[Keara Sweeney]

I first tried ‘The Chess Champ’ as we start to teach chess in 3rd class. However, it told me that it was unavailable.

So I picked the Brainstorming Gem and asked the following…
Can I have an idea to introduce the topic of planting sunflowers for a 3rd class Primary school, can I have an explanation for science and an alternative explanation with simpler language and images. Can I have ideas for review and assessment please?
I liked the ‘Mystery Seed’ Game as an introduction, I felt they would get the most learning from this, as opposed to ‘The Time-Lapse Show’. This I would omit.

It gave me 2 very nice pieces of text with images for differentiation for pupils with Literacy difficulties without naming them or adding any medical or diagnostic details. The language was also appropriate and the tone nice for both.

As for review, it offered 3 suggestions from creative writing, maths integration or Drama Role Play. Very inclusive options for everyone in the class.

The ideas definitely added value to the lesson, I don’t think I would have come up with the variety of ideas myself!

[Keara Sweeney]

Hi Sarah,

I think your idea is great, SESE really is an area that is so hard to gage with pupils.  Your idea of using Forms, actually gives us something constructive and concrete evidence for parents as regards their SESE development.   Even something as simple as an exit ticket or simple scale.

At the end of the year reports, if would make me much for confident when it comes to filling in this section for certain pupils.

[Keara Sweeney]

Following on from our Curriculum Planning Days, we selected Well Being as our area for SSE for next year.  To begin this process, I’d imagine using Forms for staff, parents and students.  Several surveys would be needed to gather the appropriate information.  Over the year, google workspace could be used to track this information.

For myself, in my classroom, I would like to use the tool of comments in Google Docs to record interactions with students and monitor the editing process in written pieces.  I have to admit the frustration I feel after hours of corrections and pupils often don’t take a bit of notice and just make the same mistakes the next time.  Having this history and evidence as well as real time support, feedback and interactions, it would involve the pupil in editing process in a more productive way.

I also like the idea of rubric cubes on Classrooms, especially for self assessment as regards their written pieces and the editing process.

[Keara Sweeney]

Hi Carol,

using Gems for the New Maths Curriculum is a great idea.  It is meant to be practical, hands on activities and sometimes it is hard to keep coming with these ideas.  Using safe prompts, reviewing, adapting and using professional judgement, a wide variety of suggestions are available to suit a variety of pupils.

I would agree with your decision to discard the sticky note activity, learning would be lost here.

I have definitly changed how I use prompts after this module.

[Keara Sweeney]

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>I first tried ‘The Chess Champ’ as we start to teach chess in 3rd class.  However, it told me that it was unavailable. </span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>So I picked the Brainstorming Gem and asked the following…</span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Can I have an idea to introduce the topic of planting sunflowers for a 3rd class Primary school, can I have an explanation for science and an alternative explanation with simpler language and images. Can I have ideas for review and assessment please? </span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>I liked the ‘Mystery Seed’ Game as an introduction, I felt they would get the most learning from this, as opposed to ‘The Time-Lapse Show’.  This I would omit.</span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>It gave me 2 very nice pieces of text with images for differentiation for pupils with Literacy difficulties without naming them or adding any medical or diagnostic details. The language was also appropriate and the tone nice for both. </span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>As for review, it offered 3 suggestions from creative writing, maths integration or Drama Role Play.  Very inclusive options for everyone in the class. </span>

<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>The ideas definitely added value to the lesson, I don’t think I would have come up with the variety of ideas myself!</span>

[Keara Sweeney]

Hi,

when I try to download the pdf for Module 2, it keeps opening as Module 3, is this happening other people?

[Keara Sweeney]

I agree,

Forms for data collection in all areas of the curriculum would be a huge help, being able to see clear progress and records in the one place too and time saving.

I have used Mentometer in the past but I found the information even hard to analyse and even found responses difficult to print off.  I can’t say that it guided me where to go next with my teaching as much as Forms has the potential to do.

[Keara Sweeney]

Hi Sarah,

we are similar to you, we have Google Workspace but definitely are not utilising it to its full potential.

Next year, I already feel much more confident to use Classrooms and Form will feature alot more in my teaching and reflections and future planning for the class.

It ‘s wonderful to have such a link between the drive, docs, slides, forms and classroom.

[Keara Sweeney]

Using Google Workspace – keep with my topic of Tranpsort for 3rd Class

I learnt in this module to always start with  the topic or what you want to teach and not the tool.

I liked the voice tool in Docs as I thought this would be great for inclusion for reluctant to write students, for various reasons, maybe poor fine motor skills, literacy issues or even just confidence.  I understand, that there may be issues with this as regards noise levels and understanding accents etc.  But it is a tool that I will try to use next year.

In slides, I found it interesting about clear and consise layout.  I would of always put text over pictures before.

I’m in love with Forms now, the many uses is unreal.  Even just using those four questions, can tell you so much about the learning and guide where to go next.

Thank you!

[Keara Sweeney]

Hi Nicola,

we sent up Google workspace a few years, it took a bit of time but they were very helpful to get it all up and running.

Even though we have it, we mainly use it for the Drive and sharing between colleagues.  During covid we also had Seesaw but in the last 3 years, I have been using Class Dojo, very nice for younger class.  However, after seeing Classroom today, I think I will make the shift next year.  It makes sense to have everything linked together.  Even this year our 5th & 6th  classes moved to digital online portfolios on Google, it’s planned to implement this from 3rd up going forward.

[Keara Sweeney]

I have chosen a science topic – Materials and change for 3rd Class.  I used your template to adjust to my own needs, as a lot of the criteria was the same such as success criteria and l  The learning Intention is to investigate which materials can make a good tea bag.

I didn’t know about the tabs section on the left in Google Docs and I liked this feature.

In Google workspace, I’d create a task in the Classwork, an assignment with a list of materials needed, how to keep it a fair test etc and then leave them have control and agency over their investigations.

In Slides I could make a quiz for assessment and again link it into Classroom or even they could send me back a response on Classroom with their data recorded.

I liked your system of filing on the drive so that item can be found together.  I often have trouble locating files, docs etc that I have created as they are named badly or not at all!

I also would use the stream function for links for videos related to this topic.

[Keara Sweeney]

Hi Nicola,

I think using Gemini to enhance & support our Irish Lessons is a great idea.  I myself was in SET for a number of years.  At times I feel nervous about my own ability as regards grammar etc.  I understand it needs to be checked always but a helping hand is never rejected here!

[Keara Sweeney]

Hi,

I asked…I am a 3rd Class primary school teacher, could you give me suggestions for a lesson based on transportation please?

It gave me wonderful suggestions for STEM – Bridge making, Maths – Data, Tally etc and Art/SPHE ideas.

I didn’t add our exact location for community links, as I feel I can adapt the lesson myself to suit our locality.

I might decide on a field trip but this would depends on professional boundaries and where I feel might be appropriate for us to go etc.

Gemini really offered some fabulous suggestions, with follow up ideas and activity sheets.

It is going to be so useful for the year ahead!

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