SKYPE-ing our Pen Pals!

Today was the day! We got to meet our pen-pals via Skype. It was pretty cool once we got everyone's technology all set up. Our pals were operating off of an ipad and had a little bit of difficulty getting started but once we did it was FUN FUN FUN!

For any of you that would like to Skype, I recommend that you practice first. Our kids did such a great job listening to each other and taking turns.

Miss Russell getting us started with our meeting!

We also got the news that we will continue to communicate with our pen pals even after our student teachers leave! Hooray!

Bee the Change~

A Fun Linky Party!

I am joining a fun Linky Party sponsored by Lory over at Fun For First! Head over and see what fun she has going on!

I am always amazed that as first grade teachers, we can say some of the things that we say and not be phased at all. Sometimes I reflect on my previous students and could actually sit at my desk and laugh until I cry! One year I had a child that was a very "sensory" learner. He always had his hands in his mouth and I was CONSTANTLY sending him to the sink to wash his hands. Apparently, I had never told him that he should not put his knees in his mouth. I tried thoughout the math lesson to give him some non-verbal cues to stop because I did not want to embarrass him. No go. I finally had to just say "Please STOP licking your knees so we can get back to work". The most amazing thing was that we did not miss a beat. Not one of the kids even giggled at this. It was just our norm that year.

I love first grade!

Bee the Change~

Learning to Skype!

The fun continues in our classroom!

My student teacher and another student teacher in a neighboring district coordinated a pen pal letter exchange for our students. They have exchanged about 4 rounds of letters and photos. This has been a great writing project for my kids and really gave them a clear idea of writing for a purpose and audience.

My student teacher's last day with us is this coming Thursday (sniff sniff) and as a grand finale to the pen pal exchange, we are going to Skype with the other class!

The initial challenge was to get the right equipment for this task. We got the camera from Mrs. Muir (previously referred to as tech goddess) but it would not work when plugged into the smart board. A very long cord was purchased (needed to have a booster so that it would not add lag to the picture and sound---that was new learning for me) and run from the back computer to the smartboard and we were ready to broadcast!

Knowing that first graders (well....most people) tend to ham it up when they see themselves on any kind of technology, I set up a Skype lesson for them. I went to Mrs. Muir's office and called the kids. They were VERY excited.

One of the first things we did was to all wave to me on the camera. I told them that they could only talk one at a time and we reviewed the hardware. I told them where the camera was and we talked about being safe around the cords. Megan (student teacher) and I moved our class carpet so that the students were in the frame.

We talked about making sure that they looked at the camera instead of the screen. That is REALLY hard and several of my little techies kept reminding ME to look at the camera too!

We worked on practicing our introductions to our pen pals by standing, looking at the camera and using our best first-grade voices.

We are so excited and I am sure that all will go well! I will post our actual visit later in the week!

Wish us luck!

Bee the Change~

Star Lab

What a crazy...oops! I mean fun week! We squeezed in a field trip, lots of technology teaching, some curriculum and it was my student Teacher's "Solo" week!

One of the cool things that we were able to take part in this week was "Starlab". The day before our field trip to the science museum and planetarium, our ESP kit from our local BOCES came and delivered our blow up planetarium! My kids are actually participating in a lesson taught by our fantastic 3rd grade teachers inside this blow-up learning station! They talk about moon phases and some constellations. It is VERY dark inside! I am going to have the kids blog about this on our classroom blog next week. I will post some pics from the field trip to the planetarium and science museum later! Fun Fun Fun

Bee the Change~

Thanks Barbara!

Barbara over at Grade Onederful has given me the One Lovely blog Award! Thank you so much! Please head over to see her beautiful blog!

The rules for the award are:

1. Link to the person that gave it to you.

2. Follow the person that gave it to you.

3. Pass to 15 others.

I linked.

Of course I follow.

Here are a few blogs to check out.

Keeping it True in K-1-2

Have a great weekend!

Bee the Change~

Seuss Day!

What a great day was had by all!

We worked, sang, read and had a ball!

We made thing hats with paper of blue.

And there were many cute "things"

More than just one or two!

We watched Justin Beiber read "The Cat in the Hat".

The children sat quietly and listened, imagine that!

There were special Seuss centers

for only this day.

We did patterns and adding.

What did the secret message say?

We got baggies of goldfish

and graphed one fish, two.

We learned about math

and had a snack too!

Another class picture

with our great "thing" hats!

Yes really!

We do one that is serious.......

....and one that is silly!

We had a great day!

We are sad that it's done.

Watch the movie below

to see our "OOBLECK" fun!

Create your own free digital slideshow

Bee the Change~

Keyboards and cameras and mice, Oh MY!

Yesterday was technology overload day in my room! It was great fun! My student teacher is doing her solo week this week and she is doing a lesson on the smartboard. I asked our technology goddess (she will love that!) if we could get a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Viola! we have it.

My student teacher also is doing a pen pal project with a friend of hers and we are going to skype with the other class in a couple of weeks. I now have a classroom skype account and a web camera! After testing it room to room and totally getting the kids off task, we are set.

I will post pictures of all of our technology fun as it happens.

I am looking forward to Seuss Day tomorrow. Have to go and charge the camera batteries!

Bee the Change~