Gallery Walk Finished

My students finished their gallery walk and everyone was able to share.  To capture the process and a little bit of their learning, students created the attached video.

They had a lot of fun with this activity.  It was used as an introduction to a unit of study on the Middle East. We are now moving into a project bases learning activity to answer the following driving question:

Are the people of the Middle East that different than us? 

The next step for students was to create a list of essential questions or knowledge they needed to make the decision. They were able to do that using a Google Doc Middle East Essential Info Needed.  I had them work in small groups and then share as a class as this is the first time we are doing a project like this.  I left the final product up to them.  My only criteria was that it must be recorded using either a screen caster, video camera, or something like Google Hangout or Ustream.  Of course they have to answer the question and provide evidence to support their answer.  

I have already have students discussing a news report, a game show, a puppet show and skits.  I can't wait to see their creativity.

Gallery Walk on the Middle East

On Friday my students finished their gallery walk on the Middle East.  I used this as an inquiry based appetizer to introduce the unit.  Each student had to find and research an image from the Middle East. They then created an audio recording.  The recording was attached to a QR code.  We posted the image and the QR code outside the teachers lounge so that everyone in the building could participate in our learning.  Today, my students will use their phones and QR readers to listen each others recordings.

Tomorrow, we will make an announce to the entire school to let me know what they are and to invite them to participate.

                 This images is from Thursday before everyone had a chance to hang theirs up. There are many more hanging up this morning. 

TCEA 13

I've been very busy finishing up more grad work and haven't had much time to update what's going on in my classroom, but my kids have been very busy and I will try to start sharing more often.

Today I'm at TCEA 2013 in Austin. This morning I was in a session on broadcasting in the classroom using Ustream. I've used it before but I had no idea it had so many features. I can't wait to get back and let my kids play with all the goodies.  All I need to do is come up with a good way to incorporate it into my classroom.

I also attended a great Google workshop where I learned several new tricks that my students are going to love.  It also prompted me to call Region 10 and inquire about becoming Google certified.  I was happy to find that they were scheduled a class for this summer and I am already on the list.

Several PBL sessions as well as the last session I went to on Friday really gave me the push to try to incorporate more PBL in my classroom.  So, with my next unit of study, it will be all project based learning.

I was also introduced to the Google Summit that will be held on May 18th in the Woodlands outside Houston.  I have submitted a proposal to present and hope to be chosen.

Sent from my iPad

Planning for Next Year

As I sit at the beach relaxing I begin to think about next year.  How am I going to do things different? How can I better engage my kids next year?  Well, I am going to try and go totally digital.  I have already started a separate site for each unit of study where I can collect links, documents, videos, and examples of students' work.  I am going to let me kids teach themselves and me new tools and give them more opportunities to create. I have looked at Voice Thread and am very impressed with the ability of the tool.  On the side bar, I have linked to an outstanding example of a 4th grade class using it with their study of encampments of the Japanese Americans during WWII.  You may want to check it out.  I am also going to use more Google products.  I have actually already created a couple of quizzes for the unit.  As I discover more tools that I am going to use I will post updates.

Tech Camp Coming Soon

I found out today that the Tech Camp I am leading is full.  Region 10 has expanded the class size twice and we are up to 90 participants and a waitlist started.  I can't believe it filled up so fast.  In addition, I am working with member of the Global Classroom Project to develop a PD class on technology that will be delivered via collaboration.  I will update everyone soon.

Genius Hour

Just finished another hour of chatting about #geniushour.  Had some really great conversations about sharing and collaborating.  Actually, Mrs. D. Kerbs and I have decided to let a few of our students collaborate on the next genius hour project.  Her students in Iowa and my students in Texas will be working on poetry and learning about ranches and horses.  The students will be contacting each other through Skype in the classroom and by using the chat feature in google docs.  I can't wait to see the outcome.  We also discussed the idea of sharing presentation time with other classes.  Like adults, students also learn from watching their peers.  I hope to have the opportunity to do this before the school year ends.  I think my 6th graders will be motivated by her 7th graders and it will push them out of their comfort zone to try new things.

Another idea discussed was including Fine Arts in genius hour.  A suggestion was made that learning to learn to play the piano using an app on the iPad would be a phonemail project idea.  I think several of my students would love this and neither my students or I have ever though about genius hour from this perspective.

With the goal of genius hour being to foster the love of learning I think we need to open our minds to lots of different options.

Blog again soon,

Dana

Less than a Week to Innovate 2 Educate

Getting ready for this conference has been an experience for the students who are coming with me.  First of all they were surprised that I was "forcing" them to practice.  Secondly, several of them were surprised that the audience will probably be large.  I told them to all go home and practice tonight and we would try again tomorrow.  They are going to be so nervous.  I can't wait.....