DT With Mrs B

Let's chat about Applied Digital Skills , a sweet program by Google. It's all about arming students with the digital skills they need to shine in school, work, and life. The cool part? It's aligned with New Zealand's Digital Technologies curriculum, and it's here to lend a hand to our Kiwi teachers. Applied Digital Skills has got your back, with a bunch of resources to support you in implementing the New Zealand Digital Technologies curriculum. Here's what's in the toolkit: * Lesson plans: You'll find a variety of lesson plans that match up with the New Zealand Digital Technologies curriculum. These plans are a breeze to follow, complete with step-by-step instructions, along with resources for both students and teachers. * Digital tools: It's in cahoots with Google's digital tools like Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. That means you can easily integrate these digital tools into your lessons, giving your students hands-on experience. * Professiona...

  Nga Motu: A Minecraft EDU world to support student learning about Te Ao Māori Nga Motu is a Minecraft EDU world created by Piki Studios and dedicated to learning about the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a beautiful and immersive world that allows students to explore Māori culture, language, and history in a hands-on and engaging way. Credit to: Whetu Paitai Lesson plan for MinecraftEDU found here Nga Motu is a valuable resource for educators who are looking to support student learning about Te Ao Māori. The world is designed to be culturally accurate and respectful, and it features a variety of activities that can be used to teach students about Māori culture and values. One of the most important aspects of Te Ao Māori is the relationship between people and the land. Nga Motu reflects this relationship by featuring a variety of New Zealand native plants and animals, such as kiwi, tuna, and piwakawaka. Students can learn about these animals and their importance ...

Kia ora, fellow educators! It's Motivation Monday, and today we're diving into the exciting world of stop motion animation. Whether you're just curious about adding a dash of creativity to your classroom or looking for a fresh approach to teaching, I've got you covered. What is Stop Motion Animation? First things first, let's break it down. Stop motion animation is a captivating filmmaking technique where you bring inanimate objects or drawings to life, frame by frame. It's like making magic happen on screen! Getting Started with iPads and iMovie I teach in a fully-spec'd out Media studio, complete with green screens, and tonnes of tripods, iPads and macbooks.  So for a while, I've been using iPads and iMovie to teach stop motion animation. It's user-friendly and perfect for beginners. If you're fortunate enough to have these resources then here's a quick overview: 1. Preparation: Gather your materials - iPads, objects to animate, and a tripo...

Kia ora, fellow educators! Today, we're diving into the creative world of digital mosaics using Google Drawings. I've also created a handy video tutorial to guide you through the process. Let's explore how this activity can align with specific progress outcomes from the New Zealand Curriculum for Digital Technologies and benefit your classrooms. Below is part of my lesson plan.  This demonstrates the priorities that I focussed on when implementing this lesson in my space. Three Compelling Reasons to Use Digital Mosaics: 1. Enhanced Creativity: Digital mosaics allow students to express their creativity and artistic skills in a unique way. They can experiment with colour, patterns, and shapes, fostering their artistic talents while working with technology. 2. Cross-Curricular Integration: Mosaics can be integrated into various subjects, from history (creating mosaic representations of historical figures) to science (designing mosaic depictions of cells). This versatility make...

  In today's digital age, fostering creativity and digital literacy skills among students is essential. One effective way to achieve this goal is through engaging activities that combine technology and self-expression. In this blog post, we'll explore a fantastic Canva activity that not only helps students become familiar with the platform but also aligns seamlessly with the New Zealand Digital Technologies Curriculum. Before diving into the activity, let's briefly introduce Canva. Canva is an intuitive and user-friendly graphic design tool that empowers users to create visually appealing designs, from social media graphics to presentations and more. Its drag-and-drop interface and vast library of templates, images, and fonts make it a versatile platform suitable for various projects. Activity: Personalised Name Art with Canva The activity we're spotlighting involves turning one's name into a personalised work of art using Canva. As showcased in the accompanying vid...