Hi, My name is_____and I am visiting____ 4th graders create digital postcards

I had the pleasure of working with my building's Instructional Technology Specialist this morning. She suggested a project where the fourth graders would use the Tellagami app to share what they have learned about the National Monuments they are studying. I am always looking for ways to incorporate my five iPads into the learning environment and this proved to be a great use.

Lincoln Memorial

The classroom teacher organized and managed the research process and had the students write a brief paragraph on their monuments.  The classroom teacher also oversaw the creation of the actual postcard art. 

This morning, with the classroom teacher, the ITS and me, the students worked in pairs to practice reading their scripts, time each other to ensure the script was less than 30 seconds, and then create a Gami (Tellagami video). To create the Gami, Angie, the ITS introduced and modeled using the app. The students then helped each other create an avatar, take a picture of the postcard art, and record the script. After evaluating the recording (and rerecording it if necessary), the students published the Gami.

Here are a few examples. 

Supreme Court


Vietnam War Memorial

This is an user-friendly and fun. The students have just enough options for the avatars and the buttons and directions are clear and easy to follow.  More importantly, the fact that students only have 30 seconds to record ensures they focus on the salient facts. I am looking forward to using this app more next year.

The 5th grade science videos and presentations

Here are links to almost all of the 5th grade videos and presentations created by the students as a way to prepare for the Massachusetts' state standardized science test (MCAS). 

Projects created by the students in 5LC

Projects created by the students in 5W

Projects created by the students in 5C

Each class covered the same twelve topics. You can read about the project here. 

Which mammal eats the most field greens?

The third graders have been learning about mammals. I am always looking for ways to broaden opportunities to express new knowledge and such an opportunity arose last week. In a quickly planned lesson, each student wrote a riddle about his or her mammal and then created a Google Presentation.  The first slide of the presentation has the riddle and the second slide has an image of the mammal and the answer (i.e., the mammal's name). The classroom teacher will combine all the slides into one slide show, which will be shown to the parents at the Mammal Morning.  This slide show will also be shared with their 1st grade learning buddies. I plan to house it on my Webpage, so that all the students at the school can view it and learn about the mammals.

This project provided me with the opportunity to work with the students using Encyclopedia Britannica's ImageQuest, a database of about three million images on varying subjects. This project also allowed me to embed some important skills and strategies around presentations - font choice, theme, color, etc.  


To complete the mammal presentations, the students:

-->Opened up their Google Apps account

-->Created a folder

-->Shared the folder with the teacher

-->Created a presentation within the folder

-->Chose the theme of the presentation

-->Typed in their riddle

-->Opened a new tab on the browser

-->Logged into ImageQuest

-->Searched for their mammal

-->Selected an image

-->Downloaded the image

-->Uploaded the image to their Google Apps account

-->Inserted the image into the second slide

-->Cited their source in the notes (the teacher will include all of them in a final slide)

-->Previewed their work

-->Made changes (if necessary) to the slide show

This was a lot of steps for third graders, but I always have high expectations and faith in their abilities, and sure enough, each child found success. The process also required the additional step of uploading because of a quirk in our Google Apps.

One of the reasons for the success rate is having students who are comfortable with the technology and take to steps quickly. It makes projects like this easier because those students take on the role of resident experts. It is also gratifying to see students who might not excel in other areas become the leaders in the technology realm. I am excited to build on their knowledge in the next project!

Caught in the Act: Second Grade Researchers

Sometimes I just get to be part of a process, and sometimes that is not enough. I want to be there from start to finish but it is not always possible, either because of timing or the intended outcome of the process. Such is the case with my second graders, who are spending a good deal of time in the library as information gatherers, source citers (yes, I made that phrase up), and all around enthusiastic learners. Here's the thing, I am having so much fun working with them, that I am feeling okay about not being there for the next part of their project.

The students are conducting research on African Animals. They are using a variety of resources, both print and electronic. After a review of how to access information in the various resources, the students then moved between the three stations: electronic resources (mainly encyclopedias), print encyclopedias, and nonfiction texts. Two things made me especially happy yesterday:

Thing One: I observed students taking notes on text in their books and on their screens, but even cooler, I observed them taking notes from videos and images. These students already know that we take in information in a variety of ways and from a variety of media. #coolbeans

Things Two: The students quickly took ownership of this process and even began to take on the persona of their animals. Many could be heard to say, "I live in..." or "I eat..." or "I am the largest..." The best line thus far? "I eat you, but don't worry, you are already dead when I do." Now, there's compassion for you!

Check out these information gatherers:

We are a creation station: making videos on science topics

What are all these engaged 5th graders working on?  Read on and find out!  While meeting with the fifth graders teachers to plan out one project, I happily took on another. I am helping the fifth grade students prepare for the state standardized science test (Science MCAS). The Science MCAS covers topics from kindergarten through grade five. The teachers determined the twelve most important topics for the students to cover for this project and each of the three classes would cover that same twelve topics.

Here's the general outline of the project.

Session One: I used Web resources to explain what a Common Craft video is and how to create one.

Google Docs in Plain English

The Making of a Common Craft Style Video

Behind the Scenes of Filming a Common Craft Video 

Session Two: The students received their topics and began gathering information from print and electronic resources. I created and shared this information gathering form with them. I modeled a bit of it here.

Student example - sources of energy

Session Three: Students began to write scripts. I shared this template with them.

Student example - life cycles

Student example - rocks and minerals

Student example - solar system

Session Four: Students began to make props.

 

Session Five: Students continued to fine tune scripts and props.

Session Six: Students practiced Common Craft presentations

Session Seven: Students filmed Common Craft presentations.

Example 1 

Example 2

Example 3

Within this overall outline, some students chose to create an Animoto or a Google Presentation on their topic. 

The students will be evaluating this project and assessing their work next week. We won't really understand the impact of this project until the state standardized test scores come out next autumn, but even without that data, I think this project is a winner...on so many fronts.

The classroom teachers are appreciative of the work that I have done with the students. They also are seeing the impact of an authentic learning experience such as this.  Each classroom had a viewing party, unfortunately my schedule is not so booked, I couldn't be present, but I heard from both teachers and students how successful it was. The students have taken on the role as "experts" on their individual subject. I hear from the teachers that they are imparting knowledge to other students, immediately after the viewing of the videos/presentations as well as following the viewing party. The students are proud of their own work and recognize the hard work of their classmates. I heard that they were studiously taking notes during the videos/presentations. These resources will be there for the next week so they can watch and re-watch them at school and at home. Here's another cool thing, since each of the three classes covered the same same twelve topics, the students have three unique approaches and expressions from which to learn about the subject.

As for me, I am grateful to have been given this opportunity. I want to work on meaningful (and authentic!) projects with the students and I want to be seen as a valuable teaching partner.  I have learned quite a bit and have made notes for next year, but on the whole this has been a successful and valuable learning experience for all. Working with me, the students brought a project from beginning to end and developed and practiced solid research skills along the way. I love that the students produced a product that others will use to learn about the subject. I love that my library was a space filled with learning and doing and making.  

We are a creation station.