Can Math be Fun and Games?

Hello Globaloria Gang, its Friday almost Christmas, but we have to continue working. Not long until you have a break. Now lets talk about or game topic math. Can Math be fun and games? If so, what makes it fun? What can math teachers do to make the subject more interesting for you? Your blog assignment for today is to answer the few questions above and to also research for some Math fun math sites. You can not include studyisland or coolmath. Search for new sites. Tell me why you think they are educational and why you think they may be fun. Don't forget to add your multimedia. Enjoying surfing the internet!!!

Math Games

When talking to many students I have found one common comment from most, that math is not their favorite subject. Math is not easy and takes time for students to learn. So we have to find ways that make math more interesting. Students love to play games and dislike math, but they need math to become a productive citizen in todays society. So if we can use games to teach math maybe student motivation will rise. Here is a math website for you to out. What kind of ideas can you use in your game? In your opinion, will games help math motivation? What was your favorite game you played and why? Did you learn math playing the game? Respond to the questions in your blog for this week. Have a wonderful day.

Busy with PBL

Well it has been a few days since my last blog, thanks to a problem-based learning project deadline. Wow what a lot of work that goes into putting one of those projects together. I knew it was time consuming, but never thought about all the time it took to create all of the documents that go with it. So it is complete with just a few minute details to add. So hopefully you will be able to visit the teach21 website and check it out. It is call the Mall of McDowell. Creating excitement about the need for a shopping mall in McDowell County. Getting the student's engaged is the most critical part of a teaching lesson. Hopefully someone will try to the PBL and tell me what they think. While this has been going on, I have not forgotten about my Globaloria students. They are still working hard and are currently working on the Drawing in Flash tutorial. I am trying to keep down the frustration with flash. As well all know flash can become difficult at times. So far, so good for all of my students. What I have accomplished for the first time is adding a video to viddler.com. So I am going to attach the first video I added.

Educational Gaming

Video games have become more and more popular in the last couple of years. We use the Wii to create exercise while playing. We are now going to try to create videos games for learning. We have all played games to try and help master an educational objective. We have all used studyisland to help use in Math and Language Arts. Now that we are looking at creating games to help future students master objectives I am asking for your opinion on educational gaming. I know most students enjoy playing games while learning, but do you all feel the same?

What are some educational games you played?
Do you remember anything you learned playing a game?
Do you think games can create a learning atmosphere?

Hello students, hope you guys have enjoyed your three day weekend. Tomorrow is back to work. We will start the unit on paper prototyping, you guys will start to look more at your game you will create. Hope everyone's team is working our great. We will be joined by Mrs. Barker's 7th graders for the next couple of days, she will be at a conference. Hope everyone is enjoying the class so far.

Math Blogs

Hello Globaloria students, sorry I have missed you guys the last couple of days. I am really impressed with most of your blogs. Great job, very interesting, especially most of your videos. Well we all know that Friday is our blog day. So lets talk about our topic for this weeks blog. You need to go out and find any blogs about Math and add them to your blog roll. After adding them to your blog, write about why you added those blogs. I have added a couple of math blogs to my roll, you can go and check them out. Check out the optical illusion on the second blog. Also check out the video, see if you can find anything in the picture. Good Luck and I will see you Monday.

Flash in the class!

I remember getting started with flash myself for the first time and it was a little difficult. Now we have just started our mini game project lesson. Wow it was really difficult getting my students started. They were excited to start, but realized really quick how much they need to pay attention. They are still excited, and now a lot more focused, as flash is not an easy program for anyone. They also upload files for the first time to the file gallery and posted them onto their projects page. I guess that is why I was getting a little frustrated at first, as we had a lot of new things for them to learn. We are working through and learning each and every day.

Working on Progress Reports

Time has really flown by, seems like yesterday I just started Globaloria Academy 1 and today I had to complete my first progress report. This is a really great way to see the progress of both myself and my students. I have reflected on where I started and where I am now. I have really made progress myself with some new technology tools like wikis and blogs. They are very interesting and creative ways to grab attention of students. It really is true that when they are aloud to take ownership and design things their way, they really enjoy it and don't mind working near as much. My students love to blog and add and make changes to their wiki pages. My most useful tool is the learning log. I love this learning log idea, I think that logs should be used in other classes as well. It allows teachers and students to follow their progress and keep a tracking recording of teaching/learning. It keeps teachers on their toes and makes sure you stay on task. I am really enjoying the class and also enjoy learning all of the other useful tools.

Globaloria Buzz!

Here at Sandy River Middle Globaloria is really getting popular. Last year there was only one class of eighth graders who participated, and this year we have a group of seventh and eighth graders. So the word about this class is really getting out. We do not have a sixth grade section and that is where most of the questions and comments are coming from. They are excited and very interested in becoming a Globaloria student. When you mention students creating games then excitement always follows. I don't know how the responses are going at other schools, but here Globaloria is getting to be a big deal. I know that the game design is what captures attention, but my students are having a blast with blogs and wikis. I hope the motivation continues throughout the year.

Student motivation

When teachers get excited something great must be happening with learning. Most of them had never heard of blogger, but now are all familiar with it. I was worried about trying to get my students to blog but they are actually excited about it. What a creative way to grab attention and get them involved. This may be one of the easiest parts of the globaloria program. When they got to start adding their gadgets that is when they really got hooked. They were constantly showing me what they had done with their page. I really enjoy teaching when students get excited about what they are doing. I think I have a class of shining stars!!!!

Getting started with my students!

Sorry I am a few days late, but it has been busy! At our conferences in Charleston all of the returning educators told me that I would learn with and from the students. I have found this to be so true in just setting up our wikis and blogs. They have told me how to do things and helped me with colors they are really excited. This seems to be a very busy time just getting everyone set up with all of their accounts. We are making it at a pretty fair speed. We are all excited and I can't wait to see some of the ideas the kids come up with. I have some very talented and creative students. So I have very high expectations for all of you. Good Luck and Enjoy!!!!

Flash

Finally I have a laptop with flash on it. The one that I had in June has a virus, and it will not do anything. With our second summer session coming in only a couple of days, I had to get programming on our game. This flash stuff is hard.......lol........This script is very very picky. I am working with the help of another teacher, so hopefully I will have part of our game ready for Tuesday morning.

Overnight Assignment 2

A powerful learning experience........Well my powereful learning experience occured over a period of time. My 10th grade year in high school(Algebra 2 class), I had an awesome teacher. She would not let her students fail. She made sure that before she went on to another topic that everyone knew what she was teaching at the moment. It was not only her teaching that made her unique, she was so sincere in preparing her students for the real world. There were days when we would have discussions and not work.(Believe me when this happened it had to be worth listening too, as everyone knew that when you had Mrs. Brown you were going to work. It didn't matter if it was the 1st day of school, the last, or even Prom week. You were going to work regardless.) She looked at me one day and said that I would be successful in life, if I would continue to work hard. Well I know we here that alot, but coming from Mrs. Brown that comment really stuck with me. So as an educator, I try to encourage students as much as possible. I know from experience that students do remember being praised. I credit some of my success to her and the "talks" that took place in my Algebra 2 class.

Day 1 night assignment

I have started a blog roll and currently found 2 blogs that I will follow. The first one is a gadget blog. Here all new gadgets are introduced and briefly described. I chose this one because I like to familiarize myself with the new tech gadgets and how they may help me in the classroom. I wanted to find a blog that discussed something about gaming. The second one is a blog discussing whether or not computer games are a waste of words or literary genre. Here there are two views given, one for and one against. Hope you enjoy!!!