Fakebook Profiles

In the past, I have used a simple PowerPoint template to make a quasi-Facebook profile for a project with the Explorer Unit in my World History class. Its a decent project, but doesn't really require a lot from the students. This year, one of my students found a website that creates a Facebook Profile. The tool, called Fakebook, is part of the ClassTools.Net suite of online tools that are available for teachers. The website is ad supported, but does offer premium subscriptions (a bit pricey unless you truly think you'll use everything on-line... I cannot because we don't have that much computer access available). An additional drawback is that most of the tools on ClassTools are Flash, and so will not work on most mobile devices (even those that say they support flash often don't support much more than games or movies!). This year, not only did we complete profiles for Explorers, but my social skills class also created profiles for "paper bag people". Our paper bag people came from Trader Joe's grocery store bags, because the drawings on the bag are very unique and creative. The students can be very creative with these, and for my students with autism using a fake person was easier than having to research a historical character. Here are a few of the social skills projects, just click on "View Full Screen" to get the full page. We're having a bit of a motivational problem in getting things done in the World History class.

View Fullscreen | Create your own

View Fullscreen | Create your own

3D Game Lab: IRL Quest-Let's Make A Meal

I made a turkey breast in my slow cooker for the Cooking 1 & 2 Quests. I then added risotto, frozen chopped broccoli, cream of corn soup and some Parmesan cheese to turn it into turkey, broccoli and rice "casserole". Right now I'm only allowed to eat pureed or liquid foods because of some health issues, so I'm afraid the picture isn't very appetizing...

This was quite good, one of the better meals I've made since I started the puree/liquid diet at the advice of the dietician I see. I wouldn't make this if you don't like Parmesan cheese or turkey. I love broccoli, but was disappointed that was it was all chopped together, I couldn't taste or crunch it. Oh well.

3D Game Lab: IRL Quest-Cooking 2

I had already been to the store for the necessary ingredients and started cooking before I came back to this quest... so I took the picture in the kitchen.

If you look closely, you may see the tip of a tail, which is the kitten being on the counters where he is NOT supposed to be.

The meal would be savvy saver: Although the ingredients were expensive since I buy mostly organic and unprocessed items, the turkey breast will make at least 4 meals. Tonight is turkey & rice. Tomorrow is cream of turkey corn rice soup with broccoli. Tuesday is turkey salad for lunch or leftover soup, with turkey salad for dinner.

And easy clean up, too!

3D Game Lab: IRL Quest-Cooking 1

Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Turkey

I chose this recipe because I had a turkey breast in the freezer that needed to be prepared. Unfortunately, I have to be very careful what I eat, so finding a plain way to prepare the turkey so it was useable in multiple meals throughout the week was necessary. I think I would have preferred something a bit more interesting, but that's not possible right now...
I also chose it because, originally, I was supposed to be working with another teacher on a project. I just never made it over to her house because of technology issues and lots of storms.

Tools And Gadgets
Crockpot with lid

Ingredient List
1 (5 1/2 pound) bone-in turkey breast, skin removed
1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
1 (10.5 ounce) can turkey gravy
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried sage

3D Game Lab: Mechanics of Game Based Learning

How might a teacher apply even ONE characteristic of games and game environments (choice, progress bars, etc.) to a typical unit or module of instruction?

As I've gone forward with this, albeit with much frustration on my part, I have thought about how to gamify my classroom in a better fashion. I already do some choice in the classroom, but I think I am going to add more options via a project selection board. I will give the students options on how they can show me what they have learned, including the option to take a test.

I will do this at the start of each unit using a choice board model, and I think I can streamline a lot of the activities including taking a test using various online options. We'll see how this works: it might allow me to do what I love about teaching, which is encouraging the students to be engaged and exploratory while minimizing the amount of time students spend stuffed into chairs and taking notes while I lecture. I hate that version of the classroom even more than I hate all the paperwork that goes along with teaching.

(The above picture is a sample choice board for a math unit from http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com)

4G iTouches

In December, we received 2 4G iTouches from another Donor's Choose grant. I'm so grateful for the people that continue to provide funding to allow my students access to technology! This time, most of the donors were local people or non-profits, which is a huge leap forward in my mind; as much as I love my friends who donate money to my classroom, seeing that there are community foundations donating to us is just fantastic. Our thanks to the Piedmont Community Foundation, and the other donors (most of whom choose to remain anonymous, which fine!) for the new technology we have to use.
We had also achieved open-access filtered wifi in our classroom provided by the school district for awhile... About 6 weeks. And then the district shut it down because people were using it to stream video which caused the system to crash. The administrative offices decided to limit access to the open filtered wifi system to outside of school hours. Of course, I don't know all of the decision making that went into the decision making, but it seems that if the issue were students & teachers streaming video, you could block it. You could have principals tell staff that this is not an appropriate use of the system.
It just seems counterproductive given budget issues not allowing for purchases of technology, and district policies that do not allow grant-purchased items (items that belong to the school only, and not to the district) to be on the network which prevents Internet access. In this day and age, with so many things depending on the cloud (some of which are FREE), it'd be nice to be able to use these tools with my students. Despite the income level, most of my students have a cell phone that can use apps, and are either Droid or iOS (more iTouches than iPhones), which have options to make reading & writing easier for my students.