Google Maps- My Commute

I couldn't quite figure out how to embed my map, so here's a link to find it.  My Commute to Work

I think that Google Maps would have been a great resource last year when I was teaching fifth and sixth grade social studies.  We studied ancient cultures, and it would have been great to have a map that marked all of the places that we visited.  At one point, the students did explore with Google Earth and typed in some locations in Greece and Egypt.  One activity that I could do with a reading group would be to trace the travels of a character throughout the book.  The kids just read Bud, Not Buddy and they could have traced his steps as they were reading the story.

Google Sites

I have used the Google Site in the past.  I currently have a link to my classroom blog right on the front page.  I am exploring mostly with my Blogspot Blog, but do use the Google Site for resources.  Many of my students are still familiar with the teacher approved "Computer Lab Websites" page and use it often.  I think that I just need to spend some time exploring to make my website more visually appealing.

Here's my class webpage.  I made some changes (updates) earlier today.
https://sites.google.com/a/danvillek12vt.us/miss-greaves-website/

Delicious

I have been using the Delicious website for a few weeks now, and I must say that I am hooked.  I appreciate its easy setup and have begun collaborating with Sarah Boucher for our joint goal this year.  She and I have decided to share our SMART board resources and the Delicious site has been the best way to do this.  I simply have to tag my SMART board sites and she can easily access them and vice-versa.  I think that this joint collaboration is perfect, especially since we both teach math and reading.

A Reflection of Blogging

The world of blogging is not new to me.  My sister Molly had a financial blog for a few years on Wordpress.  I would read it often, in hopes of having something to discuss with her that she found riveting.  Let's just say, our discussions got a bit heated since we have opposite political views, so those conversations were short-lived.


In the education world, blogging can be an excellent way of communicating home to parents.  80% of the students in my homeroom have Internet access, and I use my classroom blog to communicate with parents regarding upcoming projects, events, homework assignments, etc.  I try to include my students in my blogging process as much as I can.  We visit the blog together and use the links at the top of the page for some of our interactive lessons on the SMART board.


I am very happy with my blog this year.  I tried using the Google site last year and found it quite boring.  I enjoy "spicing" things up by changing the background and adding pictures as often as possible.  I'm trying to find a way to take pictures of my SMART board lessons so I can post them as well.  If you know how to do this, please kindly let me know :)


Here's my classroom blog address:
http://www.missgreaves.blogspot.com 
 

Happy blogging!

Wordle

I used the lyrics to a song for my Wordle project and I can envision my students doing a similar project as a get to know you activity.  Students could select a song that they feel most inspires or describes them, and we could post them outside in our cubbies.

Another idea that I had was for my reading class.  I thought that the students could incorporate this activity into their literary luminary role for literature circles.  Each student could find a quote, make the Wordle, and then write a reflection in their daily reading journal.

I'm still trying to come up with a realistic way to integrate this concept into my math curriculum.  Any ideas?