Our Year in Skype

What an amazing journey we have had with Skype this year! With the help of my fabulous PLN on Twitter, I was able to incorporate new ways to utilize Skype in my gifted classroom. Here are just some ways we made it even better:

1. Content Specific Calls- This year I decided to focus on Math with my enrichment group to practice and apply skills in a fun way. To learn more, check out my Math Skype Buddies post.

2. Celebrity Skype Calls- Thanks to some connections made on Twitter, we were able to talk to a couple celebrities. Our kids were very excited about these calls! Check out our calls with Olivia Holt, from Disney's Kickin It, and Kristan Cunningham, from HGTV and the OWN Network.

3. Collaborative Projects- This year we combined Skype and Edmodo to work on novel study units for Tuck Everlasting and The Whipping Boy.

4. Skype Jobs- This is the first year we tried Skype Jobs during our calls. These are a must when it comes to talking to guest expert speakers, during Mystery Skype Calls, or during games/competitions for Math.

Have a look at some clips from our calls. My hope is to continue to connect with classes around the world and work on more collaborative projects that combine several Web 2.0 tools. What ways have you used Skype this year? Feel free to leave a comment with your favorite Skype moments.

Bringing the World to My School: Culture Day 2012

Last week our school hosted its Second Annual Culture Day. Our Spanish teacher and I host this event to explore and celebrate diversity in our school and around the world. This year, however, we made a few changes to improve the experience for our students. Our goal was to organize a way so that all our students can fully experience cultural exploration. Let me say we achieved this and much more!

I was fortunate enough to have two university partners who were willing and flexible in making my vision to have guest speakers in our classrooms a reality. They helped me gather international students in their departments to come speak to our classes. These university students had prepared engaging and interactive presentations for our children.

Volunteers presenting on Japan to our Pre-K students. 

Another component of Culture Day was our Diego Rivero Exhibit. Our Spanish teacher was awarded a Spring PTA grant that provided our school with a traveling exhibit from Teacher's Discovery that our whole school and community could enjoy. She also focused a unit around his murals and had students create their own murals to decorate outside her classroom. We can all agree that this has been a great addition to our Culture Day Celebration! Have a look at these stunning masterpieces!

The culminating event included two variety shows with student-led performances and presentations. So it comes to no surprise that my 4^th and 6^th graders had to take part in some way. They had the huge task of preparing introductions for our performances, serving as helpers (who took pictures and escorted speakers to their designated classrooms) during the classroom presentations, and even preparing for performances of their own! In a nutshell, they researched, they planned, and they practiced. The best part is that I didn’t make this mandatory or really an assignment for that matter. They took it upon themselves to complete these tasks to ensure the Culture Day would take place. And that is what reaffirms why I do what I do. Without them, this event could not have been made possible!

I am grateful for our Spanish teacher, Music teacher, Strings teacher, faculty, and administration for participating in our shows and providing much needed support. In addition, I appreciate my university contacts for helping make my dream of bringing the world to our classrooms a reality. 

Global Mystery Skype Challenge

This month our 5th graders had their very first Global Mystery Skype Challenge. I came across the idea of Mystery Skype Call on Twitter and found many positive responses among my PLN and fellow Tweechers. I then modified this kind of call to challenge my students to think more globally. The objective of the call was to same as any Mystery Call: Ask yes/no questions  to determine the exact location of our partner class. If our partner class answered yes to one of our questions, we were able to ask a follow- up question. But if they answered no, then our turn was up and we had to answer their questions. Although the rules were simple, the task itself was a lot more difficult than we expected! In fact, it took us all day to complete the call. The great thing was that our partner class was also a gifted class and had the flexibility to continue our call throughout the day. Although this was my students' first experience with a Mystery Call, they did an excellent job of narrowing down the country and province of our partner class. However, they struggled with pin pointing the city they were in. Overall, this was a great learning experience because my students had a chance to work cooperatively and problem solve on the spot. 
As with most Skype calls in  my class, I assigned Skype Jobs. Here is a summary of some of the jobs: 
1. Greeters & Inquirers- These students were responsible for greeting our class and asking our questions.
2. Map Keepers- These students had atlases and Google Maps available to narrow down the location based on clues.
3. Question Keepers- These students kept careful track of the questions asked and reported these to the Inquirers.
4. Logical Reasoners- These students were responsible for listening to the clues given and putting the pieces together to determine the exact location. They worked with the Question Keepers to construct questions.
5. Runners- These students were messengers who shared clues, questions, or tips between the Map Keepers and the Logical Reasoners. They also were responsible for giving the Inquirers our class' questions.

And if you're wondering where to find classes to try out a Mystery Call here a few places to look: 
1. Skype in the Classroom- I posted my project here and received many responses from other teachers who are members of this site. To join this fast-growing community, click here. To view my project page, click here. 
2. Twitter- There are many teachers on Twitter who are currently seeking classrooms for Mystery Skype Calls. I normally come across them tweeting and RT to help them find others in my own PLN. 
3. Twitter Chats- Several grade level chats on Twitter have accompanying wikis where participants can sign up for Mystery Skype Calls. A few include #4thchat  and #6thchat. If you click on these chat names, you will be directed to their Mystery Skype sign up page on their wiki. 


I hope that these resources help in your journey with Mystery Skype Calls and enjoy them as much as we have! 

Using BrainPop to Enrich Math Instruction

This has been my first year to use BrainPop and BrainPop Jr. . I have heard of these sites via Twitter but haven't had the opportunity to explore them. Let me preface this post by saying that I am not endorsed or represent these sites in an way. With that said, here are the ways I have used the resources on these sites to provide enrichment for my 3rd graders.

1. Whole Group Review

The site offers a great selection of videos that explain and illustrate many different math concepts. My students enjoy the videos and find them very entertaining.

2. Math in the Real-World

To apply skills, I like to have my students complete the activities that are included with each lesson. Many times, I find word problems that incorporate the concepts in a real world setting, such as creating a menu by using estimation skills. The Read More section on BrainPop also offers some real world examples of Math in everyday life. Usually when I show this section, my students have an "aha" moment of how they can apply and see math in their lives.

3. Thinking and Collaborating

Some of the activities provide opportunities for writing and discussion. I especially like the BrainPop Jr. format that provides sections on Write About It, which I use as journal prompts, and Talk About It, which I use for small group discussions. There is also a section called, Read About It that lists several popular children's literature titles to further explore the concepts.

4. Online Quizzes

After each lesson, the site provides the option of printing a quiz or taking it online. I usually opt for the online version and have my students take the quiz as a class. First, I have them read the item and start eliminating a few choices. Next, I have them choose from the ones left, discuss with a partner why they chose that option, and further justify their selection for the class. Sometimes my students are in agreement with their partner, and other times they change their answer after talking to their partner. I feel that this discussion needs to take place to assist in their thinking.

Overall, I am very satisfied with both sites. I highly recommend them to teachers who would like more interactive ways to review and apply skills across grade levels and content areas. I am still in the process of exploring how to integrate other lessons and resources into my gifted curriculum.

How do you use BrainPop or BrainPop Jr. in your classroom or gifted program?

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old: Using Skype to Keep in Touch

Skype has been an integral part of my classroom and our gifted program. In previous posts, I have outlined the different ways to utilize this program to create authentic and engaging learning experiences for students. Just recently, we have explored yet another way to implement Skype. This year we've had some of our teachers and students move to different parts of the country and even the world. So we decided to keep in touch via Skype!

1. Saying Farewell to a Fellow Student

When we heard the news that a student in our gifted program was moving we were crushed! Being tech savvy paid off because she was able to talk to us on her iPad as she was traveling to her new state. Needless to say, it was a very emotional call and we wished her the best at her new school. We still keep in touch with her via Edmodo and I am working on scheduling a Skype call with her gifted education teacher.

2. Chatting with a Teacher on Leave

This semester we have a teacher on leave due to medical reasons. This transition has been a tough one for both her and her students. A Skype call was the best way for them to communicate without her coming to the school. It warmed my heart to see the excitement of her class as they saw her appear on the screen! Have a look at some snapshots of our call below.

3. Keeping in Touch with Teachers

Last year we had one of our teachers move to another country. She now currently teaches in an international school in Serbia. This was a great opportunity for her former students, who are now in our gifted program, to reconnect with her. It was also a learning experience to compare life and her school in Serbia to ours. Since my students still had questions after the call, we decided to post them on our class blog. To read our post on the call click here.

As I conclude this post, I wanted to share this song we sang during our call. I think it beautifully captures the theme of this post; making new friends and keeping the old.

At the Crossroads with MECA

This week I attended the Mississippi Educational Computing Association's Annual Conference. Although this was my second year attending, it was my first to present. I was thrilled to lead a hands-on session on Using Skype in the Classroom. My goal was to share different classroom applications of Skype along with providing guidance on how to create an account with Skype and the Skype in the Classroom community. I especially enjoyed the hands-on part of my session because I was able to have participants test several features of the program on their own and search for teachers and projects on the Skype in the Classroom site. My hope is that participants feel comfortable to start connecting and collaborating with others.

Another aspect I love about MECA is learning about new tech tools, approaches, and even tricks of the trade. I attended sessions that ranged from iPad Apps for the classroom to ways to utilize digital photography in the classroom. During my hands-on sessions, I was able to create a short movie about my school using Windows MovieMaker and assist my husband Will (@peoplegogy) at his Twitter session. As expected, I picked up a few tricks along the way that will only make my teaching even more relevant and engaging for my hugest and most important audience- my fast-paced digital learners.

I thank my district's tech team and colleagues for attending my session and providing me some much needed support in setting up. I also want to thank our district tech director for granting me this opportunity to attend.

Showcasing My School

This year I have been given the privilege of managing my school's website. As the Editor-in-Chief of our school's newsletter, this job seemed very fitting. I had many questions at first, mainly about organization and content. What should I include on each page? What kind of content should I post? How often should I post? After doing some research and carefully examining other school sites, I jumped right in.

Click here to view what I have complied so far. This is not by any means a final product. I have learned through this process that this project is a work in progress. My hope is for it to change, transform, and evolve.

Although I look forward to the evolution of this site, here are some elements that I think are essential for any school site:

Faculty and Staff Page-The faculty and staff are at the heart of any school. I like to include pictures of the different teaching teams and staff (i.e. grade level, Auxillary, Special Education, cafeteria and office staff) at our school so that families and the community can see who we are. I took this concept a step further and created a "We Are Thames" video that included several members of our school family. For this video, I had everyone pick a word that represented their classroom or philosophy. I feel that this painted a picture of who were are.

Administrator Page-The leadership has its own page with accompanying mission statements and a brief background. This gives readers a sense of our school culture and approaches taken by our school leaders.

Calendar-This page includes a list of important school-wide events, holidays, Professional Development Days, and Early Release Days for each month. This page also includes a Google Calendar that automatically updates each month.

Announcements Page-This is perhaps my favorite page and the one that gets the most traffic. Here reminders for important school-wide events such as fundraisers, parent and community programs, and school performances are posted. This page also features articles on different projects, field trips, or activities. I like to include videos and pictures whenever possible to give readers a glimpse into our classrooms and the learning that takes place.

PTA Page-I am so thrilled about this page! Our PTA has done a wonderful job of posting activities and special events here. They also publish a monthly newsletter that is available for download.

Future Additions

Here are a few items that I would like to add in the near future:

Grade Level/Class Specific Pages-I would love for teachers to maintain their own class or grade level pages or class blogs. This would be a wonderful way to further showcase what is happening in their classrooms.

Special Feature Videos-My teaching partner and I put together a technology video that illustrates how we use iPod Touches in the classroom. She is interested in creating more videos that highlight different strategies and approaches that are being implemented in our school. I think this is a fabulous idea and am eager to share these!

So here are my two cents on managing my school's website. What else do you think should be included? Feel free to leave a comment and share your school's website!