KNOCKING OFF YOUR
SOCKS!!
Authentic Lessons to Make Kids Think
Using What You Have Right Now!
Dr. Mary Ann Bell
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX
RATIONALE
 Mindtool
concept:
– Jonassen, Computers as Mindtools for
Schools
– Technology is not an end in itself
– use to make kids think!
 Use
available applications
Attributes of Mindtools
 Intuitive
 Ubiquitous
 Multi-purpose
 Constructive
 Inexpensive
 Knowledge
representation
 Emphasis on learning, not on tool
Applications
 Word
Processing
 Spreadsheet
 Presentation such as PowerPoint
 Semantic mapping such as Inspiration
 Drawing applications such as Paint
 Internet search tools
WORD PROCESSING IDEAS


Great for reluctant teachers
Teachers feel most confident
Creative Writing







Cinquain writing
Diamante Poems
Journaling
Newsletters/Newspapers
Brochures
Step by Step Writing Process
Poetry forms
XX Quiz or Cloze Lesson
 In
Word-
– type some text (have students compose)
– where an answer is to be supplied, type X’s.
 Person
should:
interacting with document
– double click on X’s
– type to replace.
 No
need to erase anything…
CONCEPT MAPPING…
 Inspiration,
a great application…BUT…
– Not in all schools
– If at school, not available for home use
 Substitute
–
–
–
–
the diagram tool in-
Word
Excel
PowerPoint
Use the Drawing Toolbar.
MAKE UP MENUS
 Dinosaurs
(Described in Lesson Planet)
 Spanish
 Book
Characters
 Famous People
FUN WITH DINOSAURS
 Examples
of creative sites:
– Dino Park USA
– Dinosaurs
 More
Word Ideas
 Still More Word Ideas!
DON’T FORGET EXCEL!
 Use
to:
– organize information
– computations
– charts/graphs
 Underused
application
– many teachers need support
Excel Tutorials
 Graphing
with Excel
 Excellent tutorials by Bernie Poole
EXCEL IDEAS
 Mary
Ann Bell’s Tips
– MS Office Tips
– Excel Tips
– MS Office/Paint Tips
Grading Book Characters




Students give book/story characters report card
grades…
Use qualities like:
–
–
–
–
Kindness
Loyalty
Trustworthiness
Intelligence…
Students write justifications for the grades.
Chart on Excel
What is
MY
grade?
What is
My
Grade?
USE EXCEL FOR TIMELINES
MORE EXCEL TIPS PAGES

PBS Math Ideas

Carol Hurst’s Ideas!
PREMADE MATH ACTIVITES
…AND SO COOL!
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
POWERPOINT POWER…
POWERPOINT POISON!!!
POWERPOINTLESSNESS…

How NOT to use PowerPoint
– http://www.norvig.com/Gettysburg/
 An
excellent article on the topic:
– http://www.fno.org/sept00/powerpoints.html
POWERPOINT




Create Games such as Jeopardy. At the same time,
there are plenty of templates that honor copyright:
http://www.netxv.net/esc/technology/InstructionalT
echnology/templates/powerpoint.htm
Have them make up short PowerPoints to play “Guess
the Number.” If you need, there are Internet sites
with number guessing games for ideas, such as
http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html
Presenting reports, group projects, etc.
Cumulative projects…start a PowerPoint on a given
concept at the first of a school year. Each time you
build on that concept, go back and add another slide.
POWERPOINT LESSON LINKS
 Great

PowerPoint Tips—Bit Better
A Good idea: Uncover a Picture with ppt
 Use
PowerPoint for note-taking!
http://www.big6.com/presentations/PowerPoi
nt_for_Notetaking/index.php
SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES ARE FUN
Here is how do do this:
http://www.bitbetter.com/powertips.ht
m#SubliminalMessages
HERE IS A GREAT SITE!!
CRAYONS FOR TEACHERS
Great ideas are offered for Word,
Excel, and PowerPoint
Used as Mindtools
Technospud!
 Great
ideas and online activities, such as
this year’s O.R.E.O. project to teach
language arts, math, history, science
and technology skills.
 Most projects involve food…
 http://www.technospudprojects.com
 From there you can go to a site that is
more like Web 2.0 pairing up teachers
and classes.
Teachers.net

A popular site with great lesson ideas.
 Instructions
and ideas for flip books
More General Sites
 Teacherfiles
 Math
 ABC
Forum
Teach
 Lessonplans.com

 Computer
activities and webquests:
Everybody has it…
Kids already know it…
It is fun!
Create a Monster!

Create a Monster
 Reinforce
language arts skills by:
– describe the monsters,
– write monster stories, etc.
ARTSONIA
Great site for art work and self
expression:
 Linking student projects to writing and
art.

– Striking example: Drawing Together, Art
for Heart
NO MORE CANNED CLIPART!
 Use
only original student art…
 Excellent examples of student art at
sites:
– http://www.manhattanschool.org/index.php
 An
example of school original clipart
collection:
– http://www.shsu.edu/%7Elis_mah/documents/clipartportal.html
MORE PAINT IDEAS…
 Digital
Storytelling
 MS Paint Tutorial
Digital Camera Ideas
 Kathy
Schrock’s Tips!
 Travels
of Nancy Pearl
– Washington D.C.
Wonderful
Alphabet Books
 Model
the Madison Square Art Project,
New York City:
 The
Alphabet
Grammar
Kids act out verbs
 Take pictures with a digital camera
 Let others guess words.

Geometry ideas
Photography and shapes
 Websites
– http://42explore.com/geomet.htm
– PBS Photography Ideas
– http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/g
eometry/shapes/
– http://www.rrcc.edu/teachered/sharon/ge
ometry.html
DIGITAL PHOTOS
AND TEACHING
 Great
ideas on math, writing, and science
Rapid Fire Idea Links
 Mindtool Rationale
– http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A5277.cfm
 Creative
– Cinquain:
Writing
• http://www.abcteach.com/Writing/cinquain.htm
– Concept Mapping:
• http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.ht
m
– Make up Menus:
• http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/4.html
Knock Your Socks Idea Links



Step by step writing:
http://www.writingfix.com/leftbrain/!Step_by_Step
_Mini_Workshops_Home.htm
ETTC Poetry Ideas:
http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/newpoem.htm
Diamante Poem Interactive Site:
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/diamante/
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
 Excel
Ideas andTutorials
– LabWrite, North Carolina State University
• http://www.ncsu.edu/labwrite/res/gt/gtmenu.html
– Bernie Poole tutorials:
• http://www.pitt.edu/~poole/
– Excel Timeline activity
• http://www.microsoft.com/education/createtim
eline.mspx
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
– Tammy’s Tips
• http://web.mac.com/tammy.w/iWeb/Tips/Tammy
WorcesterTechTips.html
– Spreadsheets in Math Class
– Math ‘n Tech Salad Bar
http://www.globalclassroom.org/2005/mctm
/excel2.html
– PBS Math
• http://www.pbs.org/teachers/math/
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
– Carol Hurst’s Ideas!
• http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/math/datagather.ht
ml
 Powerpoint
Ideas
– Gettysburg Address
• http://www.norvig.com/Gettysburg/
– Jamie McKenzie Article
• http://www.fno.org/sept00/powerpoints.html
– Jeopardy
• http://www.netxv.net/esc/technology/InstructionalTechn
ology/templates/powerpoint.htm
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
– Number Guessing Game Ideas
• http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html
– Bit Better Ppt tips
• http://www.bitbetter.com/powertips.htm#diffe
rent%20backgrounds
– Uncover Picture and other ideas
• http://wwwlow.bham.wednet.edu/schoolkit.htm
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
 Great
General Lesson Sites
– ABC Teach
• http://www.abcteach.com/
– Crayons 4 Teachers
• http://www.crayons4teachers.org/default.asp
– Technospud
• http://www.technospudprojects.com
– Math Forum
• http://mathforum.org/library
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
– LessonPlans.com
• http://www.lessonplanspage.com/index.html
– Fun Brain
• http://www.funbrain.com/
– Kathy Schrock OF COURSE!!!
• http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
 Ideas
Using Paint
– Artsonia
• http://www.artsonia.com
– Monster Exchange
• http://www.monsterexchange.org
– Schools with Original Clip Art
• http://www.manhattanschool.org/index.php
• http://www.newton.mec.edu/LincolnEliot/index.
htm
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
– Royalty Free Student Clip Art
• http://www.shsu.edu/%7Elis_mah/documents/clip
artportal.html
– Dr. Bell’s Paint Tips
• http://www.shsu.edu/%7Elis_mah/documents/tce
awebpages/documents/paintideas.html
• http://www.shsu.edu/%7Elis_mah/documents/TC
EA04/painttips.html
– PBS Design a Logo
• http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathline/conc
epts/designandmath/activity2.shtm
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
 Digital
Cameras and Pictures
– http://www.lesd.k12.az.us/RSF/media/digit
al.htm
 Travels
of Nancy Pearl
– http://www.shsu.edu/%7Elis_mah/documen
ts/nancytravels.html
– http://www.shsu.edu/%7Elis_mah/documen
ts/nancynydcx_files/frame.htm
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
 Madison
City:
Square Art Project, New York
– http://www.smilinggoat.com/Madison1.html
 The
Alphabet Gallery:
– http://www.pbase.com/abbarich/the_alpha
bet
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
 Kodak—Kids
Act Out Verbs
 Photography
and Shapes
– http://www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/educat
ion/lessonPlans/lessonPlan048.shtml
– http://42explore.com/geomet.htm
– http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathline/conce
pts/architecture/activity2.shtm
– http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/geometr
y/shapes/
– http://www.rrcc.edu/teachered/sharon/geometry.
html
Rapid Fire Links, con’t
– Drs. Cavanaugh Digital Camera in
Education
http://drscavanaugh.org/digitalcamera/
– Digital Photography and Geometry Ideas
from PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathli
ne/concepts/architecture/activity2.shtm
Contact Dr. Bell
Assistant Professor
Library Science
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX
 lis_mah@shsu.edu
 http://www.shsu.edu/~lis_mah/