Unplugged Coding

 Coding with Students! 

If you are thinking about implementing coding into your curriculum, you need to check out: code.org! 

Your students will create their own games, art, and digital stories that they can share - all while developing problem-solving, collaboration, persistence, and computational thinking skills. Do your students love to get up and move around? Half of the lessons are "unplugged" activities that teach computational thinking and digital citizenship skills without computers. 

Code.org is a FREE and lets educators create classes, distribute assignments, and see everything in one place. I absolutely LOVE it and I had never taught coding until this year.

Launch Update!  

So EXCITED to update you on the LAUNCH of PLTW (Project Lead the Way) into our curriculum...
Click on the link below for our newest Newsletter!
November Launch Newsletter

Create your own Channel!  

One of the best things I have done over the years is create my own YouTube channel.

I use videos to teach lots of concepts and this is a great way to store them for easy access and it also allows you to post them so kids can watch them as instructional tools.

Do you have lots of videos that you use in your classroom? 
Is it hard to find them and/or you feel like you have to search through a billion folders and files to find them? 

This is what I have used for years with all my classes and since I teach K-5th grade, it has been a lifesaver.

How can you use it in the classroom?
You literally have all your videos (both the ones you create and others) at your fingertips. You can create a playlist of links that can be shared - privately or publicly, if you'd like. The link will take students, colleagues and parents straight to your saved videos. YouTube will also generate you a embedded code to add to your blog, google classroom page, etc... It's perfect for students who might need to watch a video again for "extra practice" or to find important information during the school year.

Here's a link (below) to one of my favorite borrowed videos. I have playlists for both ART & STEAM!
Never Give Up! 

Technology Galore! 

What a great first rotation with all these amazing students. They have been hard at work learning how to use and navigate Google Chrome & Google Classroom! 

 Google Classroom is a FREE Google app that lets educators create classes, distribute assignments, send feedback, and see everything in one place.

All 2nd through 5th grade classes are now learning and becoming "digital learners". To learn more check out Google for Education! 

November 2018 Newslettter!

November STEAM Newsletter - To view the PDF, just click on the link and download the PDF to your computer. You don't need Dropbox, just download the file to your computer.

September 2018 Newslettter!

September STEAM Newsletter - To view the PDF, just click on the link and download the PDF to your computer. You don't need Dropbox, just download the file to your computer.

August 2018 Newslettter!

Welcome to our first STEAM Newsletter and some exciting things happening at our school. 

STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math

August STEAM Newsletter - To view the PDF, just click on the link and download the PDF to you computer. You do not need dropbox or to install anything, just download the file.

Google Classroom Learners

Here's a look at some great things happening in our classroom. Students are working hard learning their username and passwords. They are also learning how to join and use our "Google Classroom" page. This is where they will become DIGITAL LEARNERS! To learn more about "Google Classroom" check out this website: Ed Tech Teacher's Post

For the Love of Symbaloo!  

One of my favorite technology tools is "symbaloo". For those of you who aren't sure what symbaloo is, this post will give you details and ways in which I've used it in my classrooms. 

Do you have lots of great websites, videos, etc... that you use in your classroom? 
Is it hard to find them and/or you feel like you have a billion bookmarks? 

Well, this is what I have used for years with all my classes and since I teach K-5th grade, it has been a lifesaver.

My Symbaloo Webmix

Symbaloo is a FREE visual bookmarking tool that makes it simple and fun to organize the best of the web. With an account you can access your bookmarks from any device and share your online resources with others.

How can you use it in the classroom?
You literally have all your websites at your fingertips. You can create a web mix of links that can be shared - privately or publicly, if you'd like. The link will take students, colleagues and parents straight to your webmix. Symbol will also generate you a embedded code to add to your blog. It's perfect for parents who are looking for good websites for "extra practice" or to find important information during the school year.

Check out the symbaloo website to learn more and get started!   

The Launch of STEAM!  

I just finished designing some new posters, etc... for our STEAM classroom. Here's just a preview of what I've created. Make sure to check out my TPT shoppe to see all the great things I've made. 

I will be using the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum as part of our STEAM program this school year. This will be the first year for this program - Launch! I was able to complete my training and get my certificate recently and I'm very excited about the launch of this NEW program. I will post a video and more information later on PLTW so you can see all the great things that will be incorporated in our STEAM program.

These ©posters are my designs that coordinate with our new curriculum and program. If you'd like to purchase or see more designs, you can find them here (click on link): Mrs Clauses Creative Classroom

“A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.”  
– Albert Einstein

Welcome to our STEAM Classroom:)  

The school year is almost ready to begin and I've been learning some new things over the summer. Lots of great things are going to be happening in the new STEAM classroom. I did a little remodeling in the technology (STEAM class) this summer, making more room for creativity to flourish in unimaginable ways!

Technology Lab

Although these bulletin boards are bear right now, they won't be for long.

The walls are decorated with 8 posters that make our art room an amazing place to learn and create. These posters are our expectations and follow "How to be a good Leader" in our class and school.

This ©poster is my "design and saying" so students realize "It's OK to make mistakes...we learn from them and grow". I use it in conjunction with a great book titled "Regina's Big Mistake" and it's also my introduction to the school year and new classes!

My theme this year was bright colors and a chalkboard look! I love how the "STEAM Posters" turned out. We re-arranged the computer tables so we could lots of building space and areas to work together as groups. 

The best way to reach me is via my school email account:
felicia.clause@oldham.kyschools.us.

April 2018 Newslettter!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Spring Break this week. I can't wait to hear all the great stories of things you did over your break. Check out our April 2018 Newsletter! What a fabulous time at the Oldham County District Art Show at the arts center. Now it's time to get ready for Goshen's Art Show...it's going to be AMAZING!

To view the PDF, just click on the link above and download the PDF to you computer. You do not need dropbox or to install anything, just download the file.

Weaving Blooms

1st Grade Weaving Paper Plate Blooms

Weaving paper plates is not a new lesson and most teachers have sone it at least once with their classes. I love teaching students how to create fabric art and I decided to try tis with 1st grade. I wasn't sure how it would go since the have to measure and cut the yarn and most of them can't tie yet. So I modified it to be a little less crazy and here's how:
  
Modifications:
1. Measuring yarn - hold yarn in on hand and stretch it out with both arms then cut. 2 arms long is the size they need so it's not too short or too long. 
2. Instead of tying the pieces together - I have them tape it to the back of their plate when they start and finish. You can use either scotch or masking tape.
3. Cut the plates to create your loom instead of stringing it with yarn. Odd number of pieces and I had them use only 5 so they were easier and wouldn't tear off.


I incorporate a lot of books in my curriculum. When I teach weaving I have a lot of different books that I use, but depending on what project I'm doing will determine the book/books I use.


For this project, I chose:
"Weaving the Rainbow" by George Ella Lyon is a great book for younger kids. I love this book because it talks about where yarn comes from and how it's made along with the weaving process.