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/

Wearable Photos

Howard, Dave. (2000). Wear your photography: From camera to t-shirt with an ink jet printer. Shutterbug: Scanners and Printers. Available at: http://shutterbug.com/equipmentreviews/scanners_printers/0300sb_wear/

I just read a great article about how to put photos on t-shirts. It sounds really easy. It may not be completely educational, but I think it would be fun. Here are the basic steps:

1. You would need a computer, printer, and transfer paper. The article used Epson, but said there were many other brands. I will be more than happy to do some shopping around for this.
2. The article also suggests putting two pillow cases on top of a table and then putting the shirt on the pillow cases. It seems the hard surface of a table works better than an ironing board. They said virtually any iron will do.
3. Each child could bring in a plain white t-shirt.
4. Then we would just have to take a photo of our class (I was thinking we could position them in front of the school sign).
5. We would then print out the picture onto the transfer paper.
6. Then iron the image onto the t-shirt.

If you find out that this ends up being more expensive than feasible (the cost of a class set of the transfer paper and ink for 8x10 pictures) then you could also do this as a gift for your room moms for Christmas or the end of the year. You could even iron the image onto an apron and then let the students paint their hand prints on it, too, and attach a card saying, “Thanks for giving our class a helping hand!” You could even have a "slogan contest" and have the students think of photos and words that could be put on the class shirts/room mom presents...there I added a little "educational value." What was I saying about clear goals and planning?? :o)

For more details and ideas, check out the article! Happy Snapping!

Sabrina

Visual Literacy and the Primary Learner

Stokes, Suzanne. (2002). Visual Literacy in Teaching and Learning: A Literature Perspective. Electronic Journal for the Integration of Technology in Education, 1(1). Retrieved March 28, 2008, from http://ejite.isu.edu/Volume1No1/Stokes.html

As a first grade teacher I feel that images are crucial to my students’ understanding of concepts. I believe that when most people think of visual literacy, they tend to focus on literacy as a skill related to reading, when in fact we use visual literacy in all aspects of teaching, learning, and daily life. Therefore, I appreciated how Stokes (2002) defined visual literacy as “the ability to interpret images as well as to generate images for communicating ideas and concepts” (p.1). Pictures, photographs, and other images are often the keys to students understanding and retaining the information I present to them.

My ultimate goal is to reach as many of my students as possible…often using a single lesson. I agree with Stokes (2002) when she says that “cognitive/learning style is an important factor in individual student differences. Instructional materials as well as teaching styles should be matched with cognitive styles for greatest learner benefits” (p. 2-3). When planning lessons, I keep in mind all of the different ways in which my students learn and incorporate varied strategies throughout the lesson in order to reach each student.

The following is an example of how I have used visual literacy strategies to enhance the learning of my students. The writing lesson described involves live-action, photographs, and written language to help students understand the concept of sequencing when writing a set of directions. Our weekly basal story, All That Corn, provided the prefect segway to having the students help me compose a set of directions on how to make popcorn (using seeds and an air popper). Before the lesson I took photographs of the steps involved and put them into a power point. I began by bringing out the popcorn popper and modeling how to make popcorn. I could have just had the students go from the memory of what they had just seen and heard to write the directions. However, I agree with Stokes (2002) when she says that “visual literacy precedes verbal literacy in human development, it is the…foundation(s) for reading and writing” (p. 4). Ifelt as if the students didn’t have enough experience with this particular concept to achieve a detailed set of directions. To supplement this lack of experience, I used the power point photographs, because as Stokes (2002) states, “pictures or illustrations are analogs of experience and are only one step removed from actual events, these visual representations may be able to capture and communicate the concrete experience in various ways” (p.5). The first slide had all of photographs of the steps, but they were out of order. I called on the students to help sequence the photographs correctly. Then the next slide had the first photograph and the students had to help me write a sentence that described that step (First we put in the seeds.) and so on until the last step. Finally the last slide joined all of the sentences into a paragraph that described the steps needed to make popcorn. The students then wrote and illustrated the directions independently. We discussed how they would be able to take the directions home and their parents could follow them to make popcorn. They loved it and were actively engaged for the entire lesson and really understood the concept…something that I truly believe would not have been possible without the cues of the photographs.

I feel that it is important to not only use visual literacy strategies when teaching students, but to allow students to use the strategies themselves. Stokes (2002) says, “Students develop their visual abilities through use” (p. 4). Therefore, I would like to continue the above lesson by allowing the students to choose an activity they could teach someone how to do. With lots of guidance (and parent volunteers) I would like to have the students follow the same steps as above (pick a topic, photograph the steps, describe the steps in writing, make a power point to share with the class) to complete the activity. This lesson would cover many aspects of learning that I feel to be important such as: a defined purpose, student ownership, integration of subject areas, and the use of different forms of technology. I truly believe that for students to be successful in the future of this technological age we have to give them the skills necessary to achieve and we can never start that education too early. Hopefully by integrating these areas I can reach each learner and help him/her achieve to the best of his/her ability!

I tried to upload the power point, but I guess that doesn't count as a movie. If anyone knows how to do that, please let me know! Thanks!

Sabrina

Multidimensional Learning

Supon, Viola. (2006). Using digital cameras for multidimensional learning in K-12 classrooms. Journal of Instructional Psychology. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Using+digital+cameras+for+multidimensional+learning+in+K-12+classrooms-a0148367623

I enjoyed this article because it emphasizes the fact that digital camereas can be educational tools. According to Supon (2006), "Digital cameras are educational tools that support purposeful instruction with a clear vision on curriculum, instruction, assessment, and reflection." She goes on to state that, "Teachers need to adapt their instructional methods to enhance the visual literacy abilities of students while enabling learners to develop higher level thinking processes" (Supon 2007).

Here are some main points from the article:

Classroom Impact

• Our society has become incredibly dependent upon images.
• "More details and data are obtained visually than any of the other senses" (Supon 2007).
• Teaching our students to become visually literate will help to prepare them to enter the modern workforce.

Effective Use

• "Consider the usage of digital cameras to determine the extent of how the usage is aligned with the curriculum, one's teaching, and the classroom assessments" (Supon 2007).
• "Abide by school district policy and make certain the available documentation is in place before allowing individuals to be photographed" (Supon 2007).
• Provide the students with
• instructional tasks
• instruction in how to use the equipment
• instruction of basic photography principles
• guidelines of use
• feedback on use

Multidimensional Learning

• "Multidimensional learning integrates different memory strategies to facilitate the learning process and is heavily dependent on illustrations and graphics" (Supon 2007).
• students must use their memories to generate new information
• digital images act as triggers to help students retain information
• digital images often encourages/motivates children to write (and write better!)
• developing a fluent writing style then leads to write better for other purposes
  
• having students actually "take" the photos promotes ownership and leads to a higher quality of work
  
• Example: "Kerri Peloso had second grade students at Nescopeck Elementary School (Nescopeck, Pennsylvania) take pictures of objects in the classroom. They used their pictures to create writing pieces that were showcased in the room. A compilation of the pictures was made and this became a classroom book that was checked out by students to take home to develop/increase their literacy skills of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and spelling. Digital camera usage increases analytical skills and can be used as a means of assessing student performance. Having students know what high quality performance is can effectively be documented through photographs. When students recognize similarities and differences of their performance through photos, students become more reflective and effective with self-assessment. This process increases better performance" (Supon 2007).

I hope these points will help you think about the ways a digital camera could enhance your own curriculum/learning tasks. Happy Snapping!

Sabrina

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

Prensky, Marc. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5). Retrieved March 26, 2008, from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

I thought I would take a break from only talking about digital photography and take a moment to address WHY I think technology in education is so important. Our students are different today than they were even twenty years ago when I was in elementary school. They are used to a fast paced, instant access, image overload, multi-tasking kind of environment. I have always enjoyed using technology and was playing games when I was young, used it for research and writing papers in college, I keep in touch with friends and family through email, and can't begin to describe/list how many things I use it for on a daily basis in the classroom teaching and in this virtual classroom of being an on-line grad student. I feel I have done a relatively "good" job of moving forward as each new advancement has come out. But now I sometimes feel that things are coming out so fast now that it is hard to keep up with everything, but I have to say I am "proud" of myself, because right now as I am typing this I have CD playing on my computer, which I am both listening to and downloading to my iPod! I have four Internet tabs open...one for this, one for the Prensky article, one for APA formating (I can never remember that even though I do it constantly), and one for our on-line class. I feel like I have mastered the art of mulit-tasking!! I see the same thing in my students. Some may call it ADHD, but I think a lot of those tendencies are really due to the fact that kids expect to be throughly engaged at all times. While this is not meant to be an excuse for bad behavior, I do think it is important to understand all the contributing factors to issues such as that. I think one of the ways to help students become more engaged is to provide them with strategies and tasks that are more suited to how they learn. I believe that most of our students would be more engaged in academic tasks through the images, speed, interactivity, and FUN of using most technology applications. These points are highlighted in Prensky's article. Here is an excerpt of a review I did of the article for another class:

I read a wonderful article titled “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” by Marc Prensky in which he describes most educators as Digital Immigrants. This terms means that we are new to the digital world, most of us didn’t grow up with cell phones, iPods, and the Internet. These advancements are new to us and we have had to adapt our way of thinking to make use of them in our lives. Most of our students, however, have always had these things in their lives (especially my six and seven year old first graders). They haven’t had to adapt to these things, it is in their very nature to use them. Sadly, he states that “Digital Immigrant teachers assume that learners are the same as they have always been, and that the same methods that worked for the teachers when they were students will work for their students now. But that assumption is no longer valid. Today’s learners are different” (Prensky 2001).

I took that statement into account as I reflected on my use of technology in my classroom. I have a computer schedule where each child has one full day to work on a computer. Each morning I load the software that is appropriate to their level, and they spend the day doing educational games. The students love their time on the computer and it provides a good review of previously taught material, or sometimes even introduces them to new topics. I have a website at School Notes where I list the homework and any reminders for the week, and it also allows the parents to contact me via email with any questions or concerns. (I love email for quick questions because it allows me to provide immediate feedback to parents, instead of playing phone tag for days on end.) I have also begun incorporating movies, video clips, and images into my lessons from United Streaming. I especially like the video clips, because it allows me to pick and choose the exact portion of videos that are relevant to my specific topic without having to waste the time it would take to watch an entire video. I am lucky enough to have a laser projector, so the students can watch these things on the “big screen” which is a favorite of theirs. I created a classroom blog, but as of yet I have only used it to post information about activities that the students have done in the classroom. As I reflected on these things, though, I realized that none of them changed how I fundamentally thought about educating my students. The only technology I was really incorporating into my curriculum was video clips, and educators have been using videos for so long that I can’t really call using them an advancement!

I think it is definitely time for me to take some excellent advice from Prensky, “So if Digital Immigrant educators really want to reach Digital Natives – i.e. all their students – they will have to change. It’s high time for them to stop their grousing, and as the Nike motto of the Digital Native generation says, “Just do it!” They will succeed in the long run” (Prensky 2001). That really sums up the reason I enrolled in this program. I feel that for students to be successful in the global community, we as educators have to provide them the skills necessary to do so, and that means changing how we teach. I realize this is a big step and isn’t something that will happen overnight. Right now I feel as if I’m taking baby steps, but baby steps forward have to be better than standing still in my old ways.

Creating this curriculum unit has forced me to take some more new steps. One of the things that I really wanted to do was use technology to have my students create something. In my unit we will use a digital camera to take pictures to illustrate a story that students will type (with assistance) using MS Word to make a classroom book. I also created games to review concepts using MS PowerPoint, something I think my students will benefit from and enjoy. I would also like to use my classroom blog in a more interactive way. I would love to post student work samples on-line for their parents to see, record students reading stories that they wrote, and have them comment on each other’s work. I think seeing their work presented in this way would motivate them to do their best. It would also help me, because it would be an awesome way to keep a record of student work (and growth) throughout the year. The benefits of technology are simply overwhelming and outweigh the time it would initially take to implement. With all of these amazing possibilities it is crucial that we focus on the objectives we expect our students to accomplish, though. I am really looking forward to this challenge!

I hope that from this article you will feel the same way!! Good luck!!

Sabrina

Increasing Visual Literacy Skills

Lance, Wilhelm. (2005). Increasing Visual Literacy Skills With Digital Imagery. THE Journal. Retrieved March 25, 2008, from http://thejournal.com/articles/17145

I enjoyed this article because it gave ideas on how a teacher could use a digital camera to both increase their own productivity, as well as increase the visual literacy of their students.

Ideas for the teacher:

• Take a photo of each child on the first day of school and put in a book along with contact/important information to help you learn more about your students
  
• Take photos of your white board instead of copying all notes
• Teach students how to import and organize photos
• Teach students how to create slide shows of images
• Teach students how to photograph a process (like planting a seed)
• Teach students how to make a photo journal (maybe from a field trip)
• Teach students ethical aspects of using other's images
  

Ideas for the students:

• Put students in pairs to go out and take specific photos (if they are young, you may want a volunteer to go with them, too)
• Students import photos
• Students edit photos
• Students create using photos (slide shows, photo journals, steps of a process, etc.)
  

To do all of these wonderful things, you do need one thing in particular: A DIGITAL CAMERA!!
Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a camera for student use:

• If the school is purchasing, make sure all cameras are the same (this helps cut down on learning time)
• Camera should be durable
• Camera should be user friendly
• Camera should easily allow you to store/export photos
• Cost: compare mega-pixels to price

Other tips:

• Set up a procedure for erasing images once they are uploaded
• Keep the batteries charged
• Learn and teach about the camera's specific settings

These are just a few things to keep in mind when thinking about using a digital camera in your classroom. Remember, that the instruction should come first...the camera should be a tool to achieve your learning goals. As previously stated, the use of digital cameras does tend to motivate students to stay engaged and do better and higher-level work. According to Wilhelm (2005), "The use of images is becoming more pervasive in modern culture, and schools must adapt their curricula and instructional practices accordingly. Visual literacy is becoming more important from a curricular standpoint as society relies to a greater degree on images and visual communication strategies. Thus, in order for students to be marketable in modern society, they must acquire visual literacy skills." These statements really underscore the need for educators to provide more practice and application of digital media in the classroom...the cameras just make it FUN (I think)!! Happy Snapping!

Sabrina