Fantastic Fridays: March 11

Fantastic Fridays: March 11


1. Classroom Spotlight Project: Grandparents' Day... Technology-Style?
Our official theme for Grandparents' Day next Friday is "Decades", celebrating the decades of America. However, the committee has done an amazing job of integrating technology throughout this special event!

• Skype Stations for remote chats with grandparents (http://www.skype.com )
• Compiling photos using our new "SkyDrive" through Windows Live Photos (http://photos.ihm-school.com)
• Bringing those photos together using iMovie to create a video
• Adding an audio track (of OUR STUDENTS!) using Garage Band
• Students are creating Glogster online posters for each decade to present at tables (http://edu.glogster.com/))

2. Student Websites: Time and Money for Lower Elementary, Dabbleboard for 5-8

Time and Money for Lower Elementary (REPEAT!): Technology does a very good job of allowing students to work at their own pace and providing instant feedback for simple problems. These skill-rehearsal websites for lower elementary students allow you to monitor each student's progress, while not requiring a lot of teacher involvement for differentiation. You can access this site (or I can add it to your dock!) at https://sites.google.com/site/ihmhighpoint/time-and-money

Time

1. Identifying Time to the Hour: http://www.kidsolr.com/earlychildhood/page4.html
2. Time Travel:http://abcya.com/telling_time.htm
3. Another Telling Time: http://www.primarygames.com/time/question1.htm
4. Telling Time: Stop the Clock!: http://www.teachingtime.co.uk/draggames/sthec1.html
5. Willie the WatchDog Game (Play with a partner!): http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/willy/willy.html

Money

1. Toy Store! Find coins to make your purchase: http://www.smartygames.com/igre/math/learnMoney.html
2. Fish Money http://abcya.com/counting_money.htm
3. Counting Money: http://www.hbschool.com/activity/counting_money/
4. Discovering Coin Values - drag coins into the cup to equal the amount in the blue area.: http://www.toonuniversity.com/flash.asp?err=569&engine=

Dabbleboard for 5-8: http://www.dabbleboard.com/ 

When we plan group projects for 5-8 grade students, it's a challenge to help them effectively organize their time and plan their method. Dabbleboard is a collaborative learning tool, useful for organizing and charting concepts. Take a minute to explore it, and challenge our 5-8 grade students to use it in an organizational task of any sort!

3. Teacher Productivity Tool: Values.com
Values.com is from the organization responsible for bringing us the touching TV and billboard ads such as this one:

The short commercials and billboards are a great for writing prompts, inspiring conversations, or to encourage values which are important in your classroom. Please take a minute to visit http://www.values.com

Video of the Week:
Please enjoy this short clip from http://www.values.com: 
http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/70-Everyday-Heroes