Table Of ContentGRADES
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Dedication
To my dad, mom, and sister, Beth,
for setting the example as educators
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R To Ilene, Matthew, and Josh,
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ea for our Skype sessions to Hong Kong
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ch To my students, past and present,
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1 for running with technology
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nst And to Kim Blaise and Lisa McKeon,
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my for getting me started on my book
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c Scholastic Inc. grants teachers permission to print and photocopy the reproducible pages from
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ate this book for classroom use. Purchase of this book entitles use of reproducibles by one teacher for
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orp one classroom only. No other part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or
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o In stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
ys t photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information
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h regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
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10 Editor: Maria L. Chang
Cover design by Scott Davis
Interior design by Brian LaRossa
ISBN: 978-0-545-56583-7
Copyright © 2014 by Scholastic Inc.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the U.S.A.
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Table of Contents
Introduction ......................................................................................................4
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so Meeting the Standards for College and Career Readiness ..............................7
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ea TOP 10 TECHNOLOGIES FOR YOUR CLASSROOM
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Chapter 9: Social Networking...........................................................................66
Chapter 10: Tablets ..........................................................................................70
Introduction
Whether you believe that technology is an exciting, motivating, and important
part of teaching and learning, or you have yet to be convinced, one thing is
certain—technology is part of today’s world, and we need to take advantage of it.
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ac into the curriculum may be more comfortable for some than others, but it’s
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y This book is meant to make your life easier by giving you speciic tools to use in
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20 your classroom that will not only inspire students, but also give them the skills
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o or nine years down the line). The activities in this book are designed to help
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nto Some educators might think that incorporating technology into the classroom
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ec cuts and lack of resources motivated me to pay close attention to what I could
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or implement in my classroom at little to no cost. My goal was to invigorate my
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which students felt comfortable sharing their ideas with their classmates and
me. Every idea was worth something, whether or not we pursued it.
The irst idea came when a good friend told me that she and her family would
be moving to Hong Kong. We met for a good-bye lunch, and the subject of using
Skype came up. Not only would it be a terriic way for the two of us to stay in
touch, but perhaps it was something we could use in my classroom. Her two
sons, after all, were former students in my school. This idea became a reality,
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and after placing Skype calls with the family in Hong Kong, my classes have
since “met” people all over the world (Brazil, New Zealand, Italy, India, Kenya,
among others) using this videoconferencing technique over the last few years.
This experience led my students to ask if we could place a Skype call with the
author of a favorite read-aloud book. I sent a quick email to the author, and he
es agreed to do it at no cost! The children were so inspired by their conversation
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es with the author that they asked me if they could publish their own “real” books.
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c and the results were phenomenal.
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14 technology has been a successful experience with my students. They use their
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n newfound digital skills over the summer and long after they leave my classroom.
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en I’m hoping that this book will inspire you to do the same with your students
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my and shed some light on some terriic opportunities that you can use in your
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as One important point to keep in mind is that we’re all teachers and students.
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cor WHAT’S INSIDE
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ay This book features my top-10 list of easy-to-use technology tools, such as
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es videoconferencing, digital storytelling, and self-publishing. Each chapter
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tool into your curriculum, printable student worksheets and graphic organizers,
and a list of suggested websites. (As with anything, websites come and go, but
the actual tools can be part of school curriculum from here on out.) In order to
implement the tools recommended in each chapter, use the websites or ind your
own by typing suggested key words into a search engine. Feel free to add to the
“Suggested Websites” section in each chapter, recording your own indings for
future use.
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Whether the end product of a student’s work is paper and pencil or digital
writing, it’s always a good idea to have students organize their thoughts irst.
This book contains the tools necessary for students to plan out their work
on paper, and then apply it digitally. Simply print out copies of the student
worksheets in each chapter. It’s the best of both worlds!
es SAFETY CONCERNS
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ch have to watch out for personal details students could inadvertently share online.
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0 As our world has changed with the infusion of the Internet, keeping our students
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os control the information that students may access and block speciic websites
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ssr posted for a larger audience, outside the school community. As each district is
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hn citizens, and our job is to teach them. Common Sense Media (http://www.
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ate commonsensemedia.org/educators/curriculum) ofers videos, games, and
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s t information, keywords, being respectful to others in online communities, and
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h cyberbullying. The clips are clear and entertaining.
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So, there you have it. I hope this book convinces you to take the plunge into the
world of technology in the classroom. You may feel uneasy as you take your irst
steps, but rest assured, you’ll become sure-footed in no time.
This book contains ten fresh ways to incorporate technology into your
classroom, and I know you’ll ind more. The tech tools are innovative and
exciting, but it’s teachers who really bring it all to life. Good luck, my colleagues!
Let me know how it goes.
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Meeting the Standards for
College and Career Readiness
The mini-lessons and activities in this book help you meet the following
standards for College and Career Readiness. For more information on the
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chi As part of the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard for Reading,
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st As part of the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard for Writing,
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orat As part of the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking
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expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCRA.SL.2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media
and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
CCRA.SL.5: Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to
express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
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Chapter 1: Videoconferencing
OVERVIEW
My classroom came alive the irst time I used Skype with my students.
Whether on an interactive whiteboard, a desktop computer, a laptop, or a tablet,
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Re ind connections for videoconferencing. Here are some suggestions:
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Te • G o to https://education.skype.com/. Through this website, you can connect
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y knowledge of geography or engage in common study. You could also ind
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0 authors of favorite books who often agree to take part in Skype calls.
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nst • U se your community. During Open School Night, I explain to parents that
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ec efort. My class has had video chats with authors Robert Kimmel Smith (The
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or War With Grandpa), Amy Hest (When Jessie Came Across the Sea), Ingrid Law (Savvy),
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GETTING STARTED
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0 On the Internet, type “video call” into a search engine. Investigate a few and
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choose one. There are enough free options out there, so don’t feel you have to
pay for one. If you are lucky enough to have iPads or tablets in your classroom,
you may want to use Skype or FaceTime. Skype works on all devices, while
FaceTime is limited to Apple products.
IMPORTANT: Before you set up a videoconference, interview your contacts to
make sure they are knowledgeable and appropriate for your class.
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To set up a videoconference, you’ll also need a computer and a webcam
with microphone. Current computers and tablets have built-in cameras and
microphones. If your system is a few years old, you may need an external
webcam with built-in or stand-alone microphone. An interactive whiteboard or
projector adds a great deal to the experience for the full class.
es Prepare students for the videoconference by printing and distributing copies
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es of the graphic organizers and associated sheets on the next few pages. Not
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How to Start an Interview
OVERVIEW
Students need to understand the importance of establishing rapport with the
person being interviewed. They should learn how to make the person on the
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0 1. Model an unsuccessful interview. Here’s how:
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nst a. Select a student volunteer to be the interviewee.
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e Students will likely chuckle. It will become clear that this abrupt method is
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b. Smile.
c. Introduce yourself.
d. Share where you work or go to school.
(continued)
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