As we trek through all of this season's rain, we're busy here finishing up a great school year 2016-17!
The ISA (Illinois Science Assessment) is complete, PARCC testing is winding down and we're preparing for our final round of MAP testing. We began right before Spring Break and should finish this season of testing mid-May with then less than two weeks of the school year left.
Our students in the computer labs are thoroughly enjoying Write Comics (
http://www.writecomics.com) and Tux Paint while finding Storyboard That a bit of a challenge (though also fun). The library time drama unit was a favorite as well! The next step our Library Media Specialist and I take is to review the year's activities and make plans for tweaks and changes next school year.
In my role as tech trainer for staff, I've had the opportunity to borrow an Osmo Starter Kit from the Peoria Regional Office of Education to explore what it has to offer. I'll be introducing it to some teachers for their review, but I predict it will be very well received. I love the fact that it combines hands-on with an interactive iPad app. Their site can be found at:
https://www.playosmo.com/en/
Happy Spring!
We have some new additions in our libraries, labs and classrooms! The district received two Cubetto sets (top image) that are traveling between our three K-2 buildings. During weekly computer lab time, students are introduced to Cubetto and basic computer programming skills, then students get hands-on time with that equipment. Cubetto, besides being fun, teaches grid maps, basic computer coding, logic and problem solving. So far, Cubetto is a big hit! Our 3-5 buildings similarly received four Sphero SPRK+ robots (bottom image) that travel. Students are coding in the computer lab using the Sphero Edu app, then running their programs (coding) using Sphero SPRK+ and Chromebooks. Again, students are learning (more advanced) computer coding as well as using their math and logic skills. CJHS has a variety of new options, coming soon to Mrs. George's and Mr. Ame's labs as well as the STEAM maker spaces in the school library. Ask your students about these!
ding training that might be beneficial. In particular, we're beginning a close look at our 8th grade 1:1 Chromebook initiative so far. It may be cold outside, but we're just warming up in here!
It's officially fall and the school year is now well under way. Our building labs, sets of iPads and Chromebook carts are booked for use by classes and our staff have been pretty thoroughly "Googled" in terms of training. Just take a look at the "For Staff" tab above to peruse our professional development. This year, for instance, all of our staff were trained on Google Sites as we dropped our use of TeacherWeb and began supporting the use of Google Sites for classroom websites. If you visit our building websites (linked to on the footer of this page), you'll see that most of the URL web addresses to teachers' sites begin with "sites.google.com"... Our teachers deserve kudos for all their great work on those sites. Our 8th grade staff get a shout out as well, for their move to integration of 1:1 Chromebooks during the school day. While a few "bugs" can always be expected, we've been working through them and there is integration excitement on the third floor of CJHS!