Spinning Class

I went to a spinning class and I attempted to work out for 30 minutes.  It works out the cardiovascular system and the legs.  It was excrutiating.  My legs were so sore I couldn't continue.  I would stop for awhile and attempt again after I rested.  This is not an exercise I would choose to do.  I enjoy weights and dance centered exercises.  I was bored and frustrated by my lack of ability to keep up.  I will not be participating again and I doubt I would recommend it to anyone.

Sweatin' While I Work

I do not work out very often.  I tend to go in spurts.  Lately, I walk or do Zumba.  I haven't been doing Zumba for long but enjoy it.  It is a lot like dancing which does not seem like exercise to me.  I notice when I do work out my energy level is much higher.  I don't get as tired during the day but I do get hungrier.  I am also more fatigued at night.  It is easier to go to sleep and I sleep better.  I am trying to work out more often because I do enjoy the benefits of it.

Content Curation

  The vast amount of information on the internet can be not only overwhelming but can eat up hours of your time before you are able to get any significant amount of usable data.  Content curation is a way to get valuable information about a topic that is relevant and current without wasting hours of time searching the internet.  I downloaded Scoop.it to try content curation.  I was able to give a topic title and keywords for the site to search for.  It quickly came up with sites containing information I could use.  The applications for this in education are endless.  Students researching a topic for any class could employ scoop.it for a quick and efficient way to collect information to be used.  This tool will decrease the amount of time they spend on the computer searching for sites pertaining to their topic.

For more information on scoop.it, click the following link.
http://www.toprankblog.com/2011/10/scoop-it/

Learn to Game; Game to Learn

I searched iTunes store for apps related to Biology. There were several I felt I could apply to my curriculum.

• Mitosis:  The student follows cells as they move through the process of mitosis.  They can read about it, experience it through pictures and interactive content as well as quiz themselves on the process.

          dhttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mitosis/id348184626?mt=8

• Build a Bird:  Students explore different birds and the adaptations they use to survive in their environment.  After researching beaks, wings, etc. of specific birds, the student can then build a bird adapted to a specific environment they are given.

          http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/build-a-bird/id448759126?mt=8

• Leafsnap:  This game is uses visual recognition to identify snapshots of leaves. It is produced by Columbia University and is still in the process of adding additional field guides for more areas of the United States.  This would be a great tool to use when studying plants and applying the knowledge to classification.

          http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/leafsnap/id430649829?mt=8

Remind 101

Remind 101.com is similar to kikutext.comwww.kikutext.com.  Both offer a convenient way for teachers to communicate with parents and students without revealing the phone numbers of either party.  Both create classes so groups can be text at one time.  Kikutext also offers a progress report to inform parents of test grades and behavior issues.

QR Codes

I used www.qrvoice.net to create a QR code the students can scan with their phone to get their homework assignment. I also created one just for fun. I'd like to eventually use this for a new twist on the metric lab. Rather than having conversion problems posted around the room, the kids could scan the QR codes to get the problem.

Try scanning the QR codes and see what you think.  You will need a QR scanning app on your phone  to do this.

iBooks and iAuthor

Education is finally catching up with technology with iBooks and iAuthor. As the mother of three adults, I know well the weight of backpacks teenagers carry today. It is a huge problem. If they don't carry them in there backpacks,they get left at school and never used. iBooks not only offer convenience and accessibility but they provide students with the means to learn in a way that is natural for them. iBooks has some great applications. Students can highlight portions and transfer them to virtual notecards. They can use interactive software and manipulate 3-D models.

iAuthor enables students to create a book they can share with pride. They create the stories and illustrations then publish it to share with others.