W4_Reading

Hadley, M., & Sheingold, K. (1990). Accomplished teachers:  Integrating computers into classroom practices. Retrieved on October 15, 2010 from http://eric.ed.gov /PDFS/ ED322900.pdf

This article describes teachers and their accomplishments through integrating several technologies into their classrooms.

Holum, A., Gahala, J., & North Central Regional Educational Lab., O. (2001). Critical issue: Using technology to enhance literacy instruction. Retrieved from ERIC database.

This article reflects that technology can create better readers.

Hooper, S., & Rieber, L. P. (1995). Teaching with technology. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.nowhereroad.com/twt/ 

This article discussed how to teach and grow by using technology.

Kelley, L., & Ringstaff C. (2002).  The learning return on our educational technology investment.  Retrieved on October 15, 2010, from http://www2.schooltube.com/files? Tabs/Educators/learningreturn.pdf

This article shows what can happen when technology is learned and used by a teacher and shared with students.

Creative Commons Photo

FV

Watch my final video about supporting your local school district.

PE_6 StoryJumper

This is my last PE post.  The video above shows you how to create pages of a digital story on StoryJumper.  It is fun and easy to do. Your students' will be creating in no time at all! Enjoy! I sure did!

PE_6 StoryJumper

My last PE post is a short video that shows how to create pages in a digital book.  It is fun and easy and your students' will catch on quick.
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PE_5 StoryJumper

Press the button above at StoryJumper and you can print your story for free!

This site has become one of my favorites!  StoryJumper will publish and send you a hard copy of the book you make as long as it is 16 pages long.  However I don't picture myself paying for a hard copy of a book when they allow you to print it off for free. I have already printed off the book that my daughter created. I can see this becoming a very popular choice for publishing in my classroom.  At times I may however offer this up to parents because teachers can get a discount on the books if 15 or more are ordered at once.

PE_4 StoryJumper Cont...

The video below is the first StoryJumper book that my daughter, a 2nd grader, created with my help.  It was very easy and this only took a few minutes.  She decided to use the Halloween template that StoryJumper provided, and then she just added a few simple words.  She is very excited about using the StoryJumper website.  She is already planning out her own books ideas to publish on StoryJumper.

PE_3 StoryJumper

I am really surprised by all that StoryJumper has to offer.  When I decided on StoryJumper for my practical experience I was a little worried that I may not have a lot to explore with.  I was wrong.  I have watched tutorials, videos,explored the site and found the StoryStarter tool and now I have found another exciting tool!  While exploring I found that StoryJumper offers a classroom edition for teachers.  This portion of the site offers a lot for teachers!

1. Teachers will have the ability to review student's work in one place.
2. Students will have the ability to access their story at home and share it with friends and family.
3. Teachers will have the ability to control privacy and student information.
4. Teachers will be able to share discounts with parents who would like to order the student make books.  

Below is a picture of the set-up page for the classroom edition of StoryJumper.

I am looking forward to creating my first story and sharing it with my students!  I am mostly looking forward to seeing my students' finished stories.  I can't wait to share this with everyone.  Be sure to read my blogs.  I think this site could be used all the way through the elementary grades, as this tool could be used for several different projects.  I was even thinking of making a recipe book and integrating math into the writing process.  What do you think is possible with this tool?  It would be interesting to make a list of all our ideas! 

PE_2 StoryJumper

Before I started creating I wanted to explore with StoryStarter a tool that StoryJumper provides to help start your story.  I thought I would explore with this tool to see if it would be beneficial for the students in my class who have trouble with starting a story.

What I found was a rather large list of character, setting, problem and solution discussion with only words and no pictures.  There was a worksheet to be filled out as well to organize the story.  I was a little disappointed because this tool seems to be geared toward a younger audience but the StoryStarter portion of it is geared for 5th and 6th grade students.

I wouldn't be able to introduce this portion of the site to my students.  I was hoping the site would provide specific step-by-step help in creating a story.  Something that I do like is that there are several stories to read and look at as examples.  I think this is how I will introduce the site to my students.  We will read and look at several stories before we begin creating individual stories.

This is an example of one of the books that can be read on the site.  

PE_1 StoryJumper

I decided to take a closer look at storyjumper.com.  StoryJumper is a website that allows you to create and publish children's books.  I set a goal this year to do more publishing with my students.   In the past I haven't published as much as I would've like to, so this year I am trying a new way through digital storybooks.  I found this site on a website for teachers and decided it would be perfect for me to use.

I started out by reading the 16 page tutorial book that the site offers. It was basic but beneficial.  I learned that you can even add your own drawings to the books and I know my students will enjoy doing this.

Below is a picture of the book tutorial that I read to learn how the site works.  I also watched the video that is provided on the website.  The video actually shows how to make a  page in a book.  I am excited to get started.

W3_Reading

Ehri, L. C. (1995), Phases of development in learning to read words by sight. Journal of Research in Reading, 18: 116–125. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9817.1995.tb00077.x

Phases of Development in Learning to Read Words by Sight

This article describes how a student learns to read and the different phases he or she may go through to develop automatic sight word recognition.

Ehri, L. C. (2005). Learning to read words: Theory, findings, and issues. Scientific Studies of Reading, 9(2), 167-188. doi:10.1207/s1532799xssr0902_4

Learning to Read Words: Theory, Findings, and Issues

I will use this article to focus on the problems students have when learning to read.  It is important for teachers to be aware of common problems in order to help struggling readers. 

Elamin, C., Fordham, N., Hammond, D., O’bannon, B., Vannetta, R., & Gruber, K. (2002). Infusing technology into the elementary classroom. Computers in the Schools, 19(1), 149-162. Doi10.1300/J025v19n01_11

Infusing Technology into the Elementary Classroom

This article focuses on the importance of informed teachers integrating technology into their classrooms and the importance of it be intentional and teachers being well educated.

Hadley, M., & Sheingold, K. (1990). Accomplished teachers:  Integrating computers into classroom practices. Retrieved on October 15, 2010 from http://eric.ed.gov /PDFS/ ED322900.pdf

Accomplished teachers:  Integrating computers into classroom practices

This article implies that good teachers are using computers in the classroom as well as teaching students how to use computers and applications as tools.

BP_12 OMM Tagexdo

Please watch my OMM about Tagexdo.  Teachers at my school love it!

BP_11 Comment to Tricia Atkinson

Follow this link to read my comment to Tricia.

BP_10 Comment to Susan O'Day

Follow this link to read my comment to Suzy's blog.

BP_9 Tagxedo

The Web 2.0 Tool I choose to take a closer look at is Tagxedo. I was first introduced to this tool by one of my critical friends.  He used this tool with 4th graders after studying famous Ohioans.  The word clouds they created were then displayed all over our school. I saw so many students looking at them and READING them!  I thought this would be a great tool to use and share with everyone.

We have all used word clouds before like Wordle, correct?  Well Tagxedo is the same concept but with a visual to go with it.  This is why I like it better.  If you are doing a report on squirrels you can upload a picture of a squirrel along with your report and then your word cloud is in the shape of a squirrel.  I created the word cloud above about squirrels because the students in my class have shown an interest in the furry curious creatures.

Tagxedo also provides shapes as well if you don't want to upload your own.  Word clouds are visually interesting but adding a specific shape makes it even more appealing, especially to young children.  The site provides step-by-step instructions along with 101 ways to use Tagxedo.  You can adjust color, theme, and font until you are happy with your finished product.  The thing I like best about this tool is that you can enter a url and the site generates a word cloud for you.  

I have found myself spending several hours using this tool.    Recently my first graders have started learning how to make lists.  I have been helping them use Tagxedo to turn their lists into word clouds. Their list have been about Fall so their clouds are in the shape of their favorite fall thing.  The word clouds are posted in our room and my students are really enjoying reading and comparing them.    They're really excited about this new tool.  I hope you will give it a try, as the possibilities are endless.

W2_Reading

Barrett, H.  (2006).  Digital stories in ePortfolios:  Multiple purposes and tools.  Retrieved July 15, 2010, from http://electronicportfolios.org/digistory/purposesmac.html

Digital Stories in ePortfolios:  Multiple purposes and tools

This article focuses on the importance of technology in the classroom. It lists several ways of incorporating technology and beneficial reasons for doing each.

Educase Learning Initiative.  7 things you should know about digital storytelling.  (2007). Retrieved July 15, 2010, from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7021.pdf

7 Things You Should Know About Digital Storytelling

This article gives an overview of the steps to create a digital story and how this process effects students writing. 

Partnership for 21^st Century Skills.  Partnership for 21^st Century Skills.  (2009).  Retrieved July 25, 2010, from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/

This website is dedicated to creating citizens who will progress and achieve in society.

 

Porter, B.  (2006).  Beyond words:  The craftsmanship of digital products.  Retrieved July 15, 2010, from http://www.digitales.us/files/BeyondWordsISTE.pdf

Beyond Words: The Craftsman Ship of Digital Products

This article discusses how using technology can improve work quality and increase motivation.

Prensky, M.  (2006).  Shaping tech for the classroom:  21^st –Century schools need 21^st –century technology.  Retrieved July 25, 2010, from http://www.edutopia/adopt-and-adapt

Shaping Tech for the Classroom: 21^st-Century Schools need 21^st-Century Technology

This article discusses the importance for educators to deliver 21^st-century ways to their students.  

BP_8 OMM Tizmos

Check out my One Minute Message about a great Web 2.0 Tool...Tizmos.  

Let me know if you will use this tool in your classroom.

BP_7 Comment to Heather Anderson

Follow my comment to Heather Anderson.

BP_6 Comment to Susan O'Day

Follow my comments on Susan's Blog.

BP_5 Web 2.0 Tool Tizmos

Tizmos is a great organizational tool and it is perfect for those who teach young chidren.  I plan on using this tool tomorrow!

Have you ever had to help your students get to their favorite game because they can't read the title of the website in the bookmarks?  This is something that happens in my classroom often.  I find myself helping my students find the game they want to play and this wastes time that I could be spending with someone else.  Tizmos will eliminate this altogether. Tizmos is basically a homepage with thumbnail pictures that you can click on and be taken directly to the website with out typing in a url or looking through bookmarked pages.

 Above you see what my Tizmos homepage will look like this week.  My students will choose and play a different game each day.  I know after this new homepage is introduced finding games will be much easier for the students and they will have more of a choice.  The great thing is that I can add and delete websites weekly and I can share my Tizmos page with parents on my classroom website so they can have access to these games at home as well.

The only thing I didn't like about the site was the flashy advertisement banner at the bottom of the page.  I think this may be a distraction to some of my students.  Overall though this is a great find and I am excited about incorporating it into my classroom.

BP_4 Web 2.0 Tool PlanbookEdu

A teacher's work is never done, correct?  I definitely wouldn't argue with that saying.  Every Wednesday I sit down to begin my lesson plans for the next week.  I begin the week and soon after I am carefully planning the next week.  I am still however starting with two blank lined sheets of paper and starting from scratch.  I have been teaching for several years and I still don't even use a template from the computer.  Every year I want to put something together and I never do.  I am not sure why, but have been wasting a lot of time writing that's for sure.  I also know that I don't have time to waste, so this is why I looked further into the Web 2.0 tool PlanbookEdu.com 

After looking into the tool I decided this way of planning is amazing compared to my old fashion ways.  You can create a template that fits your schedule.  You can access your plans from anywhere anytime.  You can upload files into your plans.  You can even share your plans with a colleague, substitute teacher, or even your principal.  You can even print your plans if you need a hard copy to rely on.  The best thing is that this tool is free! 

 I could possibly be the only person in this program that hasn't started using a tool like this, but not for long.  I plan on starting to use it next week, my picture above was just a trial.  I will also be sharing this with the other 1st grade teacher, who is my mentor and could benefit from this tool as well. So if you are like me and need to save some time with lesson plans and make them more accessible to others give this web 2.0 Tool a try.  There is a fantastic video on website that explains all the features very clearly.  

W1_Reading

The picture above is a portion of the Word Wall in my classroom.  A Word Wall is exactly what it sounds like.  It is a wall that words are placed on.  The Word Wall is a very helpful tool for 1st graders.  They can read the words to practice recognition or use the words in their writing.  Throughout the year we constantly add words to the Wall Wall.  1st Grade Sight Words take up most of the space on the Word Wall.  My ARP is dedicated to Sight Word Recognition.  I want to use technology to increase sight word recognition and ultimately increase reading abilities.  Below you will find the articles I have chose to help research my topic.  

Holum, A., Gahala, J., & North Central Regional Educational Lab., O. (2001). Critical Issue: Using Technology To Enhance Literacy Instruction. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Instruction

This article is a study of how technology can be used as a tool to better literacy instruction through the use of technology and best practices.  The authors gave clear definitions of literacy terms such as digital literacy. They also stated that teachers are now responsible for teaching students how to use and create through technology.  The article gave several examples of technologies that support students’ reading development, such as audio books, online texts, and programmed reading instruction.

Meadan, H., Stoner, J., & Parette, H. (2008). Sight Word Recognition among Young Children At-Risk: Picture-Supported vs. Word-Only. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits, 5(1), 45-58. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Sight Word Recognition among Young Children At-Risk: Picture vs. Word-Only

This article is a study to see if children benefited from picture support when being taught sight words. The article defined sight words and described the study. The study was done on 4 to 5 year olds who were at-risk.  The students were in two groups.  The intervention group used cards with pictures to support the word.  They control group used a set of cards with the words only.  The study lasted for a short period of time and the result was that pictures do support sight word recognition. 

Skouge, J., Rao, K., & Boisvert, P. (2007). Promoting Early Literacy for Diverse Learners Using Audio and Video Technology. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35(1), 5-11. doi:10.1007/s10643-007-0170-y.

Promoting Early Literacy for Diverse Learners Using Audio and Video Technology

This article described the endless ways that teachers can use audio and video to enhance literacy in the classroom.  The article also stressed that students are embracing the technology culture so teachers need to respond to their needs for the future.    

Van Scoter, J., Boss, S., & Northwest Regional Educational Lab., P. (2002). Learners, Language, and Technology: Making Connections That Support Literacy. Creating Communities of Learning & Excellence. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Learners, Language, and Technology: Making Connections That Support Literacy

This article focused on the resources available to teachers to support literacy in the classroom.  It is organized into sections.  The section I found most beneficial in relationship to my Action Research Project is the section titled: Understanding Technology’s Role in Literacy.  This portion of the article focused on combining traditional ways of teaching with technology. 

BP3_Diigo Group

The first time I was introduced to Diigo was last year at a technology inservice/training.  I thought I would never use it.  Now, I see the advantages of using Diigo while researching.  I think this site will be a life-saver while searching for articles for my Action Research Project. Below is a screen shot of my Diigo Group Page. I am looking forward to using this site.

BP2_iGoogle Screen Shots

Below are my iGoogle Screen Shots.  During month 1 of the EDMT Program I was introduced to iGoogle.  I created my home page and I have used it daily since then. I wasn't aware that you could add tabs though.  The tabs are another great way of keeping everything organized.

This is my Home Page.

This is my FSO Tab.

This is my AR/CBL Tab.

This is my ETC Tab.

BP1_Google Reader

The five RSS feeds that I chose to follow are below.  I am excited that this information will be sent to me instead of me searching for hours on end.  I think all of these sites are fantastic and worth taking a look at.  I guarantee you will spend a lot of time and use several ideas from these sites.

1.  Teachers Love SMART Boards

I chose this site because I use my SMART Board everyday and yes I love it.  This site may also help me with my Action Research Project.  I will be using my SMART  Board during my Guided Reading lessons.  I am looking forward to exploring this site to see if I can find any lessons I can use so I don't have to re-invent the wheel. I like that you can search and sort by grade level.  This site is loaded with ideas and you can even submit lessons that you have created for the SMART Board.

2.  iLearnTechnology

I chose this site because it all technology.  I am constantly integrating technology in my classroom so this site will be perfect for me. At first glance I did not think this site would be beneficial, but I was very wrong.  I found lesson plans, videos, and featured websites.  My favorite part is the featured post and this changes frequently so be sure to bookmark.  This "feature post"  alone is a reason to visit the site. Block Poster will be used a lot by me.  You can upload any image and turn it into a poster of any size! Now what teacher do you know that wouldn't love this tool? 

3.  Edutopia

I chose this site because I visit it frequently and it has a lot of up to date information.  Anytime I need to look into something about education in general I visit this site.  I love it. The site also has things broken down into grade level for easy access to specifics.  If you are a teacher who thinks technology is essential in the classroom visit this site for ideas.  

4.  1st Grade Reading Success

I chose this site because it relates directly to my profession.  I teach 1st grade.  One of my top priorities is teaching reading.  I am constantly looking for new improved ideas to incorporate into my daily Guided Reading lessons. I like this site because I can direct concerned parents to it for tips.

5. PBS Teachers: Resources For The Classroom

I chose this site because of the lesson ideas that it has available.  I searched under the K-2 tab and found several lessons offered by subject that I may be interested in.  The site also gives information about general education issues such as Education Reform. I also liked that it had a section about technology.