Thing #14

I didn't really have a preference on which of the four chart programs I chose because I had not heard / used any of them. I chose the middle two (Flowchart and bubbl.us) because I liked the looks of the charts you could create with them. Using the Flowchart site, I created a chart that shows the steps for solving a division problem. This is what we are working on in my class this week (maybe month...haha), so I thought it would be neat to give them a flowchart as part of their notes so they have something to look at and that shows what steps for completing a problem. Giving them something to look at with the steps on it is a big help for them...especially my ELL students. Having it written down helps them understand some of the things they might have missed when I was teaching.
I also tested the mindmap on the bubbl.us site. I am really excited about this site! My students have been doing a lot of brainstorming activities to help come up with ideas for writing, and I really think they would enjoy using this tool. They could get on a computer and make their map for brainstorming without erasing anything. They can just make it as they go. If I had one account for my class, I think it would be neat for the kids to see how the other mindmaps look to give them ideas on how to expand their thinking. I can't wait to use this with my 5th graders!