Google Maps and More

I just discovered two awesome tools, and my mind is reeling with possibilities for my students.

Google Maps allows anyone to create a customized map with placemarkers that, when clicked, launch a pop-up box complete with text, links, images, even videos.  Think of all the novels or short stories where setting is prominent, especially novels that have multiple settings. Students could map the events in a novel. Last year my students researched texting: wouldn’t it have been awesome for them share their research by plotting texting incidences reported. What a way to share their research! Basically, Google Maps allows students to create Lit Trips, like many have created using Google Earth, in a quick and easy fashion, without having to download any software as you have to with Google Earth.

The other tool, UMapper, allows you to upload any image and add placemarkers just like you do in Google Maps. This is even better than annotating a Flickr image, because you can embed the interactive image on web pages, like students’ blogs and class wikis. This week, I’ll be having my students reflect on what they’ve learned the first nine weeks of school. They’ll first create an image–either by arranging items and snapping a photo or hand-drawing an illustration and snapping a photo. They’ll then upload the image and annotate it. The objects in the image will symbolize their learning. The placemarkers will allow them to add text to explain what they’ve learned and even include images and links to content they’ve created and published online. I’m thinking this strategy would make an awesome first page of a portfolio–a completely visual navigation throughout their portfolios. Very cool. I’m also considering having students share summaries or reviews of the books they’ve read independently. They could snap a photo of the images or create an image by gathering book jacket images from Amazon.  They can then annotate the book covers, sharing a summary or book review and embed the image in a blog post. I created the annotated image below just for fun. Click on the white placemarkers to see my annotations. If you can’t see it, you can see it here.

Both these tools are free and simple to use. To learn more, check out this blog post I’ve published on our Classrooms 21 District blog.

Flickr Trial

fortsmith_minis

Originally uploaded by Lisa Huff

I’m trying to see what this looks like when I use the “blog this” feature of Flickr to publish a photo that I’ve annotated. I’m wondering if my annotations will be visible. We’ll see!

Teaching How Diction Reveals Tone

Teaching students to dig deep into a text can be challenging, especially when today’s students aren’t regular readers. Since school started four weeks ago, I’ve been trying to inspire mine to establish a daily habit of reading and to read deeply.

Today, we tackled diction and tone.

I began the lesson by having three  students “act out” a sentence, each using a different tone.

I just saw someone smash into Mrs. Huff’s car in the parking lot.

One student assumed an angry tone, another an amused tone, and the last an apathetic one. The class had to guess their tone.

We then transitioned from voice to text. I quickly explained that since we can’t hear the author’s voice, our only clue to how he feels–his attitude or tone–about what he’s writing about is hidden in the text itself. If we look at the words (diction) he uses, we can often figure out his tone.

After showing a few sentences, modeling how diction points to tone, I put students into teams and had each team read Langston Hughes A Dream Deferred. Before class I created an Etherpad for each team, then put the link to the pad on our class wiki. I included directions and a copy of the poem on the pad. Students then read and discussed the poem within their teams, identified diction with strong connotations, and brainstormed tones. They then wrote a paragraph explaining the tone of the poem and giving at least three details to support their explanation.

I had to prod a few groups by asking them if they knew what deferred meant and for a few groups asking them how they might find out what it means–mind each student has his own laptop, and a few students looked dumbfounded as to how they might define the word!

I was able to assess their understanding by reading all the team’s responses at the end of the day.

Not every lesson is successful, but it’s exciting when the stars align–and the tools and strategies and students’ hormones–and magic and learning happens!

Classroom Redesign: It’s Finally Happening at My School!

I was perusing my blog this morning, reading through past posts, and I came across this one I wrote in January of this year. I had been silent on my blog for some time prior to that post, silent because I was teaching English full-time and trying to rally my district to embrace a major redesign at my high school, one that would redesign the way we’re educating kids, that would redesign the learning environments our kids enter every day, that would redesign the very nature of the way teachers and students interact in the classroom and beyond–extending the learning outside the constraints of space and time.

Yesterday marked a milestone in that redesign journey.

I traveled with five colleagues from my district to Fort Smith to train with the Fort Smith School District with whom we’re partnering.  These five colleagues applied and were selected to be Classroom Redesign Pioneers . These Pioneer educators, all veteran teachers, are embracing change. They recognize what we’ve all been doing isn’t reaching today’s kids, isn’t preparing them for the world they’ll enter. These are good teachers. They’ve been successful. Yet, they know we can do better. Their eagerness excites me and fuels me for the journey ahead.

In addition to getting a classroom set of Asus EeePC’s, they’ll be getting several other tech tools,  a completely redesigned classroom that will truly change the learning environment, and continuing professional development in the form of a personal learning community we’re creating.

This week is tangible. I can finally SEE the fruits of a long year of work. We’ve only just begun, but it’s exciting. I look forward to chronicling our journey, to continuing to problem-solve as we encounter hurdles, to working alongside these teachers as we enter uncharted–at least in our area–territory.

Here’s to the learning revolution: it’s happening at my school!

Another Year of Gatsby VoiceThreads

I’ve been absent from blogging here for quite some time. I’ve actually been reading, commenting, and creating content in other places like at the Classrooms 21 blog, a project we’re tackling in my district to redesign the learning environment in our classrooms, to make it a more active, engaging, technology-infused environment.

What I really want to share in this post though  is a project I just completed with my English 11 students. Last year, I had students analyze color symbolism in The Great Gatsby and present their analysis in a VoiceThread. This year I tackled the same project but with greater success, most likely because I’d worked out several kinks last year. This time, the students’ focus, and mine, was more on the analysis and less on the tools. As a result, the projects are much richer. Check out this one group’s analysis of the color lavender:

Here’s basically what we did:

1. We spent one 90 minute class period analyzing the color and writing the script.

• Students used an online copy of the novel and the CTRL F keyboard function to search for the color. Groups assigned certain chapters to each group member, making quick work of this task. They copied and pasted all the examples into a document and printed it.

• Next, each group gathered round a table and talked about the text, looking at each example of the color being used and thinking about the symbolism of the color, the connotations for that particular instance, and how this instance connected to the larger novel as a whole. Before we started, I had shown students examples of projects from last year. Having models was a huge help to students.

• Next, students used etherpad to collaboratively write their scripts. This tool allows all members of the group to type in real-time on a single page,  so they all see each others contributions immediately! Each person’s writing is color-coded. Two tips: 1) students need to write their names and color at top of script because the color key in right sidebar disappears if you revisit site; 2) I created pads in advance and posted the links on our class wiki, which allowed anyone to visit anyone’s pad. Let’s just say some students had fun chatting with other groups, zipping in and out of different groups’ pads. Next time, I’ll print and hand out the URL’s to only the group leader. The image below is a screenshot of a one group’s script composed in etherpad.

2.  Day two, students found images to match the ideas in their scripts. After a brief chat on being ethical users of online images, I showed them how to do an advanced search on Flickr to search for only Creative Commons photos. Again, students split up the parts of the script, assigning each member a particular part so that everyone had photos to find. Using the etherpad again, students copied and pasted the photo URL (right click on photo, click properties, and copy URL) at the bottom of the etherpad.
3.  Day three, they created their VoiceThread. They were able to quickly copy and paste the photo URL into VoiceThread then add their voice narration. I encouraged them to re-read their scripts and make any needed revisions before recording the narration.

All in all, I’m happy with the results. For one, we used much less class time this year because we were able to work more efficiently. Because my students were familiar with VoiceThread (we’d used it earlier this year) they were able to focus more on the content of their presentations and less on the tool. As it should be.

I’d love to do the project again next year, adding collaboration with another class from somewhere beyond our school walls. Anyone interested?

Head2Head: Teaching Students to Argue the Right Way

Generally, students are trotting off to college, unprepared to meet academic demands. Professors–followed soon by employers–demand that students be able to construct an argument.  It’s no wonder many students fall short. Constructing an argument requires students to be critical readers and thinkers and skilled writers:

• They must first be adept at inquiry, able to explore a particular topic and read critically to decipher what the core arguments are.
• They must employ critical thinking, evaluating claims and reasons and evidence and the logic that glues them together.
• To pen their own argument, they must continue to think critically, to organize their ideas, to make valid claims and then back those claims with evidence and explanations–all while writing with stylistic flair and grammatical correctness.

It’s no wonder many adults are lacking as well, unable to marshall a strong argument.

I’m hoping the collaborative project my AP English Language students are currently undertaking–Head2Head–will  challenge students to develop the critical thinking, reading, and writing skills to construct a sound argument.

The Project

We have four schools collaborating on the project: two from Arkansas (one being my crew), one from Minnesota, one from New Jersey.  We–the four of us AP English teachers–are still designing the details of the project. In a nutshell, we hope to undertake three steps:

1. Students put themselves into teams by choosing from ten topics taken from Opposing Views. They then read the arguments for and against and enter the discussion on their topic via commenting.
2. Students construct and publish their own argument–hopefully in a creative format that capitalizes on the power of both words and images.
3. Teams then choose a different topic and create an Opposing Views style web page.  This would require students to research the topic, to link to relevant resources and articles on the topic, to write arguments for and against, to locate and recruit “experts” to write pro/con arguments.

Questions I Still Have

1. Writing their own argument: On the AP exam,  students must construct an argument (an essay).  I think, after discussing the topic online,  I’d like to have them write an in-class timed essay first. Then, I could grade their essays, have writing conferences if needed, and allow students to revise and publish a multimedia version. I think. I’d love feedback here.
2. Multimedia argument: I think it would be better to have students work in groups here rather than solely. After students construct their own arguments in the timed writing, we could group students based on their position, creating a pro group and a con group. But, theoretically, team members could be from four different schools.  I’m not sure how to scaffold students here to make sure they can successfully collaborate across time and space to produce a multimedia presentation. For students creating a wiki or a blog or some other web page, collaborating would be fairly simple. But, what about groups who choose to produce a video?
3. Creating an Opposing Views style web page: We haven’t thought through this part yet. This will be the biggest (and probably the most meaningful) part of the project. What resources/lessons will students need to know how to locate “experts” in a particular field? What if a group can’t find an “expert” who is willing to participate?
4. Bringing together the four classes: I’d love to utilize some of the strategies Karl Fisch has been describing in the project that linked students with other students and adults from around the globe and with author Dan Pink.  I’m an English teacher. Unfortunately, there’s no Karl Fisch at my school. I’ve never attempted such a massive project. It intimidates me. But, I’m willing to try. How do I scale Fisch’s ideas to work for this project?

I’d love your feedback and ideas.

I Too Am Asking: Why Change?

I’ve been silent for a while on this blog, busy working on my class wiki, the 21clc wiki, creating new blogs and wikis for several projects I have going, commenting on other blogs, trying to help other teachers and students take their ideas and conversations online.

If I’m honest with myself, I’ve also been silent because I’ve been a bit dismayed. I’m struggling to quell the urge to quit, to give-up, to slink back into my classroom and worry only about my students and my teaching inside room 19. The struggle to transform–to really transform my school is daunting. I’m trying, little by little, to make a difference. But, change is not going to come easy. It’s not going to come quickly. It’s not going to come without much sweat and toil and frustration. Change is hard. Falling back to what we know, what we’re comfortable with is easier, safer, and definitely less stressful.

Our 21clc discussed this idea yesterday afternoon. One teacher verbalized what we all were thinking: Why should teachers change? We’re going to ask them to do all this extra work, to change the way they’ve been teaching, to learn new skills that, at first, will probably make them uncomfortable. What will we offer them in return? Silence.

Then, this morning, I log on, scroll through my Google Reader, and find Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach’s post titled Why Change? I think she was eavesdropping on our conversation! Sheryl reminded me why I started this battle. She reminded me why I can’t quit.

You change because what you do for a living was never just a job- but more a mission. You change because you are willing to do whatever it takes to make a significant difference in the lives of the students you teach. You change because you care deeply about kids and you know that unless you personally own these new skills and literacies you will not be able to give them to your students.

Get inspired: read the rest of Sheryl’s post.

The Awakening Project: Bring on the Comments!

As with all projects, we hit a few hurdles–absent team members, problems uploading videos, problems getting our crappy mics to record quality narration–but my students have finished their productions of their analyses of chapter six of The Awakening.  They’re eager for the world to view their presentations and enter the discussion. If you have time, please check out their work. I’d love to hear feedback from both adults and students.

I’m including a one-page hand-out of ideas for commenting. Feel free to share it with your students. If you missed the previous posts explaining this project, you might want to check them out here and here.

I know this is a horribly busy time of the year with semester exams and the holidays bearing down on us. I’ll say thanks in advance to those of you who can spare a moment to enter the conversation, to push the thinking of my students and, in essence, model the power of technology to connect  learners and voices from around the world.

The Awakening Cooperative Project

School interruptions have delayed my starting The Awakening collaborative project I explained in this post. That means there’s still time to join us.

Thanks to those of you who said you’d be interested in commenting on my students’ projects. For those of you curious about the details and considering actually having your students complete the project, I’m posting the hand-outs I’ll be giving my students this week: theawakening_ch6Project , and theawakening_ch6project_rubrics.

I had first planned to do just Voicethread projects, but, as I created the rubrics and planned the details of the project, I decided to let students decide what digital tools to use: more critical thinking and problem-solving for students (see NETS for Students standards 4 and 6).

If you’d like to join us, leave a comment. For those of you willing to view and comment on my students’ projects, I’ll leave a link soon so that you can access their work. We hope to finish before leaving for Thanksgiving break, November 24.

I’m excited about the potential to link my students to other students (and adults)!

15 Days to Twilight: Days 3 & 4

Enjoy the Day three and four Trivia questions. To learn about our local NEHS literacy project, read this post.

In what state is the town of Forks?

Where was Jasper born?