What did I use in the classroom today?
2) Book Creator - I created a template to distribute the challenging text of the translation from Arabic of the "Dispute of tea and Coffee" - a narrative poem that Year 5&6 needed to study. This debate poem, was supposed to be in animated for but alas an error message meant that the link was no longer supported. So, bravely the re-enactment of the tricky text was scaffolded for the pupils using book creator. The task was then in pairs, to ascertain how the selection of poems provided on Showbie referenced the long standing history of the beverages. In addition two website links were made available to the students again in Showbie, which allowed them to bring their knowledge of tea and coffee drinking up to date. On fact was how many cups of tea had been drunk that day so far...57million by midday and counting! I could identify with the need...
The students once again rose to the challenge and managed to work co operatively to produce incisive comments from which they can build their understanding of the history of the two drinks.
3) Search Engine Technologies: The website links that were provided for the Year 5&6 students layered their appreciation of how Search Engine technologies worked. The complex algorithms that are behind the sorting and ranking of the information was revealed to them in a common craft video on the subject. Something the students probably take for granted and didn't appreciate was happening before the information from the internet is presented to them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF515-0Tduk&list=PL0D1EF8DAA916C301
This was also applicable as the students were set an online scavenger hunt http://www.mrsoshouse.com on the functions of the Heart. The link was posted in their iTunes U computing course. The layers of information that needed sorting was presented in video tutorials, text based or as 3D modelled structures. The information was manipulated to find the answers to the questions posed. The students found it immersive and challenging and realised that to decipher information was a very particular skill. Making copious notes to support their answers and linking to the next clue by tapping on the next link...
4) Year 3&4 had prior to the Easter break, been given a tutorial on how to use Scratchjr by their classmates in Year 5&6. It is testament to them that their young apprentices were today able to recall this information and build their own coding skills using Scratch which showcased the knowledge they had gained. Their work was also supported by links posted in their iTunes U computing course, in case their memory was tested. I was extremely impressed with the degree to which the students managed to compile their game using the inputs, outputs, loops and variables. Even including speech and additional animation. A triumph which has set the Year 3&4's to share their skills and become the coaches for the younger classes in year 2 in a couple of weeks.
Let's hope the errors that have been evident today, on all levels, are rectified and full access is restored tomorrow! Lesson learnt.
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