Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
D.A.R.E. Graduation Celebration
Our D.A.R.E. graduation was on Thursday, December 13. There were many guests and speakers for the ceremony, but the favorite of the students was "Cliff the K9" from the Blue Island Police Department.
Watch the Movie Clip of Officer King, Officer Miller, and Cliff
Watch the Movie Clip of Officer King, Officer Miller, and Cliff
Saturday, December 8, 2007
More on Podomatic
Podomatic is a great Website to use to store your podcasts. This makes them available wherever you go.
I have been experimenting with uploading podcasts and trying out podomatic. So far, it has been very easy. My students are especially excited that their voices will be heard. Podomatic is a Website that is usually blocked at school, so we will need to work around this by working at night to upload files that we have made during the school hours. I really want to thank my students for working hard at night on the many blog activities and a special thank you to all the parents who have supported blogging, podcasting, and wikis.
Thank you so much for all that you do to make this happen.
I have been experimenting with uploading podcasts and trying out podomatic. So far, it has been very easy. My students are especially excited that their voices will be heard. Podomatic is a Website that is usually blocked at school, so we will need to work around this by working at night to upload files that we have made during the school hours. I really want to thank my students for working hard at night on the many blog activities and a special thank you to all the parents who have supported blogging, podcasting, and wikis.
Thank you so much for all that you do to make this happen.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
Writing Stories!
Today, many of my students created stories that were awesome. Some were on their third or fourth short story while others were creating a book of short stories. It is very interesting to read about their characters and how the students got their ideas. All of my students will be making audio recordings of their stories for their digital files.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Class Blogmeister Related Links
Check this out On Class Blogmeister, I have made two screencasts and submitted two podcasts that the students have made.
In addition, you might have seen the dinosaur avatar that the students use while reading their creative stories.
In addition, you might have seen the dinosaur avatar that the students use while reading their creative stories.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Screencast!
What are screencast? Click here and find out???
Here is an example of a Screencast I made for my class to show the students how to log in and work in Class Blogmeister. This was one way I worked around blocked sites at our school. I can make a screencast then download it onto my jump drive or laptop then take it to school http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/ciXUbqMn
Here is an example of a Screencast I made for my class to show the students how to log in and work in Class Blogmeister. This was one way I worked around blocked sites at our school. I can make a screencast then download it onto my jump drive or laptop then take it to school http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/ciXUbqMn
Class Blogmeister!
Podcasts, Screencasts, and Avatars are part of the new Web 2.0 tools that are used in my classroom. The students are so excited now that they have a real audience to write to and they can use the Avatars and podcasts to record their stories.
Friday, I brought a lamp into my classroom to use with the Webcam camera because we didn't have enough light. It worked. The avatar started moving with every word the student spoke. The student stated that, "I was a wonderful teacher because I brought the lamp." What am I saying???? My students loved the Avatar and podcasting.
My students are excited because they can use a Webcam camera and they can use digital audio to record their voices. THEY ARE EXCITED AND WILLING TO WORK ON CREATIVE WRITING AND MORE!
Is it worth it to find ways around the blocked pictures, movies, slideshows, podcasts, and more? Yes, because when you get kids excited they will go home and try out what they are shown at school.
1. We use audacity to record podcasts!
2. We use podomatic to house our podcasts!
3. We use an Avatar!
4. I use Screencast-o-matic to prerecord blocked sites so I can show my students Web 2.0 tools.
Friday, I brought a lamp into my classroom to use with the Webcam camera because we didn't have enough light. It worked. The avatar started moving with every word the student spoke. The student stated that, "I was a wonderful teacher because I brought the lamp." What am I saying???? My students loved the Avatar and podcasting.
My students are excited because they can use a Webcam camera and they can use digital audio to record their voices. THEY ARE EXCITED AND WILLING TO WORK ON CREATIVE WRITING AND MORE!
Is it worth it to find ways around the blocked pictures, movies, slideshows, podcasts, and more? Yes, because when you get kids excited they will go home and try out what they are shown at school.
1. We use audacity to record podcasts!
2. We use podomatic to house our podcasts!
3. We use an Avatar!
4. I use Screencast-o-matic to prerecord blocked sites so I can show my students Web 2.0 tools.
My newest Blog for Kids!
Besides working and posting on http://parentsteachersstudents.blogspot.com and http://pritchardspress.blogspot.com, we now have a new student blog that is wonderful.
Class Blogmeister
Class Blogmeister was created by David Warlick. By the way, teachers must send an email to him to get approval to join Class Blogmeister.
What I know so far about Class Blogmeister....
1. It is completely safe because everything has to have the approval of the teacher before it can be posted.
2. Once approved the teacher will publish the posts to the blog.
3. Comments made by students to students also go through an approval process and are published by the teacher.
4. No emails for students to use.
5. Emails are sent to the teacher in-charge as soon as a student has submitted a post for publishing. Using feeds or netvibes, the teacher can easily keep up with posts. In addition, you can read and approve student posts from your email account. Truly Awesome!
6. The students love it.
Difficulties that we address everyday:
1. Our Main blog page is unblocked; however, the students' blogs are not unblocked so they can not work on them at school. In other words, we can not post at school and when needing to discuss the relevant information on our blogs we cannot.
Going around the difficulties:
As I mention, I have made a screencast using screencast-o-matic which is blocked at school, but can be downloaded to my laptop or flashdrive then taken to school.
Sad but true Podomatic and Screencasts are blocked. Students must go to Class Blogmeister at home to take advantage of the latest Web 2.0 tools.
Class Blogmeister
Class Blogmeister was created by David Warlick. By the way, teachers must send an email to him to get approval to join Class Blogmeister.
What I know so far about Class Blogmeister....
1. It is completely safe because everything has to have the approval of the teacher before it can be posted.
2. Once approved the teacher will publish the posts to the blog.
3. Comments made by students to students also go through an approval process and are published by the teacher.
4. No emails for students to use.
5. Emails are sent to the teacher in-charge as soon as a student has submitted a post for publishing. Using feeds or netvibes, the teacher can easily keep up with posts. In addition, you can read and approve student posts from your email account. Truly Awesome!
6. The students love it.
Difficulties that we address everyday:
1. Our Main blog page is unblocked; however, the students' blogs are not unblocked so they can not work on them at school. In other words, we can not post at school and when needing to discuss the relevant information on our blogs we cannot.
Going around the difficulties:
As I mention, I have made a screencast using screencast-o-matic which is blocked at school, but can be downloaded to my laptop or flashdrive then taken to school.
Sad but true Podomatic and Screencasts are blocked. Students must go to Class Blogmeister at home to take advantage of the latest Web 2.0 tools.
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