Blogfolio

Intro Video
1. NETS-T 3c: Teachers communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.
2. This meets this standard because we created and uploaded a video about ourselves which could be used for a future class. I used this video effectively to introduce myself to my professor and my peers. 
3. This assignment taught me how to file share a video and upload it to something that I can use in my classroom. 
4. The problem I encountered in this assignment was sending the video and letting it open in my email. The file format was different, and the audio didn't work at first. But I resent the video to myself and opened it and it worked fine. 
5. I will integrate this knowledge because now I know how to upload a video and put it on a website. I will use this to upload various videos in my classroom in a blog that I create for my classroom for all parents to view to see what is going on. 

TED Videos
1. NETS-T 5a: participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning. 
2. This assignment meets this standard because we watched videos from different learning communities on various topics, and in turn, it improved our learning. 
3. These assignments taught me many different things because some of the videos were testaments of other teachers and how they teach students different things in their classrooms. One video talked about a model that a teacher created and how it worked in their classroom. It showed how teachers can take creativeness in their classrooms and that it is okay to do so. 
4. I did not encounter any problems with these videos, I loved them. I hope to use them in my classroom one day. 
5. I will integrate these videos in my classroom by allowing my students to watch how certain students learn by different ways of teaching. I will also use TED as a guide when I am a teacher if I am encountering any difficulties. 

Concept Map
1. NETS-T 1c: Teachers promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
2. This assignment met these needs because we used Inspiration to create a Concept Map to show our thinking and planning for a particular lesson plan. 
3. This assignment taught me what a concept map was and how to create one virtually. This was also the first time I was ever introduced to Hyperlinks, and this information became very useful because I have used this now in other classes. 
4. I encountered problems with this because I did not know how to Hyperlink correctly. I also had issues making the arrows connect to the boxes (you had to click in just the right spot for it to work and it was very difficult). There were also formatting issues with my concept map when I uploaded it to blogger with the outline, and it was hard to view when I was presenting it to the class. 
5. I will use Concept Maps all the time when I become a teacher so that the students can understand exactly what information they are to gain from my lessons. I probably will use another software to create my concept map because the one that we used was not as user friendly as I would have liked. 

DoNotTrackMe
1. NETS.T 4a- advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
2. This assignment met this standard because it allowed us to learn who was tracking us online, which taught us safety. It showed us that all of the websites we trusted were tracking us everywhere we go online. 
3. This assignment showed me how many websites track me. I still have it in my toolbar, and as of this second, I have blocked 9,364 websites from tracking me. This has helped protect my identity and information as I travel through online websites. 
4. I did not personally encounter any problems, but for some people I know that it wouldn't allow them to order pizza? I do not see how that was possible. I like how when I register to subscribe for a site, it will create a username or password for me so that these companies do not track me as well, but whenever I try to do that, the companies will not let me sign up because they say it isn't valid. 
5. I will use this on all of my computers and I will suggest it to my teaching co-workers to use so that their information is always safe when they are on websites. 

Augmented Reality
1. NETS.T 1b: engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
2. This assignment met this standard because we learned how to use different apps that will bring real-world items to life. 
3. This assignment showed me that we can use apps while on field trips or learning in the classroom because it will give the students more interesting information on topics that we discussed in class. 
4. One issue that I had with this was actually finding a free app in the iTunes store for an Augmented Reality App. I will still continue looking, though. 
5. Whenever I find an app that I like, I will use this in the classroom a good bit. I will have students use this app on BYOD days and I will allow them to go around the classroom and find different pictures that they want to find more information about. I will also use this for pictures in the textbook and have students create a report on what they find. 

Voki
1. NETS-T 3b: Teachers collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
2. This assignment met this standard because it shows how a teacher can interact with students by using  a digital tool. 
3. This assignment showed me that I can create talking avatars to put on my websites or use in my classroom to make learning more fun. I can also this to introduce parents to myself in a different way rather than words. 
4. One issue with this website was that all of the cool and "famous" avatars cost money to use. I also did not like that the voice that it made me use was too robotic sounding. 
5. I will use this in my classroom to introduce famous characters such as George Washington. I could also use this in a younger classroom and make characters, such as Santa, tell my students to behave in the classroom because he is making sure that they are on their best behavior, even in the classrooms. 

Web 2.0 Sites
1. NETS.T 3a- demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
2. This met this standard because it introduced us to new technology systems and taught us how to use them. 
3. This assignment offered me an opportunity to view and save and remember useful websites that I will always be able to use in my classroom or in preparing lessons. 
4. One issue some had was that their website did not work well or was down whenever they tried to find it. 
5. I will use a few of these websites in my classroom. I made sure to *** the ones that I really liked so that I will remember to use them again. 

Create Website
1. NETS-T 4c: Teachers promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information. 
2. This standard was met because it taught us how to create a website and required us to research digital etiquette in the classroom. 
3. I learned how to create a website, insert a YouTube video on this website, and how to communicate my point through a website. We had to create tabs and insert a calendar. 
4. I had problems keeping my tabs in order when I was creating a new tab. I also had issues with my calendar showing up when presenting my information to the class. 
5. This assignment showed me how I could create a website for my classroom. I now know how to create different pages on a website and how to insert different information in an organized way. Also, this is a free way to create a website to use in my classroom. 

My Movie
1. NETS.T 1a: promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
2. This standard was met because we had to be creative and we had to be inventive in creating this movie. You showed us the basics on what to do, but we were inventive by having to basically create everything on our own.
3. I learned how to create a movie and how to be creative in my pictures. I had to  make up a story that was through pictures. I also learned how to convert a file on iTunes into an .mp3 to be used on future websites. 
4. The only problem I had with this assignment was converting the file from iTunes because the song that I wanted to use came out that day so it was not already converted for me. 
5. I really enjoyed this and I think this would be an effective way to show students' progress over the year in my class. I could use MovieMaker and create a slideshow of images of the students in my classroom to use at Awards Day or any other event. 

Reflection
Before taking this class, I did not know much about the Common Core or how to manage a classroom. Throughout the year, I not only learned how to create a website, make a movie, how to create a manage a blog, but I also learned how to become a better teacher. I was given sooooooo many different resources that I will be able to use in my classroom. I was taught how to handle any situation where a student was being bullied, but I also learned how to create a Concept Map. Throughout the year, I heard other students from other IT classes complaining about how much work that they had and how much they hated their IT class, but I can honestly say that this has been the most beneficial class to me at USM. I feel like I was taught how to use technology to become a better teacher rather than just how to use technology. In the lessons that we did, such as creating a Voki, you not only taught us how to construct a Voki, but you told us exactly why this information was useful and how we can use it in our future classrooms. All IT professors need to make sure that their students are understanding and learning the significance of their assignments, and I am glad that I chose this class to take out of the others. I liked all of the activities and the relevance they had on our future as teachers. I learned many things about the Common Core because you were not afraid to talk good or bad about it. It was amazing having discussions with other students because it taught me that I was not alone in not knowing how to manage a classroom or certain situations at USM and with the Common Core. By far, this has been the most beneficial class I have had so far in my college career. 

Kids Can't Compute -- And That's a Problem

This article is about how children are not as tech savvy as people think they are. It talks about how the writer, Mike Elgan, believes that his generation knows more about technology than most kids do. He believes this because in his generation, he had to know how to know the basics and the hard stuff about computers and memorize special functions and ways to do things, but now everything is simply ran and not confusing at all. Because kids know how to work an iPad does not mean that they are tech savvy, it just means that they can learn how to press buttons, according to Elgan. He believes that all students should be educated in the background of technology and how it works so that they will be more proficient in working in future jobs based in technology.

I find truth in this article because I think that technology spoils most children. I think that they learn how to use it at an earlier age than before because there are many educational apps and technology based learning tools than they used to have. But I also believe now that technology is becoming a crutch for students more than it used to be. Students don't have to remember as much information because if they come to a point where they need it, all they have to do is pull out their SmartPhone and Google whatever they need to find. I think that schools need to focus more on why technology works the way it does instead of just how to navigate through everything.

From advisees

The SAMR model, or the Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition model, shows teachers how to use modeled practices of how to use different educational tools in technology. This helps teachers how to include technology into the common core, and gives them specific examples of how to use and teach these technology.

LMS, or Learning Management System,  is a software application or Web-based technology used to plan, implement, and assess a specific learning process (information from here). Southern Miss uses BlackBoard as the LMS, which I love. I have used another LMS when I attended PRCC over the summer called Canvas. I did not like Canvas because it was not as user friendly. The "grades" were not easily accessible. I will use a LMS in my classroom for my students and parents to access. I will probably use something such as Edmodo, but it will depend on what LMS's are available then. 

I will definitely apply for a grant for an interactive Whiteboard in my classroom. This will allow me to make my assignments more interesting for my students. This will also allow them to interact easily with lessons in all subjects. There are more and more interactive lesson plans that other teachers are uploading for teachers to use on SmartBoards, Promethian Boards, and all of the other interactive Whiteboards. 

Depending on the grade level I teach will depend on if I let my students BYOD to school. I plan on teaching 5th grade, and I do not think it is appropriate for 5th graders to have cell phones or tablets, but they do, so I will allow them to bring them to class. I will have different research projects and app projects for them to research certain topics in the classroom or find out different informations about apps that they can use. I think BYOD is more beneficial for high school students, but I believe I can find a way to do this in my classroom. 

My lovely video

 

Evolving Classroom Education: Where is K-12 Technology Headed?

This article talks about how technology has made its mark through time in the classroom. Before, students were told not to bring their mobile devices with them to school or to keep them away, and now, most students have their own devices and are now encouraged to bring them and use them in a classroom setting. BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device. This is when teachers have the students bring their own tablet or smartphone into class so that they can use them in the lecture. This will allow students to change their mindset of technology and will allow them to see how it is actually used. Natural User Interface is basically bringing technology to life. This includes the Wii, Xbox Kinect, and Siri. This is where students that are blind, deaf, physically disabled or autistic can actually connect with technology in ways they never could before. PLE stands for Personal Learning Environments. This is what the teachers and school officials are trying to change. Most students have a smart phone. If they are taught how to use them effectively, the student knowledge is believed to grow drastically in the next decade.

I really enjoyed this article. If my students are going to bring their devices to school, they might as well know how to use them. I can show them apps, websites, and many other resources that their smartphone or tablet is available and show them how to use it to prove that it will help make them "smarter than their friends." (I remember that was always a method of encouragement when I was in school haha). I think that iPads, Computers, and Smartphones are in such a competitive environment that they are going to be rapidly increasing forever until we just wave our fingers in the air and we are virtual beings, and are the smartest humans that have ever lived. 

Common Core in Action: How Two Science Teachers are Implementing Common Core

In this article, two high school teachers, Katie Abole and Christopher King, talk about their experiences on integrating and implementing science into the Common Core. These two teachers did this through reading and writing. In the article, Edutopia lists all of the Reading Standards from the CCSS covers with Abole and King's science activity. There were ten standards that were covered in the lesson in science without there being a CCSS for Science.

I think that this is beneficial for the students because they are going to be reading and writing and researching something different besides books and stories for language arts. The teachers both switched up the days from reading to lab to an activity so that the students did not get burnt out on reading and writing every day. Each teacher gave advice and said to start small when trying to do something like this. I think that is more than true, and in my classroom, I will have the students integrate technology into these lessons by researching articles in the library and creating graphs and such on the computer. This will allow them to integrate science, reading, writing, and technology all in one lesson!

Catfishing

https://sites.google.com/site/howmuchistoomuch101/

Web 2.0

Madison

Mindmaster- It is a way to make concept maps into PowerPoint. I like it because it is a different way to present a concept map to your students. The only problem with this website is that it is not free. The version she used is limited, but I feel like I would like this more than Inspiration. You can still post hyperlinks.

Spiderscribe- Free account. This is another concept map software. No slideshow aspect. You can do sub topics. You can insert images, word documents, locations, Calendars... ideal for businesses. Older audience, maybe for planning meetings or making lesson plans. The visual aspects are different.

Erika

bubbl.us- Concept map. Free. You can import pictures and simple to use. Would be beneficial for students to use because of its easy navigation.

***lino it- this is a big cork board for you to post notes and pictures and assignments. You can post a link to this on your website for your students to use. This is compatible with the iPhone and iPad and android. Useful to stay organized. Could be beneficial for students to do book work and stuff. I like this site.

Madeline

photobucket- upload photos and videos for people to like and comment on them. You can see what photos are trending. You can search for specific pictures. This would be good to find specific images for presentations. It is free for a certain amount. If you run out of storage then you have to pay for more.

quintura for kids- search engine for kids. Doesn't have enough information. Could be beneficial if you use certain facts and try to use this search engine before you give the kids this plan. It limits the kids from finding things they shouldn't.

Callie

duck duck go- Search engine. it shows that they do not track. it has a filter bubble so it filters out what is unreliable like Wikipedia. I don't really see how this is much different from Google besides having better privacy settings.

GoGooligans.com- academic and educational search engine for kids and teens. It does not work.

Rebecca

Padlet- A blank wall where you can type whatever you want. You can post questions and thoughts and post your name and topic. This could be used for your classroom for notes and questions during a lecture and stuff.

text2mindmap- concept map. Did not work.

Brittany-

Stormboard- share it with students. has different posts for different ideas. You can vote if you like the question. and you comment on it. You have to have the code to access it. The comments will show who posts what. There is not an option to see if there are new comments. I feel like this is too complicated for younger classes. 

Ally-

***Instagrok- Mixture of a concept map and search engine. It makes a concept map out of the things that it finds. There is a spot to comment so you can say if it the kids could use. there is a difficulty level so it narrows or broadens the search. There is a spot for a journal entry tab and a quiz tab where a quiz is generated by the searches. I like this a lot. It's free. 

Kidtopia- Search engine developed by a school library. You can search by category. such as presidents. the google search bar in this browser is a filtered and safer search tool for kids. There are too many ads that could be inappropriate.


Victoria-

Slime Kids- search engine. You can look at several other search engines for kids. She suggested KidsClick. She typed in George Washington and good information came up. There is a page about Authors and stuff. Its a directory of search engines.

***WikiSummarizer- Picks out the relevant information from the topic you search. You can edit the information. It all comes from Wikipedia so you can learn the relevant information from the subject.

Tommi-

PearlTrees- Pinterest/concept map. You can create a category or select a website. It is compatible with your phone. This could be a way to present a project. It could be a good way to brainstorm or could be a good way to present a project.

***Netvibes-  Combination of google and pearl trees. It gives you a blog search video search social search and website search. Everything is organized by category. Good search engine. I like this because it saves your searches and it makes things easier to see.

Mary Kathryn-

***Glogster- Online poster boards. You can make a time line or experiment. Good for projects. I like this.

Audacity- Online recorder. Free. You can record and edit and share your recordings. You can eliminate background noise.

Lauren-

Vimeo- create and share videos. like youtube. use to upload class videos.

Wordpress- Blogs. Looks more like twitter. You can reblog. Good for a classroom. More of a social blog.

Evernote- login to use a note taking document.

Compflight- Images sizes. copy and paste html. shows where the link to use the image.

Diigo- I was being bad and didnt pay attention to this.

Blabber- way to introduce a section to your class by recording your voice as a picture and presenting it to the class. You can make it any different way. Doesn't work too well though. Really cheesy.

***easel.ly- graphic organizer way to share and watch videos, memes, and other documents. i like this better than inspiration.

animoto- create account. kinda like a slide show but more of a video.

book builder- Use to create a book for students. can upload pictures. You can share and read them in class. Digital only. Can you order your book? Digital copy? share it? ebook? They have the option to read it to you.

weebly- make your own websites and make your own blogs. Free. Audio, Video, Images, slideslow, etc.

***storyboard generator- documentary videos for your classroom. I don't understand how to create your own website/storyboard.

tagul- like wurdle. create your own word thing but you can change the shapes and colors and sizes more fitting for your topic.

***edmodo- Facebook for school teachers. LOVE THIS ONE!


***socrative- Online classroom for quizzes and tests and stuff. It seems fun and interactive with the students.

***podbean- Like iTunes Podcasts. good for posting lessons or lectures for students. audio and video.

pixton- Site to make comic strips.

iCloud- You can create pages and other things in iCloud.com for free and print them off and use it that way or you can buy the app on the phone to do it on both. I love apple products.

***infofr.am- Create graphs and stuff that are pretty to present. you can change all the stuff. all free templates. I like this for chart presentations.  There is a pro

Mind Meister

It is a way to make concept maps into powerpoints. I like it because it is a different way to present a concept map to your students. The only problem with this website is that it is not free. The version she used is limitied, but I feel like I would like this more than Inspiration. You can still post hyperlinks.

Voki

Bullying

Bullying is becoming a major problem in schools, whether it be face to face or online. Many of these students don't have anyone to go to nor do they have any reasoning for bullying. If we as teachers took a stand to stop all bullying in schooling, then I think we could make a bigger impact than we could even fathom. If we could find out exactly WHY the children are wanting to bully eachother, then the problem can begin to be solved. Whether they are bullying other students because of jealousy, domestic violence, or insecurities, there is a reason behind their madness. But the question is HOW DO WE STOP IT? We can sit them down and tell them it is wrong, hold them out of sports, have them write letters, doing a parent teacher conference, get them involved in after school activities, or even get them counseling. Depending on the student bullying depends on what will work for them. I think assemblys work great for an end to bullying in middle school to high school seminars. It makes teachers and students become more aware of bullying, and everyone needs to be aware that there is an issue.

Augmented reality snags a coveted spot in classrooms

This article discusses Augmented reality apps. These apps show reality into still objects. A student was holding a tablet against a famous painting in a museum and the app brought information to the student and made the picture move so it basically told a story. She explains that this gives students and technology users a deeper understanding of what is going on with different figures in reality.

These apps are really cool because you can get instant information about certain things that will benefit you. If educators would use this more in their classroom, it will make technology more fun for the students and it will also make learning more fun. It helps them dig deeper into their own learning. Thumbs up to Augmented Reality!!

Five Essentials to Create Connected Students

The article "Five Essentials to Create Connected Students," was written by Vicki Davis, a full time teacher and IT administrator. She begins by talking about how connected students are with technology, but they do not understand what they are doing and how stuff works the way it works. She talks about how students know how to copy and paste links, but they do not hyperlink their stuff. She explains that students need a connected author, a connected publisher, a connected conversationalist, a strategic disconnector, and a curious, lifelong pursuer of ingenious solutions.

I liked that she talked about twitter. I did not realize until she said something about hyperlinks and hashtags that hashtags were actually hyperlinks. That is interesting to me because I never thought I used hyperlinks before our Inspiration assignment. I think students need to be more informed on exactly what they are doing online and they need to be skilled more on online behavior... what is appropriate and what is not.

21st Century Skills: Why They Matter, What they are, and How we got there

Ken Kay wrote the foreword for the book "21st Century Skills: Why they matter, What they are, and How we got there." Kay believes that there is about to be a turning point in education coming soon and in the foreword she describes what they are. Kay believes that the outcomes of the students should be the main focus of what educators focus on. She has the foreword broken into sections, and the first section is on why they need a new education model in the 21st century. She discusses that the world is changing, including technological changes, expectation changes, and personality changes. She believes that the U.S schools have not adapted to the changing world in that students are not encouraged to stay in school, there are more international students in classes who get left behind, and jobs are now requiring more degrees and students are not being prepared for that. She also thinks that the United States has no clear sense of purpose or direction for securing our future economic competitiveness. Basically, the US has the competitive mindset, but other countries such as Asia are educating  themselves and upgrading their country on skills they need to have to compete and staying with current technology. She thinks the 21st Century Education should have "sustained and enthusiastic support from leading education organizations, the business community, and policy makers, [and everyone should have big] reality checks." She thinks the new framework should be flexible in making students successful, competitive, and skilled in all areas.

I think this is a awesome and exciting foreword to the book. I think the 21st Century education needs to focus on having the children more skilled an prepared for the real world jobs. They need to focus on encouraging students to go to college, but they also need to really prepare them for it. I do not feel like my school prepared me for college because they were never too strict and did not have any guidelines for me to follow. The only time I felt competition with my peers was my senior year when the GPAs were showing us how we were ranked, and the first time we received I was ranked 21 out of 378. If I would have been encouraged more with rankings and GPAs, I, as well as other students, would have tried harder to be number one. I do not feel like my college education classes are teaching me how to be successful because each class is focused on creating lesson plans by the way the professor likes it, and in the real world, the department you will teach in will meet together and collaborate on lesson plans together. I do not feel like schools and educators focus on skills the students will actually need to prepare us to be competitive, skilled students in the 21st century.

Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results

The article "Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results," by Joanne Lipman is about how educators need to be harder on students rather than basically just passing them along to get by. Lipman recalls a Violin teacher who was very hard on his students, but ended up making them all succeed. The article has a list of 8 principles that explain why the new teaching methods are less efficient than the traditional teaching methods. Lipman explains that being hard on students will help them be better students rather than being nice and letting students get by. Back in the old days, students would fear getting paddled by the principal for having bad behavior, and now they just get sent home from school which for students is a means of having the day off. Lipman believes that this is encouraging bad behavior rather than teaching them a lesson from it.

I like this article because I know many former pupils that disrupted classes and were disrespectful for teachers because they knew that the teachers would do nothing about it. If Mr. K was their teacher, being as strict as he was, they would know not to disrespect him and would do exactly what he told them to do. This helps students become more successful because they will pay attention and behave in fear that if they do something wrong, he would embarrass them. I do not think that I have the mean bone in my body to actually yell and be too strict on students, but I know that I will have to find and break that bone because it will be more beneficial for my classroom and for my students' learning.

Do Not Track Me

I have downloaded the Do Not Track Me bar to Google Chrome. I think it is neat that this feature allows you to surf the web in privacy and not be tracked. I did not know that Facebook tracks you on just about every website. I have had this feature installed for a few days and I have not surfed the web much other than for projects and Facebook has tracked me 12 times without me knowing it. I do find it interesting that I am tracked on the USM website, but not on Blackboard. But so far, I have blocked 66 trackers!!! On my blogger the skies are clear! :)

Inspiration Comments

• Erika- A book. Where the Wild Things Are. make predictions. Song to remember the elements. create thier own wild thing. 2nd grade. good job
• Jacqueline-- 2nd grade reading literature. Word detective sounds fun. word bingo. write their own story (Create-Bloom's Taxonomy). Very good ideas.
• Mary Kathryn- Story time. movie time- watch movie of the story.PBS kids websites gives you games for all of the standards. Find that button. Good job, I feel like the ideas were good, but I almost feel like they are not going to work and some of them were too repetitive. Good job!!
• Jennifer- 4th grade.  Earth's Biomes. Discuss, research, writing, group work, presentation. Too many worksheets, limiting the creativity of you.  good job with the concept map.
• Amanda- 4th grade. Context Clues. James and the Giant Peach. Costumes. Game. good mix of games and actual assignments. Good job.
• Jordan- 4th-5th graders. Small group discussions. What to do in a hurricane. prepare questions before they listen to a personal hurricane story. Library research. Experiment. Very good job.
• Jonathan-  8th grade. NeoK12. A lot of questioning the students. Pearl Harbor movie. Videos. good job.
  
  
  
  I was absent for the rest of the presentations.. 

Blog 10--Concept Map- Adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators

Adding and Subtracting Fractions with unlike denominators

CCSS.Math.Content.5.NF.A.1 Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers) by replacing given fractions with equivalent fractions in such a way as to produce an equivalent sum or difference of fractions with like denominators. For example, 2/3 + 5/4 = 8/12 + 15/12 = 23/12. (In general, a/b + c/d = (ad + bc)/bd.)

I.       Vocabulary

Having vocabulary words for adding and subtracting fractions is absolutely the most important. The class will have about 10 vocabulary words that they will have to define and actually know so that they will be able to use and understand them in the lesson. The student will have to learn how to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators, and will have to work out different word problems that use terms such as "find the sum" or "find the equivalent."

A.    Define as a class

Common Denominator
Multiple
Common Multiple
Factor
Numerator
Denominator
Sum
Difference
Equivalent
Fraction

B.    Crossword Puzzle for ending bell activity

II.     Fraction Strips

Fraction strips, to me, are the easiest way to learn how to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. The easiest way to use them is to use cut outs, and you will simply place them on top of each other to see exactly what fraction you end up with. This helps students because it is more hands on, and has a visual effect for the students.

A.    Show equivalents

1.    Interactive Website

B.        Have cut out fraction strips to take home and practice with

III.    Number Line

The number line is more difficult than the rest of the options. Using this method, I would have to had focused a lot on making equivalent fractions. This method is easier if you have mastered reducing fractions and finding equivalents because if you can find equivalents by using the Least Common Denominator, then you just simply add the numerators using a number line. This is more effective for using normal fractions rather than mixed numbered fractions.

A.    Make a number line with tape on the floor and have students walk to add and subtract

B.    Create their own number line on a poster and have laminated, taped objects for them to add and subtract on their own

IV.    Least Common Denominator

This method is what is most commonly used when adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. The student will find the common denominator by finding the factors of the denominators and determining which number they have in common.. The student will eventually have a simple addition problem, and all they would have to do is simplify at the end.

A.    Complete Trail Mix Activity as a class using LCD

I would have ingredients for Trail Mix such as Raisins, M&M's, Chex Cereal, Cheerios, Pretzels, and I would have the ingredients listed such as 3/4+7/8=___cup of M&M's.

B.    Calculate LCD using Pizza Worksheet

V.     Fruit Shoot Fraction Addition

Using games, to me, is a very effective way to get students to practice. Using this game in the class allows the student to gain access with technology by using the Smart Board that I will have in my classroom. The game is played by a random addition problem pops up and you have to shoot the correct addition problem to move on to the next level.

A.    Use Website in a center

B.    Have a student demonstrate how to play the game using Smart Board

BETA BOT MALWARE BLOCKS USERS ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAMS

The FBI has found a new hacking system called Beta Bot, which hacks websites that are approved and are undetected by the anti-virus software. These hackers steal financial information as well as hacks the computers antivirus software so that the computer is more easily hacked. This is used in Windows and looks like any other internet download would, but it changes the computers settings and allows the hackers to get information off the computer. The main ways this is contacted with the computer is by USB drives and Skype. To get rid of it, run a new virus scan, if that doesn't work then download a virus protector on an uninfected computer and redownload it to the infected computer.
This article made me feel very unsafe because I use Skype daily. I use my computer for work and school and if it got hacked, I would be out of luck. I also do not click to download anything from the internet that I do not know where it came from and I no longer link my Facebook to sites that I am uncomfortable with. I hope that I am not going to get hacked anytime.

Tests

I did the Are you Protecting your Identity, and I am at a pretty low risk. I do not run regular credit checks because I heard that messes up your credit, I do not shred important documents, but I check my credit card statements, do not have my license or social security number or randomly purchase from websites.

Next test I did was are you the lucky winner of a contest? I was at low risk. The only contest I would ever believe I would win would be by Publisher's Clearing House, and even they send me spam mail that I refuse to open.

Lastly, I did the Is your computer protected test. I have an Apple computer and I have the built in software. I am at low risk because my computer automatically updates the security software, and I back up my computer.

Malware analysis: drive-by download

Cory Nachriener discusses drive-by download which is basically where your computer gets hacked by certain websites. Your computer automatically gets hacked and downloads a SPYWARE software to clean your computer from it getting hacked. This is a virus in itself and is very dangerous.
I enjoyed this video because it is very informative on how easy your computer can get hacked. I have been hacked personally via Facebook and all of my pictures and videos were lost and never replaced. It is important what to do in these situations because they can happen at any time on any website by clicking on links you should not click on.

Safe Practices for Life Online

1. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
2. There are many consequences that students in high school and college face for what they post on the internet. Some parents monitor their child's Facebook page, and in turn, they report activity that some of their child's friends put on Facebook to the local schools and authorities. Many reasons are for bullying and threatening comments about other students, but where is the line drawn? How is it fair that a student in 1973 can verbally comment that they want to kill someone (as a joke) as a teenager, have no proof that they said it so they get away with saying it, and are able to finish highschool and college like it never happened, but in Tennessee this year a student is expelled for saying "I'ma kill em all. I'ma bust this (expletive) up from the inside like nobody's ever done before." I understand that there needs to be some form of punishment, but this kid said he was joking and now his whole career is ruined because of something that he typed on a social media website. He was a basketball star, but is going to go no where in life because he made a stupid mistake as a teenager. The consequences are too strict, and it is our job as professionals to make sure that these students know what is right and wrong. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-01-28-student-facebook-expelled_N.htm
3. Define:
1. Sexting- Sending sexual pictures or messages by mobile phone. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexting
2. cramming- adding unauthorized charges to a customer's phone bill. https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+cramming&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US504&oq=definition+of+cramming&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.5291j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
3. trojan horse- hacking a computer program on someone else's computer so that you have full access to what is on their computer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_horse_(computing)
4. Phishing- stealing someone's financial information by pretending to be a legitimate company. https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+phishing&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US504&oq=definition+of+phishing&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.6203j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
5. spyware- allows people to get into your hard drive to steal information. https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+phishing&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US504&oq=definition+of+phishing&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.6203j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=definition+of+spyware
6. rootkit- allows hackers to gain access to your computer without being detected. https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+rootkit&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US504&oq=definition+of+rootkit&aqs=chrome..69i57.4587j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
7. Zombie- a computer that is connected to a hacked internet source. https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+rootkit&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS503US504&oq=definition+of+rootkit&aqs=chrome..69i57.4587j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=definition+of+zombie+computer
4. Because they are inappropriate and unprofessional. 
5. Well, suPaFlirt will probably get harassed by men who are trying to pry on women on the internet. Badboy2U sounds like a gang member. 
6. Tom_Evans is reveling his first and last name... the others are saying they like Karate, Violin, and Wrestling (but cannot spell).
7. i8sushi- this is okay, not professional. not provocative or inappropriate either. 
1. soccerstar- good, likes soccer, not professional
2. puppygirl1234- good likes puppies, not professional
3. KeKe1995- good, her name and birthyear?
4. Bookworm-good, not provocative
5. 2BorNot2b- confusing, but good
6. choco-holic- they like chocolote, good
7. CapilOfens- ?????
8. AmrcanIdol2- Likes american idol
9. BellaIsabella- Not provocative
10. DarkAngel 666- bad, scary
11. Karla-Love-1996- good, birth year, name
12. SimpyMe- Simply? Spelled wrong, kinda flirty maybe
13. gUn4hIre- Scary, bad
14. BabyfaceLA- flirty, bad
15. Watup?- bad
8. spiderman123, Patalac135, flowerpower2323
9. I have a very high score, passwords are easily cracked and guessed if not careful. 
10. a password-cracking program is used is the most common and others who know personal things about the student is the least common

The Padagogy Wheel and Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

The Padagogy Wheel V2.0 is an awesome source for educators all around the world. There are different QR codes so that you can easily navigate to certain websites without having to type out long URLs. There are different apps on the wheel so that teachers can integrate technology by using apps to teach lessons such as surveying, graphing, editing, role playing, and journaling just to name a few. This will allow me as a teacher to know which apps are best for which subjects. I will use this in class by having the students download the apps on their iPad and using them for different assignments. This gives the students a more interactive way of learning rather than using paper and pencil.

I will always use Bloom's Taxonomy in my class when I am constructing lessons so that I am making sure that my students are using higher level thinking. Many times, teachers assume that just because they make a lesson hard means that they are causing the student to use higher level thinking. Most of the time, they are just using the remembering and understanding level of Bloom's Taxonomy, and they aren't having the students create or apply anything with that lesson. This shows different kew words so that teachers can incorporate technology into their lessons as well!!

Use Arts Integration to Enhance Common Core

             A lot of teachers are beginning to get used to the Common Core and their standards. Many teachers are having difficulties integrating and implementing the art because they are worried about their own artistic abilities. The article "Use Arts Integration to Enhance Common Core," on Edutopia discusses different ways for teachers to be more comfortable teaching art. For instance, they can teach by mirroring, which is having the students "mirror" the others action. This could be tied into mathematics, dance, and even different problem-solving skills. Another way is by stepping into the painting. This is demonstrated by students making personal connections with artwork done by professionals. The last example was call and response. It is used to build improvising and comp skills so that the students can keep a rhythm. 
             I think that art integration is very important for the teachers to focus on. In my schooling, I never had to focus on the arts, so therefore I have no appreciation for it. Even though I took several art classes, not one teacher tried to tell me that art is important, and each form of art has a different emotional appeal. I think that teachers should try to implement art when teaching certain lessons that could relate to a classic piano song or a Picasso painting. 

John Hunter and the World Peace Game

• 1977
• He got a degree in education
• Got job teaching gifted children
• What do I do?
• She said what do you want to do?
• No standards or objectives. 1978
• World Peace and Other Fourth Grade Achievements
• Its a story that's a testiment to teachers
• He saw his teachers coming through him. Their smiles, flashing eyes of intense love for their students, "the stare," his parents, their gestures (he is one of his mom's teaching gestures).
• The game started at 5'6 piece of plywood, and is now 4' by 4' by 4' with outerspace, undersea, and other levels.It's interactive.
• There are 4 countries around the board. Some rich some poor, some have prime ministers, commercial and military assets, the prime minister got to chose their cabinet, weather goddess, trouble maker(try to undermine everything in the game),
• Can fourth graders solve social, economical, and military problems of Africa.
• The game is a fictional Africa.
• He wanted the kids not to sit in lectures and such he wanted the kids to be involved: to interact (they didnt have that term then)
• epic/minority tensions, oil spills, global warming, etc.
• He says that he is sorry but we left the world for them in a terrible place and we hope that they can fix it.
• The children were participating in a game, and , as a teacher, Hunter thought that he was failing as a teacher because the children were all considered poor, and they were all going to lose the game until about five seconds before everything ended the students decided to come up with money from all of the other countries so that they can donate to that country so that the country would not be poor. In order to do this, the prime minister had to accept, and he did.
• He was very humble and taught  his students humility and how to think on their feet. He did not make any of the world problems seem any lesser than they are which is good for the students of today. He made sure that his students were well prepared for the world and how to handle certain situations.
•  Him teaching the children this way makes it more fun and brings real life into their perspective. He makes them think on their feet and look for their own knowledge rather than just lecture them
• .

Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy

What is the purpose of the college and career readiness standards?

• So that everyone across the country would be on the same level. If there are one specific set of standards, then there isn't going to be a ton of different standards all over the country. The teachers will always be prepared, and the students are not going to be behind if they move to a different state.

What are the benefits and challenges of the shift to reading and writing non-fiction texts?

• Students should be prepared because in life, they are expected to read informational text more than fictional.

What are the benefits and challenges os having standards for science, social studies, and technical subjects?

• So that kids can take the information that they are given in real life and know what to do with it. Having standards for these subjects will make the students more college ready. They will be able to write different papers and such so that they are not left behind in college or drop out.

The Common Core's Fundamental Trouble

In the article "The Common Core's Fundamental Trouble" by Valerie Strauss, the common core is looked at pretty negatively. Although the standards are tighter and smarter and can produce more progressive learning environments, there is not enough research to prove that these standards are actually going to work. They are also falsely named. Instead of being "state" standards, they are more of a "national standard." Doubters of the common core believe the same thing is going to happen that happened when No Child Left Behind was instated: children are going to fail. Strauss believes that there should be more trial runs on children before our whole national school system risks miseducating all of the students.
I agree with Strauss. Not enough investigation has been done to show that the Common Core is going to be effective. There are going to be people who have doubts about anything, and no curriculum is going to work for students who live in Manhattan, NY, and students who live in Baxterville, MS. There should still be more research, accommodations, modifications, and structured lesson plans for teachers who are going to be thrown into teaching these standards to their students.  

The Biggest Fallacy of the Common Core Standards

The article "The Biggest Fallacy of the Common Core Standards" was posted in the Huffington Post by Diane Ravitch. This article was about all the downsides of the common core. The federal government is trying to implement these new standards to get these students college ready, when there is no proof that the common core is going to work. For instance, only 31% of the students in New York passed the common core standards test, showing that the common core isn't as effective as said. The main reason that all of the states are even adopting these standards is because the government is basically bribing states to do so. According to Ravitch, they should be paying states to have programs that are more needed rather than changing the curriculum that isn't broken.
I agree with this article. I think that the federal government should have done more research about the common core before they make every state have to use it. I think if the government has 4.35 billion dollars sitting up for education, then they should not have done all of the budget cuts that they did. They should look at the statistics from New York and maybe try to implement the standards in doses. It is not going to be fair for 5th graders to suddenly be expected to know everything that the common core had them learn in the previous years. If it was up to me, common core would start with the 2014-2015 kindergarten class and slowly begin to work it's way to 12th grade so that no other grades will be at a disadvantage.

How Teachers Are Integrating Tech Common Core

The article "How Teachers are Integrating Tech Common Core," written by Fred Sitkins is excitingly promoting the use of technology in the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The author is very excited about the switch because using technology in classrooms is going to help children learn on a deeper level. Starting in first grade, students will be posting their writing and other works on the internet for other children to see and to learn from. Teaching with technology will also allow more opportunities to allow students to be engaged in learning as well as allow students to teach other students via the internet.
This article makes me excited to be able to teach students technology. There are many apps on the iPad that will allow me to integrate my lesson plans. I think using technology and iPads are exciting to use in general, and when students are learning by using computers and iPads, I feel like they are going to have more fun and are going to actually learn things. I just worry that some school budgets are not going to be able to afford to have these technological innovations, and in the long run their students will suffer because of it.

Introduction

My name is Tiffany Smith, and I am a junior Elementary and Special Education major at the University of Southern Mississippi. I graduated from Oak Grove High School in 2011, and I have lived in Hattiesburg, Mississippi my entire life. When I graduate from USM, I plan to teach 5th grade math at Oak Grove Upper Elementary school. I am currently a waitress at Conestoga Steakhouse,where I have been employed for 4 years. My hobbies include hanging out with friends and reading. Books that I have enjoyed reading are 50 Shade of Grey, anything written by Nicholas Sparks, Gossip Girl, and other chick-flick or romantic novels.