-, eight-, and nine-year old children engaged in our iPods in School program. In addition to improvement in reading scores and motivation for reading, seeing the eager children begging for iPods and audio books to check out of the library makes the program extremely worthwhile.

With the cost of the iPod Shuffle decreasing to just $49, this cost of implementing this program is not extreme.

If you are interested in the acceptable use policy that I use with my students and the other record-keeping documents, you can download them free at the following site: http://ipodsinschool.com

Find out how more toys can be turned into learning tools at http://turningtoysintotools.com