Last Thursday and Friday I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a training session called Picademy. For those who have not heard of Picademy, it is the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s free face-to-face training program that aims to support educators throughout their digital making and computing journey. If you have not heard of a Raspberry Pi… Continue reading #Picademy
Category: Instructional
Scratch and Makey Makey
I recently got the Makey Makey out of the drawer to teach my 8 year old how to program using Scratch. She has had some experience using Blockly with her Dash robot by Wonder Workshop. She has also used Scratch Jr. for the iPad, but this is the first time programming for herself. The program… Continue reading Scratch and Makey Makey
Customizing your Twitter Account
I hope you checked out the last post on using Twitter in your classroom. If you watched, I hope you set up your account. You are on your way to being well connected with others. It is time to customize your account to give it an unique look that lets others know who is behind… Continue reading Customizing your Twitter Account
Using Twitter in the Classroom
In our twenty-first century world, it is easier than ever to connect with other educators from around the world. There are still some teachers who don’t see the value in expanding their Professional Learning Network (PLN). I am hoping not only to show you why connecting with teachers outside your school district or surrounding communities… Continue reading Using Twitter in the Classroom
Minecraft in the classroom
Back in April I posted about using Minecraft in the classroom. (You can check out that post here.) At that time I was taking an online course on using Minecraft in the classroom. I learned not only about the game itself, but how to integrate it into the classroom. Since April I was awarded a… Continue reading Minecraft in the classroom
Scratch Creative Computing
Here is a video I created and posted for my students on how to make a flappy bird type game. The ideas came from the Scratch Creative Computing workbook. This is the best curriculum for teaching Scratch that I have found. Although I don’t use the workbook from cover to cover, I do use many… Continue reading Scratch Creative Computing
Inspiration, Collaboration, Innovation
Back in August 2014 I posted about the robotics program (read that post here) that I was introducing to the eighth students in the district where I teach. After two semesters and five classes of robotics I can honestly say that students need some sort of programming course in their schedule. Watch this short video where… Continue reading Inspiration, Collaboration, Innovation
Yes you can… Robotics
This week’s post comes from a first grade teacher in my district. Mrs. Murphy gives an honest and real look at how a little courage can go a long way to integrating some really cool technology into any classroom. I’ll let Mrs. Murphy explain. I had never even heard of robotics for elementary school… Continue reading Yes you can… Robotics
Yes you can… Scratch
As it is written on the Scratch website, Scratch programming is… With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively — essential skills for life in the 21st… Continue reading Yes you can… Scratch
Yes you can…
When it comes to integrating technology, one thing I hear from teachers on a regular basis is “I could never _________ ” (fill in the blank). They could never have students create a multimedia presentation. They could never have students program animations. They could never make an instructional video. They could never utilize Google applications. Never,… Continue reading Yes you can…