Storytelling Class

I am preparing for a new club that I will teach, after Spring Break.  I am excited, as I get to set the curriculum and select the activities.  I've been checking my sources for ideas:  library card catalog for good storytelling books (and examples); pinterest for ideas and activities; twitter for links to fun project ideas with the loads of free web 2.0 tools that help students tell their stories; internet for graphic organizers for students to plan and tons of websites full of project ideas.

The hardest part will be picking which projects we'll do, as we only have seven 1-1/4 hour sessions!  So many great ideas......so little time!

Two of the ideas that I am most excited about right off the bat are:
1)  pop-up books with www.zooburst.com (just have to get approval to upgrade for 1-2 months so I can create a classroom with the tool, be ad free and allow students to add their voice to their projects, as well as download the books when they are done.

2)  using QR codes to add student voices to their artwork to create their story.  I found a great suggestion about using Van Gogh's Chair painting to spark a creation from the students.  They will draw (I don't think I'll get approval to buy paint supplies) their CHAIR and surround their chair with objects that are important to them, including adding a picture or two to the wall that will include someone that is important to them.  Students will then create a script describing their chair and the scene that surrounds it.  This audio will be accessed via a QR code attached to their drawing in our GALLERY.

So excited to get started.  Oh, and did I tell you these will be very creative 2nd and 3rd graders!  They are such sponges for new information and very inclined to dig deep and get creative by trying new things.

Did something right

I am enjoying a lazy afternoon, curled up on my recliner, reading an ebook from NetGalley, surrounded by my family. My hubby is out in the sunroom, which is warm and sunny on this cold winter day, doing the taxes.  My teenager son is lounging on the couch (actually he is stomach planted over the arm of the couch) with his book on the floor, reading some fantasy series. My daughter is on the matching recliner pouring over a nonfiction book for a book project she will be working on over the next couple of weeks.  With the Oldies playing in the background, surrounded by my readers, there is no place I'd rather be right now!

Read to your children. Take them to the library and the bookstore. Make books accessible to them. Talk about what you read. Ask them what kinds of stories they like. Have your children read to you. Listen to audiobooks in the car.  Experience the world (good and bad) through books.  Expand your children's horizons. Help make them lifelong readers and learners!

Comic Maker

I am on the hunt for an online tool that will allow students to make comics.  Also, the teacher wants the text and or audio to be in Hebrew.  So far this is my assessment of the cartoon/comic creation tools I looked at.   More work to do, but this is a start.

www.goanimate.com - This one is my favorite so far!

• Pros: you can use their starters or start from scratch; you can add your voice or type text (that they will voiceover for you); creates a video (visual & audio)
• Cons: requires sign-up with an email; the free version is a bit limited and the school version is more than I can afford right now.

a href="http://goanimate.com/videos/05Kj8I0S6eJY?utm_source=embed&uid=0WgntBFIIKlU" target="_blank">knock, knock joke by dagallitz on GoAnimate

Animation Software - Powered by GoAnimate.
www.toondoo.com -

• Pros:  can use their characters or create your own; HEBREW is available (but haven't gotten it to work yet)
• Cons:  requires sign-up with an email + some racy characters for school; no sound
• My creation:

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/index.html

• Pros: no need to sign-up with an email
• Cons: overly simplistic; not many choices; not able to type or cut-past Hebrew into dialog boxes; no sound; cannot save, but can email or print creation.

http://garfield.com/fungames/comiccreator.html

• Pros: it's Garfield; simple and easy to use
• Cons: not able to type or cut-paste Hebrew into dialog boxes; no sound; cannot save, but can print creation.
  IDEA: you could insert text boxes and have students write the Hebrew in.
  
  
• My creation: 

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/

• Pros: intuitive, many characters, easy to use, no sign-up required
• 
  

  Cons: cannot save, but can print or email creation.
• 
  

  My creation:

  

Wikispaces

A short while ago I had looked at wikispaces for a class that I was taking.  I recently revisted this tool as our school was looking for ways to collaborate with peers electronically and the wiki seemed like a good option.  The wiki provides a way to allow everyone to participate at their own pace.  Several teachers are ready to read what others have found and posted, while others are ready, willing and able to post and discuss all the great resources that they have found and use.

We are starting small and I'll be happy if I can get all of the teachers to 'join' the wiki.  I plan to work 1:1 with some of the teachers that struggle with technology.  My hope is to show them what is available on the wiki and get them hooked!  Those that are comfortable adding will also help to drive interest and make sure that teachers check back often.

Wikispaces is easy to use and allows you to embed video, documents and images easily.  The overall design is very simplistic.  We'll give it the old college try and see where it goes!

Elf Yourself.....and your family & friends

I made one of these cute little videos a couple of years ago, inserting all the cousins' faces onto the elf bodies and cracking up as they danced a little elf song.  Well, I just came across this site again this year and will be doing it again.  The kids are a bit older, so not sure if it will hold the same cute-factor or not, but I am willing to give it the old college try.

So, have some fun and elf yourself! 

Visit:  http://host-d.oddcast.com/elfyourself2012/home.php

They even have an APP!

Happy almost New Year

Well, it is that time of year, when we take a moment or two to reflect on the year.  I finished my teaching certification and am almost done with my library media certification and am working in my first teaching job (well, where they actually pay me as a teacher) and my family is healthy, doing well in school and all together for the Christmas break.  A ton has happened in the last year and there is so much more to come.  I am thankful.

T ogether we can make a difference
H elp and support from and for my fellow teachers
A wesome family and friends in my life
N etworking to continue my own professional development
K indle books, Nook books, print books, audio book, oh my!
F earless dedication to move forward and make things better
U seful web 2.0 tools to make my job easier and more fun
L ots of love and joy in 2013

Cheers to 2012!

Glogster

I am finishing my library media certification and am doing field work in a high school library.  Not only do I get a chance to see how the 'big' kids do things, I'm learning about new ways to do things and about some old/new tools.  While reviewing how the library is using LibGuides, I ran across a familiar name: Glogster.  My children used this in middle school, and I always meant to play around with it, but never found the time.  Until now!  I signed up for a FREE education account and love, love, love it!  This is a great tool to bring all your resources together in a single place:  audio, video, images, text.  Then, use your imagination to make it visually appealing for students.

Here is my first attempt at creating a Glogster to use to recap our Polar Friends unit with my kindergarten and first grade library students.  I can't wait to use this tomorrow!