REFLECTION: USING TIMETOAST TIMELINE IN CLASS

The objective of this lesson is to work with author's biographies. After reading certain books in class we will research a little about their authors and we will create a timeline using the app TIME TOASTER to include the information. 

• The learning objectives of the activity

The learning objectives of creating a TIMELINE in class are helping students read for obtaining information, as well as other strategies such as activating, inferring, monitoring-clarifying, questioning, searching-selecting, summarizing, and visualizing-organizing.

• The advantages of using TimeToast for this activity

The advantages are applying a digital tool which is also visual and helps students structured information and have access to it in a quick way. 

• The steps you followed to set up the activity

Activating knowledge and Inferring

0. What is a biography? What information do we include in a biography? How is it structured? etc. 

Monitoring-clarifying

1. Modeling a biography by showing students the sample created in TimeToaster. 

Questioning

2. Using the author's information and questioning how to transfer the information from the book to the timeline. 

Searching-selecting

3. Choosing the author

4. Researching for information about the author

Summarizing/ Visualizing-organizing.

5. Creating the timeline. 

• Any problems and how you and the students solved them

I have not been able to run this activity however we have created timelines with the web Canva and it went very well. 

• The students’ reaction – how did they feel about using TimeToast to complete the task?

I have the feeling they would find it less attractive than Canva. 

• Some things that you would change / improve next time

I would use a different app since I find TimeToaster dated and not up to my students expectations. 

• At least 3 ways that the use of TimeToast helped you achieve your learning objectives

Using a timeline in class is very useful since it is a real life task students need to put in practice and help them develop a wide range of reading strategies.