Tales of a 4th Grade Glogster

Ok, well 4th graders as designers.  I think it's working.  My fourth graders had to design a blog based on a book they were reading.  A 4th grade teacher and I came up with a planning sheet and then I showed them examples of good and bad glogs and discussed what made them either good or bad.  We had this discussion in response to their "all about me" glogs that were terrible...though that was partly my fault since I didn't start them out right...but anyway...They seem to have understood what it means to actually be a designer in this project.  Their book glogs have a definite theme, there aren't TONS of graphics/images loading up the page.  Their design elements match with their theme.   I'm excited!!  They love creating them too, they stay completely engaged. :)  Yay for Glogster!

Ok, first blog of spring semester

I'm using 4th graders as my designer guinea pigs.  They are going to design a glog.   I'm wrestling with how to get them started on this project.  I've already had them play around with the tool, so they are familiar with how it works, but now they need to take curriculum and represent it using the glog.  I'll check back when I have more details. 

VSTE Conference

I just got back from the VSTE conference in Hampton and have a wealth of ideas that are currently marinating in my brain. I can't wait to get busy on some of the ideas that I got from there. 

My friend Cheryl presented her project that she created for 5th grade geography all stemming from the book Make Way for Ducklings.  The students create tours in Google Earth, use GPS units to geocache for ducks, use digital photography to take pics of their ducks when traveling, they also did some "photoshop" type work in a program called Pixie 2 and created a final project using Movie Maker or Photo Story.  It's great because she also got the art and pe teachers involved and all the students had their own rubber ducks. It's genius.  I would love to design a project like that for my students. 

I've currently turned my 5th graders into travel agents.  Well, actually they are my interns. (all work no pay) LOL!   So far we've come up with a name and slogan for each class and they've started creating business cards.  I'm hoping to pull in the 5th grade teachers for my plan. I'll have clients hired for the kids to do work for...all relating to their geography sols.  I wish I had thought of this earlier so I could already be doing projects with them.... 

Eureka!

In the midst of my sleeplessness due to this class, I've come up with my telecom lesson! Second and Third grade students learn about animal adaptations so I'm going to involve the website Journey North (http://www.learner.org/jnorth/) to help out.  Journey North has a symbolic Monarch butterfly migration, so I'm going to tell the kids that JN is considering a second symbolic migration since the Monarch project is so successful and they are asking readers for ideas. The students will research the monarch along with 3 other migratory animals on that site (and other sites provided).  They will keep a blog of their animal comparisons and their suggestion for another symbolic migration.  Once they've collected required information, then they will email JN with their ideas.  With 3rd graders I would include a Photo Story presentation, but with 2nd graders, they would just write the letter/email. I'm hoping that JN will send us an email or poster as my exit strategy. :)  

I feel pretty good about this lesson and am hoping it works out well!

My. Brain. Hurts

Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed and inadequate? I am.  I have ZERO, the big, fat zilch for my telecommunications lesson!  ARGH!!!!!!   I was originally thinking of a virtual field trip, but now I'm not really sold on that idea.  I usually think of myself as a smart, creative person...but this class is changing that!  I'm in a stall pattern at work.  I teach on a schedule where I see the kids only 3 times a quarter for 45 minutes each time...which is a bit different than in the past.  I know how I should be teaching, they way I really want to, thanks to being an ITSer, BUT my schedule and stressed out teachers are throwing me for a loop.  I end up doing nothing good with the students (and by nothing good I mean skill and drill websites...ick!)  With weird encore schedules lately (shortened time of seeing the kids) and my being out, it doesn't make sense to start some big lesson...by the time i see them again, they will have forgotten everything.  I'm just venting...not really looking for a solution....

Thanks!

Webquest and Telecommunications

Here's what I'm thinking for my webquest....Smithsonian is planning an American Indian exhibit at the museum of American History and has put a call out to all interested parties to submit a time capsule of what they believe should be included to represent the 3 groups they are exhibiting. So the kids will have to come up with 3-4 artifacts for each group and write a letter presenting their time capsule.

For my telecommunications lesson, I'm thinking of a Virtual Field Trip...just not sure where or with which grade level that I want work.

Brain disengagement

Ok, I've been to Disney World, a place where it's EASY to forget all your troubles and all the work you have waiting for you at home. :) And now I need to get my rear into gear!  

So I understand that we have webquest lessons coming due soon.  I love webquests, but always had a wrong notion of what they were about.  I'm thinking of maybe working on a webquest for either 1st grade or 3rd grade...I feel like it would be much easier to do one with the older kids, but that the younger ones get short changed...so I think I'll look into what I can do with the young ones. :)