Thing 10: Photosharing with Flickr

Jellyfish Photo by 顔なし

I had so much fun browsing all of the great photos in Flickr.  It is easy to get lost in all of the great images!  I decided to look up jellyfish.  They are so pretty when I’m not sharing the beach with them.  I had a hard time choosing a favorite from the photos I found, but this one made the final cut.  I look forward to using images like these with my students.  They can be used as writing prompts, photos in reports, prompts for listing adjectives or adverbs… The possibilities are endless!

Thing 9: Getting Creative with Creative Commons/Stretch Activity

I really like the idea of Creative Commons, but I was eager to check it out to see how useful it would be for the classroom.  Before my students begin our unit on the Titanic, I plan to work with them on a mini unit on archaeology.  I have photos from some of the historic and prehistoric sites I’ve worked on, but I was eager to show the class a variety of photos from digs around the world.  I also wanted them to see some of the elements of mathematics that are involved in archaeology.  After doing a quick search on Creative Commons, I found some photos that would be great to include in a slide show presentation for my students (archaeologists measuring depths, digging shovel test trenches, measuring grid units, using a trowel properly, etc.).  I was thrilled to find photos of marine archaeologists at work as well.  Those photos are a great bridge to our study of the Titanic and Robert Ballard’s discoveries. 

 I think there are lots of positives for using Creative Commons.  First of all, it gives the artist/author the ability to determine the types of permissions he wishes to grant at the time of publishing.  This prevents people from having to track someone down for permission to use music, for instance.  I think it may also protect an artist in the event that there is a dispute over ownership.  Someone may be able to use it as proof of authorship in a copyright infringement case.  Using material from Creative Commons is a great way to teach our students about proper use of copyrighted material.  It takes the guess work out of using songs, images, videos, or text to create a new product.  It also allows people to get their work noticed and used by a variety of people. 

I think there may be some cons for using Creative Commons.  Since I enjoy photography, most of my cons are geared in that direction.  I wonder if people are prevented from posting someone else’s work on CC and declaring it as their own.  It seems that, even if they are caught, that owner’s work has already been distributed and used without permission.  I also wonder if the people appearing in the images have signed releases agreeing to the use of their image to produce other creative projects by other artists.  While most artists would probably adapt the original work in a positive way, some may manipulate the original work and use it in an unflattering or offensive way.  I’m not sure about any of this…just wondering.

I have noticed the CC logo on several sites.  One site I found, “Writing Poetry Like Pros,” had the CC logo.  This is from a group of  lesson plans compiled by the Education Department of the University of North Carolina.  The lesson plans have many authors.  This particular lesson plan was provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.  It contains state learning objectives and links to resources, such as titles of books that may be used to enhance the lesson.  By exploring this lesson plan, I found many others provided by UNC.  Creative Commons is one more avenue for sharing lesson plans with other teachers.  Instead of reinventing the wheel, teachers may adapt lesson plans to suit their needs.  I looked at the CC license for this particular lesson plan to determine the ways in which it may be used.  The license agreement was easy to understand.

I look forward to learning more about CC and its many uses.

Thing 8: Create a Wiki Space

Visit my wiki page, Sea Nymphs and Salty Dogs!

Stretch Activity: Wikipedia

I had fun checking out Wikipedia and looking at the discussion and history tabs. I looked up ring-tailed lemurs. Having studied them for an intensive project in college (and having spent a ridiculous number of hours observing them), I decided this would be a good topic to look at when assessing the validity of a Wikipedia page.

The information on the page is valid and well-written. There are sections describing the physical characteristics of ring-tails, their habits and diet, and their natural history. It even included a description of “stink fights,” which are hilarious to watch. I was happy to see a link to the Duke Lemur Center, which is a fantastic place to visit. I am surprised that there was no information about why lemurs are the only primates, other than humans, in Madagascar and why lemurs do not exist in the wild in any other place in the world (Gondwanaland, not much competition/predation in Madagascar, etc.). Perhaps this information is included on a main lemur page… I’ll have to check.

I looked at the discussion and history tabs to find out more about the page’s progress over time. Most of the discussion on the page was about the photographs matching the information and the captions used. One person felt that there were too many photographs and that the captions did not match the photographs. One photo showed lemurs huddling, but the caption mentioned their alarm calls. At the time, alarm calls were not mentioned in the article itself. Additionally, there was some debate over a part of the article mentioning the only recorded attack of a ring-tailed lemur on a human in the United States. Captive ring-tails have been known to bite humans, so a contributer mentioned that this line may be removed. Looking at the history provided some insights into the changes made in the article. For instance, the terms “toilet claw” and “tooth comb” were added to clarify a physical description of the ring-tailed lemur.

I enjoyed looking at the Wikipedia site. Not only did I get to revisit one of my favorite animals and get a blast from the past, but I got more insight into the valuable nature of collaboration.

Here is a funny (bad quality) photo of a friend and I at Duke Lemur Center:

Here is a photo of some of the lemurs from my study of captive ring-tailed lemurs (so cute):

Thing 7: It’s a Wiki Wiki World

I was very impressed by all of the wikis I visited. I loved the idea of the Code Blue wiki. I think creating a wiki medical clinic for students learning about the human body is so clever. This approach seemed to create a sense of ownership for the students. I love the fact that different students worked for different clinics and had their own medical specialties. I have visited the Go West wiki on westward expansion before, and I was equally impressed when I visited it this time. I like the fact that the teachers involved posted a reflection on their wiki experience. I would love to read reflections by the students who participated. I’m sure they enjoyed the experience and learned so much! I love the “Turn Homeward, Hanalee” wiki. This gave me so many ideas for creating a literature study for third grade. Wow!

I would love to have a wiki in my future. That is one of my goals. The Turn Homeward, Hanalee wiki gave me some great ideas! I would love to have my students work on a wiki for a couple of the books we read during the year. I think the meaning-making aspect of creating the wiki would boost comprehension immensely. The collaborative nature of wikis make them very appealing for use within my classroom. Both the Code Blue and Go West wikis have inspired me to use a wiki to cover content-area learning. I have been thinking about creating a Titanic wiki for a couple of years, and this is something I plan to pursue. Not only will my students learn so much through the process, but they will be so proud of their own work!

I like the organization of material on the wikis. The table of contents section on each wiki makes them easy to navigate. I like the variety of media used in the wikis. This allows students to experience the material in many ways. Wikis encompass so many learning goals. Students may do research, define vocabulary, demonstrate understanding/comprehension, and synthesize information. At first the thought of creating a wiki may seem daunting – my students (and I) will need some coaching at the beginning of the wiki process. After some consideration, I think the wiki will be just like our blog…once we get started, we’ll have it down in no time at all!

I am eager to get going on my wikis!

Stretch Activity: Google News

I’m glad I tried using Google News to create a custom feed. One of the searches I performed was for “Senteo,” as I had recently used these great gadgets with my students. I got a fun interview (Student Spotlight) from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Tina Sweeley, an elementary school teacher, was describing her use of literacy centers in her classroom. She mentions that at least one of her literacy centers always has a technology component. Sweeley explains that she has access to a SMART Board, laptop carts, Leapsters, and Senteos. Sweeley goes on to say that she includes technology to maintain student interest, as well as to provide a strong foundation for her students.

I enjoyed this article because I am working to create literacy stations in my own classroom. It is important for me to make technology an integral part of my students’ literacy experiences. This article has motivated me to continue to think about how literacy centers may be implemented successfully in my classroom.

Thing 6: Using Google Reader

Wow! Google Reader is amazing. At first, I felt overwhelmed at the amount of information I was receiving, but I am able to go through the feeds quickly to “star” items of interest.

I particularly enjoyed reading “Blogging: A Day in the Life of” by Mr. Martin. Since I have had the pleasure of starting a blog with my students, I eagerly look for new ways for them to use this great tool. Recently, I collaborated on a project with Nneka in which my students created Vokis and used them to give one minute book “teasers.” The kids loved this activity, and (even with spring break and lazy days in the sun looming) they asked if they could do another one on Friday. Isn’t it great when the kids are begging to work and learn?

Back to my original topic — it is activities such as these that I’m seeking in order to make the blog even more appealing for the children. On Mr. Martin’s blog, I discovered some great ideas for expanding my class blog. He mentions that students may assume the identities of famous people, and they may write and answer questions on the blog. Coincidentally, not long after reading his article, our wonderful instructional technology geniuses approached the third grade teachers about a project similar to this one. I usually have each student assume the role of a Titanic passenger or crew member during our study of the Titanic disaster. They create journals in which they document their time on the ship and details of that fateful night. I was thrilled about their idea of making this a blog activity. This would give the children the opportunity to respond to one another and ask questions.

Another great idea Mr. Martin had was for the teacher to play James Lipton (from The Actor’s Studio). A small group of students would assume the role of a famous person, and they would answer broad questions asked by the teacher. The children could also ask one another questions, opening up a discussion of topics they have studied. This activity would be great for expanding a biography project.

I loved Mr. Martin’s idea of having the students create a “class character.” Students would take turns writing posts as the character, providing a “Day in the Life” journal of the school year. What a clever way to create a time line of events within a classroom! I have a class teddy bear named Nomad. Children take him on trips, write in his journal, and bring back photos of his journeys. I am thinking of using Nomad as the class character next year, asking students to take turns writing from Nomad’s perspective. He could give clever commentary on how things are going in our energetic third grade class.

All of these ideas have my head spinning! I can’t wait to get started on the Titanic collaboration, and I am looking forward to incorporating some new ideas in order to expand our blog even more. I love Google Reader! Now, I can keep up with the great ideas out there!

Thing 5: Caught on Video

I really enjoyed reading quite a few blog posts from Google Reader.  One post in particular caught my eye.  I have been thinking a lot about incorporating digital portfolios into my classroom, and I had also recently heard about the Flip video camera.  I was so excited to see the blog post Caught on Video by Bob Sprankle. 

Bob talks about the ease with which students and teachers can use the Flip digital video camera.  The small, portable camera can be used by students to document their learning, record fieldtrips, and make their own educational movies.  From what I understand, the camera has all of the editing software inside of it.  You simply connect it to your computer and start editing!

Bob outlined many of the ideas that I have been considering, but he also came up with some ideas I hadn’t considered.  Because I am eager to start creating digital portfolios with my students, I loved the idea of videotaping writing conferences, math explorations, and my students’ project presentations.  Showing parents a digital presentation at conferences would give them incredible insight into the world of third grade and their child’s progress.  Bob’s idea of filming each child on the first day of school is a fantastic one!  What a great way to learn about each student!  He also mentions providing each student with a math challenge and documenting the process of solving the problem. 

I get so excited when I think about all of the ways my students could use a tool, such as the Flip video camera, and I am thrilled to think about how I could use it as well.  I agree with Bob when he says that this provides another important assessment tool.  This technology would encourage students to articulate their learning, and metacognition is something I’m always promoting in my classroom.

Bob’s post got me so excited about something that I have put on the back burner for a while.  Digital portfolios are an important endeavor, and I plan to focus on how to create and use them within my classroom.  In addition, I am thinking of investing in a digital video camera like the Flip camera.  I think that it would enhance my students’ learning in so many ways.

Thing 4: Uses of Blogs in Education

It was fun to explore some of the blogs and to think about the many ways blogs can be used in education.  I started by reading Why I Don’t Assign Homework by Dan.  Reading this blog brought back memories from Mr. Horrell’s 5th grade math class.  I remember thinking, “Can’t he tell that I understand this from doing 10 problems or even 15 problems?  Do I have to do 25 or 30 to show that I get this?”  Math was not my favorite subject at that time, so I really should have asked, “Can’t he see that I am completely confused in only 10 problems?”  It is true that the kids that faithfully do their homework are usually the kids that are doing well in class.  I’m sure the parents that constantly hear, “But that isn’t the way we do it anymore.  The teacher said I have to do it a different way!” would be thrilled to have a little less homework.  Dan’s ideas are worth reflection.  I think there is a happy medium in the homework department. 

I was so excited to read McCuller’s A Final Goodbye!  Ms. McCuller’s class had a funeral for overused words.  My class actually did this in October, and we created a Powerpoint presentation.  The overused words were on gravestones, and flowers popped up with synonyms that would be better to use.  I loved reading the comments from the kids about the activity!

 Another blog I enjoyed was Mark’s Is This SSR, 2.0?  Independent reading (also called SSR - Sustained Silent Reading) is an important part of each day in my class.  Mark has found that his kids are extremely motivated by reading blogs during their SSR time on some days.  Mark decided to provide the choice of reading books or blogs, and he found that it was very successful.  This grew into a podcast, in which his students shared their thoughts about reading blogs during SSR time.  I think the idea of allowing a choice is great.  What I find is that the more my students read their classmates’ blogs, the more interested they become in the books and topics that are mentioned in the blogs.  We have waiting lists for books now, if you can believe that!  I love the fact that Mark’s idea grew into a podcast.  I am thinking of doing more podcasting with my class this year.  Right now, we are having class council speeches and elections.  The kids have mentioned that they would like the speeches to be put on our blog as podcasts. 

I learned a lot from reading Anne Davis’ blog, Rationale for Educational Blogging.  She mentions new literacies that children have to be exposed to in order to succeed.  I think she gets to the heart of a lot of things that I have been considering.  I really want to teach my students to consider their audience and help them learn to participate in a community of learners.  She mentions students discovering their “distinctive voices.”  I completely see that happening in my classroom.  I rarely hear, “I don’t know,” when I ask students to think about something and write about it on our blog.  I hear lots of ideas coming from students who are gaining confidence in having opinions.  I think I can learn a lot from Anne Davis.  She has a great deal of experience in using blogs with students, and I look forward to reading more of what she has to say.

On a lighter note, I giggled reading the “duck diaries” of second graders on Duck with a Blog.  I thought it was great that the teacher took the experience of a feathered visitor on the playground and made it into an assignment on the blog.  The fact that the children used invented spellings made the posts more fun to read.  I hope that the duck didn’t actually get a “concooshen” (concussion). 

By reading all of these blogs, I really got to see the variety of ways educators use blogs.  I also got some great ideas from all that reading. 

Things 2/3: Thoughts about Web 2.0

Web 2.0 – Hooray!

Web 2.0 is changing the way I think about my teaching. While I have always had a classroom abounding with active learning, now I have the opportunity to take that to a new level.

I know that my students are very different learners than I was at their age. Through exposure to a variety of technologies, students have an even greater need to interact with what they are learning. They have grown up with cell phones, email, video games, and Google. They will grow up with opportunities to communicate easily with people around the globe, to create news, and to publish their own work. Students have really become more active in their learning, and this is very exciting for me. By tapping into their interests, I can provide exciting educational experiences and inspire them to take ownership over their learning. In addition, I can help my students to learn the valuable tools they will need to succeed in the future.

My teaching has already changed as a result of Web 2.0. I realize that the definition of literacy and what it means to be literate is changing. To be literate, my students must be able to communicate using a variety of methods related to Web 2.0. My students have experimented with Skyping, and they have many suggestions of ways we can use this to enhance our learning. My students are enthusiastic bloggers. They have shared art work, book reviews, and podcasts. We have written to authors to invite them to blog with us about their books. My students’ conversations through the blog demonstrate their comprehension, their higher level thinking skills, and their understanding of their audience. Blogging accomplishes curriculum goals and gets my students excited about writing and sharing ideas. I used to remind students, “You are authors, too!” Now, my students are the first to say that they are authors. Blogging makes the world a much smaller place. We eagerly look at the ClustrMap to see the new dots pop up! My students will never be satisfied until the entire map is covered in polka dots!

I know that I will have to continue to learn and grow in order to provide the best education for my students, but I am excited about that prospect. I believe that everyone should be open to life-long learning. While I am familiar with some Web 2.0 tools, I can’t wait to learn more. I love this stuff!