A Story Before Bed

I wanted to share this website I found while researching different ways my students could use videos in the classroom.  This website allows students, parents, or teachers to record a children's book online using audio and video.  The students can play it back using their computer, iPod, or even iPhone.  Check out this video to see a first grade teacher using it in her classroom.

Classroom Blog

I just finished creating my first post for my classroom blog!  I am very excited to start blogging with my first graders.  I hope that the parents will embrace the blog and allow their children to view the blog at home.

The blog will document our journey as we hatch baby chickens.

Check out the blog here! http://mrskleinschicks.blogspot.com/

Writer's celebration

About every 6 weeks I have a writing celebration in my classroom.  It is usually when we are finishing a unit in writing and getting ready to begin a new one. The students pick one piece from their writing folder to "fancy up".  This "fancy up" process takes about 4 days.  They get to work with a buddy, conference with me, and then write the final copy on fancy paper.  The day before the celebration we have a rehearsal.  For the celebration I invite families and other teachers from the building to come in and listen to the stories.  One by one the students sit in the rocking chair and read the writing aloud to the audience.  After every student has had a chance to share we do a toast.  Holding up their apple juice the students repeat "Here's to good writing today, yesterday, and tomorrow."

For this past writers celebration I decided to switch it up.  We had just finished our How To writing unit.  Throughout the unit we would watch videos online that taught us how to do things.  The students loved watching the videos and used them as inspiration in their writing.  That's when I came up with the idea of video taping them performing their How To writing.  I used a flip video camera and the students were in charge of bringing their own props.  We made an anchor chart about how to make a good video.  After all the videos were done we had a viewing party.  The students loved watching themselves and their classmates on T.V! Using a video was a great way to include parents in the celebration who couldn't be there during the day. The parents could go to our class website and watch the video.  I had some students who said that they showed even their extended families the videos...all the way in India!

Because of their age I did not have them edit the videos, just following their script and acting out the parts was enough for them.

I am already thinking about how I could use videos more in my classroom.  I am thinking that for our Fairy Tale unit I could have them get into groups and turn it into a play! We shall see!

twitter in the classroom

A first grade teachers across the hall from me has started using twitter in her classroom this year.  She tweets after school hours about the day.  She has many parents who follow her and have told her they look forward to seeing the daily tweet! She also said that parents have told her that the students ask to see the twitter at home.  This teacher shows her students the twitter page at school during the morning meeting and says it is a great way to reflect on what they have learned.  One of the biggest learning surprises she said was that the students constantly say "you should tweet that" when they do something or say something smart :)

Kid's Kitchen using Web 2.0

During my online summer class I created a Web Based Learning project using Web 1.0 technologies. “Kid’s Kitchen” gives students the opportunity to exchange information about a dish they enjoy cooking or eating by providing the recipe for students around the world. Each student who participates will list the ingredients and tools needed to make the dish. They will also post the recipe in the form of how-to steps. Students will also post a picture or drawing of the dish.  As other students go to the website they will be able to read recipes posted by other students.  They will also get to learn what students around the world like to eat.

One way I could change this project to incorporate Web 2.0 technologies would be to have the students post a video of them cooking the dish. The students would then upload the video to a blog.  Students could also write the recipe using the how to format for a printable recipe option. Using a blog would allow the students to comment on the videos and ask questions. 

Before the project was over for that student when they sent their recipe to the website.  If the student’s recipe were posted to a blog they would be able to communicate with people around the world about their recipes. This would give them more opportunities to practice reading and writing skills.  It would also be a great chance for the students to communicate with other students around the world.  

Podcasts

Podcasts are great tools for teachers to use in their classrooms.  All of my classroom computers have Audacity downloaded on them and come with microphones.  Using podcasts is easy for young students and does not take much time.

I have introduced Audacity to my students by having them record a story.  They were able to learn how to record, pause, and play back their recordings.  They learned how to save and open the recording.  The students filled out a fluency rubric and were able to go back and record a second time to improved on their fluency.  This is the perfect activity to use before I introduce podcasting.

Scholastic offered some great ideas about using podcasts in lower grades. I think one meaningful activity would be using podcasts to record interviews.  Students could prepare interview questions for people around their school and community. People would come into the classroom to create a podcast with a student.  This would be a year long project that would incorporate oral language, writing, reading, technology, and hopefully science and social studies based on the people we get to interview. This project is also a way to get families and the community involved in education.

Wiki

I have never considered the benefits of using wikis in a first grade classroom until last week.  The whole idea of allowing students to add, edit, and delete information on a wiki would be perfect for group projects.  I like the idea of a wiki space being an ongoing project and not just a place to add information once.  The simplified structure of a wiki is appealing for younger students.

I love using blogs to get inspiration for my classroom. So not knowing how to implement wikis into my classroom I turned to blogs.  I found a first grade classroom that uses a wiki to help with writing skills. The first graders are working on a story and the wiki allows all the students to participate.  The students can add more to the story, delete and change parts, and edit.

I also like how we are using a wiki in grad school to define vocabulary words we have learned.  I could see this being useful in my first grade classroom.  We could have a wiki for each science and social studies unit.  The students could place pictures, examples, and words for each vocabulary term.

Does anyone know of a good website that give examples of younger students using wikis in the classroom?

Blogs

I read about 10 blogs daily...anywhere from cooking, fashion, health, home improvement, family life, to teaching blogs.  I can spend hours on my computer jumping from one blog to the next.  The blogs inspire me to be a better cook, wife, teacher, and even home decorator.

Here is what I have noticed about the blogs I follow...

• large pictures on every post
• realistic projects
• honest and real stories
• short entries
• new entries every week
• one writer

This past year I recently started following some wonderful 1st grade teaching blogs.  About once a week the bloggers post what they did in their class, pictures, and sometimes free printables! The printables are amazing! I am so impressed by the quality of work- so much better than any workbook I have found at a teaching store. 

One of my goals for next year is to start my own teaching blog.  On the blog I would post what I am doing in my class, printables, and share pictures. I am excited to join the blogging world and hopefully inspire other teachers. 

I would also like to begin a blog for my students.  I would like to figure out a way to have the students contribute to the posts and provide access for them to comment. Brain Pop Jr has a great section all about blogs that I saw one of my students looking at the other day.  This could be a great way to introduce them to blogs.  I am just a little iffy about if first grade is too young for them to start writing their own entries.  Maybe I will be the one to write the entires and provide them with the chance to post comments. 

Last Semester

Well here were are...our last semester of graduate school.  I am thankful for all that I have learned over the past 2 years, but I am more impressed with how I have learned to balance my life.  The past 2 years have brought on many changes for me...a new house, planning a wedding, marriage, and going back to school.  I am proud of myself for taking on this challenge and finally feel good to see the end in sight! I like how this last semester has us putting everything we have learned together and applying our new found knowledge.  I'm looking forward to May, but know that I have a busy few months ahead! Cheers and good luck to our last semester!!!