551.5 Weather iMovie: Another Adventure with My MAC

I had an opportunity to work with iMovie and have some expert help around while I doing it. I used an idea from D#1 as inspiration for the project. It isn't the best example, but did allow me to start understanding the process. Although it is more intense than PhotoStory, it helped that I had experience with the Microsoft product.

I was able to import a series of images from several sources and add sound effects and music from iTunes to fill out the project. Nope, no voice over yet...time ran out. Yes, I know I have said I don't like to record, but this time I really was going to do some, but the unit will be over if I take anymore time with this...and I have another much more important project to create. So voice-over will have to come later.

I did save the project several ways so that it could be played in on a MAC or PC or directly from my channel on YouTube. Again for practice. Also the reason for adding it to my blog...practice, practice, practice!

One thing I did notice...when saving images, save them at the largest file possible. I usually save Flickr CC images at medium size or around 500 psi, but I noticed some of these images were blurry when I viewed it in full screen. So I will check that out on the next one I do.

Enjoy!

P.S. If you have suggestions for better productions, please share.

UPDATE: I took the YouTube version down becasue too much was cut off on the right side...and this version, an mp4 upload makes it hard to read some text...o, well...I'll do better next time!

741.6 Research Projects in the 2.0 World: Sharing the Learning

Typical 4th grade research project - learning about Texas cities.

Typically done? Not on your life!

One of the librarians in my circle who has embraced the 2.0 tools almost longer than anyone I know recently shared her school's version of the "typical" project.

Yes, each student researched a Texas city...each one used typical resources available to them...print and digital. So they had experience accumulating information and using research skills.

The 2.0 finished project - trading cards using the Big Huge Labs site.

The interaction experience - ACTUALLY trading the cards (and some treats courtesy of the librarian)

The assessment - the librarian developed a checklist activity and found out the students really did learn facts about Texas cities...and did it in a fun way!

I am so fortunate to work with librarians (and teachers and school leaders) who recognize that learning CAN be done in interesting and creating ways...with fun thrown in!

363.34 Natural Disaster Preparededness: You Better Practice A Lot!

A friend sent me this link (might be re-thinking that relationship after this experience.) It's a game, but not like checkers is a game; more like chess is a game...for masters!

Stop Disasters! A simulation game for all kinds of natural disasters...wildfire, flood, tsunami, earthquake, hurricane. You are given an amount of money and time to strategically buy resources that will protect lives and lessen the economic impact.

I failed miserably when I played with the tsunami...yes, that is what they said "failed miserably." I did better with the flood...only a few lives lost, but it would not have been a pretty community because I put up every safety measure possible. This time I was awarded a medal. I took a picture of it, but lost the screen shot in all the confusion...you will just have to believe me!

Great for the classroom. Background information and teacher plans included. FAQs include the suggested age of 9-16. Timing would work with class periods (provided procedures and practice were done ahead of time.)

Would be a great collaboration project... and then pit one team against an other.

ISDR (International Strategy for Disaster Relief) is the sponsoring agency.

973.0992 Presidents: Playful Presentations

Gave myself permission to spend some time playing so in doing so I made a stop by YouTube and look what I found. 

I did take time to convert these two videos using the Zamzar site so that it would be available in district (and other places where YouTube is blocked.) This time it was successful although the uploading sure did seem to take a long time. Guess I just need to remember patience is a virtue and all good things come to those who wait!

Anyway...this first  video morphs the presidents from Washington to Obama. I found myself concentrating on the eyes as the changes were made. Take a look...I think you will find it interesting on some level.

This second video is a rap of the presidential list, again from Washington to Obama. Catchy little tune goes with it!

I know neither of these items is heavy-duty in the learning and education department...not brain surgery or nuclear science...but they are fun...and similar types of activities could be created by students and a lot of learning value could be had.

For now, I'm just asking you to enjoy!

P.S. Visited the Educational Rap site. Would be worth some time. It also has its own channel on YouTube as well. Who knew there would be a rap about photosynthesis!

The morphed video was originally uploaded by polvideo.

333.7 It's Isn't Easy Going Green...

...or using technology inside our district many days! A presentation I was part of today to a very influential group of educators in my circle turned into a nerve-wracking mess because the internet, the intranet, the network, the tides, the sunspots, the WHATEVER that affected everything decided to have a major meltdown...it was SO F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-N-G! And mostly because we had such GREAT stuff to show to folks who are hungry for great...quick...fun, yet important school stuff technology-wise!

For those of you in the know...Read: 23 things-type fun with educational purpose and value! As Lucy in Peanuts often says...arrrggghhhh!!!!!

So...because the intended audience did not get to see the timely Earth Day Animoto that I had prepared in order to demo the simple process of creation and the fun of the results...I will share it with you, my loyal and fun-loving blog readers! Found the great pictures on Flickr Creative Commons (another thing we were going to share--a copyright-friendly photo source.)

I was thinking back to the first Earth Day...38 years ago! My senior year in high school and the environment and all the issues related to it were in the news and on people's minds WAY BACK when! I try to do the best I can to save, reuse, reclaim, and not waste...growing up in the desert you understand the need to turn the water off when brushing teeth and how to conserve it as best you can elsewhere!

So with only a few hours of the special day (did you check out the Google artwork) left, I hope it was a good one for you...green or not! And I promise to let the technology "mess" go and live to "fight" another day!

005.2 Animoto...Even Better!

I did a little happy dance when I found out about the new features in Animoto...specifically for educators!

Check out the new stuff. Overview.

I have emailed for the necessary passcode, but have not had a chance to explore it totally...you will need to provide school info.

597.8 Leap Day: Celebrate Frogs! Celebrate Science!

Association of Zoos and Aquariums has declared February 29th Leap Day, the initial day of the Year of the Frog (and their amphibian cousins).

It is a part of a global conservation effort. The Association has all kinds of information and activities available at their site. The Ark even has some informational videos that could be used as conversation starters or discusion points?

x

Miss Rumphius Effect (one of my favorite book review bloggers!) has put together a fabulous group of frog- related resources in two separate posts to help all of us with this fun celebration.

x

Ribbit!

005.2 Animoto Samples

I have gathered several examples of the kinds of things you can do with the free program Animoto and placed them in a link over on the blogroll. I will update as others share with me!

In the meantime, have fun yourself...all it takes is a group of visual files and a few minutes.

027.8 Collaboration: Popping Up Everywhere

In checking out a new resource (to me), Teaching PreK-8, look what I spied in the menu.

What a great idea!

Nice group of activities and lessons in many other categories as well!

305.868 Hispanic Heritage Month: Multiple Ways to Learn & Celebrate

Today begins the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. In 1968, President Johnson first declared a week for observing the culture, history and contributions of Hispanic Americans and their ancestors. Twenty years later, President Reagan extended the time period to a month.

The date, September 15th, is Independence Day for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico celebrates September 16th and Chile's day is the 18th. The month also encompasses what used to be the Columbus Day holiday on October 12th, in honor of the Italian who flew under the Spanish flag on his adventure to the New World. October 12th is also known as Día de la Raza in many Latin American countries.

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There are SO many sources for information, actvities, lessons, biographies, books. I am including some of the major collections and highlighting a few things included in each, but be sure and take an indepth look at each site....there is SOOOOOO much!

Library of Congress including Diego Rivera paintings, Spanish missions, images, teacher resources...

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Smithsonian including the Latino Center that includes music radio files, bilingual materials...the Treasures of Mexico...a Puerto Rican carnival, information about lowriders, stories of Latinos' achievements...

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Scholastic's celebration which includes famous Latinos of today and in history, interviews on the meaning of heritage, teacher resources...

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National Register of Historic Places...

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Education World's list of activities including some common Spanish words in English, some stats for graphing exercises, a list of famous people, lesson plans...

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For more biographies...Hispanic American Hall of Fame...

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Mexican folklore: legends, sayings beliefs...

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Understanding Hispanic/Latino culture. history thru children's literature including a list of books...

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and please check out La Bloga for all things about current Latino literature and authors...great reviews, wonderful list of author links.

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P.S. To the Librarians in my sphere of influence---try using the keywords Hispanic and Latino to see all the wonderful resources you have available...it will blow you over!

912 U.S Map: Can YOU Move It Fast Enough

Another online US map (48 states) practice website...Statetris

similar to the old Tetris game...I wasn't good at that either!

Beginner level: 10 minutes 30 seconds.

I couldn't get Montana to the west far enough before it ran into other states!

Two other levels where the states "spin" as well as drop.

There are versions for Africa, Europe, France, UK, Netherlands. Nope, haven't tried them yet...still trying to untie the knots in my fingers from the US version!

Another US map game.

342.73 Constitution Day: Resources for All

Here are some resources for the upcoming Constitution Day on Monday, September 17th. The document was ratified on this date 220 years in 1787.

Constitution Day, Inc. -- history behind the day, video, reading of the preamble (couldn't get it to work on my computer...hope it does on yours!)

National Archives online display & information

National Constitution Center -- interactive resources including a timeline, Founding Fathers info, clause-by-clause explanation of document.

This site also has a series of podcasts in the We The People Stories that go way beyond the boundaries of Constitution Day and would be useful for many other activities and research.

Although it is too late to order the free poster for this year, here is a lesson plan and a Bill of Rights game (elementary level).

Some of these and other helpful sights including the one from LC American Memory are also available here.

Here are some books that will also be informative and useful if you have access to them:

The Constitution / Finkelman c2006 Nat'l Geo Society

The Constitution / Pierce c2005 Abdo

The Bill of Rights / Pearl c2007 Picture Window Bks

La Constitucion / Armentrout c2006 Rourke

The Constitution: the story behind America's governing document / Graves c2004 Chelsea

Creation the U.S. Constitution / Nardo, ed. c2005 Greenhaven Press

346.7304 Free Doesn't Always Mean Free to Use: Copyright Issues on the Web

With summer more than half over, all of us will begin thinking about lessons and projects sooner than later and will be looking for resources to use in said items. Not only will we come across print information, but we will also stumble on pictures, sounds, podcasts, music and videos that may be appropriate and useful in making our points... and many of these resources may be "free"...as in it will not cost us $ to download.

STOP...as the saying goes (or at least my paraphrasing of such saying)...nothing in life is really "free!" Look at the small print...and if at first you don't see it...look again just to be sure. There may be COPYRIGHT issues attached to the resource...i.e. the owner of the material may have strings attached to the use of the material.

Case in point: Free Children's Music.com...a website full of just what its title implies...all kinds of children's songs and dittys...in Mp3 format...easy for downloading. Cute, colorful website just screaming "Bring the kids and listen!" The home page states:

This is the place for great free songs for kids! Download all the terrific
children's songs you want to. There are no guarantees how long any of them will
be here, so grab them while you can. Have fun exploring!! And don't forget to
click on the artists' names to visit their web sites!

At the bottom of the home page is an even more important statement "Hey can I use this music to..."

It is intended to be downloaded and listened to on computers, MP3 players,
custom CDs for personal listening, etc. It is NOT intended to be played on your
web site, mixed with video or graphics and posted on another web site, played in
public as warmup music for a paying audience, burned to CDs intended for resale,
used on TV shows, etc.

The website author goes on to explain that it is not his music so he can not grant use. Anyone wanting to use it in the ways listed above should contact the actual owner of the music. Yes, email the artist and ask if the music can be put on in PPT, on a web page, in a photostory presentation, etc.

The ability to download the file does not give us the right to use it the way we want.


And those stacks of CDs we all have with all the "perfect background" music for that special welcome-back-to-school PPT program or campus TV news program aren't "free" for the using either...unless the artist/owner states so!!

Be careful...our kids are watching!

371.207 School Leadership Day: What Administrators Need to Know about the 2.0 World of Learning

Scott McCleod has asked bloggers to write about 2.0 digital technology learning for 21st century students for the benefit of school administrators.

The leaders in the blogging world and some other bloggers I found responding to the call can better list the reasons why and the advantages of this change in educational thought.
My contribution to this plan is this...I will provide the links to these important thoughts
Doug Johnson
Scott McCleod
Carolyn Foote
Chris Lehmann, a principal who may not have been writing today directly for this purpose, but had some relevant thoughts for all of us proposing these changes nevertheless including:

"...I do think that the educators in my aggregator can change the world. But I think we all have to understand that a) change is slower than we'd want, and b) to change the world, we have to be as close to the ideal versions of ourselves as we can. We have to be passionate and dedicated and smart and inclusive and tireless and humble. We have to be better tomorrow at being who we are than we are today. Our ideas and work can change the world and make a difference, but only if we are willing to constantly change ourselves...."

Coordinator's Office, a blogger since 2004
Jeanette Johnson, a principal who speaks from the other side and lists things for US to be sure and consider!

... and I will kindly ask anyone in an administrative position who happens to read my blog for whatever reason

...to PLEASE take a few moments to read what these learned and well-versed folks have proposed for the benefit of all our students.

...and to please think about how they, in their various positions of administrative authority, can bring about the necessary changes to allow this type of learning to take place in our schools.

...and to ask questions and to ask for samples and to look for these types of learning opportunities that might already be going on in their sphere of influence.

I promise you will not have to read much, look far, or be afraid. Good "stuff" is happening!

Technorati tag: schooltechleadership

371.3 Lesson Plans: The Wiki Way

Came across this wiki full of lesson plans and other resources this week.

It offers users templates to create lessons and activities and then a place to "park" them so others can adapt and use them. It includes some textbook type materials on many subjects and full-text novels from Project Gutenberg as well.

Has very comprehensive FAQs covering its purpose, history (was originally Sun Microsystem's Global Education and Learning Community GELC), and how to join, contribute and use.

Subjects include the arts, career & technical education, foreign languages,
health, language arts, math, science, and social studies. In browsing thru the language arts portion, I came across an interesting price comparison chart to use with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry...comparing Depression prices with today's costs...easily adaptable to similar books or cross-curricular activity in math. Here is a little "movie" that displays information about force and motion from the science section.

Of course, Curriki (don't you just love that name!) isn't unique in providing support materials for teachers and their lessons...there are plenty of other great sources...Blue Web'N, Education World, FREE, Kathy Schrock's Guide, TeachersFirst. But it will be interesting to follow the growth of this particular format, I think.

027.8 Librarian - Teacher Collaboration: Learning & Doing Together

Last week a group of librarians and teachers spent an intense week collaborating over lessons and infusing them with various types of educational technology. Elementary and secondary teams came together for a whirlwind tour of technologies, Web 2.0 services, and other online resources.

Beginners and advanced alike all learned something new to make lessons more student-centered and real-world relevant while using technology to make the delivery of instruction more inviting and the culminating activities different learning experiences for their students.

Subjects included Greek mythology, food groups and good eating habits, the water cycle, career exploration, famous Americans and their contributions, and good behavior habits. One way the group made sure the lessons were student-centered and true collaborations between librarian and teacher was to deconstruct the lesson by making lists of teacher, librarian and student responsibilities.

Everyone had opportunity to learn PowerPoint tips and tricks, how to create a Photo Story, how to work with videostreaming, how manipulate photos, how to add music, and create podcasts. A special presentation was made about the ActivBoard and all the great teaching and learning tools available with that special technology. There was lots of looking for the sign-up list to get one! The group learned how to create a rubric using Rubistar, an open source software available to all who want to use it.

Lots of work time was built into the week so that each team could present a good representation of their lesson to the whole group. Even during this time, there were exchanges of ideas and expressions of "O, I can do that too with mine" or " Gee, I can add that to my lesson." So much so, that the "final" lessons will not be posted for about another week so that all the good ideas can be incorporated and added.

Comments from participants include:
"...long set of ahas as we learned all these wonderful tools."
"Don't be scared or intimidated. You will have lots of help & learn way more than you expect."
"If [I] can learn this, anyone can!!"
"Wow! How much fun is my class going to have dazzling our school with our technology pwoness!"

"I really had to use problem-solving skils to make my powerpoint do what I wanted it to do. The normal rules just didn't apply..."

"Using hidden text releases a big headache because I can create a key and "hide" the answers."

"Flash drives are my new best friend." One participant, my friend G, also blogged her thoughts.

371.22 Educational Technology: Videostreaming Resources

Hopefully, your school district has access to educational videostreaming products such as Unitedstreaming and Power Media Plus. They are subscription services, require passwords to access, and are worth e-v-e-r-y p-e-n-n-y your administration pays for their use!

However, there are other sources for videos that can be used quite successfully in the school setting with proper planning and attention by teachers and librarians. Probably, the best know of these is the video sharing site YouTube which has been discussed in this blog earlier this year. Individuals can create videos and upload them for all to see. There are many, many, many appropriate videos for school use...BUT... my and many other school districts block this resource.

So, as with many things technological, someone came up with a "work around"-- in this case, a site called TeacherTube, a video sharing site devoted to videos create for and quite often by students and their educational needs. It too has previously been discussed in this blog. Great stuff...you NEED to take a look. And that is possible at school! What a pleasant surprise!

There are the traditional news services such as CNN, MSNBC, ABCNews, Fox News and USAToday along with other educational and institutional sites that provide current events, science, social studies and other educationally appropriate video resources. But it would a lot of work to check all of these sources and the dozens of others available on a regular basis.

Hurray! To the rescue comes Blinkx... a video (and audio) search engine. You can put in your search term and get a list of videos from over 130 sources. You can then select the appropriate ones for your needs and can usually play them without additional software or other technology.

Often, because these videos come from reputable sources, they are not blocked. However, it is possible that the Blinkx site might be blocked, but you could locate the video from home, capture the address, and then be able to see the video from within the school district.

A word to the wise. Be sure you check these videos out before turning them over to students. They are not exclusively educationally appropriate items. Some are user created and uploaded to services such as MySpace, but the Blinkx crawler will find them.

Have a look at all of these..either at school or at home. You will be pleased, I think!

428.007 Grammar Quiz: Good Review

Can't help it. Grammar is a "thing" with me. I had a great teacher way back in 6th grade who either pounded it into my head (and I didn't feel the pain) or taught it so well, I didn't know I wasn't suppose to be enjoying it! She also shared her wealth of knowledge with me as my 8th grade English teacher as well.

Mrs. Crutchfield was a terrific teacher in many ways...and by the way, she ran the elementary school library. Our 6th grade classroom WAS the library. We sat at library tables. Her desk was a traditional high wooden check out desk. The shelves were along the sides and at the back of the room. I barely remember how other classes came in to get books. I know they did, but it didn't make much of an impression because we were so busy learning in our class.

Anyway, I digress. Grammar AND diagramming sentences were a big part of my school days. I remember diagramming sentences on the board in much the same way math problems were worked on. We had math races and we had diagramming races too! My freshman and senior English teacher Mrs. Briggs often gave us sentences so complicated that by the time we pulled them apart, they looked like chemistry formulas spread out over the board! It - was - F-U-N, and golly gee, we learned...or I guess I should not presume, I learned.

Knowing my grammar and how to take a sentence apart came in handy on many occasions in trying to figure out what I was reading and the gist of that reading. I tried to teach my students for years that if you know what a prepositional phrase is and remove them from the sentence you are trying to decode, there usually isn't much left to determine what the sentence is about. Think about that the next time you practice a TAKS question!

Anyway, to get to point of this post...I took this grammar test and made...

Your Language Arts Grade: 100%

Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).

Are You Gooder at Grammar?
Make a Quiz

Ta-da! And much of the credit goes to those two wonderful ladies...4 out 7 of my English secondary years were under their care and guidance...and believe me, it made the difference!

Take the quiz...it's fun! It will remind you of those pesky apostrophes and those there-their-they're dilemmas.

Now if I could find a way to explain my spelling issues...I think it is because I was not taught to read phonetically...whole word was my downfall...despite all my father's "night-school-at-home" sessions with that book Why Johnny Can't Read!

370 Teacher Resources: FREE ones!

I know we are all familiar with dot-gov sites like American Memory and Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids. As per usual, I was looking around for something totally different and came upon a nice site that brings many of these dot-gov resources together in one place.

Here is sample list of some of the topics covering a variety of subjects...science, health, geography, math, and on and on!

Oh, btw... FREE, yes indeed. F - R - E - E as in Federal Resources for Educational Excellence. Despite the many woes that are often discussed at length in the blog world, OUR government is on our side with these resources. You must admit that!

912 U.S Map: Record Your Travels, Family Homes, etc.

Nothing fancy. Simple little website called Visited States Map that lets you check off the states you have visited, lived in, studied, etc. Results are saved as a jpeg, gif, or png.

My Map:
At this time of the year, I see a lot of use for family trips-- virtually checking off the states as the family travels this summer.

What about using it for family genealogy records? Trace the family's movement across the country and put it in your family record book.

Younger kids? Use it to mark states they have "learned"?

Don't like the automatic color choices? Drop the file into Microsoft Paint or other similar program and choose your colors to meet your needs. A Canadian version is also available, but no world version.

P.S. No Hawaii choice. (Rats, I could add one more!) The map was originally created for RVers to use. And as the site says, it's hard to drive to Hawaii!