Literacy Project

I teach first grade at Asian Studies Academy in Hartford, CT.  My students created animoto videos about East Asian countries.  They worked so hard researching, writing, choosing pictures, and creating their videos.  They were so excited to see their finished product!  We plan on showing the whole school by prodcasting it on the T.V. in front of the main office.


We will definitely create more videos!  It was a great experience!

Web 2.0 Reflection

I cannot believe our 8 weeks is over!  I have learned so much!  And yet, I cannot believe how much more there is to learn about technology!

I have learned how important it is to keep up with technology and how to use it purposefully in the classroom.  I am thankful for this class, because before I naively was proud of myself for knowing the basics of using the SmartBoard in the classroom!

Here I am, eight weeks later and I have created several videos with my class, made a movie with my Mac (did I mention that I impressed my Mac/Tech Savvy husband!), and learning how to blog.  And I did not even mention learning the basics of uploading, embedding, and hyperlinking videos, photos, and websites!

Thank you!  My students are excited to use the Web 2.0 tools I learned from this class.  I have begun to teach them how to learn from the web and teach others their learning.  My students are engaged and motivated to demonstrate their learning.

Technology + Students = Enthusiastic Learning!

March: Women's History Month

I created a Glog about Women's History Month.  It is an exciting time to celebrate and acknowledge women who have made a contribution in our history.  It was an exciting experience to add videos and information together on one page.

What do you think?

Final Digital Story

Here is my final digital story.  I enjoyed the process and cannot wait to share this experience with my students.
As a reflection, I need to work on pace of my voiceover.  I think the music and the sound effects fit well with the digital story.  I think with time, I will be able to pace better.  It took some tweaking to get all the info about MLK I wanted to share.  And it was a challenge figuring out all the tools with iMovie, but I did it!

Please let me know what you think!

Digital Story

This is just a draft…still working on it!  (I need to add my voice over.)  What do you think?

Storybird

I tried out Storybird…phew!  It was overwhelming!  There were so many pictures to chose from! However, … I made a short story that I can use in my classroom.  I teach at Asian Studies Academy @ Dwight/Belizzi in Hartford, CT.  I made a very short, counting book that translates the numbers 1-5 in Mandarin.

I love it!  I cannot wait to add more and share with my students!

Diigo

The more I explore and use Diigo, the more I am enjoying it.  It is a great way to organize articles and websites.  I have enjoyed tagging and labeling articles and websites and organizing them into "item lists" for easy access.  It is easy to search for topics by tags.  I have found that I can also get information about subjects quickly by joining groups based on their topic.  I have also added many of my peers from class.  They have included useful websites for students and professional purposes.

Read Across America

Who doesn't love Dr. Seuss!?!  Read Across America is a great way to share how Dr. Seuss created stories that are silly but have important meanings.  I mentioned previously that the National Education Association has many great resources, including tips for parents, Dr. Seuss inspired recipes, and so much more!

I wanted to share some of my favorite Dr. Seuss books and activities that you can use in your classroom!
I created two Pinterest boards for Read Across America and Dr. Seuss Activities.  They include worksheets, recipes, read-alouds, and so much more!

  

Yum!  Fishy cupcakes!  The Foodista has a recipe to create these delicious cupcakes.

Another favorite activity for students is having them draw pictures of Dr. Seuss quotes.

 And like Dr. Seuss said, "Fun is good."

Have a fun Read Across America!  

Dr Seuss

This Friday is Read Across America.  The National Education Association (NEA) has a lot of resources to support your celebration of everything Dr. Seuss.  It is a great resource to offer parents and colleagues tips on reading activities with their students.  And who doesn't like green eggs and ham?!

Snowed in!

We are snowed in!

So I thought it would be a great time to share snowy day books and activities!

Have a great snowy day!

Class Resources

I was reading articles in my Diigo Library and came across a great website. 

It has many resources for classroom teachers.  I found this website because it had reviews of Common Core State Standards apps.  It has a link to books being read by actors online.  It is called StoryLine Online; you can watch the videos through YouTube.  If you can't access YouTube in your school, they referred a website called SchoolTube.  SchoolTube lets you listen to books being read and provides many other educational videos.  It also has links for educational games for students.  

Common Core State Standards

I needed to share this!  I found a free app for smart phones that helps students, parents, and teachers read and understand the Common Core State Standards.  I need this!

Chinese New Year

I created an Animoto video for the Chinese New Year.

Animoto

I created an Animoto video with my students.  We created a video about shapes.  We were learning about shapes and reading some great shape books.  My students created signs and pictures and used their bodies to create the shapes.  This was a great project for my students.  They were able to chose aspects of the video process they were most comfortable with.  Some students were camera shy and chose to write the names of a shape and draw the shape.  While other students enjoyed working together to create shapes.  We will use this video to review shapes and will share with our first grade peers.  This video would be great to introduce shapes and have students participate and make shapes with their bodies.  I think it would be a great assessment piece:  students can match the names and shapes and create them with their bodies.




Here are some of the books I used to teach my lessons about shapes:

Digital Storytelling

I was looking on YouTube for ideas for my digital story and I came across this video.
What a great idea!  It reminded me of the Animoto video Kelly made.  This would be a great way to review the alphabet and introduce unfamiliar animals.

Storyboard

I found this great video on YouTube about using Storyboards in classrooms for reading comprehension.  I love the idea the teacher shares at a workshop and can't wait to have students retell using the Storyboard.

Inspiring

A fellow teacher introduced me to "Whole Brain Teaching" and thought I would share it with you all!
There are many videos on YouTube about "Whole Brain Teaching", however this video inspired me to try "Whole Brain Teaching" in my first grade classroom.  It engages students and activates their brain while listening and learning.  I use the oral cues and rules in my classroom and my students respond quickly and are excited to be active participants.

Kidblog

I did it!  I started a Kidblog!  Now don't get too excited!  Baby steps…  I created the blog and added my students and wrote an introductory post.  Now the fun begins!  I can't wait to work with my students with creating their blogs!  They were so excited about our Animoto video I know they will be excited to share their learning with their families and other students.  If you have any ideas on what I can do with my class and their Kidblog, please leave a comment!



I am reposting this helpful YouTube video about how to use Kidblog in your classroom.  It explains how easy it is to start Kidblog.

Are you passionate about reading?

I just got inspired from Mrs. Ripp's blog!  She blogged about witnessing a student from her school who asked his dad to buy him a book because his teacher said it was one of his favorites.  It is inspiring to reflect on my reading practices in the classroom, as well as home.  I want to be that teacher who is inspiring students to ask for books (instead of video games or toys!) based on my opinion!  During the reading block, I am assigned books that are mandatory to read.  They are great books, don't get me wrong.  I just didn't choose them.  As teachers, it is important not to lose your identity, while maintaing the integrity of the curriculum.  How are you being "passionate" about reading?

Read-Alouds

Read-alouds are an important part of the reading block.  Fortunately for me, my district provides us with read-alouds and lesson plans based on different themes.  They are great, diverse books.  However, sometimes I want to choose the books!  (Especially, my all-time favorites!)  I have found a Pinterest Board that provides links for read-aloud books on the internet, a blog that shares different read-alouds throughout the year, and another great blog Two Teachers Who Read Alot that shares excellent read-alouds.  I love the World Wide Web!  There are so many resources available to those that have the time to look! 

Here are some YouTube videos of read-alouds!  Happy reading!

Jack

I did it!  It's my first attempt at making a video!  I was so scared!  But it was so easy!  Please let me know what you think…
Jack

P.S.  I could only link it and embed it!  (It said I'm not a "Pro!":  don't they know it was my first video!  Just joking!)

Online Collaborative Inquiries Classroom Blogging Ventures and Multiple Literacies

The article "Online Collaborative Inquiries:  Classroom Blogging Ventures and Multiple Literacies" states how teachers need to know how to implement and integrate technology into the classroom to ensure students' success.  Technology has had "a positive effect on student motivation and learning."  However, teachers need to use technology purposefully.

The article provided many useful hyperlinks, but I really enjoyed the link to Karen Lirenman's blog.

It showed many useful ways to implement technology into the classroom.  She uses IPads and Apple TV in her classroom.  I would love to use IPads in my classroom.  I have created folders for my four year old son that includes apps on writing, math, spelling, sight words, matching, songs, and so many more!  My son loves it and can easily identify and open his own folders.  I would love to differentiate for my students using apps. 
Here is a YouTube video about the many different ways to use iPads in the classroom.

Motivating Students to Read

I had to share! 
I just finished reading about Ms. Ripp and how she motivates her students to read more.  It is a simple and do-able list of ways to get students excited to read. 
One example I want to try is to show students movie trailers about books!  What a brilliant idea!  I would love to create movie trailers about books that I am going to read in the class.
I hope this list inspires you like it did for me!

Inspiration

I found an animoto from the referred animoto list.  This video is inspiring me to use animoto in my classroom to present new vocabulary words.  Meghan, a second grade teacher from Waterbury, created an animoto video about plants for her science unit.  She used real pictures with plant vocabulary.  Her background matched the content of her video.  It was beautifully done.  Please take a look if you have a chance!




Make your own photo slideshow at Animoto.

Animoto

Animoto is so cool!  It is the video version of Power Point!  I am so excited to use this in my class.  It will be a great resource to create for my lessons!  My first grade team will be so excited!  We can create and share animoto videos for our lessons.

Animoto will great for every aspect of the classroom.  However, I think it will be an excellent way to make my classroom even richer in vocabulary!

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms Part 2

Technology can be scary!  I was completely overwhelmed with the notion about integrating technology in the classroom.  Here I am, thinking, "Wow!  Not bad!  I know a little about using Smart Boards in my class..."  Little did I know, that is just the tip of the iceberg of implementing technology in the classroom!
Thank goodness for this book:  Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools.
I  am truly enjoying this book!  It is such a relief to understand what I am reading about something I  understand a little about!
I want to start a blog with my class and in the future, have my students create their own blogs.  I was feeling comfortable about this after reading Chapter 3:  Weblogs:  Get Started!  It is a great explanation of how to implement blogging in the classroom (and how to refine mine!).  Edublogs and 21 Classes are two blog spaces for teachers to use with their classes.  Both websites offer suggestions as to how to implement and sensor student blogging.

Chapter 4 amazes me as to how we are living in a world of technology that permits us to communicate and share across the world!  What a great example of this is the story of the Wikipedia post about the tsunami of Christmas 2004 .
I'm not sure if I would count Wikipedia as an accurate source for classroom research projects (even though Steve Jobs said it is "one of the most accurate encyclopedias in the world").  I find it difficult to rely on a source that anyone can edit and submit it.  However, I do find it useful for a general understanding of a subject or event.  I do like the idea of using wikis in the classroom for students to create a class Wikipedia.  One example of this was how Mrs. Maine used wikis with her students.  I like how Mrs. Maine used wikis in her biology classroom.  She used it with her students to share the experiments and data with all her classes.  It was a great way to share the experiences and work!

Check out this YouTube video of how to use Kidblog!  It provides useful step by step instructions about using Kidblog!  Cannot wait to get started!

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms Part 1

Students and Teachers are in what author, Douglas Rushkoff calls a "society of authorship."  Students and teachers have the ability to communicate with the world with the Internet.  It is definitely a "World Wide Web!"  Students are logging on to their Face book accounts and communicating with people across the USA and the World.  They are staying connected!  Teachers need to keep up with the ever developing technology and with their students! 

There are so many technology tools that teachers can utilize in their classroom!  I love to use the Smart Board for various educational activities.  I have an IPod Touch that contains educational apps for students.  Teachers should be using Weblogs with their students to present the learning and projects of the class.  Teachers should also be using audio/video casting to showcase their students.

It is extremely important for teachers to teach students how to safely using the Internet.  I have several books on Cyber-bullying that would be a great resource on how to identify when there is a problem and how to act correctly when using the Internet.  I would model how to use the Internet on the Smart Board and then guide students.  I also have permission slips that parents need to check and sign, stating that their child can use the Internet.

Teachers should have blogs because they are a great way to showcase their students learning and work.  Parents and families can view the blog and talk with their child about what he/she is learning at school and what events are coming up.

Students should blog their school experience.  It is a good way to assess their learning.  It is a great way to show a student the writing process and what a finished writing piece looks like.

Please check out http://mrcsclassblog.blogspot.com/ blog!  It was mentioned in Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.
It provides information about science activities for the classroom.

This YouTube video address of why teachers should consider using technology in their classrooms.

New Literacies

"As technology integration continues to increase in our society, it is paramount that teachers possess the skills and behaviors of digital age professionals. Moving forward, teachers must become comfortable being co-learners with their students and colleagues around the world."
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers

The new literacies are new forms of literacy based on the development of technology.  It is extremely important for teachers to learn and be up-to-date with the new literacies and new developments in technology.  Teachers will be able to use technology to excite and motivate students to learn. 

The International Society for Technology in Education provides resources on their website.  http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers  They have a page with links just for teachers.  They provide resources, such as books, PDs, webinars, and so much more.  http://www.iste.org/learn

One example of a new literacy I want to utilize in my classroom is the blog.  I want my students to start blogging about what they are learning about.  We can share this information with our families and community. 

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Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!  I cannot wait to get started!

~Suzanne