Thing #2

Wordle
Students can use this to reflect on TAKS vocabulary, CCP genre features, science words that were acquired,and high frequency words for reading. Wordle brings lilt and vitality to any subject area. Students will find Wordle to be easy and students can pair/share their work. In addition, Wordle can be utilized to help students find the main idea, context clues, "right there" answers to any TAKS passage.

Voicethread
For the struggling reader, Voicethread can assist this type of student to retell a story or answer comprehension questions about a given story. Students will feel empowered and not threatened. Students reading at a lower DRA level can succeed and make gains with confidence. This is also true for stuggling writers. Students who dread to write can take a step by step approach and use Voicethread to produce, share, and receive feedback--great to use with CCP.

Voki
I really liked Voki because emailing can be more personal and add a little something extra to the recipients. For students, Voki can be personalized and students can practice their writing skills by emailing each other or the teacher. As a teacher, I know that receiving an email from my student(s)is a wonderful form of expression.

Bookr
This can be utilized by the students as a sort of prewriting tool. Bookr offers the students an opportunity to "picture" their form of writing--be it essay, q&a, book review, or personal story. Moreover, Bookr can be used as a story arc for certain stories that were read independently, during guided reading, or for TAKS practice. Students can visualize their products for reading or writing with ease. Think about it, this is a great tool to use for summarizing a story, or for making a story map via pictures. For the teacher, Bookr offers many opportunities to see where the student has progressed, having problems, or has made improvements.

Library2Play 2: Thing #1

Wow! The video displayed a whole new world of information for students to ascertain, and yet the student has the teacher to provide guidance, proper etiquette, and how to generate feedback. The world of blogging brings knowledge to the student, and this knowledge is generated to many people. It's amazing how one question or a search for knowledge is just a click away.

Sara The Belles

Today I have said good-bye to my beautful black Havana rabbit named Sara The Belles. Some people may think it silly, but I don't. She gave me joy when I was sad, and jump around the house with such zest. She was the pet I always wanted. Yes, I cried very hard because she has been a blessing to me for several years.

I will miss her very much, and I am so glad that she was a part of my life. Now she will hop in heaven and run through the gardens without barriers or pain.

Thing #23 - Summary of my Journey to the Wizard of Blog

I have finally reached the Land of Blog, and most importantly, I have seen the Great Wizard of Blog! My journey started late due to summer school, and I took each step and followed the yellow brick road until I arrived to the Great Wizard of Blog.

My favorite discovery was 2.0 Award List which gave oodles of tools to experiment, select, and download. This list is something every teacher should try and use in her classroom. I spent countless hours with this list. I enjoyed the different categories that were formulated, and I did not even know that this list existed.

I had to get out of my box in order to work on library2play, and build my confidence in the world of technology. Yes, I was afraid, but with each completed task, I had to enthusiasm to go forth and reach the Land of Blog.

This program was formulated with "the end in mind". Library2play planted a seed and it is up to us to nurture our journey by continuing to blog and write. Imagine if every teacher had the experience to work with library2play, our classrooms would be booming with students learning and enjoying coming to school.

The only improvement I would make is to allow more time to play and experiment with 2.0 Award List. As I said before, this part brings together all of the steps and tasks that were experienced before this step.

I would certainly take library2play again and again! I learned so much by doing and built a wealth of knowledge as I moved from step to step. This sure does beat sitting in a large room with oodles of people on Saturday morning. I was able to take my time and enjoy the learning.

Library2play allows teachers to learn via hands-on while building a wealth of knowledge to use in the classroom! Kuddos!

Thing #22 Nings

Nings are tools that would be great for teachers. Several things I liked about TeacherLingo: share photos, connect with other in a teaching community, it is also divided into categorical levels: elementary, middle, high school, and college. Of course there are other areas.

I like TeacherLingo because it's a community that I can feel comfortable and partake of the advice and ideas. I have joined this community, and I will visit it freguently!

Thing #21 Vidcast

This project took some time and muscle grease to go step at a time. This vidcast did have music when I did this. I know somewhere in the Land of Blog the music plays softly--"Theme from a summer place".

Thing #20 Teachertube

I selected this video because pictures are worth so much to students. This video and others that I have seen are so important in linking concepts to the "real thing". This video will show the processes involved in a lunar eclipse. I know I will hear the "wows and cool" from my students.

In science, or many other subjects, there are so many times that introducing the concept and letting the children watch a short video will make learning fun. Imagine letting the students watch this short video and allowing them to jot downa few notes. Presto, you have an anticipatory set!