First Grade Students Love LIVE Learning at OHDELA!

Our first grade students at OHDELA have many ways to communicate with their teachers and classmates.  First of all, we love live learning! In our daily live learning classes, we read books, work together to write class stories, practice math on the whiteboard and share our writing by reading to the class using picture slides or  webcams. First graders love to raise their hands and share with the class! They also participate in live classes by typing in answers or clicking Yes/No or thumbs up/thumbs down responses.

 

Developing writing skills is a big step for first graders. Our students have the opportunity to share each rough draft that they are writing by reading and recording it on a voice board. Classmates in each small group can listen to the recording at any time and ask questions to help the writer develop details, sentences and paragraphs.

 

This year, first grade students have the opportunity to record themselves reading books on the raz-kids website so that their teachers can listen to the progress they are making in becoming fluent readers. Some first graders participate in small group and one-on-one classes with Reading and Math teachers, All of these activities help first graders develop the skills they need to become life-long learners!

 

Teachers and students also enjoy meeting at locations across the state for field trips, academic fun days, and school-wide events. First graders who attended the Science Fair and Read Across America Day in Akron participated in live learning experiences with classmates and teachers. We shared pictures of these events in our live learning sessions!  In the fall of the 09-10 school year, K-3 students and teachers visited family farms in Columbus and Wooster. We look forward to our First Grade Spring field trip to the Symphony in Columbus and to all the upcoming K-3 field trips! 

 

Learning together in first grade is fun!  Our first graders love to learn about animals, water and life cycles. Recently we have investigated matter as solid, liquid and gas and learned how to measure temperature. Students learn how to measure using different units for length and weight and then find ways to record and present information. This is an exciting time as a young student’s viewpoint expands beyond the local community to include our state, our country and our world.  As reading skill and fluency increase, students begin to find their own individual interests in fiction and non-fiction books. Students at OHDELA love to learn!

OHDELA Mixes History With Fun...

On May 6^th, nearly 80 OHDELA students and parents traveled on the Cuyahoga Valley Rail Road, departing from the Akron Northside Station.  The excitement was obvious as we were led through some songs and dramatics by the wonderful costumed staff of the railroad.  Students were patient as trees were cleared from the tracks, and the engine’s whistle could finally be heard pulling into the station.  The “All aboard” command came quickly, and we were off!

 

While en-route to the Peninsula area, students learned about the history of the canals and how changes in transportation affected the area around them.  Volunteers became part of a mock canal boat ride in the aisles of the train, taking on roles of captains, engineers, and even mules!  Our hosts really made the history come alive!

 

All too soon we were at our turn-around point.  It was fun to visit with other OHDELA students while we lunched and shopped in the dining car or at our seats.  The knowledgeable staff continued to answer students’ questions on the entire ride back.  We were sad to pull into the station and bid each other farewell.  After a few quick pictures with the conductor, the train pulled away, readying itself for another ride, another day.

Seven Tips To Doing Well In Online Learning

Here's How:

1. Make sure that online high school is right for you. Let’s face it: online high school isn’t for everyone. If you feel tortured completing coursework independently or get distracted every two minutes, perhaps you’d do better in a more traditional setting. Carefully evaluate the choice to learn online – don’t get too far into the semester if it isn’t a good fit.
2. Choose an online high school that works for your learning style. Each online high school has a different way of interacting with students. Some offer summer camps and local extracurricular activities. Some assign students an online mentor to work with each day. Some leave students to work on their own, simply sending grades and feedback through email. Find an online high school that fits your personality and preferences and you’ll be much more likely to succeed.
3. Create a high school graduation plan with the help of a counselor. When you enroll in an online high school you should be given the opportunity to create a graduation plan outlining the courses you need to take in order to earn a diploma. Talk to an academic counselor at the end of each semester to review this plan.
4. Put your learning first. Online high school students must rely on their own dedication to get them to graduation. Inevitably, you’ll be tempted to rush through assignments or skim the readings. Don’t be distracted. Commit to graduating and keep your goal in mind whenever you struggle with staying on track.
5. Create a study spot. A clean, quiet place to complete your assignments can make a huge difference to an online high school student. Find a place in your home with a desk that you can use. Speak with other family members about the importance of keeping the area neat and keeping quiet while you are trying to study in the area.
6. Use a calendar and always turn assignments in on time. Having your own monthly / weekly calendar can help you schedule your assignments and plan for the future. At the beginning of each semester, write down your assignments on the appropriate days. At the beginning of each week, review what will be due in the coming days.
7. Ask for help when you need it. Successful online high school students know when to speak up. If you have a question, ask it. If you don’t understand an assignment, let someone know. Some online students struggle learning technical subjects such as math in a virtual environment. If additional tutoring isn’t available through your online high school, talk to your parents about arranging for a local tutor to help you master the material.

You can learn more about the benefits of online schooling at www.mydela.com.   OHDELA is a tuition-free virtual school in Ohio that offers homeschooling without the headache with support of teachers and curriculum.  Find out what other families think about  thier children schooling online with OHDELA from the comfort and safety of home.

5 Fun Ways to Help Your Kids Learn Math Online

Rebecca Zook is an online female math tutor who has been helping students get math into their brains for seven years. She blogs about learning at Triangle Suitcase. We’ve sorted the contenders from the pretenders and found five genuinely fun ways to help your kids learn math this summer. These unique technologies go way beyond the world of flashcards, and use surprising tools including rap music, adaptive technology, psychological research and wailing guitar solos.

They’re fun. They’re easy to use. And they aren’t lame.  At OHDELA we are always looking for ways to keep our students engaged so if you have ideas comment now.  Read More Now...

 

Online homeschooling has the ability to reduce dropout rates.

Cody Millin is nine-and-a-half years old and looks like a typical fourth-grader, but he's in sixth grade and has no trouble doing the work of a typical middle school student. He does all of his learning from home and likes working independently. He says, "I'd get bored waiting for others to finish an assignment. I like to do my work and move on to the next thing." Like most homeschoolers, Cody works at a desk in his house, where his mother is his learning coach. Unlike most such pupils, however, Cody is part of a public charter school that's licensed by the state of Pennsylvania.

Nick Dull is enrolled in a single online class. This tenth-grader spends most of his day in a traditional classroom but chose to learn geometry online because of a scheduling conflict. After he leaves Pine View High School in Sarasota, Florida each day, he heads home and logs onto his virtual class. His online teacher is available via e-mail; his classmates, who may be in other schools, states, or countries, are available through collaborative workspaces, e-mail, and Web conferencing.

These students are part of an increasing number of learners taking advantage of the current upsurge in e-learning options. Contributing to this growth are a variety of factors, including federal legislation, better technology capacity in homes and schools, a growing recognition of e-learning's cost effectiveness and ability to reduce dropout rates, and also recent significant improvements to online content and infrastructure (see "Content and Platform Toolbox").

According to Tim Stroud, executive director of the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL), "In the last half year, there has been a major change; public schools are discovering that online learning has a place in their systems. Parents and students want the flexibility, and districts find that it saves them money on textbooks, which can go online, and personnel, through hiring retired and part-time teachers."

READ MORE...

OHDELA Students Travel To Space For Science.

Some of us have the best memories of science class in school while we grew plants on paper towels and put the seedlings in pots to take home to our parents.  Some of us have the worst memories trying to recount the 25 plus steps of photosynthesis and the dark reactions.  As a science teacher, I strive to find the balance between reliving the “best-est” science lessons and the “worst-est” with modern techniques and engaging lessons. 

As you speak to your high school science student this week, ask about plants in space.  I’ve taken the concept of photosynthesis and the hormone based growth patterns and launched them into space.  Read some of the quotes from your students’ experimental set ups.  It’s amazing how vividly their thoughts come through:

 

“My experiment would be to see if a seed to grow with just these items, in a sealed vase, in a space atmosphere environment. I would want to see if 1. The plant can actually grow on earth, 2. The plant can grow in the sealed vase, 3.  The plant can grow in the vase with space atmosphere conditions. The vase would contain, soil, some water, Auxins, Abscisic Acid, and Gibberellin hormones.”

 

“The plant will need the Auxin Hormone to make the cell grow. The Abscisic Acid Hormone will allow the plant to be watered less, because it restricts water loss. The Gibberellin hormone is needed for the roots of the plant to grow.”

 

When asked what plant the student would choose to send to space these responses were offered:

“[I would choose] a moss, because they grow fast and don’t require much or perhaps a cactus, because they don’t require much, and are used to extreme temperatures. Or some kind of arctic grass, because they don’t need a lot of water, and can grow quickly.”

“I would choose a monocot plant with a fibrous root system because it is smaller and less complicated.”

I would choose spearmint seeds. The leaves taste like mint and could replace the chewing of gum.

[ I would choose a ] cactus and wild flower of course, they need less attention barely any water and what not, these would be the best to experiment with and the most logical since most planets contain the desert like theme.

It’s not always the best lectures or the best worksheets or even the best tests that get our students thinking.  This is a simple yet eloquent asynchronous discussion that has lasted over 2 weeks and has compelled our students to a college level of creativity and intellectual discussion.  In this class, everyone does love to learn about plants. Mr. Citron, OHDELA Science Team Lead

Necessities of a Homeschooling Mom (or Dad)

When it comes to Ohio Homeschooling OHDELA is always looking for ways to help.  This week I spend alot of time reading others blog post and enjoying knowing that our trials and tribulations as home school parents are often the same no matter where you live, or where they attend.  The article below I found was great for sharing.  Hope you enjoy...

(Posted by: Heather L. Sanders of Oh My Stinkin’ Heck; Thanks for this great article Heather) 

When I first married my husband I thought I had a good handle on the difference between want and need; I later discovered I was far from the mark. And when I say “far from the mark”, I mean, I COULD NOT SEE THE MARK.

Fifteen years later I can see the mark clearly; in fact, most of the time I’m pretty much on target.

And that is why when I tell you the following things are “necessities” for this homeschooling mom, you should believe me.

#1. coffee and bare feet
Are you nodding your head?
You should be.

I realize FlyLady would disagree with the shoes part, but I’m telling you I think better when barefoot and with caffeine in my system.

It is a fact.

#2. Sharpies – preferably black

A fine-tipped Sharpie gives permanence to everything it touches – whether you want it that way or not.

You can always count on a Sharpie to get the job done for good.
I love things I can count on.

#3. Alligator Clips

Bright and colorful, I initially purchased them because I’m an office product addict and they were a feast for my eyes.

Then, when they ran out, I bought another pack, and another pack,…so, while I might not be able to explain exactly “how” these babies get used, I can assure you they do get used…

…even if just for cleaning up and organizing “crap”.

...Read More

 So now I’m curious. Besides the obvious pencil and paper, what are your “necessities” when it comes to teaching your kids?

OHDELA Kindergarten updates...

Hello OHDELA family and friends! I can’t believe it is the second week of May already! This year is sure flying fast! It is hard to believe that this school year is almost complete! I bet you’re wondering what our Kindergarten students have been up to this month!

 

 

In Language Arts, the Kindergarteners have finished up the wonderful Harcourt curriculum and are now focusing on a poetry unit, adapted from Scholastic’s Fast Start Reading Program. This program is designed to help students with fluency and comprehension. The students have also been enjoying many games that review their high frequency words. I have heard many of the students say that they have enjoyed the lesson where they get to “feed” a monster all of the high frequency words that they know and if they do not know a word, the monster will spit the word back out! Ewww!

This month has been a good time for the students to review their math concepts and learn some First Grade concepts. They have been visiting some awesome math websites! Here are just a few of the websites that the students are visiting:

• Counting by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s
• Ordering Numbers
• Making your own pattern

 

In Science and Social Studies, the students are finishing up a unit on jobs. In this unit, the students are learning about different jobs, such as doctors, dentists, librarians, and chefs. Maybe these lessons will spark one of the student’s interests, and who knows; I may have the next “Top Chef” in my class!

 

I hope you have enjoyed learning a little bit about what the Kindergarteners at the Ohio Distance & Electronic Learning Academy have been up to throughout the school year. Stay tuned for my June blog!

What is the difference between traditional and online school?

“So, um, my name is Tony, if you didn’t know and this is Mr. Citron’s class.  But you probably know that.”  A slightly deepened, 16 year old male voice rumbles to the class.  “My topic is Penicillin and the discovery and implementation of drug treatments” Tony continues to the class of 25 high school students.  As Tony catches his stride, his speech pattern smoothes out and the knowledge he researched for the last 4 weeks starts to flow to his audience.  Tony launches his final 5 slides; and has decided to give the class an assignment he designed.  “Ok guys” he says, “you’ll need the following household items to complete the lab assignment I’m giving you.”  Tony wraps up his presentation with 2 relevant quotes from Alexander Fleming.

A presentation in front of the class can be difficult for students.

  It also presents challenges for the teacher.  In our virtual environment, students have similar issues with fear of presentations and speaking in front of their peers.  What our learning environment offers is anonymity while speaking.  The most amazing aspect of these student lead classes is the concluding comments: made by the audience. “Great Job Tony”, “That was awesome”.  “Nice work on that”, I didn’t know all that stuff”,J and so on.  In my 15 years of public and private school education, I’ve never seen such positive responses from one high school age student to another.  Gone are the stereotypes and prejudices and cliché mentalities that come with a traditional public school.  Here at OHDELA, we have a supportive, complimentary learning environment that allows all students the opportunity to learn and be heard.  

Ask Tony, or any other of my students, about his presentation and you’ll be sure to get a detailed account of the Penicillin and Fleming’s contribution to today’s body of scientific knowledge. Hear more about what our families experiences have been by watching OHDELA video at mydela.com.

OHDELA kindergarten learn about habitats.

Hello OHDELA family and friends! I hope everyone is having a wonderful April! As this month is coming to a close, I wanted to share with you some really cool stuff that has been happening in Kindergarten!
 
In my recent blogs, I mentioned that the Kindergarten students were learning about habitats. During this almost-month-long research project, the students had a chance to pick, research, and create the habitat of their choice. At the end of the unit, the students were able to share their habitats by sending in pictures and sharing them in our virtual-learning class, called Wimba.
 
The students were very excited about sharing their habitats in Wimba, because they were able to use their web cams! They enjoyed seeing each other- for some, for the first time.  It was a very enjoyable class, as the students were able to tell about what they learned about their habitats!
 
Here is a link to all of the wonderful and creative habitats that the Kindergarteners made: http://picasaweb.google.com/OHDELAKindegarten/Habitats#
 
I am very fortunate to have the most wonderful class here at OHDELA! The Kindergarteners are #1!