Photo Story from Google Doc

Testing...

The size is off but here is it...

Google Reader

is a great tool to help you organize the posts from the blogs you follow. It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the posted that people are posting on a daily/weekly basis. Using Google Reader you can see each blog you are following and the most recent posts. You can also see a preview of the posts before viewing the entire blog. Looking through the preview is much easier than going to the blog, scrolling through each post on the page, clicking to older posts, etc. Thank you Google Reader! As I said before, I am very grateful for anything that saves time!

Tagxedo is neato!

Thank you Taini! This is a great website to use with students. They can create an image at the beginning of the year to share who they are.

Go to Tagxedo to create yours!

This is the one I created to showcase April words. The shape is an umbrella. How appropriate...April showers bring May flowers!

What can you create?!

NETS for Students 1 and 2
NETS for Teachers 1, 2, and 3

Empowering Students with Technology ch. 4-5

Alan November begins chapter 4 discussing the importance of students having access to primary source material. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) can make this possible. According to November  (2010) teaching with primary source material can  help students value the skills of the historian--asking important questions, seeking clues, constructing hypotheses, and presenting to authentic audiences. This process of working with primary source material is similar to a scientific process and inquiry based learning. With this process, students are asking the questions and finding their own answers. As teachers, we need to teach students that the answers are not always as important, as the questions they ask and the process they use to search for answers. By doing this students learn to think critically. Of course, students needs to taught and guided to ask and develop thoughtful questions. Teachers need to provide structure and direction for students to take in information and make meaning to understand it.

Chapter 5 describes the world of online learning. November introduces the idea of professional development for teachers available on their computers. This was especially interesting to me, as November suggests teachers can complete PD on their own schedule and even provide different topics of teachers' interests to help their students in their classrooms.

November says the following traits are needed to be a successful online learner:

• motivation to take the class
• self-discipline and responsibility
• the ability to work independently
• parental support

Are you a possible successful online learner?

November also provides a list of traits that are needed to be a successful online teacher:

• devotes time and energy to teaching online
• is available to students
• is creative and willing to experiment
• breaks down curricula into clearly organized, clearly explained smaller units
• focuses on concepts, no class periods
• integrates curricula

Could you be a successful online teacher?

I think I would be a better online student than an online teacher... I am just beginning steps into the online world. I think I would need more experience exploring the web before I teach from it.

VoiceThread Project

This is the VoiceThread I created with my students. We shared it today. It was perfect for "Bring Your Parents to School Day". Many parents asked for the video when I told them I could email it to them.

I am going to add a page describing alliteration but please enjoy my students alliteration book so far...

NETS for Students 1, 2 and 6

Digital Story Practice

Experimenting with PhotoStory I created a Digit Story showcasing "My Life as a Beach Bum".

(Dedicated to my mom, who taught me how to have fun in the sun!)

Click to enjoy on YouTube!

VoiceThread 911

HELP! I have been recording my students' voices on my cell phone using the VoiceThread app but their voices do not play back on the website or when I share the work in progress through email...

Anyone else try it yet? Any success??

Thanks!