So, the Google Classroom pilot is plodding along in my building.  Depending on the amount of technology each has, some teachers are using Classroom as an announcement board, others are adding full lessons and assignments to their feeds, etc.  We’re talking to each other about things we’re doing, what we’d like to do, how the … Continue reading →

This time last year, I was starting my favorite project of the year with my students: i, Meteorologist.  I’d moved an almost completely pen and paper unit I’d been using for a couple of years into Google Drive, (pre-Classroom) and had spent the 8 weeks we worked on it tracking down assignments completed by students. … Continue reading →

Last year, when students completed presentations and other media rich projects for the weather project, they just sent them to me and I posted them on our Blogger site.  This year, I want the students to post to the blog themselves.  Taking ownership of the blog should be their responsibility and in doing so, I … Continue reading →

I don’t "do" New Year’s resolutions. Those are for people who already know they don’t really have a plan or goal for the year and need something to announce they’ve failed at before the first of February.  I set goals and place them under umbrellas of usefulness to me or the world.  I still live … Continue reading →

We’re starting the "Big Fat Weather Project" this week! For the next 8 weeks (that’s all that’s left folks!) we’re going to make homemade barometers, and create hurricanes in buckets and tornadoes in bottles.  We’re going to learn how to read a weather map and predict the weather.  We’ll be staring out the window at … Continue reading →

What is… digital literacy? Digital Literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills. - See more at: http://connect.ala.org/node/181197   Sitting at lunch one day, the discussion wandered to how our students are embracing technology in the classroom as we’ve been … Continue reading →

Yes, I know, I start them and then need people to push me to finish them.  At least I put them on paper so I have something to consider, right? So "the project" is moving along slowly.  I’ve almost finished curating my pages and now have reached out to a couple of people about the … Continue reading →

The beauty of my Big Fat Weather Project is how flexible it is and how I’ve been able to teach the students new ways of doing the "same old stuff".  Last week, they learned how to use Google Keep to collect weather data on their assigned cities.  I overheard one of them THIS WEEK, talk … Continue reading →

So I like to read.  I also like to learn new stuff.  I even like helping others learn new stuff.  How can I do all three and still work on my tan this summer? A BOOK STUDY!!!! (loud cheers and screaming from the crowd) Our principal had me start a blog for our teachers last … Continue reading →

In my last installment of #MyInnovativeYear, I talked about the summer book study I’m going to facilitate in a few weeks.  I am so excited about it I wake up each morning thinking of new and different ways to deliver the content and engage the learners and use my newly learned skills with Hyperdocs (oh … Continue reading →