I am a little behind on blogging, so I thought I would write on my students' last three projects. To say I am proud of their work is an understatement. I will try to keep it brief since the projects speak so well for themselves. I have included the project description pages as well as examples of each. I require my students to keep a digital portfolio folder in Drive for our class. All of their projects are then shared with me using the same file name format. This has been a great time saver for me, and it also keeps them better organized. Semester exams are just a few weeks away. Having the biology folder ready to go will make for a great review tool.
Cell Diagrams using Explain Everything and Thing Link The requirements of this assignment were simple. Use Explain Everything (my favorite app of ALL apps) to draw and illustrate an animal and plant cell. Save the pictures to the camera roll. Create a Thing Link account and upload the pictures. Create targets on the diagram of each organelle, including the name and description of each.
Website link to sample seen below.
This "App Smash" (phrase copyright by Greg Kulowiec) was so successful that I wanted to share it with the EdTech App Smash Awards. We had a great response and ended up winning the Steam/Stem Best AppSmash Award! I am looking forward to San Diego in February!
Photosynthesis using Explain Everything, Tellagami, and Aurasma
I divided the topic of photosynthesis into 8 questions for my classes. Each group had to create a video answer to the question assigned. That answer was uploaded to the camera roll and then added to our school Aurasma account. Each group also had to complete a trigger image for the class board. This was my first experience with Aurasma. The end product is awesome, but it did take some time for me to upload all of the videos and triggers. Thank goodness I have an amazing colleague, Ed Patterson, Director of Academic Technology at Norfolk Academy, (@espatterson) to teach me the tricks of the trade.
Photosynthesis Aurasma Project Information
Photosynthesis Aurasma Rubric
Photosynthesis Aurasma "How To See Our Projects" poster
Use directions in the link above if you are not familiar with Aurasma to use the picture (trigger image) below to see one of our projects!
Cell Cycle using My Stop Action and My Create
For this project, we focused on creating a stop animation video of the cell cycle. Since my students are familiar with many creation apps, they could choose what they wanted to use, focusing on My Stop Action and My Create for the stop animation portion of the project. I had specific topics that needed to be covered to show understanding of the functions of the cell during division. I then allowed students to "choose their own adventure" with a topic of their choice that relates to cell division. They had one week to finish their projects and submit them to me via Google Drive. This was a great way to encourage students to put the processes into their own words and also tap into their creative style.
Cell Cycle Project Description
Cell Cycle Project Rubric
D Bell Daniel William Cell Cycle Project from Elizabeth Glassman on Vimeo.
To learn more ways in which I am using technology in my classroom, follow me on Twitter @eglassman757.
