Revisiting Search and Research

You asked for it, so here it is. For our last session of technology integration PD for the Foundations of American History group, we'll be looking again at using online search and research in the classroom as well as a couple of other ideas mentioned in the survey.

Want to help your students find and evaluate good resources

• Use the right tools - Google isn't really the best place for elementary students.
• Check the Symbaloo from "And I Still...Haven't Found...What I'm Looking For" - Online Research Skills
• Check Livebinder from  Foundations of American History Project - December 3rd/4th 2010
• The Teacher Channel - "Improve Research Skills with Effective Keywords"
• The Teacher Channel - "Using Critical Thinking to Find Trustworthy Websites"
• "Got Credibility?" - website evaluation Google document for students. Click on "File" - "Make a Copy" to create your own version to use. (Document adapted from Catlin Tucker)

• Catlin Tucker - "Google Search: 10 Questions & Answers to Help You Search Smarter"
• SMUSD Digital Literacy - Online Professional Development

Want to know how to get your students going on the SMUSD Cloud Google Apps?

• Go to cloud.smusd.org
• Student username = first.last####@smusd.org (#### = last 4 digits of student ID)
• Student password = birthday as yyyymmdd
• See the SMUSD.org - Technology Department - Video Tutorials and How-to Articles for more on accessing the SMUSD Cloud and Google Apps

Want to start blogging with students?

• While there are blogging features available as part of Schoolwires and My Big Campus, my non-SMUSD connected recommendation is Kidblog.org.
• Can control how private/open it is
• No student emails needed
• No ads
• Parent access option
• Classroom blog content suggestions
• Lesson plans to help your kids get started with blogging and commenting
• Commenting guidelines
• Evaluating student blogging efforts
• Connect your class with others around the globe by signing up with Quadblogging.com

Looking for history-related virtual field-trips?

• Library of Congress - You can request a video conference on one of the listed topics
• National Parks Service - Multiple topics are offered related to American History
• Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) - you can search for a topic (ex: American History) and find content providers. Please note: many of these include a cost or may no longer be available.
• Colonial Williamsburg - cost involved
• "A Teacher's Ultimate Destination for Virtual Field Trips"

"And I Still... Haven't Found... What I'm Looking For "- Online Research Skills

AHF: Let Freedom Ring

Here are all the links mentioned in the Web.2.0 technology integration portion of the October 2012 PD session

Blogs

• Brian Crosby class blog
• Lisa Parisi class blog 1
• Lisa Parisi class blog 2
• QuadBlogging

I'd recommend using one of the following services if you're interested in blogging with your students.  They are both aimed at education blogging and don't require student emails in order to set up your class.  KidBlog in particular also let's you determine how open or closed your student blogs are to the outside world.

• KidBlog
• Edublogs 

Wikis

• AHFoundations wiki from 2011-2012
• Brian Crosby class project wiki
• Lisa Parisi collection of project wikis
• AHF Let Freedom Ring wiki - 2012-2013 + ???

Video Part 1

Video Part 2

Sharing Student Work for 2011-2012

As mentioned early on in the year, you will be presenting student work samples year instead of putting together a PowerPoint, Prezi, etc. Since the original plan for attaching documents to your blog posts isn't going to work quite as hoped, we've worked out an alternate plan.  You have a couple of choices as to how you'd like to share your student samples.

1. Ahfoundations.wikispaces.com
2. Livebinders - If you choose to use a Livebinder, please place a link to your Livebinder on your page of the Ahfoundations.wikispaces.com wiki.

You can embed or link documents, images, videos, or whatever else makes sense to show what your students have done to demonstrate their learning and growth related the Foundations project. You'll be sharing your student work via the wiki or Live binder at the May18th session.

More information about wikis and sample wikis- Wiki Wiki What?

Student Writing Reflection Part 2 - Analyzing Creatively

Sometimes, it is nice to change-up the way we reflect on our writing or thinking. A word cloud is one visual way to do a more creative analysis. Wordle is just one of those word cloud tools.

1. Select and Copy your writing
2. Go to Wordle.net or another word cloud program
3. Click on "Create"
4. In the first box, paste in the text you copied from your writing
5. Click on "Go"
6. Adjust the color, language preferences, layout, etc. 
7. You can now either print it, take a screen shot of it to use elsewhere, or post on a blog or website.
     7a. To post on a blog or website, you'll need to save to the public gallery (bottom of the page)
     7b. Once it finishes, scroll to the bottom, select and copy the HTML code
     7c. In your blog post or site, make sure you have enabled HTML editing.
     7d. Paste in the HTML code
     7e. Add any additional thoughts

Student Writing Reflection Part 1

Now that you have taken a close look at and discussed your student writing, take a few minutes to do a quick write about what you've observed. The following are some guiding ideas :

• What does it show about their understanding?
• What does it show about their writing skills?
• What is the connection to the rest of their academic/intellectual growth?
• What does it show about your growth in teaching writing and/or social studies?
• What does it show about their challenges?
• What does it show in a positive way?
• What would you do differently?
• What would you make sure to do exactly the same way?
• Other observations

After the quick write, we'll be using a tool to analyze what you see.

Follow That Blog

For those of you who would like another way to access the blogs from from your colleagues and/or new blogs you may find, there is a way to do this by setting up an RSS reader to collect any new posts from blogs you select.  You can find information on RSS (Real Simple Syndication) and how to set up an RSS reader on the SMUSD website in the Technology Department blog Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) under the title Keeping Up With Your Reading.