Google Reader

I added the following feeds to my Google Reader account from Google News: education and technology, Henry VIII, teaching grammar, and Tom Sawyer. I also selected "education and schools" from The New York Times site. Sometimes I find articles that relate to the novels we are studying in language arts, which is why I selected the Henry VIII and the Tom Sawyer feeds. It's always interesting to share these articles with the my students, and it's a great way to connect their reading to nonfiction writing. I have never used Google Reader, but using it to find articles, podcasts, and blogs related to literature is something I plan to try.

iTunes

I think I am one of the only people who does not have an iPod. I have a Zune, so I have never used iTunes. I couldn't access the video that explains iTunes U on You Tube (it said it had been removed), but I did find a video on the iTunes website. iTunes U is definitely something I would use in my classroom; it is a great way to share information with students. It reminds me of United Streaming. However, I don't know how I would do this without having it downloaded on my school computer (unless I am missing something). Even after watching the video, I couldn't figure out how to search for content on iTunes U, but I know there is relevant information that I could use in my classroom. This is definitely something I would like to learn more about in class next week. I'm sure my students will be able to explain this to me as well.

Voice Thread

This I Believe Assignment

Above is the Voice Thread I created for use in my language arts classroom. I am going to ask my students to write a "This I Believe" essay, and I thought that it would be fun for them to record their essays on Voice Thread. I shared one of my favorite essays by Bill Gates. I recorded "Unleashing the Power of Creativity" on Voice Thread. I have had some experience recording in Voice Thread, so it was fairly simple to create. Our librarian has been recording information on her website, and teachers and students have been replying to these Voice Threads. It seems like a great way to share writing. The example I found was called "Prepositional Poems and Historical Fiction Projects." Junior high students read their poetry and children's books as images of this work was displayed on the screen. This is how I see myself using Voice Thread. I plan for my students to read their work and upload art work or photographs that complement their writing. Here is the link to "Prepositional Poems and Historical Fiction Projects":

Prepositional Poems and Historical Fiction Projects





Here is my embedded Voice Thread:

Podcast

I created a podcast using Audacity, and it was extremely easy to record. I used my new tablet, which has a built-in microphone. My students are working on nonfiction presentations, and I wanted to give them some tips and reminders about what to include in their Power Point/SMART Notebook presentations. Of course, they have all of this information in writing, but I think listening to these directions again may be helpful for some students. I tried to put the podcast on my website using remote apps, but I couldn't figure out how to edit my website from home. Is this possible? I am going to put the recording on my website tomorrow at school and ask students to review this before presenting to the class. I may also include the podcast on Progress Book. I use sound recorder to provide feedback to students on their writing, but I have never created a podcast in Audacity for my website until now. I like this tool and will probably use it again.

Skype

I just finished my first Skype experience. It was extremely easy to create an account and Skype. I didn't really know who to Skype with, so my husband created an account. We had a conversation on the internet (even though we were in the same house). I think this would be great to use to communicate with people who I do not see often. It's definitely an awesome tool. I can't believe that it's free! It would be fun if students could use this to communicate with authors. I don't have many other ideas yet about how to use this in the classroom, but I love the idea of using it to talk with friends and family. The language arts teachers just received tablets, and I used this to Skype. It's perfect because it has a built-in webcam and mic.