VoiceThread and Visual Literacy

A great tool to get students collaborating and communicating is VoiceThread. Users create a simple slide show with images or text that they then upload into VoiceThread. Sharing the link with students enables them to comment on the slides through writing text, recording audio, or annotating the screen as they speak. VoiceThread then plays back all of the comments for viewers like a short movie, or viewers can click on individual comments to view as they choose. Using this tool allows students to practice visual literacy skills, analysis, and communication skills, and it gives them a chance to collaborate with other commenters at the same time.

Advanced Composition students at BHS use VoiceThread to analyze writing and share comments about literature they have read. In the example below, students commented on a painting as a warm-up activity to focus on sensory details and descriptive word choice.

VoiceThread has some phenomenal resources for educators, including this digital library of educational examples showing how teachers use VoiceThread across disciplines and grade levels.

Tuning in to Music Stations

Ipads were an important part of this first grade music lesson. The teacher worked with small groups of students learning about rhythm while the rest of the class rotated among three other stations. An interactive flipchart projected on the board guided students to the next station they needed to visit.

Students were able to practice reading notes as well as create and edit melodies with the apps: Joy Tunes Piano Dust Buster, Tune Train, Freddie the Frog, and Pluto Learns Piano.

In order to simplify the process and manage student activity, the teacher cleared the ipad dock of all default apps and moved them to the second page of the home screen. Expectations for the activity were made clear by having apps located on the dock this way.

Nearpod

Nearpod is an interactive multimedia presentation.  Teachers synchronize students devices and are in control of the pace that the students move through the lesson.  Students receive immediate feedback from the teacher.  The students in these photos are learning about slope intercepts in math class.  

Third Grade Researchers

Boone third graders are learning informational research skills and critical thinking skills using the sites Pebble Go and Nat Geo Wild Kids. Using a simple research report template, students chose an animal to research, then visited both sites to collect information and check for conflicting facts. They were able to think critically by comparing and contrasting the key details.

Google Drawings in Math

Students in Mrs. Greiner's class have been studying slope.  They used Google Drawings to create "Mr. Slope Man" using facial features to represent positive, negative, zero and no slope.  Students were super creative with this project.

 

Movenote in Chemistry

Students in Justin Baute's chemistry class recently used a great app called Movenote to narrate presentations they created explaining an element on the periodic table. Several teachers have used Movenote to record video lectures to share with students, but Mr. Baute's students show the awesome potential for having students use this tool. The Movenote video presentations can be shared with the entire class for students to refer to later, and creating them gives students an alternative way to show what they know and practice communicating clearly. A few stellar student examples are included below:

https://www.movenote.com/v/S2WZsbMSM31

https://www.movenote.com/v/MlWCiiKoycr

https://www.movenote.com/v/TZAbUHk4uhYcl

For more information on getting started with Movenote, see a tutorial video at this link.

Global Read Aloud Connects Students Around the World

Boone 2nd graders are excited about reading the book Chopsticks, learning to use chopsticks, and connecting with other classrooms around the world as part of the Global Read Aloud program.

Global Read-Aloud's purpose is to connect children through literature and "make the world a little smaller" knowing that the book they are reading is also being shared by classrooms all around the world. This class joined an author study and will be reading several books over 6 weeks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. There are many online communities created for teachers and students to connect. 

Students learn digital citizenship concepts as their teacher shares class comments about the books on Twitter and the Global Read Aloud Facebook page. Learning how to use chopsticks was even easier after they watched it modeled on a youtube video.

This year's Global Read Aloud continues through November 13th. 
Here are other opportunities for teachers to get classes involved with world-wide interactive learning projects:
National Dot Day
Projects By Jen
Global School Net
21st Century Schools