Technology in our classroom

In an earlier blog, you had to make a comment about what your personal and school goals are for this term.  I wonder how many of you have actually taken this seriously?

• Are you practising your spelling every night?
• Are you revising your tables every night?
• Are you reading to your younger brothers and sisters?
• Are you getting outside to exercise more rather than watching TV?

Remember, by grade 6/7 you need to start putting some effort into actually achieving your goals.  Your skills and knowledge will improve the more you concentrate on the task and PRACTISE.

A few sayings that might be suitable:

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.

Practise makes perfect.

Here are a few websites I have found by reading other teachers blogs that will help you with literacy and numeracy skills.

Spelling – you can include your own spelling lists or use theirs but remember it is American 

Aplusmath - includes worksheets, flashcards and games

Spelling, vocabulary and maths – all on one website

Is this the reaction you get when trying to have a conversation with your teenagers?

Students, is this how you answer your parents when they ask questions about what you are doing or what you have learnt?

 Thanks to Jess for the link to the video above. Thanks to the Edublogger for showing me how to embed a video into a post.

During meet and greet last week, I mentioned some of the ways in which students can become better global citizens.  Some of you have families who already sponsor a child through World Vision.  But what can you do on your own?  You are only one person ……how can your voice be heard?

I was reading McTeach’s blog and was reminded of an event that I took part in last year.  It only took an hour of my time and I didn’t even have to leave home to do it.  It didn’t cost me any money …… in fact I probably saved some.  Finally, it was a way to reduce my “carbon footprint” on this magnificent world of ours.

 What is this fantastic event?  It began last year with  Sydney being the only major city in the world which took part.  People in houses, cleaners in buildings and bosses in corporations just had to flick a switch.  This year there are many major cities of the world who have already pledged to participate in this very simple but effective activity.

There has been some information in our local newspapers about this event happening at 8pm on Saturday March 29 in your own local area.

This site has also got a video about it.

 Have you guessed?  Will your family take part?  Please comment about this event.

As the learnerblogs website is not going to receive any more updates or improvements according to the edublogs admin team, I have decided to import our old blog across to one I can have now until I retire as long as I continue teaching grades 6/7.  Many thanks to those students, teachers and parents who  commented at our old blog, but feel free to comment here  It looks exactly the same, still hasyour comments and posts but has a new URL address.  It will also make it easy for me to make blogs for individual students during term 2.

For those classes and teachers who  included us on your blogroll, please change our URL so new bloggers come to our new blog site.

Do you have a hobby or interest that you are very passionate about?  Is there an author whose books you always read?  Well why not make a comment here on this post telling Miss W about your interest and she might invite you to be a guest blogger here on the class blog.  Only write a few lines saying why you would like to write about your interest.  Remember when you do become the guest blogger, you can include some copyright free pictures about your interest.  I don’t know yet how to insert a video or slideshow in a blog, so if anyone can help with that, it would be great.

Are you interested in taking part in some competitions that were recently advertised by the Tasmanian Education Department? 

Eureka  This looks at excellence in science so if you are a sleek geek like Dr Karl and Adam Spencer, then this might be for you. 

Tasmanian Science Talent Search theme this year is Planet Earth: Planet of Change

Wakakirri using performance and visual arts by yourself or in a group

Info technology chance to show off your technology talents if you are in grade 7-10

Expedition in Papua interested in following a kayak journey in Papua?

Tournament of Minds check with Mr Richardson if you have a team wanting to enter this fantastic competition.

I wonder what types of technology your parents, older brothers and sisters, neighbours or other relatives use in their work place?  Do they blog, use wikis, mobile phones, podcasts etc?   You might like to create a survey or questionaire and give your responses in a graph.  Ask them questions on this topic, then either the student or the parent can write a comment back in this blog.

Photo link in photobucket