Blog 5#

My intention is to work with High School Students in the General Science Subjects.
I have learned many technologys this year that I can use with the students in my classroom. I could probably use every technology in my classroom but I am posting the 3 that I feel I would use the most or would be the most useful to me.
1. Powerpoint: Powerpoints are a good way to demonstrate information to students in a interesting and colorful way. I also think that powerpoints are useful because you can insert graphics and videos to help the students understand concepts better than they could if you were just using a projector to write words.
2. Inspiration: I believe that Inspiration is a very useful tool because it allows students to use concept maps and other useful tools to connect different topics and it really helps to connect them in the students minds
3. Excel: I think in Science classes excel is a very useful tool because students can use it to make graphs for different experiments and to really understand concepts better because they can see data on a graph instead of just comparing it in their heads which isn't easy for visual learners.

I will probably not use kidspiration in the classroom because it is directed toward younger students and since I will be working with High School Students it doesnt seem like it would be very relevant to them. I also do not think I will be using Google earth in the classroom although it is a very interesting tool, it doesnt really have that many practical uses towards physics, chemistry, and biology.

Blog 4#

I believe in my classroom I would use many of these activities. I think games are always a good way to relate to students and to help them learn. In a way, you can show students how learning is fun and how certain concepts are easier than they think. Interactive white board activities are also useful because the students have to use their brains and work to connect certain concepts. I feel like when decribing how certain things work in science its good to have the students do "simulations". You could have them act like the different organelles of cells or you could also have them act like atoms or planets and move in the ways these items do. I dont think I would use virtual reality or virtual worlds in my classroom just becuase I feel like there arent that many high school science virtual world related things but I suppose it is always a possibility.

A interactive whiteboard activity I could use in the classroom would be filling out an inspiration concept map and having students write in or select subcategories for certain science related things. They also could conect certian things which would help them to relate concepts together. I think I could use games by having students work in groups to talk about different science topics and to compete against each other for candy, extra credit points or other prizes. As I stated above, I think that using simulations is a good thing to use in science classes to help kinestetic learners to understand concepts better. When you have a student actually practicipating in a experiment or a demonstration they start to understand it much better.

In conclusion, I will use alot of the things I learned in ETPT to help teach my students.