PRESENTING AT GOOGLE CAMP!!!!

Recently my friend and colleague A. Kartos and I applied to be presenters at our school board's first annual Google Camp.  Much to our surprise we were accepted as presenter and we are very excited to be taking part of this amazing professional development opportunity.  

If you are a Toronto District School Board Teacher and you are interested in attending Google Camp, it is going to be held on Sat. May 10th, 2014., at Earl Haig Secondary School at Yonge and Shepard. 

This Google Camp will be very informative for those teachers who have not discovered all the applications that Google has to offer. Google Drive is a great tool for student and teachers alike.   Come and learn with us!
Hope to see you there...

iPad Apps and Blooms Taxonomy

Video Game Reviews

Language Arts meets Tech...A Love Story

As a writing assignment each of my students in grade 7 & 8 were asked to write a video game review. With the support of my teacher-librarian we team taught "how to write a good video game review."  As a class we looked a examples of online video game reviews and came up with the success criteria.  The class used their writer's workshop centre time to conference with Ms. Kartos and make changes and improvements on their review.  Once the reviews were handed in the student then presented their reviews to the class.  I've embedded a few examples of the visual aids the students created to support their oral video game reviews.  

Social Media and the Tween

Click below to read the article and see the infographic

Trending Tweens

Stop Motion Animation created by my students

My Class went on a field trip to The TIFF Lightbox Theatre.  

The students grouped up and each group created a very short stop motion animation. 

(Sorry there isn't any sound on this video.)  

Let's Foster Creativity...it's as simple as a cardboard box

Caine Monroy is an example of an extraordinary student who used his creativity to fill his summer holidays.  As teachers it is important to teach our students in different ways to ensure that we can tap into the students' strengths and possibly ignite a passion to come to the surface.  As you watch this video of Caine and his story, he probably represents one or more student that sits in your class.  Possibly disengaged, bored and at time just lost.  We need to help our students guide our students to explore the out of the ordinary.  Imagine what your students could achieve if given the opportunities.  It is our responsibilities as teachers to help students 
grow and explore their own talents and abilities.  

To learn more about Caine and the Imagination Foundation click below.  

http://cainesarcade.com/

Students Using Padlet to Share their Learning

My Gr. 7&8 Students were asked to work in groups to summarize their assigned section of Chapter 6.  They used Padlet to present their work.  

Take a look by clicking on the links below. 

Developing an Agricultural Economy

The Gold Rush Era

Why was the Yukon Territory Created

The North West Mounted Police