Authentic Lessons to Make Kids Think
Using What You Have Right Now!
Dr. Mary Ann Bell
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX

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Mindtool concept:
– Jonassen, Computers as Mindtools for
Schools
– Technology is not an end in itself
– use to make kids think!
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Use available applications

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Great for reluctant teachers
Teachers feel most confident

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Cinquain writing
Diamante Poems
Journaling
Newsletters/Newspapers
Brochures
Step by Step Writing Process
Poetry forms

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In Word-
– type some text
– where an answer is to be supplied, type X’s.
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Person interacting with document should:
– double click on X’s
– type to replace.
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No need to erase anything…

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Inspiration, a great application…BUT…
– Not in all schools
– If at school, not available for home use
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Substitute the diagram tool in-
– Word
– Excel
– PowerPoint
– Use the Drawing Toolbar .

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Dinosaurs (Described in Lesson Planet)
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Spanish
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Book Characters
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Famous People

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Examples of creative sites:
– Dino Park USA
– Dinosaurs

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Use to:
– organize information
– computations
– charts/graphs
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Underused application
– many teachers need support

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Graphing with Excel
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Excellent tutorials by Bernie Poole

EXCEL IDEAS
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Mary Ann Bell’s Tips
– MS Office Tips
– Excel Tips
– MS Office/Paint Tips

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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
What is My
MY Grade?
grade?

USE EXCEL FOR TIMELINES

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Tammy’s Tips
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Spreadsheets in Math Class
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ABC List of Things to Graph
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Excel-Lent Ideas
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PBS Mathline
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Carol Hurst’s Ideas!

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

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How NOT to use PowerPoint
– http://www.norvig.com/Gettysburg/
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An excellent article on the topic:
– http://www.fno.org/sept00/powerpoints.html

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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.

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Great PowerPoint Tips—Bit Better
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A Good idea : Uncover a Picture with ppt

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

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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.
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Most projects involve food…
 http://www.technospudprojects.com
 http://www.technospudprojects.com/Pr ojects/or2005/instructions.htm

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A popular site with great lesson ideas .
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Instructions and ideas for flip books

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Teacherfiles
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Math Forum
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ABC Teach
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Lessonplans.com
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Computer activities and webquests :

Everybody has it…
Kids already know it…
It is fun!

Create a Monster!
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Create a Monster
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Reinforce language arts skills by:
– describe the monsters,
– write monster stories, etc.

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Excellent ideas at Toymaker :
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Create original ones in Paint or other drawing program.
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Enforce writing skills with messages, etc.

ARTSONIA
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Great site for art work and self expression:
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Linking student projects to writing and art.
– Striking example: Drawing Together,
Students Against Terrorism:

NO MORE CANNED CLIPART!
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Use only original student art…
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Excellent examples of self portraits
– http://www.manhattanschool.org/index.php
– http://www.newton.mec.edu/LincolnEliot/index.htm
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An example of school original clipart collection:
– http://www.shsu.edu/%7Elis_mah/documents/clipartportal.html

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Using Paint
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Design a Logo :

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Digital Cameras and Pictures
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Travels of Nancy Pearl
– Washington D.C.

Wonderful
Alphabet Books
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Model the Madison Square Art Project ,
New York City:
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The Alphabet

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Kids act out verbs
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Take pictures with a digital camera
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Let others guess words.

Photography and shapes
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Websites
– http://42explore.com/geomet.htm
– http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathlin e/concepts/architecture/activity2.shtm
– http://www.enchantedlearning.com/math/g eometry/shapes/
– http://www.rrcc.edu/teachered/sharon/ge ometry.html

DIGITAL PHOTOS
AND TEACHING
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Great ideas on math, writing, and science
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Digital Photography and Geometry Ideas

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Mindtool Rationale
– http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A5277.cfm
Creative Writing
– Cinquain :
• 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

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Step by step: 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/

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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/CreateTi meline.msp

– Tammy’s Tips
• http://www.essdack.org/tips/page1.htm
– Spreadsheets in Math Class
• http://www.math.byu.edu/~lfrancis/readings302
/Spreadsheets.html
– ABC List of Things to Graph
• http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/kadkins/graphing_ abc.htm
– Excel-Lent Ideas
• http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/kadkins/zillions.ht
m
– PBS Mathline
• http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/mathline/con cepts/technology/activity1.shtm

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– 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

– 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

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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

– LessonPlans.com
• http://www.lessonplanspage.com/index.html
– Fun Brain
• http://www.funbrain.com/
– Kathy Schrock OF COURSE!!!
• http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/

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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

– 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

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Digital Cameras and Pictures
– http://www.lesd.k12.az.us/RSF/media/digit al.htm
– http://www.mansfieldisd.org/wbrown/digita lcameras/
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

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Madison Square Art Project, New York
City:
– http://www.smilinggoat.com/Madison1.html
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The Alphabet Gallery:
– http://www.pbase.com/abbarich/the_alpha bet

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Kodak—Kids Act Out Verbs
– http://www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/educat ion/lessonPlans/lessonPlan048.shtml
Photography and Shapes
– 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

– 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/