Time Out for Copyright Review

Welcome back from our three day weekend.  I hope you had some fun.  Unfortunately the memorial services on Monday were a bit soggy.  Did you take a moment to think about the reason for this holiday?  I hope so.  I know I did.  This site gives some information about this holiday and others observed in this country.

This week you will have some time to work on your slide presentations.  You will also review some information about copyright and fair use.  We have worked on this throughout the year, but I felt we could all use the review.  If you only have one class this week, it will be used to address this topic.  You will have plenty of time next week to finish your slide presentations.  You will find all of the information you need for this review in Google Classroom.  Please be sure to do a good job.  I will expect you to apply what you've learned as you work on your slideshow projects.

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Solving Problems

Have you ever thought about problem solving; I mean really thought about it?  Almost any change has come from someone or a group of people sitting down and thinking.  Yes, I said thinking!  Sure there is discussion involved, and sometimes that discussion gets heated, but in the end problems are most often solved with thinking and communicating.  I'm sure during some of those discussions crazy ideas have been thrown around.  I am just as sure that some of those crazy ideas have become the solutions.  It's called, "thinking outside the box."   Some of this type of thinking is dependent upon your learning type.  Let's take a look at this video and have some fun.

The next couple of weeks will most definitely test your creative and problem solving skills.  They will also test your ability to work together and get a job done.  I will share some resources with you, but ultimately the job is up to you to get done.

Good Luck!

Press Rewind, Then Play......

You will continue working on what was started last week.  Please use all of the resources you have been given to do a good job on your final tech project of the year.  During class two you will need to take a pause to organize your digital life one last time!  I will provide you with a checklist for this clean up.  I am still working on your blogs.  Sorry they aren't all corrected, but you should receive your rubric during class two this week.
Calling all photographers.....Mrs. Finnemore is looking for pictures of grade 7 students for a project.  If you have any photos on your iPad please send them to her at this email address:
finnemore_caitlyn@barnstable.k12.ma.us.  Be sure to include a subject line.
Sample subject line:  Re:  Pictures from Team 7J (be sure to use your team's letter!!)

Have a super week and stay focused!!
  ~Mrs. White :)

The Home Stretch

The Red Sox open at Fenway Park this week.  It just doesn't seem possible!!!!  Have you ever been to a game at Fenway?  I know it is an old park and there are many other beautiful ones out there, but I think Fenway is very special!  Do you know all of the history of Fenway?  If you have never been to a game at Fenway, you definitely need to add it to your "bucket list."   GO SOX!!

This is your last week to work on your spring projects.  If you stick to your task assignment sheets, you will have no problem getting this done and turned in on time.  I will share the instructions for turning in this assignment in class.  We will start off class by visiting a "wall" in Padlet where you will answer a question which will give me some feedback.  I will share the QR code with you as you enter class.  Have a super week!  I can't wait to see your finished products!!!

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A New Type of Media....Podcasting

It appears as though Mother Nature isn't quite done with her winter antics.  I cannot believe I am going to be typing this at the end of March, but it looks at though a pretty significant nor'easter in the form of a blizzard is heading our way midweek.  Yes, I said a blizzard with the potential of a foot of snow!!!  Yikes!!!  Let's hope this storm heads out to sea and misses us.  I mean really....Fenway Park is being groomed for the Red Sox Opening Day 2014, and I don't believe shoveling is on the preparedness schedule.

Oh well, there is nothing we can do but watch and wait at this point.  Our schedule is being altered once again this week due to ELA MCAS.  Most of my students will only see me once this week.  This one class will be an introduction to a new type of media.  This media is called podcasting.  You will begin class by watching the video, "Podcasting in Plain English."  You are familiar with this video format as it is created by the people at Common Craft.  I would really love to have you make a similar type of video, but that's a post for another time.  After watching this video, you will be exploring the Podcast App on your iPods.  You will use the Podcast Exploration Guide for this exercise.  Use the QR code I have left beside your workstations to get you to this guide.  You will need to toggle back and forth between the guide and the App.  I'm really having you work on all those skills.  Please record your responses on the Podcast Exploration Response Sheet.  I will be collecting these response sheets at the end of class and assessing your exploration.  Please be sure to put your name and ILT# on them and write neatly.

Next week you will be presented with your newest project; creating a podcast.  You will find out all of the details during our first class.  Let's hope this potential winter storm doesn't cause a delay in this process for some of you.  Enjoy the start of Spring!!!!

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Repeat....Rewind......

The plans just keep on changing....Although I had hoped to start a new unit last week, it didn't happen.  In fact, I don't think we will be starting the new unit until class two this week.  Some of my students needed a little more time to upload podcasts and make final tweaks to their blogs.  It's called flexibility!!

The new unit we will be starting is on Google forms and spreadsheets.  This week you will be creating a survey using Google forms.  This survey will be placed on your blogs.  In addition, you will help to create a class survey.  This one will be taken by all of you, giving us a good amount of data to "play with" after vacation.

**Just a reminder:  Podcasts were due last Friday, April 5th.  If you don't have your podcast uploaded to Podbean by Friday, April 12th, your grade for this project will remain a "0."  You must have your rubric ready and turned in to me during our first class meeting this week.  Be sure to bring your rubric to class.

***Second reminder:  Blogs must be ready to be evaluated by this Friday, April 12th.  Please use your Blog Design Rubric as a guide.  All classes, with the exception of ILT#9 must have at least 5 good blog posts.  ILT #9 must have at least 4.  I will be collecting Blog Design Rubrics during class two of this week so be sure to have them.

If you are missing either rubric, they can be found on this week's MOODLE module.

Enjoy your April Vacation!!!

Get That Creativity Flowing

There isn't anything harder than waiting for a vacation to arrive.  There is so much energy and excitement in the air.  I know it's hard, but we all need to try and keep a little bit of peace and calmness in our days.  You will be using this time, whatever little you may have, to work on your blogging presentations.  I will not be in on Monday, but I am confident my students will work very hard for Mrs. "D" and impress her not only with their presentations, but also with their work ethic!! 

So what exactly should you be doing during class you may ask?  You will want to take out your storyboard (recipe) and finish putting all of your text and images in your presentation.  Be sure you include your citations.  Remember you have the choice to put them on the slide with the information or to create on citation slide (zoom) at the end of your masterpiece.  Once you have all of the content loaded in, you will want to work on the attractiveness component of the project.  If you are struggling with "how to" be sure to use that "HELP" tab on the top of  the page.  You may also use the many other resources (students) or search the Internet for help.  Once you feel you are "done" be sure to carefully look over your presentation using your rubric.  A good way to check your work is to pretend you are me.  Think about how I would assess this project using that rubric (it is what I will be doing after all.)

If you are satisfied you have done your absolute best and it is ready to share with the rest of us (and the world), you may go back to your blog and work on it.  You can work on the design, or even get another post ready to go.  Please DO NOT upload or publish a new post before I look at it.  In fact, it would be a good idea to create it as a Google doc.  You could share it with me so I can look it over before it goes "live."  You will need to send me an email letting me know you have a post waiting to be checked.   If you aren't in the mood to work on your blog, you may check out the latest posts coming in to your Google Reader.   You may also search for other blogs and subscribe to them.  Have fun!  

During our second class this week we will be messing around with web cameras!!!  So get ready to say, "cheese!"

Take a Breath!!

After finding out so many of my students would be missing class next week, I made the decision to hold off presenting your projects until after our vacation.  You will really want to have your presentation completed before leaving for vacation.  We will spend the first class back rehearsing and making notes and then present the following week.  I hope this lets many of you breathe easy this weekend.  You should be out there enjoying all of the holiday festivities happening on the Cape and enjoying time with your families.  Have you heard about the "Polar Express Ride" on the Cape Cod Central Railroad?? So have fun!!  Let's keep our fingers crossed for a little of the while fluffy stuff!

Show Me What You Know!!!

I have finished sharing the last of my "official blogging lessons."  Please don't think this means you are all done blogging!!!!  It is quite the opposite.  You have just begun to blog!!!  I will not be spending class time showing you how to blog, however, you will be expected to continue blogging.  Some of you have asked if you need to wait for my permission to blog or wait to be assigned a topic about which to blog.  My answer would be different for different students.  My biggest concern is that you are representing yourself in a positive light; creating a good digital footprint.  If you are someone who struggles with editing, you may want to have me double check your posts before you upload them.  I still create my posts in Google docs and then copy and paste them in to Blogger.  This gives me that extra time to double check for errors.  So check with me if you are ready to blog again!
Don't forget about your "Blogging Checklist."  You will need to make some time to complete the items on it before we leave for our Holiday Break.  If you need my help with anything, you know where to find me!
This week you will begin working on a presentation.  This topic of this presentation is "Blogging Basics."  You will receive an outline in class explaining the project.  This outline will also contain the rubric which I will use to assess your presentation.  You will only have 3 classes to create your presentation so you will not want to waste any time.  During our last class meeting before vacation you will share your presentations with the class.  I will be assessing them during the presentation.  I think you will have fun and thought it was a more 21st century assessment tool.  So whether you select Google Presentations, Prezi, or another presentation tool; it's time to get the creative juices flowing!!  You will want to create an outline or storyboard for your presentation before you jump in.  This can be a simple piece of paper or you may want to use the storyboard template I have available.  You should have plenty of time to complete this presentation during class if you are focused and using your effective effort strategies.  If you should feel you are not getting enough done in class, you always have the option to continue working at home.  You can find the resources your need on our class MOODLE page.
I cannot wait to see your masterpieces!!

Digital/Photo Storytelling

This week we will begin our last big project of the school year. You will be creating a digital story or a photo story. What is a digital story or photo story? You can find out by checking out this slide share, Digital Storytelling. This should answer some of your questions. As I reviewed your survey results I noticed many of you told me you wanted more time on projects. We will do a little bit of preliminary work and then you will be given a good amount of time to work on your photo story. Before you get started with this project we will need to do a review of copyright. It is very important for you understand what you can and cannot use. This will be our activator for class one. We will start by watching a video, “Copyright, What’s Copyright?” and doing a follow up activity using a PDF. You and a partner will be completing a table as a “ticket to leave” during the first class. I have put a list of resources for you to check out at the bottom of this page. Much of your work for the remainder of this year will be creating this photo story and working on your blog. I hope you had a great vacation and are ready to be creative!

What is Copyright?
Digital Storytelling
Digital Storytelling Tips
31 of My Favorite Digital Storytelling Sites