Educational Website

I would use my website to teach a science lesson about transportation to kindergarten or 1st graders. I would also have my students complete the paint assignment I posted on one of my links about using paint to make the vehicle the student gets to school in. I would then post my classes pictures on the website as a link that said How Miss Lisco's 1st grade class gets to school. I would have them write a sentence with their picture.

I think creating a website for students to use is very resourceful. By creating the website yourself the teacher can ensure that the students are learning all that the teacher wants them to know. It would be cool to get the students involved in making a lesson after it was over. You could get the students involved by asking them about what they learned that was important about a given topic. After making a list of what they thought was the most important information that they gathered about the given topic, together, the teacher and the class could create and informative site. I think that for 1st grade the website would need to me created as a group because they are so little.


Transportation Website

Video

I would use this video to teach kindergarten or 1st graders the vowels. I had my students help me create the video. After learning the song and doing the video I hear them singing the vowel song during class. Since we shot all the scenes they have all been asking me to see the video.This shows me that they enjoyed making the video, singing the song, and I know that they know what the vowels are in the alphabet.

I think having students be involved in making a video is a great idea. I think it is something different for the students to do. You can create a video project involving any subject and it integrates technology.

I will say it was very difficult to have my 1st graders be involved in this video. We had to take numerous takes to get each scene correct and it took up a lot of time during the day. The timing may have been partly my fault. I planned everything out before I got my students involved but then when it came down to actually filming the video there were some things I had to change because it wasn't working out. For instance at the beginning of the video, originally I wanted my students to stand in a line one behind the other. Then I was going to have them introduce their letter and then sit down. That was very confusing for them so I changed the beginning and I just had them sit on the floor to introduce the letters. Also I originally was trying to film the whole beginning as one shot and that didn't work. The students had a hard time remembering what to do and paying attention in that time span. I ended up filming each line of the video separately and that worked out better.

Overall making videos with your class can be very successful if you are able to set aside a significant amount of time to film the video and if you plan it with lots of details.

Click here to see my Vowels Video

Virtual Tour

On my virtual tour I have my students visit an apple, orange and cranberry farm. I would do a lesson on cropping.  I would teach the students about where we get produce from and how its shipped to us from different places.  To accent the lesson I would show them my virtual tour where they can learn about the palce that each of the above friends is produced the most.

I think it would be hard for 1st grades to create a virtual tour on their own.  I had a hard time with navigating the site and creating my own tour. I would use my tour as something we view together.

After you click on the link below hit open, then click on doc.kml, then open again.

Click here to view my virtual tour

K-12 Wiki Lesson or Project

I created a social studies lesson on transportation and posted it to the class Wiki page. I would have the student click on the link provided to take them to the lesson.  I would write the procedure and then have them watch the video, located under websites, as a class.  Once the video is view I will read them their assignment. Their first task is to fill out a web to organize information they will include in a story they will write about how they get to school. After their web is complete they will write their story using Microsoft office.

When the students are done with their stories I would add their stories to my Wiki link.  Then, as a class we would view each students story.  They can read their story straight from the Wiki page to the class.

Click here to view my Wiki lesson

Podcast: Rhyming word assignment

I created a podtcast that assigns students to create sentences with rhyming words in them and then record their sentences using aviary.com.  I would share my podcast first as an example.  The students would first have to come up with three sentences with at least two rhyming words in them.  I would have the students write down their sentences so they don't forget them when they go to record their own podcast. The students would probably need assistance when going to record their sentences.  After they are finished I would have the class listen to everyones podcast.  By sharing each assignment the students will hear numerous sentences using rhyming words.

I think podcasts could be fun for students.  Its something different for them to do and it incorportates technology. 

First click where it says "click to hear my podcast" then click on the circle in the middle of the picture to begin the podcast.

Click here to hear my podcast

Screencast: Beginning sounds game

I created a screencast to show 1st graders how to play a beginning sounds game online.  There are written directions on the website that I read for them in case they are unable to read the words themselves.  I then walk them through each question to show them how to play.  I would use this screencast as something to accent a lesson I taught on beginning sounds.  After I taught the lesson I would show my students the screencast to make sure they understand what to do on the website and where to click.

I think it would be hard for a 1st grader to create a screencast.  I feel creating a screencast would be an assignment for older students.  First graders are still in that stage where they need to be taught every detail and how to do things. It might be difficult for them to create something where they are giving the directions.

I think screencasts are an excellent way to show students how to do something but for the little ones I probably would never have them create their own. I would use a screencast to show to the class or create one together as a class.

Click here to view my screencast

Evidence of Networking Participation

Throughout this semester there were assignments I needed help with or advice on.  It was helpful to talk to some of my peers and my professor when I was confused or needed some suggestions on certain class assignments. Here is some evidence of me communicating with my peers and professor.

Sarahs Blog

Samanthas Blog

Emails between me and Mr. Dunlap

Sarah Sroka and I talk often on the phone and text message back and forth discussing details about our midterm, online slide show, and website concept map. She has been very helpful and a great resource for when I was confused or needed advice.