Class Websites…. Get Your Students Involved Presenter: Ana Fairbanks, M.Ed. Elementary School Teacher Website:

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Why Have a Class Website? Efficiency Ownership/Class Community Resources Connection Relevance - Kids expect 21st century classrooms (and that’s a good thing) Adapted from Jim Moulton’s article on edutopia.org

Website Components Essential Web Pages - Starting Point Home Page Class News Homework Parent Page Newsletters Contact Information Links – Online Scholastic Book Orders Back to School Night Information Fun and Useful Extras - Make it Work for YOUR Classroom Spelling List Website Collections Web Quests Book Lists Blog/Journal* Learning Tools Art Work/Student Work Examples*

Taking it to the Next Step… Communication Informed Parents/Students Home-School Link Student Ownership over Learning

Getting Students Involved Web-Quests Internet-based lessons and activities home-school connection Can be used as an anticipatory activity, review, exploration… Step-by-step directions help students complete tasks independently

Getting Students Involved Class Comments = Class Blog/Online Journal Provides an opportunity for students to provide input Lesson/Theme-based Essential Questions Students get to be “heard”  Important – Consider the best ways to keep all messages organized and all students accountable for their words

Getting Students (and Parents) Involved iPad App – Educreations iPad App Educreations Visual-Audio Lessons recorded on iPad Can be saved and uploaded to Internet Teacher-lead or Student-lead Lessons Student/Parent Help at home for homework Ensure lesson delivery with subs Active student involvement

Make Your Website an Information Hub Spelling List have a different student type up the weekly Spelling List onto your class website each week Website Collection keep a running list of helpful websites students can use to support their learning have students find and add ( w/ approval ) suggestions provides a go-to when parents are looking for extra ways to help their child in specific areas

Make Your Website an Information Hub Homework Calendar Keep a record of daily assignments, upcoming test project due dates class and school activities/events Project Directions Upload PDF and/or Word Document copies of all project directions & rubrics Class News Weekly Schedule and/or Newsletter List current Units and Projects, with links to support learning Recognize Student Achievements Assign a student to type up a “Blog” entry for each week

Make Your Website an Information Hub Parent Page Weekly “Note from the Teacher” Instead of sending a paper newsletter or to parents each week, direct them to the class website Anything parents need to know should be posted here, with links and attachments as needed Back to School Night Information Upload your Presentation Slideshow (in case anyone couldn’t make it) Make a list of “must remembers” about procedures and routines that are most important Include a list of the class supplies needed for the year

Example Class Websites 5th Grade - Shutterfly.com 4th Grade - Weebly.com All Grades

Get Started Now, Use it Immediately Level 1 – Provide Information Add a new component to your website which will keep students and/or parents up- to-date on what’s happening in your class Level 2 – Create a Web Quest Using a current unit as inspiration, research, organize, and create a Web Quest for your students to complete… tomorrow. Level 3 – Upload an Educreations Lesson using your iPad Level 3 – Upload an Educreations Lesson using your iPad