Saturday, July 17, 2010
The Last Thing...
I have learned so much from this class. My head is spinning. I have already set up a new blog site for my classroom, George's Jitterbugs. My goal with that blogsite is to have a place for my students to blog about the egg hatching, and for me to blog about that process as well. I also want to use my dog, Tipper, as a "blogdog" to blog with my students about chapter books they will be reading in lit circles. I think I will set up her own page for that. Maybe at the end of the year, I can bring her to school with me. I will be using delicious.com, library thing, the slide show, the mixbook.com or the google scrapbook. I am hoping my team will be able to figure out a way to save time with the lesson planning using google docs -- we'll see how that goes. All of the "things" were useful. I love the google reader. This class should be required of all teachers -- it's awesome!
Thing 23!!!! Ning & Classroom 2.0
Classroom 2.0
Wow! I found tons of things of interest -- the most important being the beginner / how to sites. I did join Classroom 2.0, the Beginner 2.0 Group, subscribed to a new feed: delicious/MrBrown4b/edtech because he had lots of "how to" information. Under "Forum" I read some discussions about converting YouTube to show at school (I have had that problem in the past). Some suggestions were: http://www.zamzar.com/, skype, http://www.kickyoutube.com/, http://www.schooltube.com/, http://vixy.net/. Which of these would work best with MISD?
Under Tags I looked at blogging sites as I want to blog with my students this year. I found a 5th grade blog that I really liked for an example. The teacher used the Rock Star/my space slideshow to make the title, mydragonblog.com, really cool. All the students belonged to the classroom family "dragons" and all had an alias dragon name. We are going to be the Jitterbugs next year, so we could have alias Jitterbug names too (probably a good idea for privacy w/students). This blog had all the parts I was thinking about. I am going to look at some more 4th-5th grade blog sites for examples before I launch this missle. I also read some other interesting discussions about reasons to blog: 1) authentic audience -- the students aren't just writing for a grade, but have an audience that will comment back, plus the connections between the kids will get them hooked; 2, talking to oneself online v. true collaboration--which is what I've felt at times, but one has to start somewhere; and 3) ground rules and behavior expectations for blogging. On the member tab I looked at Steve Hargadon's because I kept seeing his name, well he founded 2.0, had lots of helpful links. Under Latest Activity I found more about the YouTube conversions, plus a discussion thread about Voicethread which I still want to learn more about. I couldn't make a recording on my pc and need to figure it out. I liked the video: How to Start a Blog by Steve Hargadon because once school starts and I actually set out to do this, I may need the baby steps again.
Ning
Visit 23 Thingsters
'>http://
Visit 23 Thingsters
I joined the "Teaching Critical Thinking" facebook group from the link posted. Our new TAKS tests will be shorter, but more rigorous, and will require our students to actually THINK!
23Things is an exceptional class and well worth the time this summer! I can't wait to implement blogging in my classroom! Thanks!
Wow! I found tons of things of interest -- the most important being the beginner / how to sites. I did join Classroom 2.0, the Beginner 2.0 Group, subscribed to a new feed: delicious/MrBrown4b/edtech because he had lots of "how to" information. Under "Forum" I read some discussions about converting YouTube to show at school (I have had that problem in the past). Some suggestions were: http://www.zamzar.com/, skype, http://www.kickyoutube.com/, http://www.schooltube.com/, http://vixy.net/. Which of these would work best with MISD?
Under Tags I looked at blogging sites as I want to blog with my students this year. I found a 5th grade blog that I really liked for an example. The teacher used the Rock Star/my space slideshow to make the title, mydragonblog.com, really cool. All the students belonged to the classroom family "dragons" and all had an alias dragon name. We are going to be the Jitterbugs next year, so we could have alias Jitterbug names too (probably a good idea for privacy w/students). This blog had all the parts I was thinking about. I am going to look at some more 4th-5th grade blog sites for examples before I launch this missle. I also read some other interesting discussions about reasons to blog: 1) authentic audience -- the students aren't just writing for a grade, but have an audience that will comment back, plus the connections between the kids will get them hooked; 2, talking to oneself online v. true collaboration--which is what I've felt at times, but one has to start somewhere; and 3) ground rules and behavior expectations for blogging. On the member tab I looked at Steve Hargadon's because I kept seeing his name, well he founded 2.0, had lots of helpful links. Under Latest Activity I found more about the YouTube conversions, plus a discussion thread about Voicethread which I still want to learn more about. I couldn't make a recording on my pc and need to figure it out. I liked the video: How to Start a Blog by Steve Hargadon because once school starts and I actually set out to do this, I may need the baby steps again.
Ning
Visit 23 Thingsters
'>http://
Visit 23 Thingsters
I joined the "Teaching Critical Thinking" facebook group from the link posted. Our new TAKS tests will be shorter, but more rigorous, and will require our students to actually THINK!
23Things is an exceptional class and well worth the time this summer! I can't wait to implement blogging in my classroom! Thanks!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thing #22 Facebook
Educators need to know about social networking because "it takes a village" to teach. No one can afford to be an island and make it alone. It's too hard and the risks are too great. I found a site called Texas History: The Story of Us that I really like. It has lots of pictures that I could show for background information, plus links to memoirs, primary sources, of accounts we study. I also "liked" a reading site, but it looks like lots of book talk, both for adults and children. I admit I just got on FB during Spring Break of this year. It's a great way to keep up with people, but I prefer to not spend this much time staring at an electronic screen.
Thing 7b RSS feed
Inkless Tales: Animated Alphabet, online stories, the Mathematical Mother Goose, music and more
I joined Tech & Learning and get tons of stuff from them. I saw followed a rabbit trail from one of the feeds and ended up searching "poetry" and found this website that is an interactive version of Four Blocks' Making Big Words. I could use this in a learning center in my classroom. Played around with it and it's very easy to use and easy to differentiate (varying levels). Definitely want to remember this!
I joined Tech & Learning and get tons of stuff from them. I saw followed a rabbit trail from one of the feeds and ended up searching "poetry" and found this website that is an interactive version of Four Blocks' Making Big Words. I could use this in a learning center in my classroom. Played around with it and it's very easy to use and easy to differentiate (varying levels). Definitely want to remember this!
Thing #21 cont'd.
Google Earth to Search Earth Gallery to my Places: Explore the Ocean Floor to Tour Components. Choose from Ocean Overview, Welcome to the Galapagos, Hydrotheral Vents, Welcome to Hawaii. Must see videos for 4th grade science.
Thing #21 more Google docs...
Google books -- I love this -- right up there with delicious.com! Right off the bat I found a book called Mary's Math Memories . I googled "math children literature" and found a ton of books in full text. I wanted place value, so I searched within this book and found several books, two of which I want to remember: A Place for Zero: A Math Adventure by Angeline LoPresti and Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag. I love teaching through literature, so this will be an often-used website. It even has a place called "My Library" for me to save books that I want to refer to.
Google Earth. I am probably the only one on the planet whose never seen Google Earth before. I just thought it was looking at the Earth through a satellite where you could zoom in and out, kind of like that channel on Dish Network. Good grief. This is amazing. It has stuff about the planets and oceans -- all connected to 4th grade science. Some of the sites even have National Geographic links to watch embedded within the video. How cool will this be to watch on the Promethean Board! I am going to upload/download/paste some links that I want to remember to show my students that connect to our Science SE's on my blog.
Google Earth. I am probably the only one on the planet whose never seen Google Earth before. I just thought it was looking at the Earth through a satellite where you could zoom in and out, kind of like that channel on Dish Network. Good grief. This is amazing. It has stuff about the planets and oceans -- all connected to 4th grade science. Some of the sites even have National Geographic links to watch embedded within the video. How cool will this be to watch on the Promethean Board! I am going to upload/download/paste some links that I want to remember to show my students that connect to our Science SE's on my blog.
Thing 20 Google Docs
For the 1st document I tried a lesson plan idea. I sent it to Brandi, Kelly and Misti hoping that they will input some pretend lesson planning ideas so I can see how this really works. I think this might save us some precious time during the school year, allowing us to spend more time on the why and how questions rather than the what and when stuff.
The 2nd document was a google scrapbook I tried out that sums up the First Steps Math staff development I just finished yesterday. I sent it out as well to four people. It was a little easier than mixbook online scrapbook. The only thing that bothered me was the auto save because my pc would freeze for a few seconds -- but, better that than forgetting to save at all. I tend to like the scrapbook presentations better than power points. They are already decorated. All you have to do is add pics, or in the case of this scrapbook, I deleted down to the last layer of what was already there so it would not be so "busy." I didn't have to waste time picking decorations.
I think my students would enjoy contributing to a classroom scrapbook that we could view at year end parties. I want to find out what I need to be able to upload classroom pics onto my MAC at school. I need a digital camera with a cord to keep in my classroom. Does the tech dept. for our district have cameras to loan out for this?
The 2nd document was a google scrapbook I tried out that sums up the First Steps Math staff development I just finished yesterday. I sent it out as well to four people. It was a little easier than mixbook online scrapbook. The only thing that bothered me was the auto save because my pc would freeze for a few seconds -- but, better that than forgetting to save at all. I tend to like the scrapbook presentations better than power points. They are already decorated. All you have to do is add pics, or in the case of this scrapbook, I deleted down to the last layer of what was already there so it would not be so "busy." I didn't have to waste time picking decorations.
I think my students would enjoy contributing to a classroom scrapbook that we could view at year end parties. I want to find out what I need to be able to upload classroom pics onto my MAC at school. I need a digital camera with a cord to keep in my classroom. Does the tech dept. for our district have cameras to loan out for this?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Thiing 19 Voicethread
I joined Voicethread. The Bellwork clip made me think of our R-Time lessons. I always take a photograph of each of my students for our "Classroom Family" photo gallery, so I could easily(??) download their pictures to a thread where each student has a voice with a picture. I embedded a clip that students made showing math strategies that go along with the First Steps Math class I am currently finishig up this summer as well. Students love to play with technology and this application could be an incentive to tackle a tough concept by being able to explain it in your own words. Cool deal.
Thing #18b YouTube
I love this YouTube video by Barry Lane: Exploding the Moment. I llearned 2 ways to embed videos. You can copy the embed code and paste it here and it just magically appears when you press preview or post. Or, you can be at the video site, press share, and click the blogger icon and the video magically appears there. (See Thing #18a) That's the easiest way.
Thing #17 Podcasts
Last year, my class made three podcasts from reader's theater scripts. It was just before Christmas, so they all had a Christmas theme. We played the podcasts at our Christmas, oops, Winter Break, party. The students' interest and engagement in the reader's theater was already high, but when we added the podcast, they were really working on their fluence and expression to "act out the part" with their voices. It was a great learning experience for me. Paige Wester and Deanna Ramirez were so awesome in helping me do this. They came out and worked with me and my students while we were learning it. They showed us how to add Garage Band for background music. The students picked it up so fast, so if I forgot something, they remembered! I will definitely use podcasting again for reader's theater. Another teacher I work with uses podcasts for instructions in a center. The students at a center with a laptop can pull up instructions for a center activity while the teacher works with another group. I use centers everyday and will try this myself this upcoming year.
I subscribed to LearnOutLoud.com and downloaded two podcasts: Extraordinary Leadership by Robin Sharma and As a Man Thinketh by James Allen. I subscribed to the RSS feed: Joyce Meyer Radio Podcast. It was easy. The downloads went right to my iTunes library and all I had to do was move it from "Recently Added" into the "Audiobooks" folder I made. I will enjoy this as well. I am truly excited about all the new stuff I'm learning with this class!
I subscribed to LearnOutLoud.com and downloaded two podcasts: Extraordinary Leadership by Robin Sharma and As a Man Thinketh by James Allen. I subscribed to the RSS feed: Joyce Meyer Radio Podcast. It was easy. The downloads went right to my iTunes library and all I had to do was move it from "Recently Added" into the "Audiobooks" folder I made. I will enjoy this as well. I am truly excited about all the new stuff I'm learning with this class!
Thing #16 LibraryThing
I am interested in historical fiction about the Alamo. I found a list of these books on Library Thing using the tagmash Alamo, fiction, and Texas. Students seem to remember the dry history facts when you teach them along with historical fiction that pulls on their heart strings. The history becomes real for them when you put real people into the situations. One book in particular, Make Way for Sam Houston, piqued my interest (1) because it's a biography
and (2) an in depth study of Sam Houston would allow for a deeper understanding of the issues and controversies faced by the people living in Texas during the early 1800s and (3) Sam Houston also lived with the Cherokee, so a lot of Texas history could be coverered and connected through this.
I love how I can find a list of books so fast. Some of my favorite lessons are the ones I can teach through integrated literature. I think I would use LibraryThing often.
Zeitgeist was helpful in finding a good book to read, but I am not one to read the most popular books (just not into vampires and witchcraft). I did find Animal Farm by George Orwell under the top books list and remembered that I wanted to read that myself.
The 50 book challenge was an interesting idea for the classroom. I like for my students to read a variety of genres, and this might be a way to set that up and maintain it. At a glance, it looks like one has to join before you can set it up though. I am thinking I'd rather keep an online classroom list a little more private, like a joined wiki page, since children's names would be on the list.
I also want to remember this link to a list of wordless picture books to use with 4th grade writing lessons. The tagmash was picture books, wordless. Beginning writers can collaborate on a descriptive story using a picture book. It's interesting to compare stories from the same picture book. Children learn from each other as they compose their own descriptions and details of events from looking at the pictures. I like wordless books with colorful, detailed pictures.
and (2) an in depth study of Sam Houston would allow for a deeper understanding of the issues and controversies faced by the people living in Texas during the early 1800s and (3) Sam Houston also lived with the Cherokee, so a lot of Texas history could be coverered and connected through this.
I love how I can find a list of books so fast. Some of my favorite lessons are the ones I can teach through integrated literature. I think I would use LibraryThing often.
Zeitgeist was helpful in finding a good book to read, but I am not one to read the most popular books (just not into vampires and witchcraft). I did find Animal Farm by George Orwell under the top books list and remembered that I wanted to read that myself.
The 50 book challenge was an interesting idea for the classroom. I like for my students to read a variety of genres, and this might be a way to set that up and maintain it. At a glance, it looks like one has to join before you can set it up though. I am thinking I'd rather keep an online classroom list a little more private, like a joined wiki page, since children's names would be on the list.
I also want to remember this link to a list of wordless picture books to use with 4th grade writing lessons. The tagmash was picture books, wordless. Beginning writers can collaborate on a descriptive story using a picture book. It's interesting to compare stories from the same picture book. Children learn from each other as they compose their own descriptions and details of events from looking at the pictures. I like wordless books with colorful, detailed pictures.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Thing 15 Delicious.com
Delicious.com is pretty cool. This was the one I had the most trouble getting to work though. I had to switch from firefox/google to explorer/yahoo and then update my explorer version before it worked for me. I am really stretching way far past my comfort zone as far as figuring things out with technology on this, but I think I have enough of it to get me started. I have tagged several sites, and added two tags for misd23things. When I went to our wiki page though, re: Part 2 of the Learning Activity, I did not see anything of note. What am I supposed to see? What is the best way to add people to my network? I added Kelley Rivera, my colleague who told me several times least year that I would love delicious.com. I managed to find her, but I had to spend some time searching. The directions say "select [names] from the panel that will appear at the bottom of the form" after I add the Firefox Browser add-on (which I figured out) and the bookmarklet too. I am looking for the "click to add new users" way. If anyone knows, please advise. I am at my limit of time and knowledge here. I also added this as an RSS feed -- we'll see what happens with that!
I know I will use this often as I am always searching for online resources. I especially like the nettrekker.com (misd / library / resources -- username and password are mesquite / schools) where you can advanced search promethean / specific topic -- like complete sentences, and you will get a list of promethean ready lessons. That was one I tagged with misd23things. The other was an R-Time lesson idea on the topic of bullying using the teacher read aloud "A Bad Case of Stripes."
Gotta to work in my yard now before it gets too hot. I have spent almost two full days on this "thing", but I know it will be worth it!
I know I will use this often as I am always searching for online resources. I especially like the nettrekker.com (misd / library / resources -- username and password are mesquite / schools) where you can advanced search promethean / specific topic -- like complete sentences, and you will get a list of promethean ready lessons. That was one I tagged with misd23things. The other was an R-Time lesson idea on the topic of bullying using the teacher read aloud "A Bad Case of Stripes."
Gotta to work in my yard now before it gets too hot. I have spent almost two full days on this "thing", but I know it will be worth it!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Thing 7b Reading Specialist article from reader
I subscribed to The Reading Specialist because the site contains easy lessons backed with research. Many 4th grade students still need work with decoding and phonemic awareness. Until they are proficient in these basic reading skills, they will struggle as advanced readers. This site offers some easy lessons. I especially want to remember this lesson, as it will easily integrate with Debbie Murphy's "worms wiggle" complete sentence lesson. I could use the whole group constructed sentences as an extension for phoneme practice with those students who still need that small group instruction. The activity is copied from the link:
ctivity: That’s Just Silly! (Grades 4 and up)
Materials: No special materials needed.
What: This activity is a way to focus students’ attention on distinguishing and saying individual sounds in words.
Why: Research indicates that many older students who struggle with reading simply are not able to distinguish subtle differences in speech sounds—sip/ship, goal/gold, tot/taught. Games such as this one give practice in hearing and saying specific sounds.
Note: Although most early phonemic awareness activities are purely oral, research suggests that for older students in particular, the inclusion of print appears to contribute to rather than detract from phonemic awareness development.
When: Before reading
Who: Whole class
How:
Prepare
Have ready 2 or 3 silly sentences, such as the following (including some sentences made up of words that begin with blends or digraphs):
Monkeys make music.
Sleet slithers.
Pretty princesses practice.
Shelly’s shadow shimmered.
Model/Teach
Choose one of the sentences and write it on the board, leaving spaces between words. Read the sentence, and then call on students to suggest other words with the same beginning sound that you can to add to extend the sentence, such as:
Monkeys make music.
Mad monkeys make music.
Mad monkeys make marvelous music.
Mad monkeys make more marvelous music.
Pretty princesses practice.
Pretty princesses practice prancing.
Pretty practical princesses practice prancing.
Extend
Say a sound, such as /ch/, then call on a volunteer to write a silly-sentence starter with words that contain the sound. Have the class expand the sentence, with the student writing the words they suggest.
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Thing #14b Mixbook.com
I love love love MIXBOOK.COM!!! It is an online scrapbook.
http://www.mixbook.com/create/tool?pid=4837245
I made a "Welcome to 4th Grade" scapbook to show my students on the 1st day of school. I used pictures from last year, plus a few about me and my family as an introductory tool.
The students could use this to create their own "me books" for a writing project. We will have to figure out how they can upload pictures on the MACS at school.
They could also collaborate on research projects and pull pics from the internet. What a cool app!
It doesn't appear easily to me that I can embed this onto this blog, so I linked it at the URL site above.
http://www.mixbook.com/create/tool?pid=4837245
I made a "Welcome to 4th Grade" scapbook to show my students on the 1st day of school. I used pictures from last year, plus a few about me and my family as an introductory tool.
The students could use this to create their own "me books" for a writing project. We will have to figure out how they can upload pictures on the MACS at school.
They could also collaborate on research projects and pull pics from the internet. What a cool app!
It doesn't appear easily to me that I can embed this onto this blog, so I linked it at the URL site above.
Thing #14a Wordle
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/2221177/Jitterbug
I tried Wordle! I used the main word "Jitterbug" because that is the name our classroom "family" will have during our rock-n-roll theme. I used the advanced format to show a main idea and supporting details. Ways I might use this in the classroom: Writing: Wordle a main idea and supporting details then write from this "map"; Reading: read a text a wordle the main ideas and supporting details. Also the students could use their name for the main idea and list their traits, interests, attributes as a 1st of the year activity.
I tried Wordle! I used the main word "Jitterbug" because that is the name our classroom "family" will have during our rock-n-roll theme. I used the advanced format to show a main idea and supporting details. Ways I might use this in the classroom: Writing: Wordle a main idea and supporting details then write from this "map"; Reading: read a text a wordle the main ideas and supporting details. Also the students could use their name for the main idea and list their traits, interests, attributes as a 1st of the year activity.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Thing 13 cont'd
Made a poster for my bulletin board. Used creative commons and big huge labs. I love Elvis Preslely's quote: "Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine."
Thing #13 Image Generator
I did it! I made this for Stan's birthday and ordered a glossy print from Big Huge Labs. I downloaded it, then chose browse, then went to recent documents and clicked to arrange by date, and there it was! Amazing!
Gray's theme is rock & roll next year. I need to find something for my "Jitterbugs" to do with this.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thing #12 Embedded Slide Show
I used RockYou.com! to create the slide show. It's easy. The only part that got confusing is to know that the slide show doesn't show until you post, or preview.
Using slide shows to give background information for upcoming science/social studies units will be a good way to use this. The students could create their own slide shows to review multiplication or division facts.
Photos for my slideshow are of places I am looking forward to seeing on my trip to Big Bend in August. Credits go to:
1. Davis Mountains, http://www.flickr.com/photos/cleopold73/3699806366, Corey Leopold
2. McDonald Observatory, http://www.flickr.com/photos/headley/3446515082/Greg Headley
3. Marfa, http://flickr.com/photos/thomassalgado/2269792342/in/pool-marfa, Thomas Salqado
4. Marfa, http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelowestfidelity/4505103507/in/poolmarfa, the lowest fidelity
5. Big Bend, http://222.flickr.com/photos/photo_art/967461537, Robbie's Photo Art
I am looking forward to taking my own pictures and making a slideshow when I get back. I can share this with my students!
Using slide shows to give background information for upcoming science/social studies units will be a good way to use this. The students could create their own slide shows to review multiplication or division facts.
Photos for my slideshow are of places I am looking forward to seeing on my trip to Big Bend in August. Credits go to:
1. Davis Mountains, http://www.flickr.com/photos/cleopold73/3699806366, Corey Leopold
2. McDonald Observatory, http://www.flickr.com/photos/headley/3446515082/Greg Headley
3. Marfa, http://flickr.com/photos/thomassalgado/2269792342/in/pool-marfa, Thomas Salqado
4. Marfa, http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelowestfidelity/4505103507/in/poolmarfa, the lowest fidelity
5. Big Bend, http://222.flickr.com/photos/photo_art/967461537, Robbie's Photo Art
I am looking forward to taking my own pictures and making a slideshow when I get back. I can share this with my students!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Thing #11
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nameless-profile/4729305570/in/pool-bigbend
I can't wait to take my own pics!!
I found this gorgeous sunset of the Chisos Mountains using the advanced search in Flikr with creative commons. I'll be able to use my vacation experience and pictures in class when we talk about Texas history.
Thing #10 Creative Commons
When I was searching for information about Marfa, Texas, I saw a notation for creative commons and wondered what that was. What a wonderful collaboration tool! I wish there was more information in the two video clips about how to cite works (photos, music, text, etc.) when you actually use creative commons in addition to what it is. I am sure I will discover that when I get to the next "thing". Maybe I can use the first clip (I liked it best) to teach my students about copyright v. creative commons, and add my own info about how to cite works that you use depending on the permissions given.
Thing #9 Wiki Cont'd
I am really liking Wiki's alot better by now. The cheat sheet is a huge help -- so thanks for including that! I am sure I'll be using it a lot. The hardest thing was getting the table of contents to work -- I was overthinking that. You literally just enclose "toc" in the brackets and use headings for the section titles. I am using this Wiki to plan my upcoming vacation to the Davis Mountain area -- multitasking (screwing up a lot of things at once)! I can't wait to get to finish this wiki page and look at the images. My address to the wiki page is http://misd23sandbox.wikispaces.com/JitterbugGeorge'sWikiPage. Gotta get to Thing #10!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Thing #8 WIKIS
After reading Vicki Davis's blog post, I am encouraged to try a wiki in my classroom. My initial thoughts are that this is overwhelming (where do you start?) and complicated, but I really want to learn this so I am going to play around with it this summer. I would love to have a wikispace for our egg hatching project as well as a novel study, much like the Go West site below. I really liked these things from these wiki pages I looked at:
- 1001 Flat World Tales The students were trained how to critique their peer's work by not being a "nice" king or a "lazy" king, but by being a "good" king who gives good, thoughtful comments.
- Turn Homeward, Hannalee The technical notes detailed how they used other software within the wikispace. "The students used Powerpoint to annotate all of the photos and drawings in the Idiom Dictionary, Figures of Speech, Object Museum and New Manchester Mill sections. They then exported the slides as JPGs, and uploaded them to Bubbleshare, where they created the photo albums that are embedded into the wiki pages. The Civil War Timeline was created using Timeliner 5.1 and exported as a JPG. The audio clips in Reader's Theater and Aura Lee were recorded using Audacity and the Musician's Friend Podcasting Production Kit #3 (even though they are not podcasts). " I am wondering if we have Timeliner software and am thinking we could use Garage Band to record/include a reader's theater section.
- Go West I enjoyed reading the teacher's reflections. She was genuinely enthused about the wiki project and noted that the students' excitement never waned and that their research skills were honed because they wanted to add to their project.
Thing #7 Importance of Commenting
I have to admit that I am not quick to comment, but as I become more comfortable blogging I will. There is so much out there to read, I have learned that I should only choose things that I am truly interested in. For example, I have always wanted to learn to hatch eggs in an incubator in the classroom. When I saw the duck blog in the first few of our lessons I was really excited about that. I have subscribed to a blog that deals specifically with that. I have posted a comment hoping to learn what type of egg is has the best success rate and whether there is a certain time of year that's better. The 1st 3 learning activities for Thing #7 gave me an idea of how to teach my own students to blog. These guidelines go right along with how we set up our literature circle conversations, so the lessons would easily integrate whether we are blogging or conducting lit circle responses.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thing #6 3 educational posts
I subscribed to 3 educational posts:
1) The first one is "web-blogged" by Will Richardson. I picked it because it was highly recommended and I really liked the post he made about being a problem solver instead of an excuse maker. http://weblogg-ed.com/2010/yeah-youve-got-problems-so-solve-them/
2) The second one was Anne Davis's blog. She seems to be on the "bleeding edge" of blogging in the classroom. There were several like that to choose from, but what made my mind was how she had her dog blog to students. I could so do this! My critters, 3 horses and 2 dogs, could have a blog! http://anne.teachesme.com/2010/03/19/a-tribute-to-harley/
3) The third blog I chose was a reading specialist blog. I chose this because it gives detailed information, based on research, about how to help struggling readers, complete with lesson ideas and websites to use with every aspect of reading instruction. This blog link is: http://www.readingspecialistblog.com/phonemic-awareness/how-should-phonemic-awareness-be-taught-to-beginning-readers/.
Within this site were three links to online books that I'd like to use in the classroom next year. Those links are:
http://www.mightybook.com/story_books.html These books although read aloud are also animated. Children will have fun with them but may lose focus on the manner in which they are read.http://www.storylineonline.net/ This is a site sponsored by the Screen Actor’s Guild and offers books read by actors such as James Earl Jones and Melissa Gilbert, and Tia & Tamera Mowry.http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet/bookzone/read_aloud_stories.htm This site offers both the traditional reading of stories and story songs and raps.
1) The first one is "web-blogged" by Will Richardson. I picked it because it was highly recommended and I really liked the post he made about being a problem solver instead of an excuse maker. http://weblogg-ed.com/2010/yeah-youve-got-problems-so-solve-them/
2) The second one was Anne Davis's blog. She seems to be on the "bleeding edge" of blogging in the classroom. There were several like that to choose from, but what made my mind was how she had her dog blog to students. I could so do this! My critters, 3 horses and 2 dogs, could have a blog! http://anne.teachesme.com/2010/03/19/a-tribute-to-harley/
3) The third blog I chose was a reading specialist blog. I chose this because it gives detailed information, based on research, about how to help struggling readers, complete with lesson ideas and websites to use with every aspect of reading instruction. This blog link is: http://www.readingspecialistblog.com/phonemic-awareness/how-should-phonemic-awareness-be-taught-to-beginning-readers/.
Within this site were three links to online books that I'd like to use in the classroom next year. Those links are:
http://www.mightybook.com/story_books.html These books although read aloud are also animated. Children will have fun with them but may lose focus on the manner in which they are read.http://www.storylineonline.net/ This is a site sponsored by the Screen Actor’s Guild and offers books read by actors such as James Earl Jones and Melissa Gilbert, and Tia & Tamera Mowry.http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet/bookzone/read_aloud_stories.htm This site offers both the traditional reading of stories and story songs and raps.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Thing #5, Hatching our own ducks at Gray!
There is a catch & release pond with ducks, and at least 2 sets of baby ducks, next door to the Balch Springs Public Library - walking distance from Gray. I just found a Texas A&M resource for hatching baby ducks in the classroom. http://www.backyardchickens.com/media/b-5084.pdf This gives information on how to get started from "scratch". I am going to look into this. I think the students, and me too, would love this! Plus I could share portions of the duck blog that exists with my students as an example for them, and me, to follow as we set up our own duck diaries. Here is another useful website from another 3rd grade classroom that hatched chicken and goose eggs: http://www.plrd.ab.ca/sites/hps/classrooms/gordon/egg.htm.
I think the reader is pretty cool. It will save a lot of search time because I can go to one place to get lots of information that I routinely look up.
I think the reader is pretty cool. It will save a lot of search time because I can go to one place to get lots of information that I routinely look up.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Thing #4
I read five blogs. Two of my favorites that I will subscribe / follow are http://http://duckdiaries.edublogs.org/ (Duck with a Blog) and http://http://blog.woodward.edu/ps_edmison/ (Mrs. Edmison's Class / Eagle's Nest Radio News). I played around with the Gliffy website and made a graphic organizer to set out my thoughts more fully. Please click on this link, http://www.gliffy.com/publish/2150725/ , for the graphic organizer. Does MISD have an account with Gliffy.com for the teachers/students to use?
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Thing #2
Thing 2 Response
My mind is spinning when I think of all the ways I could use technology with my students. The only obstacle I see would be lack of computer availability. If I could have only 4 laptops in my room at all times, I could make this work in a station format. Just going to the lab once a week for 45 minutes will not be enough.
Here are my thoughts:
Reading
*Use a blog to record literature circle conversations. I could post higher level questions that cause the students to defend their answers from text evidence as needed.*Students could choose/I could assign books to read per reading level and students could discuss the story and/or characters in a blog.
*Link websites to provide background / integrated information to both fiction and nonfiction texts.*Use a format to gather, sort, store and share information for research projects (in lieu of huge butcher paper charts)
*Reader’s Theater, audio and video, in a posted podcast that could be viewed by parents
*We could set up a blog centered on a novel study, and I could integrate my varied literature circle activities into the blog.
Writing
-letters to other students outside of Gray (e.g., college students, foreign students, students from various regions of Texas)
-research reports-narratives
*treasure hunts: I like to use “sparkling text” to illustrate similes, metaphors, quotation marks, well-written sentences to copy change, and “million dollar words”; a class list could be made as a reference tool with links to offer help with specific grammar issues that 4th graders face.
*have the students take part in composing the weekly newsletter that goes home to parents; students could work in groups and be in charge of a variety of sections. This would probably boost attention to the weekly newsletter by parents as well.
Social Studies / Science / Math
*Provide a place for a variety of leveled links that teach related concepts (we called these “hot links” as Beasley) that students can refer to for background information, extensions, differentiation, tutoring assistance
*Math - provide a place for students to illustrate and caption math concepts to help others
Another concern is that it seems a small percentage of our Gray families have computers at home. But, that is all the more reason in my mind to use technology heavily in the classroom. I have seen how the use of Comic Life and podcasts added excitement and engagement to learning. I believe that technology, when a student knows he/she can create something on the computer to share with others, is a huge learning motivator. I have also learned that students pick up on new technology incredibily fast. I don't have to be an expert before I teach my students. When I let them "play" with, for example, Comic Life, they helped each other, and me, learn it faster.
Thing#1
The most challenging habit will be not getting frustrated with computer glitches. I know there will be some . . . so far so good though.
The easiest habit, as a lifelong learner, is making time to attend to this class. I get all my outside stuff done (jogging, taking care of horses, giving riding lessons, yard work) done in the morning so that leaves the hottest time of day, the afternoon, to focus on 2.0 stuff. Plus, this is when my house is the quietest.
The most important habit as I work through this course is to journal what I am learning so that I will remember how to do this with my students. I also want to keep a list of ideas of ways to use this technology in my classroom. Creative technology is a great motivator for learning.
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