Final+Project

toc

Final Projects:
You can add a link or embed your work

Erin
Click here to see my final project page

John
My final project

Kristy
Each year, in conjunction with a unit on simple machines, my second graders learn about inventions and inventors. They begin by learning about the concepts of work, force, and the scientific definition of a "machine". After they have a secure understanding of the inclined plane, wedge, screw, lever, wheel and axle, and pulley, I ask them to brainstorm a common everyday problem experienced by either a family member or themselves. Students are asked to imagine a gadget that will help to solve this everyday problem. Requirements for the project (beyond my expectations that gadgets will be students imagined and created, beyond the obvious adult help with sharp or dangerous tools) include that the gadget must include one inclined plane, and a second simple machine of their choice. It can be made out of any material, although I encourage the kids to recycle and "build green" where ever possible. In previous years, we've culminated our Invention study with an "Invention Convention". The families and friends of my second grade inventors are invited to come and see all our offerings, and talk with the various inventors. It has always been a fun and rewarding way to wrap up our unit, and I always take pictures of each invention to be included on my class webpage, and/or exported into an iPhoto picture book. (The books are always a "hot commodity" during free reading time!) HOWEVER... every year I have at least one student who, for a variety of reasons, does not have a guest to join us at our Invention Convention. Usually this is due to full-time working parents and other reasons. Although I always find a "substitute guest", such as the principal or other important grown-up from school, it's never the same for the student who has no family member attending. So next year I plan to "ramp up" this unit by including those invention photos in a classroom Voicethread. I will have students record audio regarding their creations, as well as utilizing the Voicethread drawing tool. I found this to be VERY handy in outlining the various simple machines included in each invention. My hope is that working (or otherwise occupied)families will now be able to offer feedback not only to their child, but the entire class! Further, grandparents or other family members living at a distance can comment on the gadget as well! I'm excited about this upgrade to my invention unit, especially since I'll be able to get "more bang for the buck", especially since the pictures always get taken anyway! Please comment! media type="custom" key="4083431" []

Michelle
http://usmepc511.wikispaces.com/Testing

Pam
A Seed, A Promise- Using a viocethread to show evidence of new learning.

http://voicethread.com/share/557671/

media type="custom" key="4086005"

Sandy
Welcome to Canal School- A map and introduction using vodcasting for new students.

Stacy
Laptop Luau - Vodcasting using PhotoStory

Claire
http://voicethread.com/share/557388/ media type="custom" key="4085887"

USTream Presentation
media type="custom" key="4087017"

Chat
Unfortuantely we don't have Sandy, Pam or John's projects in chat, so be sure to listen to theirs on the UStream!

alicebarr-1: HE is going to have the students study for a test based on these videos 1:22 cheryloakes50: This is such a good model for other HS teachers. 1:22 tekint: good job, the students will embelish their videos 1:22 alicebarr-1: Questions from chat room? 1:23 technatude: I like it that you're willing to try even though you don't know how its all going to work out yet 1:23 mdubey: Great Project!!! 1:23 cheryloakes50: technatude, I agree, it is good to take a risk in front of students 1:24 rossc: great tool for kids who may be home sick for a week! 1:24 technatude: http://laptop-luau.wikispaces.com/ 1:25 alicebarr-1: Stacy is in grades 3 - 5 tech integration 1:25 cheryloakes50: Bob, this would be a good project to make a tour of the new laptops for WES teachers, thanks Stacy for this great idea. 1:26 cheryloakes50: Oh, I like your explaination of Zamzar. Plus I think mp4 can also go on the itouch/ipod/iphone 1:27 edueyeview: Mp4 is the new way to go with all the ipod options and itunes on the mac laptops (for those who have them) 1:27 cheryloakes50: Good idea to take something they are comfortable with and extend it. 1:27 alicebarr-1: HEy Sarah 1:27 edueyeview: Thanks for tweeting Cheryl! 1:27 cheryloakes50: Hi edueyeview 1:28 edueyeview: This is really great. 1:28 cheryloakes50: You bet Sarah and thanks to Deb for tweeting out to me. 1:28 DebBarrows: Hi Sarah 1:28 edueyeview: Hey there Deb! 1:28 kayaker1204: WOW!!! Very thorough! 1:29 cheryloakes50: Friendly competition! Very nice, Stacy. 1:29 mdubey: Sounds like fun!! 1:29 michaudp: I love the idea! Can I come? Wonderful!!! 1:29 sprankle: have to go all! Thanks! wonderful work! 1:29 edueyeview: This is a great intro for new teachers. The entry threshold is really low. 1:29 alicebarr-1: Questions from chat room? 1:29 cheryloakes50: By Bob, have a good afternoon. 1:29 DebBarrows: Did the teachers have laptops before? 1:29 edueyeview: Love the friendly competition aspect. 1:30 cheryloakes50: Good luck to you Stacy. 1:30 tekint: great idea stacy 1:30 alicebarr-1: Bye Bob, Thanks for coming! 1:31 edueyeview: What are teachers using for their blogs and wikis? 1:31 edueyeview: Or do they have school web pages on a school server? 1:31 technatude: we have a school blogging server, but most teachers are using wikispaces or pb wiki 1:32 technatude: pbworks 1:32 technatude: thanks 1:32 edueyeview: Great. Thanks. 1:32 mdubey: http://usmepc511.wikispaces.com/Testing 1:32 alicebarr-1: Michelle is middle school 1:32 alicebarr-1: tech integrator 1:33 edueyeview: Fun use for Voicethread. Great way to make it accessible without too much information being exchanged by the students. 1:35 DebBarrows: I've got to run - thanks for sharing. 1:35 alicebarr-1: THanks for coming Deb! 1:35 edueyeview: We've been doing that in Wiscasset too. 1:35 edueyeview: The gmail faux emails 1:36 cheryloakes50: Michelle, I used the gmail for my 8th graders in a ning project. 1:36 cheryloakes50: Here is an avatar maker I used with the 8th graders. http://illustmaker.abi-station.com 1:36 edueyeview: It's also a great back end control when (not if) they forget their passwords, etc. 1:36 cheryloakes50: yes edueyeview, it does help on the teacher end. 1:37 technatude: nice info 1:37 alicebarr-1: I love how she has organized all this info 1:37 alicebarr-1: Easily shared with teachers 1:37 edueyeview: I did that on one voicethread too - the many identity thing - and had the kids record their reflections and then uploaded them. It was easier than having all the kids use one laptop 1:37 cheryloakes50: Michelle, you may want to check with your tech people and MLTI since the whole state now has access to free epal accounts that may help too. 1:39 edueyeview: Embedding voicethread in a wiki is great - kids really prefer a one-stop shopping rather than trying to find a bunch of different links. 1:39 alicebarr-1: Cheryl or Sarah: Do you know if youc an archive the chat here? 1:39 kayaker1204: Super job, Michelle! 1:39 edueyeview: I think you have to copy and paste to save the chat. . . 1:40 jcaterinajr: this looks great, michelle! 1:40 cheryloakes50: Oh, Alice, I DK, will check the FAQ right now. 1:40 cheryloakes50: Nice job Michelle. 1:40 davieser: I like that even if your Spanish teacher goes 1:1 with pen pals, other students can log in and hear what theyr are talkig about - therefore learning about each other 1:41 rossc: Very cool to have french speakers with translating speaker 1:41 alicebarr-1: SO far can only copy and paste the window 1:41 michaudp: Fabulous job!!! 1:41 tekint: great job michelle 1:41 edueyeview: Great idea with the self-portrait as avatar. 1:41 alicebarr-1: Questions? 1:42 edueyeview: When having kids do audio recording remember to find a quiet and private space without too much echo for recording if you can. 1:43 edueyeview: Even my hs kids get really self conscious talking into any recording device, laptop or other. 1:45 edueyeview: Got to run, but this is great! Thanks so much for sharing. Will you have the rest of the projects linked from the wiki? I'd love to explore more of them. 1:45 cheryloakes50: bye sarah 1:45 alicebarr-1: All of the projects will be on wiki [] Final Project page 1:45 edueyeview: Thanks - bye! 1:47 cheryloakes50: Alice, I can't find any FAQ, but I set my chat to show all the participants on the side and then I could go to the t op and copy all the chat, I will email from 1:22. 1:47 davieser: http://erindavies.wikispaces.com/Final+Project 1:47 alicebarr: Bye Sarah 1:47 loonyhiker: I'm really enjoying this! 1:48 cheryloakes50: Hi loonyhiker! Beautiful day here is it still for you? 1:48 kayaker1204: Meow! Great job! 1:48 kayaker1204: Meow! great info! 1:48 alicebarr-1: @loonyhiker Thanks! 1:49 alicebarr-1: Fun to see what they have learned in 1 week 1:49 kayaker1204: Meow! Nice work! 1:49 cheryloakes50: Erin, I like this project! I am going to send it to my world language teachers. 1:49 alicebarr-1: @cheryloakes50 Thank you ! 1:51 loonyhiker: @alice: sorry that this may have already been asked, but where did you get the spinner from? i like that! 1:51 cheryloakes50: Did the comments disappear when you used the embed code? 1:52 cheryloakes50: They usually do, I agree. I think it is the full moon. 1:52 loonyhiker: could it be the browser? 1:52 alicebarr-1: ONly on some 1:52 alicebarr-1: Not consistent 1:52 alicebarr-1: Very weird problem 1:52 loonyhiker: i love voicethread! 1:52 alicebarr-1: Oh spinner, I will put link in when she's done 1:53 cheryloakes50: I think VT is such a great tool for all grade levels and for college level too! Loonyhiker, don't you use it in your college classes? 1:54 alicebarr-1: LOVE VT hope it behaves better for Erin and her students 1:54 jcaterinajr: this will be a great project. good job! 1:54 michaudp: They'll enjoy doing it too! Super! 1:55 kayaker1204: I like your project, Erin! 1:55 mdubey: Great Project Erin!! And thanks for all your help!!!! 1:55 alicebarr-1: Sunny Outside they want to go 1:55 tekint: super idea erin 1:55 technatude: loved it Erin, I think the kids will have fun with it 1:55 loonyhiker: @cheryloakes50 yes, and i gave a presentation for the district on voicethread using voicethread :) 1:55 cheryloakes50: great job 1:55 alicebarr: Spinner [] 1:56 loonyhiker: thanks! u r so wonderful! 1:56 cheryloakes50: Loonyhiker that is so smart, then people can refer to it whenever they need to. 1:56 alicebarr: Kristy teaches grade 2 1:56 loonyhiker: i then embedded it into my wiki for future reference :) 1:57 kayaker1204: Here's a direct link to VT for my project. [] 1:57 loonyhiker: i was surprised how "into" VT the participants were and how they started to brainstorm ways to use it! 1:57 loonyhiker: @kayaker1204 thx for the link! 1:58 alicebarr-1: I think VT is such a great tool for teachers that are wanting to get into tech 1:58 alicebarr-1: So flexible 1:58 alicebarr-1: And works *MOST* of the time 1:59 alicebarr-1: It also allows for bringing in alot of other tools that work in tandem 1:59 loonyhiker: @alicebarr and i demonstrated how to make one - fast and easy (that's so important for ppl!) 1:59 alicebarr-1: With it 1:59 alicebarr-1: @loonyhiker, yes exactly!!! 2:00 alicebarr-1: Kristy is a pioneer in her school... 2:02 michaudp: I agree! 2:02 cheryloakes50: Kristy I like how you explained the different parts of voicethread, that is so important for students to focus on the voice and the visual. 2:03 cheryloakes50: What a fun project. 2:03 davieser: I love the sharing aspect (to family and friends all over the world) that you spoke of! 2:03 mdubey: Just what I was going to say Cheryl! 2:03 rossc: I like the drawing part - it's a way for the kids to say "I'd like you to notice this especially." 2:04 michaudp: I love it! 2:04 cheryloakes50: Excellent presentations to you all 2:04 loonyhiker: *clap clap 2:04 jcaterinajr: Great project, Kristy! 2:04 alicebarr-1: How do you get parents to work with kids? 2:04 davieser: asking them how they solve their problems is great! really enforces the problem solving as an important learning 2:05 alicebarr-1: Love the problem solving aspect 2:05 tekint: great idea, it's always god for the kids to work with their parents, it helps them to understandd what their kids are doing 2:06 loonyhiker: great way for kids to interview family members about family stories 2:06 alicebarr-1: Claire teaches sixth grade 2:06 alicebarr-1: LAst presentation 2:07 loonyhiker: @alicebarr is this being taped to share with others? 2:07 rossc: [] 2:08 alicebarr-1: @loonyhiker Yes it is 2:09 alicebarr-1: Building relationships very important 2:09 cheryloakes50: This is perfect a great introduction!! to school. 2:09 alicebarr-1: INteresting how many ESL learners Maine now has and how that is changing how we 2:10 kayaker1204: Great introduction to the school, Claire! 2:10 alicebarr-1: use these tools 2:10 technatude: great idea. the more information we can give kids the more comfortable they'll be with the transition 2:11 michaudp: I love this idea,even for primary schools 2:12 cheryloakes50: this is great for extending the school day and giving kids a platform for sharing their school life 2:12 davieser: think it is great to model the use of this tool especially if you want to use it with your kids! 2:12 kayaker1204: This would be great for incoming K students at my primary school! 2:12 tekint: super idea anything to make the kids feel more comfortable 2:12 kayaker1204: You could even have an "exiting" class prepare this as "advice to next year's class". 2:13 alicebarr-1: Questions? 2:13 cheryloakes50: kayaker1204, I like that idea too 2:13 davieser: even great for kids going to the high school level... kids still stress about transition no matter what age.. 2:13 kayaker1204: Thanks- I might use it next June:) 2:14 cheryloakes50: It would be good for the teacher to hear the student reflections from a year, great. 2:14 mdubey: WOW! 1 ON 1 for 6th grade! 2:15 kayaker1204: Alice Rocks! 2:15 mdubey: Thanks Alice for everything! 2:16 kayaker1204: Here, here! 2:16 tekint: Glad to spend the week with all of you! 2:16 cheryloakes50: Alice thanks for modeling how effective and important this is. By all 2:18 alicebarr: Thanks for coming :) 2:18 alicebarr: Great to have you here! 2:20 michaudp: []