Ed-Tech I’m Testing
This week my co-teacher and I were teaching plotting points, and writing coordinates on a 4 quadrant graph. I found the following a lot of fun and a way for the students to approach the topic in a fun way.
Topmarks has a bunch of links to different websites for a multitude of topics. It was the beginning of the yellow brick road I went down to get the following web-apps to help my students with 4 quadrant graphs:
- Alien Attack – zap aliens by typing in the correct coordinate.
- Rainforest: Walking track – click and drag tracks linking up coordinates (1 quadrant only).
- Rainforest: Locate things – click on the correct coordinate of a location (1 quadrant only).
- Coordinate Plane Plotter – this is an amazing web app that you type in coordinates in any of the 4 quadrants – my favourite out of all 4 web apps.
Teaching Practice I’m Trying
I just read Project Zero’s Step Inside thinking routine, again when teaching math and 4 quadrants. In a moment of inspiration in the lesson, I grabbed some masking tape and rushed to tape the floor to make a rough 4-quadrant graph. Then I asked 4 students to each pretend that they were different letters: a,b,c,d. Another student would then tell each one of the letters where to stand! I think we all had a blast with this, and I fully intend to give it another spin very soon.
YouTube Video I’m Watching
This fella is a movement coach with a no-nonsense attitude to mobility. In this video, he takes you through his daily squat routine, which involves some serious flexibility and balance work. From Budha prayer squats to deep squats with arm rotations – check out Ido’s squat routine here.
Things I’ve Learned
What is it that I am trying to achieve? Questioning myself this when I am teaching or implementing something new, or going about any of the daily randomness or procrastination that I find myself in.
The String I’m Pulling
Back to the 6 part story link here. I wanted to teach the kids how a mnemonic would help them remember the 6 part story method – so I asked AI to help with the creative thinking process. After 3 attempts, Sage chatbot came up with the mnemonic STORY and what an absolute belter it was! I introduced it to the students, with full disclosure that it was created with AI, and they absolutely loved it and used it that very lesson to transform their writing.
This is how the conversation unfolded:
Quote I’m Pondering
Avoid the lead balloon people, as they will bring you down. Instead, go find those balloons filled with helium instead, as they will lift you up!” I remixed this after speaking to a friend Kate!