The Vine could be used to help students with new vocabulary or for making short book trailers. They could be little snippets about books and perhaps homework assignments. This vine app shows my granddaughter learning new words. The caption did not come up on the blog. Vine
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Instagram and Vine
With all the new apps out there, educators are asking themselves "How can these apps be used in the classroom?" The following apps, Instagram and Vine, are two great apps that educators could easily implement in the class, help jazz up their teaching, and increase student's comprehension by making connections and real word applications. Here are a few ways in which each could be utilized by educators. Instagram can be used for fun contests among students and staff. For example,students and staff could submit the best example of school spirit, or the best example of the seasons, students can show examples of science concepts, like an ecosystem, or biomes. Any class activity that uses a step-by-step process could benefit from being documented via Instagram. For example, take a photo of each step of a science experiment or an art project and add a caption with instructions for that step. Daily journal writing is an excellent way for students to practice their English and composition skills. Photo prompts can also be used for poetry and fiction assignments as well as an interesting lead-in to writing in other subjects. Instagram can document student progress. By snapping photos of student’s writing/work at the beginning and end of the year, students and parents can see student progress-a visual portfolio.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Cartoons and Comic strips
One of the hottest trends in children and YA literature is graphic novels. This genre has opened up many doors to reluctant and avid readers alike. So, how can we take this idea and make it user friendly for our students. One way is to utilize the many different apps that are out there that help students become creative designers and show what they know. It is a great tool that shows teachers the depth of student learn. So sit back, check out my simple cartoons, and decide which of the following apps could be used by you and your students in the classroom.
This cartoon was created using ToonDoo. Users simply click on "Create" and select the layout of the comic strip. A variety of character, background, and "props" options are found across the top menu. In addition, the "DoodleR" and "TraitR" tools allow users to create their own drawings or characters. Other features include the image upload tool (images can be uploaded from a URL or from a saved file), a variety of text balloon options, and clip art. I found this tool easy to use and easy to save. Students would be able to create some amazing cartoons with all the options available to them.
I used Pixton to create a school scene with 2 students discussing homework that wasn't done. Pixton is easy to use and offers high-quality images that would be appealing for students. Users can choose starting scenes, add new frames, change characters and add text. At this site, students can create, share, and "remix" comics. The "remix" link allows students to add their own twist to ready-made comics. Students can read comics created by others and also make comments on them. Other highlights of the site include a featured author and blog. Although not as flexible to use as the others, Pixton was an ok tool that I think would appeal to students.
I used MakeBeliefsComix to create this simple picture icons to represent the story element Conflict. The site provides dialogue prompts under each blank frame. There is a Printables page. Many of the themed comics include space to add text. MakeBeliefsComix was very easy to use and I had no problems saving my final product. Students would be able to create some fairly creative cartoons, although it is limited in characters and setting.
I think that using comic strip in the library as a way to summarize a book and by showcasing students work within the library and school, would get other students interested in reading the book. I would like to use this in my book club before doing the more difficult items such as book trailers. It also helps students work on story structure, key events, and characterization. I would like to use ToonDoo as I found it more appealing and easier to manipulate then the other two examples.
Online Book Communities
Goodreads is an easy to use unlimited virtual book shelf. As far as I can tell, Goodreads only uses Amazon as a data source. However, you may import a book list of your own.You can see how many books are on all your shelves right there on your profile page. Goodreads allows you to have conversations about books without joining/starting a group, OR you can join/start a group. There seems to be more YA conversations happening on the site. Goodreads has most of its features tucked away in menus making it neat and attractive and easy to comprehend. It has a "database' feel. However, if a book is not found, Goodreads will give you a "no results error". It seems that there are too many steps to accomplish the same end result as several of the other virtual book shelves.
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Librarything is a virtual bookshelf that allows the user 200 free book titles. It does allow users to import an existing list via a file or web page. Users can add their your own covers and customize your individual copy of the book. Users select the source they want to use when searching for titles.You don’t have to rate anything to get recommendations.The site shows you all the series in your library and if your series is complete. The homepage offers tons of info, but it can be overwhelming and cluttered. When searching, it gives you the most recent edition of the book and does not show an "error" message.
I think that as an educator, I would prefer the ease of Goodreads. It was simple to work with and did not have too many bells and whistles that challenged my techie abilities. I found that there was a lot more conversations about YA books which was an added plus for me. I will definitely recommend Biblionasium to my students in the library. I loved the colors and design of the site. Kids would find it more appealing since it is geared toward catching their eye. It has a "fun" feel and is not very polished and adult like as the other communities. I thought that it was a great virtual bookshelf that focused on helping teachers and students have a successful reading experience.
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Librarything is a virtual bookshelf that allows the user 200 free book titles. It does allow users to import an existing list via a file or web page. Users can add their your own covers and customize your individual copy of the book. Users select the source they want to use when searching for titles.You don’t have to rate anything to get recommendations.The site shows you all the series in your library and if your series is complete. The homepage offers tons of info, but it can be overwhelming and cluttered. When searching, it gives you the most recent edition of the book and does not show an "error" message.
Shelfari is a free virtual bookshelf where you can post what books you've read lately and recommendations for books.You can list your books and display them on a virtual shelf as well as see who else has the book. It has book tagging. It is easy to add a book to a series. There is also book reviews and discussions so you can share your views and discover new reads within the community. It has Widgets. Users can build their own library shelf where they can add books that they are currently reading, books they plan to read, or books they have already read. Users can also rate the books they have read based on five stars. Shelfari is very visually appealing. A downfall is that is is very slow to load.
Booklikes is a free virtual book shelf with no limits on the amount of books, reviews, or new book friends you can have. It is mostly a blog format with a virtual bookshelf added in. BookLikes is available in three language versions: English, German and Polish.Users can log in with a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts. Reader profiles allow the user to display their reading history and interests. Users can browse a database of books from every major genre. Recommendations are generated based on the user's reading preferences. Book discussions allow users to talk about their favorite titles.Users can create thematic shelf. There are three reading statuses: read, planning to read, currently reading, however you can also create your own reading status. Booklikes uses several book sources. You can also import books and reviews from Goodread. The user also has the ability to remove, rename and manage shelves including changing the shelf order or adding a book manually. Booklikes helps users find books that they will actually want to read. Although each title is displayed neatly, with a thumbnail cover image, it's design is not very user friendly.
Biblionasium is a free, protected social network for children ages 6-13. Biblionasium allows teachers to build reports on what each student is reading and at what level and progression. The user can create shelves for individual students, groups, classes or grades as a whole. BiblioNasium’s virtual bookshelves help kids keep track of what they’ve read, what they like, and what they plan to read. The user can monitor student reading logs, create reading challenges, help students expand genre choices and tailor individual reading lists.
I think that as an educator, I would prefer the ease of Goodreads. It was simple to work with and did not have too many bells and whistles that challenged my techie abilities. I found that there was a lot more conversations about YA books which was an added plus for me. I will definitely recommend Biblionasium to my students in the library. I loved the colors and design of the site. Kids would find it more appealing since it is geared toward catching their eye. It has a "fun" feel and is not very polished and adult like as the other communities. I thought that it was a great virtual bookshelf that focused on helping teachers and students have a successful reading experience.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Teens and Technology 2013
Madden, M., A. Lenhart, S. Cortesi, U. Gasser. (2013). Teens and Technology 2013. [Report PDF]. Retrieved from: http:// pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Teens-and-Tech.aspx.
As I read this report, I thought about the middle school students whom I use to teach. The majority of my students had cell phones and most of those students had smart phones. According to the report, 78% of teens have a cell phone and 47% of those teens have smart phones. 23% have tablets, 93% have computers or have one at home. 71% of the 93% share the computers with family. 74% of the teens access the internet on their cell phones. 25% use the internet only on their phones. 81% of white teens own a computer compared with 64% of black teens who own computers. 84% of suburban teens compared to 75% of urban teens are more likely to have a computer. I really agree with this report as I saw these results while teaching middle school in a low socio economic school. When I gave homework assignments on the computer, I would have to give the students time to work on them in class because they did not have access to the internet at home.
Report- 19 pages
As I read this report, I thought about the middle school students whom I use to teach. The majority of my students had cell phones and most of those students had smart phones. According to the report, 78% of teens have a cell phone and 47% of those teens have smart phones. 23% have tablets, 93% have computers or have one at home. 71% of the 93% share the computers with family. 74% of the teens access the internet on their cell phones. 25% use the internet only on their phones. 81% of white teens own a computer compared with 64% of black teens who own computers. 84% of suburban teens compared to 75% of urban teens are more likely to have a computer. I really agree with this report as I saw these results while teaching middle school in a low socio economic school. When I gave homework assignments on the computer, I would have to give the students time to work on them in class because they did not have access to the internet at home.
Report- 19 pages
Where Teens Seek Online Privacy Advice
Lenhart, A., M. Madden, S. Cortesi, U. Gasser, A. Smith. (2013). Where Teens Seek Online Privacy Advice. [Report PDF]. Retrieved from: http//pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Where-Teens-Seek-Privacy-Advice. aspx.
Many teens report that they draw on their own observations and knowledge to manage their privacy online and social media. I was not surprised that many teens figured out their privacy settings on their own, but I was surprised that the majority of teens looked for outside advice. According to the report, 42% of teens talked to friends or peers; 41% have talked to a parent; and 37% have asked a sibling or cousin. The percentage that really surprised me was the 41% who talked to a parent. Most teenagers whom I have taught in the past did not take advice from their parents. I believe that they would not ask their parents because the teenagers probably know more about the social media than their parents. When it comes to Facebook, the majority of teens put their profile to fully or partially private. The data found for this report came from a phone survey in collaboration with Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard. According to this survey, the majority of teens manage their own privacy settings. Whereas, they have found themselves going to outside sources when problems have occurred. Besides the percentages that I mentioned at the beginning, the following percentages of teens went to other sources for help with privacy settings. 13% have gone to a website for advice, 9% have asked a teacher, and 3% have gone to some other person or resource. Of the 9% who asked a teacher, they were of lower economic status, because they felt that their parents would not know how to show them the privacy settings because they were not technology savvy. I found it very interesting that those in the racial and socio-economic backgrounds are equally likely to seek outside help for privacy management generally and white teens and those from high income and education usually talk with their parents about the privacy settings.
Many teens report that they draw on their own observations and knowledge to manage their privacy online and social media. I was not surprised that many teens figured out their privacy settings on their own, but I was surprised that the majority of teens looked for outside advice. According to the report, 42% of teens talked to friends or peers; 41% have talked to a parent; and 37% have asked a sibling or cousin. The percentage that really surprised me was the 41% who talked to a parent. Most teenagers whom I have taught in the past did not take advice from their parents. I believe that they would not ask their parents because the teenagers probably know more about the social media than their parents. When it comes to Facebook, the majority of teens put their profile to fully or partially private. The data found for this report came from a phone survey in collaboration with Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard. According to this survey, the majority of teens manage their own privacy settings. Whereas, they have found themselves going to outside sources when problems have occurred. Besides the percentages that I mentioned at the beginning, the following percentages of teens went to other sources for help with privacy settings. 13% have gone to a website for advice, 9% have asked a teacher, and 3% have gone to some other person or resource. Of the 9% who asked a teacher, they were of lower economic status, because they felt that their parents would not know how to show them the privacy settings because they were not technology savvy. I found it very interesting that those in the racial and socio-economic backgrounds are equally likely to seek outside help for privacy management generally and white teens and those from high income and education usually talk with their parents about the privacy settings.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Podcasts
Podcasts are great teaching tools. You can put math lessons, reading lessons , and English lessons on podcasts. Students can make their own podcasts for book reports and history lessons. These are great learning lessons and the students will enjoy making their own. My podcast is about The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.
https://audioboom.com/users/4176276/boos
https://audioboom.com/users/4176276/boos
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Videos and QR Codes in the Library
YouTube is a great teaching tool. When I taught middle school, I used YouTube for Brain pop and science experiments and history lessons. The students really like to watch them and they can learn quite a bit from them. I would love to use YouTube in the library to teach the students how to use the library and the different books that they can check out. The four different YouTube videos that I watched were very creative and I chose the ones that I thought were what the students would like to see.
Norman High School had a lot of learning videos that can help the students with what is in the library and how to use the resources for projects. This YouTube video is what I think the students will enjoy. Teachers involved, good music and Harry Potter. What more could you ask for?
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.
Norman High School had a lot of learning videos that can help the students with what is in the library and how to use the resources for projects. This YouTube video is what I think the students will enjoy. Teachers involved, good music and Harry Potter. What more could you ask for?
The next video from Norman High School shows How to Celebrate your Freedom to read. They must have had a problem with people questioning the books that teachers and students were reading. I think the students will like the way this is put together to let them know that it is okay to read what you want to read.
The Unquiet Library also had quite a few videos to help the students learn about doing projects and how the library can come to you if you do not have time to go to it. The first video is about teaching seniors to make their projects correctly.
The next one shows the librarian coming to the cafeteria. I thought that the students might like this one because it shows how you can get books without being quiet.
In the Pikesville High school it showed a lot of fun activities that the school put on. The one that I liked had a snapshot of what is going on in the library.
The video that I thought the students would like is the Wii like to party. Students and teachers can have fun in the library with a party that uses the Wii.
BBMS videos
Now these students are very talented. I like what they did. It was very hard to pick just two videos. I liked the Old Spice Overdue and I really really want you videos. They both caught my eye. Old Spice is to teach the students to return their books or they can't go to the talent show. The Old Spice commercials are very popular on television.
The second one that I liked that I think the students will like is the video I really really want you. Catchy tune that talks about overdue books as well. They must have had lots of problems with overdue books.
Animoto:
This was really a lot of fun. I was able to make a book trailer and now I can help my students make them as well. I am wanting to start a book club this year with my 4th and 5th graders. This would be great for them to discuss the books and to give reports in class.
Here is my book trailer: Please scan the QR Code.
Black, H. (2013). The coldest girl in Coldtown. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.
QR Codes can be used in the library for quite a few things.
- Links to social media sites
- Tutorials
- Book trailers
- Library resources
As I said earlier, I would like to start a book club this year with my 4th and 5th graders. This would be a great way to get them to look up books, resources, and book trailers to help with their ideas.
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