Hey ALL!!
My name is Dalal Dabboussi I've chosen the website ‘funschool.kaboose.com’. There are so many reasons that I’ve chosen this website because i believe it is an ideal website to be used in the classroom. After investigating all the different elements, areas and options on the site I feel that it is a great example of an interactive multi-modal text! It also clearly addresses all the KLAs that are studied in primary schools across New South Wales. The language used in the written texts, the extremely amazing animations and visual, as well as the interactivity it provides through a variety of games, polls, interactive clips and printable activities makes this website idyllic and appropriate for all primary students.
This site even has a section specifically designed for preschool students and parents and teachers! As a budding teacher it was great to see that I could access a special tab that would give me details on how different aspects of the site (learning centers, printable resources, math, science and language games) are useful for different stages!
One of the things that I loved about this site is the fact that ALL stage levels and grade will find something to do on this website. The assortment of games and activities are directed at different stages levels and this makes the site extremely straightforward to use. If it’s the simple act of revising material that’s been learnt in class, or experiencing new and challenging ways of excelling their knowledge… this website has it all!
Navigating around the site is extremely easy! This tab gives the option of allowing the students to explore a whole new world!
The tab expands out and students can use the side arrows to scroll through the available activities in each section. Students can then ‘play’ a game or ‘go’ into a activity centre!
Time Wrap: delves into the past! Through the learning center “Enter the world of Dinosaurs!” students can take part in an assortment of activities that teach them about life and time of the dinosaurs. They can also explore Egyptian mummies and play the fun game ‘Castle Calamity”.
Globe Rider: takes students on a trip around the world. This section of the site lets students explore worlds beyond their classroom walls. Going under the Sea”, into space or visiting countries around the world are easily accessible with the click of a mouse.
Formula Fusion: Science and Math made fun! Students can play games that make math and science concepts as fun and easy!
Fun Blaster Arcade: is a random selection of games and activities that can be played at any time!
All Games: KLA content made EASY! This is a fantastic section of the site! It actually separates all the learning games and activities into their specific KLAs! The tabs found at the top of the page as well as the sidebar makes accessing the different KLAs effortless!
- Math : Including 34 assorted games that cover mathematic content such as whole numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. As well as fraction, decimals equations and much more students learning the fun way! The timers on the games vary but generally give the students enough time to work through the questions at their own pace!
The following KLAs have many games and activities and I've included a list of them below!
- Language Games: 35 language games
- Science Games: 40 games and activities
- Geography and History: 31 games and activities
- Sports Games: 18 games and activities
-Arts and Music: 17 games and activities
A positive written text used on the website is well written and easily comprehensible. The site uses a great deal of procedural language features. All the games on the site are accompanied by step by step instructions written instructions on how to play the game. These steps are grammatical and straightforward regardless of
stage. I think that by including games that allowed the students to explore the various text types (procedures, recounts, expositions) in detail would improve the site even more.
The visuals on this site are extraordinary! The way they’ve been set up on this site is effective. The site is jam-packed with animations! They’re fantastic and the colours are eye catching! They way that the tabs pop out and jump when the mouse is rolled over them makes the site so interactive that even I, an adult :P, felt like engaged the whole time! The visual are also accompanied by audio elements and it allows students to use a variety of senses to interact with the site. A variety of advertisements for children’s shows, DVDs or games are scattered around the site. They can pop up randomly which can be quite annoying and in way seemed to be aimed at encouraging students to become young consumers.
The most salient point on the main page suggests that site is full of variety! Just by looking at the home page it’s obvious that students will be occupied for hours! This is obvious as the site is so busy! There are so many things to see, tabs to explore and animations to watch and it clearly makes learning fun!
The use of this website in the classroom is so thrilling. here are two examples of how to use it in the classroom!
Using this site during literacy/reading groups is useful. If the teacher opens the site specifically to the language games section of the site. The students will be given an assortment of 35 games and activities to play and explore! The students learn essential information that helps them excel their literacy skills! These games include word jumbles, hangman, sentence beginnings, rhyme time, teach me ABCs and what’s hidden?
As part of the HSIE unit “Under the Sea” which is commonly explored in the early stage one this site provides a variety of printable resources, learning centres and games that the little ones can use to explore the world under the sea!
