Kindergarten Intervention (Letter and Sound Identification)

My niece (Kindergarten) and nephew (1st grade) helped me create this for my kindegarteners and reviewing all letters.  They chose all the pictures to include and eventually completed their own google serches to find the images.  I can use this video for either Letter ID or Sound Fluency.  I also plan on sharing it with a co-worker who also works with a Letter ID intervention group.  I think that because these videos (I have an Only Vowels Animoto in case you missed it!) are short that they are a good way to begin and/ or end each day.

Live Binders

Live Binders  is my new favorite way to

        organize data!

     My favorites list is out of control!  I have more folders to link to my favorite sites, personal sites of interest, and sites I need for my students.  With this tool, I can organize my sites into handy binders.  I can use it with my students for class projects and students can get started on gathering the information they need to complete it.  

                  Here is a quick overview...

Here is a quick video about what you can do with live binders.  I have created just a few live binders for use with my students.  However, I have used many of them available to gather information for a variety of reasons.  You may need even have to create your own binders- you may just be able to use what is already out there!    

                   This may help you get started...

Do you think you will find this useful???  Will it help you to create digital aged learning experiences for your students?

Alan November

Alan November's 2nd edition of Empowering Students with technology encourages educators to deepen students ability to analyze, create, and investigate using critical thinking skills and technology.  The text provides many examples of e-ventures that can be modified to meet the needs of all students. 

Interesting Points to Note...

• Different search engines produce different results (a fact that I never realized because I only use Google).  In the future, I plan on creating lessons where students use a particular search engine to search a given topic.  The web-sites can be compared and contrasted and further analyzed so information can be evaluated.
• Using New Literacies can be a tool to improve parental involvement.  Videoconferencing and blogging can be used to allow parents more opportunities to be involved in daily classroom activities and increase knowledge of what it happening within the classroom.  
• Integrating New Literacies doesn't necessarily depend on the number or quality of technologies available within any given school.  It does depend on the quality of the use of the technologies and the planning that goes with using the technologies available.
• Technology can empower and motivate students.  It connects them with an authentic and global audience.  Critical thinking and global communication skills are greatly enhanced.   My personal concern is protecting children while these connections are being made.  I have also had parents address concerns related to protecting identities.  
• Educators should not be afraid to use new technologies.  Children will usually learn technologies quicker than adults and can often teach the teacher how to use it.  Educators should focus on the classroom management aspect not necessarily the technological aspect.  I also think that this could be a great opportunity to increase community involvement.  Try getting volunteers into the class (maybe high school or college students needing community service hours) that can help with the technology side.
• Many students need guidance with learning activities.  Student-centered learning opportunities are great but students need direction and a real-world problem to solve with teacher guidance to support their learning with technology.  Control can be shifted to the student but it does come with barriers and limitation to an extent.

Classroom Lesson Idea:  Fourth Grade- Connecticut History

I know students in the fourth grade in my school district (I think it is throughout CT) study the history of Connecticut as part of the curriculum.  To integrate technology into this topic of study, I would connect my students to members of Congress and having them write letters discussing personal topics of  interest.  Students could also set up a Skype session to have questions answered.

Another possibility

Students in my school are currently very concerned with the possibility of the school closing at the end of this school year.  It is constant chatter throughout my building between the students, they are fearful of going to a new school.  Teachers can set up videoconferencing with the Mayor and Board of Education members to discuss their concerns.  I wish this is something that I could incorporate in my arena but with the guidelines I must adhere to this is not an option for me!

Check out this video from Alan November and The Spring Branch Plan.  

     Do you agree with Alan November's philosophy?  In your teaching environment are you concerned with student engagement, global empathy, and preparing students for life success?

Personally, I agree that schools need to change to accommodate today's world.  We need to teach our children in a manner that they thrive to become lifelong learners and are prepared with the necessary skills to succeed in tomorrow's world (whatever that may be!).

Digital Storytelling

Digital Storytelling 4 Kids  features examples of digital storytelling created with Creaza,   Photo Peach, Voki,  Photo Show, Go Animate,   Make Beliefs Comix,   Animoto,  Dvolver,   Flickr, and probably many more digital  storybook resources.  I have found that there are just too many resources available.   My best advice would be to start slow and work with what you know.  Use the tools that both you and your students are comfortable with.   Larry Ferlazzo's blog and  this wiki could also be helpful tools in getting started with using digital storytelling with your students.

I personally have just begun my venture into the world of digital storytelling.  Today for the first time, I used Storybird with a group of fourth grade students.  I explained to my students that they were going to create a digital story book but first I wanted to give them the opportunity to explore the concept of digital storytelling.  It took them only a few minutes to become familiar with navigating the site, read a few examples, and gain interest in writing their own digital storybooks.  They are so looking forward to their next time with me when they will have an opportunity to begin using the tools within this site to write their own stories.  While we were exiting the computer lab, I could already hear this group of students discussing their story ideas, potential issues, and concerns thus demonstrating their critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making skills already.  My job is to get these students to enhance these skills by modeling the skills needed to succeed in this digital arena!   

My Animoto Video

   

I created this Animoto video with my Kindergarten intervention students in mind.  We have been working very hard for the past six weeks with learning all of our letter sounds!   We have mastered all of the consonant sounds but still need to work on the vowels.  The students have watched it for the past two days and are loving it.  I can't wait until their next progress monitoring assessment to see additional improvement in this area.  I'm thinking about creating one with all the letters to review with.
                                                                     

I am also hopeful that as a teacher I am adhering to the Net standards and inspiring and advancing student learning by modeling creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.  (Standard 1 for Teachers)

Have you found success with animoto?  Are your students benefitting from integrating technology?

Can someone help me embed the entire video in this post?  I don't know what I am doing wrong.  Can only get the link.

Model Educator & Teacher Blogs

 The good ones!!! (in my opinion, anyway)

Mrs. Ripp's Blog took on the challenge many everyday problems from being bored in class to modeling positive behaviors and brought about a perspective to dealing with them.  I really like how she handles classroom management and her teaching philosophy. 

Josh Stumpenhorst's Blog not only showcases the work of a Teacher of the Year  but viewpoints that may be against the norm and challenges some may be fearful to take.

 Collaboreyes was well liked for the model it provides to connect students throughout the world.  I think this would be a modern day version of the pen pals that we had as children.  I loved writing to my pen pal and sending the letter through snail mail!  I would wait excitedly for a response.  Now students get instant gratification!!!

Mrs. Schur's Blog included posts with all types of technology incorporated. 

Aviva Dunsiger's Blog showed examples of using technology within first and second grade classrooms.  The videos uploaded sparked great interest and just what should be done more often in the classroom and what even very young students are capable of!

Mr. Avery's Blog is up there with Aviva Dunsiger’s blog for the same reasons. 

Blogs can be an innovative and creative tool to use in

any classroom.  I can see the benefits for the students in

 all types of classrooms.  Students young and old, from inner-city neighborhoods to suburbs, and from all walks of life could increase new literacy skills by using blogging within the classroom. 

Diigo Lists: Resources from Judy Arzt

More resources and information

than you can imagine for using

blogs and wikis!

Judy Arzt's tagged blogs  is a list of many interesting blogs that can be used to generate ideas for use in the classroom.  The one by Room 121 (a group of 5^th grade students) is an amazing example of how to use blogging in the classroom.  Children can use what they have personally created to review material and reinforce new material.  30 Digital Classroom Blogs from Around the World is another wonderful resource to get ideas for of using a classroom blog. Mr. Salsich's 3rd graders  is an example from here in CT!  Also included Reasons, Tips, and even Steps to follow.    

Judy Arzt's tagged Wikis

As a wiki virgin, I found navigating and using Wikispaces a challenge.  I succeeded in making a wiki but I didn’t know Everything You Need to Know about using Wikispaces.  The tutorial was very helpful in learning more about using wikis.  

How do we have time to check it all out? 

What would be best for my students? 

Definitely allows me to relate to my students who are struggling-  I'm

struggling trying to digest and evaluate all the resources available to us!!!