Ask One Question Today May 13, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: 2000 pencil, Alan November, Education, Round Rock Tech Guy, Teague
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“Teachers have not changed the way they teach. We are using $2,000 pencils.” Alan November
I don’t want this said about you.
As I type this, my computer freezes briefly and then mysteriously opens another MSWord window and types the rest of the word I had begun.
I should stop using the computer, right? Open the window of my hotel room and scream the rest of my thoughts to you.
But you wouldn’t hear me.
You wouldn’t hear me without the information pipeline.
And neither will your students.
So, today, please do not be a statistic. Set aside a few minutes. Just a few minutes.
Today, use the information.
Ask one question.
Go to http://www.dnatube.com/ let the Editor’s choice video play. It does not matter which one; all are amazing. Don’t object because this is “science.” You don’t have to be a “science teacher” you are a “connecting teacher.”
(”But our filter blocks everything,” you say. Click here then and ask the same question…I guarantee this site will not be blocked.)
Ask one question: How does this relate to our study of__________
If students are at computers, have them type their answer,
If they are not, have them write or talk.
And then listen.
Take notes on what they say, make connections to what you are teaching.
Just ask one question.
If you want to ask more questions, click here for Greg Smith’s 3 Classroom Lessons for Using Gas Prices to Teach Math, Writing, Social Studies, and Technology
Please do not tell me you can’t do this because you have no _____ or ______ or _______.
You can. You will see results with your students.
Trackback here and leave a comment about what you did.
Prove Them Wrong Today
tag cloud May 12, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: http://4oops.edublogs.org, tag cloud, Teague
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What is so important about web-based learning experiences anyway? 
While You Were Teaching…4OOPS EduTech News Feed May 12, 2008
Posted by 4oops in 4OOPS EduTech news feed.Tags: crunch base, http://4oops.com, Teague, Tech Crunch, Tech meme, Zoho
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While You Were Teaching…4OOPS EduTech News Feed
The kids need you and the web keeps marching on…not to worry, 4OOPS’ EduTech news Feed has these top stories of interest to educators:
From Tech meme, May 9: Google Confirms Plans To Put Display Ads On Google.com 4OOPS’ Comment: The non-filtered Party is officially over
From Zoho Company Website, May 2, 2008: IBM, Microsoft & Google Eras of Computing 4OOPS’ Comment: Great synopsis, give this to students to summarize and pick out main idea.
From TechCrunch, May 9, 2008: Three’s Company Or Three’s A Crowd? Google To Launch “Friend Connect” On Monday 4OOPS’ Comment: Move over MySpace. Teachers: watch that taskbar!
From Tech Meme, May 6: How Little Do Users Read? On the web http://www.useit.com/alertbox/percent-text-read.html 4OOPS’ Comment: I knew y’all were skimming
From Crunch Base, May 11: Top 100 blogs list
Warmup Prompts Week of May 12 May 10, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Warmups/Journal Prompts.Tags: Bell Ringers, Journal Prompts, Teague, Wait, Waiting, Warmups
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Summer is close. It is hard to wait. This week’s Warmups are about waiting.
1.) Key at least ten words that are synonyms for the word “waiting.”
2.) Have you ever waited until the last minute to do something? What/When was it?
3.) List at least 5 incidences when it is not good to wait until the last minute.
4.) On the other hand, list at least 2 situations when it is smart to wait.
5.) Key your advice to someone regarding what to do when waiting in line.
Warmups inspired by a blog post from Seth Godin.
The Blogger Wears Prada: Today On Sale! May 9, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Blogger Wears Prada.Tags: Blogger Wears Prada, http://4oops.edublogs.org, Sundance, Teague
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Robert Redford…the popcorn movie heart-throb of my generation. <Sigh> Do you remember the resurgence in all things cowboy after he starred with Paul Newman in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?” Well, he put those movie residuals to great work with the Sundance Film Festival and especially the Sundance Catalog Store! (cue clapping> With every order “Bob” includes a catalog with his picture on the inside cover!
This week, the catalog store has super duper great markdowns on apparel, jewelry, gifts, shoes, bags, etc…
For instance, skirts @ $9.99; luxe purses for pennies, cashmere sweaters @$39.99!
Sweaters? You say? Sweaters? The season is changing and it is much too hot.
Well, I have been meaning to tell you…when I visit your classrooms the air is freezing in there. David Letterman called…he wants his Freon back!
Order soon to take advantage of the sale prices…and make “Bob” happy as well.
Sundance Catalog 
Payback is Rich or Student Store and More May 6, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: http://4oops.edublogs.org, Rewards, Student Store and More!, Teague
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Classroom Price List
Create a student store where students spend “digital dollars” earned from a variety of appropriate behaviors such as:
- questions answered correctly
- first to arrive at class and get started working on WarmUp
- most questions answered correctly
- first to seek out resources
- begin a task without prompting
- offer help to another
- take a risk to be the first to answer a class discussion question
What other behaviors do you want to reward? Leave a comment!
Post your classroom price list with either tangible or intangible items for sale such as:
- School supplies
- Assignment “Do Over”
- Choose “X” amount fewer problems to complete
- 5 extra minutes the learning center of your choice
What other items should be included on your price list? Leave a comment!
Must Love Laptop Batteries May 6, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: Best Buy, Daily Tech Bits, Education, Laptops, Must Love Dogs, Teague
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Learning coaches must love travel. They must love the subtle nuance of instructions such as “Board only when your Group Number is called.” They must love ways to suss out calm amidst the sturm und drang of airports and passengers
That is where my laptop comes in.
Until recently when right at the end of the beloved classic “Must Love Dogs” (with my fave John Cusack), the laptop, she decides to die.
Battery out! The battery has been losing more and more power but I never thought it would fail me outright.
At this point I must love Best Buy and Agent Nelson (they all use the word “agent” before their surnames…is that cute or what?) Agent Nelson told me that my service plan covers a replacement battery and power cord.
Must love this little known detail of the service plan. Check your service plan today (by “check your plan” I mean go to Best Buy or wherever you purchased your laptop and given them your name and they will do the rest.)
More great tips for extending your laptop’s life may be found in David Culpepper’s post from Daily Tech Bits
Warmup Prompts Week of May 5 May 3, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Warmups/Journal Prompts.Tags: Bell Ringers, Big Bang, Journal Prompts, Robotics, Robots, Teague, Warmups
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Let’s Celebrate Robots this week:
1. If you were a robot, and I knew but you didn’t, would you want me to tell you?
2. Guess in what year the word “robotics” was first used and give a reason for your prediction.
3. Read the the Three Laws of Robotics. Which one is unnecessary and why?
4. Was your prediction yesterday correct? Go here and find out! Are you surprised at the answer?
5. Read and finish the dialogue below (click on “More”) Add a line each for Wolowitz and Sheldon.
The Blogger Wears Prada: On Mothers Day May 2, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Blogger Wears Prada.Tags: Blogger Wears Prada, http://4oops.edublogs.org, Kim and Jason, Mother's Day, Organic Bouquet, Teague
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The Blogger Wears Prada: On Mother’s Day
Order Mom a beautiful organic arrangement at Organic Bouquet. The website also has gifts and chocolate!!! 
Tell Mom you appreciate her Creativi-TEA, Sinceri-TEA,
Originali-TEA, and her Abili-TEA with the No Other Like Mother Tea Tin ($11.95)
from the great folks at Kim and Jason.
While at Kim and Jason, order a Moms Can Fix Anything Greeting Card ($2.00). The Card includes a free Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Need More Ideas? At Your (Mom’s) Service:
Click through to see the plexo
Free Star Wars eBook and Mother’s Day eCards April 30, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Free.Tags: Hallmark, http://4oops.edublogs.org, Powell's Books, Teague
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For a short while, Powells Books 
will offer Betrayal, the first volume in the Star Wars Legacy of the Force series free eBook!
Just in time for Mother’s Day (jk)!
Betrayal follows the heroes of the new Jedi order and the second generation children of Anakin Skywalker. It is . Click here for more details: Special Powells.com offer
Also, Hallmark has new, spiffy eCards just in time for Mother’s Day. 
Why not encourage early finishers to create an eCard for moms, grandmas, aunties, etc…
Order This Book! April 29, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: http://4oops.edublogs.org, Inquiry-Learning, John Barell, Teague, Why are school buses always yellow?
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“Inquisitive minds are the safeguards of our democracy, now and forever.” John Barell
And they also may scare us to quivering mush!
Why? Because our perception is that questions may lead us away:
From the “right” answer-
From the prescribed time allotment-
From our plan and our pacing-
Toward a realm where the teacher is not the all-seeing, all-knowing Carnac of the Classroom. 
Thank Goodness! What a Relief!
Realize this and you will live longer and have more fun!
And you will have time to sit down, rest a bit, and read, “Why Are School Buses Always Yellow” by John Barell, Professor Emeritus, Montclair State University. (Corwin Press and Amazon)
“Why Are School Buses Always Yellow” encapsulates years of theory into workable practice. I probably would have saved thousands in college tuition loans if this resource had blessed me decades ago! (virtual “Wish I’d had a V-8″ moment)!
Barell reiterates that questions signal higher-order thought processing which is the goal of effective classroom interaction and innovation. He reminds us that student questions are the attainment of the highest thinking skills. It is what we trained for people!
Too many books declare WHAT an important concept inquiry teaching is. But, after the studies are noted and the experts quoted, there are very few pages left for the actual implementation: HOW TO DO inquiry-oriented teaching. It’s about time that a book came along that speaks to “HOW” to reach and develop inquisitive questioning.
Barell’s visits to classrooms and discussions with both teachers and students form a dynamic role-play model. You will no doubt relate to the student responses and learn from modeling Barell’s effective inquiry teaching practices. I also appreciate the structure of the chapters. Barell allows space for reflection, an often overlooked phase of learning.
Granny Newlen always admonished us kids to “Learn, discuss, then then get up and move.” She used such a phrase to get us up off the couch for learning-walk where we would tell her what we had learned at school.
Go on your own “learning walk” to the bookstore, online or F2F, and buy this book. 
Warmup Prompts Week of April 28 April 27, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Warmups/Journal Prompts.Tags: Bell Ringers, Journal Prompts, Teague, Warmups
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April is National Poetry Month. Celebrate with these Warm-ups!
Week of April 28:
1. Read and solve each of these math poems. Can you write your own math poem?
2. In your opinion, can a sentence be a poem? Why or why not?
3. Read these samples “The Red Wheelbarrow” “When You Are Old” “The New Dog” What do these poems have in common?
4. Choose one of the following pictures and write at least six descriptive words specifically about the colors you see. Cape May Lighthouse Horse swing Snowy Woods Maple Tree in the Spring
5. Read 4 or 5 color poems written by 3rd graders at this site Which one do you like best? Try adding a line anywhere in one of the poems.
The (Eco) Blogger Wears Prada April 25, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Blogger Wears Prada.Tags: Blogger Wears Prada, Journals, Teague
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The (Eco) Blogger Wears Prada
This Eco-friendly post goes beyond itchy hemp clothing. The focus is on the great Eco-Friendly accessories.
Be Eco-Friendly with a dash of style in these great Dots Gloves from Kim and Jason’s wonderful Lemonade Stand. Stay and click awhile at this site for sweet cartoons, insightful articles, and reaffirming stories from two creative innovators. (but get the gloves first).
Michelle Kaufmann on her blog showcased these next two accessories. Instructions included for each one:
Nifty clutch purses, iPod, and/or cell phone holders. 
Plantable Paper Journals 
Ok, This beautiful Waterwall is not an accessory but literally a cool home or classroom alternative to the sweltering heat that is just around the calendar corner.
Classroom Spring Clean Phase 1 April 24, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: spring cleaning, Teague
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My thoughts on cleaning are the polar opposite of my mother’s. At my mom’s house, the floor is so clean you can off it. At my house we do, but usually it is usually because the table tops are cluttered and the couch is covered. 
Having resigned myself to the futility of Home Spring Cleaning, this year I am turning my attention to Classrooms where we all have dozens of happy hands just waiting for an assertive suggestion (I am referring to our students, not us just doing things super fast.)
In this first phase of a 2-phase series (concluding next week) we will prepare for and then launch The First Annual Classroom Spring Clean.
(Cue the Horns!) Phase 1–Prep Steps for You:
Digital Spring Clean for your computer or laptop: Today after school clean out your temps/history cache, run any virus software updates, downloads any plug-ins that you have been meaning to use (Shockwave, Java, Real Player, etc…) and run a virus scan. Set the defrag to run as you leave school today (Start button/All Programs/Accessories). Be sure to restart your machine tomorrow when you arrive at school.
Invites:Invite #1: Spring Clean for Eyeglasses– The Lions Club International has a fantastic program called Recycle for Sight, which collects, reuses, refurbishes, then redistributes unwanted eyeglasses to people in developing countries who need them.
The World Health Organization estimates that 153 million people have uncorrected refractive errors, such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism, which can be easily corrected with eyeglasses.
Invite yourself and your students to help in this effort by bringing in eyeglasses. To avoid misunderstandings require students to bring a note from parent releasing the glasses for donation.
Invite #2: Paper Rolls–Invite students to bring in the cardboard rolls from paper towels and toilet paper. These will be put to great use in Phase 2 in May.
Invite #3: Spring Clean Paper Shuffle–Many of us pay some or many of our bills online. But along with monthly statements come pre-addressed envelopes. Save these envelopes, bring them to your classroom. Today, invite your students to also bring in any unused pre-addy envelopes. These will be put to great use in Phase 2 in May.
Spring Clean Shopping Prep: Buy disposable camera for use in Phase 2 next week. NOTE: You may be tempted while at the store to buy cleaning products to help you with actual classroom scrubbing. Please be careful about the types of products you buy or bring from home to do any classroom spring cleaning. Most school districts require only district approved cleaning products used by the custodians. Even Seventh Gen or Mrs. Meyers may be too harsh for use with students. Theraputic Prep Step for You: Spring clean your mind today: take a walk! 
Publish Earth Day Inspired Videos April 22, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: Earth Day, Michelle Kaufmann, Projects, Teague
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Michelle Kaufmann’s blog will inspire you to hug more than just trees. (NOTE: See next week’s Warmups for ideas inspired by my morning with her blog!)
In her April 21 post she shares a video describing ideas for observing Earth Day and invites video submissions of great ideas for celebrating the planet, recycling, not just for a once-a-year event such as Earth Day, but all year-long.
This is a energizing avenue for a real-world publishing experience for students (and their teachers!) Submit a message to Kaufmann’s site by June 1st giving your video link location (youtube, teachertube, personal upload, etc…). An eco-friendly Solio solar charger, serves as Grand Prize because, as Kaufmann writes, ”we believe one brilliant green idea deserves another.”
My Tech Top Ten April 21, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education.Tags: Jane Hart, Teague, technology top ten
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My “Top Ten” recommendations center on creating learning for teachers with free websites allowed by school filters.
1. Page Flakes: PageFlakes is an interactive webpage authorship portal. Students love the interactivity and message board options for immediate feedback with teachers. See samples on Plate tectonics and Searching
2. Squidoo: What is Squidoo? an interactive web-editor portal interface with lots of cool interactive modules! Check out these samples: Mid-Summer Night’s Dream Squidoo, Fall Leaves Squidoo, Summer Resources Squidoo
3. Google Lit Trips: Google Lit Trips is the brainchild of Jerome Burg who created this innovative trek using Google Earth to follow the locations in literature. I recently showed a Google Lit Trip on The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and students left the whole-group instruction circle for the computer lab with so much energy and enthusiasm I thought they were running for a Miley Cyrus concert ticket line!
4. Fling the Teacher: Students answer questions you create, earning the privilege of tossing the teacher aside in a trebuchet when they reach 100% mastery. Here is a sample from music and one from science.
5. Library Thing: Collect all your favorites in an online, virtual library! LibraryThing, free for the first 200 titles, offers a personalized virtual library of your class reading list with the collaboration and discussion group feature of a world-wide book club. Here is a sample.
6. Assign-A-Day Calendar: This free collaborative calendar keeps assignments within easy clicks of parents and students. Teachers can easily copy assignments from one year to the next and work collaboratively with other teachers through the shared calendar feature.
7. I Keep Bookmarks: Online Bookmark/Favorite storage for teachers to organize their bookmarks/favorites from multiple computers in one place and provide links for students to access from multiple locations.
8. Edutopia: The George Lucas Educational Foundation’s gift to educators with hundreds of videos, teaching modules, articles, teaching polls, expert interviews, research, and resources highlighting innovation and success in the classroom.
9. EduBlogs: A free blog service and community for educators or anyone interested in education.
10. Microsoft Reader: Free Microsoft download (no, it is not an oxymoron) and ebook reader with direct links to downloading free content and samples. Students absolutely love to see their stories, poems, essays, and other writing samples converting to an auditory e-book.
Well, that is my Top Ten List. What about your Tech Top Ten?
Warmups Week of April 21 April 20, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Warmups/Journal Prompts.Tags: Bell Ringers, Education, Journal Prompts, Teague, Warmups
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Here are this week’s Warmups. Have a great week!
Week of April 21
1.) Barbara Park wrote the Junie B. Jones children’s book and her birthday is April 21. How many total books has she written?
2.) How many books have you read this year? Have you read more books or webpages? Ask two friends and record their answers.
3.) Think & Answer: “Today will be a success for me if…”
4.) How many years did our Civil War last ?(give the years).
5.) Study these Civil War Graphs. Pick one and write a 1-sentence summary of the data you see. Be sure to compare North and South and write one equation based on the graph you choose.
The Blogger Wears Prada April 18, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Blogger Wears Prada.Tags: Blogger Wears Prada, Galison, Journals, Teague, The Sak
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… Or wants to. Educators on a budget still yearn for Prada-esque apparel on a miniscule budget. On selected Fridays, when I am home because the airlines decided not to stir the flight delay cauldron, I will spotlight the best stores, products, and websites for all things In-Digital-Style.
If the weight of all things IRS is still “taxing” you, conside
r an eco-friendly purse from The Sak to help your tired, overtaxed shoulders.
In the Writing 1.0 days, before blogs, wikis, and Twitter there were journals. How therapeutic to sit quietly and write your tax angst away. See the collection of beautiful journals that emphasized a slower pace to writing at Galison.
Boo-lify–So Fun It’s Scary! April 16, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Tech BFFs.Tags: Boolify, Teague
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Well, the day after taxes is always dicey. Waking up on “the morning after” the midnight post box dash requires tentative steps and reassurance from attempting and completing small, manageable tasks. Like opening and catching up on email.In my email Jane Hart’s daily E-Learning Pick spotlighted Boolify, a new educational Boolean search tool that accesses Google’s Safe Search. Apparently, while I have spent the past several weeks searching for all things deductible, David Crusoe and his team created a new search engine. What technological fortitude! 
You get to drag and drop cool, little puzzle pieces to create your search. I love the idea of a puzzle I can solve!
…unlike income taxes!
Warmup Prompts Week of April 14 April 12, 2008
Posted by 4oops in Education, Warmups/Journal Prompts.Tags: Bell Ringers, Journal Prompts, Teague, Warmups
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Here are this week’s Warmups. Have a great week!
Week of April 14th
1.) This is tax week. List at least 10 things (not people, just things) that you find taxing.
2.) Not everything we buy has a tax on it. Find and key what items are nontaxable and what items usually are.
3.) This is a week where finding something free would be nice. Find the free throw stats on a basketball player, NBA, WNBA, college, high school. Name the player, list the free throw statistic and then find the probability that the player will make the next 3 free throws attempted.
4.) Find what year Americans began paying taxes. Key the words in the acronym IRS. Do other countries pay taxes too? List at least four country names and the link from your research.
5.) Tax week is over! YAY! But some people did not pay on time. They procrastinated. Find and key the definition of procrastination. What kinds of situations cause you to procrastinate?
