Christine+Kuhn

Welcome to my page! My name is Christine Kuhn and I am a third grade teacher in Mineral County, West Virginia. It has been a busy semester with being a new full time mom, teacher, and Grad students. I really enjoyed this class and all the things I learned from it. I now have ideas and a website that I can continue to use after this class is over. I have been reflecting more on how I use technology in the classroom and I am going to try to organize a way where I can have our classroom laptops set up next year and can keep them out all year. There is a lack of space in my room and I am going to use this summer to try to clear a table strictly for computer use. There are so many things that third grade students in my county are required to do on a computer. This is the first year that they have online writing and use a program called West Virginia Writes. Each grade is given 6 Tech Steps that they have to do as well. During the week, we only get 30 minutes a day in the lab and that is definitely not enough time to get things done. We also have a new program we were given this year called Brain Pop and Brain Pop Jr. This is a great site and the kids enjoy it. With all the other requirements there are many times when I have to project on the screen for the students to watch and print out the quiz on paper. They can also access the program from home, but the downfall is that they can only use it until 5:00 PM.

=** Assignment 1: Special Topic Report - Privacy and Security **=

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Megan Dolman.(December 11,2009) Teaching Students about Privacy (or the lack of on the Internet). [03/|www.iste.org.]03/04/2012.[]

Schools are starting to use social networking sites and many people use them on a daily basis. While they are good for communication kids don't realize that what they post is seen by a lot of people. Educators have a job to help teach students that what they may think is private really is not. There are examples listed of the negative impact posting on social networking sites have had. Even when a page is set to private any visitors who have access to that page can copy and paste materials.

Med Kharbach. (December 23, 2011) Online Safety Tips and Tools to Protect Kids and Inform Parents About Internet Dangers. [|www.iste-community.org]. 03/04/2012. []

When kids have access to the internet and do not have supervision this can lead lead to some dangerous situations. Parents need to be aware of what they can do to help protect their children. On this site, it tells about tools that anyone can easily use. One example, Creepsquash -web monitoring tool that allows parents to monitor their child's facebook activity without invading their privacy. MinorMonitor also allows parents to monitor their children on Facebook. It however gives more details including status updates and where their children check in at.Cybersmart provides ways to help teens, kids and parentsto use the internet safely.It also helps to train schools on keeping kids safe online. I found this site informative and more adults need to look into these to keep their children safe.

Jesse Morehouse. (Sept./Oct. 2011) Learning Connections: Students Dig Up Dirt to Learn About Internet Safety. [|www.iste.org]. 03/04/2012 []

Students do not realize that they do not have a lot of privacy in social media. . One teacher gave her students these facts: "87% of Americans can be positively identified from their ZIP codes, dates of birth, and genders. Add residence type and marital status, and you easily surpass a 90% likelihood of identifying someone." Even when people know these statistics these still post this information online. One teacher wanted a way to help her students realize these alarming statistics were real. The lesson started with a video and then the students has to Data Mine the teacher. When the students did this they read information about the teacher, but the teacher did not reveal what information was true and what was false. The teacher pics two items one true and one false. The class talks about how to validate how to tell what information is true and what is false. Next the students are given a task of Data Mining a Stranger. I have never heard of a teacher trying this before, but it was interesting to see how this assignment played out. They were able to find information about strangers in a very short amount of time.

= ** Assignment 2: Gadget Report: iPad for Assessment ** =

Bobbie Johnson (January 27,2010) Apple iPad: The First Review. 02/19/2012. []

Wikipedia. From Wikipedia, iPad the free encyclopedia. 04/23/2012.[].

I used the iPad for my Gadget Report. However, I used it for assessment purposes and used our Dibels program. I am still in the process of learning everything that goes with Dibels. This is the first year that I assessed any students. Normally our Title I teacher did that roll for the classroom teachers.

The Apple iPad was made for people who like simplicity and clarity. The Apple company put out the iPad. It looks like an oversized iPhone to most people and can perform the same functions. It has a touch screen just like an iPhone, but this one is 9.7 inches and you can buy many types of apps. You can not make phone calls on it, but there is an app that allows you to do Facetime with others who have iPads.

Here is the Power Point that I made up to kind of summarize Dibels and how to use the iPad with it. I could not use slideshare since it exceeded the limit.

[|The Ipad.ppt]

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= ** Assignment 3: Tech Projects ** =

//** Google Resource Web Site **// //New update// I am still adding things to my resource website if you would like to check back. I am trying to update it so it will be useful for my next class. This is a site I am reworking to benefit my third graders. I am making this site for them to access resources to help them with Reading, Math, Science and Social Studies. If you have any sites you use and like please let me know. I plan to keep building on this site for future classes. []

//** Instructional Video **//

. Pick a mini-lesson to teach: I chose how to start the first part of our Tech Steps project. 3. Shoot your instructional video using a digital video camera or a digital camera. If you know how to edit, add a title page. (For Flip cameras, you can use Flip Share to add the title page and producer information. 4. Upload your video on YouTube, TeacherTube or Google Video. Publish it. Post the video on our Ning. (See link to a tutorial on how to upload below)
 * How will you start?
 * It will show how to open Powerpoint from the start menu.
 * Proceed?
 * I will explain how to pick the slide, enter the title and insert a picture.
 * End?
 * Explain how to save the project.
 * I am using our school's flip cam. I am having some trouble with the sound I do apologize. I have not been able to add a title.
 * I will be using youtube once I reshoot the video to see if it works out better than the first attempts.

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//** Desktop Publishing **//

I am using an old newsletter I found while going through some papers in the file cabinet. I am in the adding things and taking away based on the design principles. I hope to have it posted by the end of the week.

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= ** Assignment 4: Technology Integration Plan: Tech Steps Project ** =

__** Integration Unit/ Tech Steps Project **__ I am currently adding more steps. If you have questions feel free to email me. I chose to use a Tech Steps project that we have done in class.

//**Who Am I?**// This is a project that my third graders are asked to complete by the end of their third grade year. I altered the project to fit their Science CSOs. For this project we read about the planets in our Science textbook. The students were asked to pick their top three choices for which planet they would like to research. Some students requested the Moon and Sun. I allowed the students to pick these as well. They had to make sure they knew that they were not planets. However, they are part of our solar system. In their project, they were to tell me what they were as a clue. (For example: the Sun is a star). The students were then asked to use any resources that they would like to identify 5 facts about the planet of their choice. (If any planets were not picked I used those to model what their project should look like and I did it step by step with them. I tried to give the first choice if I could. I wanted it to be something fun that they enjoyed. The technology was integrated in two ways. First, if the students chose to use the internet as a resource. Second, the students were using the Power Point program to make a slide. This brought in not only Science and Technology, but some Reading/ Language Arts as well. I thought this was a fun way for them to research, organize, and to teach their fellow students interesting facts about their planet. I was able to replace their big test at the end with a mini quiz after each slide was presented. It took my class about two weeks to do this lesson, due to students being absent, files being lost, and when students had questions I made sure to go back and reshow the steps.

1. Research your planet and include five facts. The students may use the internet, encyclopedias, Science textbooks, or other resources they find useful. 2. Add picture and text to convey information. 3. Build a puzzle with atleast 6 slides. 4. Give a sequence to the facts and the puzzle. 5. Able to revise and edit the information as needed. 6. Share will the class the slides and information.
 * Objectives:**

- In the computer lab, students will use google to search for websites on planets. - They may use my website [] to find more websites on space. - The students will fill out the teacher made handout to write their 5 facts.
 * Day 1**

- Finish any research that is not completed today. - I will show the students what folder to use to find their pictures. I want them to use their class folder that is located on the school server. - Students will go to the Teacher/Student server under the computer menu. - They will pull up my folder that is labeled CKuhn. - They will open the folder that says Tech Steps. - They will find the folder that is labeled Planet Pictures. - The pictures are labeled and the student finds their own picture. - Next, they go to Power Point and open a new slide. The design that they want is the Two Content slide. - On the right side they will insert their picture. They will then save so they do not lose any information.
 * Day 2**

- Students will open their Power Point that they saved to their Tech Step Folder. - They will go to insert shape and pick the first rectangle in the options that are given. - They are going to make five rectangles to cover their picture. (The whole picture needs to be covered by the rectangles). - The students will then save their work so they are sure not to lose any steps they have already done. - Students will now go to the slide sorter. They will copy slide one then paste it underneath. - They will pick one triangle, right click it, and then delete. - Copy slide 2 and paste. Pick another rectangle and right click on it. This rectangle will need to be deleted. - Copy slide 3 and paste. Pick another rectangle and right click on it. This rectangle will need to be deleted. Follow these steps for the remain slides. - Click on slide one in the slide sorter. Hold the control key and click on all of the rectangles. Follow these steps: 1. Format object. 2.Under Fill - Slide Background Fill. 3. Line Color - No Line. 4. Hit close.
 * Day 3 and Day 4**

- You will repeat these steps for the remaining slides. - When finished go back up to slide one and click on it. - On the left side of the slide, add one fact about the planet. - Add one fact to each remaining slide. The last slide should say I am ___.__ - Click on the design tab. - From the background tab select background styles. - Click Format Background. - Solid Fill needs to be selected. - Click the paint bucket beside the word color and chose any color. Next click ok and then reset background. - After reset background is clicked pick the color one more time. It will be under recent colors. - There should then be a preview of the color as it will appear. When the color appears hit apply to all and it will appear on all the slides.

- This will be the day the students will use to present their Power Points to the class.
 * Day 5**

- I knew I had to do this project before the school year was over. I wanted to do a topic I thought the students would enjoy. I made sure I had plenty of different resources that they could use to do this project.
 * Things to consider when I did this project:**

- We were able to work it out so I could do this project in small groups in my classroom. I porjected the project on the screen and did it step by step with the students. (Our computer lab does not have a place where we can project onto a screen. (Next year, I will show the video and then do a small demonstration in class so that next year I can use the lab to get the projects done. Although, I did feel that it ran smoothly in small groups in the classroom. I will have a larger group next year so I will have to see what is available to me at that time.

- It was also beneficial for me to attempt this project and meet with our Technology Specialist to ask any questions before I taught the students. This was my first attempt and I wanted to make sure that I had time to practice and make notes to use while teaching the class. Next year I want to break down the steps into mini videos that the kids can watch and use as often as they need.

__[|Rubric.doc]__



= Assignment 5: Second Life Explorations =

Second Life : avatar name : ChristineKuhn

Movie from Second Life on 04/23/2012 - Showtime 8:10 Honestly, at first I thought I was in the wrong place. Lumiere (spelling?) assured me I was in the right place. There were a few changes of scenery. The sun, airplane, and the protest are the three that stick out in my mind the most. I also remember the office and what appeared to be stock market numbers were behind the table. At the end, it showed information and statistics about poverty. I did not get to read all the statistics because of the way it rolled across the screen. I tried to read them the best I could. The poverty statistics really hit home because I frequently work with children who live in poverty.

Second Life: I enjoyed trying out Second Life for the first time. Some activities even though at first seemed hard, I enjoyed trying. As a third grade teacher, I feel that my students would have enjoyed activities like building the trampoline. It would teach them a lesson about trying new things, as well as, trial and error. It took me a few attempts before I got it right. I didn't realize at first all the features of Second Life such as teleporting, taking pictures and watching movies. Second Life is something I wish I could have explored more. I can definitely see this being a good addition for secondary students to work with in their curriculum. However, I do wish that there could be a similar one used for elementary kids to connect with classrooms all over the world. I think it would be a new, fun, and creative way to do pen pals. During the school day, they could log in during their computer time to learn about other cities and states. We just got a letter from a school in Connecticut that is doing The Great Mail Race and it made me thing of pen pals and Second Life. I do like though for teachers and college students being able to connect in world to talk and explore together. If given a chance I would definitely like to explore it more. I am sure there are many more wonderful features that I did not get a chance to see.