11 Tools #6-Web Tools to Promote Classroom Discussion

This year I already used a few of these tools in my classroom: Google Docs, Wallwisher, and Blogger.
I used Google Docs to share and receive files from teammates and students. I used Wallwisher earlier in the year but only once to ask the kids a question about a book we were reading. I also tried  using a classroom blog this year. Since this was my first year blogging I did not use it to its full potential. I have over the course of the year learned more about Blogger and have mapped out a plan for this to be a more successful way to communicate with parents and students.

Here is a Wallwisher I just created and sent the link to my classroom parents. I hope to hear some great responses from my students

Click on the picture to go to my wall on WallWisher

Here is my classroom blog:

This school year I will continue to use Blogger, Google Docs, and Wall Wisher.

I will add these new tools this year to my classroom:

Todays Meet--this would have been great to use during the Webinar we did with NASA earlier this year. I can't wait to use this during presentations and hopeful during other webinars we participate in.

Skype- to communicate with other classrooms and promote discussion. I had a Skype account already so I was excited that I could use the same account to create a Skype in the classroom account. I like that you can view lessons and ideas from other teachers and can connect to other classrooms through these communication requests. I can't wait to use this in the classroom this next year.

11 Tools #5- Web 2.0 Tools

I have been using web 2.0 in my classroom since learning about them through the classes 23 Things and 11.5 Things.
The kids really enjoy them and ask to use them all the time.
Wordles--
-Get to know  you: pairs made a wordle with their names and things they had in common with each other
-Language Arts: describes story elements of a book
-Any subject: beginning of a lesson-what we know, end the lesson-what we learned
My class really enjoyed the taste off that we did this year. The kids decided that we needed a wordle to show our favorite fruits and one for our favorite vegetables. Here are the finished products:

     

We also used the Trading Card creator through Big Huge Labs. Each student created a trading card about the bird they researched for the 4th 9 week project. Then after they gave their presentation they gave everyone a trading card. At the end of the presentations each student had a ring of cards about birds.
We also created trading cards about our favorite books. Each student also recieved a trading card of everyone's favorite book. They could then use these card rings to look up books in the library and read the books recomended to them by their peers. Here are examples of each:

 

We also used Animoto this year. The students made a Holiday greeting for their parents and emailed it to them. Including pictures and a short video greeting into the animoto. It was a hit the last two years that I did this.
I also used Animoto to help me create an end of the year movie for the kids. In the past I only used iMovie with the pictures taken throughout the year. This year a fellow teacher figured out that the animotos could be exported and then dropped into iMovie to create a movie that spanned the entire school year.
Here is one of my videos:



Next year I plan to also use the following tools:
Glogster-this would also be a great addition to the bird project as well as our research during our heros unit.
Storybird or Storyjumper- Being able to take their writing into a online publishing format that can be emailed to their parents will be so meaningful and such a great incentive to go through the publishing process. Storybird seems easier to use however I like that Storyjumper gives you the option to upload your own images, truly making the work all their own.
Comix.com- with the many comics that the kids love to read this would also be a great way for them to publish their own comic strips.

11 Tools #4- Up to the Clouds

I enjoyed using Google Docs this year with my students. I first tried it in a class by practicing creating, sharing and commenting on documents. I then used Google Docs with some of the blogs I follow since some of the bloggers have shared docs on their blogs. This has proven to be a valuable resource.
At the end of the year I shared a  report outline and expectations for a project with all of my students through the SBISD Google Apps. The students received the file, saved it to their document files, did their research, and wrote the report. I was able to comment on their work through out this process. This cute down on a lot of extra paper and tedious rewriting during the editing process.
My students this year also used the presentation feature in Google Docs to create a timeline presentation instead of using a generic poster board as their presentation display.
I look forward to using this more this next school year. I plan uploading the homework pages each week to be shared with the students. This will also be useful in sharing documents with team members. I'm sure I will think of other ways once the year gets started. Can't wait to create and share!

In case anyone is a list maker like myself here is a cute To Do List that was shared with me:

11 Tools #3- Video and Image Resources

I have used YouTube, TeacherTube, and SchoolTube in my classroom the last few years. There are many great videos on all. I do search for the videos before hand -especially on YouTube to make sure the content is appropriate before showing the students. I had not used KidTube before, I can see this being a great resource for our students that enjoy making movies and wanting a safe place to upload and share their work.
I've sent links to videos to help parents when they have asked me for explainations on how to help their child at home for example this video on subtraction with regrouping:

Traditional News Sources have resources have great up to date information. Just like this short clip about the new "My Plate" that is taking the place of the food pyramid.


I love Discovery Education because it is really easy to search for videos, clips and images not only by topic but also narrowing down the search by age/grade making sure the information is appropriate for my 2nd graders. Also you are able to download/view an entire video or can download only the clip that is relevant to what I'm teaching. This saves me time since I don't have to cut the video myself or spend time fast forwarding the video.

I have used Picasa Web Albums and Photobucket for my Technology lessons the past two years to search for images. As well as used Picasa Web Albums for my personal photos. Discovery Ed. also has great still images.

It is important for the students to understand the importance of Copyright and Fair Use.
Because of the information and resources you can find on the web this is more and more important to understand what this means. This is sometimes difficult to get 2nd graders to understand what it means and why it is important to site your resources. I explained to my students that if they wrote or created something they wouldn't want someone to take it without their permission. I asked them why they wrote their name on all of their work. The answers of course included- "so you know it is mine", "Because I wrote it", etc. Exactly! This is why you should always site your sources and respect the copyrights of others. I think it made a little more sense to them when I had them think about their own work.

11 Tools #2 Building Community in Online Environment

I am so glad that I have use blogger for the last few years and have subscribed to many educational blogs. The educators I met through these blogs have been an invaluable resource these last few years. I have not only been able to receive information and ideas from them but have also been able to share my ideas with others through this online community.
I included a blog list on this blog to show a few of my favorite educator blogs that I visit and comment on regularly. I hope this list will be helpful to others.
At first I was nervous about commenting on others blogs, however once I began I realized that I was able to learn so much more with others than trying to reinvent the wheel by myself.

11 Tools Blog

Luckily creating the 11 tools blog was easy for me. This year I used a blog to communicate classroom news to my parents. I still have a lot to learn about blogging though. I had not used Voki before, which was fun to create.

11.5 Thing 11.5-Evaluation

1. What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I really enjoyed learning about the iTouch applications. Since this isn't a piece of equipment that I own I had never used/explored it before.
I also really love the screencast. This is something I will absolutely be using this year. Being able to give my students a visual they can watch will be so beneficial to them!

2. How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?
I always have a technology goal each year. Using these tools will be able to help me reach those goals more efficiently. I also have more ideas through microblogging to engage parents as well into our daily classroom.

3. Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?
I had never heard of the Virtual Worlds....the creativity of those worlds surprised me.

4. What could we do differently to improve upon this program's format or concept?
I really enjoy the set up and format of the program. Being able to do this online is helpful. Also the required blogging to "turn in" assignments is great. Before last summer I had never blogged, really even read a blog, and couldn't imagine myself as a blogger. Now however it seems second nature. I would have liked more of these "Things" to apply to elementary. Sometimes it is hard to find great ideas to do with younger elementary kids. They are absolutely capable of digital learning! They love it when they are able to create and complete assignments using digital components.

Thanks for creating Library2Play2. I really enjoyed all of my digital learning this summer!