This week’s class is entirely online. Follow this agenda for our module (an online word for lesson).
HOMEWORK DUE OCT. 25
1) Email your lesson plan to me as an attachment (hatt0047@umn.edu)
2) Post the link to your collaborative tool in your class profile on the class website
AGENDA (All of the following is due before class on Nov. 8th)
* No website presentations for this week’s class (these resume Nov. 8 )
By the beginning of class on Nov. 8, complete the following in full:
1) Take this poll
(note: this tool is called Poll Everywhere. It takes polling results from a variety of sources, but is basically built as a texting poll tool. Results are posted in “real time” — no lag between when the votes are entered and you see the results. It would be a great tool to use with your students to ask Anticipatory Questions or anytime you want instant feedback from you students).
2) Favorite Poem Project
Poems have the ability to move us, inspire us, help us reflect, and to bring truth to our worlds. What is your favorite poem? Why is this your favorite poem? Take a few moments to think about these things and perhaps give some context to your favorite poem.
Take a look at this outstanding website for inspiration: http://www.favoritepoem.org/ This is an outstanding tool you can use in your classroom and something that will help you know your students better.
This week, you are going to participate in our class version of the “My Favorite Poem.”
Here’s how:
a) Go to our class VoiceThread (an excellent collaborative tool for your classroom). There will be a VoiceThread introducing our favorite poem project
b) Comment via voice or video (you may also combine words to your comments). See the VoiceThread site for more info on how to do this. You may want to have all your materials ready when you sit down to record: the poem, a few notes written down, check the microphone and webcam, etc.
c) In your comment:
* Tell us your name
* Give the title and author of your favorite poem
* Give us some background on your favorite poem (why did you choose it, when did you first read it, what do you know about the poem or poet)
* Recite the poem
* Watch your classmates’ poems
3. VoiceThread discussion
a) To better understand VoiceThread, please look at some of the following links. Think about how you might use VoiceThread in a lesson. Note how many different ways VoiceThread can be used.
http://voicethread.com/#q.b579.i5325
http://voicethread.com/#q.b71107.i365592
http://voicethread.com/#q.b26224.i145977
http://voicethread.com/#q.b38186.i199787
http://voicethread.com/#q.b514987.i2744346
http://voicethread.com/#q.b297608.i1577612
http://voicethread.com/#q.b428910.i2311940
http://voicethread.com/#q.b539713.i2889798
http://voicethread.com/#q.b12295.i79991
http://voicethread.com/#q.b4973.i38884
http://voicethread.com/#q.b2074.i21686
http://voicethread.com/#q.b179626
b) Once you’ve seen a wide variety of examples of VoiceThread, go to our class forum and enter or create a discussion about VoiceThread usage. Please read other comments and become involved in a conversation.
http://www.voy.com/224255/
(A note about Voy Forums: this service provides for collaboration. It is an older online tool and can be a touch clunky, but it does bring collaboration to your classroom online via a discussion room.)
4. Create a Storybird story
Storybird is an online collaborative story/book writing tool that you might consider using in a lesson.
a) Get together with at least one person from class or a spouse or group of any sort. Your name just has to be on one of the stories, so no need to do two different stories if there are two of you from class (you can work in groups of two, three, four, five … I don’t care, so long as you all are helping and collaborating. Only one project will be turned in for the whole group; for instance, if you have a group of four of you from class, that is the project you turn in — not four different projects).
b) Figure out how you are going to write your story, who is going to do what, and what you are writing about.
c) Go to the website for Storybird and create your collaborative story
d) comment on the bottom of this post (it’s at the very end of the Class 4 agenda post) how to get to your Storybird.
e) Read the Storybirds created by other groups
5. This I Believe
This I Believe is an outstanding web lesson and collaborative piece that I’ve used in teaching before. It works well to teach kids how to write a thesis statement. It also helps teach them how to write concisely and keep on topic. I have had my students create podcasts of their This I Believes to share them with the class.
http://thisibelieve.org/
Take a good look around the site. Listen to some of the essays. My favorites are those by folks you wouldn’t expect like the one from skateboarder Tony Hawk.
a) Think about how you might use “This I Believe” in a Unit. Consider how you would have to scaffold (build up to the actual turn-in date) the assignments of it to get a strong outcome. Remember to keep in mind what would be obstacles: both technological and with your students.
b) Bring your thoughts on This I Believe to class on Nov. 8 and be ready for discussion.
6. Play with this site
It’s fun. Remember to mention it to your students whenever you get a chance. There’s nothing wrong with getting your kids addicted to a game that is both educational and feeds the hungry!
http://www.freerice.com/
—–
That’s it for these weeks. When we get back together on November 8 we will tackle lesson plan writing some more and perhaps discuss wikis in better scope. No reading this week (yaaaayyyy), so work hard on the modules above and always keep in mind how you could use this with your students.
Email me with any questions.
~Jim