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.