Teaching Online: Early Finishers

I am currently teaching a practicum class online and we run a virtual school program. I am learning a lot of things and want to share some tips along the way.

One of the teachers asked me for some suggestions for students who finish an assignment early. In class, we usually suggest that they read a book.  To keep students engaged online, the students need something else besides just reading.

Here are my suggestions:

Early finisher suggestions: 

1.     Word search – there are websites online that help you create a word search with your own words.

2.     Word Creator - Give a word like "Elephant" and see how many new words they can make just using the letters in that word. They can only use the letter "e" twice since it is in Elephant twice but the other letters can only be used once in each new word. All the letters can be used in the next new word. (ex. pant; he; the; ant)

3.     Lists: I love lists! Have students make lists of things.

a)     all the fruit you can think of

b)    desserts

c)     animals

d)    vegetables

e)     food you don’t like

f)     actions that are good manners

g)    nice things to say to other people

h)    acts of kindness

i)      things that are green or blue or red etc.

j)      list of things that are blue (or red or green) in your room

What other suggestions do you have? Please share.

Teaching Online: Modeling a Math Lesson

I am currently teaching a practicum class online and we run a virtual school program. I am learning a lot of things and want to share some tips along the way.

Modeling online is hard because it is hard to draw online. I think it also takes up a lot of time an for some reason, teaching is slower online and time seems to go faster.

One thing you might try doing is to solve the problem on a piece of paper before class and taking a picture of each step finished. Or you can do it in a word document and take screenshots. You can also save as a PDF or put into a PowerPoint presentation.

Then when you share your screen and are modeling how to solve the problem, you can share either your pictures, presentation or PDF file but you aren't having to try to draw on the screen. 

For example: (see attached) 

Picture 1 - The question: Bill has 2 boxes. Each box has 4 pencils. How many pencils does Bill have?

Picture 2 - Same as picture 1 but underline the important words 

Picture 3 - Same as picture 2 but now you have pencils in boxes drawn.

Picture 4 - same as picture 3 but count all the pencils

Picture 5 - same as picture 4 but now with addition equation

Picture 6 - same as picture 5 but added multiplication equation. 

Then you could do another problem but have each student go through the steps together with you. 

Bob has 3 boxes. Each box has 5 books. How many books does Bob have? 

1.     Read the question out loud. Show question on Screen.

2.     Everyone - underline the important words. (Show picture with words underlined)

3.     Let's draw - what will you draw? (books). Let's draw 5 books. Draw a box around the 5 books. Let's draw another box of 5 books. Now let's draw the third box of books. (Show picture 2 but with pictures of books added)

4.     Let's add how many books altogether (15) (Show picture 3)

5.     What addition equation would we write? (5 + 5+ 5 = 15) Great! Let's write that down. (Show picture 3 with addition equation)

6.     What multiplication equation would we write? (3 x 5 = 15) (Show picture 5 with multiplication equation added)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Teaching Online: Organizational Prep work

I am currently teaching a practicum class online and we run a virtual school program. I am learning a lot of things and want to share some tips along the way.

Usually, when everyone joins the class, there is a general time for everyone to share things and for teachers to welcome everyone. I think this is a good time to check that everyone has all the materials they will need for class. You could even come up with a daily checklist.

For example:

·      Pencil

·      Lined paper

·      Reading worksheet printed (was emailed yesterday)

·      Reading book

·      Item to share – my favorite toy

·      Small items to use for counting

·      Math worksheet printed (was emailed yesterday)

By checking with everyone before you start teaching, it will give students time to get anything they are missing. It will also help from interrupting the lesson while you are teaching it. Plus, it is a good practice to get into, whether they are attending class online or in person.

What other things would you suggest? Please share.

Photo by STIL on Unsplash

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 06/26/2020

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels:  E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

Baseball Hall of Fame - Click on the modules below to find FREE Lesson Plans that you may print out for use in your own classroom. Each lesson comes with directions, activity suggestions, and reproducible handouts. The materials available here can enrich your on-site field trip or virtual field trip experience with the Baseball Hall of Fame. You may also use these materials independently to help you teach a variety of subjects using baseball as a catalyst. All of our lesson plans are aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts. (L:G;SA:M,LA)

The Physics of Baseball - Two scientists from San Francisco Bay Area institutions break down a few of the many different ways that baseball is a great way to learn about the physics of motion and energy, including aerodynamics and vibrations in this video adapted from QUEST. (L:H;SA:S)

Poetry – poetry printables (L:E;SA:LA)

Animaker – create animated videos (L:G;SA:A)

Flexclip - FlexClip's education video maker will help you create a custom video or presentation in no time for its ease of use. (L:T;SA:A)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Happy Anniversary to My Husband

Tomorrow is our 38^th wedding anniversary! It doesn’t feel like we have been married that long because, like the saying goes, “time flies when you are having fun!”

We enjoy being together so much and love doing so many different things that it is hard to ever get bored. We try to support each other’s interests even if we don’t have an interest in it.

A good marriage involves a lot of giving and taking and if both of us can give more than take, we are both happy.

A good marriage involves total trust. I never want to abuse the trust you have in me and I know you feel the same way.

I can’t imagine life without you! I love you!