Google 20 Percent Time

More Google thoughts... I just might be obsessed.

There are lots of benefits of working at Google, I hear. Need a hair cut? Get one free on-site! Want to work out?  Free on-site gym!  Need to do laundry, get clothes dry-cleaned, eat, swim or see a doctor? All those things can happen on-site at Google.

Yes. I'm jealous. Incredibly jealous!

One little Google perk that I find more fascinating than luxurious, however... the Google 20 Percent Time.

Google employees are allowed to spend up to 20 percent of their time working on projects that are not a part of their job descriptions. That's one whole day per week! They can use the time to develop new ideas, fix things that aren't quite working right, explore, and engage with others to work on projects. Gmail is one Google product that came out of this 20 Percent Time.

Yep. Still jealous. But I love the idea! And I've been thinking about it for a month... How can I do something similar in my classroom with my students? Unlike the Google 20 Percent, projects in my class wouldn't have to provide a benefit to me. (Haha! That's a funny thought though! Children could explore recipes using chocolate?) But the students could certainly benefit! And perhaps some of their ideas and projects could help other students or the greater school community? (I'm also exploring Choose 2 Matter this week!) It's all about empowering children to take charge of their learning and their actions. They can do research or experiment or explore. So exciting!

Other teachers have done similar things, and I've heard some impressive ideas, topics for study, and results: fundraisers for seriously ill children, school landscaping, building websites, ways to make money, cancer, pollution, food, music...

I've spent lots of time thinking about what this would look like in a first grade classroom. The projects and classrooms I've heard about involve older students, but I think Genius Hour would be amazing for first graders! Six-year-olds are so curious and energetic! But I truly can't dedicate 20 percent of our instructional minutes to this idea. So we are going to have Genius Hour for an hour at a time. I'm thinking I can work it in twice per week, but I haven't got that part figured out for sure. I'm hoping that I can find ways to integrate it with reading or writing, so that we can do it more often.

I'm going to start our Genius Hour with some exploration activities. I want to combine creativity and collaboration, and increase students' knowledge of the ways that people explore and learn. I'm going to provide toys for scientific exploration: magnet toys, a spirograph, wind-up toys, plants, magnifying glasses, prisms, mirrors, bubbles, a lap harp, etc. I'm also going to provide play dough, art supplies, and building materials like toothpicks and popsicle sticks and paper and random containers.



And I'm going to provide these Creativity and Critical Thinking cards for my students... to really get them thinking!



During this time, students will have access to digital cameras to document their creations, and they can computers to gather information.

Next, I will use books, short YouTube videos and discussions to get students thinking about their own questions, the needs of others, and ways to make a difference. Some students might forge ahead with a question or project idea, while other students take a little more time exploring. I totally expect that, and it will actually work well: I'll have more time to help individual students get started on their projects.

 

 

Technology Thoughts

Yikes! I can't stop thinking about my day at Google. It's going to have an effect on me for a long time. I met lots of inspirational and talented people and just got a million ideas. I'm feeling a tad overwhelmed... like I need to sit down and make a priority list. But I can't stop reading the tweets and blogs! And every time I read one, I think of more ideas and questions.

There are so many fabulous ways to get technology into our classrooms. Great ideas are everywhere, but it's challenging to use most of them with non-readers (or very beginning readers.) I don't have a class set of iPads, or I'd be thinking about some of the many apps and eReader applications. The iPods I've been using with my students have been exciting for them, but seem so dated... as if they're not really technology anymore at all!

 

[caption id="attachment_301" align="aligncenter" width="171"] Image from Bill Ferriter[/caption]

I'd like to have my students create with Wordle this year, but I'm a little concerned about the amount of support it will require.  Sometime this summer, four computers are supposed to be moved into my room (Where they will fit, I'm not sure!) and I'm hoping to use them with small groups so that each child has an instructional session once a week. I envision using Wordle at the beginning of the year for some autobiographical presentations. Later in the year, I think Wordle could be used as a tool for presenting students' responses to literature and as a way to highlight important concepts and vocabulary in science. Wordle seems like such a basic place to start. But we're talking first graders!  It will give my students some experience with computers that is not just the drill and kill language and math programs that my district loves. I want the children to begin to see that computers are tools for communication and creativity. They are a means to an end. Something like a Wordle should be taught as a tool for expression, and then used for expression/digital writing that is meaningful.

I created a set of Robot-Themed classroom labels and you can get them here.



 

Google Geo Teachers Institute

Wow! What a day I had yesterday...

A few months ago I heard about the Google Geo Teachers Institute. I was completely overwhelmed with other things, but I made the time to apply. Am I ever glad I did!

The Google Geo Teachers Institute was held at the Google West Campus in Mountain View, and it was a total treat from start to finish!



First of all, food is a big thing at Google. All the employees eat free in the many cafeterias... breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There were some "Google 15" jokes about the weight that new employees gain! And true to that, the day began with an amazing breakfast buffet. Why didn't I take pictures of it?!

Google Earth Outreach team members Tina Ornduff and Christiaan Adams started the day with presentations on mapping and all the interesting things you can see and do with Google Maps and Google Earth. Technology has made the world a much smaller place. Did you know that you can use Google Earth to go inside museums, view the surface of the moon and even go to Mars?! The more they spoke, the more ideas I had for applications in primary classrooms. I was typing notes from the presentation and notes from my head as fast as I could.

Next, we heard from Diane Main, who is a Google Certified Teacher. She got everyone's attention with her introduction, a rock song about Google and maps and teaching. Why didn't I record that?!

Diane had some fabulous ideas, and inspired many more in me. Two things I loved: One, the idea of creating timelines in Google Earth. Yep, I'll be spending some time exploring that idea this week. And two, she talked about creating a Google Tour from Flat Stanley activities, which got me thinking about some other books I own and use at school.

And my favorite quote from Diane: "We should totally make kids do that." This year, I will have four computers in my room, and I'm excited about getting my first graders involved with meaningful technology activities!

Next we heard from John Bailey (a real, live volcanologist!), Jerome Berg, Josh Williams, and  Cindy Lane. Even though most of the presentations were geared for teachers of students older than mine, I got something great from every single one. After more food, it was time to choose breakout sessions/tutorials/discussion groups. Allie Lieber, from Google Earth Outreach, taught her first session ever, and it was great. She is a born teacher! Her session was all about creating folders in Google Earth and inserting photos, video and text to create a story. So many options! LOVED it!



Mid-afternoon sometime, my laptop stopped working. I closed everything and restarted. And restarted again. And again. I couldn't run Google Earth (the whole point of my day!!) and eventually I couldn't even access Google Docs to continue taking notes. Thank goodness for the notebook and pen party favors! At the beginning of the day, when I saw the notebooks laid out on tables, I thought, "How archaic!" and I never imagined I'd really need one! Sad. A trip to the Apple Store is in my future.



Many thanks to Google and to the many teachers who presented, discussed, and shared ideas! What a wonderful day of learning! I'm exhausted, but inspired!

 

Creativity and Critical Thinking

A friend of mine is a big fan of the Maker Faire. The first time he told me about it, I couldn't quite get my head around the idea. But now I've got it. As their website says, it's a "family friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness."

Click for more information...



And in the spirit of the Maker Faire, I present a creativity and critical thinking unit for elementary students. This pack of goodies contains eight cards each from eight popular primary themes: pets, transportation, school, ocean animals, nature, shapes, farm, and creepy crawlies. Just print the files and cut into individual cards (there are four per page.) Then give your students a set or two of cards and some materials to build with, and let them go!



Making a school bus out of Lincoln Logs or a caterpillar out of Legos or a cat out of blocks or a backpack out of play dough? All are challenging activities that will require creativity, resourcefulness, and problem-solving skills! It's harder than you might think! Students can work independently or you can challenge small groups to work together. If you want to increase the difficulty, set a timer or have them work without talking!

Some students are uncomfortable at first with the idea of trying to build an animal out of blocks or a teacher out of Tinker Toys. But once they gain a little experience, they love this activity and it becomes easier.

These cards are great to use during small group center time, if you have it. They also work really well for rainy day recess!

My class last year? ALL future inventors! They've had lots of practice!