Instructional Technology Specialist

I have caught the GPS bug.  GPS hunting (also can be called geocaching) is great fun!  I’ve even purchased a unit for my family to use.  The traditional geocache is a great way to teach latitude and longitude.  Teachers can hide containers with objects for the students to find.  Teachers supply the students with coordinates and a GPS unit.  Children use the coordinates to find the containers.

There are many ways this technology can be integrated into the various curriculum areas.  Here are a few.  I welcome more ideas!

Traditional geocache
Treasure Hunt – Each container gives the next set of coordinates to find.  The treasure can be a creative writing prompt.
Hide and Seek – one class/group hides a set of math problems.  The other group/class find them and answers the problems.
Logic Challenge – children have to find coordinates in order.  Each find gives them a clue to a logic problem they have to solve.
Mystery Person – similar to the logic challenge but with clues to the identity of a famous historical figure.
GeoTrooper – Each container has a puzzle piece that when all found and put together create a geographical location the class has been studying such as a region of the US
Figurative Find - The children have the task of finding one example of the various types of figurative languages.  Each type of figurative language is in a container at a different location.  The examples are on strips of paper.  The children collect one strip from each container.
Amazing GPS hunt - take off from the Amazing Race.  Children have to find details about the type of habitat/biome they are studying.  Each group has cards of a different color.  Each container has a card for every group.  When the child finds the coordinates they have to do a physical fitness challenge in order to get the card in that container.  This is done on the group’s honor. It is just a fun way to incorporate fitness into the activity.  When they have all the details the kids take the information inside and create a powerpoint about their habitat/biome.

For details on how to set up your own hunt you can check out this fantastic website.  http://www.alicechristie.org/geocaching/steps.html

Here are some links that will help your grade 3-6 child/student practice language arts/reading skills.  I would be happy to add more if I’ve missed any.  Just let me know what I’ve missed.

http://www.jogtheweb.com/play/Y7e64ut49CeT/readinglanguage-arts-practice

Have you ever wanted to use Google Earth in the classroom but have not been quite sure how to integrate it?  Do you want to reach out to schools in other areas?  This is the perfect project for you.  You will integrate reading and geography in this collaborative project.

Thanks to Jen Wagner for this and all the other great projects she hosts.

Image Source http://www.jenuinetech.com/Projects/pwwg/index.htm

ClassTools.net is a tremendous site with tools that are very easy to use and educationally sound.  They are tools that can be integrated into any curriculum area and any topic. Some of the tools are more primary based and some are more for intermediate.  If you don’t take a moment to check this one out you will be missing a gold mine!

• Arcade Game Generator!
• Flashcard Generator [new]
• Countdown Timer
• Random Name Picker
• Dustbin Game
• Post It
• Diamond 9
• Fishbone (Ishikawa)
• Venn Diagram [updated]
• Animated Book [new]
• Timeline
• Lights Out
• Target
• Hamburger
• Living Graph
• Learning Cycle
• Jigsaw Diagram
• Priority Chart
• Source Analyser

http://classtools.net/

***If you are a member of my school district and have not already done so will you please take a quick moment to let me know you saw this post?  You can either add a comment at the bottom or shoot me a quick email.  I would like to identify about how many people are viewing this blog from my district.  Thank you!!!

And another great reading site.  This one focuses on reading strategies.  I would put this site more at a 2-5 grade level.

Image Source: http://reading.ecb.org/student/entry.html?login=laura00458

This website has free online books and other fun reading opportunities.  This is a fun way to get kids engaged in reading!

Image Source: http://www.mightybook.com/