MIA

It has been rather nice to not be so focused on blogging, but I have missed it. Thinking of ideas for the final project busted my chops. After watching Akeelah and the Bee and hearing one of the greatest songs ever I was sold on using it for the project. Then, the copyright thingy. OMG. I was like totally upset. LOL. So, there went that effort. So "Under Pressure" I found my way and sought out my iTunes ol' skool rap collection and laid down a track with my kids. My daughter has had this "American Idol" bug and has been doing "studio" work for a while. Staying out all time of the night. Keeping composition books of her writing. I didn't really get it until we embarked on this project. I've been in the zone for days now trying to "spit" out a rhyme. I even sought a resource called Flocabulary from flocabulary.com. It is has resources for writing raps for kids and with kids in the classroom. I tried to do a slant rhyme, instead of matchy, matchy lyrics (cat, rat, mat, flat)...you do...words that pull off the sound of "at"(still a novice so I have no example to share).

I will admit this was fun. The kids are singing there heart out and we hope to add Jordyn's trumpet piece, Myles' recorder part, and create a people version video later. It was loads of fun! So even though I've been MIA, I'm really not been that far away, you can catch me on skype and ichat, I seem to not be able to leave my Mac, as a matter of fact.....I think, but don't quote me that this was a slant rhyme.

Perfect practice makes perfect with just about anything.

PB15_2009123_OneMinuteMessage2

Creative juices always take a minute to get going! Enjoy!

PB14_2009123_PeerReviewJoanieWestern

I found an easy and inspirational bookmaking Web 2.0 tool, Tikatok StorySparks, for differential with my students in art for the elementary level, which I feel would be a great motivational tool as well as cognitive. Student creates his or her own stories. And watch them develop into actual book with hard copies.

In art class we can intergrade this with a study about illustrator and what make up a story? We can intergrade Language arts into the arts and technology realm. Student can collaborate with one another by choosing their art pieces and editing their storybook. This Web 2.0 tool can help learners of all multiple intelligences, as well as enhance the right and left-brain learners during collaboration. Students create ideas for the story, draw and name their characters, apply their artwork into their storybook.

I like this Web 2.0 tool because it is fast and easy and it is cost efficient. Tikatok StorySparks allows the art teacher to teach book making and illustration through language arts and enhance critical thinking skills. Tikatok StorySparks allows the learner to view storybooks and writing from different perspective and utilize different learning strategies as well as collaborate with the publisher for a real life finished product. In visual art class we teach art as a visual communication technique in solving communication problems. Tikatok StorySparks enhances these teaching methods by allowing the student to come up with many different creative solutions, while working in groups or individually.

Tikatok StorySparks, can be used as a summative assessment in art by developing an end of year portfolio for the elementary levels. Art teacher just need to make sure they take photos of the students work and save them to the web sites photo file under my photos and create individual hardcover books for presents to their parents to take with them for the years work. People still like something to that is tangible and keepsake, when it comes to their children.


My comment to Joan: You and I share the creativity bug. I love your idea of using this tool as a way to assess students in art. I would collaborate with another subject area and share the tool as an assessment. Two birds with one stone. As teachers we need to look for more ways of assessing students. It is more real world to do application type assessments as well. This was a great find Joanie!

PB13_2009123_PeerReviewSnwokedi

I like the site http://www.kindersite.org/Directory/DirectoryFrame.htm and it is a site I will visit frequently for resources to use in my class. This web 2.0 site is full of resources for kindergarten teachers. The resources are endless, from storybooks to lullabies to music and songs to games. I can basically create a lot of my lessons just by visiting this site. I also noticed that a lot of the activities on this site are differentiated by learning style and preference. The site is inline with my teaching style and my students will benefit from all of the wonderful resources on the site. I also loved the colorful graphics used on the site. The storybooks look inviting and make for a good way to motivate the students read. This is a site I can use also as part of my resources for my AR project since my research is on reading in kindergarten.




I can get so many ideas from the activities on this site; ideas that help can me build resources I can use to introduce students to technology using the appropriate content area for my young learners. The resources on this site will offer me measurable technology based tools to teach and assess my students. I am so excited! This site is indeed a great and very useful website for kindergarten students and teachers. Another thing I liked about the site is that it gives the age group for the storybooks so you can select the age appropriate books for your classroom reading. This is a good resource for read aloud and independent reading. There are also puppets to use with the books. This is a something I found that students enjoy. They love puppet shows and the resources on this site makes it easy to combine the storybooks with puppets.
Posted by SNwokedi_ETC Blogs at 8:12 PM

Deirdre Huger McGrew said...

Thanks for sharing this one. I have a K5, soon to be K4, and a wee K. I can use this at home with them. I look forward to seeing your ideas for Kindergarten. If I can help you with you AR let me know. I'm willing to be a critical friend.
December 12, 2009 7:44 AM

BP12C_2009123_Moovl

Can't talk about the big brother without sharing little sister, a big addition to the soda constructor family.

This Web 2.0 is more my style because it incorporates freehand drawing and animation. Obviously geared for the young, which is what I am at heart. Moovl gets high marks for giving the mind something creative to do. Sometimes kids just need to play and explore. Even the grown ones. Enough said.