Activity 5: Creating a MV YouTube Channel

Creating the MV account was easy.  The steps that were given on the assignment page were easy to follow.  I thought the uploading process was fairly easy also... after I figured out that I needed to download the video to my computer first before I uploaded it to YouTube.  I did notice that when I first made my screencast, it gave me the option to upload it right to YouTube.  I didn't choose that option the first time because I hadn't looked at the next assignment! :)  I'm not sure how that part would work, but I'm sure it would be easy enough to figure out.

I think it would be kind of fun to create and introduction video for my students.  Maybe I could talk about my summer, show the kids some things in my yard, record Gus on it too?!?  I'd like to do some thinking before I do the video.  My hope is to create one before the "Meet the Teacher" night in August!

Activity 4: Screencasting

I used Screencast-O-Matic to make my video.  It was VERY easy to use... just click record and talk!  I didn't try any of the other sites for creating a screencast.  I didn't want to use SMART because I'm on my home computer and didn't want to install anything that would slow my computer down.  Perhaps if I was making these all at school, I'd use the SMART software.  

I made a video about playing "Math Baseball."  I think the kids could use this game to practice math facts.  I could see making a variety of screencasts like this as guides for students to use.

Activity 3: Storybird

I think Storybird is very user friendly.  It's the basic "drag-and-drop" format.  You just add text for your story on the right/left or bottom/top depending on the illustration you choose.  The program doesn't give you many choices for fonts or layouts.  Although, maybe that's a good thing for me. :)  Perhaps if you choose the membership with a fee, you get more choices.  I didn't explore that piece.  Finding the graphics to match a story in my head was challenging.  I had some different ideas for a story when I looked at one illustration in the group of pictures... problem was, there wasn't always an illustration to match my thinking.  I had to poke around a bit to find a whole bunch of graphics to go together, that also matched my thinking!

A side note: I did look at ZooBurst.  I liked the "pop-up" format.  I thought that was cool.  I didn't like the graphics.  I took a look at other books (ones that others made using ZooBurst).  To me, it didn't look like all the graphics matched.  I looked at a book that someone made about a trip to New Orleans.  The author had cartoon illustrations, mixed with real-life photos, mixed with random cartoon backgrounds here and there.  I didn't think it flowed well.  

I think this would be a really fun project for kids to do... discussing parts of a story (character, setting, problem, solution), using descriptive writing, connecting thoughts.  It would take some work and time, but I think the kids would think it was pretty cool once they had a published story online :)

The story I wrote is about animals that go on a trip to visit different habitats.  I'm not sure that it specifically relates to what I teach about habitats... so, I don't know that I'd use it for an intro to habitats.  Maybe I'd use it more for how to write a story or maybe just an intro for how to use Storybird!  In any case, I like how it turned out! 

Here you go!  Hope you enjoy :)

Activity 2: Prezi

This is my first time using Prezi.  I think it's mostly user friendly.  I will say that it did take me quite a bit of time to create this presentation, though.  Seriously, WAY more than I thought!  I'm super crazy about how things look... I get really picky about layouts and fonts.  So, I'd make a frame and think it looked good, move onto the next frame and figure out how to do something different, cooler, more interesting for the eye, etc.  Then, I'd have to go back to the first one again.  This happened a number of times! :)  Had I have known all the things I learned by trial and error from the start, it would have gone much faster.  Next presentation I create should go smoother! :)

I do like the way my presentation turned out!  I think that I will for sure use it in my classroom next spring if we get tadpoles again.  Here it is!

Activity 1: Blog Bling

I'm all about making a good layout, adding better fonts, and adding some gadgets too! This is something I would have done even if it wasn't part of the assignment...I'm seriously nerdy about how things look!! :) Check out "The Daily Puppy" down below, a new picture of Gus, my "Followers," and the "Translate" option (I actually took this idea from a colleague... she had mentioned this would be a great feature for parents of ELLs!  I thought so too!).

Here is a video that I've used in my classroom.  It's the Schoolhouse Rock video about nouns.  I'm sure many have seen it.  We talk about nouns (...or naming words if you're a first grader!  I use both terms...) A LOT in first grade.  For the lesson, I also read A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? by Brian P. Cleary.  Typically I've played this video for the kids during work time or as a follow up.

I'm hoping to use a blog for the parents in my classroom.  We have webpages, but I'm hoping that I could use a blog to add more info, have a better layout, and possibly something that the kids could look at too - if we discuss in class first.  I'd like to inform parents about things going on in class, upcoming events, maybe post a few links/videos for what we're teaching in class.  I don't know if I'd have my first graders doing any blogging yet... unless it would be a part of our new Tech specialist for next year - taught by Jenna! :)  There would be a TON of teaching needed for keyboarding, appropriate/not appropriate things to comment, etc.

I took a peek at the couple of blog videos.  I like KidBlog for doing some type of class blog and having students each create their own blog site... good privacy controls.  Not sure I'd use that with first graders, maybe higher elementary or middle/high school.  Edublogs seemed okay,  but for the same features, it seems like other sites would be better... maybe it was also the fact that the video seemed really dull, so I didn't get through the whole 7 mins! :)  To me, Weebly looks cool!  I'd look into that for creating my own blog for parent/student viewing and use.