Edmodo Training for High School Teachers

Rachael Moyer offered training on using Edmodo in the classroom for teachers at Hickory High.  Edmodo is a social media tool designed for education, enabling teachers to create a safe environment for communication, collaboration, and learning.

Want to learn more about Edmodo?  Read more here.

HPS IB Website

The Hickory Public Schools International Baccalaureate (IB) website was recently published online.  This site will provide parents, students, and other stakeholders with information about the IB program, including details about IB, a calendar of upcoming events, announcements, and more.  Thanks to Rachael Moyer for her hard work on this new IB site!

Edmodo as a Classroom Website

Subject:  Language Arts

Grades:  10, 11, 12

Technology tools:  Computer(s)

Tools used:  Social media tool

Activity type:  Lesson, Teacher presentation, Assessment, Research

Since my mode of technology includes an online classroom atmosphere, most of my goals are met through the use of Edmodo.

I post PowerPoint notes for my students, weekly think questions, and even major assignments where students turn in their work. Additionally, I make use of polls for formative assessment so that I can gauge the students on their levels of understanding. Additionally, I have used Edmodo in conjunction with ExamBuilder so that students can take their summative assessments (that I once printed) online, and the computer will even grade the work for me.  :)

This particular web site is what makes my classroom easy to manage! The best feature is that I can organize all of my assignments for each class, and students have a calendar of events and due dates to help with their own organization. In my English classes, I don't use Edmodo as regularly, for all of my students do not have use of a computer at home. For this group, I post weekly vocabulary assignments where students have a week to complete the work; moreover, I will post reminders.



What I've enjoyed most about Edmodo for this group is that the research process has become much easier. I post attachments, links, and even embed pages that they might need complete their work, and I do not have to make copies or resend emails. material is available to them from any computer anywhere.

I would not change anything about using this website.  I've tried other sites before, but it is by far the most user friendly for both me and my students.

Rachael Moyer,  Hickory High

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Read more about using Edmodo in the classroom here.

Cell Transport and Cell Division

Subject:  Science

Grades:  9, 10, 11, 12

Technology tools:  Computer(s), LCD Projector, cell phone camera

Tools used:  Digital camera on phones

Activity type:  Lesson

NC SCoS Biology Cell Transport and Cell Division

Students were using microscopes to view living cells (red onion) with fresh water and when salt water was added.  After students saw the cells shrink with the addition of salt water, I challenged them to collect before/after pictures using their cell phone cameras.  They did beautifully! 

Onion cell Before

Onion cell After

We then shared these with an ELL Biology class during the same period.  I repeated the exercise the following week as we observed the stages of mitosis/cell cycle with onion root tip slides.  Students who could not distinguish among the stages could then use the pictures taken by their classmates for assistance,  I projected these the following day in my classroom.

Students were given bonus points on their lab if they emailed me the digital photos.

Picture of cell cycle by 10th biology student

I think this was a great use of their own technology.  I think I might have them process the pictures (add labels, etc.) the next time I use this.

Gena Barnhardt,  Hickory High

Using Google Docs in IB English

 

Subjects:  Language Arts, English IV IB

Grade:  12

Technology tools:  Computer(s), LCD Projector

Tools used:  Interactive website, Collaboration tool

Activity type:  Unit

After two years of study and practice, IB seniors take two two-hour exams that count as a combined 50% toward their IB certificate for the Language A1 -- IB English certificate.  One of the tests is based on four novels we read during the spring semester.  My objective for these activities is for students to assemble information from each of the four novels that will be helpful in their preparations for the final exam in May.  (In addition to helping the students for THIS exam, of course, these activities also teach students how to consolidate information from a course, study, and prepare for college exams.)

To prepare them for studying, I usually have the students individually create time-consuming, laborious packets of information (including summaries and lists of themes, motifs, symbols, meaningful quotes, etc) as study guides from themselves.  This year I used Google Docs to make repositories for all that information, and my seniors were assigned to contribute one to two good items for each category sheet.


For example, on the symbol sheet for the novel BELOVED, everyone jumped in and gave great examples of the symbols, documented sections of the novel where the symbol(s) appear, and interpretations for what the author Toni Morrison accomplishes with the symbol.  Now, through online collaboration, the students have created excellent study guides that they may print out and use during their study sessions for the exam!  They get wonderful, helpful tools without having to expend as much energy and time as before!  That is called working better... and smarter!

After each entry students make, they type their names so that I may see who contributes what.  I then evaluate the entries on completeness, correctness, and elaboration.

Students really enjoyed these Google Docs assignments!  For one thing, they have all created Work Packets for other novels before, and they expressed how much better collaboration is over individual packet assignments:  less work, all the benefits!  Students also had a great time reading what other colleagues found in the novels. Sometimes class discussions revolved around entries on Google Docs (which thrilled me because their excitement translates into deeper understanding and analytical skill).  Often, students raced to post early so that they could give examples of and explain the items they wanted to cover.  Students who procrastinated sometimes had to work harder because many of the more obvious or apparent ideas from the novel were already taken.

Chris Rice,  Hickory High

Vocabulary Study Strategy

Subject:  Language Arts

Grade:  11

Technology tools:  Computer(s), LCD Projector

Tools used:  PowerPoint

Activity type:  Lesson

My objective is to improve reading comprehension through the use of vocabulary study.  Other objectives reached are having students use a formal register in front of a group of peers to instruct them.

Students teach 10 of the 30 words per week we study from the literature we are covering.  They use PowerPoint to present the words, the definitions, a helpful visual, and a "brain hook" (an idea that helps students connect the definition with the word).

Students enjoy this activity, and they find that they learn the group of words that they teach to the class better than any other!

Chris Rice,  Hickory High

The Hunger Games Project

Subject:  Language Arts

Grade:  9

Technology tools:  Computer(s), LCD Projector

Tools used:  Social media tool

Activity type:  Lesson

Objectives:  Students develop informed opinions and critique communication. They react to print and non-print texts and incorporate literary criticism and the opinions of others to formulate responses to the literature (Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games).

In the middle of reading The Hunger Games with my ninth grade students, the film came out, and almost immediately after there was a flurry of Internet activity (mostly on Twitter) decrying the movie for casting black actors in the roles of Rue, Thresh, and Cinna. 



I projected some of the Tweets and coverage of the incident to show students and spark a discussion about race, how characters are imagined in different people's minds, and how that impacts the story.  We looked at specific passages in the book that describe characters, discussed cultural stereotypes, and completed a journal entry to share reactions.

I accessed the coverage on Jezebel (complete coverage: http://jezebel.com/hungergames; specifically the articles "Racist HungerGames Fans Are Very Disappointed" and "I See White People: Hunger Games and a Brief History of CulturalWhitewashing").  There is some bad language in the article and at least one racial epithet in the Twitter posts, but it was pretty easy to not show those parts of the post.

This activity was great for getting students involved in a discussion about the idea of a "post-racial" America and how and why racism has managed to hang around for so long.

Students were graded on the completion of their journal entry, where they wrote down their responses to people's reactions.

This activity got students involved and engaged, and they were able to articulate their responses very well.  I would probably have used more structured questions to guide the discussion.

Amy Williamson,  HCAM