Assignment #7

1. How have you used technology to contribute to some domain of knowledge? I have used technology to contribute to most of my learning, especially in the three years that I have been in college. Without resources such as the Internet, Powerpoint, etc, learning would be so boring! How did my parents do it? I am excited to utilize the technology out there as I begin teaching my classes.
2. How have you used technology to collaborate with classmates? In this class, looking at and commenting on other classmates' blogs has been very very helpful for ideas. The other useful technology that I have used to collaborate with classmates is Facebook and email. Those who have gmail (most people) are able to collaborate their information using Google Docs. I have done this with test study guides and it is a very useful tool that saves a lot of time.
3. How might you use technology in your classroom? I will use Powerpoint almost on a daily basis. It's so easy and fast to make impressionable presentations that will engage students. As previously discussed in other posts, I will also implement Blogger and Google Sites. Students will have their own blogs for the class and will use the Sites to get their homework assignments. While technology is indeed helpful, one should not completely rely on it because technology has potential to crash or erase at random. Having back-up plans is a must.
4. What did you learn in this class? I learned SO MANY THINGS! I learned how to embed Youtube videos, how to add gadgets to my blog, how to create my own website, how to search for helpful software, how to download a youtube video, Internet safety....I could go on. I needed this class desperately and am so glad that it is required for teaching.
5. What will you use that you have learned in this class? I can tell you what I WON'T use...Google Wave. That was not helpful for me at all and I would rather just use Google Docs because you can do pretty much the same things. I'll for sure use blogs, Google Sites, Docs, the Mac text- to- voice software, Youtube, Google Earth, and Skype. I both loved and hated the style of this class--to learn a lot of it yourself. I think this is because I have a lazy streak in me and when I don't know how to do something, I get impatient and don't go through the trouble of finding a solution right away! But on the other hand it helped me to get through that and I ended up learning mucho mucho!

Project #3- My example

In class this week, we learned about Spain. Spain has a rich culture that is unique to most of the world. The Moors from the East settled in the Iberian Peninsula (now Portugal and Spain) and have left their distinctive architecture there for tourists. The Romans also had control for over 500 years; their presence is also apparent through the Roman ruins left behind in southern Spain. The Pyrenees Mountains border Spain and France in the north, and Morocco in Africa is just south across the Mediterranean Sea.

After watching this movie of Madrid, Spain (the capitol), I now understand why Spain is a hot tourist spot for people not just around Europe, but the United States as well. I love the old buildings and the city feel. This would be a really fun place to visit, with a lot of history behind everything. I hope to go there someday. 

Project #3

For my project, I have chosen to do the student assignment. Because I want my students to learn something that they may want to continue using,  they will be assigned to create a blog, make it private so that they can choose who can see it, and write in it once a week for homework. I want my students to gain the skills that I have acquired using Blogger. It will be a special Geography blog, where they comment on something that we learn each week. They will also include pictures, embedded YouTube videos, and video diaries. Each week will have something different.

For my example, I will write about a place that we studied (hypothetically) and post a video about it. Then I will write about something new that I learned from that video. I will also ask questions that I may have to show that my students can feel free to ask me anything via their blog. The assignments will be on our class website, but they will use Blogger.
Assignment: http://sites.google.com/site/mrsfreemansclassisgreat/homework/geographyassignment

Assignment #6

I looked at Lyndsey's blog from our class who is also studying to be a social science teacher and she had a great website that I will have to use with my future class:
http://nicholasacademy.com/socialstudies.html
It has free downloads with all topics under the category of social science. 
Here is a geography software download that I came across online. Unfortunately, I am unskilled when it comes to actually downloading software...
http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/ppc/geography-software.htm?id=45229&gclid=CJ79yKKLj6ICFRYBiQod92SRbg
It's a free download and it mainly features maps and would be useful as my students locate where every country in the world is located while creating charts and graphs of data about specific regions and countries.
http://www.davidrm.com is an online journal. I could have my students use this electronic journal as they reflect on assignments. They could even do like a travel journal (since I may be teaching geography) and display the 5 Themes of geography from their traveled location. This could be a fun and easy way to apply what they've learned and post online. They could also use http://www.inalbum.com/ to create slideshows, storyboards, and movies. The downside is that it costs 29.95 for the software. I did find a website for teachers to buy academic software at discounted prices. Click here. It could come in handy.

A free replacement for Photoshop is called Gimp. This could be a fun tool for projects. Click here if you want to see other free replacements for computer software.

Safety on the internet was a sobering class discussion. I'm sure everyone had a personal experience about family members struggling with content on the computer; I sure have! It's not a pretty sight, and no one needs to go through that. I think it should be taught in all schools that the Internet is a great blessing but only if you use it correctly. Warning kids and teenagers of the danger that risky sites have could safe them from heartache; then again, we all have our agency. I'm grateful that we were about to talk more about that and elaborate on the subject.

Principles of Internet Safety

Pricacy: Don't share everything.
birthday
social security number
credit card number
address
phone number
when you are not home
where your spare key is

Accountability: Keep Records of Everything.

Vigilance:
keep the computer in a high traffic area
Listen to the Spirit
Don't be stupid

How to find software:
"warez" "wares", "free", are all NOT good.
open-source, trial, freeware, shareware.
FIND THE SOFTWARE FOR ELL'S THAT THE COMPUTER WILL READ THE TEXT FOR YOU. Text to speech software.

How To Dive

Change of plans for Project #2!!

While I would have really had fun making a video about social studies, something else perked my interest even more over this Memorial Day weekend.

Swimming is a physical activity that most enjoy, right? So, what I decided to do was incorporate the Utah Core into swimming, under the category "Physical Education- Fitness for Life". Some of the objectives that swimming fills in the Core are: Objective 1
Demonstrate an understanding of the fitness outcomes in a variety of activities.

a. Demonstrate basic competence in a variety of activities that contribute to improvement of overall fitness.
Objective 2
Demonstrate active participation outside of the school day.

a. Participate in recreational activities offered through community agencies.
b. Participate in activities developing fitness outside of the school day.
c. Maintain activity journals illustrating activity participation outside of school hours.
Objective 1
Recognize the relationship between physical activity and personal health.

a. Recognize that health-related fitness is a lifelong process unique to each individual.
b. Identify genetic influences on body type, sedentary lifestyle diseases, muscle types, and rates of weight gain and loss.
c. Describe how physical activity affects body mass composition, including muscle and fat percentages and bone density.
d. Describe the mental, social, and psychological benefits of physical activity.
e. Describe how exercise increases longevity and quality of life through the reduction of stress.
Standard 4
Students will achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness.

Objective 1
Participate in personally meaningful activities.

a. Participate regularly in physical activities that contribute to the attainment and maintenance of personal fitness goals.
b. Use results of post fitness assessments to guide changes in fitness plan.
c. Analyze time, cost, and accessibility factors in determining activity participation in community settings.
d. Recognize how physical activities impact a person's physical, emotional, social, and intellectual well-being.
Source:


With all of this in mind, diving is an activity that all swimmers should learn how to do. My "How to Dive" video segment will inspire all who watch it to enjoy the bliss that comes with diving. My husband, dad, and sister all helped me produce this video and I am excited to inspire others to live a life full of fitness while still having a fun time.