Podcasts

For this assignment, I chose to create a podcast about magnetism for a 4th grade class. It meets the benchmark...

Physical-Motion of Objects-Elementary 3
Describe patterns of interaction of magnetic materials with other magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
Key Concepts: Magnetic poles, magnetic attraction and repulsion.



I think that podcasting will definitely be a useful tool that many teachers will begin to use in their classrooms very soon. You can use them as a lecture. This benefits students because students are able to pause the lecture to take notes, or even watch the lecture multiple times to get a better understanding or find the stuff they missed hearing it the first time. This especially benefits students with disabilities and those who are absent.

Teachers can also use podcasts as a project for older students to create in groups or individually as a culminating assignment. One example would be for students to narrate a story they have written and find pictures to illustrate the story, or to put together an oral history of their family where they interview a family member and put family photos to illustrate it.

Google Maps

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This week in class we explored maps and mashing technologies. I chose Google Maps to create my weekly project. Using Google Maps, I created a map that could be used for third grade social studies. I know that in third grade, students learn all about Michigan, so I thought that this type of technology could be useful in learning where important landmarks are located in Michigan and links to learn a little bit more about them. Students can use this mashup to visually see where things are located, in order to get a better idea of the places, without actually going there. They are able to see where things are located relative to where they live, or other landmarks that they know. This is sometimes hard to mentally visualize when you are that young. This map helps students concretely see this. You could use this map with students as part of a lesson where students explore individually, or as a supplement to a lesson. Students love exploring this type of technology, so it is a great way to get students motivated to learn about these places.