Tip of the Week: Sept. 26, 2012: Media Literacy and Web 2.0

Web 2.0 in 2012

Check out this short video for a nice overview of 

Web 2.0 and Media Literacy...

What are YOUR thoughts?

Where do you see Web 2.0 in your classroom?

Tip of the Week: September 18, 2012: DEStreaming

Discovery Education's 

DEStreaming Plus!!

For many of you this may be 'old news' but for our newer staff members, and as a reminder to everyone, make sure you dive in to all that our DEStreaming educational video subscription provides for you!  Searchable by keyword, content area, grade level, and even by Common Core standards, anyone in the district can create an account and download full length educational videos as well as "teachable moment" video clips to use in your teaching.  Embed those clips into your flipcharts, Keynotes, Glogs, classroom blog/wiki, and so much more.  Students can log in with a unique student access code and use clips to create digital stories or to include in digital presentations.

Create a digital story (common core digital writing standard!) by including content appropriate video clips, images and/or audio files  into iMovie. Then, strip out the audio on the imported video clips and have students retell or create a new 'story' by recording their own voice as the soundtrack.  Your students will have a much deeper understanding of the topic at hand, in any content area, by designing, authoring, storyboarding, and presenting what they know and understand this way. 

This is just one of the many ways you can incorporate video into your teaching as well as to put in the hands of your students to enhance their learning..

In addition to the tens of thousands of videos at your fingertips (most include supporting teaching materials and handouts), you will also find interactive activities, audio files, images, clip art, writing prompts, encyclopedia articles and MUCH more! You can create classes and make assignments, quizzes and writing prompts for them.

Click HERE to go to our Tech Tips page on DEStreaming where you will find your school code that will allow you to create your account.  Included are videos that show you the basics of navigating the resources found on DEStreaming.   

Enjoy Reed Timmer of 'Storm Chasers' on 
tracking and classifying storms..

Tip of the Week: Teaching Channel, Sept. 11, 2012

The Teaching Channel is a non-profit organization that publishes a video library of innovative and effective teaching practices in America's schools.  You can find videos on the following topics in all subject areas, including the Arts, and all grade levels:

You will enjoy watching your colleagues share tips, tricks, and a variety of teaching methods that they feel are valuable enough to share with you.

You can 'take notes' while watching these videos! Click the "add note" button to take time-stamped notes on any video. You can save them in your online notebook and share them with others!

On one video about surface area in a 5th grade class, not only do you watch this teacher introduce this topic to her students but you are guided with the following questions as you watch and listen... notice that you are not only learning about math, but watching some great teaching techniques along the way..
Lesson Objective: Construct an Understanding of Surface Area
Length: 7 min
Questions to Consider:

• How would this lesson have been different if Ms. Noonan began by directly teaching about surface area?
• What kinds of questions does Ms. Noonan ask her students? What effect do they have?
• How do students give each other feedback and develop understanding together?
• See also Math Practice Standards 6 and 7 in the CCSS

Common Core Standards
Math.6.G.4

We now understand the value of educational video in the classroom for students... treat yourself to this wonderful resource to help you in your day-to-day teaching!