Pintrest is a great tool that is being used in the classroom today. Teachers can find anything from detailed lesson plans to free worksheets and tips and tricks for the classroom. Teachers are using Pintrest for their students use too, as a way for students to book mark multiple webpages for research assignments.

With all the neat stuff you can do on pintrest I created this first grade opinion writing assignment from pins found on Pintrest. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ULc5MTgDFZn7VJnzEVnyBsV_dx3Nu49UMVpqT904tyA/edit?usp=sharing

At this address you can find my Project Base Learning assignment and rubric. 

The first step in the assignment is to receive four kisses and taste test them using our five senses. 

After tasting and engaging the students in class discussion, the class must vote on their favorite. 

My class chose Carmel Kisses and we created this circle to organize our opinions about our favorite kiss.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Next we decided our three favorite reasons and numbered them from least important to most important

Then we created a flow chart and I encouraged the students to think about sentence structure and what the best way to write our paper would be, we came up with this: 

From this flow chart and active discussion our class wrote our paper together about our favorite kiss. 

After we were all satisfied with our paper we submitted it to PBS Kids Writing contest. 

And this fun project is complete! I hope you and your classes will enjoy it. Have some fun developing writing and eating candy.

Web 2.0 Tools

This post is for Dr. Benton's Educational Technology Class. The objective is to select 10 Web 2.0 tools and state how I would use them in my future classroom. 

Adrianna Kolasch
Educational Technology
EDU 4206/4306/4256
November 3, 2014

Web 2.0 Assignment 

Presentation tools:

1. Prezi - A tool to use in place of Google Slides or PowerPoint. A much more exciting way to present information instead of the boring slide to slide. It displays information using cool fonts and images and representing information in more of a map then flipping from slide to slide. In my classroom I could see using Prezi to display a lecture in a more interactive way to keep kids involved and attentive during the lesson. I could also see assigning students a group project and they would have to display their work using a Prezi. 

Publishing tools:

2. LetterPop - LetterPop is an alternative to sites like Microsoft Publisher. Just like Publisher you can create newsletters and brochures. LetterPop has different templates and fun fonts to offer. As a teacher I could see using this to create weekly newsletters to send home to parents. Also, LetterPop could be used as an assignment for students to use as a tool to display research in a brochure or newsletter form. 

Multimedia Posters and Pages:

3. Yola - Yola is a neat alternative to the familiar Google Sites. Its a free website builder. It takes all your ideas and creates a site for you, the god thing is it requires little to know prior site building knowledge. I could use Yola to set up my classroom webpage. I could create assignments on the site and assign it to students for homework. I could also assign the students to create their own webpage because of how simple it is to use. 

Collaborative Tools:

4. Just.Paste.It - An easy way to collect research. Just.Paste.It is a place to copy and paste information found on other webpages and organize your thoughts.  You can embed videos or add graphics in your notes. I could see using this as a fun way to let students take notes on a lesson that may otherwise be boring. After the lesson they could search the web for video or graphics that coincide with their notes and create a presentation. 

Collaborative Spaces:

5. JoinMe - JoinMe is a web tool that allows different people using the same code to all view the same screen. Its sort of like Skype, a way to set up meetings. With JoinMe everyone is on the same page. Students could use JoinMe as a way to do group-work while at home. Also, teachers could pair with a team teacher and two classes could interact over the screen using JoinMe. 

Collaborative Notebooks and Graphs:

6. PiratePad - This fun site is an alternative to the Etherpad. It allows students and teachers to interact in real time. Each editor is a different color so there isn't any confusion. This tool could be used for exactly as stated in place of the Etherpad in the classroom. PiratePad is a great way for teachers and students to collaborate.

Transfering Files: 

7. DROPitTOme - A web tool that pairs with your Dropbox. It is a more secure way to keep up with files in your in Dropbox. With a secure password you can easily receive those large files that email won't allow you to send. I can see this being a very helpful tool in the classroom, if a parent or coworker needs to send you something that email won't allow this is a great alternative. 

Search Engines:

8. FindHow - Google got ya down? No worries FindHow has your back. Sometimes Google or Bing's searches are too broad and FindHow lessens the search process and does just that, finds how to solve the problem you're searching for. This would be good for students to use to specifically find exactly what their looking for. It would also be good for teachers who need a quick answer. 

Research Resources:

9. Teachers.tv - This web tool is powered by Suddenlink cable company. It has put what the teacher's want on t.v. You can go to the site and search anything about teaching and watch it for free on t.v. Their are educational videos as well as informational videos for teachers. This would be a great tool for a teacher who had a question and was seeking advise from other teachers, you can simply search your issue and watch the videos. 

10. SchoolWAX TV - This site is truly awesome. As teachers it is sometimes hard to find school appropriate and approved videos and graphics to show to students. Well, look no further than SchoolWAX TV, this web tool is pumped full of educational videos and graphics teachers can use in the classroom to keep students engaged and having fun. 

Social Media - Friend or Foe?

Social Networking is a way of life in the world today. It is said that the average person checks their Iphone 150 times a day on average. I know this statistic to be true in my own life. I've grown up in the age of social networking. I got off the bus in middle school and raced inside the house so I could get on AIM (AOL instant messaging) and chat with my friends until dinner time. Its just been away of life for me. But this is a very controversial topic. 

Victor Balasa, creator of the article, Why Social Networking Isn't as Bad You Think shares all the positive points of the use of Social Networking in your day-to-day life. Balasa shares that in order for us to connect with as many people in real life as we do via social networking it would be disastrous. He describes that as humans we wear many masks, put on fronts for certain people and social media is an outlet for that. We can truly be ourselves  on our sites. It gives us a sense of security that face to face meetings do not.

Other bloggers have a different view on this topic such as Kelsey Sunstrum. Her article, How Social Media Effects Our Self-Perceptions tells of the dangers and cautions of social networking. She warns readers that sites such as Instagram lead us to feel depressed because of the pressure to post a fabulous picture where you look good have good clothes on and are with the right people doing the most fun activities. 

In my opinion, times have changed and Social Networking is a large part of life. Its a positive part of life if you use if for positive things. There is not a way around it. But we also don't need to use it as an excuse to lessen our face to face encounters with real life people. Having actual social skills are just as important as social networking skills. In order to be the best you possible focus on positive things in life and on social media.  Embrace change but don't forget where you came from. 

Week #1

Hello followers and welcome to The Creative Waitress. A blog about being just that, a creative waitress! My name is, Adrianna, I'm a Sophomore at Henderson State University studying Early Childhood Education. Prior to HSU I was born and raised in Hot Springs, Ar. I grew up primarily under my grandparents roof, not your typical home life, because of my experiences, school (especially elementary) was a safe haven for me. That is why I am so passionate about becoming an educator. I believe that it was the educators in my life that have lead me to be the person that I am today. Coming from a not so typical home it is imperative that I work my way through school in order to make my dreams reality. This blog will be where I share all my interesting stories about waiting tables and the customers I encounter. My post inspiration will come from other blogs about serving.  There might also be some juicy work drama, because what place of employment doesn't have a little bit of that going on?  But where does the creative part come in, I'm sure you're all wondering. I absolutely love to shop! You could say I have a passion for fashion (but I think that was the Bratz Dollz logo so don't run away with that).   I also love to decorate and "nest" if you will. Not only will I be sharing my work stories but I will also share my shopping halls and money saving tips for those of you other students and young people out there who are just starting out. Just because you don't have too much money to spend that doesn't mean you can't have nice things, right?