All Discussions Tagged 'Students' - Classroom 2.02024-03-28T22:52:10Zhttps://www.classroom20.com/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=Students&feed=yes&xn_auth=noSummer Break: Why Kids should still be Learningtag:www.classroom20.com,2016-07-22:649749:Topic:11166242016-07-22T19:24:50.776ZEd Vectushttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/EdVectus
<p>As teachers say goodbye to their students for summer holidays, there is often concern over whether the newly acquired knowledge and skills will be retained or depleted while students are out of the classroom for several weeks. Before summer vacation, teachers will encourage their students to read novels or play educational games to keep their brains active. While some students will be successful in accomplishing intellectual tasks, there are others who will forget to practice and may lose…</p>
<p>As teachers say goodbye to their students for summer holidays, there is often concern over whether the newly acquired knowledge and skills will be retained or depleted while students are out of the classroom for several weeks. Before summer vacation, teachers will encourage their students to read novels or play educational games to keep their brains active. While some students will be successful in accomplishing intellectual tasks, there are others who will forget to practice and may lose some of the literacy, numeracy, problem-solving or handwriting skills that had been fine tuned over the course of the academic year.</p>
<p></p>
<p>As teachers and parents, it's important to develop a plan of action to ensure kids do not fall behind over summer break and start the next academic year at a lower level of academic attainment. Many parents look to teachers for advice on how to keep their kids engaged during the summer break. Here are a few suggestions:</p>
<p></p>
<p>1. <em>Freedom of choice</em>. Take your kids to the library or book store and encourage them to select books or novels that are of interest to them. During the academic year, students are often told what books they will be reading. In the summer, it's the perfect opportunity to encourage kids to choose books that excite their curiosities. This freedom of choice will make the activity more alluring and will therefore motivate lifelong reading.</p>
<p></p>
<p>2. <em>Create a schedule and set goals. </em>For kids that are hooked on the latest technology or gadgets, devise a schedule that consists of timed educational games or activities, as well as free time. Once students have fulfilled the educational game or activity for a designated time period, reward them with free time to play games of their own choosing.</p>
<p></p>
<p>3. <em>Sign them up for camps or clubs</em>. There are many summer camps and programs available that help kids develop and re-fine specific skills, such as canoeing, archery, arts and crafts, swimming and other sports. Many of these activities involve strategy, problem-solving, teamwork and sportsmanship. These camps also encourage students to make friends and develop positive social skills. </p>
<p></p>
<p>4. <em>Encourage them to play outside</em>. Outdoor play may not seem mentally stimulating at first glance, but it provides an opportunity for kids to apply what they have learned over the course of the academic year in adventurous and exploratory activities. </p>
<p></p>
<p>While it's important for kids to have a break from school, it's equally important to keep kids mentally active and motivated. By encouraging them to participate in stimulating activities, this will ensure they do not lose or forget the skills they have learned during the academic year. It will also provide them with the confidence they need to transition back into the classroom in September.</p> The Summer is for Reading!tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-04-29:649749:Topic:3368452009-04-29T19:24:09.514ZAndrew Marcinekhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/AndrewMarcinek
<p class="MsoNormal">As the temperatures begin to heat up in classrooms around the country, I felt it was a good time to discuss summer reading lists!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Summer reading has always been an unorganized disaster that most school districts fail to upgrade year after year. At my previous district we assigned one book per summer. The following September we would begin the year with an essay exam in which students could respond about a book they…</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the temperatures begin to heat up in classrooms around the country, I felt it was a good time to discuss summer reading lists!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Summer reading has always been an unorganized disaster that most school districts fail to upgrade year after year. At my previous district we assigned one book per summer. The following September we would begin the year with an essay exam in which students could respond about a book they</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">A) Did not read</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">B) Read in June when it was assigned</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">C) Read the back cover and sparknotes</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Personally, I found this exercise to be a waste of time and resources. Plus, students were only assigned to read one book! ONE! I know some districts have reading lists that students can select from or offer free personal pan pizzas when you finish a book…<a href="http://www.bookitprogram.com/">BOOK IT!</a> (clap if you remember!) What a great way to educate and fatten at the same time! Go America!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In order to make summer reading an effective tool in our academic arsenal, we need to first define what we want our students to gain from their summer reading lists. The obvious answer is to get them reading during their summer long down time. That’s the wishful thinking response. Other responses might include preparing students for the initial unit next fall, introducing a theme or simply to expand their world view on books teachers cannot fit in during the school year. While all these examples are practical, there is no checkup through out the summer and no way of collaborating.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here are my problems with summer reading:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Why is there not summer reading for every subject?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What is our objective and end goal for reading in the summer?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Why is there not summer reading for Faculty and Administration?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now some of you may work in districts that can answer all of those questions with specific examples of how your district has integrated summer reading programs, but I am here to provide an answer to all of the above through two free web applications.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" style="text-decoration: none;">Goodreads</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.shelfari.com/">Shelfari</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you are unfamiliar with these applications let me briefly explain what they can do. Enjoy!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); white-space: pre; font-family:arial;font-size:12px;"><object width="800" height="590"><param name="movie" value="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/8e745a62-5044-4737-86d5-818bb500bcb2/jingh264player.swf"></param><param name="quality" value="high"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"></param><param name="flashVars" value="thumb=http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/8e745a62-5044-4737-86d5-818bb500bcb2/FirstFrame.jpg&containerwidth=874&containerheight=590&showbranding=false&content=http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/8e745a62-5044-4737-86d5-818bb500bcb2/00000013.mp4"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="scale" value="showall"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param><param name="base" value="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/8e745a62-5044-4737-86d5-818bb500bcb2/"></param><embed src="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/8e745a62-5044-4737-86d5-818bb500bcb2/jingh264player.swf" quality="high" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="800" height="590" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" flashvars="thumb=http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/8e745a62-5044-4737-86d5-818bb500bcb2/FirstFrame.jpg&containerwidth=874&containerheight=590&showbranding=false&content=http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/8e745a62-5044-4737-86d5-818bb500bcb2/00000013.mp4" scale="showall"></embed></object>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In short, Goodreads and Shelfari are social networks for people who love reading and sharing their thoughts on the books they read. Here are some ideas in which you can make Goodreads and Shelfari a part of your summer reading curriculum:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Create a class group and assign a reading list for the summer.<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="a">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2;tab-stops:list 1.0in">Teacher can create a rubric for discussion posts.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Have students post a discussion topic on the book they are reading and respond to other student posts weekly</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Use the online discussions as an icebreaker for the following year or segue way into the first unit.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Include parents in on the summer reading fun! Parents can read along and include their thoughts on the books!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">If students do not have computer access it will give them a valid excuse to visit a library (shiver!), Internet café or school districts could (if available) laptops for the summer.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Create a group for cross-curricular reading, i.e. Language Arts and World History.<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="a">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level2 lfo2;tab-stops:list 1.0in">This is a great way to share good reads (pun intended) concerning education. Most of us take courses throughout the year and are introduced to various new books on our craft. Every teacher should have a good reads or shelfari page!</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Create a faculty reading group!</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5in">Make reading interactive and fun! Like Facebook!</li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hope this helps and I would love to hear ideas and feedback on how your district is approaching summer reading this year.</p> SlideShare Rules!tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-04-27:649749:Topic:3358342009-04-27T13:51:40.818ZAndrew Marcinekhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/AndrewMarcinek
Have you ever plugged in your flash drive into a laptop, opened a powerpoint presentation and it doesn't work? Have your students ever done the same thing, and used technology downfall as an excuse to get out of presenting? Have you ever wanted to embed your powerpoint slides on a wiki to share with students and parents? If you answered yes to all of the above then I have your solution.<div><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">Slideshare!…</a></div>
Have you ever plugged in your flash drive into a laptop, opened a powerpoint presentation and it doesn't work? Have your students ever done the same thing, and used technology downfall as an excuse to get out of presenting? Have you ever wanted to embed your powerpoint slides on a wiki to share with students and parents? If you answered yes to all of the above then I have your solution.<div><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">Slideshare!</a></div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); white-space: pre; font-family:arial;font-size:12px;"><a href="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/4c30d318-3f23-4b9c-812f-8b46a7df17a1/00000011.png"><img src="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/4c30d318-3f23-4b9c-812f-8b46a7df17a1/00000011.png" width="956" height="599" border="0"/></a></span></div>
<div>Slideshare is a site that allows users to upload, store and share powerpoint slide presentations. Slideshare gives you the ability to have your powerpoints at your disposal where ever you go and the best part is that it is totally free!</div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); white-space: pre; font-family:arial;font-size:12px;"><a href="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/33365318-5d75-4ce1-ba9f-8284cf942755/00000012.png"><img src="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/33365318-5d75-4ce1-ba9f-8284cf942755/00000012.png" width="961" height="597" border="0"/></a></span></div>
<div>Last year while I was teaching 1984, I utilized slideshare with my students who were presenting chapters of the novel to the class. I introduced them to slideshare and they were able to upload their presentations and then post them on our class wiki. If you reference my earlier post on wikis in the classroom, you will see that I had students maintain a daily log of their work on the presentations. They had to provide progress, group tasks and any documents they would be handing out during their presentation. Here are two of the examples that students used via slideshare.</div>
<div><div style="width:425px;text-align:left" id="__ss_143431"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(68, 68, 68); white-space: pre; font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:10px;"><a style="font:14px Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;display:block;margin:12px 0 3px 0;text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/andycinek/group-1-1984presentation?type=presentation" title="Group 1 1984presentation">Group 1 1984presentation</a><object style="margin:0px" width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=group-1-1984presentation-1193162719149459-4&stripped_title=group-1-1984presentation"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=group-1-1984presentation-1193162719149459-4&stripped_title=group-1-1984presentation" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
</span><div style="font-size:11px;font-family:tahoma,arial;height:26px;padding-top:2px;">View more <a style="text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a style="text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/andycinek">andycinek</a>.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div><div style="width:425px;text-align:left" id="__ss_143430"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;color:#444444;"><a style="font:14px Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;display:block;margin:12px 0 3px 0;text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/andycinek/group-2-1984-1?type=presentation" title="Group 2 1984 1">Group 2 1984 1</a><object style="margin:0px" width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=group-2-1984-1-119316271758997-4&stripped_title=group-2-1984-1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=group-2-1984-1-119316271758997-4&stripped_title=group-2-1984-1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
</span><div style="font-size:11px;font-family:tahoma,arial;height:26px;padding-top:2px;">View more <a style="text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a style="text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/andycinek">andycinek</a>.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;color:#444444;">You will notice that once the presentations are embedded into your blog or wiki, they allow you to utilize most of the functions that is alloted in a presentation program. Also, teachers can utilize this with all of their presentations they use in the classroom. You can even email them to students if they missed a class in which you gave a presentation. Slideshare is also useful for professional development classes and workshops. It is one way in which you can share your presentations and student work without having to locate, find and sync a flash drive.</span></div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;color:#444444;">Students and colleagues alike can follow along with a slideshare presentation as well. If teachers embed their slideshare presentation to a blog or wiki, students and faculty can follow along on their laptops. This may assist students who have trouble following slides or if students wish to use the presentation as a study guide later in the unit.</span></div>
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;color:#444444;">I hope you enjoyed this idea and would like to hear feedback about how you utilized slideshare in your own classroom!</span></div>
</div> Evernote Will Organize Your Life!tag:www.classroom20.com,2009-04-21:649749:Topic:3314842009-04-21T18:05:18.939ZAndrew Marcinekhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/AndrewMarcinek
Disclaimer: PLEASE check out <a href="http://iteach20.blogspot.com/">http://iteach20.blogspot.com/</a> and become a reader! I'd love to get feedback and discussions on my blog about how the posts have helped you in your classroom and how you have used the applications in your specific class! Thanks!<br />
<br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Today I will be beginning my two part series for Earth Day! These two lessons will help you reduce paper usage in your classroom, library and school building, while educating…</p>
Disclaimer: PLEASE check out <a href="http://iteach20.blogspot.com/">http://iteach20.blogspot.com/</a> and become a reader! I'd love to get feedback and discussions on my blog about how the posts have helped you in your classroom and how you have used the applications in your specific class! Thanks!<br />
<br />
<p class="MsoNormal">Today I will be beginning my two part series for Earth Day! These two lessons will help you reduce paper usage in your classroom, library and school building, while educating your students with great web tools for research and presentation. However, be careful of jealous colleagues when you are suddenly viewed as t</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">he “green teacher”. I was told once that I was, “making everyone else look bad and ignorant.” This comment came after I began piloting my paperless classroom. I put a lot of tim</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">e and effort into reducing paper in my classroom, only to be scoffed at by several colleagues who were not willing to…</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="A">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Try something new after 30 years of teaching</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Improve their classroom organization and reduce clutter</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Enjoy their prep period rather than spend it fighting with the copier</li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Enough about my ranting and on to the content for today! Go GREEN!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Today I am presenting a wonderful web-clipping tool that both teachers and students can use in a variety of ways. The tool is called <a href="http://www.evernote.com/">Evernote</a>. Evernote can be downloaded on to MAC and Windows operating systems and is completely free. This can also be used on smart phones and the iPhone.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here is an introduction to the basic features of Evernote</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial;font-size:10px;"><object width="660" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/i_ncr1Ee9e8&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/i_ncr1Ee9e8&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="660" height="525"></embed></object>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Evernote allows you to gather clippings from various websites without having to bookmark every single site you enjoy. In short, you can select the text and photos that are of importance to you! So, let’s consider Evernotes practicality in the classroom.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Language Arts/History</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Think about students doing research. The teacher gives his or her students a credible, academically authored list of websites. This list can be posted on the class wiki or moodle in order to save all the future trees that will be planted tomorrow! Students review the sites and find a piece of information they really like on George Orwell. However, time is running out and for most students they would immediately select FILE > PRINT. And what prints out? The entire web page! (<a href="http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper472/stills/n1r7y26v.jpg">Insert old school Mr. Yuck sticker here!</a>). The student takes the 15 pages that just printed out, stuffs it into a folder and forgets that good bit he or she was reading right before the sound of the bell. This is the old way. Let’s have our students try the new way!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(104, 104, 104); white-space: pre; font-family:arial;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:12px;"><object width="650" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/f0706686-d903-44f5-bdc7-43ea59b393b5/jingswfplayer.swf"></param><param name="quality" value="high"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"></param><param name="flashVars" value="thumb=http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/f0706686-d903-44f5-bdc7-43ea59b393b5/FirstFrame.jpg&containerwidth=1087&containerheight=626&loaderstyle=jing&content=http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/f0706686-d903-44f5-bdc7-43ea59b393b5/00000009.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="scale" value="showall"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"></param><param name="base" value="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/f0706686-d903-44f5-bdc7-43ea59b393b5/"></param><embed src="http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/f0706686-d903-44f5-bdc7-43ea59b393b5/jingswfplayer.swf" quality="high" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="650" height="525" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" flashvars="thumb=http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/f0706686-d903-44f5-bdc7-43ea59b393b5/FirstFrame.jpg&containerwidth=1087&containerheight=626&loaderstyle=jing&content=http://content.screencast.com/users/andycinek/folders/Jing/media/f0706686-d903-44f5-bdc7-43ea59b393b5/00000009.swf" scale="showall"></embed></object>
</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Art/Graphic Design</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Let’s consider what an art teacher might use Evernote for...</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre; font-family:Arial;font-size:10px;"><object width="660" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fpGw4B5SkP0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="never"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fpGw4B5SkP0&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" width="660" height="525"></embed></object>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre; font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; white-space: normal; font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;">Using Evernote in the classroom is always a great way to help students understand the importance of a “Tag”. Provide students with a mini lesson on tagging and how it can save them time when conducting research.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I hope this has been a valuable asset to your class and look forward to hearing how you use Evernote in your class!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p> Do you use online educational comics in the classroom?tag:www.classroom20.com,2008-04-09:649749:Topic:1280912008-04-09T13:07:49.633ZBill Zimmermanhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/BillZimmerman
Dear reader,<br />
Hello, everyone. I want to introduce myself to the group.<br />
I am an author of books that are used in many educational programs to<br />
encourage students to express themselves through writing. I have launched a free new web site -- <a href="http://www.makebeliefscomix.com">http://www.makebeliefscomix.com</a> -- where students can create their own comic strips. The site offers fun animal and human characters with different moods, thought and talk balloons to fill in with words, and story…
Dear reader,<br />
Hello, everyone. I want to introduce myself to the group.<br />
I am an author of books that are used in many educational programs to<br />
encourage students to express themselves through writing. I have launched a free new web site -- <a href="http://www.makebeliefscomix.com">http://www.makebeliefscomix.com</a> -- where students can create their own comic strips. The site offers fun animal and human characters with different moods, thought and talk balloons to fill in with words, and story prompts. It's a wonderful resource to spur children and adults to write, read and communicate their ideas and to practice English, Spanish and other languages. It is also being used as a tool by educational therapists who work with deaf, learning disabled, and autistic people, as well as trauma victims, to help them understand concepts and communicate. I would be very appreciative if you would share with your members and colleagues, or tell me whom I should contact to share this information. Any list-servs you might suggest would be welcome. I need your help because it takes a community to build a community resource like this.<br />
With thanks,<br />
Bill Zimmerman<br />
<br />
Online Educational Comics Launched to Encourage Writing,<br />
Reading and Storytelling in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Latin by Author/Journalist Bill Zimmerman<br />
–- <a href="http://www.makebeliefscomix.com">http://www.makebeliefscomix.com</a><br />
<br />
Dear reader,<br />
<br />
I want to share with you news of my newest educational project and also ask for your help to make it succeed.<br />
<br />
A year ago I launched a new web site -- http:// <a href="http://www.makebeliefscomix.com">www.makebeliefscomix.com</a> -- where children and adults can create their own comic strips. They can select from 15 fun characters with different moods -- happy, sad, angry, worried – and write words for blank talk and thought balloons to make their characters talk and think. There also are story ideas and prompts to help users create graphic stories.<br />
<br />
This site can be used by educators to teach language, reading and writing skills, and also for students in English-as-a-Second-Language programs to facilitate self-expression and storytelling, as well as computer literacy. It is now being used in 160 countries by educators. Some educational therapists use it with deaf and autistic people to help them understand concepts and communicate. Parents and children can create stories together, print them to create comic books or email them to friends and family. Others will find the site a resource to be creative, calm down and have fun.<br />
<br />
Because so many Spanish-speaking users asked us for the ability to write their cartoons in Spanish as well as in English, we recently upgraded the site to accept words written in Spanish, including appropriate accent marks. This can be a useful tool for someone who is learning Spanish as well as someone whose first language is Spanish. This feature has also been expanded to other languages, such as French, Italian, German, Latin and Portuguese.<br />
<br />
I am hoping that you will share <a href="http://www.makebeliefscomix.com">http://www.makebeliefscomix.com</a> with your colleagues, teachers, students or readers of your publications and resource lists. The site is free with no advertising. Any help you might offer in getting word out about this project is very appreciated. If you can suggest other people or groups whom I might contact to make them aware of the site please send me their names, email addresses or phone numbers. Any list-servs I might join? Relevant Internet resource sharing groups would be helpful, too. It takes a community to build a useful resource like this one.<br />
<br />
As one who learned to read with comic books, I know that creating comic strips can help people tap into their creativity and practice their language and storytelling skills. The site is free and stems from my lifelong mission to create resources that help people find their voice and express themselves. The concept for makebeliefscomix.com is derived from my earlier books, Make Beliefs and Make Beliefs for Kids of All Ages (which can be found on my other web site: <a href="http://www.billztreasurechest.com">http://www.billztreasurechest.com</a>). A Make Beliefs interactive feature appeared for 13 years on my syndicated Student Briefing Page for Newsday, and in National Geographic’s World Magazine.<br />
<br />
I hope you like <a href="http://www.makebeliefscomix.com">http://www.makebeliefscomix.com</a> and will use it in your work and personal life. Your feedback is welcome and very helpful.<br />
<br />
With thanks and every good wish,<br />
<br />
Bill Zimmerman<br />
(wmz@aol.com) Help Me Change YouTube URLtag:www.classroom20.com,2007-10-18:649749:Topic:608772007-10-18T00:39:57.888ZNancy Boschhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/nbosch
Many of you might have seen "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o">A Vision of Students Today</a>". I told our superintendent I'd email her the video (along with the video <a href="http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com/Various+Versions+of+the+Presentation">"Did You Know? Shift Happens</a>"). Of course, YouTube is blocked by our district and I cannot find another version of Professor Wesch's video. I know this group has discussed websites that allow you to rename YouTube videos.…
Many of you might have seen "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o">A Vision of Students Today</a>". I told our superintendent I'd email her the video (along with the video <a href="http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com/Various+Versions+of+the+Presentation">"Did You Know? Shift Happens</a>"). Of course, YouTube is blocked by our district and I cannot find another version of Professor Wesch's video. I know this group has discussed websites that allow you to rename YouTube videos. Please remind me of the names of those sites. I'm too tired to search Classroom 2.0. Thanks in advance. N.