Learning Style

I was kind of surprised that my learning style was highest in linguistics.  This surprised me because I thought visual learner would win out.  I like to see things and have things right in my face in order to learn best.  However, when I was reading about linguistic learners I really began to see why this style "won" out.  When I don't understand something I am always talking the process out to help me understand it better.  I do this a lot in my class room  with my kids.  I talk aloud alot in front of my kids when I'm trying to work something out.  I think this helps them as well to see it's ok to talk something out (in the past I have seen kids in my class talking to themselves working problems out).  I also organize my thoughts aloud and on paper in a way I would understand (post-it notes are my best friend:)).  I was really interested to see my learning style.

DST Lesson Plan

I really fell in love with the app Toontastic, so when we were assigned to come up with a lesson plan for Digital Storytelling I knew I wanted to do something with Toontastic.  I decided to have kids come up with a story using Toontastic for them to complete during centers.  It really worked out wonderfully!  I gave them what I wanted to do within their group and a very quick overview on how to use the app.  I was amazed (guess I really shouldn't have been:)) with how fast the kids learned the program.  They had no trouble in learning how to use the program without much help from me.  It was great and the kids did wonderful!  I was really happy with the outcome.

Final Product

Lesson Plan

20% Project

When this project was assigned in the beginning of the semester, I really thought I would have no trouble with it. Picking anything I wanted to spend 20% of my class time on.  How hard could it be?  Boy was I wrong.  So many possibilities and no guidelines I realized I couldn't do.  I need a set vision to stick too, to help me along the way.  I finally decided on writing a grant.  I hoped by doing this I would be able to possibly receive money for my school to purchase ipads/ipod touches.  When I began, I started to realize I bit off too much.  As my sister said, "don't they pay someone to write the grants for schools".  I was getting more and more stressed with the process, until I was talking to another teacher about the project.  I mentioned what I was doing and how much harder it was then I thought it was going to be, and that's when she mentioned donors choose.  Donors choose is a program where public school teachers can post projects for their classroom and then people can choose to give donations to different projects.  I began to look into this and knew immediately this is what I would do my 20% project on.  The whole process of beginning the project was very easy.  Donors choose gives very clear directions and explains clearly what the teacher must do.  I was able to set it up in a couple days asking for 3 ipod touches, 3 chargers, and 3 covers.  After they reviewed everything I got an email letting me know everything was ready to go and I could start letting people know as ell as it would be posted on their website.  I'm very excited to hopefully receive enough donations in the 5 month limit they have to receive the ipod touches to use in my class.
Below is the link to check my information out.
http://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/1167305.2096174462

Green Screen Demo

In class tonight we did a demo on the green screen.  It was a lot of fun and real easy!  If I was able to do this with my class I could only imagine the finished products I would get.  I know my kids would have a wonderful time with this and get real creative.  Below is my green screen project I did in class.  Enjoy!

Green Screen Demo

The end of the Ipad:(

The semester is coming to an end and I'm getting pretty depressed thinking that I'll be returning the Ipad soon.  I didn't really expect to get "addicted" to the Ipad, but alas I have.  I never thought the Ipad could be used as an educational tool, but this class has really shown me such great things I can do with the Ipad educationally.  Knowing that my kids as well as myself benefit from the device is awesome.  Over Thanksgiving, my sister came home and started using my Ipad and all the apps I had downloaded.  She is a teacher as well, and was amazed at everything students could do.  Added to her Christmas list an Ipad:)  I really wish we could be keeping the Ipad because there is still so much I want to do with it.  At this point I'll have to begin saving and maybe one day soon be able to purchase my own Ipad:)

Door Scene Part 4 with Editing

This part of the project was a lot of fun.  I wish we had a little more time to use Imovie to edit.  I'm sure if given all day I could have kept changing/adding to the movie.  It was a lot of fun and just showed me what it takes to create a movie.  Lots of work and lots of creativeness.

Flat Stanley App. Review

Flat Stanley:

  Free App

          This application brings the book of Flat Stanley now to the digital world.  Teachers have used Flat Stanley for years to teach children about travel and to discover different cultures around the world.  Teachers would have students create their own Flat Stanley using paper and pencil and then mail their Flat Stanley off to different places for people to take pictures with him in different locations.  This application makes it so much easier and saves you on postage!

When students first get into the application, they will be able to create their own Flat Stanley (or Flat Stella for all the girls out there).  They will be able to give it a different name as well as change their hair, hair color, outfit, facial expression, to make it suited for them.  After you create what your Flat Stanley looks like you can fill in information about him/her.

  When you have you Flat Stanley created you are ready to go out and take pictures.  You can add Flat Stanley into whatever picture you want to take.  After you take a picture you can share it through email, twitter, facebook, or flatter world (flatter world is flat Stanley’s world).  With the sharing feature you can find other peoples pictures from around the world where they visited with Flat Stanley.  You also have the option to see other Flat Stanley’s that maybe around the area with the map feature.

You can incorporate so many different lessons using the Flat Stanley app.  Teachers can have their students take different pictures with their Flat Stanley and then create a story using another app.  They can also have students create a story using others’ pictures.  The possibilities could be endless.

This application is a very easy app. to use where I believe kids young and old and learn to use and enjoy!