General Announcements:
Project Lead the Way:
iPads and PLTW
Digital Citizenship
Hour of Code
*UPDATE
In order to facilitate a school wide implementation of Hour of Code students will be using Hour of Code web based games on the desktops. You can see which games are recommended to be "just right" for each grade level team (K/1, 2/3. 4/5).
MinecraftEDU
This curriculum is exciting because it really embraces all that can be done in Minecraft while removing anything less than school appropriate (weapons, ability to fight each other, creepers, etc). We will be exploring issues of digital citizenship, computer programming, social studies, art history, history, and common core aligned mathematics within the Minecraft virtual world.
*UPDATE
Stress testing begins next week with 5th grade students who will be engaging first with MinecraftEDU. There may be possible hardware issues preventing the computer lab computers from running the required software. District personal are being very helpful in looking for further solution to this issue. If students can not engage with MinecraftEDU after winter break further work in programming, digital citizenship, and choice projects are planned (Plan E).
Ms. Smiths Professional Development
Last week I completed our application to be a Digital Citizenship certified school. This certification means that Common Sense Media verifies our classroom work in order to recognize our efforts and ensure that ALL students leaving leopold are capable of being safe, respectful, and responsible online.
I am also currently in the process of working towards my Google Innovator Certification. Currently, I will be taking the level two certification over winter break. From that point it is a matter of showing Google all the fabulous work our Leopold students are doing here at school! They will review our documentation and projects and determine our eligibility from there.