Why Popplets Rock!

If there was one tech tool I would recommend that you get to know, it’s Popplet. Popplet.com was one of the first digital publishing tools I discovered when I started researching Common Core Writing standard #6. This standard emphasizes digital publishing and collaboration with others.  

The reason Popplet wins for me is that it is easy to learn, easy to use, and clearly communicates your message. Note to all: It works best with the Chrome browser, not so well with Explorer.

Click here for directions on how to create and share Popplets:  Popplet Directions

It’s basically a graphic organizer online. You can add pictures, videos, maps, text, and then organize it all however it makes sense to your brain. Once created, you can manipulate the popples, print it as a 1 page document, save it as a Jpeg, or share it with others.

Here are some examples of classroom uses:

Research report on different types of ants

Examples of multiplication arrays found around the house

Timeline

Categorization of quadrilaterals- take pictures of quadrilaterals around campus. Load them into the Popplet unorganized. Work through a system of sorting, classifying, and defining groups of quadrilaterals.

Sorting of animals- On the big screen in front of students- drag popples into two different groups of animals with similar habitats.

Vocab work- Print out and make copies so students can fill in the blanks

Character analysis- After reading Froggy books, have students come up with character traits. As a group, they can type them into popples.

Brainstorm- using multiple sources, including video and text, debate whether or not we should protect polar bears. Do the brainstorm on Popplet.

Synthesis of information - Students learned about ocean engineers. They loaded the teacher provided pictures and typed up an explanation of the pictures based on what they had learned about engineers.

Popplets portray information clearly, and are easy for students and teachers to use.

Popple on!!

To get 2 CE units for using Popplets and other Digital Publishing tools in your lessons, enroll in  EDUO 9116: Digital Publishing Tools for the Common Core

My Journey with Technology

My first memorable learning experience with technology was in college. I had a boyfriend who was a computer science major at Berkeley. Once, while he was in class and I was waiting in his dorm room, I started exploring on his computer. This was obviously the beginning of my tech journey because as I opened window upon window, I realized that I didn't know how to close them. When he came back from class he laughed at me and then broke up with me one week later.

I did not let that experience deter me though, I used it as motivation to figure these things out. The next year I became the TA for a computer class of adults who were returning to college. As I learned how to help them, I started morphing into the educator I have become today. I came to understand that it is better to meet a person at exactly the level of knowledge where they currently exist, and help them move one step forward, rather than expect them to jump in and understand everything.

From 2000-2012, as a 2nd and 3rd grade classroom teacher, I would search for ways to incorporate technology into my teaching. I ran into many hurdles such as Microsoft Office products in the lab not communicating with Open Office products on the classroom computers, sites like Shutterfly being blocked, and YouTube not being accessible during school hours. I did as much as I could though, and kept on learning.

My 3rd grade students made Venn diagrams of their animal reports on readwritethink.org

In 2011, I was hired as a Teacher on Assignment for Ed. Services at our District Office. My job description: Learn as much about the Common Core as possible, and teach the teachers. Mission accepted. I figured out how to make my own YouTube video through Animoto, and put this together in response to the question I commonly heard: 

Am I teaching Common Core?

The more I learned about the Common Core, the more I realized how deeply technology was connected to the standards. I found some standard topics I had never taught before like Digital Publishing, and Creating Audio Recordings. This language led me to the discovery of tools such as Popplet and Audioboo.

Click link to see an Audioboo Example

Here is a Popplet a student did showing multiplication arrays around the house. 

I started attending technology conferences like the Google Summit in Roseville, and the CUE conference in Natomas. In those sessions I learned about the power of connecting with other educators and learning from my peers.

This week I participated in my first Twitter chat and was blown away by the collective brain power that was out there. I have discovered a feeling of relief that I don't have to figure all of this out alone.

Currently, my goal is to continue meeting our district teachers right where they are and helping them to take the next step forward in their own personal tech journey. What do you want to learn?

(The best advice I have learned to give them is: When tech isn't working- switch browsers!)