edna.edu.au

Human Body: Interactive Resources

Some resources on the human body.  Lots of interactive stuff.

• Tour Of The Human Body

• 10 Craziest Facts About The Human Body | UPickReviews

• Children's Museum - Bones Exhibit

• 10 Things You Didn't Know About You | LiveScience

• Human Body Quiz Game.

• Yucky Gross & Cool Body

• How the Body Works

• index.swf (application/x-shockwave-flash Object)

• MEDtropolis - Virtual Body

• BBC - Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind

• Visible Body | 3D Human Anatomy

• All Systems Go

Posted from Diigo . The rest of my favorite links are here.  And here is a post on why I like Diigo .
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Tags: links science resources interactive resources human body
Posted at 11:27AM Feb 28, 2009 by Concetta Gotlieb  | 

Technology Integration Update

Updates

• The projector can be used in the computer lab or the hall.  You can use this for a number of things including showing movies on the big screen.  The speakers are in the cupboard.
• The computers in the lab have been updated to the latest version of iLife, it's easy to learn and fun
• The next update will mean that all old games and no standard stuff will be removed.  There are lots of free resources that you can use.  Just ask.
  

Publishing and sharing student media

There are lots of way of sharing ideas, student work, lesson reflections, giving praise, recognising achievement.  We have started by showing examples of student work at assembly.

• Another way of sharing is through Our Blog
• Eventually each student could create their own - this also becomes a record of learning
  

Creating student media

There are lots and lots and lots of tools you can use to get students creating media using different tools.  We are going to look at a couple today.  Let me know which others might be useful.

• iLife and Photobooth - instructional movies here
  
• Flickr.com & Flickr.storm (here is a storm I have started on Products & Services)
• Dipity - timelines - there are lots of other things like this
  
• GoAnimate - lots of similar resources to this
  

Everyday free educational games and interactive resources

• Literacy - eg Starfall
  
• Halloween - eg House
  
• Maths - eg BBC
  
• Music - our kids love music and there are lots of interactive games like this
  

Accessibilty tools

• Screen reader - instructions here
• Improving visibility
• Audio books eg StoryNory
  

Theme based interactive resources

• Social Skills eg TalkDog
  
• Create your own resources eg quizzes and game shows to use with the class
  
• Virtual excursions eg virtual city, different countries
  
• More examples
  

Individual student lesson plans and resources

• Danielle - Dove Interactives Self Esteem
• Robbie - Skull a day project

What now!!

There are a couple of ways we can work together this term. 

• Shared time to plan for technology integration.
  
• Weekly links and ideas email.
• You can come into the classroom and watch me use iMovie or similar
• We can use some RFF time to co-teach a lesson.
• More Wednesday sessions - if so what do you want to see

And then ...

The resources I've linked to above are just a starting point.  This video shows how technology is changing.  This is a challenge and an opportunity for our students.  In a world where we are many pieces, loosely joined it is more possible than ever to find a niche for our students, a way to participate, a way to belong.  Improving accessibility through technology, personal learning networks, using serious games and virtual worlds to engage learners are just some of the areas that we can start to explore.  Make a comment at the end of this blog post and let me know what you want to learn more about.

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Tags: technology ideas links tips resourc
Posted at 10:32PM Oct 21, 2008 by Concetta Gotlieb  | 

Literacy Resources: Audio Books

After listening to Tim Noonan speak at a conference I became aware of the importance of accessability when designing websites.  I'm beginning to think that thinking about accessibility can also help us understand how to design learning activities that are suitable for learners with a diverse range of needs.  I work at a school for children with emotional disturbances and intellectual disabilities, it seems like a good idea to use technology to make learning easier for them.

Mp3 Powered Literacy

In our class we have kids with very different literacy abilities some can read and write pretty well, some are still at a basic level.  They are all able to think and respond verbally though.  So I have uploaded stories from the Libri-vox collection onto an mp3 player.  Libri-vox is a collection of books that are in the public domain that have been recorded by volunteers.  At this stage we have used Alice in Wonderland but I want to look through and find more books.  The player cost $30, copying the files are as easy as copying files to a usb drive. You can also purchase audiobooks, available as instant downloads from the iTunes or The Audio Bookstore.

Using this method some students complete a written comprehension and other students listen to a story and then answer questions orally.  For me it seems like a great idea, it still allows creativity, critical thinking and a different type of focus than for example watching a movie.  For students of all levels I think this kind of interaction with text can provide a way to scaffold deeper thinking about writing and a way to read above your usual level.  I recently listened to Stephen Hawkings The Universe In A Nutshell, I love reading but I would never read a book like this in the conventional way, listening to the audiobook was a really mind expanding experience.

How would you use audio books in the classroom?  What books would you recommend?

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Tags: allgrades literacy library resources librivox teachingideas links
Posted at 09:53PM Sep 24, 2008 by Concetta Gotlieb  | 

Copyright in the Classroom

Copyright is an important issue for students and teachers to consider.  For me it is an ongoing battle to fully understand the regulations and use materials in my classroom in the best, most productive way possible.

• Smartcopying is a website that provides national guidelines for Australians who are interested in understanding more about copyright.
• BTN is generally a great website with current events videos that you can use in your classroom, lesson plans and other resources.  This week they have a special on copyright.
  
• Creative Commons is a service that allows you to find materials that you can copy and use legally, sometimes even commercially.
  

Also if you have ideas or opinions on the issue of copyright you can participate in a discussion going on in the Edna blogging community.  If you are an Edna groups member click here to read.
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Tags: creative commons copyright btn links technology ideas
Posted at 07:14AM Sep 19, 2008 by Concetta Gotlieb  |  Comments[3]

Year 2 Literacy and Numeracy Resource Links

I thought I was going to be teaching a Year 2 class today.  I found these resources to use:

• Mathlionaire - Maths Game
• BBC Bitesize - Literacy Interactives, story beginnings and endings
• Discovery Puzzles - Picture puzzles, good quality
• National Gallery of Art Kids - art interactives
  

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Tags: numeracy links literacy puzzles art
Posted at 05:20PM Jul 01, 2008 by Concetta Gotlieb  |