Web Cams

We have several mini laptops in our classroom that have web cams built into them. In the past we have been unable to use them due to not having the proper software on the computers. I have recently ran across a website called, www.fotofriend.com. This will allow us to take pictures using the web cams for upcoming projects throughout the school year.

WVAGT

After attending a summer workshop, Sharing Ideas Gifted Conference at Glade Springs, I now have the privilege of being a member of the West Virginia Association for the Gifted and Talented. I was also nominated and accepted as the secretary for the upcoming year. As part of my new duties in the organization, I have been working on the WVGAT website. Click here to check out the new site.

QR Code: Gifted Conference

WVAGT Annual Conference 2014

5 Technology Tools for the Gifted Classroom

Presented by Alicia McPherson

         Skype in the Classroom

https://education.skype.com/  

    Kid Blogs

http://kidblog.org/home/

     Classroom Blog

http://www.blogger.com/home

      Animated Videos

http://goanimate.com/

  Create Your Own QR Code

https://scan.me/ 

·      Visit my PortaPortal at www.portaportal.com. 

o  Visitor name: amcpherson  

·      My Classroom Blog can be located at

o   http://bcmsgiftedblog.blogspot.com/  

Scan Code

I have created a new Barcode Scan so that my students, parents, and other teachers can use their smart phone to scan this barcode and be immediately directed to my blog.

Using barcodes in the classroom is a great way to jazz up your student's online presentation, blog, or website. The students can pass out fliers to parents and other teachers that have their barcode they have created on it. The parents and teachers then scan the barcode with their smart phone and are taken directly to the student's online work.

Upcoming 7th Graders

As the school year begins to come closer to an end, we thought it would be a good idea to post an informational video on how to open a locker at BCMS. Enjoy and we look forward to having new Knights!

Shoe Magic

This is a neat little trick where your shoe size can determine your age.

1. Start with your shoe size... if it's a 1/2 size round up.
2. Multiply that number by 5
3. Add 50.
4. Multiply by 20.
5. Add 1013.
6. Subtract the year you were born.

The first two (or one) digits are your shoe size, and the last two digits are your age.

Coding and Video Games

Advanced Teaching Method

Click the above link to see a video that I created for one of my Gifted classes on the importance of incorporating Coding and Video Games into our learning curriculum. 

Parenting Gifted Kids

I have attached a link to a blog that I ran across that I found as an excellent resource for parents of gifted kids.    Parents

Gifted Parents

I have attached a link to an article that I ran across dealing with research on parents and families of gifted children. I found some of these statistics intriguing which made me think how this research correlates with my own gifted students.

 

Parent and Families of Gifted Children

The Gifted Olympics

On Thursday the students took a break from our normal routine and we held the "Gifted Olympics". The students were asked a number of brain teasers, math problems, and took place in a spelling competition in hopes of earning the gold. The students not only had to complete academic tasks, but also took part in dancing, relays, and other physical activities. A great way to end a stressful week of Writing Assessment here at BCMS.

Skype

Next week my 7th and 8th grade Computer Innovation classes are planning to take part in a Skype lesson with another classroom. We will be going on some virtual field trips and practicing our geography skills playing "Classroom Mystery". We are really excited for our new adventure, and I will post details on how it goes.

Upcoming Writing Assessment

As we are preparing for the Writing Assessment next week, I wanted to post an acronym that the seventh grade RLA teacher and I created to help our students WRITE WITHOUT FEAR!

Write more
Re-write repeated words - use synonyms
Imagery words - sensory details
Transition words
Explain with examples

WITHOUT

Fix capitalization, punctuation, spelling
Edit your writing
Ask a question
Re-write sentences so you have a variety of types

Do You Enjoy Singing in the Shower ?

Brain Teaser

How can you use six 9's to make 100?

*Hint: Use a variety of signs...*

Informational Videos

My gifted students love watching Vsauce videos from YouTube. These videos are very interesting, entertaining, and informative. Currently the students are working on creating their own "Vsauce" video. The students are working in groups and have been researching a topic in order to put together their own spin of an educational video.

Five Ideas for using Instagram in the Classroom

I have always been a huge fan of taking pictures, and now technology has made this hobby even more easy and entertaining. Our students have the world at their fingertips with Smart Phones, and are constantly snapping pictures, editing, and uploading their lives online. I found a list of lesson ideas that you can use with your students that will encourage creativity, critical thinking, and writing, along with having the fun of Instagram to use for school assignments.

1. Digital Storytelling: The students have the option of taking pictures from their neighborhood, and they can tell their story visually, annotating it through comments on each picture.

2. Grammar Practice: Students will take pictures, write sentence captions underneath, and then label each part of the sentence.

3. Photojournalism: Students will choose a school sporting event, a classroom community service activity, or a local election to photograph and analyze while using their mobile device to express their social voice.

4. Find the Context: Students will document math as they see it in their world.... linear relationships, data, fractions, etc.

5. Ethnographic Study: More of a social studies activity, blending writing and pictures. Students will take photographs of the spaces they inhabit and then analyze the cultural, political, social, and economic elements that define the space.

Don't let your Brain Freeze Up...

What's the smallest positive number, when spelled out, has an "a" in it?

Snow Days for Days...!!!

 

 School has been out for over a week now due to the extreme weather we have been having. I have posted a link to SumDog which is an interactive math practice website. The kids really enjoy this, so log on and learn while trying to keep warm while school is out. Enjoy!

 

Click here for SumDog

Our Gifted Classroom

Halloween Activity

Although I started this blog in 2014, I wanted to highlight a special assignment my class took part in around Halloween. The students had to pick a fruit or vegetable to carve that wasn't the normal pumpkin. My students chose a variety of fruits and vegetables such as a pomegranate, watermelon, apple, pear, and a potato. Along with carving their fruit/vegetable the students also had to create a spooky story involving their carved creation. This is a video one of my student's created about their "Jack-O-Melon".

Building Competitions

Between the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas my students had a series of challenges they completed. The students were provided with limited supplies such as paper clips, index cards, and a small amount of masking tape in order to create bridges, towers, and cars (that were fan powered). The picture is of one of the groups winning tower. The students learned to collaborate in their groups and create structures in a timed competition.

New Year. New Blog.

     I currently teach gifted students at both the middle and elementary school level. This blog will feature my middle school gifted class. I will be posting the latest in gifted education, along with keeping you updated on projects we do, the things that we learn, and other fascinating things about our class.