Finishing Scripts, Rehearsing, and Exploration

Hello to my hard working podcast creators.  I am not able to be there with you today, but Mrs. Diggins is ready to help you with whatever you need.  Please do a great job for her!  Everything you need for class today can be found in this blog post.  Please be sure to read it in its entirety.  Don’t leave anything out!!!  
You will start class today by taking the “Pop Culture Survey” created by our yearbook committee.  When you click on this link, it will take you to our Google portal.  **If this link does not work, please go to the BIS homepage.  If you look under the “Quick Links” you will see the survey as your first selection.  You will need to sign in to your Google account to take the survey.  Please be sure to work independently.  You will need to select an answer for each of the questions.  I know there may be some questions for which you do not care for any of the choices, but you MUST select one.  So just pick the one which is least objectionable.  Mrs. Diggins will be giving you some directions before and after this activator.  Please wait for her before moving on.
Once you have finished your activator, you will be moving on to the next three agenda items on the front board.  
Some of you may have already completed #2:  Finish/Print your Podcast Script.  If you have not yet completed your script you will only have 15 minutes to get it finished and printed (one copy for each person in your group.)   You will need to do a run through of your script and time it.  Remember you may find an online stopwatch to complete this task.  If your podcast falls short, you will need to quickly add more to your script and reprint it.
Then you will move on to item #3 (if you have already printed your script you will be starting with #3).  Rehearse your podcast ( a minimum of 5 times) This should take you at least 10 minutes to complete.  Be sure to rehearse it the same way you will be recording it (outloud, slowly, and clearly.)  Once you have finished rehearsing your script, please put it in your folder or binder.  You will not need it for the rest of class today.  Remember my suggestions to highlight your lines on your copy of the script.  Highlighters can be found at the on the back row of computers workstations.  ***Remember you will only have a 15 minute recording session so it very important you are well prepared.
Now it is time to move on to item #4 Explore Audacity/Soundbooth.  Look at the column of icons on your desktop.  The third icon from the bottom is a folder named, “audio/video”.  Please open this file.  You will find four items inside.  You should see both Audacity and Adobe Soundbooth.  You will need to open and explore both of these software programs.  As you are exploring you will need to be sure to learn how to do the following things:

1. Start a recording
2. Pause a recording- this will be very important next week.  It is very possible you may have a case of the giggles of get tongue-tied when recording.  You will not want to end and then restart your recording.  You will instead want to pause, regain your composure and then begin recording again.
3. Re-start your recording
4. End your recording
5. Save your recording

You have saved some resources for Audacity in your diigo accounts.  Please use these to help you as you explore.  If you did not bookmark these resources, you will find some helpful links at the end of this post. You should also use the “help” tabs within each of these programs.   Once  you have figures out how to accomplish the five tasks above, I would like you to create a test recording.  There are a few sets of headphone/microphones hanging on the sound proof carousel on the computer at the far side of the classroom by the windows.  These “peripheral devices” have a USB connector (do you remember what those 3 letters stand for???)  You do not need to use the headphones, just speak in to the microphone.  After recording your test audio track, listen to it and see how it sounds.  You need to get a sense of how close to hold the mic and how loud to speak.  You will need to share these headsets, so after recording your track, please put them back.   If time allows, you can actually play around a bit with editing.

Audacity Resources:
Audacity Tutorial Part I
Audacity Tutorial Part II
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Podcast? (power point)
Audacity WIKI

Soundbooth Resources:
Adobe Soundbooth Tutorials
Learn Adobe Soundbooth
Soundbooth Essential Training

***You will not be doing any searching or saving of music today.  We will address where to find music and search for it next week.  You should not be working on a video part of this project today either.  If you are using a video in your podcast, you will need to bring that video in to class next week.  Please do not panic about this piece. I will help you problem solve getting the video on to the computer in class.

If you should finish with all of these items before the end of class please do any of the following things:

   Work on your blog

   Clean out your Gmail

   Clean and organize your Google docs

   Check to make sure you have a folder for each of your classes

   Check to make sure you have shared the folder with your teachers

   Clean out your pdrive

You may NOT go to any on line game sites or listen to music on line.  Remember the AUP you signed and the trust I have in all of you.  You need to get all of these things done so you are ready to record next week.  Have a great class.  I am so excited for you to record your podcasts next week.  I know you will do a great job!  Have an awesome weekend!

Image Link:  http://allthingsd.com/20120615/apple-gives-podcasts-a-gentle-push-out-of-itunes/

Third Time's a Charm

I cannot believe I am sitting in my living room  watching yet another storm pass through our area.  For right now the precipitation is wet, but the forecasters are predicting it will turn to white later this afternoon.  Luckily it will not be enough to interfere with our return to school in the morning.

Vacation seemed to soar by at record speed.  I am definitely struggling with the fact March is arriving on Friday.  Spring will be here before we know it.  As students are returning this week they will be continuing to work on their podcasts.  Scripts will be completed and rehearsing will be underway.  I cannot wait to see and hear the final products!

In addition to podcasting, students will continue working on their blogs and have the opportunity to enter the Doodle 4 Google contest.  Maybe one of our students will have his/her creation featured on Google's search page.  I will begin featuring a "Student Blog of the Week" on my school web page. I would also like to begin featuring student app recommendations  for both school and personal use.  I love showing off my students' hard work.  

I play on enjoying the remaining day of vacation.  I think I will try to sneak off to see a movie with my family this afternoon, perhaps "Identity Thief."  What else isn't there to do on a stormy day on Cape Cod?  Maybe I'll see some of my students there.

Podcast Update:
My students are really getting in to their podcasts!!!  One of them shared this delicious piece of cake!  If you want to learn how to make this yummy creation stayed tuned for our "How To Podcast Series!!!

Image Created by Mrs. White
Cake Created by Allison & Hannah

Here We Go Again....

February Vacation has officially begun (well it actually started at 2:45 p.m. on Friday!)  I am sitting at my computer watching the wind whip around the snow outside my window.  It is actually snowing sideways!!  I understand this won't be "Nemo II" the sequel, but high winds and measureable snow are forecasted for us.  Therefore I am scrambling to do anything requiring the use of electricity in the next couple of hours. 
Before we lose power, if we should lose power, I wanted to take a moment to comment on the excitement I was feeling in my lab before vacation.  I'm not talking about the, "vacation is almost here" excitement, but about the podcast script writing excitement.  My students are really taking this assignment seriously.  As I looked around during one of my classes I noticed students not only accessing sites which had come up in their searches, but also using Pinterest because they had created a "board" and "pinned" resources at home earlier!!!  One group was typing their script on their workstation and using a Kindle to bring up their pins.  The range of "How To's" for this podcasting series is wide and extremely interesting.  Students were up out of their seats pretending to swing baseball bats as their partners hastily keyboarded the sequence of moves.  It will be very exciting when we begin our recording and then move to editing.  I am sure my students will master Audacity quickly.  I am doubtful they will lose their enthusiasm over vacation.
I hope all of my hard working students enjoy this week off from school.  I know some are traveling while others are sitting at home watching these flakes soar sideways.  I will be thinking of them all if we lose power.  I remember how bored they were last weekend when Nemo took it away for a while. 
Let's keep our fingers crossed that we will stay "connected!!"

Picking Partners and Starting Scripts

Image Link:  http://www.wallsave.com/wallpaper/1920x1200/my-girlfriend-is-a-gumiho-free-valentine-computer-chobir-dokan-47292.html

Happy Valentine’s Day!!  I will be attending a workshop at the high school today and will not be teaching your classes.  Mrs. Diggins will be in for me and you know she is very familiar with our routines and my plans.  Please take the time to read this ENTIRE blog post.  She will be giving you specific directions once you have read the post.  I am sure you will do a wonderful job in my absence.  
On Tuesday I reviewed the Podcast Rubric and “contract” for working with a partner.  I asked you to think about a good partner for you.  Some of you, I believe ILT #9, already selected your partners.  If you were absent, I know this may all seem confusing to you.  In just a moment Mrs. Diggins will be giving you some papers and asking everyone to select or sit with partners.  If you are having a difficult time finding a partner please ask Mrs. Diggins to help you with this process.  I respect some of you may wish to work alone.  Remember this is a large undertaking and you may want to reconsider flying “solo.”  
Mrs. Diggins will give you the signal to go ahead and move so you are seated with a partner.  Once you have found someone to work with she will take you through a review of the “contract” for this project which can be found on the backside of the Podcast Rubric.  You will need to decide together which of your “How To” ideas you would like to develop.  You will also need to agree on your intended audience.  Mrs. Diggins will give you some examples if you aren’t sure what I mean by that.  I want you to write the word AUDIENCE on your contract under your How To topic title and fill in your audience.  Then you will read and sign the bottom of this page.

Now you are ready to start writing your script.  Please take a moment with your partner to reveiw the “Script Writing Tips” document.  Take note of the required elements at the bottom.  You will need to welcome your audience, introduce yourselves (first names only) and then introduce your topic.  Remember this isn’t being written like an English paper, but more like a conversation.  You will want to note who will be saying which lines in your script.  

For example:
Johnny:   Welcome to our How To Podcast Series.
Mary:  Today we will be sharing How to Tie Your Shoes.
Johnny:  I’m Johnny.
Mary:  And I’m Mary.  Let’s get started.

You will also need a closing or send off after you have finished your “How To.”  You may use the Internet to do some research about your topic.  Please write down the places you visited to get information. You will need to mention them at the end of your podcast.

I would recommend creating a Google doc for your script.  If you would prefer to hand write it that is fine as well.   Mrs. Diggins will have paper if you forgot to bring some to class today.  If you are creating a Google doc, you will want to share it with your partner.  To do this, create and title the doc as you always do.  Then look in the top right hand corner for the blue “Share” button.  You will click on it and see a very familiar window.  It is the same one you used to “share” your folders with me and other teachers.  You will need to add the school gmail address of your partner in the bottom space where it says, “Add people.”  It may be a good idea for your partner to type this in.  Then select “Share and Save” then “done.”  Your partner will now have access to this document just in case you are absent when we return from vacation.

Continue working on your scripts until Mrs. Diggins asks for you attention.  Be sure to put all of your documents in your binders or folders at the end of class.  You will be needing these when we return from vacation.  

**My ILT#3 students:  I know you didn’t have class on Monday.  Mrs. Diggins will be going over the rubric with you.  I am sure you will have some questions.  I will answer them after vacation.  Please do your best to get a script started.  Don’t get frustrated as I will make sure you are on track when we return from vacation.

I hope all of you have your power restored and are warm and safe in your homes.  Please do your best for Mrs. Diggins, as I know you will.  If I don’t get to see you in the halls on Friday be sure to have a safe and fun vacation!!!!
                       Fondly,
                        Mrs. White  :)

Digging Out and Charging Up!!

WOW!  Nemo left quite a mark for such a small fish!!  The Blizzard of 2013 will be remembered as one of the worst storms to hit our area.  I consider myself very lucky to have only lost power for 50 hours or so.  My house is intact and my family is safe!!!  I am sitting with my students, okay maybe half of a class, who are blogging themselves.  Our schools are open, though many of our students were not able to make it in today.  Parts of Cape Cod are still without power.  Many extraordinary stories are unfolding.   I feel as though our crews, both town and utility, did an unbelievable job to get us back to "normal" or as close as we currently are this morning.  I heard a chain saw running at 1 o'clock this morning!! YIKES!  I give those workers credit.  Can you imagine still going at that hour?!!!!  It was amazing to see the out pouring of help from local businesses.  For those of us who could access social media such as Facebook on our devices the posts inviting people in to businesses to "charge" up devices, and get warmed up were abounding.  Some local business owners were providing coffee, breakfast, and even pizza for lunch- free of charge!!!  I love it when Cape Codders pull together like that!!
As for my students who are missing school today.......we are working on our blogs; adding another post.  If you are sitting at home and have Internet, I'd love to hear about your experiences.  Remember to be careful about revealing too much personal information!  I hope all of my students are safe, warm, and dry.  I know for some of you it was a tough couple of days.  I am sure some of your homes sustained damage from the storm.  I hope to see you in school tomorrow morning.  I especially hope you and your families were the recipients of some of that good old Cape Cod neighborly assistance along the way!

Image Link:  http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130211/NEWS11/130219964/-1/NEWS

Bursting With Pride

I would like to congratulate the students in our BIS Broadcasting Club.  I am so proud of the new BIS Tour video they created.  It was amazing!!  You can check it out on our school webpage.  It received rave reviews from all who have seen it!!  So I would like to say to Maeve, Greta, Liam, Olivia, Seamus, and Maxen- You ROCK!!

Now on to this week; the word of the week is “Podcasting.”  What is it you ask????  You will most definitely have an answer by the end of the week.  You will watch a great video, “Podcasting in Plain English,” and then experience podcasts on two different devices.  I want you thinking about the different purposes for creating this type of media and who might be watching/listening to podcasts; the audience.  You will be creating your own podcasts in the upcoming weeks; so it is very important you understand the basics.  We will be using resources from a well-respected site: PBS NewsHour Extra.  I hope you are excited to learn about a new type of media and find some helpful resources for school and life.  

After exploring podcasts on both iPods and our workstations, we will begin preparing for our next project.  I have created a Google doc with some podcasting resources.  I would like you to bookmark at least three of these resources in your diigo accounts.  Don't worry, I will review how to do this.  I know it has been a while.  I would like you to start thinking about what type of "How to" podcast you would like to create. We will work on a planning sheet next week.  Until then.......happy podcast exploring!!