LittleKidsBigPossibilities

= THIS IS NO LONGER USED FOR CATNIP...PLEASE SEE FALL CATALOG. = = Welcome to..........**Little Kids, Big Possibilities** =

__**Description**____:__ Learn about the what’s, how’s and why’s of using web 2.0 tools and social networking with elementary age students to enhance learning and student engagement. **__Presenter:__** Kelly Hines, Washington, North Carolina, USA **__Length of Presentation:__** 19:07 **2** CATNIP HOURS __**URL:**__ http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=440

__**Steps for completing the class**__
 * 1) **Register for the class in True North Logic.**
 * 2) **Write down the Essential Questions located below. You will want to refer to these as you are watching the video.**
 * 3) **Watch video presentation at URL listed above.**
 * 4) **Return to this wiki page to answer the Essential Questions and write a Summary**
 * 5) **Adding to this wiki**
 * 6) **Click on the Edit button located on the right - note that an Editor toolbar will appear**
 * 7) **Scroll down to the next empty spot**
 * 8) **Type in your name**
 * 9) **Write a brief answer for each question**
 * 10) **Write a brief summary as to how you might use this new information in your classroom**
 * 11) **When you are done click on Save in the Editor toolbar**

//If you have questions regarding entering information into this Wiki please contact Kim Thomas (kthomas@msd38.org).//

Your Name: Danielle Robb
 * Essential Questions**

1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? I think that wallwisher.com looks like something I could definitely use in my classroom anytime. I LOVE the idea of not having to login. I find that when websites take a lot of time to get into, I stay away from using them. I will use this website (especially the sticky note application) to share and organize student ideas. I can use this during ANY subject area. I love that you can move and organize the sticky notes into different categories.

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them? I think that, with anything new, it takes time to get used to using it. There will definitely be a learning curve. I think that the success of the website will depend upon my organization and my familiarity with the site. If I play with the site and explore the possibilities, I think that many of the problems will be eliminated before I even introduce this to the students.

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools. I think that making predictions will be a subject that I will use for this site. I can have the students write their prediction on a sticky note. Then as a class we can organize the predictions into different categories. After reading the story, we can then go back and sort the predictions by ones that came true and ones that were not true.

Summary: I really enjoyed watching this video, but I think it always helps to talk with other teachers who have used the tool that is being explained. Throughout the video I was focusing on ways that I could use wall wisher with students. I never thought about using a wall wisher with parents and staff! The teacher I spoke with said that she created a wall wisher and had parents post what they were going to bring to the class party. I think that it is awesome that anyone can see the wall wisher from any location as long as they have the link! I am excited to explore wall wisher in the future!

Your Name: Michelle Hebert 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? I can see using the graphics in comiqs. com in my first grade classroom. This would be a great resource for using visuals while teaching about predictions, inferences, sequencing and even adding details. These graphics could be printed as prompts for reading and writing lessons. They will also easily transfer into the smartboard. 2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them? Using the wordle site with first graders could prove some challenges. The nature of the different text directions and a lot of the words could be complicated for them to process.

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools. I use picture prompts to teach writing with frequently with my students. Using the comiqs website I can use the graphics available and even some of the other features such as creating a comic strip to enhance these writing lessons.

Summary: This clip covers possibilities that enhance learning and instruction in the classroom. Through programs such as Wallwisher, the interactive interface allows students to use and incorporate technology safely in the classroom without complicated logins. Additional programs such as Wordle allow for students to use their deductive reasoning of an event and lead to deep discussions. Other programs such as Comiqs.com or Edmodo could be very useful and practical in an elementary classroom. They have a variety of uses that can be completed with whole group instruction or are safe enough to let the students word on these sites independently.

Your Name: Jessica Boland 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? Wow! This course definitely had many ideas that I could see implementing in my classroom this year. In my classroom, we do a lot of brainstorming with charts. I could definitely see using Wall Wiisher instead. I like how the teacher and students are able to sort and categorize the information so quickly. I immediately thought of when I introduce measurement and ask them what they know. They know a little about everything, which I have to record in categories. I love that we as a class could generate the list and then develop our own categories. Now we are all doing the work rather than the teacher taking charge.

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them? The initial challenge for the students and I will be just getting comfortable with using the new programs. The students will adapt quite easily and probably will be helping me along. I would like to spend some time this summer playing with the various programs, especially when I start planning so that I can integrate technology effectively and purposefully.

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools. I teach editting with my students. It is extremely hard for my kids. Many times I feel as though I am coaching them too much so they do not take ownership. I love the idea of using wordle as a piece of the editing process. There they can paste their writing and it is obvious what words or phrases are repeated excessively in their writing. I do enjoy wordle, but I never applied it to something like editing. It is amazing to me all of the possibilities out there. I cannot wait to learn more about them.

Summary: This course introduced program that can enhance the teaching you already do, but in more effetcive and engaging ways. I was introduced to Wordle, Wall Wisher, Comic Creatures, Comic.com and Edmonto. I can defitely see myself using the majority of them.

Your Name: Desha Whitney-Wikle 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? I really like Wordle! As a Language Arts teacher, my brain is going over several ideas as to how to incorporate it in to my teaching. I think one way that would be really effective is using it to compare and contrast literature. I could use Wordle to compare and contrast a book from a movie. Wordle would also work really well highlighting individual characteristics of characters in a novel.

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them?

A challenge that may arise is getting the kids used to the new technology, but I think that I fear this more than them. I was also thinking that Edmodo.com would be so useful for maybe a weekly homework piece; having kids answer some novel review questions over nightly reading, but then, some kids do not have computers and I can already see the confusion. I think that that this problem can be overcome by allowing access to classroom computers.

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools.

I think Comic Creators is an incredible resource. At the end of every month my students must complete a book response over an assigned novel. I could definitely assign Comic Creators as one of the book responses. I could ask kids to use this technology to explain the plot of the story or even get more specific and have them focus on plot elements such as character or setting. I love it!

Summary:

Overall, I think these resources are great. I have been wanting to use Wordle for quite some time. I am also going to fool around with Edmodo right now and see how I can use it immediately.

Great Ideas, Thanks.

Your name: Jennifer Damante 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? Well I was thinking to start the new school year off by creating a class profile using wallwisher where each student will have a sticky note, an uploaded photo and a few fun facts about them. We can then sort each other into different groups based off a question and then break off and learn more about each other through an activity. I also would like to create a wordle of all of our names and discuss being a part of a community and the importance of teamwork.

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them? The challenge would be with me coming up with ideas on how to incorporate using these tools in my classroom. I know with continued use, the ideas will flow.I also saw some great ideas on the internet!

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools. I would like to try pasting text from a nursery rhyme using wordle and see if the students can identify which nursery rhyme it is. We would then say the nursery rhyme and continue with the teaching point. Something fun I think the kids would enjoy.

Summary: I am very pleased with the mini introduction to these new resources. I liked that I was able to pause the video and get in there and try it. I will continue to play around and think of others ways to incorporate these new tools in my classroom. I am looking forward to sharing these new opportunities to enhance learning with my colleagues.

Your Name: Melissa Coon 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? I really enjoyed learning these new tools, it's hard to choose between the wordle or wallwisher to start with. My first thought is to start with wallwisher.com. When starting a new unit in Math it may be nice to use this as a KWL chart or something like that. It will be interesting to see how the students categorize diff. math terms.

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them? My biggest challenge would be remembering to use these tools for my math class. I can see it easier in a LA class or SS class, but more chanllenging for Math. I think the more I use and practice these tools, the easier it will be.

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools. Teaching upper grade Math, there seems to be more vocabulary and relationships. I can see using the wordle to involve students in a class discussion about math terms and vocabulary.

Summary: I really enjoyed this video. I felt it was easy to understand and follow. I like how there were slides, examples and an opportunity to try them out. I'm excited to use these tools and share the ideas with others.

Your Name: Adam Coon 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? There are many opportunities to have class discussions teaching Social Studies. I really want to try and use the wordle.net to start up some conversations. There are many events, vocabulary, people and places that we talk about and learn and by using the wordle tool either at the beginning of a lesson or at the end for a review, will be interesting and fun for the kids.

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them? The biggest challenge I see in implementing these strategies is remembering to use them and finding the time to do it. There have been many times that I find myself either running out of time, or trying to squeeze things in that if I don't use them I might forget about them. These tools are something that I want to try and keep in my plans.

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools. With any of the units I have taught, I could easily incorporate the wallwisher tool. It's a great place to organize notes, sort facts and opinions and have class discussions as well. This will be a great tool that I will be able to see and monitor student progress and understanding of a unit.

Summary: I really enjoyed this video and look forward to encorporating these tools into my SS lessons. I think by incorporating more technology into my lessons will not only keep the students involved more but will keep the conversations going.

Your Name: Jamie Kozimor 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? I would be able to use Wordle for main idea as well as predictions. 2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them? My challenge would be in familiarizing myself with the technology, and including that specific learning piece in the planning. Having a "technology pal" would help me be accountable and would be a support as I try new things. Edmodo would be another place to try our ideas and get teacher feedback. 3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools. I could use Wordle to compare and contrast characters.

Summary: This video clip showcased several tools that can be incorporated in my lessons, as well and communication tools: wallwisher, wordle, comics.com, and edmoto. I am looking forward to using these with my smartboard.

Your Name: Mike Brauer

1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it? I could use Wordle immediately in order to assess student knowledge of characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. I would follow the example shown with "Guess the Historical Event," and have the students choose between two characters based on the descriptors/quotes provided. The kids would love it!

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them? One challenge that came to mind right away relates to the post-it note concept in Wallwisher. Believe it or not, some 8th graders have a tendency to write inappropriate comments. When I reviewed this section of the video, however, I saw that it is possible to use a setting that requires the teacher's approval before questions/comments are posted.

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools. I think Wallwisher could enhance my presentation of the traditional notecard research project. I could use the manipulation feature to demonstrate and "think aloud" the process of organizing information.

Summary: Little Kids, Big Possibilities introduces the viewer to four child-friendly/child-safe websites that can enhance both teaching and learning. Wallwisher allows students to utilize electronic post-it notes to present information to the teacher and their peers. Wordle allows the user to enter text and present it in a fun, assessment-friendly format. Comic Creators allows students to add text to word clouds in downloaded cartoons, and Edmodo is essentially an academic networking site for students and teachers to communicate online.

Your Name: 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it?

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them?

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools.

Summary:

Your Name: 1. What is one idea that you can see using with your students tomorrow in your classroom? How will you use it?

2. What challenges can you see in implementing some of these strategies with your students? How might you overcome them?

3. Please share an idea of something that you already teach that could modify to incorporate one of these tools.

Summary: