Check it Out! Website Evaluation

The Google Gen is growing up and as we all know so much knowledge is on the web and so much garbage as well. We need to be able to look critically at websites and teach our children to as well. One way to do this is through web evalutations. Here are a few questions regarding website evaluations...


What forms did you like/dislike? The least helpful website evaluation form was from http://www.ncsuedu/midlink/tutorial/WWW.eval.html. On this particular web eval you had to rate it from 0-4 for each section. To make this website better you could say what makes something a 0, 1,2,3,or 4.


The best evaluation form was


http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/. This was the best website because it was helpful for both students and teachers.


Were there any hidden secrets about a website you discovered by using an evaluation form? I discovered other website links and who wrote the websites and their credentials.


What is the value of using a web site evaluation process? There was one website as I looked at it that I thought it was a good website but as I went over the evaluation form I realized how outdated and how much better it could have been. This was very valuable because I wouldn't have realized all those points if the website eval wouldn't have pointed them out.


Although it was good that I used formal web eval for these websites there are times however where I wouldn't use a formal eval. One example is when you trust the source like on UEN.org or on the national library website.

Remember although google seems to be the encyclopedia of knowledge it is not always the most reliable so be smart and check things out.

Singing a Different Tune

As I have talked about in many of my blog entries as a teacher we need to teach the whole child, this means we have to teach the whole curriculum. But, you may say I just don't have enough time to teach music, PE, or art. What if you integrate these into your curriculum? Here are some ideas for integrating music into your elementary curriculum.
You can integrate music in your classroom by letting children listen to tunes while doing homework, you can have music to integrate culture. National Geographic has some really neat ethnic music that you can listen to and bring into your classroom. Don't let yourself be limited by these ideas go out and integrate music in your classroom. The secret to teaching the whole curriculum and the whole child is to integrate.

Here is a lesson plan from UEN if you feel brave and what a more complex music lesson.
Song Writing

Gregory the Beauiful Dragon

This is an original story written by the INST 4010 Class.

Once Upon a Time
by Amanda Beutler

Once upon a time there was a beautiful dragon named Gregory.

There was also his many dragon companions which didn't like Gregory or his beautiful scales.

One day Gregory was lounging in an open field, letting the sunlight glimmer off his beautiful scales. Suddenly, from the woods at the edge of the field, he heard a group of loud grunts and screams.

Then he heard footsteps. The sound of thousands of feet stampeding in panic, accelerating and coming toward his direction. “The trolls! The trolls!” the villagers screamed. “They've invaded!” Gregory knew he needed to do something to help. But what about his beautiful scales? He couldn't possibly risk them in any kind of battle.

So he decided that he needed to make some kind of armor to protect his magnificent body. He tried and tried to mold the metal but could not figure out how humans could make armor. He knew he needed to risk his life and his beautiful scales to save the people, but he just didn't think he had the courage.

The only other idea Gregory had that did not include going to fight was to go to his other dragon companions who didn't like him or his beautiful scales. He asked them if they were going to help save the village from the trolls. They glared at him and replied, “Now why would we do something like that?! They are just humans.”

Gregory knew he had to be the one to save them even if it meant putting his beauty at risk. He flew into the village and defeated the trolls by the sun shining off his beautiful scales. He blinded the trolls and pushed them into the water. From that day his name was changed that day to Gregory the Great. Every human and beast (including his dragon companions) loved Gregory the Great.

The moral of this story is just be yourself, only you have unique and special skills.