Films or Documentaries: National Film Board

This website allows you to watch films produced by the National Film Board of Canada OR you can subscribe. You search by genre or related keywords....for example: animated film/children film www.nfb.ca/film http://beta.nfb.ca/

Short Film and Commercials

I had posted this reflection on Johan's site....I decided to post it to mine as well.

Congratulations to Mr. A. Perotta and students at St. Basil's the Great College School!

It was an evening of showcasing the digital work the students created at Yorkdale Silvercity. It was encourging to see how creative students can be if given the opportunity to express themselves in a manner other than in written form. Students love technology, so why not encourage them to use it to benefit them in education as well? They communicated much more readily than they would have if asked to do so in a format other than this form of media. The commercials and documentaries allowed for their talents to be exhibited. There was no shortage of ideas.

This definitely was a cross curricular activity. Areas such as Social Skills, reading, writing, filming, editing.....to name a few, are worked in making these films and commercials. Most importantly, characteristics such as perseverance, determination and patience were apparent. What a sense of accomplishment! A job well done.

Digital Book

Each of my students wrote a poem fashioned after Margaret Wise Brown's book, "The Important Book". We then decided to take these poems and create our own book....A digital book using Photostory.

The Important Book

Math Playground...Interactive

A great interactive site. A place to help students in word problems, math skills and logic puzzles....there are even math videos. Learn and have fun at the same time. http://www.mathplayground.com/

Tools to Translate

Everyone knows that Google has a tool called Google translate which is a free online translator. It supports many languages. http://translate.google.com/ Yahoo also has a translator tool called babelfish. http://ca.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt

Visit the world from your computer

In class we were studying Ancient Civilization--specifically Egypt. My students were looking at pictures but this was not enough. Then I remembered that Johan had mentioned a site that allows for Virtual Tours... On this site they were able to SEE panoramas as if they were actually standing there. A great site to explore. http://www.360cities.net/

Next time I'll incorporate this site as part of a fun task and introduce to them Google Earth as well.....If they don't already know about it........

Ideas

When I come across a great idea and find the many websites and tools that have been passed onto me, I will post them on this blog.

Thanks to everyone who have helped me and still do....

Thanks to Johan for the computer course and for sharing...and no Johan, just because I came to the course with quite a bit of knowledge, I was not bored. I enjoyed myself.

Bulletin Board of Creative Comics

Final Pic showcasing my students' comics.....I promised them that I would post this!

Comics using Bitstrips....Point of view of a Trojan about the Trojan War By: Alexis, Helen, Maia, Anton and Daniel

Jing........Capture your work

Thanks to my professors for letting me know about the screen capture!! Jing: http://www.jingproject.com/ Enjoy.

While at MSVU

A couple of years ago at MSVU I had the pleasure of studying under diverse professors and researchers. Critical Literacy: Digital Literacies and New Literacies were a part of my studies.

Jerome Harste and Vivian Vazquez helped me explore conducive environments for literacy learning through inquiry. Reading to children, exploration and life's experiences are what lead to critical literacies. They demonstrated how to enable children the ability to critically discuss text. Read, Read, Read...was their Mantra...They loved Picture Books!

I was also introduced to and met Colin Lankshear and Michele knobel, Rebecca Black and Paul Gee. Through them my eyes were opened to a world of literacies that I needed to take advantage of more often. I learned about the benefits and implications of learning via media. I got hooked on RPGs; I was introduced to the world of fanfiction, wikis and social networking sites. I even learned what a Pecha Kucha was! Why fight it?? This is also critical literacy...

Many Media Tools and ideas and curricular engagements were passed on to me...All of their published books and research back up what I learned.

Thanks

Edheads.......Science

What a fantastic way to have students learn Science while playing.

A very cool site that can be used interactively with your SmartBoard. On this site you will discover: some virtual simulations, simple machines, compound machines and design a cell phone.....

http://www.edheads.org/

This is my second year using this site with my classes........very fun!!

Audacity......Tools

The last several years, I've been introduced to many TOOLS to use in order to be creative and innovative. It's great when you are directed to sites where you can download software for free. Thanks to Johan who shared audio software with me. Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ I share this with you. Enjoy.

Music for Projects--free broadcast use

If you need music for a project, students can use Free Play Music.....it is free. The site states that FreePlay Music is free for personal, private and non-commercial use. Just click on the picture and browse.

Comics Is Literacy

A secure and safe environment teachers and students can log in to. A great way for students of ALL ages to write and create through comics. Even the reluctant writer will participate. http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/ My class and I had fun using this site.

Video Converter

Youtube downloader is a free software that everyone can download. It allows one to convert videos videos for Ipod, Iphone, PSP, Cell Phone, Windows Media, XVid and MP3. http://download.cnet.com/YouTube-Downloader/3000-2071_4-10647340.html This site has a publisher’s description of software and comments and ratings from people who have used this software in order to give prospective downloaders a chance to feel at ease about using software. I found this site as a link from BienneSoft (http://youtubedownload.altervista.org/). This site guarantees the Youtube downloader is free of malware, spyware, viruses, Trojans and backdoors.

Power4Bones

Power4Bones is a free program that teaches grade 5 children about bone health. This program uses a variety of activities. There are Web-based challenges, educational comics, coded secret messages, classroom announcements, and a public service announcement activity. Once registered you receive a FREE coordinated learning tools kit. I've done it and students love it! Enjoy! http://www.power4bones.com/