Reflection #3

What?
Using Technology for Current Events Lessons
Since my presentation on the SmartBoard, I have been thinking about incorporating the Olympics in lesson plans. It can be used in every single subject and is a great way to get students excited about learning. This website gives a lot of ideas for doing just that. Most of them use technology in the form of the internet for research, but also using SmartBoards. You can also use a lot of clips from past Olympics or find a way to watch it live in the classroom maybe as a reward at the end of a unit.

So What?
I think it's important to incorporate current events into learning. Anytime that has happened for me in the past, it makes it stick. That way, when you hear about it years later you can say, "Oh yeah, I remember when that happened! I was in grade and we learned all about it!" So obviously, this doesn't just have to be the Olympics, but at least you know when its coming and can plan things out beforehand, especially if it takes technology.

What Now?
Using this idea in my future classroom will be fun, not only for my students, but for me as well. Using the internet for research and for video clips will be invaluable for teaching current events. The Olympics is a great way to start because of the sheer variety you can include: weather at the site, geography, language, culture, and much more!