Storybird

Love, Juan and I just created our first digital story with Storybird.  It is aimed at students ages 8-12 and includes story elements that students learn about throughout the year in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade.  We hope you enjoy Simple Gestures. 

Animoto

As I did some research on educational ways to use Animoto within the classroom setting, I realized the possibilities are pretty much endless.  Some teachers use them in lieu of flashcards, helping students to recognize and learn sight words, spelling patterns, and new vocabulary. Other teachers use them as a way to introduce or review concepts and material covered in science or social studies units.  I saw a examples of teachers and students creating Animoto videos to demonstrate math processes in order to reinforce instruction as well as understanding of a given math topic.  Still, there were many other uses, including scavenger hunts, movie trailers, poetry presentations, research reports and oh so many more!  What I can conclude from the various examples I watched, is that if you can dream it, Animoto can help you do it!  

The first video I made was of my students participating in an experiential learning activity as part of our Social Studies unit on the Civil War.  For this simulation the students acted the part of Union Soldiers fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg.  The classroom was set up in stations that mimicked actual places at the battle sight including a campfire and surgeon's tent.  Throughout the day the students learned about the battle and poor medical care during the Civil War, problem solved real Gettysburg situations, ate hardtack, sang campfire songs, treated battle wounds, read and wrote letters to loved ones, and even took cover when they heard the Confederate soldiers attacking.  Using Animoto's "Old Glory" themed template, I added the pictures and some simple text to create an exciting recap of the day for students to enjoy and reflect on.  

The second video I made was also related to our Social Studies curriculum, but this time it served as an introduction to the unit on Immigration and Industrialization.  This decision was based mostly on timing, seeing as though that is what we are currently studying.  However, it was also made to help students see the connection between immigration and industrialization in the United States, as well as provide a visual aid of the immigrant experience to prepare them for their Ellis Island simulation coming up next week. The first thing I did to create this video was extract the Enduring Understandings from the unit  so I could use them as its framework.  Based on the content of the enduring understandings, I found photos to accompany each one in order to bring the words to life and give meaning to the concepts that are being taught.  Finally I downloaded the song, "Isle of Hope" to serve as the music for the video because it is told from the point of view of an immigrant and portrays the highs and lows of the voyage.  The end product is a video that I showed to introduce the unit, and will show again to review the unit.  My hope is that my students were able to obtain some background knowledge on this topic as they start to learn more about it, become familiar with the enduring understandings, and see first-hand accounts of this time period in history.   Although it may not be the best Animoto ever made, I think it definitely serves its purpose!  Enjoy! 

Global Read Aloud

So, I just signed up to participate in the 2014 Global Read Aloud!  I actually just learned about it today after reading up on the Global Read Aloud blog.  As a teacher I read aloud to my students every day, even as fifth graders.  Research has shown the benefits of reading to students of all ages because it models fluency, expression and vocabulary development among other reading skills and strategies.  When teachers read out loud to students often times it is a book that is too hard for them to read on their own, but one that students are really interested in reading.  When used as an instructional opportunity, read alouds engage students of all reading levels and invite them to participate in conversations, ask and answer questions, and even debate over certain topics and issues.  There is a lot of merit to whole class read alouds, so when I heard about the Global Read Aloud I was intrigued to learn more.  Basically, the premise of this event is to connect students all across the world with one book.  For 6 weeks in October every teacher and class who signs up to participate reads the same book and then shares their thoughts, feelings and reactions to it with students in other towns, states, and countries.  This communication can be with one, two, or as many other classes as the teacher feels suitable, and can be made through email, blogs, skype, and facetime.  Knowing the valuable conversations that take place within the classroom about a book we are all reading together, I can only imagine how rich and meaningful the discussions will be with other classes in other parts of the world.  Additionally, by bringing students from all areas of the world together in such a way, students can see what it's like to live someplace other than their town, and also learn how living in another country can affect the way people view certain topics or issues.  

I am excited to try out this new journey with my students this fall and anticipate many positive outcomes from the experience.  All that is left to do now is decide which book we will read!  

My Favorite Student Project

One of the benefits of teaching fifth grade is that the students are independent, creative, and have a lot of the skills and stamina necessary to complete long term projects.  Starting in April my students start to experience the reality of juggling multiple assignments and deadlines.  For some students this challenge is easily met as they learn time management skills and make good use of their class time, for others it’s a realization that as they move into the upper grades of increasing demands they need to get their time management together ASAP.  That being said, my favorite project that fifth grade students complete is also the longest to complete, and can be hard to manage.  However, the value of the project is irrefutable and students love completing the Heritage Book Project.  

Heritage books are worked on during the social studies unit on immigration and industrialization, as well as coincide with Immigration Day.  The purpose of these books is to give students a way for them to learn more about themselves, their families, and their heritage.  Students choose one country from which they are known decedents of and conduct research on what life was like was like for people living there during the big waves of immigration, why people wanted to come to America, what their journey was like, and what they did once they got here.  As students learn more about their heritage through their family tree, derivation of their last names, parent interview and family artifact they create final products to be put into the book.

Additionally all fifth grade students in my district participate in an authentic simulation of immigrating to America and getting processed at Ellis Island.  A week before the simulation students randomly draw descriptors to give an identity to their immigrant selves.  These descriptions include information about their health, education, wealth, occupation, image and character and make for authentic life stories that reflect real situations of immigrants.  On the day of the simulation students dress up as if they are real immigrants from their country of origin and are processed with the "immigrants" from two other elementary schools through stations at Ellis Island.  There is a lot of waiting in long lines, waiting in silence, unfamiliar faces and fear of deportation, just like at the real Ellis Island.  Throughout the day I take tons of picture of my students and print them in black and white.  The pictures are then added to their heritage books as a way of remembering an experience similar to ones their ancestors faced.  

Once the final projects are put together students have a book that is truly all about them, their families, and their past.  These books not only require teaching and learning across content areas, they provide authentic and meaningful learning experiences that students will remember for the rest of their lives.  In addition to all the new knowledge they acquire, students also gain a keepsake of special memories that they can cherish forever.