Week 5: 2/25 Digital Graphic Organizer Tools

I wanted to explore iBrainstorm because this tool really jumped out to me in this week's reading, (Hutchinson and Colwell). This particular tool looks worthwhile because it allows students to contribute and collaborate together in a way that scaffolds information and thought. The tool allows the user(s) to determine how notes are displayed and organized. Students can assign colors, draw, write and, type text as the document is shared among different devices. In our text, Hutchinson and Colwell point out that creating a visual retelling of a narrative could provide a way for students to ensure that they have included pertinent details. I would like to see students using the app sequencing and retelling in small groups. In the example shown above,  a teacher uses a Venn diagram to show students the similarities and differences between fiction and nonfiction texts. However, I was disappointed to discover that it is not compatible with Chrome. I am interested in hearing about anyone's experiences with the app.

Timetoast.com is another app I explored. It allows users to create timelines using images and text. In my exploration, I decided to map out the significant dates since I met my husband. As I worked, I moved back and fourth within my browser to find images. Uploading the images was easy and quick. Within just a few short minutes, I had my timeline finished. I posted images that contained titles, dates and even included brief explanations. I like the app because I was able to zip right through my project. If I could create a timeline this quickly, I know my students could handle the app without a problem. Last year, I read a number of historical fiction texts aloud to my fifth grade class. Some of the texts were more complex than others containing multiple story lines. This app would have been a terrific tool to use to sequence the events as the plot progressed in combination with real historical events. I wish I had come across it sooner!

Week 5: 2/20 Using Visionthread Instead of Anchor Charts

As a literacy tutor, I spend a lot of my instructional time reviewing reading and writing strategies with students. I've often thought it be wonderful to produce a slide show or video instead of having to draw anchor charts just for them to be thrown away or tossed in a closet for storage when the lesson had passed. Having something in a digital format for students to watch might just be the way to go. When I think about the pros there are many. First, ease of use. What could be easier than having a digital how-to slide show to support my teaching point and mini lesson? Just tap a few keys and there it is. It is accessible and always ready to go. Additionally, this tool could be replayed or paused during a lesson to accommodate questions, think-pair-share opportunities, and even fire drills. The tool could be one of many added to an informational library for students to access during workshop or while at home. Having the ability to also add the tool to a classroom blog or website would allow students access anywhere as long as they have a compatible device.

My goal while exploring Voicethread, was to produce a slideshow that would focus on a strategy I refer to often. As a book club and guided reading facilitator, I remind students to use the TASC strategy when responding orally or in writing. The acronym can be explained in four linear steps. The first step is, Turn the Question Around. When asked to respond to a text, rephrase the question by turning it into a statement. For example, when asked "What color is Lily's plastic purse? " respond with ... "Lily's plastic purse is..."   The second step is to  Answer the Question... "Lily's plastic purse is purple." Third, Support Your Answer with Evidence From the Text. This step is crucial. In order to prove your statement, text evidence is needed. One or two pieces will do... "I know that Lily's plastic purse is purple because I see her holding it in the illustration. The author also says she always carries her purple purse." And lastly, Conclude Your Thoughts with a Brief  Statement. This helps to wrap up your thoughts... "I think Lily's favorite color is purple."

Often I am pressed to reteach the concept in the middle of a lesson without having planned for it. Before I know it, we've run out of time and have not discussed our reading topic. Having a digital tool on hand would make it easy for a student to view while his/her peers continue with their group discussion without disruption and delay.

Check out the links below. Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated.

TASC Strategy

Week 4: 2/12 Exploring Digital Image Apps & Digital Resources for Storytelling (Uncle Ry and The Moon)

I used flickr as my digital image resource. It was easy to search for images and there were some really terrific options. I found a few I got excited about because they expressed the emotion and tone of the story in my mind. For me, the story has an unexpected twist-- It is the robber who is without power not the man who's dwelling is invaded by a stranger. It is the robber who runs away thinking the man in the hut is crazy. The story also seems a bit melancholy. The author chose simple yet descriptive words to depict a lonely picture. This man lives simply in a small hut only owning a few possessions. It sounds as though he is poor. I struggled to find all of the images I felt would best tell the story as I pictured it. I took my time and kept searching until I found those I thought would work well enough. In the future I will use multiple resources if I struggle. In this case, I was determined to use this site exclusively.

When I sat down to create my product, I explored Thinglink, Voicethread, and FotoFlexer. In the end I decided to work with FotoFlexor and flickr because I liked the way each allowed me to annotate, narrate and design my story elements using photography. In all, I have a total of six frames that tell the story. Below is the first frame (and google docs link). I chose this image because the small house looks isolated in the hills. This is the setting I envisioned as I read. An ominous sky with dark and  heavy low-lying clouds. A simple house nestled on the crest of a hill. It looks isolated and meager.

I like the idea of using a narrative and having students present what the story looks like to them, individually. An activity like this is a great way to reinforce tone, mood and setting within a text. It is another way for students to connect to a character, the setting, etc. CCSS ELA-Literacy.R16.7 allows students to integrate information presented in different media or formats as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue. In addition, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.2 is another standard that allows students to interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study. By using CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.4  students can present claims, findings, sequence ideas logically while using images as visual description. This is a great way to lead students into discussion about personal findings and meaning from their own perspective. This is a great way for students to compare and contrast information.

Uncle Ry and The Moon (via flickr & FotoFlexer)
Uncle Ry and The Moon (via Voicethread)

Digital Storytelling Proposal

OVERVIEW:
In order for students to discuss and write about narratives effectively, it is important to provide them with the necessary tools. This proposal outlines a concept and strategy that teaches readers how to analyze the structure of a narrative by plotting the story on a mountain. The concept aligns with grade 5 CCSS for literacy and is perfect when facilitating book clubs. As a former grade 5 teacher, I shared this concept with my students and I wish I had a video that helped me teach it. I am taking the opportunity to create a video using (TBD). My teaching point will focus on plot, which we all know as a series of events that make up a narrative. To review and expand upon plot, I will use the “story mountain” strategy. I will talk in detail about the elements that make a narrative and provide examples from a text. Teaching this concept is a great way to communicate how plot coincides with story elements (beginning, rising action climax, and resolution). The end goal is for students to effectively discuss and/or respond to narrative prompts with accuracy using the proper vocabulary.

STANDARDS:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including

how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3
Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5

Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.D

Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.9

Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.9.A

Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]").

TECHNOLOGY:
I explored Popplet and used it to create a web for my proposal. I was able to download it for free. It is easy to navigate, design within, and save/export files. I will definitely use this app with students across the entire curriculum-- the possibilities are endless. I plan on creating a brief video using, (TBD), to tell the story. I will spend some time researching this next.

My Story Mountain... Uh Oh!

Uh.. oh! It had been almost five years since I had been on campus. I drove into the parking lot and knew right away things had changed. Where did those buildings come from, I wondered? I parked and made my way to Mercy Hall already feeling overwhelmed. How on earth am I going to get through five more courses while I'm working full-time. What about Vinny and Evan? I have two boys at home who need me? My uh.. oh gets worse. I walk into class and see that ninety percent of the students are at least 15 years younger than I am. I studied them as they popped open their laptops like it was as natural as me pulling out my 3 ring binder. No laptop here. I asked myself, "Do they take notes on their laptops? Ugh, I hope I remembered to bring a pen... Could it be hotter in here?" I was not looking forward to taking this course. It was 6:45 in the evening and I'm normally in bed by 8:30 sharp! Pj's on and book in my lap winding down the day. Class doesn't finish until after nine. One foot in front of the other, I remind myself. You will get through this course without having a major breakdown and crying fits. It gets worse. The professor introduces herself and zeros in on me. She innocently asks, "Where is your laptop, this is a technology course?"  I respond with an answer before thinking it through. "Oh I didn't know it was a requirement." That was the moment I felt like I was about one hundred and fifty years old and completely non relevant.

That was my first night in EDUC 584. Since then, I have combed through the syllabus, stressed about the projects, purchased a two hundred dollar Chrome book, read a few chapters, and began blogging. Wait... What... I blog? If you had told me two weeks ago that I would be blogging, I would have shunned you for over estimating my natural born talents. I'm that one person in generation x that can barely power up a computer, especially if it isn't a Mac. I have always struggled with technology. I avoid it like the plague. I can't even type properly. Ironically, in my first profession I sat at a computer all day designing impressive brochures on 120 lb. gloss stock with varnishes, die-cuts, the whole nine yards. But still, I'm far from being a techie and I cannot trouble shoot to save my life. I would motion to the IT guy and he'd rolls his eyes. So, what I think I am trying to say is... I'm almost hopeful. There, I said hope!  Maybe I can learn to not be so afraid of technology. I figured out blogging. If I take deep breaths and try to be patient, I may actually get something out of this course. After all, if I'm going to be missing out on my normal Monday night bed time, I want to gain some tech skills that will really help me in the classroom. I want to be a successful teacher for my students even if it means spending hours cataloging URLs and digitally annotating documents. Oh my gosh, I just want to be relevant again!

Week 3: 2/7 Getting Familiar with Diigo and loving it!

     
I logged onto Diggo for the first time and began to explore after watching a brief tutorial video. I found it helpful to watch and pause as I explored. As I always do, I took some notes to help me keep track of the order of steps. Immediately after I created my user name and password, I was saving and organizing websites and articles - It was that easy! I created a group called EDUC 584 for the purposes of collecting websites/resources for our class assignment. I even annotated a great article I found on NPR. Moving forward, this is a tool I think I will really use. The very idea of cataloging digital lists of websites, articles and resources makes me giddy knowing I will never again resort to scratching down a website address only to lose it. The other perk is that I can organize and store these resources any way I choose. If an article or website applies to multiple subjects, I can bookmark it in multiple groups. How many times have you frazzled yourself  by trying to remember a URL during writer's workshop? Students are getting antsy and the clock is ticking while your precious literacy block is slipping away like the sands of an hourglass. For me, this problem is now solved. I can easily save unit resources in specific folders and even share them with my colleagues. This is brilliant. Thank you Diigo! I am excited to collect and organize for the different content areas.

Within Diigo, I set up a folder just for this course so I will know exactly where my resources are.

In case you are interested, here is the article from NPR I found interesting.
What the Screen Experts Do With Their Own Kids

Week 2: 1/29 Classroom Hands-on Activity 2

I recently came across a great website for kids in grades k-5. It is Kidspiration. The tool is designed to help learners create, organize and explain ideas using pictures, numbers, and concepts. As a literacy tutor, I am most interested in learning how it can help students strengthen their reading and writing skills.

In picture view, students can create maps for identifying characters using text and image as well create webs for main idea & details, and even diagrams for summaries. The image to the left shows a diagram created for Charlotte's Web. The web contains pictures and titles that identify character traits. When a student is working in integrated picture and writing views, they are able to explain their thinking as it relates to the images they have chosen.

I wanted to take my exploration a step further to see how I could use this tool for a grade 5 student I work with who needs some help identifying main idea vs. detail. I signed up for a free trial to test out the site. Using a narrative to identify the main idea, three key events (beginning, middle, end), and the solution, I chose the text, The Bully. A Fountas & Pinell Benchmark Assessment System (BAS) book, DRA, 28. The idea is to use a picture book first to help scaffold meaning. When the skill is mastered with a picture book, then this same exercise will be done with a chapter book. The images and descriptions below were created in about 5 minutes. There are several shapes or icons to choose from (I chose icons to see what was available). Knowing that this did not take me long to get the hang of, I think it is a tool worth trying with this particular student. Another nice feature is that work is automatically saved as you go.

Main Idea:  Cal is approached by a bully (in the school cafeteria) as he waits in line to by lunch.
Event #1:  A bully demands that Cal give him his lunch money
Event #2:  Cal says no and explains that he will not give in. Other students encourage and support Cal.
Event #3:  The bully is surprised and gives up walking away
Solution:  Cal stood up for himself by not giving the bully his lunch money and the bully gave up.

"CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.5
Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.

Week 2: 1/29 Classroom Hands-on Activity 1

After watching each of the three videos that highlight how technology becomes a powerful tool when combined with other research-based practises like, flexible grouping, writer's workshop, and inquiry, I was most interested in the guided reading video. As a literacy tutor, I facilitate guided reading with students on a daily basis. Just last week, I used a voice app to record a third grade student. This student has been working hard on scooping in phrases, and reading with expression to improve his overall fluency. We had been practicing with phrasing cards from Fundations®, a fluency kit used within the district. On this particular day, we focused on how the author of a text wants us to read according to the punctuation being used. Our next step was to read Poppleton in Spring by, Cynthia Rylant. As my student read aloud, his voice was being recorded so that we could listen and analyze his progress. What struck me as interesting was how my student reacted to hearing his voice. He said, "That doesn't sound like me." He was excited to hear himself and it made for a more interesting lesson. I let him listen a few times before our analysis began. Overall, my student found the recordings useful and bought into using the technology because he liked operating the voice recording app. What I really like about Garage Band is the ability to compare multiple recording samples by viewing them in a digital format. I think the visual information will be meaningful for students to see as they hear themselves. I also really liked the way the teacher and student analyzed the recordings separately by using a check-list of criteria before consulting. Again, this was meaningful. After a little investigation, I discovered that this app is only available for iOS devices. For, those of us who don't have Apple devices, we are out of luck. We will have to stick to using alternative recording devices just as I had. Either way, this idea of recording for fluency is fantastic and I recommend giving it a try.

Illustrated by Mark Teaque, Copyright © 1999