December+2017

=**December 2017**= =**Spotlight:Third Grade Team, Arcadia Elementary**= =**Ed Tech Department Hands on Learning Spotlight**= =**December 4th-10th is Computer Science Week and an Hour of Code**= =**Hour of Code Project: Create Your Own Google Doodle in Scratch**= =**Google Slides Basics Online Module is Now Open**= = =

= Ed Tech Department Hands on Learning Spotlight = media type="youtube" key="vgjQHtlLURM" width="438" height="249"

=== In this meeting, technology specialists learned about a new technology tool, the Explore feature in Google Sheets, ===

//Spotlight Created by Heidi Meenen, Educational Technology Specialist and Team Leader.//
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= = = Spotlight: Third Grade Team, Arcadia Elementary =

November 28, 2017


Mrs. Walton leads math instruction with a small group of 3rd grade students The third grade students at Arcadia Elementary are becoming Subtraction Masters thanks to a unique approach their teachers are using. Felicia Walton, Matthew Morse, and Kathy Godfrey have created a leveled system and work collaboratively to ensure that all of their students are working and proceeding at their level of understanding. They began by breaking down the subtraction skills students should know by the end of third grade and ranked these skills into twelve levels according to their complexity, beginning with a basic understanding of subtraction to being able to solve complex word problems using multi-digit subtraction with regrouping. To make it more engaging for the students, they gamified these levels by relating them to Star Wars Jedi mastery levels. Subtraction Skills Leveled and Gamified as Star Wars Jedi Mastery A Subtraction Masters tutorial video created by Arcadia 3rd grade teachers To provide practice resources for their students, they used their Mimio software to create screen-casted tutorial videos that the students can refer back to as they practice at each level. They then used Go Formative to create sets of practice problems the students work through for each level. The video they created for each level is included in the Go Formative activity for that level, so students have all the resources they need to practice their subtraction in one place. Not only did Mrs. Walton, Mr. Morse, and Mrs. Godfrey collaborate to create these resources, but these three teachers team up to teach the math. Students will go to one of the three teachers to receive small group instruction with other students who have achieved the same level. Mrs. Walton, Mr. Morse, and Mrs. Godfrey have the small groups in front of their whiteboards to teach the students and provide guided practice at their level during this time. Mr. Morse leading small group instruction with Mimio interactive whiteboard While the three small groups of students receive instruction directly from the teacher in their small groups, the rest of the students work at their desks using Chromebooks to access the Go Formative activity for their level, watch the video, and practice subtraction at their level. Once a student has achieved 80% mastery, he or she levels up to the next level. Go Formative allows the teachers to easily see where the students are at in their mastery of subtraction. While this may seem like a lot of work, Mrs. Walton said that each video took them only about 10 minutes to create. Mr. Morse noted that, though there was quite a bit of front end work, using technology in this way has ended up saving them a lot of time. The level of student engagement is very high. One student, Amanda, noted that she really likes learning math this way because it’s fun. Through collaboration, blended learning, targeted instruction and practice, and use of technology, these teachers are ensuring that their students will come away with the math skills they need. Mrs. Walton Leading Small Group Instruction //Spotlight Created by Jenny Peirce, Educational Technology Specialist and Team Leader.// = = = = = = = =

= = = December 4th - 10th is Computer Science Week and an Hour of Code = = = = =

What is the Hour of Code?
The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. Check out the [|tutorials and activities]. This grassroots campaign is supported by over [|400 partners] and 200,000 educators worldwide.

When is the Hour of Code?
The Hour of Code takes place each year during [|Computer Science Education Week]. The 2017 Computer Science Education Week will be December 4-10, but you can host an Hour of Code all year round. Computer Science Education Week is held annually in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer [|Admiral Grace Murray Hopper] (December 9, 1906).

Why computer science?
//Every// student should have the opportunity to learn computer science. It helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path. See more stats [|here].

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= = = = = = = = = Hour of Code Project: Create Your Own Google Doodle in Scratch = media type="youtube" key="3RHrqKyw7MU" width="443" height="252"

Students use Scratch to create their own Google Logo.
==[|Click Here] to learn more and get started creating your own Google Doodle in Scratch.==

= = = Google Slides Basics Online Module is Now Open =

You can work on the Google Slides online module at your convenience. A short quiz is included.
== You can retake the quiz as often as needed to reach a passing score of 80% or higher. == == Once you have passed the quiz you will be able to print your licensure points certificate. ==

= Click Here to get started! =