A Tech Project

Here is a project my Associate Teacher, Lisa Dempster, created in her school library. 

Lisa has created QR codes using QR code generator like http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ for websites she picked or created.  The codes are then blown up to about 3" squares and randomly pasted around the library. 

When students use their personal mobile devices they can scan the code they find in various locations in the library and that will take them to the website associated with the QR code.

A few QR codes were to popular books with video trailers online, some to school library website and some to an interesting page Lisa has created (http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/riverdale/departments/library/qrrci.html) that says "show this page on your mobile screen to the librarian to receive your very own graphite communication device!".

Lisa mentions that only a few students have figured this one out so far.

I think this project aims to approach the students by using the latest technology as a tool to enhance their learning. What an interesting way to motivate students. I am sure Lisa has more cool projects underway. 

Live and Interactive with Alan Levine

 

In the “Technology in the Secondary School” course in  Teacher Education Program, just like in any other course, we had people presenting to us about important and relevant topics, but in a different way. The difference was that instead of the presenter being physically present in the class, the presentations took place through the Internet. The presenter and the class connected to an Elluminate session that allowed live interaction with each other.

Alan Levine recently joined with our class through Elluminate to talk about ‘digital storytelling’. Alan is one of the pioneers in developing ‘digital storytelling’. He told us that anyone with a story and a computer could create a digital story. We all have stories to tell. Conveying a story digitally makes it more appealing, creative and presentable.

Alan showed several different ways to make a digital story from the wiki site http://50ways.wikispaces.com/. It was very inspiring to find ways to use current technology and be creative.  We all thought about how to incorporate digital storytelling in our classrooms. Alan showed us the following story on YouTube that inspired me to use digital storytelling in my science classroom.

 
 

I immediately started thinking about ways to incorporate the idea of digital storytelling into my chemistry lessons. It would definitely be an ideal differentiated instructional tool to motivate and engage students.

Technology is great. It opens up avenues to be successful in 21^st century learning.  

Thanks Alan for educating us and sharing your experiences about digital storytelling.

 

My Virtual Associate Teacher

Lisa J. Dempster is my virtual associate teacher from Riverdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Ontario. Lisa currently is the Assistant Curriculum Leader of Library and Learning Resources, which means she is the “head” of the library at Riverdale Collegiate Institute.  She has been in this position at Riverdale Collegiate Institute since 2005 and before that Lisa has been a Teacher-Librarian at many different schools in Toronto since 1991. She held the head of the library position for the first time while at Monarch Park Collegiate.  Lisa did her Bachelor of Science degree at University of Toronto and graduated in 1986 with a psychology major.  Later in 1988 she obtained her Master of Social Work degree and in 1991 graduated with the Bachelor of Education degree, from the same university.

With several years of curriculum leadership in two diverse secondary schools, Lisa says she is eager to foster student success while supporting programs and colleagues across the board.  She has been actively involved in various leadership qualities development programs like developing and managing school library programs, presenting and participating in province-wide professional development, etc. and many other programs.

Hence, Lisa has become an influential voice in school and district programs and professional development. She believes the role of school libraries and teacher librarians is changing, reflecting the change in learning in the digital-age. The library is transforming with new technologies. Her commitment is to develop school libraries as learning commons across the curriculum and ensure school library programs remain central to 21st Century learning. 
 Lisa has been a wonderful support for me in terms of providing information and resources that are useful in the teacher education courses as well as in practicum. Through Lisa I could contact science teachers around North America with whom I exchanged ideas and resources to use in my classroom.  
I am hopeful that Lisa will continue to support me to develop myself to become a successful teacher. 
I truly honor her for being a kind, understanding and dedicated Associate Teacher.

Alkali Metals

Do you know what alkali metals are? 

Well, they are found in the first group (column) of the Periodic Table starting from Lithium. From top to the bottom are Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Rb), Cesium (Cs) and Francium (Fr). These are all metals and as you go down the group, the reactivity of these increase. Here's a nice video showing how the reactivity of alkali metals change down the group and to what extent. 

Enjoy!

 

Caution! 

Never mix Alkali metals with H₂O 

Great Science Demonstrations

Here's a nice site to check out for great science demonstrations you may use in your science classroom.
I have incorporated some into my lessons and I am certain that the kids will love it. These computer simulated demos give the students a chance to visualize concepts. Teaching certain concepts would be much easier this way.
http://phet.colorado.edu/

Have fun!

Making Water Boil Using Ice

 Did you ever think it is possible to boil water using ice? Here's how.

So, do you really think the water is boiling? Something to think, ha?

My First Teaching Block

As part of the teacher training program in the College of Education at Brock University, the teacher candidates are mandated to teach in three teaching blocks to put their teaching methodologies into practice and gain experience as a teacher in a real classroom. Each teaching block is four weeks long and every teacher candidate is assigned to an experienced teacher (the associate teacher) who teaches the same teachable subject as the teacher candidate, in a public school. But prior to that, there are four observation days on four consecutive Fridays to observe the associate teacher and gather information about the classroom, teaching styles, resources, lessons, etc.

The school I am assigned is a High School in Burlington and I am very lucky to have a motivated, energetic, and enthusiastic female teacher who teaches high school chemistry. She has graduated from Brock University several years back. My associate teacher has her own classroom, where one half of it is the chemistry laboratory. I found it very convenient for both the teacher as well as the students. The classroom is equipped with an overhead projector, a TV and video player, and of course a SMART BOARD. Although Smart Board is new to me, I presume it will be a very useful and effective tool in terms of presenting my lessons efficiently and successfully to my students.

Micro Teaching

Before the first teaching placement, we were required to do a micro teaching on a topic from the first teachable subject for 15 minutes. My first teachable is Chemistry and I was very excited to prepare a lesson and present that in front of the class at Brock University for the first time. The Faculty Associate advised everyone exactly how to plan the lesson and do the micro teaching. 

I selected the concept Elements and Compounds from the grade 10 curriculum. I came up with different ideas to present the very basic but really important theory in chemistry so that the content would be interesting and easy to understand and remember. One important thing I leaned at Brock was the importance of the beginning of the lesson, which should motivate and engage the students to have their minds on in the lesson. It is the "hook". Therefore, rather than the traditional style of teaching the definitions of elements and compounds, which is teacher centred, I created my lesson to have students involved to construct knowledge and understanding, which is student centred learning. In order to differentiate between elements and compounds, I introduced the class with an Aluminum foil and a glass of water and asked if they could imagine breaking down Aluminum and water to find the smallest building blocks. I had atoms and molecules from my molecular model kit ready to show to the class. Everyone could visualize what exactly an element and a compound meant. I also used transparencies to present definitions and examples of elements and compounds. Once the definitions were clear, I gave the class an activity to make models of some common elements and compounds using the model kit. This made everyone very excited and they all seemed to understand the concept very clearly. 

The feedback from the faculty associate and others was very impressive and encouraging. 

I can't wait to go and teach in front of a real high school class in my first placement. Hope it will be a wonderful experience. 

Metaphor of Sun

The sun is the teacher and the earth is the classroom. There are various types of living organisms and ecosystems on earth; so as the diversity among students in a classroom. All the organisms depend on the endless energy the sun radiates to survive. Similarly, in a classroom, the teacher gives her knowledge and guidance to students to develop their potential. The sun never gets bored but generously and continuously serves the earth. It does not expect anything in return from the earth and despite all the criticism, never fails to shine again the next day.