Technology in our classroom

Part of being internet savvy is knowing when to acknowledge where you found a photo or information for your blog post.  If you haven’t written it in your own words using your own imagination, then you probably got the idea from another person. 

To keep it legal, you need to say where you got the information from, whether it be another website on the net, a magazine or newspaper you read or a book you borrowed from the library. The thoughts and photos are not yours; they belong to someone else and it is your responsibility to mention them in your blog post.

Sue Waters who writes The Edublogger which you can see in your dashboard, has written a great post about acknowledging photos under Creative Commons.

You need to complete the following for EVERY photo you use (unless it is your own photo)

STEP 1  Find photo with Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.  Right click on photo, go down to properties then copy the Address (URL)

STEP 2  Open your ‘Write Post” page and click insert image into post (green tree )

• paste in image URL
• add description
• add alignment
• put 5 in vertical and horizontal boxes
• now click Insert

STEP 3   Click on image and resize – width about 200 pixels if right aligned.

STEP 4  Now go back to page where original photo is and copy the page URL (at top of page not on photo)

• back to your post  and click on image then click on insert link button (chain)
• paste in the URL
• set target as new window
• now click Insert

Final step  Adding text attribution under photo or bottom of post

Photo by majamom (highlight name then insert link to page URL) licenced under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

If you are unsure how to keep photos legal, then read Sue’s post on the Edublogger as she includes screenshots as well.

Another idea from the blog “Quick Tips”

My first attempt at making a cartoon with Toondoo.

I have asked you to create a PAGE titled “Reflections” or something similar.

Where is this going to appear on your normal blog page?

It will be in your sidebar so you will need to make sure in your design widgets, you have included the one labelled “Pages” otherwise I will not be able to view your reflections. Sometimes pages also appear at the top of the theme design; it will depend which one you have chosen, but by Friday this week, you should have created this page and written some lines about what you have learnt the first couple of weeks back and how this knowledge will help you in real life.

You might also be interested in reading Sue Waters post in the Edublogger about posts and pages. Remember links to her posts are also found on your dashboard if you have the Edublogger widget included.

One of the blogs I check in my reader every day is called “Quick Tips” but it is not written in English.  Today it mentioned this fantastic website about drinking water and what we as humans are doing about it.  If you are very thoughtful of the world’s environment, then make sure you visit. You will need a flash player loaded to view the site.

How much of the world’s water is freshwater?

How much of that is suitable for drinking?

What are humans and nature doing to ruin the water?

What could you, a student in Tasmania, do to help preserve safe drinking water?

Photo source “Into the blue” by Subrime

A lot of teachers are writing about this website, which allows you to cut and paste some text into a program which will then print out the most common words used.  Maybe you could put in the blog posts you have written, and find out what are your major topics.  Here is one I did by copying and pasting the major parts of the wikipedia article on Sumo wrestling.

How could doing this help you when studying for an exam or test?

I have just visited the Edublogger written by Sue Waters and she has written a great post about sharing your blogging experience.  She is asking teachers to give hints to new teachers who are just starting blogging.

So can you please share with us:

• Why you blog? How does it benefit you or your work?
• How you use blogging with your students and how it has helped them (if applicable)
• Examples of class and/or student blogs for them to check out
• What are your 3 most important tips for educators, new to blogging, who would like to blog with their students?

Now in our school, we have five new blogger teachers; some blogging for themselves and some beginning class blogs.  What hints would you give them about blogging with students? Think about the questions above and anything else you feel teachers should know when blogging with students.  Either answer here in the comments or write your own post about it and link to both this post and the one Sue Waters wrote.

Make sure you check the page called Term 2 Assignments.  These assignments will have dates mentioned and that will be when I will be checking if the work has been done. Some will be small assignments,  others will last the term.  So check there at least twice a week to make sure you are keeping up with the set work.

But here are some clues as to what will be expected this term:

Major assignment on sumo wrestling – this will start next week and you will be working in a small group. Research the history, the rituals, the winning, the losing, the training and take part in a mini sumo wrestling tournament.  Little fellows can win, Brandon!  We might also hire those big suits to use with other grade 6/7 students.

Major assignment on China and the Olympics – randomly draw the name of a small country out of the hat and follow their progress at the Olympics – research one of their sportsmen who participated- follow them at the Olympics – present information to the rest of the class – use some technology in the presentation.

So plenty to get you started, both at home and at school.

Photo source :  Sumo wrestling

Did you rest (thongs), travel somewhere (globe), watch a movie or play with friends?  Find the appropriate picture and add a comment. You can add more than one comment.

As we are studying Japan and its language and culture this year, I found this competition on the net, which I am sure some of you would enjoy entering. It is about after school activities.  You would have the whole of second term to write the essay so please look into it, especially if in grade 7.

When I was in Japan a few years ago, I visited a school during their school holidays but it wasn’t empty like our schools would be.  Instead, the band was rehearsing every day, the volley ball team and table tennis team were practising – the school was full of students during their holidays.

Should this happen in Aussie schools? 

Photo source:  “Afternoon activities” by MC MasterChef