Asssignment #4: Creating A Video

This was an easy assignment since I have been playing around for several weeks with getting ready to try some flipped instruction in my classroom.  I have made my first 2 videos going along with our first chapter.  I am using the smart recorder since all of my lessons are already in smart software.  I am modifying my lessons presentations from last year and then creating a 10-15 minute video of the lesson.  My first 2 are a bit rough, so hopefully my kids will be understanding!  I like that you can pause while recording, but you can not, to my knowledge anyway, stop and back up just a bit and redo a section.  This means that if you mess up or stumble you either have to start over, not convenient if you are 10 minutes in, or just correct your mistake like you would if you were really presenting in class.  I guess that is probably OK!   Hopefully I will get smoother as I record more videos.

Assignment #3: Storybird Project

It was a challenge to write a math story that would teach and entertain, espencially with a limited number of illustrations to pick from.  The result for me is a humorous short story about a menacing cat names Milo, who needs to solve a long numerical expression in order to take over the world.  To do this he visits 3 "friends"  who teach him to crack the code with PEMDAS as their guide.  Hopefully this will be a fun ways to reinforce order of operations with my students.  Feel free to use it if you like! Order of Operations in the Real World at Work! or...Milo's Plot to Take Over the World! on Storybird

Assigment #2: Pimp My presentation

For this assignment I used Prizi to create a dynamic (both figurative and literally) presentation of one of the early lessons Course 1 teaches on exponents.  It is designed for students to move through and used in a flipped instruction format.  It included information and directions for a pretest, vocabulary, the video lesson, acitvities (both computer and written) and a final checkpoint at the end.  Students can move at their own pace through the lesson and even watch an additional video if they need more practice.  I am curious to see how students like the format for a lesson and how well it would work for them.  Though I am not sure if I can take 10 hours for every lesson... :)  Hopefully I would be faster the next time!  I felt very below average starting this project, but was very proud of myself as I figured out new things and finally as I completed it!  Enjoy!

C1: 1-3 Exploring Exponents! on Prezi

http://prezi.com/riorv8f_b1d0/c1-1-3-exploring-exponents/

Summer Camp Here I Come!

I am really excited to be a part of camp this year! :)  I have been feeling behind incorporating technology into my classroom, but know that I can do it!  I am going to be attempting flipped instruction and knew that I have a lot to learn before that can happen...  I don't know what I will learn but am excited to learn anything!

I hope that I can incorporate what I learn to do into next year's instruction!

This summer I look forward to Going on a 2 week road trip with the fam to Yellowstone, the Black Hills, Grand Canyon and Colorado Springs.  Yes we are probably crazy being that ambitious with a 6 year old and 8 year old!