Software Evaluation

This week we studied google sites and software evaluations.  While creating a google site, at this time I don't see how it would be useful to me in my teaching.  In google documents I find it very easy to find a document, spreadsheet, etc. I'm not sure what the purpose of google sites is for.

With that being said, I can say that I did like the software evaluation.  Even though in my district teachers don't have any real input when it comes to purchasing software, it never hurts so see what else is out there. I chose to evaluate Kidspiration.  I have used Inspiration before, but never Kidspiration.  I really liked Kidspiration.  It provides cross curriculum opportunities.  It really provides students an opportunity for all students including special needs and ESL students visual and written opportunities.  Students can create web diagrams, venn diagrams, and other types.  They can do this using text and pictures, and then with a click it will change to an outline.  In the outline they can expand on the text, creating complete sentences.  In also includes math concepts - online manipulatives.

The program also has many built in activities, which include phonics, blends, parts of speech.  There are activities for reading/writing, math, science, and social studies.  The program is designed for grades K-5 and even has sound for non readers.  When the students get into different sections they can choose their grade level, so it's a program that will continue to challenge students throughout their different grade levels.  As I was demoing the program I was imagining all the ways I could use this program with my special needs students.  This program provides differentiated instruction.  This program promotes creativity, and creativity has been the underlying theme throughout this whole course.

I Love Spiders

What I liked about this video and lesson was the hands on.  The students took pictures of different spiders, researched them to find out what kind they were, and then sent them to another classroom in a different state.  This lesson gets the students involved, and I think I will try and incorporate a similar idea in my classroom.  We do an unit on animals, plants, and the environment.  The students could do something similar and then either exchange with another class or find a wiki or an online learning area to do share with.  Since I teach older students, I'd really like it if we exchanged this information with another class in a different country.  They could do science or social studies with cultures.  They could take pictures of food, costumes, decorations, etc. and share and compare with another country.  The possibilities are endless.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets intimidate a lot of people.  I think it's the thought of using formulas.  What a lot of people don't realize is that they can be used for so much more.  I use them all the time, although I don't do a lot these days with formulas.  I use them for organizing data, tables, columns etc.  Some of the ways I currently use spreadsheets is by making flashcards for students, organizing information into neat rows or columns, create worksheets especially for science labs, to name a few.  Spreadsheets provide an easy way to add formatting such as font size and type, color, position of text, width of columns, height of rows, and amount of rows.  It's easy to add and delete information, columns, and rows in spreadsheets.  Spreadsheets also provide an easy way to sort information.  I use spreadsheets in both my professional and personal life.