The Tech Savvy Teacher

THE TECH SAVVY TEACHER

In an effort to use more technology in the classroom, teachers from all over the world are coming up with technology enhanced lesson plans.  Here is an example of one that I came up with for second graders using Kidsperation and pictures from a digital camera.  The topic is health and the importance of a balanced diet.

I like food! Thus, I decided to try out a lesson dealing with food and technology. I think it would be fun to learn about why it is important to eat a variety of different foods, and then create a

real, balanced diet! To start out, I chose to make a lesson for second graders with these goals in mind:

Standard: Students will develop a sense of self.

Objective: Describe and adopt behaviors for health and safety.

                    a. Explain the importance of balance in a diet.

First, it is important to understand the food pyramid and the fact that foods can be sorted into their food groups (in the food pyramid).  I used Kidsperation to let students use technology to sort foods into their food groups.  This is what the template first looked like in Kidsperation:

Then, I played with this template in Kidsperation and did my own sorting activity.  Here is the result:

I could have even made my own balanced meal in the center.  I knew that I would be doing that later on though, so for now I just practiced sorting foods into their food groups.  

After doing this, we can talk about the importance of eating healthy and having a balanced diet. We can even discuss vitamins and minerals and why it is important to eat foods from each food group.  Afterwards, students can do various activities to apply the knowledge they have learned.  I chose to make my own balanced lunch with real foods that I had at home.  If I were in a class setting, I would just bring the foods to class.

I took out a variety of foods.  Here is my selection.

Then I separated the foods into healthy and not healthy.  I want to have a healthy, balanced meal.

Lastly, I created a balanced meal from the food items in the healthy section.  As one can see here, foods from all food groups are represented.

This is an enjoyable and interesting lesson that children love.  Who doesn't enjoy working with food?!  Children can even do this and actually eat it for lunch too!  

Through the use of technology, children are able to visually see what foods fit into which food groups while having fun.  Not only is it fun and interactive, but children learn in the process and are more likely to remember the things which they have been learning.

During one of our technology classes I became familiar with Stellarium.  This is a pretty neat tool because you can look at the sky at any time of the day and year.  You can also go to different parts of the world to see how the sky looks.  You can make time go faster.  You can search for things in particular and zoom in.  I liked how you can have the constellations drawn on your screen.  I also like how this is a free downloadable tool that I can use.  VERY COOL!

TPACK stands for Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge.  Technological Knowledge is using being able to use technology.  Pedagogical Knowledge is how to teach, and Content Knowledge is the knowledge about a particular subject, like science.  It is ideal when teachers teach with all types of knowledge.  It is best when teachers know there subject well, know how to teach it well, and use technology in their teaching.  When students can use the technology it is even better.  An Engineer might have content knowledge, but perhaps not pedagogical knowledge because he does not teach it.  If he were a Engineer Professor, maybe he would have both pedagogical and content knowledge.  When he effectively uses Technology, then he has all components of TPACK.

RSS feeds are excellent to have because then you can have a variety of different ways to get information easily, both educational information, and also info for fun. Web 2.0 is also very nice because we have things like Goodreads accounts and Delicious accounts that help in organization skills. Through these accounts, I can manage ideas and information for educational purposes, and also for personal purposes. Through these things, I can also hook up with other people and see what their preferences are and get good ideas through them. With time, I will have a variety of helpful resources to aid me in my future teaching.

Background History

As far as my technology background goes, let's just say that I am a technology idiot.  If I sit down at something and work at it for a long while, usually I can come out with what I want, but I probably had to ask questions.  Thus, it will be really fun creating and working with this blog, if you know what I mean!  I guess my background history with technology is far better than my parents who, believe it or not, ask me for computer help.  I haven't had any jobs that deal with computers besides the job that I now have.

In 2006 I worked in the Bindery and Periodicals Department of the Harold B. Lee Library of Brigham Young University.  I was mainly responsible for binding monographs for the majority of my time there.  Towards the end of my time at this phase of my life, I worked with periodicals and at the Reference Desk.  Here, I learned a lot about research and was required to help people with their technology problems.  Needless to say, I learned a whole lot, but was and continue to be nervous when patrons come to me with questions.  At the end of 2006 I took a break for a couple years.  Upon my return I had the privilege of having my job back.  Today I work in both the Bindery and Periodicals Departments.  I have many questions and am still recalling the many things that I learned in 2006.  I am excited to become more knowledgable in technology as I know that it will be very helpful in the future.