Week 9 October 28-November 1, 2013
Dear 223 Families,
I just returned from a two-day technology conference presented by MassCUE. It was a rewarding experience to work with other New England school teachers to bring the newest innovations for integrating technology into our schools. I am eager to introduce 223 ILT students to some of the ideas I learned--flipping the classroom, Storia, new tools on BrainPOP, more options for animating, and how to develop effective online search strategies. There are a plethora of schools across New England who are 1:1, and BIS sent many of its teachers to MassCUE to learn how to best utilize 1:1 in our building. Our world is at our fingertips, and now is the time to hone the skills necessary to harness the power of technology.
In our 223 realm, we will continue to learn how to use BIS School Tools to enhance our own learning, discussing, managing, sharing, collaborating, creating, and publishing. Week 9 we will finally get a chance to create a glog using GlogsterEDU, and begin creating our own search database using Diigo. Both accounts have a slightly different username so we will also use class time to add tools to our Sites Table.
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions please send me an email at dodge_rachel@barnstable.k12.ma.us or post to our discussion here on the blog.
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Friday, October 25, 2013
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Week 6 October 9-13, 2013
Dear 223 Families,
We are coming to the end of our third unit, Library Media Skills. We toured the physical library to review genres and the organization of the library--thanks to Melvil Dewey--and how to use the online card catalog Destiny to locate BIS library materials. We also learned how to use virtual libraries (BIS Library, Destiny, and C.L.A.M.S.). Did you know you can borrow movies, e-books, video games, and museum passes with your free public library card? And, if you needed to borrow a book from Martha's Vineyard you can have the book delivered to your village library? Go online to clamsnet.org to look through the Cape O.P.A.C. system.
Lesson 3.11 Databases: Although Google search engine lets users find billions of websites, most are not useful or factual for academic needs. When on a fact-finding mission, students may find it easier and safer to use the validated sites found on databases. Thanks to Mrs. Anthony, BIS has access to close to a dozen databases such as Boston Globe, Biography in Context, Kids Info Bits, and Info Trac Junior Edition. Today students learned how to locate, access, and use these databases to conduct research. Our assignment was to prove whether or not 8 statements about Melvil Dewey were true or false by using library databases. Another kid-friendly database, monitored by librarians, is Kids Click, which can be found at www.kidsclick.org.
Lesson 3.12 Review: To wrap-up our unit and provide students an opportunity to review for next week's assessment, today we used library tools on Livebinder and engaged in a whole-class game of Library Review Jeopardy (a link can be found on our X2 technology page). Students were encouraged to take notes as our Unit 3 assessment will be open-notes.
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Dear 223 Families,
We are coming to the end of our third unit, Library Media Skills. We toured the physical library to review genres and the organization of the library--thanks to Melvil Dewey--and how to use the online card catalog Destiny to locate BIS library materials. We also learned how to use virtual libraries (BIS Library, Destiny, and C.L.A.M.S.). Did you know you can borrow movies, e-books, video games, and museum passes with your free public library card? And, if you needed to borrow a book from Martha's Vineyard you can have the book delivered to your village library? Go online to clamsnet.org to look through the Cape O.P.A.C. system.
Lesson 3.11 Databases: Although Google search engine lets users find billions of websites, most are not useful or factual for academic needs. When on a fact-finding mission, students may find it easier and safer to use the validated sites found on databases. Thanks to Mrs. Anthony, BIS has access to close to a dozen databases such as Boston Globe, Biography in Context, Kids Info Bits, and Info Trac Junior Edition. Today students learned how to locate, access, and use these databases to conduct research. Our assignment was to prove whether or not 8 statements about Melvil Dewey were true or false by using library databases. Another kid-friendly database, monitored by librarians, is Kids Click, which can be found at www.kidsclick.org.
Lesson 3.12 Review: To wrap-up our unit and provide students an opportunity to review for next week's assessment, today we used library tools on Livebinder and engaged in a whole-class game of Library Review Jeopardy (a link can be found on our X2 technology page). Students were encouraged to take notes as our Unit 3 assessment will be open-notes.
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Week 4 September 23-27, 2013
Dear 223 Families,
This week marks the end of our introductory unit. Over the past three weeks your ILT student has reviewed the BPS Acceptable Use Policy, Google Apps, Pupil Network Drive, and Web browsers. We have learned the history of computers, essential internal and external computer parts, and the elements of Digital Citizenship. In addition, students learned the expectations for Room 223 Information Literacy & Technology, including rules and expectations and how to exit the building in the case of a fire drill. The only introductory skill we still need to practice is test-taking in 223 ILT.
Lesson 1.7. Unit 1 Assessment Students will take an online practice assessment to demonstrate their understanding of Unit 1 Introduction skills and concepts. This test will not be scored--students will not even enter their names so as to keep the assessment anonymous. In the future, we will have one assessment per month at the conclusion of each unit. All assessments are open-notes, and students are encouraged to maintain an ILT binder with all handouts and handwritten notes they take during class. In addition to taking an online multiple choice assessment, students will create projects during class time.
For more information in what we are doing for class work in Room 223 ILT, please select the Assignments tab above or log onto your X2 account. In addition to an overview of our assignments, you will also be able to access links and worksheets using Group Resources. From our Barnstable Public Schools website, click on the X2 icon--your user name is Last_First20 and your password is ID+00.
I am looking forward to meeting with you at Open House on Thursday, October 3rd. In the meantime, should you have any questions or comments please send me an email at rtdodge@barnstable.k12.ma.us
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Dear 223 Families,
This week marks the end of our introductory unit. Over the past three weeks your ILT student has reviewed the BPS Acceptable Use Policy, Google Apps, Pupil Network Drive, and Web browsers. We have learned the history of computers, essential internal and external computer parts, and the elements of Digital Citizenship. In addition, students learned the expectations for Room 223 Information Literacy & Technology, including rules and expectations and how to exit the building in the case of a fire drill. The only introductory skill we still need to practice is test-taking in 223 ILT.
Lesson 1.7. Unit 1 Assessment Students will take an online practice assessment to demonstrate their understanding of Unit 1 Introduction skills and concepts. This test will not be scored--students will not even enter their names so as to keep the assessment anonymous. In the future, we will have one assessment per month at the conclusion of each unit. All assessments are open-notes, and students are encouraged to maintain an ILT binder with all handouts and handwritten notes they take during class. In addition to taking an online multiple choice assessment, students will create projects during class time.
For more information in what we are doing for class work in Room 223 ILT, please select the Assignments tab above or log onto your X2 account. In addition to an overview of our assignments, you will also be able to access links and worksheets using Group Resources. From our Barnstable Public Schools website, click on the X2 icon--your user name is Last_First20 and your password is ID+00.
I am looking forward to meeting with you at Open House on Thursday, October 3rd. In the meantime, should you have any questions or comments please send me an email at rtdodge@barnstable.k12.ma.us
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Week 3 September 16-20, 2013
Dear Families,
This week in 223 ILT we are finishing our first unit, Introduction. We have been sampling our school year with Digital Citizenship activities, reviewing how to use Google Apps as both a network drive (storage) and as a suite of applications, and discussing acceptable ways to use technology.
Until we begin with X2 and Moodle, this blog will serve as our home-school communication. Look through the tabs, follow a few links, feed our class penguin (scroll to the bottom of this page), and write a blog to share your comments or questions with our 223 ILT families.
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Dear Families,
This week in 223 ILT we are finishing our first unit, Introduction. We have been sampling our school year with Digital Citizenship activities, reviewing how to use Google Apps as both a network drive (storage) and as a suite of applications, and discussing acceptable ways to use technology.
Until we begin with X2 and Moodle, this blog will serve as our home-school communication. Look through the tabs, follow a few links, feed our class penguin (scroll to the bottom of this page), and write a blog to share your comments or questions with our 223 ILT families.
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Monday, September 2, 2013
September 3, 2013
Welcome Class of 2020!
A wonderful adventure in technology awaits you this school year. Together we will look at computers in a new way with a focus on managing electronic information and conducting research. With the 1:1 initiative taking place at BIS it will be a great opportunity to discover how technological innovations have changed the way we learn and work in the 21st Century.
September will begin with a review of Google Docs and quickly move into a look at the history of computers and internal computer components, the BIS Network, decoding URLs, digital citizenship, and keyboarding skills. It will wrap-up in the Library with Mrs. Anthony for Library Media Skills--using virtual libraries, like the new Destiny online "card catalog".
This week in Room 223 we will engage in getting to know you activities. I am eager to meet all of you and begin our 180-day adventure in Information Literacy & Technology. See you tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Welcome Class of 2020!
A wonderful adventure in technology awaits you this school year. Together we will look at computers in a new way with a focus on managing electronic information and conducting research. With the 1:1 initiative taking place at BIS it will be a great opportunity to discover how technological innovations have changed the way we learn and work in the 21st Century.
September will begin with a review of Google Docs and quickly move into a look at the history of computers and internal computer components, the BIS Network, decoding URLs, digital citizenship, and keyboarding skills. It will wrap-up in the Library with Mrs. Anthony for Library Media Skills--using virtual libraries, like the new Destiny online "card catalog".
This week in Room 223 we will engage in getting to know you activities. I am eager to meet all of you and begin our 180-day adventure in Information Literacy & Technology. See you tomorrow!
Sincerely,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Week 38 June 2013
Dear 223 ILT Families,
Will little blog-traffic this year, we did not utilize our 223 Class Blog very often. However, I wanted to be sure we had some closure to our year. We wrapped up the 6th grade ILT course with a review of Digital Citizenship. Students reviewed and researched what it means to use technology responsibly--digital citizenship, Internet safety, and cyber bully awareness and prevention. Students transformed notes into a PSA (public service announcement). We were treated to essays, animated stories using Toontastic and Flipbook-ish, videos using iMovie and Movie Maker, Photo Story 3, slide shows, and comic strips. It was wonderful to watch how tech-savvy these students have become in 10 months.
I have truly enjoyed our 180-day learning adventure through the digital world, and wish all of my students a fun-filled summer and great success in 7th grade.
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Dear 223 ILT Families,
Will little blog-traffic this year, we did not utilize our 223 Class Blog very often. However, I wanted to be sure we had some closure to our year. We wrapped up the 6th grade ILT course with a review of Digital Citizenship. Students reviewed and researched what it means to use technology responsibly--digital citizenship, Internet safety, and cyber bully awareness and prevention. Students transformed notes into a PSA (public service announcement). We were treated to essays, animated stories using Toontastic and Flipbook-ish, videos using iMovie and Movie Maker, Photo Story 3, slide shows, and comic strips. It was wonderful to watch how tech-savvy these students have become in 10 months.
I have truly enjoyed our 180-day learning adventure through the digital world, and wish all of my students a fun-filled summer and great success in 7th grade.
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Week 12
Dear Families,
We are about to close our Unit 4 on Web Services--school links and resources. Next week students will take the Unit 4 Assessment, which is to create a glog using GlogsterEDU that teaches a new sixth-grader how to use one of our Web Services (or a Library Database). All lessons, activities, and resources for this unit and for the assessment have been posted to Moodle. Please log onto Moodle with your student to review for the assessment. In class on Monday and Tuesday of this week, students created a 2-column notes study guide to help them prepare for the assessment.
If your student tells you he or she is allowed to start the Unit 4 Assessment at home before the actual test date, this is correct. Any student who wants to continue to research, practice, or begin their Unit 4 Assessment on GlogsterEDU has my permission--and I applaud their effective effort.
Following Thanksgiving break, BIS will be closing grades for Term 1. It is my intention to have ILT Effort and Conduct grades updated on X2, and all finished Unit 4 Assessment (published glogs) grades posted for the Term 1 report card. If a student requests additional time beyond Tuesday, November 27, 2012 to complete the Unit 4 Assessment glog, the grade will not appear on the Term 1 report card--thank you for your understanding and patience.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
Dear Families,
We are about to close our Unit 4 on Web Services--school links and resources. Next week students will take the Unit 4 Assessment, which is to create a glog using GlogsterEDU that teaches a new sixth-grader how to use one of our Web Services (or a Library Database). All lessons, activities, and resources for this unit and for the assessment have been posted to Moodle. Please log onto Moodle with your student to review for the assessment. In class on Monday and Tuesday of this week, students created a 2-column notes study guide to help them prepare for the assessment.
If your student tells you he or she is allowed to start the Unit 4 Assessment at home before the actual test date, this is correct. Any student who wants to continue to research, practice, or begin their Unit 4 Assessment on GlogsterEDU has my permission--and I applaud their effective effort.
Following Thanksgiving break, BIS will be closing grades for Term 1. It is my intention to have ILT Effort and Conduct grades updated on X2, and all finished Unit 4 Assessment (published glogs) grades posted for the Term 1 report card. If a student requests additional time beyond Tuesday, November 27, 2012 to complete the Unit 4 Assessment glog, the grade will not appear on the Term 1 report card--thank you for your understanding and patience.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving,
Ms. Thackston-Dodge
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