Music......at last!

Our schedule will be altered for the next two weeks due to MCAS, but we will keep moving forward!!  During our first class this week you will have an opportunity to review your ILT feedback in your X2 accounts.  Please be sure to take the time you will be given at the beginning of class to do this.  I will be coming around to answer and questions and give you the opportunity to share any work you have updated or completed.  I will be posting your grades at the end of the week; so this is your last chance to show "progress" since your progress reports.

You will also be using class #1 to finish up your timelines.  Be sure to check your work with the rubric.  I will be asking your to "grade" yourself using this rubric and will want a copy of how you think you did so I can compare it to my thoughts.  It will be interesting to see what you think.

During our second class this week (for some of you the only one) you will finally get the BIS iPad Playlist of music you have been waiting to hear.  You will use your Filr App to make this magic happen.  I will take you through the steps; so have no fear.  

Have a great week and use your Effective Effort strategies on Tuesday for your Long Composition.  It is important and I know you can do it!!!

image link

Checking Out!

MCAS scheduling has messed up our tech class schedule for the last time this year.  HOORAY!!!!  Congrats to my students for their hard work and determination on testing.  With that said, I will only see most of my students once this week.  Have no fear!!!  If you continue to use your "Effective Effort" strategies you will have no trouble completing your digital story on time.
This week you will finish finding, saving, and citing the images for your story.  Please be sure to upload them all to ONE web album in Picasa.  Make sure you are using the correct URL on your Google doc for the citations.  AFTER you have found all of the images from your shopping list, you will then go to find, save, and cite the music for your story.  Remember, we are using copyright free music for this project.  The best place to look would be where you found the music for your podcasts.  Do you remember where that is?  I also found a great site with some other music options.  Read carefully though as some of the suggested sites require buying a membership to be able to download.  Check it out- Top 10 Places to Get Free Music.  You could also try, Audio Archive or Freeplay Music.
The due date for this project is May 31st!!  I have been so impressed with the search techniques being used by my students.  You are doing a great job using filters and advanced search tricks to get what you are looking for to use in your stories.  Yeah tech kids!!!

Digital Storytelling

What is a digital story?  This week you will find out and begin creating one of your own.  Edutopia has a great post called, “Digital Storytelling:  Helping Students Find Their Voice.”   There are some great links at the end of this post.  One of the links will take you to an interview with Marco Torres.  I had the pleasure of meeting March and some of his students at a conference in Boston.  He and his students have formed a company called, Alas Media.  They are doing some amazing things with storytelling.  You should check them out.

During class we will be taking a look at this great digtial story.  It won an award in 2009.  We will also talk about the importance of music. I hope you enjoy the story!!  I am sure you will enjoy creating a digital story of your own. Before getting started with our digital stories, let's take a moment to review copyright and fair use. What's Copyright? is a fun animated music video reviewing these concepts.

Take Two

We are so close.  Unfortunately there were too many factors which were out of our control.  Between fire alarms, absences, and many other things, we were not able to finish recording our podcasts in one week.  Oh well, this is why we are flexible. Needless to say we will be finishing up our recording this week.  I hope most of you will be done in the middle of class one and will be able to start editing.  While your classmates are recording, you will need to remain silent.  If you have found your music please create a new blog post.  I made a suggestion in my last post.  Please take a look.  You should have a minimum of four good posts on your blog at this time.  Please be sure to use your blogging guidelines and have a classmate edit your post.  Check for those "I's"!!!!

When you get ready please use some of the resources below to help you edit your audio tracks.

Audacity Resources:
Document:  Editing Effects in Audacity
Document:  Read How to Edit in Audacity

You should have found your music last week, but just in case you did not please be sure to take the time to do so.  Remember- you will be using open source music.  The music should enhance your podcast.  Think of it as the whipped cream and cherry on top of your sundae.  Your words are the ice cream and toppings; the important part.

I hope we can stay on track with our due date, but I will let you know at the end of the week if we are adjusting it.  So no stress, please!!!!  

Quiet on the Set!!!!

We are transforming Lab 231 in to a recording studio this week.  This is a bit of a challenging task.  For our recording artists to have the best possible environment it is going to be very important to have the rest of us sitting silently at workstations engaged in interdependent activities.  You will appreciate the silent room when it is your turn to record.  Remember-we only have 15 minute recording sessions!!!!  When you and your partner(s) are not recording you will be following the procedure below.  It is very important to remain in your seat and raise your hand if you have a question.  This is probably the only time I will ask you not to use one another as resources this year.

Copyright, Plagiarism, and Fair Use Review:
You will be adding some music to your podcast during the editing phase next week and/or the following week.  Before you even begin thinking about music, it is important for you to understand which music can be used “legally.”  We have had some discussions about copyright and fair use this year already.  I also know you discussed this topic in grade 6 ILT classes.  It is important to have a good understanding of this topic.  Please be sure to carefully read, watch, and listen to all of the provided resources before moving on to the suggested sites for finding music you can use in your podcasts.
You will start off this review by watching a Prezi created by Ms. Sweeney.  Be sure to read all text, and view all videos completely.  You may want to review some of this information more than once.

Copyright, Plaigairism, and Fair Use  
http://prezi.com/m9vvdhjaxngp/copyright-plagiarism-fair-use/
A great prezi created by Ms. Sweeney

Cyberbee Copyright & Fair Use Interactive Game  
http://www.cyberbee.com/cb_copyright.swf
You may have done this last year, but it is worth doing again.

Copyright Kids
http://www.copyrightkids.org/
Another great interactive site.  Please take the time to click through each of the different components on this site.  Remember to read, listen, and watch each completely and carefully.

Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/copyrightmystery/
Four great links within this interactive site.  Go through them all carefully.

Before starting your search for music you may want to check out this great opportunity to win prizes and some cash. How you ask? You could create a doodle 4 Google!

Create a Google Doodle:
“Doodle 4 Google is an annual program that invites K-12 students in the United States to use their artistic talents to think big and redesign our homepage logo for millions to see.
This year, we ask students to exercise their creative imaginations around the theme, “My Best Day Ever…” One talented student artist will see their artwork appear on the Google homepage, receive a $30,000 college scholarship, and a $50,000 technology grant for their school along with some other cool prizes!”

Theme:  “What’s Your Best Day Ever?”
Watch the video, “Doodle 4 Google 2013”
Explore the Frequently Asked Questions:  FAQ’s
Check out the History of Doodle 4 Google:  Doodle History
Please do NOT print forms.  Your classmates are recording!!!!  If you would like forms they can be found at the end of each row.  Either raise your hand and wait for me or quietly go grab a form.

Search for Podcast Music:
Now that you have reviewed the information regarding copyright and fair use, you may start searching for music you think you would like to use in your podcast.  You are NOT working with your partner on this.  You will have to share what you have found with him/her next week and make a decision about which music you end up using for your final product.  Below are some sites where you will be able to find “creative commons” and copyright free music.   We are only using open source (copyright free) music for this project. You are NOT to go on to You Tube, Pandora, or any sites like these to listen to music.  This activity is not listening to music for enjoyment, but finding good and appropriate music for your podcast.  Remember- your words are the most important part of the podcast.  The music should only enhance your project.  Your audience should remember what you say, not the song you selected.

How to Download, Save, and Cite Music
This is a screencast created last year showing students how to download music for their digital stories.  The process is exactly the same for your podcasts.  The only difference is you will not be saving it in a “digital storytelling folder” on your pdrive.  Simply save it in your pdrive.

Music Sites:
Creative Commons Audio
http://creativecommons.org/audio/
The name says it all.  You will find a variety of music for your podcasts and other digital media projects.

Community Audio
http://archive.org/details/opensource_audio
A good site for podcast music

Freeplay Music
http://freeplaymusic.com/
Another site with music categories suitable for podcasts and other forms of digital media

Good luck!!  Think about your podcast topic.  It is usually more effective to use music without lyrics (instrumentals) as your words are the most important part of your project.  You don’t want to use a song which will have your audience singing along!  Think out of the box!!

One more option- BLOGGING!!
Recording is taking a bit longer than expected due to absences and fire alarms going off. Some of you may have completed the work on this post and still need to remain quiet in your seats while classmates are recording. If you have finished reviewing copyright, found and saved your music, and doodled for Google, please create a new blog post. You have the guidelines in your binder/folder. Please be sure to follow them. If you are struggling for a topic, I would love to hear your thoughts on the following:
What do you think about students having iPads all day in class and also being
able to take them home at the end of the day? It is called a 1:1 iPad Project.

If you are in favor of this, please be sure to explain why you think it would be a good thing using examples. If you are opposed, please do the same. Please feel free to go on line and do some research. There are many schools currently using iPads in the manner. You may want to check out this video, "Weston iPad Movie."

Finding the Music

I have been asking you NOT to think about the music; just the images and words. Well now I want you to think about music. There are sites offering what is called Open Source music. This is music which is in the public domain; meaning you do not have to have permission to use it. You will NOT be permitted to search You Tube or other similar sites to find music. You may search from the list of sites below. Think about the story you are telling. Your music should be another piece of the puzzle. It should not overpower your images or text; but compliment them. At the end of this week you should have your images, music, and citations all set and be ready to start “mixing” your digital story. Have fun. Keep an open mind and try listening to some music you may not have considered. If you should finish early, please get your blogs ready to assess.

Please watch this video showing how to download and save your music properly:
        Downloading Music for Your Digital Story



Music Sites

Community Audio
http://archive.org/details/opensource_audio

Freeplay Music
freeplaymusic.com

Creative Commons Audio
http://creativecommons.org/audio/


If you are using music from home, you must bring it in to school on a CD or a flash drive. It must be a song you have legally obtained. You may not bring in music you have downloaded from Limewire or other similar sites.

You MUST have your music in school next week! There will be no exceptions.

At the end of class this week you will have an electronic ticket to leave which will give me feedback and let me know how you feel about getting this project done on time. Please click this link: Electronic Ticket to Leave. Complete and submit the form. Thanks!