Task 10 The End of the Journey

I was glad I watched the video on PLN’s. It convinced me that I should connect with others and learn about topics I’m interested in for the sake of my students. I need to be able to help them leverage learning networks and do it safely, ethically, and effectively.

I loved the online stopwatch and plan on using it for some time activities in class. http://www.online-stopwatch.com/

I made a Wordly Wise crossword puzzle at “Super Crossword Puzzle,” (one of the Discovery Education Classroom Resources). It was fun and easy, but not free, except for a free trial. I think my students would enjoy making the puzzles. http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/

There is a very complete lesson plan on science fiction at
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/DLA_intermediate_fiction_nonfiction/
There is another lesson plan on using quotation marks at
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/pen_unnaturalselection/

Task 9 Presentation Tools

There are several slideshare presentations on the topic of “Tips for a Happier Life” at
http://www.slideshare.net/ohteikbin/10-great-tips-and-humor-pics
that have pithy sayings and humorous graphics. I can see choosing individual slides from these for paragraph starters.
“Creating Games at School” has a slideshare presenting a number of games and game-like activities that students can both play and create to share. http://www.slideshare.net/Pepa99/creating-games-at-school
Students can create and share (for free) vocabulary word games such as http://www.wordduck.com/
They can work crossword puzzles and create their own at http://www.slideshare.net/Pepa99/creating-games-at-school
At http://classtools.net/education-games-php/quiz/ students can create their own Arcade Game quizzes.
There is a very understandable and greatly enhanced with graphics slideshare on “Traits of the Archetypal Hero” that will make a great introduction to The Adventures of Ulysses read by our sixth graders http://www.slideshare.net/chrismurban/hero-archetype
There was a lot of useful information on the slideshare “Writing Workshop.” Ironically, the script in which the information was typed ran words together, and it was very difficult to read. http://www.slideshare.net/smacksoud/writing-workshop-1698055
The slideshares on the suffix –ment http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/using-the-suffix-ment and prefixes http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/prefixes-1703414 are both worthwhile supplements to Wordly Wise study.
The practice and game like feature of the slideshare on irregular verbs makes it particularly appealing http://www.slideshare.net/AnnaK/irregular-verbs-group1
Three interesting overviews on dyslexia are http://www.slideshare.net/margaretur/dyslexiabex
http://www.slideshare.net/hileryjane/understanding-dyslexia-for-kids-1367690
http://www.slideshare.net/drseide/stealth-dyslexia-in-gifted-children-1565818

I explored the slideshares above and also viewed Sandy’s Wangari’s Trees of Peace, Museum Box on Egypt, Embedding Code, and 280 Slides tutorial.

I posted a slide share on parts of the sentence
http://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?q=+Parts+of+the+Sentence&submit=post&searchfrom=header&x=29&y=7

Task 8 Glogster

I watched the video and explanation about Glogster and explored ways that teachers use Glogster in the classroom. Although I did not create a Glog at this time, I was very impressed with the interactive and multisensory aspects of these “posters.” I am planning on doing something during this school year quite similar to the Poetry Glog Project posted at http://2pointohteaching.blogspot.com/2009/01/glogster-in-classroom-and-light-sabres.html.
I also liked the Glog that a teacher created that had a collection of web sites the students could explore, organized by categories. I used Quiz Star (quizstar.com) to create a multiple choice quiz for a Wordly Wise lesson. There are quite a few word games that I think my students would enjoy at http://quizstar.com/popup/searchEntertainment.php?term=Word+Games
I tried using http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php to create a writing rubric, but I found the directions very confusing and frustrating. I used a table instead.

Task 7 Collaboration Tools

At Mixbook I checked out a project done by fifth graders “Chronicling Famous Americans.” I would like to adapt this idea for when we read our book length biographies and autobiographies. I would have each student create a page for his or her book, with pictures and a paragraph about the subject of the book read. We would share both classes’ Mixbooks with the other six grade classes. Tikatok could be used for a booklet of student created and illustrated poems. There seems to be a lot of help for those using this tool. Jen Farr says WallWisher is easy to create but that class accounts would be good to have. Sandy, when I tried to go to the test you created, I got the message,” The page you requested [404] was not found.” I had looked over the Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers before. I wish it was organized in a logical manner. Some of the recommended sites that I checked out were worthwhile. I liked Quizlet http://quizlet.com/ because students can both create and share flash cards. Flickriver (flickriver.com) had some very good pictures, but not all were appropriate for sixth graders Tweetscan (tweetscan.com) can be used as a “real time” concordance to support vocabulary development. Ediscio.com looks like a great flashcard tool, with learning statistics. I added a comment on the Whiteboard created for us. I definitely want to use Etherpad with my students this coming year. It would be a wonderful way to create collaborative poetry and stories.

Task 6 Digital Storytelling

I viewed the “Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling” posted on the University of Houston Web site and saw examples of a wide range of uses for digital storytelling, from the recounting of personal tales and historical events to lives in one’s own community and lives in all places in the universe. I learned that digital storytelling uses images, audio, and video clips from various sources. Some of our sixth grade language arts students have done writing project in the past relating to their own families living in Florida (relating to their summer reading book A Land Remembered).The You Tube video indicated how relatively simple it would be for our technologically savvy students to tell their digital stories using their own voices, images, and sounds. Most of our students have many personal pictures stored on both their laptops and phones. When I visited Animoto for Teachers, the “Be a Buddy Not a Bully” video seemed to be a good idea for the advisory groups to create similar meaningful “value” presentations. It was easy, and I had fun creating a Kerpoof picture with a sea background. I think my sixth graders would enjoy using Kerpoof to illustrate setting for poems and stories and to illustrate vocabulary and literary terms. I looked at the tutorial on photostory at http://www.windowsphotostory.com/Guides/Beginner/importing-and-arranging-pictures.aspx and think my sixth graders could work on group projects for literature using it.

Task 5 Online Writing

I checked out most of the writing tools you listed. I could use the “Historic Tale Construction Kit” at http://www.adgame-wonderland.de/type/bayeux.php for a creative writing assignment
for a Wordly Wise lesson. I am always looking for new ways for them to do these assignments.

I plan on using at least one of the comics writing tools. “Pixton” http://pixton.com/
seems to offer a lot of variety and flexibility, and it has a good tutorial. Both “Witty Comics” http://www.wittycomics.com/make-comic.php and “Make Believe Comix” http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/ do not appear to be as versatile but seem easy to use.

Although I probably would not use “Big Universe” http://www.biguniverse.com/ for the creation of stories with my students this coming year, I definitely want them to read some of the books for the 9-12 age group created by others. Many of these books are easily understood and are an accurate and excellent introduction to selections that we read. The one on Greece provides background for The Adventures of Ulyssehttp://www.biguniverse.com/readkidsbooks/read/74/dm
The book on Rome http://www.biguniverse.com/readkidsbooks/72/rome is a very good introduction to a short selection we read on Pompeii and also the novel The Secrets of Vesuvius.
The Solar System book http://www.biguniverse.com/readkidsbooks/348/the-solar-system and Outer Space http://www.biguniverse.com/readkidsbooks/read/345/dm are both informative review before reading a selection about our solar system “The Five Wanderers.” There is a comic book version of A Christmas Carol http://www.biguniverse.com/readkidsbooks/read/374/dm
that I think the seventh grade English teachers may want to use.

Task 4 Flicker for Fun

I viewed the tutorial and checked out Compfight. I also looked at Picture Sandbox, Big Huge Labs, Character Trading Generator, Pics4Learning, and Bubblr.

I plan to use http://www.pimpampum.net/bubblr/ for at least one creative writing assignment that I have my students do this coming year. They will create comic strips using photos from flicker.com. I do not think it will be difficult for them to use, will be fun, and they can be quite creative with what they produce.

I want my students to use Character Trading Cards Generator at http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/trading_cards/ instead of the traditional book report form when they read and report on book length biographies and autobiographies. It is an easy format to use. The student includes such things as a picture of the main character and his or her personality, information about setting, and the reader’s thoughts and feelings. Picture Sandbox http://picturesandbox.com/?d=ps and Compfight http://www.compfight.com/ would be good picture sources.


When my students write biographical poems at the beginning of the year, I plan to have them use
http://bighugelabs.com/deck.php They will upload a photo or other picture to represent themselves, create their biographical poems to accompany the pictures, and post them on the class blog for all to enjoy.

Voice Thread

For my sixth grade language arts students next year, I checked out several Voice Threads that I found either adaptable or usuable as they were. Already created Voice Threads that I would like to use are ones on prepositions and cause and effect. Both of these would be good introductory interactice activities. One idea that I thought of relating to another person's Voice Thread was for each student to have a graphic and written copy of a poem he or she had created, accompanied by a recording of the student reading the poem. Another use of Voice Thread would be for all students to respond briefly to a teacher posted openended question relating to literature. Also, I am definitely planning on having my students use Voice Thread for their first "extra" book report. It will be quite similar to what we did last year. Each student will choose a representative picture with his book title and author written on it. The student will record answers to preassigned questions relating to the books. Each student will sign up for a different book and will be asked to comment on at least two other students' books.

Task 2 Visual Learning

I explored the sites “25 Interesting Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom” and Andy Fisher’s “10 More Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom.” I found many good ideas that I plan to use with my classes this coming year. Among the topic are the following: writing about selves, writing expectations of the classroom, defining skill using synonyms, summarizing based upon a prompt, poll of a favorite hero from literature, comparison and contrast of literary themes, character traits analysis prereading activity for a novel or play to predict plot, characters, etc.
I have created a Wordle to use as an introduction to one of the first short stories we will be reading in the fall. It is on characterization in “My Friend Flicka.” I plan on having my students create their own Wordles on characterization and similar topics throughout the year. This can be for either an introductory or a summary activity. I have copied the URL from Gallery View and saved it as a Diigo bookmark.

Teacher Tools

Teacher Tools

Write Rhymes
I can see this as a useful tool for my sixth graders when they are writing poetry that rhymes.

Xtra Normal
Xtra Normal looks interesting and would be fun. The kids love dramatizing. I talked to Judy Callahan about it, and she recommended that if the sixth graders did it, it should be done during class.

Wallwisher by Nik Peachey
There were several “tools” that I found interesting and may use next year.
At Phrasr, www.pimpampum.net/phrasr one can visually illustrate as many words as one wants for a phrase or sentence. There are a number of picture choices for each word. This would be especially helpful for poetry writing.
Creating Comic Strips http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/ would be fun for a vocabulary activity.
Ediscio http://www.ediscio.com/ is a good site for creating and sharing flash cards and other knowledge. One can even add pictures and videos

Task 1 Exploring

I would define Web 2.0 as Web development and design used to interact in various ways: communicating, sharing information, and collaborating. Examples are social networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.

Three important things I have found out about 21st century learners are (1) the You Tube Generation has grown up in a new digital landscape, constantly exposed to digital media. (2) Digital is their language of choice. (3) Their cognitive structures process information in a parallel or simultaneous manner, not sequentially like ours.

Twenty-first Century skills that are important are mastery of core subjects and 21st century themes. In doing so, teachers must move beyond lecturing and search for new ways to engage students in the learning process. People in the 21st century live in a technology and media-suffused environment, marked by various characteristics, including: 1) access to an abundance of information, 2) rapid changes in technology tools, and 3) the ability to collaborate and make individual contributions on an unprecedented scale. To be effective in the 21st century, citizens and workers must be able to exhibit a range of functional and critical thinking skills related to information, media and technology. Teacher must provide opportunities for students to develop these skills. Some 21st century skills are being able to read and write; speak, listen, and view; think critically, act creatively and collaboratively; manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information. All of these skills are quite important, but for someone of my generation, the last skill is the most difficult.

I am trying to make my assignments assess higher level thinking, and I am also working to incorporate technology in a relevant and memorable manner. In relation to our Wordly Wise vocabulary study, I have my students use a core group of words for each unit to do creative writing assignments, in various genres. This coming year I plan to have them add a colored picture to the poetry, narrative, and descriptive assignments to illustrate the figurative language they create. This past school year, in relation to our study of The Adventures of Ulysses, my students used a Google map for an oral presentation of the route Ulysses took on his twenty year return trip from Troy to Ithaca. Each student had a particular site on the map and researched on the Web information pertinent to the site. Each student gave a brief plot summary of the book for his or her site. The students were also able to use the map to show just how far it was from one place to another. The students were very engaged in the research and presentation of this material. Next year, when we read Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, I am planning on using a blog (rather than our usual study guide and some of the class discussion time) to share ideas about social issues,.