The End Is Really Just The Beginning !

   As I sit here preparing my last post for my class, I think about how nervous I was just a few months ago, to even think about creating a Blog. Also, running through my mind, is how will I ever be able to learn all these tools much less create a WEBSITE?? Oh my, I could never do any of those things, or could I ? Well, the answer turns out to be a hearty ~ YES!

   Throughout this course I have benefited from the knowledge and help of my instructor and classmates. There were sometimes when technology would not cooperate and frustration set in. After taking a deep breath and pushing forward, each project provided me with more confidence in myself and challenged me to look at things in different ways.

   I remain committed to utilizing these tools and techniques in my daily classroom instruction and eventually into my future Library Home! I also, find myself in a position to share these thoughts, ideas and strategies with curious teachers looking to incorporate technology into their daily instruction! While they say the end is bittersweet, with my newly gained confidence and knowledge, I know the end is merely a BEGINNING!

Stay tuned for more Adventures as I prepare for a new school year ...

Following Blogs to Stay Current

   On the subject of staying current, teachers are fortunate to have a wide variety of blogs out to follow. Using technology to help link us to people and ideas we might otherwise not have access to is a BRILLIANT thing! I have recently discovered the blog of Ms. Hamilton,  The Unquiet Librarian. I was most intrigued by her recent post on the concept of Makerspaces, which I have spent a great deal of time reading about lately. Check out the blog for some really great ideas!
http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/

 Following blogs is a great way to find great teaching ideas and thoughts for instruction. Got any good blogs to share?

Staying Current ~ A Must for Any Good Teacher or Libarian !

   When thinking about this important topic and how it relates to me currently as a third grade classroom teacher and hopefully in the future as a librarian, I look for ways to "keep up" and remain fresh. Luckily, AASL (American Association of School Librarians) has created a list for the 2014 Best Websites and Apps. Today, we are going to take a look at three of these websites and share some fun, innovative ways that we can use them in the library or classroom.

   I know teachers are not supposed to have favorites, but I do ~ with websites of course! Today's Meet is the first site I am sharing. My students and I use this site in my third grade classroom every day! In using this site for the first time, I set up my room (online), post my room details for students to log in--doing this step requires them only to sign in with their name. They do not need to join anything, pay for anything, agree to anything!! It is 100% FREE and totally easy to do! My kids log into my room every morning on their iPad. I can post it onto my Smart Board---all you need is a connection to the internet to make this little gem work. Now, WHY would you want to use this? Oh let me count the ways! In my language arts class, it has several uses:

•  In the morning, I will post a journal topic or writing assignment, soemthing I want kids to work on as they arrive. This eliminates the need for me to repeat myself 20 times as students enter the room! They will log in on their iPad or see it projected on the Smart Board and get right to work.
• I use it for a paper free, SAVE a tree exit pass! I will simply type in a question for them to answer. Say the lesson was on prefixes and suffixes ~ List two words that use the prefix re- and give the meaning of the root word with the prefix. They simply type their names and their answer!  (Criteria ~ I always say you have to come up with your own, no copying what someone else did--as they can see other answers on their screen!)
• Guided Reading ~ Literacy Stations ~ My students know that when I am with a group and they need me, instead of interrupting a classmate reading, they send me a message and I can see it on my iPad and respond without creating a disruption! 
• Food for Thought ~ I tell my kids that this is visible by classmates and me--So, think before your speak. This is not a chatline, we use it for educational purposes. 

   From the list I found a site that I have not used before but am brainstorming all the fun ways that I can use this one in class! It is KAHOOT! https://getkahoot.com/

    Here is what I learned about KAHOOT! It is a classroom response system that my students can access through their i Pads. Gonna make a QR code for my kiddos to use when accessing this one! I can create quizzes, discussions or even surveys--which they call "KAHOOTS" Funny!! This reminds me of an App I use called Socrative. It allows you to track progress through your assessments.

Here are my Classroom Thoughts for Implementation ~

• Using it for formative assessments ~ Quick Checks/On the Fly; Exit Passes.
• Post a Thick Question ~ Something I want kids to think about and respond to.
• Take a Survey ~ After reading a story, post a survey to allow students to share their thoughts and responses.
• Using it to create a fun review before an assessment

    The last website and certainly not least is POW TOON. I had fun creating a project in my class I with POW TOON. Now, I may just be going POW TOON crazy. POW TOON allows you to create this dynamic presentations that you can animate and show. It is a really exciting tool to give any presentation a real WOW factor! I am thinking of creating a POW TOON to introduce parents to me for our Open House and run it on my Smart Board. Check it out at http://www.powtoon.com/

   Hope you will take the time to check out these FREE sites and perhaps implement some of them this school year!

    Want to check out the list in its entirety? Here is a link to see the full list
http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/2014#curriculum

Techie Moment ~ QR Codes and Augmented Reality

   This week we have a really fun assignment!!  I am exploring both QR Codes and Augmented Reality and how to utilize these within the library and or classroom. Let's start first with QR Codes, why because I love them!! I use these daily in my classroom. QR codes are popping up everywhere now and are very easy to use with a big impact on instruction. My kids are QR Code Crazy. What is a QR Code? Here is how I described them to some co-workers while teaching them how to create and use QR Codes in daily instruction. Let me say that this is my version of a QR Code definition ~ QR stands for Quick Response code and it stores data or information that can be accessed by scanning the code with an iPhone or Smart Phone device. Make sure you have a QR Code reader app installed to be able to scan and read the code. There are lots of sites out there that you can use to create QR Codes

•  http://www.qrcode-monkey.com/
•  http://www.qrstuff.com/ 
• http://www.i-nigma.com/CreateBarcodes.html

Now, for the fun part ~ How can you use this little darlings in the library or classroom? Oh, let me count the ways!!

1. Create a Scavenger Hunt ~ Now, this one took time to get it all together but the kids loved it. My teamies and I set up a language arts activity around our building. Our kiddos worked in pairs to complete it. One student carried the iPad and the other a clipboard and activity sheet. They had a blast finding all the codes and answering the questions !! By far a favorite!
2. I create codes for sites that we cannot bookmark on the iPads in order to reduce the risk of a student misspelling or incorrectly typing in a web address.  I create the code and label it with the name of the site it will take you to and post it on my QR Code Parking Lot Board.
3. Create a QR Code for test prep sites. Around the time we are prepping for SOL's my kiddos will scan a link to take them to an online practice site so they can take a prep test. 
4. QR codes can be set up with a list of instructions for stations or an activity. Students scan it and their instructions pop up! 
5. When our school each year does a program called, One School, One Book, I link the podcasts for each chapter reading to a QR Code that they can scan and access the reading for that day!
6. QR codes can be used to help students become familiar with different sections of the library! 

    I could go on and on about QR codes but how about showing you one? Here is a QR Code--you know I had to change the color to my happy green! Scan the code and it will take you to my weebly site (yes, it is still a work in progress) 

 Now, on to Part 2 of the assignment, augmented reality. I enjoyed exploring this tool and thinking about the many ways I could apply this tool to the library and classroom. Augmented reality allows you to use an image and overlay it with a video, when scanned, it comes to life ! Aurasma is the site that allows you to create an "aura." Take a peek at it and when you want to learn more about augmented reality let me say that the Aurasma TED talks by Matt Mills does an awesome job of bringing this topic to light in a very understandable way. Here is the link to that one ~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frrZbq2LpwI

  How can this technology be incorporated into the library and or classroom? I checked out Erin Klein's awesome blog , Kleinspiration (http://www.kleinspiration.com/2013/05/using-augmented-reality-via-aurasma-in.html) for some "inspiration" I loved her ideas of using augmented reality to create bulletin boards for open house. I will definitely be heading back to this site frequently.
In thinking about ways to use this in the library :

• This would be a great way to do a book report. Students could select and read their book, give a "book talk" that others could access by scanning the cover of the book.
• I like the idea from Erin Klein about making a talking word wall. Using students to create a definition of a word that would pop up when that word was scanned. 
• A great way to set up activities: like new student orientation. I bet I could get our principal to tape a tour of the school and we could have one of our student ambassadors use this to help welcome new students throughout the school year.

   Sorry for the wordy post, but there was a lot of goodies to share today! How will you use these tools in your instruction?

A Powtoon Video... Finally!

   I am ready to share my Powtoon video on how to choose a "Good Fit" Book. After much hard work, sweat and I will admit a few tears were shed over this project. I can say I am done! I wanted to create a video that I could use when introducing Literacy Workstations in the Fall to my students. I find that even third graders struggle with how do I find the perfect book? They end up picking a book that is way too easy or struggling through one that is above their reading level. I created a powtoon based on the five finger tip rule. I hope it helps inspire my kiddos to look for a "GOOD FIT"

 http://www.powtoon.com/p/bMOuewlumfh/

Let me know what you think~

What Have I Been Up To?

   Our latest task was a fun one indeed! In addition to continuing to work on my website (more on that later...) this week I have been using various video tools on the web. FUN, FUN, FUN!! I have used these tools in the classroom before.
   
   First up is a student favorite, powtoon.  http://www.powtoon.com/ I have used this one in my classroom many times. I must admit that while it is a student fav, it is definitely one of mine as well. A little background on me and my classroom. I am a teacher that embraces technology, who uses her Smart board daily, along with a document camera and my i Pad. My class is lucky to have a class set of i Pads (one for each student!) I know this is rare ~ but I use them everyday as much as I can! We work hard in our grade to make engaging, rigorous lessons and using Powtoons adds a (forgive me) certain PUNCH to a lesson. Let me set the background for you, imagine introducing a unit by standing there at the front of the classroom and just blabbering on about whatever topic we needed to teach........BOOOOR-ING....Can you hear the snoring? I can. Now, fast forward to the age of technology, imagine the same academic goal only for your "Hook" you intro the unit using an amazing Powtoon that takes you minutes to create----can you hear the roar, the excitement coming from the audience... I mean students? I can!! They are excited, chomping at the bit, ready for more, hanging on the edge of their seats. Get the picture? I am honest when I say, it is much more fun to teach the second way with greater rewards using technology to "hook" them. Anyways, back to my post.

   The second tool is equally exciting, animoto. You can find it at http://animoto.com/ I have also worked with my third graders using this tool. Our school spends a great deal of planning time focused on the assessment part of a lesson plan. We use various ways to check for comprehension, so it is important to keep it fresh and mix it up a bit. Anyone can plan a summative assessment using a Unit test , but why not be more engaging, live on the edge and allow students to produce an animoto as an end of unit assessment? Think about teaching Ancient Greece and Rome, who wouldn't rather create an animoto to review the SOL's taught like architecture, geographical locations, occupations, land/climate/crops. Can you imagine how fun a creative tool like this could be? We all know students learn more when they are engaged and interested. So, why not try it!

Here are some equally fabulous ways that I have used Animoto in my classroom ~

• Create a presentation during an autobiography unit on Famous Americans
• Do a book report using animoto. A really catchy book talk presentation is a Fantastic way to present to the class!
• Science topics work well ~ how about using one to teach the simple machines

   Now, last but certainly not least, is pixiclip. Pixiclip is an online digital whiteboard that allows users to add sound to their sketch. As I mentioned, we utilize our i Pads a lot throughout the day. The students can use pixiclip to capture the math problem they are working on (Great for checking their work during math problems.)  Also, back in "Assessment Land", why not use it as an exit pass or Formative Assessment to check for understanding at the end of a lesson? If you are teaching explorers, students can use this tool to trace a particular explorers route and add sound to their sketch. Check out pixiclip at http://www.pixiclip.com/beta/

   Using any of these video tools, will definitely enhance the learning / lesson. I know it makes for more exciting teaching, which is a Win ~ Win in my book!! Which tool will you incorporate into your classroom and how? Please share your thoughts and ideas!! I would love to hear from you!

What's Next for The Primary Librarian? Creating A Website ~

    I begin to turn my thoughts to our next step in this journey, creating a website. I start as every good librarian does with doing my research. I have spent a few days checking out various tools that allow you to build a website, free of charge. To my surprise, there were many out there! I narrowed my focus on two: weebly and google.

  After only a short while, I began to notice how weebly was more user friendly than the others. I was SOLD!! I feel like weebly is going to give me a number of choices and options to allow me to personalize the site I am creating. While in the developing stage of my new project, I did search around the web for some inspiration! I found several sites that peaked my interest ~

   The first one, I am sharing because it was warm, welcoming and inviting all on one page! That says a lot! Not to mention, she used a Shel Silverstein poem on the home page. Can we just say, she had me at Welcome? Check out the site here: http://librarywoodwardhill.weebly.com/ Another site, I liked because the librarian of this site has an incredible sense of  "library" humor and the site offers a lot of valuable information. Head on over to http://rhsvtlibrary.weebly.com/S to check it out!

   So, what have a learned from all this research? I know I will be using weebly to create the site. I want the website to be warm and inviting, but I also want it to be fun too! Stay tuned here for updates on my latest adventure!