In a previous blog post, Categorizing Interactive Content, I shared four categories I use to group online interactive content. This helps me to select specific online resources based on the way in which I would like to utilize the content in my lesson. Since that post has been the blog’s most viewed and commented on, I thought I would provide additional information about the topic as was requested by GarykPatton.

Below I have described the specific ways I utilize each type of interactive content when teaching the topic of 2-D shapes. One site is given below as an example, although I use multiple sites in each category when teaching a topic.

Interactive Animations:

• http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me5l/html/math5.html?goLesson=17&launch=true
  When first introducing 2-D shapes to my class, instead of relaying the information about each shape via a lecture, I let interactive animations do the initial instruction for me. Instead of sitting and just watching the animation, my students take notes by creating their own flip books to be used for later study and review.
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The websites:

• http://nwlg.org/pages/resources/ma_num/swf/shapeGate001.html
• http://www.ictgames.com/Y1shape.html
• http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mejhm/html/object_interactives/shape_classification/use_it.html?launch=true

Classroom Applications:

Whole Class Activities:  Review 2-D shape attributes as a whole class with the first website by directing shapes into the correct gates.  Give each student a green square of construction paper and a red square of construction paper.  Each student votes on the answer to each attribute question by holding up their green square for “yes” and their red square for “no”.  The class answers the questions based on the majority vote.

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