TED TALKS

The resource I have chosen to explore is TedTalks that provides a series of podcasts regarding topics in education that can spark and ignite ideas for students to discuss and collaborate with their peers to discuss as well. The podcasts are found for free on Itunes. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tedtalks-education/id470623037?mt=2

The principles of teaching oral communication such as listening to understand could be addressed through this resource. Students are identifying a range of purposes for listening in a variety of situations formal, and informal and set goals appropriate to each listening task. For examples students can evaluate the effectiveness of both sides of an argument while listening to a tedtalk podcast. 

Students are also addressing active listening strategies in group discussions regarding the podcasts that are heard. The students are also making inferences and interpreting the oral texts. The teacher may ask the students why different audiences may interpret the podcasts in different ways.

There are many interesting and educational TED TALK videos that can be found and used inside and outside the classroom to develop a student's learning experience and keep them engaged. The TED TALK videos can also be used as a great minds on portion of a lesson to introduce a topic for example debates. The TED TALKS that I would recommend for the classroom are 3 Rules to Spark Learning, How I Teach Kids To Love Science, and Math Is The Hidden Secret To Loving The World. However there are numerous videos that can be found for both teachers and students alike. https://www.ted.com/talks?topics%5B%5D=education

The features that make this resource useful for teachers of literacy are that you are able to incorporate listening and speaking activities with the tedtalks. I can anticipate using this idea in my upcoming literacy placement by sharing a tedtalk podcast on a topic that references a theme that my students are learning about to ignite and spark some good group conversations and debates in the classroom.

4 Games to Help Students Think Critically About Vocabulary

On the IRC Brock University Pinterest page, I came across a resource named 4 Games To Help Students Think Critically About Vocabulary. I have attached the link below. The resource outlines 4 different games that teachers can incorporate into their classroom to help develop the students vocabulary and assis them in learning how to write.

http://educationtothecore.com/2015/10/games-to-help-kids-think-critically-about-vocabulary/

Helping students develop a strong vocabulary through the use of these four games will help ensure that students are developing the skills that will help them in their writing process. Instead of just having a word wall and introducing new words and their definitions to students that way why not play a fun game where students are not only engaged and having fun but also getting creative and most of all learning.

One of the most effective ways of having students learn new words is having them make real world connections and experiences to the words themselves. Students can play games that will help make connections and have a lasting impression on them as well.

The game What's My Word allows students to move around and using an activity sheet with clues, students must try and guess each other's words to help develop their vocabulary. The game focuses on spelling familiar and unfamiliar words that is a part of the specific expectations for the language curriculum.

The next game that was inspired by a Youtube video is called Definitely...Not...Kind Of. The game can be played as a whole class or in small groups. The game really focuses on the vocabulary expectation of the language curriculum. Students are first given a category that the word belongs to and then the students begin to guess by using the adjectives below to try and figure out what the word may be. 

The last game is called Don't Say It and is inspired by the game named Taboo. Students work collaboratively with a partner and one person has to describe the word they have without saying any of the forbidden words underneath. The partner then has to try and guess what the word is. The game focuses on students confirming word meaning or word choice using different types of resources appropriate for the purpose. The game also helps develop the student's interconnected skills that are essential in the writing strand of the curriculum. 

All of these games are great for in-service and pre-service teachers to use in order to help their students develop their vocabulary and have fun while learning. These activities could be a great way to get students thinking critically before writing a report or a project. The games can also be modified to be a little more challenging in order to ensure differentiation in the lesson.

Blue Ribbon Readers

A great reading resource that I have found is called Blue Ribbon Readers: Making Connections. The resource can be found on the PBS learning website. Click on the link below to access the resource:

http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/psu11la.reading.brrconn/blue-ribbon-readers-make-connections/

The resource is an interactive game that allows students to practice their ability to make mental connections between the text and things the reader may already know. The connections may include things the reader has read before (text to text), things they have seen or heard (text to world), or things they have done (text to self). The game is designed to help students read and also assists with developing further comprehension skills.

Screenshot of Blue Ribbon game

The principles of teaching reading that could be addressed through this resource are that it helps a student to become an effective reader. According to the Ontario Curriculum an effective reader is one who not only grasps the ideas communicated in a text but also is able to apply them in new contexts. In order to do this the reader must be able to think critically, creatively, and clearly about the information read in texts and recognize their relevance in other contexts. 

The interactive game allows students to develop their comprehension strategies and apply the text understood in a text to other contexts such as books read, things they have seen or heard before, and things they have experienced.

Screenshot of blue ribbon game

The interactive game allows students to develop their comprehension strategies and apply the text understood in a text to other contexts such as books read, things they have seen or heard before, and things they have experienced. 

Screenshot of BlueRibbon game

Making connections is so important with regards to reading as it creates a more lasting impression on the student and allows them to remember and understand information more clearly. The interactive game also provides an option of having the text read out to the student for those who need more assistance. The read out loud option is great for differentiated learning and making accommodations for students who require further assistance. 

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The features that make this resource useful for teachers of literacy is that it is an interactive game that keeps students engaged while learning. Students are not simply just reading a book but also rather taking part in something that keeps them interested while developing key skills that are important in becoming effective readers. The interactive game is readily available on the site and easy to use.

Another example of making connections in the classroom can be reading texts that are all interconnected so that students can make connections about common themes or characters and plot in texts that they have chosen to explore. An activity such as this would be ideal for an older grade such as grade seven or eight. While the interactive game appeals more to students in grades four or five.

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Closing Statement

Overall I have learned a lot in my Technology Class especially with regards to all the new programs and applications that I can use in my future classrooms. Technology is an important part of student's learning experience and I am happy that I can now apply what I have learned in order to keep my future students engaged and motivated in their education experience. At first I was nervous because I found it a challenge creating presentations using the new tools that we explored, however with time and exploration of these tools I feel that I can successfully use them in my classroom.

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Genius Hour Closure Reflection

I have finished my Genius Hour Project and found it to be a really enriching experience! I discovered that you can expand your creativity skills and that art is subjective. Art is not just a blank canvas and a paint brush but it is more than that. Art is whatever you want it to be me and for my project art meant creating these simple Do It Yourself Video projects that I found online that helped make my life simple in some shape or form. I created the taco headphone holder to find a solution to my headphones always being tangled up in my bag. Not only was this a solution to a problem but it was a fun and cute way of coming up with the solution that expanded my artistic abilities further. Secondly, I created a mermaid bath bomb because it is one way that I like to destress in life. I always find myself purchasing expensive bath bombs and thought why not create one myself for nearly half the cost! The bath bomb was also a success and I was very proud of myself that I was able to accomplish this little project all by myself. Overall, I learned that you can accomplish anything you want to just as long as you have the right mindset and stay motivated and committed. I may not be the Pablo Picasso of artists but I sure can create things that I never imagined possible before this project!

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Genius Hour Reflection Three

This week for my Genius Hour Project I decided to make my mermaid bath bomb and put it to the test. The project was a bit harder than I had anticipated as I don't think I let it freeze for long enough because some of the bath bomb started to come apart before I placed it into the bath. However over all I would consider this project a success! Not to mention the pretty pastel colours looked beautiful and appealing in a warm bath.

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Genius Hour Reflection Two

This week for my Genius Hour Project I did some research regarding what other D.I.Y video I could accomplish. I decided to do a mermaid bath bomb because I always find myself watching videos of people dropping their home made bath bombs into a warm bath and I love how all these beautiful colours escape the figure and submerge into the water. I went to the grocery store along as Michaels to buy the supplies I needed to make my own bath bomb.

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