Meet Socrative – Visualizing student understanding has never been easier!

Subject: 

Digital Technologies

Year level:

K – 10

Strand:

Digital Technologies

Sub strand:

Knowledge and Understanding

Link to the resource:

https://www.socrative.com/

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:  

The program Socrative will support all three Cross curriculum proprities if the subject content is what the teacher or student is shaping their learning experience around.

LiteracyInformation and Communication Technology (ICT)Critical and Creative Thinking (Australian Curriculum 2016)

Links to other learning areas: 

Any subject area for any content.

A classroom activity using this resource:

Socrative is an enjoyable tool that creates a way for students to connect with other students, teachers and people around the world. Socrative aides in the creation of online activities, quizzes and reports. This application can be loaded on to any device or operating system for teachers and students convenience. This tool allows teachers and students to connect instantly and results can be viewed in current time. This assists the teacher to instantly identify gaps in students knowledge, therefore, the teacher can prepare lesson plans accordingly.

Below is a review from a teacher currently using Socrative in her classroom:

RACHEL LANGENHORST

School: Rock Valley High School, IA

Rachel is a Technology Integration Specialist working with grades preschool through 12th. She first discovered Socrative while teaching 6th grade and saw how it helped gauge understanding with quick polls and quizzes. She now uses Socrative with pre-readers to pull pictures and see which sounds they understand. She is also a firm believer in exit tickets! Rachel’s students love Socrative. One said, “It’s a lot quicker to find out how I did. It’s easier for me to use and more fun than a paper! (Langenhorst, 2017)

Price: FREE

How to use this resource:

Creating online activities, quizzes and reports has never been so easy! Using any mobile, device or operating system, simply open a browser and enter the following URL www.socrative.com. If using the application, simply click the icon in your phone. I personally recommend taking a few moments to watch the short interactive video “demo video” located on the Socrative webpage which will provide a quick and easy guide in identifying the area you would like to focus your learning experience on. Create your own account for free by clicking on “teacher log in.”

1. Applications can be downloaded from: Google play (Android), the App Store (Apple) or Chrome web store.

Android App on Google PlayDownload on the App StoreAvailable in the Chrome Web Store

Reference

www.socrative.com

www.australiancurriculum.edu.au

Langenhorst, L. (2017). Re: Review of Socrative program [Blog comment]. Retrieved from https://www.socrative.com

 

Osmo Coding

 

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year level: F – 3

Strand: Digital Technologies

Processes and Production Skills

Knowledge and Understanding

Digital systems (hardware and software) are used in everyday life and have specific features (ACTDIK001)

Link to the resource: 

https://www.playosmo.com/en/coding/

Cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities:

  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
  • ICT Capabilities
  • Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT)
  • Personal and Social Capability (PSC)
  • Ethical understanding

Links to other learning areas:

  • Literacy
  • Mathematics

A classroom activity using this resource:

Osmo Coding is a fun and engaging resource that requires students to use hands-on physical blocks to control Awbie, a playful character who loves delicious strawberries. ‘With each coding command, you guide Awbie on a wondrous tree-shaking, strawberry-munching adventure!’ (My Osmo, n.a.).

Osmo Coding, allows multiple students to play together on the same iPad. There’s enough room on the table for two or more kids to assemble sequences and play together therefore, this resource is a fantastic collaborative or individual activity.

How to use this resource:

This resource was designed and created by a team from TIDAL Lab at Northwestern University. The design company details that Osmo Coding is inspired by over 50 years of research into computer programming education. The idea behind OSMO coding is that children learn best through play. Therefore, through combining tangible blocks with an interactive game fires up a child’s imagination, engages and inspires dreams and builds confidence (My Osmo, n.a.).

Three easy steps:

 

Reference list

My Osmo (n.d.). Retrieved from https://my.playosmo.com/

Move The Turtle

Screen Shot 2016-08-09 at 8.40.32 pm

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: 1-5

Strand: Digital Technologies

Sub Strands:  

  • Process and Production Skills

Content Descriptors Examples:

  • Use data to solve a simple task/problem (ACTDIP003)
  • Share and publish information in a safe online environment, with known people (ACTDIP006)
  • Use visually represented sequenced steps (algorithms), including steps with decisions made by the user (branching) (ACTDIP011)
  • Create a sequence of steps to solve a given task

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities:

  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Information and Communication Technology
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy

Links To Other Learning Areas:

  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • The Arts (Media Art)

Click here to visit the Move the Turtle webpage.

Platform: iOS (iPad, iPod and iPhone)

Cost: $2.99

Move The Turtle in the Classroom:

Screen Shot 2016-08-09 at 9.20.38 pm
Move the Turtle is a fun and engaging way to learn programming procedures. Each new level of achievement increases in difficulty and teaches a new command that directs the turtle to make a sound, draw a line, reach a star etc. It also has a free play ‘compose’ option which allows students to move the turtle however they want.

By completing the sequenced tasks, students learn:

  • How to plan complex activities composed of simple elements
  • How to reuse previously completed work
  • How to use graphics, spatial orientation and sound in programming

Brain Pop

brainpop

‘BrainPop’ (https://educators.brainpop.com/)can be used within a classroom or at home utilizing mobile devices or PC’s.
Brainpop engages students through animated movies, games, quizzes, concept maps and actives. They also include BrainPop ESL for students whose speak English as a second language.

BrainPop has a variety of free resources to try, however if you would like to gain more from this site, you will have to subscribe and pay a fee. I have only used the free videos and quizzes within my classroom and feel they fulfill what is required to direct my students with their learning.

As BrainPop is mostly American, it does not relate to all of Australia’s Educational or ACARA’s needs. You have to decide at the time if the information or learning activity suites your students’ needs within the classroom.

BrainPop can be used for individual, group or whole class learning, the site has an interesting Science and Math’s section, which can relate to the Australian curriculum.

I find the videos content interesting and direct, demonstrating relevant information for a particular subject. I even discovered free information for ‘blogging’ https://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/blogs/, which could help us teachers understand what weblogs are and why they are needed in today’s busy world.

BrainPop incorporates most learning areas:

  • English
  • maths
  • science
  • art
  • health
  • engineering
  • technology.
  • BrainPop uses interesting characters within their  videos that can introduce new topics and break down complex ideas. BrainPop Educators can help with lesson planning, video tutorials and organizers. It also has its own blog, so you can obtain more educative material and information using educator workshops  to keep on top of all the new advances in technology.

Tours:

Educator tour: https://educators.brainpop.com/video/brainpop-educators-tour/

Brainpop junior tour:https://educators.brainpop.com/video/brainpop-jr-screencast/

ESL tour: https://esl.brainpop.com/support/tour/

 

 

Brainpop. (2016). BrainPOP. Retrieved January 9, 2016, from https://www.brainpop.com/

Blogging with Brainpop, Kidblog & Edublog

Resource:
BrainPOP: Blogs
download
Description
This website uses a video to describes what a blog is and what students can use them for. Students learn that blogs are helpful to communicate ideas and interests and to promote products by including videos, music files, images and links to other sites.

“In this movie, you’ll learn about different blogs on the Internet, such as personal blogs, classroom blogs, photo blogs, and more. Explore different parts of a blog, such as the tags, links, archives, and comments section. Learn how to participate in the blogosphere by being an author or contributor who publishes entries to an online journal. Find out how reading and commenting on blogs can be a great way to share ideas, opinions, and information!” (BrainPOP, 2016)

Blogging with students fits into the Australian Curriculum for years 5 and 6.

Using student friendly sites, children can begin to create a blog:

download (1)
http://kidblog.org/home/#why-kidblog
Kidblog is safe, simple, authentic and transformative. Teachers moderate all content, so nothing goes live until you say so.

edublog
https://edublogs.org/
Create a blog with different themes, backgrounds and logos. Students can add a variety of different files such as pictures, podcasts and videos. All content is managed by the teacher.

YouTube Video To Show Your Students:

https://youtu.be/wWD1FivOS9Q
Learning Area:
Technologies

Subject:
Digital Technologies

Content Descriptor:
Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills:
Plan, create and communicate ideas and information, including collaboratively online, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols (ACTDIP022)
Elaboration:
Using digital systems to create web-based information taking into consideration referencing conventions, for example creating a blog, website or online learning space for sharing ideas.
Using a range of communication tools to share ideas and information, for example participating in collaborative online environments

General Capabilities:

  • Literacy: Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability: Creating and communicating with ICT.
  • Personal and Social Capability: Social awareness, appreciate diverse perspectives.
  • Ethical Understanding: Considering points of view
Cross-Curricular Subject:
English
Content Descriptor:
Language:
Understand how texts vary in purpose, structure and topic as well as the degree of formality (ACELA1504)
Elaborations:
Becoming familiar with the typical stages and language features of such text types as: narrative, procedure, exposition, explanation, discussion and informative text and how they can be composed and presented in written, digital and multimedia forms

Programming Bee Bots

Resource Name:  Bossy Bee BotsScreen Shot 2016-01-11 at 3.05.53 pm

 Year level: 1 & 2

  Description of Resource

  • Bee Bot Robot devices OR the Bee Bot App via iPad

This resource allows students basic programming concepts. By working independently or in small groups to program robots in order to effectively control movements. Students are required to use these simple programmable devices as well as mathematical understandings to develop short sequences of commands to solve simple spatial awareness problems.

This resource could be introduced to students by asking them to create and record a set of commands or movement instructions , these commands could then be recorded as an assessment under the Digital Technologies subject.

 Further information/ links to the resources

 Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 3.08.29 pm

The Bee Bot robot resource is available from:

 http://www.teaching.com.au/catalogue?catalogue=MTA&category=MTA-BEE-BOTS-EARLY-YEARS-ROBOTICS

 

Alternatively, you can achieve similar teaching and learning experiences through the Bee Bot App (if the school has access to

iPads).Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 3.11.39 pm

Paul Hamilton from Ipads in Schools has provided a demonstration of this App at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KT2eBaTF_E

 

To observe the Bee Bots in action and become familiar with how to use them effectively, please view the following video.

 

A range of activities can be completed with these robots and these activities can be integrated with other learning areas such as mathematics. Please see the following link provided by Focus Educational Software for more ideas.

http://www.focuseducational.com/category/item/6

 

Links to the Western Australian Curriculum

Learning Area: Technologies

Subject: Digital Technologies

Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

 Content descriptor/ elaborations

  • Use data to solve a simple task/problem (ACTDIP003)

Develop and communicate design ideas through describing, drawing, modelling and/or a sequence of written or spoken steps

Sparklebox

This resource provides incredible free resources for teachers. Teachers can download and edit resources for any year group or topic. The resources also provides interactive games and outdoor activities for the teacher to conduct in their classroom.

Author: Tayla Gentle

Subject:  Design and Technologies

Year Level: F – 2

Link: Url: http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/topic/dt/#.Vbtq6Xg7QUV

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities: Literacy, ICT, Sustainability and creative thinking.

Links to other learning areas: Literacy, Visual Arts, Maths and Science

Overview: Sparklebox has never ending resources available. It offers teachers the opportunity to download and print displays for their classroom, lesson plans for indoor and outdoor activities and online games for students. Sparklebox also allows for teacher collaboration by having a drop box where teachers can share ideas and resources.

Example: 

Screen Shot 2015-08-10 at 17.26.58

MAAAADDD Maths

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year Level: 1-7

Strand: Digital Technologies – Knowledge and Understanding

Sub strand: Interactions and impact

4.2 Investigate how well information systems meet home, classroom and community needs and envisage new applications for existing information systems.

Link to Resource: This can be found in the iTunes App store. The App is the free version and can be found by typing in Mad Maths into the itunes App store search bar. Make sure you choose the LITE version if you are seeking the it for free.

Cross Curricular priorities:

  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capability
  • Critical and creative thinking

Links to other Learning Areas:

Mathematics

A classroom activity using this resource:

This App is a lesson in itself. It is a digital way to answer your simple mathematics questions. You can monitor your progress as well as competing with classmates and friends. The App is adaptable as you can choose the parameters depending on the age group and is easily changed to increase or decrease the difficulty of the questions. It is similar to mathletics, but FREE and is available on your iPad or iPhone.

 

How to use this resource:

Download the Mad Maths – Lite App from the App store through iTunes.

Add a student using a nick name.

Choose the Problem type (+,-, /, x or mixed)

Choose the number type (whole, decimal or mixed).

Choose the number of flashcards (10,20,50 or 100)

Choose whether you want to allow for negative numbers.

Then off you go! Start Game!

IMG_5957IMG_5958IMG_5959

App Published by Reese Mclean

Link to my Mind Meister:

https://mm.tt/566433741?t=AIAFZIkSWl

TES Australia – Digital Resource Sharing for Teachers

Name: TES Australia – Digital Resource Sharing for Teachers

TES INTRO

Link: http://www.tesaustralia.com/

 

Description: TES Australia is a website that provides free teaching resources such as worksheets, games, interactive activities and more for F-12. With over 550,000 resources that link with the Australian Curriculum, all of these resources can be used in the primary and secondary classroom by teachers. TES stands for Teacher Exchange Sources which explains what occurs on this online community. In particular this website can be used to find useful resources for the Digital Technologies curriculum to be used in the classroom.

 

Subject: Digital Technologies

 

Strand: Digital Technologies Processes and Production Skills

 

Sub-strand: Manage the creation and communication of ideas and information including online collaborative projects, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols.

 

Year Level: F-10

 

Cross Curricular Priorities:

-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

-Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia

-Sustainability

 

General Capabilities:

-Literacy

-Numeracy

-Information and Communication Technology Capability

-Critical and Creative Thinking

-Personal and Social Capability

-Ethical Understanding

-Intercultural Understanding

 

Links to Other Learning Areas:TES Teaching Resources

-English

-Mathematics

-Science

-Humanities and Social Sciences

-The Arts

-Health and Physical Education

-Languages

 

How it Can Be Used: TES Australia can be used to locate resources for Digital Technologies. By locating the specific year that a teacher is teaching, they can then navigate through the different online shared resources, such as websites and applications. Teachers can also select cross-curricular subjects that are linked with digital technologies to create activities for the students to do in class. Users can also rate the resource and give feedback from their use, which helps teachers to find the most effective resources specific to their classroom.

Teacher Resource Agriculture

Subject
Design and Technologies

Year Level
5 & 6

Strand
Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Content Descriptor
Investigate how and why food and fibre are produced in managed environments (ACTDEK021) (ACARA, 2015).

Link to Resource
http://www.piefa.edu.au/units/agtechnologies.pdf
Investigating technologies in agriculture

Cross Curriculum Priorities
Sustainability, Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia

General Capabilities
Literacy, Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Personal and Social Capability, Intercultural Understanding.

Links to Other Learning Areas
Science, Humanities and Social Sciences.

How To Use This Resource
This is an online resource, that can be printed, for teachers to use to guide them in a unit of work for Years 5 and 6 in Design and Technologies. The PDF is arranged in accordance to the 5E’s Framework for Inquiry Based Learning. It begins with a set of fact sheets, and then delves into each stage of the 5E’s: Engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate. Within each stage there are suggested activities, however the teacher is able to select activities and modify them to the numbers in the class and the range of abilities within the class. Activities are also able to be modified depending on the majority of learning styles within the classroom, or simply to make the information more engaging for the particular group of students. The activities suggested are in a logical order and can be worked through as the PDF progresses, however, activities can be plucked from the pages at random to suit the teacher’s own plans.

A Classroom Activity Using This Resource
Instead of reiterating an activity from the book, I am going to make a suggestion of an activity that utilises the fact sheets at the beginning of the PDF. In a class of students with moderate to high abilities, create a whole class brainstorm on the board of any type of technology that they can think of. Guide them towards technology used in producing food and fibres (eg. food processing units, tractors, and harvesting technology). Students are then grouped into threes and are assigned a simplified fact sheet from the PDF (Farm Facts, Meat and Livestock Industry, Fishing and Aquaculture Industry, Cotton Industry, Pork Industry, and Forestry Industry). The fact sheets are very detailed and students will not relate to many of the facts listed and some are difficult to comprehend, so they should be modified by the teacher for ease of reading for the students. The teacher should ensure that there is at least one strong reader to read out loud to each of the other students within the group. Students are given time to write:
3 of the most interesting facts on their sheet
2 pieces of technology used in the industry of their fact sheet, and
1 question of something that they would like to know more about.
Students put their information into a table and then present their table to the class. As groups are presenting, the students in the audience are asked to write a question about something they would like to know about the industry being presented. In addition to seeing the students’ interests within the topic, this activity is aimed at engaging students with the topic and instilling the mindset of inquiry.

 

Reference List

ACARA. (2015). Australian curriculum: Design and technologies. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/design-and-technologies/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

Primary Industries Education Australia. (2015). Investigating technologies in agriculture. Retrieved from http://www.piefa.edu.au/units/agtechnologies.pdf