Module 3: Starfall (Where children have fun learning to read!)

     
      Before planning a lesson every teacher must make sure that their lesson aligns with the Common Core standard. The earlier that teachers can get their students on the right track, the better prepared they’ll be for the future. As much as teachers dislike the Common Core standard we have to follow it according to the requirements for our state. One way to get students excited about what they're learning is by introducing them to a fun educational game. Starfall offers many options of activities from ABC to reading games.The website Starfall teaches kids to read with various phonics games geared towards preschool, Kindergarten and first grade. the category I choose to focus on is new and can be found to the right of the page in the more section titled First Grade Common Core Math and Reading. 

            What I really like about this section is the option for math activities to the left of the page (Operations and Algebraic thinking, base ten number & operations, Measurement & Geometry) to the right are activities for reading and phonics. Math is generally a subject that many students have difficulty with. When we introduce these concepts to students early on we are already setting them up on the path for success. I went through all of the math activities that are available for free without purchasing an upgrade.What I love most about the concepts being taught is that students are introduced to more difficult concepts in a way that is easy to understand they also include fun animated characters and voices.

        My favorite section is the one focused on word problems because they were offered in a way that first graders could understand. If a student has a hard time reading a  problem then it is read to them,it also includes matching pictures to help them visualize the problem. They even help students by breaking down the word problems into a simple addition or subtraction equation. After the problem is solved then the equation is read to you; this helps students learn how to verbally say an answer to an equation. 

     Overall, I would recommend Starfall for teachers to use in their classroom as additional help for their students in reading/phonics and math. I particularly think that the First Grade Common Core Math and Reading is a very helpful tool! Purchasing an upgrade to Starfall would offer kids more options for activities; I would recommend purchasing an upgrade. If we have the tools to place students on the right track early then we should be using them; Starfall is one of those tools.

Module 2: Wonderground: A Modern Day Treasure Hunt

Click on the image above to discover the game.

       In all honesty I am not a huge advocator of gaming as a form of entertainment, unless it's done in moderation and is appropriate according to the age of the gamer. But I can appreciate educational games. The Official Blog of American TESOL Institute has a list of the best online learning games of 2013. The game that I choose to research more intently was Wonderground:A Modern Day Treasure Hunt. The notion of gaming typically is that it can't be both fun and educational at the same time but Wonderground definitely proves that statement to be false!
      Wonderground is a virtual educational treasure hunt through five different cities: San Fransisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Boston. The first challenge starts in New York at The Grand Central Terminal. That is where you'll start your mission by receiveing clues such as: "Someone here is in deep conversation with a wall. Find her." That is when you take your magnifying glass and scroll through the area in a 360 degree view in hopes of discovering the answer to the clue. If you have trouble finding the clue there are options for a hint.  When you do find the answer then a historical background is given describing the answer to the clue. The background given for the above clue is that a whisper can be heard across the hall at Grand Central Terminal, the whispering walls allow for people to have conversations while whispering. One of my favorites was the clue about a black hole on the ceiling of The Grand Central caused by a rocket that was placed in the station for a 1950's NASA promotion in order to gain public support because at that time the Russians were winning the space race.The treasures in each city are broken up into multiple missions. As you continue to unlock more clues more areas are available for you to explore. Once I complete all of my missions in New York I then move unto the next city that unlocks.

         I only played Wonderground for about half an hour but I enjoyed my experience. I would recommend this game for  middle grade students. I think that they would enjoy finding the clues as well the historical backgrounds.  The clues are also reasonable enough that they are not hard to decipher.  This would be a great activity as a classroom station for students, after a test or as a reward. I love that students are able to explore some of the top cities in our country. Traveling is a treat and not something that everyone is able to delight in until they're an adult. When I was a student and still today I loved anything related to travel and discovering other parts of my country. This gives students the opportunity to visually discover the United States while searching for treasures and discovering historical backgrounds.

        I would definitely recommend that educators use Wonderground: A Modern Day Treasure Hunt in their classroom or as a reward. This game proved to be both educational and fun.

Module 1: Entertainment used for Educational Purposes

        I still remember the day vividly when 6 o'clock quickly became 9 o'clock. I glanced at the clock again, it was true, I really did just spend three hours on Pinterest. I had told myself I was just going to take a quick look and see what the website had to offer; little did I know that it would turn into a source of entertainment. I created board after board and pinned more pins than I could count. I was elated as I slowly watched my follower number increase. From that moment forward I knew that I  had a new found gem, Pinterest. After exploring the sight longer I've noticed that their are many educational resources for teachers. What a score! Educational and entertaining all in one package. I believe that Pinterest is a great resource for teachers.
       
       Pinterest is a tool for collecting and organizing things you love. It's a collection of photos and videos that will generally have a link attached to them these are called pins.You can add a pin from a website or upload your own pin.  The pins are broken up into various categories and these are generally organized by boards. For example: if I searched for leaves on Pinterest it will bring up many pictures/videos of leaves, these are organized pins by topic. You can also create your own boards. For example: I can create a board titled "Signs of the fall" and place pins of leaves and other pins that I think belong in this category. It's a very easy and user friendly website.
          
      One follower that I came across was Teachers on Pinterest; a collection of boards related to education. Some are dedicated to individual grades ranging from pre-6th grade. The boards include lesson plan ideas and helpful tools. 
        
        In the first grade board I came across there were videos linking me to YouTube for songs to sing in the classroom. One of the videos I came across is the "No Interrupting Song-Music for Classroom management." After one listen of this song it was already stuck in my head! I discovered HeidiSongs through Pinterest she has many other videos for classroom management songs. The songs are fun and energetic, I also enjoyed the actions that went along with the songs. 

      Another board that I came across is completely dedicated to Technology in the classroom. The board had many useful article links pertaining to technology in the classroom. One aspect that I did find interesting was incorporating social media into the classroom. One idea was for a ticket out the door is to "Tweet" or comment about a topic.This is an effective use of social networks and exit slip. Although it's not related directly to technology in the classroom it does make reference to technology in a way that older students could recognize. The board also contains many other resources directly related to technology in the classroom. 

   I absolutely love the idea of using Pinterest as an educational tool.Teachers from all over the world are able to collaborate and bounce different ideas off of each other.
I love how organized everything is, it makes it easy to locate what specifically you want. For example when I searched for  math activities for 1st graders, I got many hits that matched my search item. Teachers can use this website if they are in search of new ideas to use in their classroom.
  
The boards are very well organized as shown below:

    
I would recommend Pinterest to teachers but I would use it with caution because three hours can easily sneak up on you!


 Click on the link below to discover Teachers on Pinterest.

This is my first blog post.