The Classroom Scoop on Scoop.it!

So after much thought (and some helpful comments), I brainstormed some ideas for how to use Scoop.it in the classroom. For example:

·      Current Events: For a social studies classroom, it would be great to use Scoop.it in order to have students scoop current events. I remember having to gather current events in high school from newspapers or printing out articles from online. Then I would have to summarize the event and then reflect on the event. It would be so much more efficient (and green!) if this could be done online! This way, the students could follow each other, and their audience would be more authentic. Yay!

·      Grammar Mistakes: I love getting emails and pictures from friends and family, but my favorites are when they are sharing these awful grammar mistakes. My brother sent me this article the other day:

As an English teacher, I’ve noticed that students tend to learn more and be engaged when they see how silly these spelling and grammar mistakes can be. I also think this one is just hilarious (and a great way to teach homophones:

·      Science Articles: Science is everywhere nowadays, and it changes daily. This could be similar to the current events in social studies, but instead, it could be current science. Students can find what interests them in science, and it makes it more relevant to them. I would have much preferred to do this in middle and high school when science was not super exciting for me. There is a reason I became an English teacher after all.

·      Idea sharing with colleagues: Scoop.it can be a great way to share ideas with colleagues who have similar interests. Collaboration is the key to maintaining creativity as a teacher!

The good thing about the first three ideas is that they let students find their own interests. Students can post what they find interesting, and from there, they will continue to receive more suggestions from Scoop.it about similar topics.  Besides, isn’t part of teaching help students find their own identity?