New Year

 

 

 

ISTE 2014

ISTE 2014 was amazing!

Yes, I had the privilege of attending ISTE2014 in Atlanta, Georgia! A plethora of information was shared during this amazing conference. I left revitalized and energized. Bring on the new school year!!

Embrace the power of play!
My favorite keynote speaker this year was Kevin Carroll. He spoke about inspiring kids and encouraging them to play. His red rubber ball story really made the point. He shared the Nike Play Tag commercial. It was hilarious and made me want to play! Wouldn't it be so cool to do this during an Inservice? I think so! You may connect with him on Twitter @kckatalyst.

I attended many sessions and spoke with lots of people during my time at ISTE. I left filled with new learning, connections, and a hunger for more information.

Highlights for me include:

• Smackdown! - part of Hack Education day
• ISTE Ignite Session #1
• 30 Free Microsoft Tools in 60 Minutes
• Hide Your Wallets,It's Gadget Time - Leslie Fisher
• Leslie Fisher is a terrific presenter! She shared cool gadgets in a fun and engaging way! You may connect with her on Twitter @lesliefisher.
• Adam Bellow's Tech Commandments
• connecting with Remind
• various poster sessions 

Some topics I plan to explore further include:

• makerspace
• math fair
• Microsoft's free tools
• The You Matter Manifesto
• 3Doodler... a 3D pen

State Testing Time

Pinterest is such a wonderful tool! 

We started our state testing today so I wanted to do something special for my class yesterday. After searching Pinterest, I decided to decorate my classroom door.

I arrived to school bright and early Monday morning! I had my plan and I was ready to implement it. I was able to complete the door just in time for students to arrive! They were so excited to see our classroom door! Even the other fifth grade students thought the door was cool. I didn't stop there... nope, not me! I found a really cool minion template online at The Pink Dormat. I printed the template for my homeroom students and my math students. They were so happy to make their own minion for our classroom entrance. It was nice to have a little fun the day before we start state testing. They are ready for testing to be over... and it just started.

I will post pictures tomorrow!!

This is embarrassing!

This has been a very busy school year! I have spent many hours preparing for lessons and I have completely  avoided blogging.

As I reflect on my school year thus far, I feel a sense of accomplishment for what we have achieved.

• Doodle 4 Google contest
• Doodle 4 Google webinar
• Values video - based from the website values.com
• Compare & contrast videos
• We learned about Close Reading
• Bring Your Own Device - one day where we incorporated QR Code activities in our curriculum
• Loyalty Day posters  
• Friendship Festival
• Antarctica webinar - National Geographic
• Library poetry contest
• We recorded audio stories
• Gingerbread house
• Thanksgiving fifth grade rotations
• created a large turkey
• ate breakfast
• Thanksgiving writing / poem 
• Fall Festival
• Students created a Google Site portfolio that is a collection of their fifth grade year
• We made KidSnippets movies with our high school friends
• We recorded books for our K-1 friends
• My homeroom class has earned 594 blue ribbons in Study Island ELA PACCS
• My math class has earned 275 blue ribbons in Math PACCS Study Island 

I anxiously await permission to roll out BYOD after state testing is over. My students are so excited about the endless possibilities that BYOD will offer us.