One website that I would like to use in my current 5th grade classroom is the interactive text book on earthquakes. In the beginning of the year we have a unit in our reading anthology called “Nature’s Fury” that is all about natural disasters. One of the stories in that unit is about earthquakes. The website would be wonderful for my students to explore as either a center activity or an enrichment activity. The website is incredibly interactive. It has photo slide shows, interactive maps and diagrams, video, relevant links, even quizzes for students to check their understanding (Lutgens, F., Tarbuck, E., & Tasa, D.,2011). I could make an internet workshop using this site that student could complete as a center activity during that story’s reading cycle. Students could make connections between the website and the book in their anthology. This type of center would meet the following NETS standard:
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate and use information. (ISTE, 2007)
Another subject I could use some more resources for in my current 5th grade classroom is math. There were two websites that I really liked. The first is one that could be used as a resource for my students. There are so many times when I may not be available to help my students because I may be working with someone else. Also, I am always trying to teach my students to be resourceful and not rely on the teacher to answer all of their questions. The Ask Dr. Math website would be a great one for my students to use in either of these situations. There is a great place where they can “write to Dr. Math” to have a question answered or they can also browse the different topics and find the answers to some of their own questions (Drexel University, 1994). This website would be a great resource for students to use at home also. They could either use it to study or possibly get homework help. The use of this site would meet the following NETS standard:
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making.
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
(ISTE, 2007)
The other website that I could use in my math lessons is the National Library of Visual Manipulatives. We use many manipulatives in our math lessons. An example that comes to mind most recently is base ten blocks. We use the base ten blocks to teach the students about decimals. The students use them to identify place value and to add or subtract. This website has a page that shows a decimal addition or subtraction problem and it gives the base tens blocks that go with it (Utah State University, 1999). Being able to project this site on the smartboard while teaching these lessons would give my students an excellent visual to help them follow our discussion. I believe that this would lead to less confusion about how to use bas ten blocks in relation to decimals. The NETS teacher standard that fits the use of this website as a teaching tool would be as follows:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments (ISTE, 2008).
International Society for Technology in Education. (2007) NETS for Students 2007. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008) NETS for Teachers 2007. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx
Lutgens, F., Tarbuck, E., & Tasa, D. (2011) Earthquakes. Retrieved from http://www.digitalgeology.net/page1.html
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