Base Ten Power Point Game/Big Book

I got this lesson idea from the Casio Classroom Website called 1001 Uses for a Digital Camera. It has lessons using a digital camera organized by subject. I decided to focus on math for this lesson, because the other lesson I have shared were geared more towards language arts. The lesson I chose was designed for K-1 students and is called Counting Big Book. I really liked the original lesson, but tweaked it a little for use in my own classroom.

Objectives:

1. For the first grade student to represent two digit numbers in terms of tens and ones.
2. For the first grade student to write numeral to 100.
3. For the first grade student to read and write number words to 100.
4. For the first grade student to appropriately use a digital camera to take a photograph of a set of base ten manipulatives representing a given number.
5. For the first grade student to make a slide using MS Power Point to contribute to a class Power Point Game.
   

Sunshine State Standards:

MA.1.A.2.2: Represent two digit numbers in terms of tens and ones

LA.1.6.4.1: The student will use appropriate available technology resources (e.g., writing tools, digital cameras, drawing tools) to present thoughts, ideas, and stories.

Materials:

Digital Camera

Computer with Internet Connection, MS Power Point, and Laser Projector

Foam Base Ten Manipulatives

Construction Paper

4x6 Index Cards

Parent Volunteer

Procedure:

Day One:

• Review how to represent numerals using foam base ten manipulatives.
• Tell students that we are going to make a game using those manipulatives. Each child will get to choose a number between 1-100 to represent using the base ten manipulatives. Then he/she will use the digital camera to take a picture of his/her representation. Students will insert that photo onto a slide in MS Power Point. Then he/she will insert an identical slide and type the represented numeral at the top and the number word at the bottom.
• Review proper handling of the digital camera.
• Review photo taking procedures and strategies.
• Show students the photographing area. Model how to choose a number, represent it using the base ten manipulatives and photograph it.
• Model the following process and leave the example on the board. Give each child a sheet of construction paper and an index card. Have students choose their number and draw the representation on the index card. Then have them glue the index card to the middle of the piece of construction paper. Then have them write the numeral at the top and the number word at the bottom.
  
• While students are working on this, call individual students over to the photographing area to represent and photograph their numeral.
• Upload photos to the computer.

Day Two:

• Review yesterday's lesson.
  
• Review the procedures for making a Power Point slide using the computer and laser projector. Model how to make both slides (the first with only the representation, the second with the representation, the numeral, and the number word).
  
• Allow students to share their handmade sheets. While students are sharing their work have a volunteer call individual students to the computer to help them make their two Power Point Slides.
• Play the game (just the representation is shown and students have to figure out the number: go to the next slide to see if they are correct) as an ending review.
• Laminate the handmade sheets and make them into a book for the classroom library.
  

Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated based upon the following rubric:

Correct Use of Camera: 1 point

Matching Representation, Numeral, and Number Word: Up to 3 points

Neat Work on Handmade Sheet: 1 point

Total Points Possible: 5

Reference

Landon, Kathleen.(2008). Counting big book. Retrieved April 19, 2008, from http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/%7Eucfcasio/bigbook.htm

A Lesson for the Teachers

I had some questions come up based on my previous lesson plans about how to actually get the photos uploaded from the camera to the computer in order to use them in programs such as MS Word, editing programs, and email. So for my Video Capture assignment I actually made a movie about how to do this. The program I used for this assignment, Camtasia Studio 5, was amazing. It was very user friendly and has EXCELLENT video tutorials (trust me, I think I watched them all!!) on how to actually make your recording. I am choosing it as one of my resources for this week, because I think both teachers and students could use this in the classroom. It would be a wonderful resource for teachers to make for students. For example, if you wanted your students to edit a photo, you could do a recording of some basic steps, that way you would only have to do the process once and the students could refer to it as many times as they needed in order to complete the assignment. This would leave you free to spend time on the actual content, instead of procedural reminders. I really encourage you to click on the hyperlink above to download a free trial. :o)

Now to actually getting the photos to the computer. The first step may be a little different depending on your camera/memory device.

• If your camera records to a CD, you can insert that directly into your CD-Rom drive and it should bring up the same screen that shows up in the video.
  
• If your camera records to a Memory Card there are two general options:
1. Take the memory card out and insert it into your computer's memory card reader. These readers are standard on most new computers. Just read under the openings (slots) to see which one corresponds to the name/type of memory card your camera uses.
2. Use the cord that came with your camera to connect it to the computer. One end will only fit into the AV /OUT opening on your camera and the other end will only fit into the USB drive on your computer.

• Once you have completed either of those steps it should bring up the screen you will see on the video.
  
• An important point from the video is that you MUST KNOW where you saved your pictures. I usually save mine in the Pictures file and tag (or name) the folder with a "hint" of what the pictures are. This makes it really easy to find them when browsing the list from another program.
  
• The video goes on to show you the steps of how to email photos, because that was another request I had.
• I hope this helps!

Happy Snapping! ~Sabrina

Using A Digital Camera in the Classroom

Using A Digital Camera in the Classroom is another great site of ideas on getting the students using digital cameras in the classroom. This site breaks the ideas down by subject, which can be very helpful for quick browsing. I really liked the following ideas from the Language Arts section:

"Journal Writing. Classroom newspapers. Autobiographies. Insert student photos in a biographical poem. A great way to start off the year and get to know your students. Demonstrate vocabulary, emotions, compare/contrast. Use a photo as a prompt for narrative or descriptive writing. Students take pictures of each other and import them into a word processing document for an "About the Author" page in a student anthology. Use the digital camera to take photos of students then incorporate the photos into interviews written by other students in the class. (Students are assigned someone to interview and write about.)"

Objectives:

1. For the first grade student to appropriately use a digital camera to take a photograph of a classmate.
   
2. For the first grade student to use a photograph to write a paragraph that includes a topic sentence, at least three detail sentences, and grade level appropriate conventions.
   
3. For the first grade student to publish their writing and photograph using MS Word.

Sunshine State Standards:

LA.1.6.4.1 The student will use appropriate available technology resources (e.g., writing tools, digital cameras, drawing tools) to present thoughts, ideas, and stories.

LA.1.3.1.2 - The student will prewrite by discussing the purpose for a writing piece.

LA.1.3.2.1 - The student will draft writing by maintaining focus on a single idea using supporting details.

LA.1.4.2.3 - write an informational/expository paragraph that contains a topic sentence and at least three details

The student will correctly use:

LA.1.3.4.1 - common spelling patterns (e.g., onset and rimes, words families, and simple CVC words) and conventional spelling of high frequency words;

LA.1.3.4.2 - capital letters for the pronoun I, the beginning of a sentence, names, days of the week and months of the year;

LA.1.3.4.4 - singular and plural nouns, action verbs in simple sentences, and singular possessive pronouns (e.g., my/mines, his/her, hers);

LA.1.3.4.5 - subject and verb agreement in simple sentences; and

LA.1.3.4.6 - end punctuation for sentences, including periods, question marks, and exclamation points.

The student will:

LA.1.5.1.1 - write numbers and uppercase and lowercase letters using left to right sequencing; and

LA.1.5.1.2 - use appropriate spacing between letters, words, and sentences.

Materials:

Digital Camera; Tripod

4x6 Photo Paper; Photo Printer

Computer with MS Word and Laser Projector

Sample Photo and Story

Camera Coloring Sheet; 5x7 tag board; scissors, glue stick

Picture or Photograph? Sheet

Parent Volunteer

Procedures:

· Show the students the Picture or Photograph? sheet on the laser projector. Ask students to tell me the difference between a photograph and a picture (painting/drawing).

· Have students identify each piece of clip art and drag it to the appropriate column. Call students’ attention to the fact that even though we can tell which ones are pictures and which ones are photographs, that they look very similar: discuss and compare color, size, and shape of clip art.

· Tell students that they are going to try to do the same thing with their drawing from now on. They are going to try to make their drawings look like photographs by adding details to their drawings.

· Show the students the camera coloring sheet. Tell the students that on the top camera they are going to draw a picture of themselves. Then on the bottom camera we’re going to take photographs and compare how well we drew ourselves to the actual photograph.

· Ask students to tell me how we get photographs (answer: from a camera). Show students my camera and tell them that today they are all going to get the chance to be real photographers – they’re going to be the ones taking photographs of each other!!

· Model how to take a photograph using the camera: Show and discuss the functions of the viewing screen (make sure they can see the subject), shutter button (push it halfway until they see the green box and then finish pushing it down to take the picture), tripod (helps keep the camera still to take a better picture), and floor mark (so the subject knows where to stand). Model all of these steps by taking a photograph of the parent volunteer and then switch and have the parent volunteer take a photograph of you.

· Tell students that while they are drawing the picture of themselves in the camera lens, coloring both the cameras, cutting out both camera, and cutting out the center of the bottom camera (go over each step and have an example already made to hang on the board) I will be calling pairs of students over to the tripod and floor mark to take photographs of one another (have the volunteer circulate and assist the students while they are coloring and cutting).

· After each child has taken a photograph, save the photographs to the computer that is connected to the laser projector.

· Call the students back to the carpet. Have the parent volunteer print out one 4x6 of each student (or if you do not have a volunteer…stop after the students have photographed each other and complete the rest of the lesson on the following day…this will give you time to save and print the photographs).

· Ask students what details they noticed about each other while taking the photographs. Discuss: people have different color hair, eyes, and skin, we have different shaped eyes, noses and faces, some people are missing teeth, etc. Lead to the conclusion that we are all different…we each have special details that make us who we are. Tell students that we are printing a picture of each one of them to keep at their desk. This is to help them remember what their special details are when drawing pictures of themselves. And to help us learn all the special details about each other, we’re going to make a book!!

· Ask students what we will need to make a good book (pictures and words).

· Tell students that they are going to get the picture of themselves and use it to write a story that describes their special details. First they are going to write it on regular paper and then they are going to type it on the computer to make a real book.

· Use the laser projector to do a sample writing as a class in MS Word.

1. Model how to open MS Word by double clicking on the icon.
2. Model how to type the story. Discuss using Caps Lock to make capital letters and using the Backspace to erase any mistakes. The model story should include all parts required by the students, for example: My name is Miss Thomas. I have brown hair. My eyes are green. I have pink cheeks. I have white teeth and a big smile!
3. Model how to select and add the picture to the story by clicking Insert, then Picture, then From File, then double click on the picture of themselves. Remind students that there will be a parent volunteer to help them if they have any questions, but that I want them to try to do it on their own first!

· Allow students time to write their stories.

· As each student finishes, have them bring their paper to a parent volunteer at a computer. The volunteer will help them type their story into MS Word and guide them on how to put the picture with it.

· Before/after they type have students glue the picture of themselves to the tag board. Have them glue the second camera (with the hole cut out) on top of their picture so that their face shows through the camera. I will have those laminated for students to keep in their desks.

Then we will print the student’s page. We will put them together to have a book to tell us details about our friends! I will have it laminated to read to the students and keep in our classroom library.

Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated on their handwritten stories based on the following rubric:

Correct use of camera: 1 point

Story matches the photograph: 1 point

Story stayed on topic: 1 point

Story had a topic and at least three details sentences: up to 4 points

Correct use of grammar: 1 point

Correct use of punctuation: 1 point

Correct formation of letters: 1 point

Correct use of capital letters: 1 point

Correct use of spacing: 1 point

Total Points Possible: 12

*I am not grading the MS Word version, because I would like the parent volunteer to help the students edit and “publish” their very best work. I want the experience of making this classroom book to be fun, not stressful!*

Reference

Duncan, Deborah. (2008). Using a digital camera in the classroom. Retrieved April 14, 2008, from http://www.wam.umd.edu/~toh/image/DigitalCameraUses.htm

Virtual School Tour

Wacona Elementary School has a great site devoted to Using Digital Cameras in the Classroom. It has a list of great ideas, as well as a list of other sites to go to for more ideas. One of my favorite ideas from the site is to have the students take photographs of important people and places around the school. As mentioned on the website, the student's work could be made into a book to give to new students and parent volunteers throughout the year. I also thought it would be great to run it as a slide show at the Parent Open House Night at the beginning of the school year. I have created a lesson plan for first grade students on how this could be accomplished. Remember, this is only a guideline. You could absolutely "tweak" it to fit the needs of your own grade level. :o) I would love to have feedback on this first lesson, so I look forward to hearing from you!

Sabrina :o)

All About LAE: Using Digital Photographs to Give a Virtual Field Trip of our School

Objectives:

1. For the first grade student to appropriately use a digital camera to take a photograph of an “important person or place” at LAE.
2. For the first grade student to write a sentence that begins with a capital letter, has an ending punctuation, and describes a photograph.
3. For the first grade student to publish their writing and photograph using MS Power Point.

Sunshine State Standards:

LA.1.6.4.1 The student will use appropriate available technology resources (e.g., writing tools, digital cameras, drawing tools) to present thoughts, ideas, and stories.

LA.1.3.1.2 - The student will prewrite by discussing the purpose for a writing piece.

The student will correctly use:

LA.1.3.4.1 - common spelling patterns (e.g., onset and rimes, words families, and simple CVC words) and conventional spelling of high frequency words;

LA.1.3.4.2 - capital letters for the pronoun I, the beginning of a sentence, names, days of the week and months of the year;

LA.1.3.4.4 - singular and plural nouns, action verbs in simple sentences, and singular possessive pronouns (e.g., my/mines, his/her, hers);

LA.1.3.4.5 - subject and verb agreement in simple sentences; and

LA.1.3.4.6 - end punctuation for sentences, including periods, question marks, and exclamation points.

The student will:

LA.1.5.1.1 - write numbers and uppercase and lowercase letters using left to right sequencing; and

LA.1.5.1.2 - use appropriate spacing between letters, words, and sentences.


Materials:

Digital Camera

Computer with MS Power Point and Laser Projector

How to Use the Camera Sheet

All About LAE Power Point

18 index cards with one “important person or place” written on each

Consent of “important people” and a time window when they are available

Parent Volunteer

Procedures:

· Day One

· Discuss Parent Night with the class. Tell the students that one of the important things we do at Parent Night is to help the parents learn about LAE. I thought a fun thing for them to do would be to take a field trip around the school to see all the important people and places here. The problem is that it will be dark when the parents are at school and not all the important people will be working…so we’re going to take them on a virtual field trip using some special tools.

· Tell the students that the first special tools we’re going to use are the computer, laser projector, and a program called MS Power Point.

· Show the students the All About LAE Power Point using the computer and laser projector. Discuss some of the people and places shown on the power point. Ask students to identify some important people and places that were not shown on the power point.

· Tell the students that you have a special card that has either an important person OR place here at LAE. They will each get to choose a card (at random). Then they will need to take a photo of that person/place and write a sentence describing why that person/place is important.

· Ask students to tell me how we get photographs (answer: from a camera). Tell the students that the next special tool is a digital camera. Show students my camera and tell them that today they are all going to get the chance to be real photographers – they’re going to be the ones taking photographs of the “important people and places” of LAE!!

· Model how to take a photograph using the camera: Show and discuss the functions of the viewing screen (make sure they can see the subject), shutter button (push it halfway until they see the green box and then finish pushing it down to take the picture), using the zoom lever (making the subject bigger or smaller), checking the picture, and turning the camera on/off.

· Give each child the How to Use the Camera sheet. Discuss. Have the students tell me the steps to take a photo of the classroom library. Tell the students that they will get to go in pairs to take their photos throughout the day.

· Allow each student to choose a card and discuss why that is an important person/place. Put the students into pairs (ex. The child who chose the library card would be paired with the child who chose the Mr. Paine, our librarian, card because they are going to the same place). Remind them that when they are out on campus they need to be on their best behavior and be “professional photographers.”

· Send students at the pre-arranged times throughout the day. If you have a parent volunteer it would be good for them to go with the pairs of students. By the end of the day, each pair should have taken their photos. Save the photos to the computer and print out each child’s photo to give back to him/her during tomorrow’s lesson.

· Day Two

· Ask students if they enjoyed being photographers yesterday. Give each child the printed photo he/she took yesterday. Ask students to remind me what they need to do next (write a sentence describing the photo).

· Use the photo taken of the classroom library yesterday to model how to glue the photo to the paper and write a sentence. Discuss the parts of a good sentence.

· Tell the students that after they are finished gluing and writing, they will get to come to the computer to make their slide in MS Power Point to be a part of the virtual field trip.

· Use the laser projector to do a sample writing as a class in MS Power Point.

1. Model how to open MS Power Point by double clicking on the icon.
2. Model how to type the sentence. Discuss using Caps Lock to make capital letters and using the Backspace to erase any mistakes. The model sentence should include all parts required by the students, for example: The classroom library is where we go to find books to read.
3. Model how to select and add the picture to the story by clicking Insert, then Picture, then From File, then double click on the photo they took yesterday. Remind students that there will be a parent volunteer to help them if they have any questions, but that I want them to try to do it on their own first!

· Allow students time to write their sentences.

· As each student finishes, have them bring their paper to a parent volunteer at a computer. The volunteer will help them type their story into MS Power Point and guide them on how to put the picture with it.

· Keep the handwritten pages to grade. You may want laminate them and make them into a book to keep in the classroom library.

· Show students the finished Power Point. Discuss. Use the Power Point at Parent Night.

*You could slightly modify this assignment and do it at the end of the year for the upcoming kindergarteners to see what first grade is like.*


Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated on their handwritten sentences based on the following rubric:

Correct use of camera: 1 point

Sentence matches the photograph: 1 point

Correct use of grammar: 1 point

Correct use of punctuation: 1 point

Correct formation of letters: 1 point

Correct use of capital letters: 1 point

Correct use of spacing: 1 point

Total Points Possible: 7

*I am not grading the MS Power Point version, because I would like the parent volunteer to help the students edit and “publish” their very best work. I want the experience of making this classroom book to be fun, not stressful!*

Points of Viewing Children's Thinking

Goldman-Segall, Ricki. (1997-1998). Points of viewing children’s thinking. Retrieved April 12, 2008, from http://www.pointsofviewing.com/index.html

This is a really neat website. You can click on the Preface button on the bottom to read a brief overview of what this site (and the corresponding book) is all about. Basically it compares the computer culture in two different communities: one ethnically diverse inner city school in Boston and one middle class, mostly White, rural school in British Columbia. What is really interesting is that Goldman-Segall (1997-1998) found that, “Both school communities have watched their young people gain literacy and competence in constructing computer representations of classroom projects. Not only have their tools changed from pen to computer, video camera, multimedia, and the Internet, but their way of thinking about themselves as learners has also changed. Learners now see themselves in the director's chair as they piece together new connections between diverse and often unpredictable worlds of knowledge.” This is very powerful to me, because I really feel that for technology integration to be effective in increasing student achievement, we have to put the technology “in the hands” of the students. I have a strong belief in the “learn by doing” approach to teaching and try to make my lessons as hands on and student centered as possible. Because of this belief I would like to help teachers take the time to explore the new possibilities in learning when you actually put technology into the hands of your students. I think that once the initial learning curve is over, you will find that both you and your students benefit from it and truly enjoy it. If you don’t believe me, then you should check out the Participate section of the website, where you can actually view videos of how the students feel about their expanding expertise in technology and how it has affected their views on learning and school. You can hear the joy in their voices as they describe making a computer game and then playing it. Wow! That one really impressed me. And those students learned so many skills in just that one application, too.

So by now you are probably thinking to yourself, but how would I begin in this process (or perhaps what more could I do)? As I have mentioned before, a fun and “easy” way to get students involved in actually using technology is to start out with using digital cameras and photography…something you can literally put in their hands. :o) The great thing about digital cameras is that most students are already familiar with cameras (and most teachers/schools already own one, or with the price drops lately it would be something that is feasible to purchase…or ask PFA to purchase) and there are tons of free software applications that you can download off of the web to manipulate/use the images that the students have captured. From now on in my blog I am going to focus on ways to get those cameras in the hands of your students, as well as getting them using some of the great software applications out there. I am going to take this approach by focusing on only one concept, skill, or production at a time and describing exactly how to get your kids in on the fun. :o) Happy Snapping!

Sabrina :o)

The Media Equation

Reeves, B., & Nass, C. (1996). Chapter 1: The media equation. In The media equation (pp. 3-18). Cambridge University Press. Available online at: http://guir.berkeley.edu/courses/cs198/papers/mediaeq.pdf

I found “The Media Equation” to be absolutely fascinating. It brought up so many points that I had never thought about before, but once I reflected on them they made total sense. For example, I have always gotten a smile out of watching my first grade students at the computer playing a game, especially ones where there is an animated character taking them through the steps of the activity. They smile and nod, sometime talk back to the screen, and often if they encounter an area of difficulty they will come over to me in a huff and tell me that “He [the character] didn’t tell me how to ______.” It is like they are interacting with a real person and are upset if “he” fails to provide them with what they deem as adequate support. They tattle on animated characters! I have always attributed this behavior to their level of cognitive reasoning…like the on-screen popcorn example given in the article. Now I am wondering if it has more to do with their expectations of social rules. I think the quote that really hit me was when Reeves & Nass (1996) state, “In short, we have found that individual’s interactions with computers, television, and new media are fundamentally social and natural, just like interaction in real life” (p. 5). This is when I started reflecting on my own interactions with technology…wow…I kind of hate to admit this, but

• · I do try to tell the Bachelor (my TV guilty pleasure…lol) who to pick and yell at him when he makes a “bad” choice.

• · I get frustrated when it takes me too long to learn a new computer application, but hate to admit it in a review. Take GIMP for example. It took me HOURS to figure out how to do some basic editing, but when I wrote the review I truly felt bad/guilty about saying negative things about the PROGRAM! Every time I said something negative I felt like I had to follow it up with saying that I was going to keep trying to use it and that I was sure I would be able to figure it out, like it was more my fault than its. I was treating a computer application like it had real feelings that I didn’t want to hurt! I would compare it to a parent conference, you always have to say something positive to “offset” the fact that little Johnny won’t sit still and can’t read even though it’s the fourth nine weeks…

• · I feel a sense of true connection to my friends over email…it can make me smile, laugh, and even cry…like I’m having a “real” conversation with that friend.

• · I jump back when an image on the screen “comes towards me” quickly.

• · I get completely emotionally involved in movies, even ones that I have seen multiple times.

I hope all of these things don’t mean that I am lacking needed skills in cognitive reasoning (or psychological evaluation…lol)!! :o) But seriously, based on my own reflections, I really do believe in the media equation. I agree with Reeves & Nass (1996) when they state, “Modern media now engage old brains. People can’t always overcome the powerful assumption that mediated presentations are actual people and objects. There is no switch in the brain that can be thrown to distinguish the real and mediated worlds” (p. 12).What does this mean for my chosen topic of digital photography? It gives a researched “reason” for why digital images seem to really affect people’s emotions…it means that digital images have even more power over people than I originally assumed. According to Reeves & Nass (1996), “Pictures, too, are natural experience” (p.6). I think that is why digital photos are so powerful. Our brain doesn’t look at them as photos of people--our brain looks at them as “real” people.

For example, look at the photo that I have posted of the little boy. When I saw it, it actually moved me to tears. I feel empathy for him even though I know nothing about him other than he looks sad and is sitting in a pile of rubble. Maybe it’s mostly because I’m in the business of helping children, but it breaks my heart to see that photo! I just want to try to find him and help him, give him a hug and tell him that everything will be okay…all that emotion from a photo. That’s powerful if you ask me. And I think that it is truly do to the media equation.

Photo from: http://geese68.wordpress.com/photography-war-some-pictures-mayshould-cause-upset/

Mendenhall Glacier

Gile, Ron. (2007). The Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska. Outdoor photographer: favorite places. Available at: http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/content/2007/nov/fp_alaska.shtml

This article caught my eye, because I visited the Mendenhall Glacier over the summer. We were on a tight schedule, so I didn’t have time to take in a lot of the information while I was there, but this article gave some interesting facts and things I wish I knew while I was there. The glacier is part of the Juneau Ice Field (something I did know--Juneau is the capital of Alaska). The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor’s Center was built in 1962. The article mentions how quickly the weather can change and to bring waterproof gear--this was something we found out first hand. Even though it was early June, it was quite chilly, especially since it was an overcast and rainy day. The guide assured us that it was good that it was a cloudy day, because it made the ice appear to be blue instead of white. We visited too early in the summer to see the brown bears and salmon, but we did see a few bald eagles. The best time of year to visit the glacier is at midsummer, both because of the wildlife and the colors of the glacier (the snow from the previous winter has had time to melt, thus showing the true colors of the glacier).

The reason I am sharing this article with you, is because we could use it with our basal reading story Fishing Bears. I think the kids would enjoy seeing more pictures of the Alaskan brown bear’s habitat and we could do a lot of comparing and contrasting with the Alaskan environment versus our own OR photos of the glacier in different weather (for example, compare my photo vs. the one in the article). This type of picture would also be a terrific story starter. I would be happy to share more pictures and information with you if you are interested OR you can visit the glacier’s website at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall/