Cherry Creek Bright Spot: Technology at Liberty Middle School

As a district Technology and Learning Coach, I often have teachers ask me how technology fits in with math instruction, beyond just allowing kids to play math games on the Internet during free time. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely a variety of good websites for math instruction and reinforcement, but how do you make technology an integral and seamless part of your math classroom?  

Jasmine Solano, a math teacher at Liberty Middle School, recently invited me to observe her math classes. In doing so, I was able to see how easy and effective it could be to make technology a regular part of her classes, and how much the students are learning and growing from this practice. Check out the Bright Spot video below to hear from Mrs. Solano and some of her students...

If you would like to learn more about integrating math with technology at your school, please contact your Technology and Learning Coaches by filling out our form. 

Bright Spot: 3rd Graders at INR Learn About Personal Financial Literacy in a Unique Way

All 3rd Graders in Colorado learn about Personal Financial Literacy. To be more exact, the standard covered is stated below:

E2 Describe how to meet short term financial goals (PFL) (3rd)

A. Identify sources of income including gifts, allowances, and earnings  

B. Recognize that there are costs and benefits associated with borrowing to meet a short term financial goal 

C. Identify jobs children can do to earn money for personal, philanthropic or entrepreneurial goals 

D. Create a plan for a short term financial goal 

E. Describe various steps necessary to reach short term financial goals

 At Indian Ridge Elementary, students learn about Personal Financial Literacy in an authentic, ongoing way that helps them truly internalize what it means to meet short term financial goals.  Check out the video below to see how they accomplish this: 

For more information about creating a dynamic Personal Financial Literacy Project at your school for 3rd grade or any other grade level, go to myclassroomeconomy.org or contact one of the teachers at Indian Ridge featured in the video: Paige Baumgart, Julie Getchell, Mary Koudelka, Brittany Seidel, or Dane Swanson. 

Cherry Creek Bright Spot: MinecraftEdu in the Classroom

Should students be allowed to play video games at school? Absolutely- if they are playing Minecraft in Joel Solomon's technology classes at Village East Elementary or with the Minecraft Club at Thunder Ridge Middle School with Cary Joice and Justin Cantrell.  

These educators have leveraged student interest in gaming and use MinecraftEdu as a way to use to reinforce the teaching of standards. They focus not only on 21st Century Skills like collaboration, communication, and digital citizenship, but also on standards for core subject areas such as math, science, social studies and language arts. Check out the video below to learn more about Minecraft and using MinecraftEdu in the classroom.

For more information about using MinecraftEdu with your students, contact Joel Solomon at jsolomon2@cherrycreekschools.org or visit minecraftedu.com. 

Twelve Tools of December: Desmos

During the weekdays of December, we're sharing one tool per day as part of our Twelve Tools of December series.  Some of these tools are designed to be used instructionally, some can help you be more productive, and some are just fun.

Today, we're sharing about Desmos. 




What is it?

Desmos a fabulous FREE graphing calculator that can instantly plot any equation entered. It's considered the next generation graphing calculator. You can find it in the Chrome App Store and in the iTunes store for use on iPhones and iPads.  Once you get there, you can explore and then create an account or link it to your google account.  

Why would I use it?  What does it do?
Do you or your students graph functions, plot tables of data, evaluate equations, or explore transformations?  If you answered yes, then this is the tool to use.  The website has a wealth of math examples as well as creative arts applications.  Need some inspiration and lesson ideas?  Click here for an entire site dedicated to hand crafted classroom activities made by teachers.  

Here are some sweet examples from the site.  Click on the name of the graph to see Desmos in action.  

Sun to Moon

Normal Sine Integration

Snowman

And if this was not enough, this tool has been reviewed on Graphite too.  

Where can I learn more?
Desmos has YouTube channel where you can learn from their experts and view how-to videos. Additionally, there is a handy blog where you can keep up on the latest.  Do you tweet?  Consider following them @Desmos

Whether you consider yourself a math wiz or a novice you likely will be enthralled with what Desmos can do!  

Twelve Tools of December: Bridges Math Tools from Math Learning Center

During the weekdays of December, we're sharing one tool per day as part of our Twelve Tools of December series.  Some of these tools are designed to be used instructionally, some can help you be more productive, and some are just fun.

Today, we're sharing about Bridges Math Apps from the Math Learning Center. 



What is it? 
These are actually 8 different apps which are available for IOS devices and web apps for use in a browser such as Chrome. 
These apps are connected to Bridges in Mathematics K-5 and are based on the visual models used to support student learning.  
The 8 apps are:  Pattern Shapes, Number Frames, Math Vocabulary Cards, Geoboard, Number Line, Number Pieces, Number Pieces Basic, and Number Rack.

Why would I use it?  
They are FREE--yep, no money needed!  With the adoption of Bridges Math coming to elementary schools soon, we thought that you would like to explore these tools now.  They are available through this link.  Additionally, students can find the apps when they click on the app launcher in the Chrome browser.  Why not get out some Chromebooks and have students explore?  Ask them their opinion about the tool(s)?  After students have the opportunity to out the apps, consider creating an assignment in Schoology where they need to use a specific tool to to represent their learning.  Teach students how to take a screen shot of their work and send it to you.  

You might also consider going to the Illustrative Mathematics site to find a task for your students to complete using the Bridges Math Apps!  




Are there similar tools?
Another site to find online math tools is the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives.  While more extensive than the Bridges Apps, they are a little dated and now have a free as well as a paid version.  

Where can I learn more?
Check out this YouTube video to see how to integrate these apps into Google Classroom!  


Go ahead….check them out…you will be glad that you did!  

Number Rack	Number Pieces Basic	Number Pieces	Number Line
Geoboard	Math Vocabulary Cards	Number Frames	Pattern Shapes

MaKey MaKey Inspires Creativity at Walnut Hills Elementary

"Nothing is Impossible" is the message that students from Walnut Hills conveyed when asked what they learned after completing MaKey MaKey projects under the guidance of their technology teacher, Dustin Vick. 

What is a MaKey MaKey?  A MaKey MaKey is an invention kit. Using MaKey MaKey, students can turn everyday objects into something that can control a computer. For instance, one student created Play-Doh keys for typing out a document.  Another created a homemade video game controller using cardboard and tin foil. Playing musical notes by touching bananas is also a popular project shown in demonstration videos by the inventors of MaKey MaKey. 

Check out the video below to see how it all worked at Walnut Hills.  Maybe next year you'll want to use MaKey MaKeys at your school to inspire creativity within your students! 

Cherry Creek's Hour of Code

http://life-long-learners.com/hour-of-code-for-those-who-are-6-to-106/

Warning: Students will become critical thinkers, problems solvers, and gain confidence through…. coding! 

Last December, Jon Pierce from the Office of Instructional Technology challenged Cherry Creek teachers to participate in The Hour of Code, an introduction to computer programming sponsored by Code.org. It was designed to show that anyone can learn to code. By the end of Computer Science Education Week, 11,780 Cherry Creek students ranging from K-12 had tried their hand in coding!

Initially founded by by Ali and Hadi Partovi, Code.org is a non-profit organization working to expand computer science participation by making it available in more schools, especially in urban and rural neighborhoods. 

The goal for next year is to double the number of students in Cherry Creek Schools who participate in The Hour of Code. Why? Because students become more well-rounded through coding. There are high-paying jobs out there for people who can code, and not enough qualified candidates to fill the positions. Check out our video below and Code.org for more information. We hope to see you and your students coding with us next year during The Hour of Code!

STEM at Red Hawk Ridge Elementary School

Ryan Remien, the STEM teacher at Red Hawk Ridge Elementary School, explains how students at the elementary level thrive on learning- especially with his STEM curriculum. In observing and talking to Ryan, I was able to see first hand what it can look like to have kids so engaged in learning, they don't want to go to recess! Students from K-5 are able to use science, technology, engineering, and math skills in authentic ways to learn about the world around them. 

http://youtu.be/fmLBJalEhZk