Make Believe...

I finally got a chance to play around on a cool site we learned about in class called makebeliefscomix.com.  I created a cute little comic, this program is a little too difficult for the younger group I think, but would be fun for middle school and up.  Check out my comic, A Kindergarten Moment.

My little darlings make me smile!

So here we are reaching the end of our Digital Literacy class and for my Literacy Project I decided to use Storybird with my students.  In an earlier post I mentioned that I would be working with my students while they used the program to write their own fairy tales at the end of our unit.

Before pulling students to work with me on the program the students had written out and edited their stories. I allowed the students to pick the art work they wanted and I typed the story out for them (most of them do not have the key boarding skills).

Here are some students samples, I have to say some of their stories made me smile.  One student had to edit his story because he saw a shark picture and decided that there HAD to be a shark in his story because they are "wicked awesome".

Done and Presented...

Here is my final Storybird, which I presented to my Kindergarten class last week to introduce our mini-unit on fairy tales. The students liked it, and were able to think of fairy tale examples (mostly Disney related). They are most excited about creating their own Storybird to share with the class.

ZOOM into team building!

What is Zoom you ask? Well it's more than just a picture book!  

While I was working on updating and adding to my Diigo library going through all my saved links I came across my Zoom link.  For those of you who know me, you know that I have taught a different grade every year since becoming a teacher.  I have taught grades Kindergarten through 3rd and 5th through 8th, only 4th grade left on my check list (but lets hope I get a few years in Kindergarten before moving again to another grade).  

In those year I have complied a few tricks to help me survive all these transitions, and Zoom is one of my favorites.  I first came upon this team building exercise in Group Dynamics which I took during my undergrad and I have used it with children as young as 2nd grade all the way up to middle school.  The group that struggled the most with this activity was my 8th grade students who I had complete the activity as an introduction to expectations for group work for class projects.  After the activity we discussed means of communication, how the group was affective, and the frustrations of the project.  This discussion lead to what an effective group looks and sounds like and what I expected from group projects.  While this activity can be used as a simple icebreaker or game, I think that it has the potential for so much more and the discussions and insights that can come from it are amazing.  So if you have the time, give it a try and let me know how it went =)

OH Diigo, you saved my life!

Well saved my life might be a bit extreme, but Diigo has definitely helped me organize my current research and other links I use.  I am happy that I learned how to use and will be using it in the future.  I don't know how I lived so long without it.

Created to teach

For my digital story I will be using the Storybird program because I do not have access to a microphone.  In reading we will be beginning our unit of study on Fairy Tales, I will be creating a Storybird to introduce the elements of a fairy tale to my Kindergarten class. My goal is to keep the text simple and predictable so students can help in reading about the elements.
At the end of this unit I would like to use Storybird with each student and have them create their own personal fairy tale then post them on my website for parents to view.

Here is my first draft... please tell me what you think =)

What time is the right time?

image from: i.livescience.com

"At what age can online/digital literacy activities be integrated into the classroom?"

I believe that when looking the use of internet and digital literacy activities it is not just age that should determine whether a child is ready for its use, but also their maturity.  I also think that exposing children to any form of online tool also requires teachers and parents to educate their children on proper and safe use of the internet.  A kindergarten blogger, Carlos, makes a great argument for the use of the internet and digital tools in the classroom in his blog The King's Notes.  There are many interesting view points and articles out their that discuss the use of technology within the classroom, such as Literacy Education in the Digital Age.  Teachers should read and and feel their way though the many resources out their before deciding what to use in their own classroom. I also feel that teachers need to have an understanding of the tools they plan to implement before exposing their students to them so that the tools/activities can be used to the best of their ability.  

Playing with Storybird

A short little story I wrote playing around with Storybird. A little empowerment story for little girls.

Did you get your bread and milk?

A little storm humor.  I hope everyone is fairing well, saying safe and toasty warm.

Oh Diigo, how did I live without you?

Now that I have finally figured out how to use Diigo I wonder at how I ever managed without. It is wonderful for keeping track of and organizing all the links, videos, and articles that I come across for work and school. Recently I have been using it to organize some research I have been doing on year-round schooling.  I wish that I had this class earlier in my graduate studies as it would have helped organizing my research and work for my other classes. I'm not sure how it could be used in a classroom setting so I would be interested to know and hear from teachers about how they use it with their class.

Animoto Final...President Lincoln Review

In Kindergarten we have started learning about President Lincoln.  I created this video to use as a review at the end of our mini unit.  The video sums up the major points we will be learning about. The video includes questions for the students to answer, I will pause the video to give the students the chance to answer.  I thought this would be a great way to review once we finish.  (Check in at a later date to see how it went)

Dream Big

This is one of my Kindergarten class' favorite songs.  I think its partly because of the little super boy.  It is our clean up song after Center time (I put it on the Smartboard for them).  I love the message of this song, very positive, I'm happy every time I hear their little voices sing it.

100th Day of School ...

Can you believe it? It is almost here, the 100th day of school?! Need some ideas? I have always loved PInterest for some cute ideas (its great if you're a very visual person).
One idea that I love that I'm going to use this year in my classroom is having students illustrating what they think they will look like at 100 years of age...I can't wait to see their pictures!

Diigo

I'm really struggling with navigating diigo and am feeling a bit frustrated because after watching the videos I still can't seem to figure it out.  Any advice or help? I'm lost and starting to get discouraged...

Oh my goodness!

Today as math informal math assessment my students created a Addition Animoto.  They voted on how to explain the concept and what template and pictures to use.  They were so proud of their work, had to send emails home with links so my students could show their parents. Now I'm sharing with you.

Phonics and Exercise?

With a class of mostly boys, my kindergarten class is very active so I have had to find ways to incorporate a lot of movement.  I love Lettercise, which is great reinforcement of letter sounds and a good way to use up some energy...especially on those days of indoor recess!

Try it out if you have an active bunch too!

The Dot.

Everyone wants to leave their mark...

We discussed this story briefly in class and while explore youtube for something else this popped up in my search, it seemed serendipitous. Enjoy!  

Richardson Reflection: Blogging

In chapters 3 and 4 of Richardson's Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts... he discussed the use of blogs and wikis in the educational setting.  It made me consider how I would use these forms of technology.  Aside from this blog we have school run website in which each teacher has their own webpage we are required to use.  On our page we post homework, important links, forms and documents, and reflections/updates about our week.  At the kindergarten level my webpage is geared toward the parents.  I have a hard time seeing how I could use blogging and wiki's with the younger age group.  If I didn't already have my webpage and had a blog instead I would also gear this more toward my parents and fellow educators.  In some of the blogs I have seen created by younger grade teachers (Pre-K to 1st) they have seem to be written with an adult audience in mind, for example My Hullabaloo.

I would be interested to see blogs that young children have been part of, does anyone know of any?

My very first Animoto

My first draft for our Animoto project.  It goes along with the chapter I will be teaching in Religion on God's Gift of Friendship. Please give feedback!!!

The Beauty of Mistakes.

I love coming across great books that not only teach but inspires, and quite by accident I feel upon Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg.  The story stretches the imagination and teaches the lesson that from mistakes can come something beautiful.  Having a group of students this year who has great difficultly in their work not being anything but perfect and error free, this book helped me to address this issue within my classroom... and save me a little money since I wasn't having to constantly buy new erasers every two weeks.  I highly recommend the book, not only for its message but its creative illustrations.  Beautiful Oops was a fun find and Mr. Saltzberg has some other great books to check out! 

Enjoy discovering and don't fear making some mistakes =)

Keep calm...

Breathe and keep calm

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Stressed? Or maybe you're just a little beat down. Here is lovely meditation video that I have used with students when I taught middle school and I have used myself to calm down and give myself a little boost, Self Esteem Meditation. Thought it might be nice to include a peice of calming technology =).

Defining New Literacies

From what I understand through reading about the New Literacies, New Literacies refer to the different forms of technology that students are being expose to in and out of the class.  Technology that consists of cell phones, laptops/computers, Ipods and Ipads, digital readers, etc.  All the new and in some cases improved technology changes the world of not only the student but the educator.  Information is now a mer click or google search away and students need the knowledge of how to navigate and critical evaluate what they are being exposed to.  They also need to have an understanding about the responsible way to communicate using the varies tools that internet offers; such as Twitter, Facebook, and blogging.  The NETS are like a form of standards to help guide instruction, promote understanding and learning, and evaluate of the varies forms of technology and how students are interacting with.  

I think that it is important for both educators and students to have a clear understanding about how to be active and responsible Global citizens, because technology does open us to the world and vice-versa.  

Richardson Reflection

While reading Richardson’s text on web tools there were a few points to reflect upon.  In chapter 1 Richardson discusses is how the web has create millions of amateur authors.  As I thought about this it seemed incredible to think how anyone can now publish their thoughts for the public to view and comment on.  I look and see myself doing it on a blog...I am not the most tech savvy but yet here I am able to publish my thoughts to a global audience.  Frankly it scares me, not that others will reading my thoughts, but the idea of adolescents being part of this world.  Having to sieve through all the ideas, opinions and information out there.

As a teacher my first response to this is to teach and model how to navigate the internet.  How to critical analyze the web and who is publishing the information what is the authors intent and purpose.  I struggle with keeping up new technology developments so I worry in my endeavors to keep up that I am not covering all that I could when teaching how to navigate the web safely.  I also teach Kindergarten so while I know that younger and younger children are being exposed to the internet, I question how much to familiarize them to.

I think blogging might be a good way to teach students how to use the internet.  Teaching kindergarten it is hard to see using blogging. At looking at blogs I still am unsure how to utilize in the younger grades with students who are not yet writing full sentences yet.  I did like learn more about how to make it age appropriate for my grade.  I have used websites such as Starfall, http://www.starfall.com/, to reinforce his phonics skills.  I also use the phonics game that come with our reading series Super Kids, the following site has a sample of the games http://www.superkidsreading.org/superkids-reading-program/tech-K.php.

  

Still a little overwhelmed

After exploring different blogs by other teachers and professionals I still feel a little overwhelmed.  I look at their blogs and how developed they are and wish I could do the same with mine, but technology and never did get along well.  I am slowly learning, and this process makes me think once again to my students and to how they feel when trying and learning something new.  This process reminds me to be patient.

Its been YEARS since I've done this...

image found on: http://www.mindmapinspiration.com/two-million-years-learning-curve/

The last time I used a blog was when I was a starry young undergrad studying to be a teacher, anxious to join the working world and try out all that I had learned.  Now a few years later, undergrad blog abandoned, its funny to find myself back here as a student again.  I will admit that forgot almost everything I learned about blogging having not used it.  I find myself a little frustrated and overwhelmed, but I imagine this is how my students feel when learning a new challenging concept at school.  I am going to try my hardest and try not be too discouraged if it all doesn't make sense right away.

Here we go!