#PodPeeks: Talking Social Studies

I just HAVE to share this podcast with you!!! I had featured it on my final 8 #PodPeeks in July but I hadn't had the time to really dig deep into this one. That was until my daughter started conditioning for soccer and I had an hour to walk & listen & learn. Wow!!!! This is a GOOD one!

There are 2 episodes that I'm excited to share today - but don't limit yourself to these. Subscribe and listen to them all!

Talking Social Studies website  / Twitter (@TalkinSS)

Episode 17: Got Rhythm (show notes)

I love history. I love the story it tells - I know it's not always a happy story, but it's a never-ending story. I also love music. There is so much music out there and it, too, tells a story. And to bring the two together??? WOW! Listening to this episode, I kept thinking about how cool it would be to be a student in any of these 4 teachers classes! The focus isn't just on having music to play with your units, but having conversations around & with the lyrics & feelings of the music. Highlighting music from a historical time period can really add to a students understanding of the time period and culture.

Here are a few highlights to tempt you to tune in - all the links are in the show notes:

• Billboard's List of 20 Best Protest Songs of 2017
• IDEA ↬ take a list of ANY year, don't tell your students, & see if they can figure out what year/what the big ideas were from that year

• National Jukebox: Historical Recordings from the Library of Congress (I had NO idea this existed!!!)
• contains over 10,000 historical recordings made by the Victor Talking Machine Company between 1901 and 1925!

• Google Arts & Culture ↬ an amazing find for SOOOO many reasons, but when you search for "music", you will find links to museums, stories, and more directly related to music!

• Sounds Around the World ↬ a website built as a "collaborative learning game"

• Teachrock.org ↬ a FREE web-based curriculum, aligned to standards, and built FOR teachers. (Thank you, Steven Van Zandt!) 

You Can Accept Change

In today’s world, probably the most valuable tool we can teach our students is to “LEARN, UN-LEARN, and RE-LEARN”. I read that somewhere this past year and I wish I could remember who to give credit to because it is absolutely true! We want our students to learn from failure … to have grit … to problem solve … to be self-sustaining in their learning. 

Right?

I want to you really stop for a minute and hold up the mirror. I want you to really stop and think. Are YOU doing this? Are you willing to learn, un-learn, and re-learn? Or do you grumble about it … resist it … push back … even refuse to change?

Let's focus this thought process a bit ... we profess we want our students to learn, UN-learn, and RE-learn. We want them to be comfortable with going out of their comfort zones and be willing to change … BUT how comfortable are YOU with all those things?

Think about these scenarios for a minute:

 - change in leadership? 

 - one program is replaced with a new one?

 - new staff? 

 - if you are asked to teach a different grade level or content? 

How do you respond? Do you put up barriers and excuses and fight the changes? I’ll be honest, change IS hard! There are changes I readily embrace but there are things I hate to see change. In the end, I remember I don't have to like the change but I DO realize my attitude and actions will pave the way for students and others to follow. 

I bring this up because Google Classroom is getting an update. Best estimates is it will go “live” in August. From what I’ve read from others, there might be some bumps in the road. 

Math Games ... for EVERYONE!

Math Games!!!

TWITTER: 

@Quizlet   @GetKahoot   @Quizalizeapp   @Quizizz

WEBSITES: 

https://quizlet.com/ https://kahoot.com/   www.quizalize.com/   https://quizizz.com/

Games no longer need to be left to review. Games can introduce - assess - review - personalize - and so much more. 

I fell in 💙with Quizlet. I was able to make one "set" of review materials but my students do use it in a number of different ways - and not just digitally. More traditional students could create limitless "tests" (multiple choice, T/F, short answer, matching as options ... modify to your preference); students who enjoy playing games could check out the games; students who preferred paper could print out flashcards - I'd suggest they use mine to make their own - or print out tests. ANY student could try ANY option. So many different options in one little package!!!! After we used it for awhile, students started making their own! HOW powerful! I wanted my students to find what works for them and use it ... in my class and all their others. When they'd tell me how they created Quizlets for another class, my heart swelled with pride. 

I've included links to 4 digital games, but there are a TON out there. Don't be afraid to check several of them out. (Make sure you check with your district's policy prior to making accounts for students.)

One more to check out ↣ We Are Teacher released an article that is perfect for this post. The Best Online Interactive Games for Every Grade Level. I won't vouch for every game included, but it's a great place to start regardless if you teach kindergarten or high school. 

Do you have any games that others should check out? Please share!

#FBCALbook ... I'll be IN it!

I'm beyond excited to share that at the end of July, a dream of mine will come true! I will have a story published in a book!!! This book ... will be published and available for anyone to read! And I will have a tiny part in it. 

WOW!

My adventure began around Christmas 2017 when a tweet on Twitter caught my eye from Mari Venturino. She had published a collection of stories from educators in July, 2017. She was preparing for volume 2, and with nothing to lose, I submitted a story idea.

I'm not going to lie or pretend otherwise, I really do not consider myself a writer. Spelling was a weak spot and I never understood diagramming sentences! Thank heavens for word processing!!!

I received word my story had been accepted to be published as part of this book with other educators. BUT ... I was still nervous and didn't share the news. (I think I was still nervous about it really happening!) Then came edits and revisions and the final editing process. Mari has set up a website to share tons of info about the book and those who are apart of it. Be sure to check it out https://fueledbycoffeeandlove.com/ .

I will join the ranks of 80 or so educators who've taken a piece of their own story and shared it for the world to read. I hope you'll pick up a copy, grab the beverage of your choice, and read it. It's sure to be packed with tons of great stories!!!

I'll update as far as the official publishing date. Yea!!!! 

Want to be part of volume 3? Mari is collecting info from those interested at the official website [https://fueledbycoffeeandlove.com/].

Feel free to follow along on:

• Twitter 
• Facebook
• Instagram

Alice Keeler: Teacher Tech

Teacher Tech

Alice Keeler

TWITTER: @alicekeelerorg & @alicekeeler

WEBSITE: Teacher Tech

Alice Keeler is a lady who knows Google! And when I say she knows Google, she knows Google and then some!

Her website is a treasure trove of ideas, templates, resources, and more. She has written several books, too! I've learned so much from her and have so much more to learn. She shares a lot on Twitter, so if you don't already ... make sure you follow her.

I'm highlighting 6 of her postings, but these are no more than a teeny-tiny tip of an iceberg. Chances are, if you are looking for an idea, Alice will have 2 or 3 things for you to read thru and check out. 

• 5 E's Lesson Plan Template for Math ↬ if you are looking for an ingenious & powerful lesson plan, look no further!

• Math Problem: 3 Pennies and a Dime ↬ this one had me intrigued from the get go! If you want to give your students a challenge and give them an opportunity to really THINK and explain, check this out!

• Representing Borrowing in Math ↬ a great visual way for your students to demonstrate and work through borrowing. This is an open share of ideas to help ALL of us!

• Google Math: Animate Your Math with Google Slides ↬ 💗💜💛💖this! Visual representation of math! This is awesome!

• Math Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt ↬ Ok. Hands down. My favorite! Literally, open the world to your students and let them FIND math in it. Well, not literally ... they could go out, or you can use images found on the web. 😉. But then you look for math properties and/or ideas.

• Math Journal Prompts by Alison Childers ↬ looking for a way to infuse writing? Here you go!