My son created a Voki!!!

Tool #7

After visiting the resources above, design a collaborative project with another classroom.

I plan on working with a former classmate of mine that teaches 4th Grade in Cambodia. 

Post the following about the project:

Content objective

TLW describe how the earth’s revolution around the sun and its tilt on its axis cause different seasons and weather patterns across the globe. 

When you plan to implement

I plan to start working on the project in October or November. 

What tool(s) you plan to use

I will use GoogleDocs to create a file for us to collect our respective data.  We will also try to arrange a time to skype with the other class, but since they are in Cambodia, their school day may not overlap with ours.  If that is the case we might have to record short videos to share with them.  We can also utilize Today’s Meet to conference with them even if we are not doing it live.  We can still communicate back and forth.  We can also use Blogger to discuss our information back and forth.  This may lead to further discussions in other subject areas. 

A brief description of the project (plan - two or three sentences)

We will first locate Houston and Phnom Penh, Cambodia on a globe.  Then we will create a spreadsheet where we will record the high temperature (in celcius) and the sunrise and sunset times.  We will also note other information such as humidity and precipitation.  In our discussions with the other class, we will ask about their current season and about how many hours of daylight they have each day.  We will study our findings and discuss this in relation to the Earth’s revolution around the sun. 

If you need to find another classroom - We can begin networking with other classrooms right here!

I’m really excited about this.  South America or Alaska would be other great part of the word to research in this study. 

Tool #6

1.      Choose at least two of the tools from the above list. Create an account for each (if required) .

Skype- MrsKohlRCE

Today’s Meet

Blogger- I created a Response Blog to use in my classroom!!!

2.      Use each of the tools you choose to create a sample of how you would use it in your classroom.

3.      Embed the sample (preferred) or link to the URL.

4.      Share your thoughts on how you see the tools being integrated into your classroom. How do you see them encouraging participation?

Skype- I cannot actually create a sample of a Skype session, but I plan on Skyping with other classes across my school and SBISD.  Someone I reconnected with through Facebook is my very own 3^rd grade teacher, Miss Cann (PSE '87).  In her 24 year career, she has mainly taught 4^th grade in Brenham.  I hope to connect with her class through Skyping since they are learning the same material that we are- yet bring different experiences and perspectives to the discussion.  I would like to use Skype with small and large groups. 

I would like to use Today’s Meet in classroom discussions.  It allows students to put their questions in writing without breaking the flow of the discussion.  It allows me to know when I need to slow down and go back over a concept.  I am really looking forward to using Today’s Meet next year. 

The tool I’m most looking forward to using is Blogger.  I have quite a few blogs working right now and I’d love to create a blog that is just for classroom discussions.  It would be similar to the book study blog I’m participating in right now.  I would just post questions related to different books/groups and students could respond back and forth.  With my book study, we have to answer the question and respond to two different people’s responses.  That is my overall goal with the response blogs.  I feel like I can have them do some responding as homework or as a filler activity.  Here is my Response Blog which I am super excited about.  I might also use this to connect with students from another school where we can respond together back and forth.  That would be a great way to begin.  The responding and commenting will take a lot of modeling at the beginning of the year. 

Tool #5

1.                  Use at least two of the tools above to create products. Think about your content. Create a “set” for one of your lessons! Or, consider providing the site as a choice for your students to create products. Make a model for a student created product.

2.                  Then, embed both products in your blog or link to the products from your blog.

My Travels

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

                                                My Comix Strip... Summer Fun

3.                  Describe for your readers how you think each tool can be incorporated into your classroom - how you could see the tool being used by you instructionally and your students to demonstrate their understanding of a concept or topic in your classroom.

I used Make Beliefs Comix and Map Maker.  Big Huge Labs has many great tools for teachers to use. 

We use comic writing as a type of writing.  My students used it a few times last year and their products were cute and creative and full of content.  I wish it was a little more user friendly- especially in saving.  It does help that you can email it and that kind of saves it but the product can not be edited.  My students worked on 3-4 squares at a time and put a few rows together to tell their story.  Make Beliefs is good to write short science or social studies stories about content.  I believe we used it to explain States of Matter last year.  I will also use it as a story starter to help kids get started with their writing.  I’ll also you Make Beliefs for students to write a short response about a book they are reading or an alternative ending to a story. 

I made a map of all of the states I have visited in Map Maker.  While we focus on Texas history in 4^th grade, students still need master the states and their locations.  I found an awesome new app called Stack the States that I would like to put on an IPad. 

I also made a trading card in Big Huge Labs.  I used my own picture I took of the Alamo on a recent vacation.  I added a little bit of text to describe the picture.  This is a great tool to introduce historical figures, landmarks, historical sites, even geometric shapes.  Students can also make one of themselves the first week of school as a get to know you activity!  I really like Trading Cards and plan on using this site a lot.  

I also visited Glogster and Wordle and plan to use those sites in my classroom as well.  

Map Maker

Tool #4

1.  Create at least one document in Google Docs and share it with a few others on your campus or within your department. It could a team member, a department colleague, or another teacher with whom you plan a collaboration. Ask that person to comment or chat and real-time edit the document with you.

I created a google doc to collaborate on some integrated projects I would like to do this year with other members of my team.  I’m waiting for them to respond.  I have also been working in google documents with others- including planning a Bridal Shower.  It simplifies going through a bunch of emails.  The big negative I have with Google Docs is that it isn’t notifying everyone that the document has changed.  If we are collaborating together, do we still have to email the group to check the document manually?

2. Create one form in Google Docs and send it via email to at least two other people and ask them to respond.

I created a form in Google Docs.  I LOVE this feature and plan on using it with other teachers this year.  I’d love to figure out if we can use this with students as well.  It may not be within their “wall.”

3. Briefly discuss how you can use the tools in Google Apps with your team or department. How can you incorporate Google Apps as a tool in your classroom? Which tools are you excited about using with students?

I plan on using Google Docs with my colleagues.  I also am thinking of ways to use Google Forms with my colleagues.  The possibilities are endless.  I also plan on using blogger with my students for them to answer questions from reading and social studies.  I’m interested and how I can share things with the students since I don’t have access to their email.  

Tool #3

1.  Visit several of the video hosting/streaming sites mentioned above. Share with your readers which sites you found most useful for your content and why.

YouTube and TeacherTube are great resources.  I use Discovery Education a lot to tie into Science curriculum.  I usually save the videos in the grade level science folder on the district server so that it is available to all the teachers without jamming the network.  I can also link it to a folder that my students can access so that they can watch the videos at the computer workstation.  I would love to add them to the Ipads and Itouches as well.  I feel that YouTube and TeacherTube are great websites to reinforce concepts.  In watching the Lattice Multiplication video, I also realized that these videos are also great to share with parents on how we teach a concept differently and how they can learn it to reinforce at home. 

2.                  Using any of the video resources mentioned above, find and select two videos that may be useful resources in your classroom. Embed them in your blog. If they do not have embed capabilities, hot link them to your blog.

             I can't wait to share this video with parents when we learn lattice multiplication.  What a great review for parents!

This is a sample video that touches on Singapore Model Drawing- which I use in math.  Great way to introduce to students and parents.  

3.                  Articulate what you learned about copyright and fair use. What was new to you?

I was glad to see that most images are safe to share in the classroom.  I did a really fun cross-curricular website last year and encouraged my students to use flickr and other picture sites that contained a lot of uncopyrighted pictures.  We had a really hard time finding pictures of Texas landmarks on flickr.  Hopefully over time these websites will have more images that pertain to our curriculum. 

In today’s society, it is incredibly important to teach copyright and fair use beginning at a young age.  My campus does a good job of this and as teachers we need to model this as well. 

4.  Login to your Picasa Web Album through Google Apps - don't download Picasa, just click on the Web Albums link. Search for a few pictures. After searching, look at the filters on the left. Use the Creative Commons or remix filter to find images that you can reuse and remix. How could you use this in your classroom?

I can use this in my classroom to create trading cards for different landforms.  I wish there were more pictures of historical figures- those can be difficult to find without copyright restrictions.  I can also use Picasa when students are doing characterization while analyzing their novels by having them find pictures that match their characters.  

Tool #2

Visit at least 5 blogs of fellow educators and comment to one of their posts.
I visited a bunch of blogs and tried to branch out of my school to touch base with other teachers working on 11 tools. I visited Susanna Johnston, Randy Adolph (a former teacher of mine), Suzanne Rodriguez, Cathy Roth, Theresa Trevino, and Amie Graves' blogs. I started some great conversations and got a few really great ideas. Most people very much farther along or finished already.


After completing the above, share you thoughts about building and participating in an online community and participating in a PLN. What points stood out to you from the commenting advice? Were you able to apply any of the advice in your comments? How did you feel about sharing your thoughts publicly? Was it different than when you're sharing your successes/challenges with your teammate?
I am very excited to participate in a PLN. As teachers, we need to share ideas as much as possible. There is so much that we can learn from one another. The commenting advice is great. It really makes you double check your thinking to make sure you are saying things the right way. You never want ANYTHING to come across as anything other than positive and thought provoking. You NEVER want to put someone down. We have to model this commenting with our students. I want me students to use commenting as a relaxed way for them to share their ideas- even if they are shy. It is different than just having a conversation with a colleague. It's in print and can be seen or shared with anyone. I think the important point about commenting was asking questions to get everyone thinking and responding.


Share the url or name of a website or social network that you plan to visit in the future. What does that site have to offer?
I plan to use Diigo as a tool with my students to steer them towards appropriate websites during reasearch. It will also help me to work with other teachers with Diigo accounts to discover some great websites out there.