Digital Story

Here is my digital story!  I created my story using Storybird.

 My digital story has gone through many changes.  Originally, my students were going to create a story, in groups, based on our Writing for Many Purposes writing unit.  The stories were going to flow like The Jolly Postman.  The students would then illustrate their stories, and I would record the students telling them.

The blizzard, however, threw a wrench into those plans.  The time-table I had was not enough, so I had to go back to the drawing board.  That's when my new idea came to me.  Our next writing unit is persuasive writing.  I have begun planning, and collecting mentor texts.  After I read Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, we were going to talk about the pigeon's reasons to get us to let him drive the bus.  Using Storybird, I created a story about a persuasive little girl named Imogene.  The students and I will discuss how persuasive Imogene is, and revise my story to make Imogene more persuasive.

Diigo v. Pinterest

Here is my Diigo library!  I am really excited, and proud, of it thus far.  I felt much the same way that most of you felt about Diigo, before and after.  Before, I thought that Diigo was a Pinterest rip-off.  I LOVE Pinterest, and I didn't think that there was any possible way for me to even like Diigo, nevermind continually use it.  However, as I explored the tool, I saw the value of it, and I even found Pinterest's flaws (!).  One of the most important places for me to access Pinterest is at school, and, unfortuantely, it is now blocked.  Even when it wasn't blocked, I couldn't access many of the pins because they were from blogs, which are blocked.  With Diigo, I always have access to my library and my bookmarks!  Another Pinterest flaw is that trying to find a pin may be difficult because your pins are piled onto a board.  With Diigo, while the library is a list of bookmarks, each bookmark has tagged keywords.  When I need something, I can search through the keywords.  In the end, I have come to love, and value Diigo just as much as Pinterest!  Happy Bookmarking!

My Valentine Bag!

Last week, I posted a picture of a cute penguin I was thinking of having the kids make for their Valentines.  I made the penguins on paper bags, rather than shoe boxes.  I also used red, pink, and white paper instead of black and white.  Here's my finished product!

 

Live Binder

The same teacher who recommended Mrs. Renz's blog also recommended Live Binder.  Live Binder is an online "3-ring binder."  Any resources you have can be "filed" into a binder that can then be shared.  My colleague had gotten so many great resources form here, and this was another site that I have been intending to check out.  It's pretty neat!  I would love to have digital copies of all my resources and "file" it away.  It would save so much paper, and the reosurces would be so easy to look for!

Here is an example of a Live Binder with free technology tools for teachers!

Mrs. Renz's Blog

At the beginning of the school year, I was talking to one of the 5th grade teachers at my school.  She told me about Mrs. Renz's blog.  Mrs. Renz is a 4th grade teacher, and she has many great ideas!  I can see why she came so highly recommended!

Digital Storytelling Resources

Tom Banaszewski created a website that describes how he structures the digital storytelling process for his students.  I found it very helpful because he tells you how to break it down so that students understand what to do, and what to accomplish.  Check it out!

Another helpful website was by edtechteacher.org.  The website includes a list and links to tools, examples, media resources, and ideas to integrate digital storytelling into the classroom.

Also, check out this slideshow on Slideshare about Digital Storytelling Across the Elementary Curriculum.  It was a great way to think about other ways that digital storytelling can be incorporated into the classroom.

Beginning Digital Storytelling...

So, I've been thinking a lot about how to approach my digital story.  Lynne Zalesak, a teacher in Houston, TX, created a YouTube video about how she uses digital storytelling in her classroom, and how the project came-to-be.  She has really eased some of my fears and anxiety.

Animoto: Writing for Many Purposes

This week, I began my new writing unit!  I introduced the unit by discussing what Writing for Many Purposes is with the students.  We then talked about why, and what, people write.  We brainstormed a list of the kinds of things that people write.  As the students thought of things, I looked up the pictures.  The students chose the picture that they thought best showed the kind of writing that they brainstormed.  The students were very engaged in the making of the video, and they could hardly contain their excitement!  They were personally invested in the Animoto, and therefore, they were encouraged to put "their all" into the making of the video.  I feel that my students have a clear understanding of what kinds of things they will be writing because of their personal investment in the intro of the unit.  I'm hoping to make a Voicethread, or maybe a Digital Storybook (a la The Jolly Postman) as the final project for the unit.  (Students will write one of each type of writing, that will revolve around a story that a group of students come up with.) 

Valentine Bags!

Since Valentine's Day is fast approaching, I want to have students begin to make their Valentine bags.  I found this cute idea for a penguin Valentine box from mommyapolis.com.  I think that my students will make this on paper bags instead! 



mommyapolis.com

I also need to begin thinking about Valentine's Day routines.  My room is always in chaos while Valentines are being passed out!  I need help from younger-grade teachers!!!  What do you do to control the chaos?!

Major Project

Since I have learned about what a wonderful tool Diigo can be, I have begun to go through my Pinterest pins, and bookmark the pages on Diigo.  I haven't gotten very far (haha!), but I think that this process may (may?!) take awhile.  It will probably turn into a vacation project (yeah, right!), most likely a summer project (who am I kidding?), definitely an on-going project...