Thursday, April 30, 2015

Sketchpad 3.5


"Show What You Know" with Storyboard That!

Students in Rebecca Strong’s 6th grade science class at Cario Middle School are used to using creative ways to review the science standards at the end of a unit. She has had them make a visual display called “Show What You Know,” where the students must demonstrate their knowledge on specific topics using diagrams, pictures, and written explanations. While these paper-and-pencil posters have their place in her toolbox, she was anxious to try something new. Her students used “Storyboard That” to create 6-
frame comic strips in which they incorporated the animal unit standards into creative review projects. The students LOVED the creativity that the Chromebooks/Storyboard That afforded them. Ms. Strong loved the enthusiasm that her students had for finding creative ways to demonstrate their learning. 


Cario Students Are Head Over Heels For Chromebooks!

The 6th grades students in our pod fell head over heels in love with the chromebooks.  They would gladly have had their hands on those keys every day.  They were like sponges and soaked up information on apps and other tools quickly.  As a teacher, I found that classroom management was a breeze-especially  once they learned how to manipulate new apps and tools.  This was an amazing experience and I loved it!!  

Our students worked on a research project on South Carolina animals.  This project has been done for years and entails ELA collaborating with Science, intermingling both standards into one project.  We changed up the process a little and also, the end product but were able to not only cover Science and ELA standards, but all of the ISTE standards as well.

-Ms. Hurt, Sixth Grade Science Teacher


Saturday, April 18, 2015

Preparing for EOCs - by Lacy Bryant

How can teachers and students use technology to prepare for End of Course exams? Ms. Anderson, Algebra teacher at Garrett Academy, has one solution to the problem.

Teaching high level math courses using technology can be very challenging. Many of the apps, programs, extensions, and websites that she and I have looked in to do not allow students to practice higher level math skills. Trying to translate this (e^25/f^10)^(2/5) into a math problem that actually looks and reads as math problems is very difficult. (Math teachers are probably the only people who can really appreciate the difficulty of the above stated problem. If you are a non-math teacher like myself, you just have to trust me on this one.)


Ms. Anderson has put a lot of thought into solving this problem. She has set up her Google Classroom to use a combination of technology (helpful videos, sharing presentations that she has made, sending and gathering students work) and traditional paper/pencil lessons. Students are now able to work more independently learning the necessary math skills while also receiving valuable 1:1 attention from her when it is needed. Students today were learning about and practicing "Solving Radical Equations Algebraically."


Great job Ms. Anderson and great job to Ms. Anderson's students who are working so diligently to master difficult mathematical concepts! You rock!! I look forward to teaching you and your students how to make your own math videos (that are far better, funnier and smarter than the videos you watched today)!

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Collaboration with Google Drive on the West African Kingdoms

Ms. Duhan's students worked with a partner to complete a graphic organizer comparing the West African Kingdoms on a Google Document. They used multiple sources in both print and digital to fill in the individual boxes for each West African Kingdom. They learned how to share a document and work simultaneously on their individual Chromebooks. They also practiced using Google tools like research  and image search. These 6th graders enjoyed working with a partner to complete the same task but also being able to work independently on their own Chromebook.  They had the option to sit next to their partner or work with them from a distance. Here is an example of one group's completed project. ​​​

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

QR Code Scavenger Hunt=Vocabulary Fun!

Mrs. Sally Rhodes' first grade class at Oakland Elementary School were all smiles this morning as they heard their assignment for practicing their "ar" words.  Words like "bark" and "dark" became more exciting as they learned that they would be using QR codes to practice them.  Mrs. Rhodes created 12 QR codes that had sentences with blanks.  Students worked in pairs and traveled around the room scanning the codes, getting the sentences and determining which word fit in the blank.  Not only was this activity fun (even prompting one student to ask if this was recess), it allowed for collaboration and critical thinking.  Students were handing out high fives to their partners as they completed a sentence and worked well to discuss why the correct word fit and the others did not.  The level of engagement and communication that I saw was proof that using QR codes are an easy way to increase engagement and rigor in any classroom.

Cost of Living, What's the Ecosystem Worth?

Mrs. Brooks' science classes kicked off their ecosystems unit with this driving question: "Does the soil around Cario Middle have healthy enough soil to grow a crop of corn?" Students were asked to collect soil from various areas around Cario Middle and analyze the ph levels in the soil using Vernier probes. 
After learning about the impact of development (and there is quite a lot of it going on in Mount Pleasant), and understanding ph levels (5-7 is a healthy ph level), students had this to say about the ecosystem where they live:
George: "I want to try to protect it (ecosystem)."
Avery: "I think there will be more extinct species because people are unaware and some people (developers) just don't care."
Sienne: "Doing this project shows me how bad the condition of our ecosystem is in."
Caroline: "This unit has taught me how important (the condition of) soil is to our animals as well as people."
Will: "It helps us learn more about how to protect the ecosystem not just wanting to protect it"
Students are beginning to build their own 3 chamber ecosystems this week (complete with live animals!), and will continue on to Pitt Street Bridge to build their very own oyster farm! Mrs. Brooks definitely puts the WOW factor into learning! Thank you Mrs. Brooks for all that you do!
-Rebecca Roemer







Friday, April 10, 2015

School of the Arts Receives Complimentary Apple Watches! - By Lacy Bryant

The week after Spring Break is always a hard one. Although the year is coming to a close, teachers still have a lot of work to do. There are papers to grade, parents to meet with, end of course exams to prepare for, and a million other loose ends to tie up. Teachers at School of the Arts are up to the challenge and are notorious for keeping a positive attitude. Because of their sincere dedication and hard work, Apple has generously donated several brand new Apple Watches to select faculty members. Ben Moore told me, "It was really hard to sleep with my watch on, but the alarm clock was loud enough to wake me up."

Congratulations to the School of the Arts staff for this amazing accomplishment! 


"Everybody says it is just like the nano, but we think it is much easier to see." - Sarah Fitzgerald

















Officer Thornburg - "The selfie possibilities are endless!"













Thursday, April 9, 2015

Ms. Ancrum's Class Makes Book Trailers - by Lacy Bryant

Ms. Ancrum teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade ELA at Military Magnet Academy in North Charleston. Her students independently selected novels and are now creating iMovie (Book) Trailers intended to persuade other students to read their books. In order to create a 2 minute book trailer, students had to use critical thinking skills to select themes, pictures, and words that accurately reflected the mood, characters, and plot of the books that they chose. I enjoyed teaching student show to create videos, how to find high quality pictures, and challenging students to make their trailers better and better.

Malik and Ca'Vashia collaborating on their projects!


This was a great activity and Ms. Ancrum can use these trailers with her students next year! Imagine how engaging it would be for students to see trailers that other students created before they select the book they want to use. In addition, challenging students to create better trailers with more detail would be a great way to promote 21st Century Skills (critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration). Great job Ms. Ancrum and Ms. Ancrum's students!

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Laurel Hill Primary School Teachers

Teachers at Laurel Hill Primary School have been engaging the students to the next level using iPads for their everyday activities and for special projects.  Alethea Setser rallied the chef in the cafeteria to help the students record their results for a taste test for new healthy foods to be introduced.  Sarah Frey has been implementing iPad use in her students' Reading Workshop and Seely Dillard has been using the letters app for word work in her 1st grade classroom.  Alethea Sester has reported that her students gobble up their snack very quickly so they can get back to work on their iPads! Allison Killian has been having the students make itrailers for the LHPS Media Center!