Using Google Docs as a collaboration tool!

Now that I have much more experience with working with Google Docs I can say that I really loved it and am going to incorporate it with my health and physical education staff, as well as with some assignments in my classes.

A little about Google Docs, it’s an online word processor, spreadsheet and presentation editor. Students and teachers can use these tools to collaborate on assignments and projects. It allows more than one person to develop and/or edit a document at the same time. Students can use this at school and at home; as there is no software to download. And, one of the best additions to the software is the ‘chat’ feature allowing multiple people to talk and collaborate on the same document.

Other ideas in which students and teachers can use Google Docs, which I found from the EmergingEdTech blog, are:

• Teachers have the opportunity to check student progress and make sure students are following the guidelines; feedback can be provided in the document; Teachers can offer advice which may lead to higher grades.

• Teachers can use the revisions history to find out who has actually helped on the project and evaluate individual participation and content.

• Teachers can discover who is not participating and have the opportunity to correct the situation.

• Google Docs is excellent for teams that are developing an essay or a presentation.

For example, a team of students can create a spreadsheet which includes assignment details and deadlines. All the team members update the spreadsheet which allows students to see who is getting their work done on time and who is falling behind. The revision history feature allows students and teachers to see a history of the revision process of a particular document. Sometimes previous ideas and information that were removed actually deserve to be in the document. With Google Docs, this deleted content can be restored.

To use Google Docs, you just need a (free) Google Account. Click here to set one up if you don’t have one already.

Resource (Tom Barrett):

57 Interesting Ways to Use Google Forms in the Classroom by Tom Barrett

Health & Fitness Apps for The Classroom

I have been reading Mr Robbo's - The PE Geek blog and here are his suggestions for apps to use in the classroom for appling exercise principles and practices. Or, use them for yourself when exercising!

1. Couch to 5km - this app guides you through an interval training program to get you to eventually run a continuous 5km run! Included in every workout is a warm up and cool down. Mr. Robbo suggested using the app to "discuss the many approaches available today to promote physical activity within the community, or, have students report on the strengths and weakness of the exercise method used in the app". Check it out: Couch to 5km

2. Runkeeper - Mr. Robbo says "go for a run/walk/ride/jog/ski while running the program and your activity will be recorded". With GPS available on most phones, Runkeeper gives you stats such as total distance, speed, elevation, and even google map tracking ability so you can track your activity in real time - I say C-O-O-l!! Check it out: Runkeeper

3. Hundred Pushups - this app is designed to improve your core strength. After completing an initial pushup maximum test (pre-test) the app designs an appropriate training program to guide you to achieving 100 pushups (post-test). Mr. Robbo says that this would be a great app to "explore fitness components and how an individual can train to improve their sports performance" or I say improve their level of general fitness! Check it out: Hundred Pushups

4. Gym Goal ABC - this app is an exercise database that allows you to keep track of your workouts but also includes step-by-step animations of over 250 exercises...WOW! Mr. Robbo says "this would be a perfect tool in a classroom to teach students about exercise concepts such as progression, overload and specificity" or a great "how to" application for students in designing their own fitness program. Check it out: Gym Goal ABC

5. Pedometer - why go by one when you have an app for it right on your iPhone or iPod touch. The Pedometer will track your steps, distance and calories burned to help you lose weight and stay healthy! Pedometers can be used to measure the physical activity of students, teachers, or Mr. Robbo says "take it to the next level and compare the activity level of a variety of occupations that have differing physical demands". Check it out: Pedometer

6. Beep Test - this app is the same as the Fitnessgram Pacer test which tests your aerobic fitness. It allows you to individually complete the "beep test" (my students know it as the "Pacer test") and then records and plots your changes over time! This would be a fantastic way to movtivate yourself to work towards continual improvement. In the classroom this can be used as a pre and post test where students could measure the change in their VO2 max levels throughout the semester at home on their own! Check it out: Beep Test

7. Geocaching - I've already addressed geocaching in a previous blog (so you should know what it is!) but here is an iPhone app that allows you to search for and participate in a geocache hunt anywhere, anytime! Check it out: Geocaching

Thanks to Mr. Robbo for the information on some very cool apps for the physical education and / or health classroom! Now, do you think I will be able to get my administrations approval to use a cell phone in class? What do you think?

MyPyramid in physical education classes

In the 'Instructify' blog archives I found a blog addressing the MyPyramid website that is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It has resources for high school/middle school as well as students from ages 6-11 years old. After connecting to the website, it inspired me to want see if any of the resource would help support nutritional objectives of my activity classes, especially in emphasizing the concept that both EXERCISE AND DIET are important for weight maintenance!

Of the many resource, the one I think I will incorporate into my activity classes is the MyPyramid Plan. This resource allows students to select foods from each food group that meets there individual daily caloric expenditure needs. By using graphic representations, as students select different foods that they would eat throughout the day, it shows whether you they chosen more, less or enough calories to maintain your weight on a daily basis. I think that students have a poor understanding of the relationship between exercise, diet and weight managment and this would be a great resource to teach this concept.

Other resources that are available on the website for middle/high school students are the new MyFoodapedia resource which allows students to find information about specific foods as to there calories, what food group they represent, as well as being able to compare two foods. Another resource is the MyPyramid Menu Planner which helps students plan personal menus by searching for food and beverages that stay within their personal MyPyramid goals.

For 6-11 year olds have a great interactive game called Blast Off. Players have to select proper foods and portions in order to power a rocket ship (i.e., your body). Exercise must also be included for a successfull launch. Aaron Fowles states "this graphical teaching tool is full of interactive information to help guide students about their food decisions because students learn to keep an eye on the food group meters, the calorie count and exercise gauges" and good choices lead to an eventual blast off by the rocket. Fowles also states that he uses the blast off game with his ELL students to teach about food and menu planning.

Geocaching is a great fitness activity!

This week in my graduate class we've been exploring the use of geotagging. To do that we had to take photos of plant life in the area where we lived, download it to Flickr and 'geotag' the photo. When we added the 'geotag' - by overlaying the photo on google maps - anyone viewing your plant photos could see exactly where the plant was located. I found that very cool that you could allow others any where on earth a peak at what life looked like around you. As I explored a little further on the google map, I found others right here around my neighborhood had also geotagged their pictures they had on Flickr and I could get their personal view of life around my same hood!

As I explored geotagging for educational uses I immediately linked it the Geocaching unit that I've seen taught in physical education classes. Geocaching is a great fitness activity because it makes walking exciting. Geocaching combines satellite navigation, orienteering, computer skills, treasure hunting and walking into a fun activity for students. It can easily be incorporated into the Physical Education curriculum...of course a little monetary help will be needed as GPS units can cost anywhere from $100 and up.

Learn more to get started:

Geocaching - The Offical Global GPS Cache Hunt Site
A Beginner's Guide and Tutorial to Geocaching
Geocaching with Kids (from Eduscapes.com)

If you're really into geocaching check this website out:

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

If you teach body systems / anatomy....

have I got the website for you!!

Anatomy Arcade has memory games and other activities for kids dealing with body systems - seven to be exact. Each body system has a wide variety of activities that can be used to review or learn content knowledge about each of the systems. The activities include word searches, crossword puzzles, matching games and jiigsaw puzzles for each of the body systems.

In my freshmen physical education course we cover the basic muscle and bones and what a great way for the students to review and memorize these body systems. I refer to them all the time in class during activities. But, being able to use these games and activities with the students in and out of school will be useful for them to learn and study this material.

http://www.anatomyarcade.com/

Disclaimer: The site is free but the biggest drawback is that it has a lot of ads. The ads help pay for the site so you will see video ads before starting the games. You will also see ads selling specific items all around the web site. I found a few ads that may not be suitable for all students so please check out the website first before using or posting it for student use. You can purchase a site license for the games and this will allow you to download the games without any ads.

Tom Barrett's intersting ways to use various technology in the classroom!

I found this list of links to technology ideas to be used in the classroom setting very helpful for me! Our curriculum is devoted to being active and so it is very hard for me to develop lessons that are not activity-based in nature. However, I found various ideas using many of the technologies listed which made me feel comfortable in infusing technology with my teaching instruction and the students get the most from the lesson, even if they aren't active that day. But, the best technology would be for my students to access subject matter outside of my classroom and then be ready to discuss and incorporate the information along with being active...that's my goal!

http://blogs.learnnc.org/instructify/2010/11/05/technology-integration-tom-barrett/

All you ever wanted to know about BLOOD!

I found a wonderful teaching resource called "Red Gold: The Epic Story of Blood" published by PBS. The site is strong in content and interest level delving into blood related topics such as blood composition, circulation, blood typing, donations and more. Students can take a multimedia journey that follows a pint of blood through the transfusion process, learn the basics about blood, as well as trace the history of blood through an interactive timeline. Additionally, there are biographies of the people who have made contributions to the study and use of blood, a glossary, a list of other resources, and a section of informative questions and answers from the experts.

Grade level: 6 - 12. Lesson plans are provided for both midde school and high school levels as well as a 12-page discussion guide

Macromedia Flash Player and RealPlayer are needed to view the animations and video.

Very Cool...check it out!