Google Reader Assignment

Throughout my time in ED 505, I have dedicated time weekly to sit down and read the blogs listed below with Google Reader:

Cool Cat Teacher Blog:http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/

Will Richardson: http://willrichardson.com/

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/

Free Technology for Teachers: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: http://mediaspecialistsguide.blogspot.com/

Look at My Happy Rainbow: http://lookatmyhappyrainbow.com/

What the Teacher Wants!: http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/

These blogs have provided me with so much more information and resources to use in my classroom. The blog, Free Technology for Teachers, has opened my eyes to many creative and technology savvy things that my second grade class can participate in during regular lessons. These activities will not only make learning fun, but my students will learn about technology while covering the content areas. I have to say that the blog, What the Teacher Wants, is my favorite blog. I have been following this blog for over a year now and have found such great resources to use in my own classroom. The teacher that writes the blog even gives away free resources! My favorite blog post is Guided Reading Galore (http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/2012/01/guided-reading-galore.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WhatTheTeacherWants+%28What+The+Teacher+Wants%21%29&utm_content=Google+Reader) This post discusses guided reading in a first grade classroom and provides teachers with several different resources to use during their own guided reading experiences. I look forward to reading all of these blogs in the future to make my classroom a better place!

Social Bookmarks

I really enjoyed working on my social bookmarks assignment. I used this time to locate resources that I can use in my 2nd grade classroom. I have already started using many of the links in my room, and plan on using many more of the links I found in the near future. I also found the Delicious site useful in storing previous sites that I have visited in the past where I would not forget about them when I start with a new class. The tabs help me to organize my resources and to better locate them in a minimal amount of time. The link to my Delicious account is below:

http://delicious.com/stephcrossley

Digital Citizenship

Being a good digital citizen is an important concept that all teachers need to understand. It is very important for teachers to understand digital citizenship, since technology in the classroom is growing daily. I feel like technology is changing by the hour. Teachers need to understand how to properly behave on the Internet and convey this information along to their students. As a classroom teacher, I need to understand how the internet works and understand the dangers/risks associated with the use of the internet. This knowledge and understanding will better help me to teach my students proper use of technology. I also try to teach my students how and what to look for and how to stay out of danger when using their computers and internet. Students should always be reminded to use this knowledge to keep safe from dangers and predators on the internet. I also remind children to alert an adult if they feel harassed or receive suspicious information.

Having a good digital reputation means keeping your image and reputation on the internet free from bad behavior or bad image. Posting bad language, talking about others publicly, and questionable pictures on the internet may cast a bad light on your reputation. This type of behavior might prevent someone from getting a job or get someone in legal trouble. One must understand that anything that goes on the internet can be tracked in some way or form. This is a very important concept for teachers and students to understand.

Thinkport

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/shape-poems-30044.html

I found the link above through the thinkport.org technology site. This is a simulation that teaches children K-5 how to write a shape poem. I tried out the nature shape poem with the star. The website first teaches the student what a shape poem is and then leads them through the steps to create their own poem. At the end of the lesson, the student has written their own poem and then can print the poem. I would use this tool during a language arts poetry lesson.

http://www.historywired.si.edu/

History Wired is a website that features many of the artifacts and materials housed in the Smithsonian Institution's Natural Museum of American History. Students could use this website while researching various historical figures and events. Students could also explore this website during a free time computer experience. I found this to be a very interesting site!