I had some trouble finding examples of school library websites that I was excited about. I did manage to find a few, but more often I found websites that had pieces I really liked. I am planning to use Weebly to make my website. It seems to be the one that I can play with the most. I'm a little concerned the website is going to end up looking dry based on what I see with the examples I've found. However, that will just have to be up to me to create a fun and inviting website.
My favorite website example I found was this one http://parkviewlibrary.weebly.com/ because it was bright and colorful. I found the mix of so many different apps on the home page to be very confusing, but I loved the map of "Who in the World is Visiting the Library Today?" and that it separated out the different grade levels. I think it could have done a better job of organizing the links on the home page and on the grade level pages.
On this website http://valenciahighlibrary.weebly.com/, I really like the section on the front page that highlights new books that are available. That is something my librarian is planning to do next year in the actual library, but it would be nice for the students to be able to check those out online as well.
Except for the opening wordle on the home page, this website (http://salisburyelementaryschoollibrary.weebly.com/) isn't all that exciting. However, it is very well organized and offers a lot of good information. This website (http://ensignschoollibrary.weebly.com/) also offers a large variety of well-organized information. Both of these last 2 websites have an added piece of a personal touch from the librarian. The wordle on the home page of the first one is nice. On the second page, the librarian invites everyone in anytime for a chat and offers her own favorite websites on the home page.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
God Bless America (sung by my kids)
Voice Recorder >>
My kids have both learned "God Bless America" at school and regularly sing it at home. They loved recording it and would have done it over and over again until perfect, but here's their first take.
Audio Tools
Playing with the audio tools this week was fun. My kids got a huge kick out of the Blabberize site. I think they would have played on that one with me for a while. I could definitely see using something like that in the classroom to do something fun with my class. It could either be used for a fun project where they get to choose the photo and what it will say. I could also use it for some of my units, such has having a talking monarch butterfly up on the screen instead of me. Along those same lines is the Chatterpix App. I could see my students really enjoying that on the iPads at school. They could be required to choose a picture relating to what we're studying and have it say at least one fact they've learned. They could also potentially use something like this when we do our biography projects. They could put up a picture of the person they are studying and have him/her say a few lines.
I could also see using one of the recording tools such as Vocaroo, Audiopal, or Clyp to record student presentations to then post on our Blackboard site. I have often thought that it would be nice for me to be able to listen to presentations a second time or for the parents to be able to listen to them as well. This would provide an opportunity for everyone to have access to the presentations at a later date.
The first thing I thought about when opening Voki is that I could potentially create lessons on there, or at least a little bit of the instruction, so that I wouldn't have to do it over again. I think it would be really beneficial if you teach a lesson more than once. Part of me wonders if my students would pay more attention if there's a talking version of me on the screen rather than a live one. I'm sure the novelty of it would wear off at some point. Voki also has the potential for sub plans. Sometimes I have opted not to leave a lesson with a substitute because I wasn't sure she would present it I a way I would approve. If I used something like Voki, I would still be able to give the lesson and she would need to complete the follow through.
The Booktrack Reader App looked really neat, but I think it is too old for my current second graders. It might be nice to introduce to older students reading young adult novels as the soundtrack could add a nice touch to the story.
I could also see using one of the recording tools such as Vocaroo, Audiopal, or Clyp to record student presentations to then post on our Blackboard site. I have often thought that it would be nice for me to be able to listen to presentations a second time or for the parents to be able to listen to them as well. This would provide an opportunity for everyone to have access to the presentations at a later date.
The first thing I thought about when opening Voki is that I could potentially create lessons on there, or at least a little bit of the instruction, so that I wouldn't have to do it over again. I think it would be really beneficial if you teach a lesson more than once. Part of me wonders if my students would pay more attention if there's a talking version of me on the screen rather than a live one. I'm sure the novelty of it would wear off at some point. Voki also has the potential for sub plans. Sometimes I have opted not to leave a lesson with a substitute because I wasn't sure she would present it I a way I would approve. If I used something like Voki, I would still be able to give the lesson and she would need to complete the follow through.
The Booktrack Reader App looked really neat, but I think it is too old for my current second graders. It might be nice to introduce to older students reading young adult novels as the soundtrack could add a nice touch to the story.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Creating an Infographic
Wow! All I can say is that this took me a lot longer to come up with something that satisfied me than I thought it would. I ended up using Canva to create my infographic. Here's the link to it if it's hard to read on the blog: https://www.canva.com/design/DABTPQ62d-k/CI8QG5D9ck08reDnIHgxdA/view?&utm_content=DABTPQ62d-k&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton&cc_from_uid=UABTPdTu-HQ
At first I tried to use a template, but then I got frustrated when I couldn't change things the way I wanted them. Then I tried to design it all myself, but couldn't get everything to tie together the way I wanted. I finally settled on a different template and decided I was going to make it work whether I liked it or not. I had a vision in my head of what I wanted my images to be and I still think that I have too much text and not enough pop, but I was too frustrated to continue to fight it. I also quickly discovered that despite being able to search through a whole lot of images for what I wanted, only a very small portion of them was I able to use for free. Something got messed up with the font in the last paragraph and despite my efforts to fix it, it still doesn't look quite right. I'm sure as I did this more it would get easier and I would be much more comfortable with manipulating the information, but for now this is what I've got.
As I consider the implications of my first experience with creating an infographic, there are definitely some things to remember when trying to do this with students. It was hard to come up with a topic that was meaningful and one I felt I could manipulate. I think a potential way around that would be to incorporate the students' own questions and maybe have them survey other people about favorite books or what they like to do on their free time or something like that. This way they could present the information in a more traditional format as well as come up with an infographic to use. I also think I should definitely be more familiar with the software in order to better help troubleshoot and facilitate the students' infographics. If I want still have to fumble around with it than I won't be as effective in conveying the information to them. I should also be honest with them in how frustrated I was when I created my first infographic and that it's ok for the first attempt to not be perfect.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Using Image Editing and Creation Tools
As I have had some time to play with these different tools, I realize that most of these could be a lot of fun for students to play around with as well. The ability to modify pictures could be something that would really add detail to a project and potentially make it more unique.
For my modified image, I used the ImageChef - Meme Maker. I had also played around with the Lolcat Generator at Big Huge Labs as well. I found the Meme Maker to be a little easier to use because I had more control over where to put the text and how big it would be. I could see using something like this with student pictures to help them display their goals or things they are proud of. They could add the statement directly to the image. They could also take pictures of something we are studying outside and add a statement to that as well.
I thought the FoldPlay (http://foldplay.com/foldplay.action) site looked really interesting as well. I currently have a classroom of second graders obsessed with origami, cutting paper, and folding paper. I can only imagine the fun they'd have during science if I made some of these for them to create. This is certainly something I would want to have practiced ahead of time so that I could help out any struggling students. I think I'm leaning toward the Kaleidocycle. I'll let you know what happens if I try it in the next couple weeks!
I love the idea of the Badge Maker at Big Huge Labs. Students could have badges made to be archaeologists, reporters, scientists, etc. Having a badge would just make them feel that much more "official." Likewise, the Trading Card feature also at Big Huge Labs has nice potential for the classroom. Students could be asked to create trading cards about the important people, animals, and even places they learned about this year so they would have a nice set at the end. Alternatively, each student could be assigned one of those things and then prints enough of them for the class. Then they could trade each other's cards until they have a full set.
Some of the options on Tuxpi reminded me of creating word art in Microsoft Word in terms of how you can manipulate the image. These tools could add some nice touches to reports, displays, or projects. For anything on that site, you would need to caution students not to do too much to their images otherwise it will be too distracting for the viewer. They are better off keeping it simple as opposed to getting carried away (Reynolds, 2014).
References:
Reynolds, G. (2014). Presentation zen design: A simple visual approach to presenting in today's world. United States of America: New River.
For my modified image, I used the ImageChef - Meme Maker. I had also played around with the Lolcat Generator at Big Huge Labs as well. I found the Meme Maker to be a little easier to use because I had more control over where to put the text and how big it would be. I could see using something like this with student pictures to help them display their goals or things they are proud of. They could add the statement directly to the image. They could also take pictures of something we are studying outside and add a statement to that as well.
I thought the FoldPlay (http://foldplay.com/foldplay.action) site looked really interesting as well. I currently have a classroom of second graders obsessed with origami, cutting paper, and folding paper. I can only imagine the fun they'd have during science if I made some of these for them to create. This is certainly something I would want to have practiced ahead of time so that I could help out any struggling students. I think I'm leaning toward the Kaleidocycle. I'll let you know what happens if I try it in the next couple weeks!
I love the idea of the Badge Maker at Big Huge Labs. Students could have badges made to be archaeologists, reporters, scientists, etc. Having a badge would just make them feel that much more "official." Likewise, the Trading Card feature also at Big Huge Labs has nice potential for the classroom. Students could be asked to create trading cards about the important people, animals, and even places they learned about this year so they would have a nice set at the end. Alternatively, each student could be assigned one of those things and then prints enough of them for the class. Then they could trade each other's cards until they have a full set.
Some of the options on Tuxpi reminded me of creating word art in Microsoft Word in terms of how you can manipulate the image. These tools could add some nice touches to reports, displays, or projects. For anything on that site, you would need to caution students not to do too much to their images otherwise it will be too distracting for the viewer. They are better off keeping it simple as opposed to getting carried away (Reynolds, 2014).
References:
Reynolds, G. (2014). Presentation zen design: A simple visual approach to presenting in today's world. United States of America: New River.
Playing Around with Images
DeVylder, L. (2015). Chicks galore. [Modified with ImageChef - Meme Maker]. CC BY-NC
I spent a lot of time playing around with the different tools in the Sandbox and had to finally settle on one to post. I picked this picture of the chicks that hatched in our classroom this spring. I always felt when I checked on them that they were just looking at me wanting to get out of the box. However, all I could envision was them running all over the classroom and the students yelling there was chick poop everywhere. We did take them out a few times, but only for a little while!
Where I really want to be
When searching for a great image, I found myself trying hard to stay focused. I realized that what I really wanted to do was be at the beach as that's where my mother was this week. I chose this picture because I really liked how the chairs were prominent in the front on the rocky sand and then the water appears to get blurry as it gets farther away.
Bidmead, S. (2014). Deckchairs [photo]. Retrieved from: http://pixabay.com/en/deckchairs-sea-beach-seaside-355596/ CC 0
Bidmead, S. (2014). Deckchairs [photo]. Retrieved from: http://pixabay.com/en/deckchairs-sea-beach-seaside-355596/ CC 0
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