Hi Everyone,
In January my class went to the Yearley Outdoor Education Centre in Huntsville and I thought, "What a great opportunity to mix technology with the great outdoors!" During our evening program we took a night walk and brought our iPads along. It was a beautiful, clear, frigid night when we walked down to the pond. Students listened to the story of the "Space Rock" (no clues here...you have to go to Yearley to know about the secret of the Space Rock...er spearmint lifesavers!) and the kids were just about to lose interest when the adults pulled out a few of the iPads and opened up the Star Chart app. And VOILA...re-engaged students. No seriously...if you haven't checked out this app you really should. Basically you hold your device up into the sky and the app identifies the stars and constellations that are directly in front of you. This app strongly supports the Grade 6 Space curriculum. The app will identify the names and location of stars and constellation and the phases of the moon (which is useful if the kids start acting squirrelly and you are wondering when the full moon will occur!) The upgrade includes features for tracking meteor showers, exploration of dwarf planets, comets and satellites. All-in-all a very cool app.
K.
Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Friday, 21 February 2014
Friday, 6 December 2013
Popplet for Consolidation
In my Grade 12 College Chemistry class we are mid-way into the Organic Chemistry unit. This unit has always posed some difficulty for students because of the content and it is not easy. I have always wanted students to mind-map their work through the unit and I've even made a mind map of my own to help visualize the unit.
My project focuses on higher order thinking and engaging students using technology in consolidation activities. SO... at the end of each lesson on a different functional group (ie. alcohol, ketones, carboxylic acids) students consolidate in two ways:
1) what I've always done - cue cards (yes paper ones). One cue card per functional group plus one card per reaction type. Why paper? These cards (only some of their 'deck' is allowed into the unit test, and even fewer for the exam) are study tools and I am also trying to teach students study skills.
2) MIND MAP with Popplet.com. In partners students can consolidate learning and draw out relationships between different molecule types.
WHY POPPLET:
1) it is an app (paid) for iPads.
2) students can collaborate (live) on the app.
3) It is accessible outside of the ipad (HUGE plus!) so students can work on their mind maps at home.
4) It can easily be shared with me for assessment at the end of the unit.
5) It is HUGE! The popplet goes on for ever!
The only "con" is that this is a paid app.
I like how easy it is for students to share their work with me AND access at home. This makes it a real study tool that lives beyond the iPad. It is great to see students pull out their notes to consolidate their work in pairs and look at other groups' maps and compare how they are setting them up.
My project focuses on higher order thinking and engaging students using technology in consolidation activities. SO... at the end of each lesson on a different functional group (ie. alcohol, ketones, carboxylic acids) students consolidate in two ways:
1) what I've always done - cue cards (yes paper ones). One cue card per functional group plus one card per reaction type. Why paper? These cards (only some of their 'deck' is allowed into the unit test, and even fewer for the exam) are study tools and I am also trying to teach students study skills.
2) MIND MAP with Popplet.com. In partners students can consolidate learning and draw out relationships between different molecule types.
WHY POPPLET:
1) it is an app (paid) for iPads.
2) students can collaborate (live) on the app.
3) It is accessible outside of the ipad (HUGE plus!) so students can work on their mind maps at home.
4) It can easily be shared with me for assessment at the end of the unit.
5) It is HUGE! The popplet goes on for ever!
The only "con" is that this is a paid app.
I like how easy it is for students to share their work with me AND access at home. This makes it a real study tool that lives beyond the iPad. It is great to see students pull out their notes to consolidate their work in pairs and look at other groups' maps and compare how they are setting them up.
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