Miss Miller's Poetry Unit

Hello there, and welcome back!

Today's post is something rather exciting. So welcome to my online classroom! This post's topic of discussion is a 5th grade English class who is currently in their poetry unit! My tool for today is podcasts! A podcast is an audio recording that can be downloaded and listened to outside of the classroom. For my purposes today I created two series of podcasts. The first discusses different types of literal imagery and the second talks about more figurative imagery devices such as similes, metaphors, and personification! As a teacher I would post this on my classroom blog and assign the students to listen to them as homework, and possibly create a worksheet or activity to go a long with the audio tracks.

Click this link to see my SoundCloud profile or listen to my podcasts below!

Pros: I love the fact that this tool is very different from the other tools we have used before on my previous blog posts. I also like that this tool is strictly audio. I feel as though it would be a nice change of pace in the classroom and would add some variety to in/out of class activities. There are several free apps you can use to do voice recordings, and several places online to upload and store you audio tracks. Podcasts are fun, you even get to feel like a radio talk show host in your own classroom! I can see this tool being very helpful in many subjects,

Cons: It took me awhile to get what I wanted to say just right. This tool takes quite a bit of preparation and know-how. However, if you are good with apps and cloud-type programs this is the tool for you!

• ISTE Standard: Creative Communicator
• I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats, and digital media.
• UEN Content Standard: English Language Arts- 5th Grade
• Standard 4 "Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes"
• Ed Tech Standard: Standard no. 5
• Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. 

Let's Put a Pin in it.

Welcome to my online classroom!

The world of online information is endless, and can be a great source of ideas or content for our future classrooms! Today I was able to focus on the wonderful platform of Pinterest. I compiled several ideas spanning from access to worksheets, learning games, teacher prep, and even videos to show students in a classroom setting. Would I use Pinterest in my future classroom? If so, why? Let's find out.

Pros:
Pinterest was a great way for teachers to find tools and new ideas. My focus on this board was to find content that would help a second grader with reading comprehension. I was able to browse the already compiled information icons (also known as "pins") to find lesson plans and activities. All ready at my fingertips! This platform is easy to use, has endless content, is free, and can cover nearly every topic. By the end of our class period the students should know how to identify the who, what where, when, why, and how of a simple story line!

Cons:
On the other hand, Pinterest is a double edged sword so to speak. With its never ending content comes hundreds upon hundreds of pins that are either unrelated or not useful. It can also be a tad bit time consuming in a sense that if you don't really know how to phrase what you are searching for it could take some time sifting through other information.

Overall, I find Pinterest to be a tool that is very useful but isn't my "go-to" for every need I foresee in a classroom. Finding videos, read-a-longs, hands on activities, all of these things and more can be found on this website.

Click here to see my Pinterest board!

• UEN Content Standard: English Language Arts Grade 2
• Reading: Literature Standard 1 ***Understanding of key details in a text (i.e. who, what, where, when, why, how)
• ISTE Standard: Knowledge Constructor
• Critically select, evaluate and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflects learning and builds knowledge.
• Ed Tech Standard: Standard no. 8 ***Use technology resources (i.e. videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities.