Grade Two Science - Habitats

Learning about endangered species and animals habitats that they live in is an important area of subject within the grade two science curriculum. Here is a great interactive website by scholastic associated with "The Magic School Bus" which contains a link to a fun activity about animals and their habitats. With the link to animals habitats it provides a variety of animals and different homes, and it is your job as the student to match up the correct ones! Some other features of this website are fun science activities you can try at home and you can also play games such as a maze on the computer and print off coloring pages to color with at your desk!

I would incorporate this website into my classroom by first doing a mini lesson with my class about animals and their specific habitats. With this, I would also incorporate the aspect of hibernation and endangered animals as well. After completing this mini lesson at the students desk I would then allow for them to access the computers to this website of the magic school bus. I would then direct them to the link of the animals habitats and get them to try to complete the task. Once they have completed this a few times, I would then have them access other areas of the website such as perhaps printing off a coloring page to do at their desk or building the "monster bug." To wrap up this lesson on animals habitats, I would have the students return to their desks and have a class discussion on some other animals they know about their habitats, and perhaps some other endangered animals they are familiar with as well, like the bald eagle!

I feel that this website is a fun and exciting way to get kids to want to learn. It plays music, has fun games, and is also able to challenge students at the grade two level on their knowledge about animals habitats. I also like how once you have completed the task of finding the animals habitats, it then displays a fun fact at the top of the page about one of the specific animals you helped to find their habitat. For example, the site displays that the whooping cranes nest in a marshy area among tall grass and cattails that provide protection from predators. I feel that by allowing your students to have the access to computers and other sources of technology in the classroom it allows for them to become more comfortable with using them and it enhances their technology and learning skills as well!

Grade One Language Arts - Participating in shared and guided listening and speaking experiences

Not only is learning to read and write an essential at the grade one level, but having the ability to listen and speak is important as well. The website that I located that is connected to these two areas, for example when you click on the animals link it takes you to a site where there are several animals from dogs to fish and when you pull the curser over that specific animal it then makes a sound; the dog will bark, the cat will meow, etc. Also, when you go the link of songs and letters it displays the alphabet and when you pull the curser over the letter it sings a song, such as for "A" it sings angry alligator.

I would incorporate this website into my classroom by just simply listening to what it has to play, and play around with tazzle the tiger. I would make sure that they were listening very carefully to what all noises the animals make, and then once all the students returned to their desk I would have everyone share their favorite noise of the animal, and even discuss some noises animals make that were not on the website as well, this way they are thinking and broadening what they know already from the website by linking it to personal experiences. I would also have them access the coloring page and get them to print off their favorite picture to take back to their desk to color and reflect on what they learnt. I like how the pictures go through the alphabet and have a sentence to go with the picture. For example, for the letter "H" it says helping hand and then displays a picture of one person helping another.

I feel that this website would benefit my students speaking and listening skills in the way that by the site displaying the sounds and speaking of animals and the alphabet, students are able to recognize those sounds, and some students learn better by hearing rather than reading. So this website provides a variety of learning abilities to suite the students needs. By having "tazzle the tiger" it makes it a fun and accessible kids site and it makes it welcoming and friendly as well. Most students love animals, so why not incorporate that into their learning by connecting the alphabet with animals!

Grade Two Health - A Healthy Body

Staying active and eating healthy is such an important aspect of a childs life. Child obesity is increasing by the year due to poor education on healthy eating and also a low amount of physical activity. I feel that as future teachers it is our job to educate our students about these areas and begin to get them active and learn about healthy foods that they can eat! I was able to locate a website that deals with jumping rope, a very popular and fun way to get young kids active, and it also has links about the heart and circulatory system as well!

I would incorporate this website into my classroom in the way that I would not only associate it with the subject area of health but I would also link it to physical education as well. Before heading into the gym with my students I would allow for them to access this website and click on the link of jump rope skills to find three to four main ones they are interested in trying out in the gymnasium. After completing this task as a class we would go to the gym and would all try out our skipping rope skills and hopefully the students will enjoy it so much they will begin to use them when they are outside for recess, or at home in the driveway jumping rope as well. After we are finished in the gym, I would then have the students access the website once again however this time they would click on the links about why we should exercise and also the other link of exercise/fitness. This way the students can read and learn about why it is so important to keep active and exercise, and after we would then have a class discussion and as the teacher I would write some main points up on the board to discuss about as well.

I feel that this website would benefit my students learning in the way that it allows for them to have a hands on learning experience and try out jump rope themselves. I remember as a student I loved jump rope and I was even a part of a club. Every recess in the spring and fall we would skip rope as well, and while we were doing it I didn't even realize that I was exercising, I just thought it was fun! By educating my students about why it is so important to exercise and how it can benefit your body hopefully they will take what they learnt home and teach it to their friends and family as well. Such as when sitting around the supper table, they can discuss with their parents/guardians what they learnt about at school today and found out that it is really important to exercise no matter what age you are! By having a class discussion with the information the students discover off the website as well they are sharing ideas with one another and hopefully benefiting from one another's knowledge on how to keep active and stay healthy as well!

Grade Five Social Studies - Heritage

I am currently taking an indigenous studies course here at the University of Regina and it has made me come to realize how important it is to know about the people who first came here to Canada and the history of the aboriginal people. In grade five social studies, focussing on heritage is a huge area for this level. It focusses on topics such as Canada's first peoples, the connection between the explorers and fur traders, the wars and treaties, etc. I was able to locate a site that deals with the first peoples of Canada which were the indigenous people which includes inuit, first nations and metis. Each page has a list of information and facts about their heritage and development here in Canada, and after you are done looking at the facts and pictures, you click on the arrow in the right hand corner and it takes you onto the next page. This website deals with the population of indigenous people, names, their languages and culture, and their origins and beliefs. This is a great site for grade fives to use and it welcomes and engages them into the history of their country!

I would use this website in my classroom in the way that for the first few lessons of this topic I would show overheads, slides shows, videos, and explain the basics of Canada's history and about the indigenous peoples. After a brief overview, I would then allow the students to access the website and search around for some interesting facts they can find. There are three main topics: An aboriginal presence, an ancient bond with the land and arrival of strangers. I would allow the students to choose one out of those three topics, and then focus on one of the headings underneath it. They would take their learning logs with them to the computer and jot down some fun facts and information about that topic, and then pair up with a partner that didn't focus on the same topic and share what they learnt. After the students have completed this area of the task, I would then get them to return back to their desks and we could have a class discussion on what they learnt, and what they enjoyed about the website whether it was the facts, pictures, format, etc.

I realize that this isn't a huge interactive games website, however I feel it is appropiate for the grade five level and it is an easy read as well for them. This site would benefit my students learning abilities because it is very organized, which makes it easy to follow along and learn the information at a faster pace. The site also contains pictures of indigenous people in their headresses as well as just in their everyday clothing. I want for my students to realize that these are important people to our lives and also an important part of our Canadian history. I also feel that as a future teacher it is important to incorporate a variety of cultures and beliefs into the classroom, so by the students accessing this website they are learning about a culture that perhaps may not be their own.

Grade Four Social Studies - Identity

Learning about the province that you live in is so imporant at this level, and the topic of identity in grade four social studies focusses on Saskatchewan as a province and key facts that goes along with that. I was able to locate a website that deals with the important emblems of Saskatchewan such as the province flag, the western red lilly and the coat of arms. On this website provides a picture of the emblems as well as facts and information to go along with them. It shows all of the specific colors of the emblems as well which gives the students a true identity of what they all look like and can recognize them ouside of the classroom.

I would use this website in my classroom by first having a few lessons with the students about the history of our province and how it came to be. After the students would have a brief overview of the province, I would then get them to access this website to see what the emblems of Saskatchewan really look like and the meaning behind them. I would then have my students jot down facts and information about one of the emblems into their learning log journals, and then draw the picture to go along with the factual information. After they complete this, I would have the students return to their desks and we would discuss the province emblems as a class and I would elaborate further on them.

I feel this website would benefit my students learning in the way that by allowing them to actually see the emblems online and full of color they are getting a visual perspective of what they really look like. Also, by having a class discussion after accessing the website the students are sharing ideas and personal opinions and learning from one another as well. This website helps to involve and motivate students by using pictures and graphics; and many children find these areas to be interesting which allows them to learn and progress at a faster rate. By allowing the students to access and view the website it develops mental models of the emblem inside their head to increase the chance of them remembering it!

Grade Two English Language Arts - Reading and Responding

At the grade two level a main focus is allowing the students to read a few paragraphs and be able to realize what has occured during those few paragraphs and then respond to them. I was able to locate a website that deals with this area of learning and it is also fun and interactive for the students! Through this website you help the tiny animals solve mysteries and also there is a link to language and learning as well, so as a teacher I would have my students access the link to mysteries to solve and language and learning.

I would incorporate this website into my classroom by allowing the students to access the site and get them to first choose which animal they would like to learn with whether it would be bubble cats, mud ants, etc. I would allow for them the chance to help solve the mysteries by first reading the few paragraphs and then responding to the question. Also, the language and learning incorporates the same idea as well by the children reading the few paragraphs and then responding to the questions. I feel this is a great website to use because instead of always getting the students to be at their desks reading and responding I feel that by getting them active on the computers it engages their mind focus and allows them to be more successful and challenged through technology use.

This website would benefit the learning of my students in the way that it definately is a challening site for the students and there are several mysteries and language and learning activities for them to complete so there is always a variety and they are never getting bored. I feel that as a teacher I will still have my students be at their desks doing the same learning, but I feel that by having this variety by using the website as well the students see it as fun and exciting due to the animals and colors that they don't even realize they are learning while accessing the site! Not only are they focussing on their reading and responding skills but by getting the students on the computer more often they are also benefiting their technology skills and becoming more comfortable with the computer!

Grade Two Mathematics - Numbers and Operations

I chose to search for a site related to the topics of Numbers and Operations at the grade two level of mathematics. This website contains addtion, subtraction, multiplication and division, it is somewhat like flash cards except technology based on the computer! Each time you answer the math question correctly, the batter gets to swing at the ball and the more points you get in the baseball game that is being played on the computer; so essentially the more questions you answer correctly, the higher the baseball score!

I would use this website in my classroom when I am using centers. For example, in centers there is often a reading center, a math center, etc. Instead of getting the students to always work on a math work sheet during at their desks at these centers I would allow for them to go onto the computers and enter into this site to test their math skills. If they want to be more challenged after the first few rounds they can always choose a higher level as well so the students are constantly being challenged. I would make sure that after approximately 10 minutes the students would then switch centers to all of the kids would get a chance to test out the new math skills games. Also, perhaps I would not always use a math website during centers but a reading and writing web site as well, that way the children are always being exposed to a wide variety and are constantly being challenged!

This website would benefit learning within the classroom in the way that students are not only being exposed to more sources of technology but they are also being challenged at their math skills as well. Math is often not a popular subject, so I feel that it is the teachers job to make the subject fun and exciting to ensure that his/her students are constantly learning and being challenged. By using this website and seeing it is incorporated in with sports, I feel that a lot of students would enjoy it and find it fun and exciting. You can also play with two players at a time so that way the students are competing against one another and trying their very best! Again, with this website I feel I could definatly send the site home with parents/guardians so instead of always using flash cards at the kitchen table or math work sheets for homework sometimes I would get the students to log onto a website such as this at home to practice more math skills to enhance their learning ability!

Grade Two Health - Nutrition

I chose to look at a health education site for the grade two level to find a way to get students interactive on food and health nutrition! This site caught my eye because it contains a variety of fun games for the students to use such as "grab a grape" which is almost like a jeapordy form of game; you are able to pick categories and then choose the question from that category, and no matter if you get the answer right or wrong it always lists a description of the answer so you can learn more about that topic.

I would use this web site in my classroom by first spending a few lessons on the basics of health nurition such as the food groups, healthy exercise, etc as a class. After completing this in the classroom I would then allow my students to go onto the computers and access this website and test their knowledge on what they have learned in class so far. For example, one of the activities on the web site is to be a detective and find the missing nurtient. Through a series of statements you are to fill in the blanks by choosing a letter one at a time below eventually solving the mystery of which nutrient is missing! After the students have a chance to play the fun education games on the nutrition cafe site I would then guide them to the food glossary and et them to write approximately 4-5 definitions down in their health journal for further reference. After completing this, I would quiz the students as a class on questions such as, "What type of food can you eat to make sure you get your daily supply of vitamin C?" or "What can fun activities can you do at home with your friends and family to keep active?" or simply just asking the students what they feel a healthy meal contains. If I had a class website for blogging and updating parents/guardians with information at home I would make sure to post this website for the parents to use with their children more at home as well!

By using this website within the classroom it benefits the students learning by allowing them to use a more hands on learning approach and allowing them to actually seeing pictures and words of healthy nutrition, and interact with them. What child does not love playing computer games, so why not interact educational computer games such as the nutrition cafe into your classroom allowing the students to enhance and broaden the information they already have learnt in class. I played on this website for a while and I feel that the content that it contains for a grade two level is definately going to challenge them and make them think on what the answer is. This website also benefits the childs learning because for example when they are choosing to create their meal, it actually shows the portions of the meal they should be intaking for their age and it displays all of the nutrients they are getting in that meal and calories as well.

Grade Three Science - The Solar System

I chose to focus on a website that provided information about the solar system at the grade three science level. First I would let my students explore the site by searching on the left hand column through the various planets and clicking on each one and viewing the pictures and reading the information that goes along with it below. I would have each of my students choose one of the nine planets listed and jot down four interesting facts about that specific planet. Then, in groups of approximately four or five, the students would share their information with one another; somewhat like a think/pair/share idea. That way the children can discuss the information they came across and why they chose the planet they did and what they found interesting about it. There is also a games page on this website that contains word searches, crossword puzzles, etc. so I would also give my students the chance to play some games on this website while learning more about the solar system at the same time!

I think that this website would help improve my students learning about the solar system in the way that it is a friendly user website so it is easy to access and not complicated to find what you are looking for. It contains simple information and facts that is easily readable for a grade three level and it also contains great pictures and colors which also makes it kid friendly. I feel that by using the think/pair/share idea with this website on the solar system the students are sharing their knowledge with one another and enhancing that knowledge as well. I could definately see this being a website that the kids would want to even access at home to play more games on it and look at more pictrures rather than them just doing it all in the classroom!

Hi Everyone!

This is my first blog in my ECMP 355 class. I am excited to learn about different areas of technology that I can integrate into my classroom as a future teacher!