Argo Floats - Newsletter 3 for teachers
Kia ora koutou Shelley here,
It is great to have you join us for our voyage on board RV Tangaroa. The ambassadors are all set to go. I am sure you and your students are looking forward to discovering more about our oceans and how they are monitored using Argo Floats. This trip is supported by NIWA and NOAA.
Things to do from this newsletter, (previous newsletters from this field trip can be found here):
- check access to computers, phone lines, speaker phone
- give students the field trip link http://www.learnz.org.nz/argofloats142 plus the login, if needed, that you set up for them in MyLEARNZ
- print audioconference questions
- remember to read Shelley's first diary on Tuesday morning
- first audioconference at 9.30am on Tuesday
- take part in the LEARNZ backchannel
- first videos and questions online Wednesday
- send examples of children's work to share on the Activities page
1. KEY DATES and TIMES
- Tuesday 17 June – the Argo Floats Virtual Field Trip on board RV Tangaroa gets under way. First audioconference at 9.30am on Tuesday.
- Read Shelley's first diary and look at the panorama images on Tuesday 17 June.
- Monday 14 July at 4pm. Teachers submitting evaluations by this time and day are eligible for the prize draw.
2. AUDIOCONFERENCES
- You must be registered and enrolled to access the audioconference material
- Login to check the Audioconferences page which has links to all aspects of the audioconferences.
- Students from speaking schools have been coming up with some interesting questions, which you can print off for your class to read during the audioconference.
- You can listen to audioconferences live on the internet or to a recording later.
- Audioconference summaries can be emailed to shelley.hersey@core-ed.org.
Please remember:
- Listening Schools (via the internet) - Your class can listen to audioconferences as they happen via the live stream on the website.
- Speaking schools - Press the mute button to un-mute your phone so you can talk and then press the mute button again as soon as you are finished speaking.
- Speaking Schools - If other students are listening to the audioconference on the internet, ensure they are in a different room to the one being used for the audioconference.
NEW! LEARNZ Backchannel
- Throughout the Argo Floats field trip, the LEARNZ backchannel will operate during live audioconferences.
- The LEARNZ backchannel will include live chat where students, or teachers on their behalf, can:
- share ideas
- ask extra questions
- answer questions
- watch related visuals
- contribute links and other examples of their classwork.
- Look out for an email invitation within the next few days that includes instructions and the link.
- Find out more about the LEARNZ backchannel in LEARNZ support.
3. ACTIVITIES
- Get the students primed and ready to learn by visiting the activities for this Argo Floats site.
- Take a look at the planning sequence in the Resources section - good for helping you keep your class on track during the field trip.
- With the class username and password that you set up for them on MyLEARNZ, students can share their learning at home with family.
4. VIDEOS
- During the field trip, videos with captions and questions are uploaded to the website each morning.
- The first videos (from Tuesday) will be online on Wednesday morning.
- Video questions and answers are uploaded for you (the teacher) in the Resources - Teacher Share section.
5. WEB BOARD
- During the field trip students from your class can add their questions to the Argo Floats Ask-an-Expert Web Board.
- The Ask-an-Expert Web Board will remain active for 4 weeks following the trip and then it will be placed on the Argo Floats Website under a new link called 'Questions-Answers'.
- Teachers are expected to manage the way their students use Ask-an-Expert. Your school's Internet Use Policy should govern the way students behave online.
6. CONTACTS
If you have questions regarding the field trip please phone the NZ Teacher Freephone 0800 22 55 53, or email the webmaster webmaster@learnz.org.nz.
See you all soon,
Shelley
LEARNZ Field Trip Teacher
