The Writing Process

Wonderful resources exist to assist students as they work through the writing process. Most of these focus on the first four parts of the process: pre-writing (particularly with regard to concept mapping), drafting, revising (with a growing body of interest focusing on use of technology for editing), and proof-reading. One area that seems to have received little attention is the final part—publishing.

One school, though, has identified and is successfully using methods for teaching and encouraging publishing as a key component of the writing process. Designed and operated by Mrs. Molly Millman, The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain (Las Vegas, Nevada) sports a model publishing center. Called the BEAR ("Bringing Exceptional Authors Recognition") program and situated in the school's library, the mission of the publishing center is "to support Dawson student authors, poets, and artists in their quest for independent and collaborative skills necessary to be successful in the next century."

Using a self-designed curriculum, Mrs. Millman teaches content including publishing form, process, resources, authorship, communication, and presentation based on the philosophy: "BEAR Publishing, through collaboration efforts in project design, small and large group instruction, and teacher support, extends and enriches the positive impact of writing and publishing activities."

Though she engages in group instruction in students' classrooms, most publishing occurs in small group settings in the publishing center. After typing their projects during regular class or computer time, students format and add graphics to their projects with Mrs. Millman.

This first graphic shows the method Mrs. Millman uses to organize student projects. Because students progress at different rates, she organizes each class by project and sub-requirement within the project. In this way, she is able to assist students individually.

This second graphic shows an example of a project students completed in their classrooms. In this case, the student wrote and typed a report on Thomas Jefferson. After typing the report, Mrs. Millman taught the student to place a transparent graphic in the background. When it came time to publish a student book, she introduced modifying the text, picture, and page layout to nicely align with the student's selected book size and type.

Students determine the ultimate format for their projects. In most cases, the projects appear in book format—often as anthologies. In some cases, students or classes complete their own books such as poetry anthologies or original stories. They scan their own artwork and add it to student-made content books. For instance, when visiting authors work with students on story development, students create both the text and pictures for an original story and organize their creations to ultimately publish a completed, professional-looking bound book. Other times, publishing accompanies content other than language arts. For example, during a unit on Colonial America, small groups of students design and create a book with sections on each of the different colonies.

One of the key components of each of the books is an author page. Younger students use a template to prepare the content for their author page. Upon publishing their book, all students receive copies to revisit throughout their lives and share with their families.

Before students begin computer work on their projects, they choose the paper color they wish to use on their book cover and for all body pages. The Dawson Publishing Center contains a wide variety of paper qualities and colors. Students also select their book size.

To assist in selecting papers, paper sizes, and fonts, Mrs. Millman provides students with sample options.

In addition, Mrs. Millman provides students with visual models demonstrating margins. This assists them in understanding what is meant by top, bottom, left, and right margins within the context of

their selected paper size.

When it is time for binding, students may use comb or hand binding methods. The Publishing Center has a comb binding machine and wide variety of comb sizes and colors.

If students choose to hand bind their books, Mrs. Millman assists through the process of punching holes (with the help of a self-designed guide showing where the holes should go) and selecting ribbon. She provides them with a sample of a completed book and walks them through the binding and tying process.

At the end of this process, students have mastered myriad computer and publishing skills and have a quality take-home product. She notes that after repeating the process approximately three times, elementary-aged children are able to complete most of these skills independently.

________________________

**This information is shared with Mrs. Millman's permission. Please cite her for this work, and do her the honor of letting her know if you choose to incorporate any of these ideas in your teaching. It is with great respect that I offer these resources in her name. What a pleasure to learn from such a talented educator!

CUE 2011, Continued

Wikis in the Wild by Scott Lewis
Vimeo and SchoolTube: Alternatives to YouTube.
Bender Converter: This site allows you to download videos and save them in alternative formats (i.e., allows you to use YouTube videos in schools).

CUE 2011 Conference Notes

Stealth Learning: Motivate and EngageStudents Using Games by Nancy Gibson

• National Park Service WebRanger Program: Games leading children through activities introducing them to the National Parks.
• Motivate and Engage Student Using Games by Nancy Gibson: She presented on myriad game types available online. Some examples include:
• Content Generator: Teachers add content and the app creates several games.
• Word Duck: This ap allows you to enter content and games, like Hangman, are created.
• Rice: this site includes pre-established quizzes. For each answer students get correct, they donate rice to a needy country.
• Quizlet: Recommended by a session attendee, this site is a very powerful quizzing tool for vocabulary study and Flashcards.

DodgePodge 5.5:

• SepiaTown: Allows users to upload historical photos in the exact location where they occurred. This allows a visual of change over time.
• Evernote: It is available on all platforms and allows you to keep all your notes, including audio. It also includes OCR technology so you can scan business cards and keep track of the information.
• Poll Code: allows you to create polls to build into a blog or course site.
• StatPlanet: Shows graphs such as drugs and crime, employment, education, cell phones by location.
• Mikogo: Creates a quick and easy desktop sharing resource. It's a great way to help others with tech support. It also allows for web conferencing.
• Visuwords: this is an alternative to Visual Thesaurus that shows the parts of speech.
• Aviary: This site includes myriad productivity tools including an image editor, music creator, screen capture, audio editor, etc. It can serve as an alternative to programs like Audacity or GarageBand.
• Aniboom: This site allows advance children to create intense animations.
• Public Profiler: This allows you to see the frequency of names around the world. For instance, you can look up names like Jesus and Mohammed.
• Do Ink: allows you to create quick flash-based animations using pre-existing tools
• Tripline: Enables to to plan a trip given specific plans. Students can illustrate planned travels with text, music, and pictures. Consider having students plan a trip through Asia stopping at main locations of the Silk Road.
• Qwiki: Gives and overview of whatever you type using audio, text, and video focussing on general in for information. It's a great alternative to have children gain an introduction without Wikipedia.
• Crowdmap: Enables you to see where people are clustering (focusing on dealing with natural disaster aftermath) and the issues of concern are occurring in that location.

DEN Stars and Other DEN

• Animoto: A great way to create a quick videos with cool audio and video. All they have to do is add the photos.
• Some great Discovery Resources
• Head Rush
• Teacher and the Rockbots and other songs

Recommended Reading

I compiled a list of books I've recently read and feel would appeal to middle and high school students. Each of the books includes themes conducive to classroom discussions.

Except when marked with an asterisk, all titles are available in audio format from the Las Vegas Clark County Public Library District (see LVCCLD link when applicable). To access these materials, you must have a current public library card and know your PIN. For more information about procuring a library card, click here. To use eAudio books from the public library, you will need to download OverDrive Media Console (a free software package) to your computer. Instructions and more information about accessing eMedia are available here.

Except for Candy Shop War and Leepike Ridge, all remaining books with asterisks are available at Audible. Note that there is a charge to purchase audiobooks from Audible. Different from the public library, however, the purchaser becomes the book's owner.

Recommended Book Options

Prepared by Christy G. Keeler, Ph.D.

Young Adult Science Fiction

• Adoration of Jenna Fox (Pearson, Mary E.): Jenna Fox awakens after a coma having forgotten her life before her accident. She explores her past life through video, but is often met with reluctance to talk about her operation with others. This science fiction mystery explores issues related to bioethics. [LVCCLD CD]
• Elsewhere (Zevin, Gabrielle): Elsewhere is the story of a girl who died. Upon doing so, she arrived at a place called “Elsewhere” where all the people had lived lives on Earth and were now dead. Most of the people were a lot older than her (she died in her teens). A unique feature of Elsewhere is that you grow older instead of younger while there. [LVCCLD CD]
• Hunger Games (Collins, Suzanne): The Hunger Games is the first of a trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The premise underlying the plot is that a corrupt “Capitol” controls 12 districts. To keep the districts under control, the Capitol sponsors The Hunger Games each year. Two children from each district are selected to participate, and only one participant from the 24 survives the Games. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]
• Little Brother (Doctorow, Cory): Cory Doctorow truly practices what he preaches! In a book about high-tech, high-action stunts in the midst of terrorist activity in the U.S., Doctorow discusses the importance of freedom of information. Likewise, he made his book available for free online using a Creative Commons license. [Warning: This book includes mature themes likely to be inappropriate for use in school environments.] [LVCCLD eAudio]
• Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment (Patterson, James): This is the first book of a series by the acclaimed James Patterson. The main character is Maximum Ride, a headstrong teenage girl who grew up in a science lab. She and her “flock of bird kids” were all genetically manipulated pre-birth, resulting in the presence of wings. As such, all the children are able to fly. The book follows Maximum Ride and her flock as they escape from the lab and learn to live on their own. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]
• Maze Runner (Dashner, James): This is an action-packed thriller! Every month for several years, one boy has been delivered into the “Glade.” All the boys remember their names, but none remember anything else about their past. In a strange turn of events, the day after Thomas (the main character) arrives, a girl arrives. Thomas tries to learn about the society the boys created before his arrival and learns of the maze, their possible escape route, that encompasses their community. [LVCCLD CD]
• Neptune's Children (Dobkin, Bonnie): Dobkin’s book, Neptune’s Children, begins with a bioterrorist attack on all adults around the world. All individuals over age 13 die instantly, leaving all children behind to fend for themselves. Those children left behind in a theme park (similar to Disneyland), create a working society while facing potential and real threats. [LVCCLD CD]
• Twilight (Meyer, Stephenie): This epic series takes place in Washington state. The main character, Bella, meets a young man, Edward, who intrigues her and ultimately becomes the object of her affection. Bella learns that Edward is a vampire and struggles with love and longevity. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]
• *Uglies (Westerfield, Scott): This series (including Pretties, Specials, and Extras) by Scott Westerfield begins with Uglies, a book about a utopian society that spawned from modern America. All children are called “uglies” until their 16th birthdays on which they receive an operation that makes them pretty. Once pretty, they move to a location where they can play and party all the time. Some uglies, though, question if being pretty is all there is to life. [Audible]
• *Unwind (Shusterman, Neal): Imagine if parents could choose to have their teenagers “unwound,” have their body parts separated and given to save the lives of others. It’s the perfect solution for harvesting human organs… isn’t it? [Audible]

Young Adult Fantasy

• *The Candy Shop War (Mull, Brandon):Imagine a world where eating candy could give you special powers. Mull masterfully juxtaposes good and evil amidst a fantasy of vivid characters. The book may sound like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Harry Potter, but it truly is a story of its own.
• Eragon (Paolini, Christopher):16-year-old Christopher Paolini wrote this epic tale (Eragon is the first book in a series) just after graduating from high school. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]
• Fablehaven (Mull, Brandon): When a boy and girl go to spend time with their grandfather, they learn there is more to his mysterious life than originally imagined. The area surrounding his home is a haven for fabulous creatures of all kinds—some good, and some bad. [LVCCLD CD]
• Inkheart (Funke, Cornelia): In this three-book tale, Funke creates a world where books are reality become intertwined. Some of her characters have the unique ability to “read” characters and items “out” of books. In one unfortunate time, the father in the story accidentally read his wife into a book; he’s also read some antagonistic characters out of the book. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]

Young Adult Non-Fiction

• Fallen Angels (Meyers, Walter Dean): Fallen Angels is realistic historical fiction about serving in the Vietnam War. The main character is African-American, adding to the issues of race conflict occurring during the war. [Warning: Telling the story of men and women serving on the front lines, the book does not “candy-coat” the violence, language, and other everyday happenings of the U.S. soldiers.] [LVCCLD CD]
• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (Beah, Ishmael): A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier is the true autobiographical of Ishmael Beah, a boy who served as a soldier in Sierra Leone. After his hometown was attacked by rebels, he spent months searching for his family before being recruited into guerrilla warfare. He is later reformed when living in a UNICEF refugee camp. [Warning: This book contains graphic violence.] [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]
• *Three Cups of Tea: Young Reader’s Edition (Mortensen, Greg): Mortensen is described as a man who is single-handedly creating peaceful relationships between those in the Middle East and in the United States. This book tells his story—from mountain climbing failure to sacrificial living. After returning from a failed attempt to ascend K2, he commits to build a school for the girls in one of Pakistan’s outermost regions. He kept his promise, and continues to change the world with his relentless efforts. [Audible]

Young Adult Historical Fiction

• Elijah of Buxton (Curtis, Christopher Paul): This book tells the story of a small town in Canada. Buxton is where escaped slaves from the United States find refuge. They welcome those former slaves who have made the long, painful journey from the South. The story takes a turn when Elijah, just a boy, heads back to the United States to complete a chore. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]

Young Adult Realistic Fiction

• Hatchet (Paulsen, Gary): This Newberry-award winner tells of a boy who becomes an inhabitant of the wilderness when the plane in which he is flying goes down and the pilot dies in the crash. The main character must learn to survive in the Canadian wild. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]
• *Leepike Ridge (Wilson, N.D.): This action-filled story of realistic fiction is a fun read. When the main character finds himself in a hidden cave under Leepike Ridge, he learns about life outside the mainstream.
• Smiles to Go (Spinelli, Jerry): This is a coming-of-age story for boys who question who they are, where they fit in the universe, and their relationships with girls. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]
• Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (Grisham, John): This is John Grisham’s first children’s book. Theodore Boone lives with his parents, both of whom are lawyers. He loves the law and spends all his free time in the courthouse. As such, he is the resident expert on the law at his school, and he regularly advises his classmates on legal matters. He eve becomes entwined in a case of his own! This is a great book to learn about the U.S. legal system. [LVCCLD CD]

Adult Historical Fiction

• Sarah's Key (de Rosnay, Tatiana): de Rosnay juxtaposes the past and present when her protagonist, a journalist, accepts the opportunity to write a story about French involvement in the Nazi round-up of Jewish families in Paris in 1942. While the journalist’s story unfolds, Sarah’s story unfolds. Sarah’s story is about cruelty and loss at the hand of the French police as they did the bidding of the Nazi’s. It is also about human compassion and remembrance. [LVCCLD eAudio]

Adult Realistic Fiction

• The Life of Pi (Martel, Yann): Martel tells the tale of a boy from India. His family owns a zoo, but is selling their animals to a U.S. zoo due to financial hardships. During their sea voyage, there is an accident and the boy, Pi, ends up aboard a small rescue boat along with a tiger and several other animals. He tells of their mutual survival tactics and leaves the reader questioning reality. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]

Adult Non-Fiction

• *The Horse Boy (Isaacson, Rupert): Isaacson wrote this biography about his son, a boy afflicted with autism. In an attempt to help their son, Isaacson and his wife trekked through Mongolia with the intent to meet shamans who could assist their child. Their journey took them to the outer-most parts of Mongolia, even to the “Reindeer People.” This is a heartwarming tale the of the efforts parents will make to assist their children and ways that seeing the world differently can help us all see better. [Audible]
• Strength in What Remains (Kidder, Tracy): A medical student in Africa finds himself constantly trying to escape war and war-torn environments as he traverses through his home country of Burundi and into and out of Rwanda. He eventually makes his way to the United States where he faces trials of a homeless immigrant in a foreign land. [LVCCLD eAudio]
• Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman (Krakauer, Jon): Pat Tillman, former NFL player, lost his life during the U.S. Gulf War. Krakauer describes the events leading to his NFL and military careers and the circumstances surrounding his death in combat. [LVCCLD eAudio/CD]
• *The Last American Man (Gilbert, Elizabeth): Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, writes the biography of Eustice Conway, a true man of the American Wilderness. Born in the 1960s, Eustice took his homemade teepee and left home as a teenager to live off the land. Gilbert tells of his trek along the Appalachian Trail, his record-setting horse-journey across America, and his lifelong passion to bring Americans to a greater appreciation and respect of nature. [Audible]

Tech-Based PBL for the Young Learner? Yes!

Tech-Based PBL for the Young Learner? Yes!
Presented by Christy Keeler and Heather Rampton

Presentation Slides
Downloadable Presentation Slides

Recommended Links

• Educational Videos: Subscribe to "Keeler's Training Videos" on iTunes or visit the web-based version
  
• Educational Virtual Museums
• Audio Digital Storytelling
• Ms. Rampton's Classroom Blog
• Flat Stanley Activities by Chapter
  
• Invitation to participate in Flat Stanley project: Word Version/PDF Version
• Comic Life
• Spelling City
  
• Harriet Tubman Blog
  
• Funds for Teachers
• Donor's Choose Website
• Digital Wish Website
• Teaching American History Grants
• HP Technology for Teachers Grant
• eInstruction's Classroom Makeover Contest Award

Elementary-Level PBL

There are incredible project-based learning examples online, but few are from elementary level and even fewer are from primary grades. To make a very small impact on this lack of examples, I am sharing a collection of projects my sons, Ryan and Spencer, have completed for their classes during their elementary years. For information on more PBL options appealing to elementary-level students, please visit Tech-Based PBL for the Young Learner? Yes!

• Scorpion Movie: When in first grade, Spencer made this video by using iTunes to record his narration and iPhoto to make a slideshow with Internet-selected pictures. He combined the two within iPhoto.
• Spencer Toy's Commercial: Spencer and his friend, Spencer, created this commercial for their fourth grade entrepreneurship project. They wrote the script, practiced, and were recorded using a camera with video capabilities.
• Mixed-Up Book Report and Safety Notebook: Ryan created a book report on the book From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and a safety brochure for his Cub Scout project while in fourth grade. He used Microsoft Word tri-fold brochure templates for each.
• Hatchet Report: Using ComicLife, Ryan prepared this fourth grade book report on the book Hatchet.
• Caravel Mini-Book: In fifth grade, Ryan prepared a mini-book report on caravel ships (those used by Columbus). He used "Make a Booklet" software to enable proper folding, and he created a cover using tea-stained paper sent through a Laserjet printer.
• Audio Interviews: When in fourth grade, Ryan had to do a book report for a fantasy/science fiction book. He chose The Riddle of the Gnome: A Further Tales Adventure by P.W. Catanese. For the project, he had to write and answer ten interview questions for the main character. Ryan chose to deliver his project in audio format (Listen here). He used Audacity and its voice modification feature to make it sound like there were two individuals in the interview room. Spencer had to replicate this activity when he was in fourth grade. He used the book Flyte by Angie Sage (Listen here).
• Iroquois Virtual Museum: For his fifth grade project on Native Americans, Ryan chose to study the Iroquois by reading ...If You Lived With The Iroquois. He used PowerPoint templates and techniques from Educational Virtual Museums.
• Spencers' Toys Marketing Display: Spencer Keeler and Spencer Coombs created this poster during an entrepreneur project in fourth grade. They manufactured and sold cars, trucks, and planes. The display board included a section where they projected a commercial they made using a digital camera.

ISTE 2010: Fisher, "Gadgets! Gadgets! Gadgets!"

Return of the Gadgets!
Presented by Leslie Fisher

Eventbrite.com: Allows you to invite people to attend events and will allow you to set an event attendee maximum. It will keep track of the attendees, put others on a waiting list, and move them up as seats come available. You can also use it for pay events and it will take $1 for each attendee. It will automatically create certificates, sign-in sheets, nametags, etc. for your attendees.

Tripit.com: You forward your confirmation emails to create a virtual itinerary for you. T provides driving directions for your. It’s even available for the Droid.

You can create a Twitter feed on your website. Twitter.com/Goodies, Choose “Widgits,” “Profile Widgit,” and choose your preferences and username, and then “Finish and Grab Code.” This is a great way to post messages to several websites (e.g., 4th period, cheerleading, Boy Scouts).

Type With Me: Allows multiple people (15) to type at the same time in the same place (like with Google Docs). You can by-pass the 15 person limit through Google.

Zamzar: It allows you to convert files into other file types. So, for instance, you can get a YouTube video as a Quicktime file. It takes about 20 minutes, but allows you to access video even when sites are blocked.

UStream.tv: Creates an immediate videoconference. It can work like a nanny-cam.

Orbicule: This sends out your iSight video and starts taking videos of the person who is using it.

Hulu: Watch television shows for free online.

Boxee: Allows you to watch the Internet on your TV.

Swype: It will type for you as you swipe your figures around the Droid keyboard.

ISTE 2010: Davidson, "Mash Media: New Web, Old Media, and Your Own Stuff"

Mash Media: New Web, Old Media, and Your Own Stuff
Presented by Hall Davidson

Wall Wishers: A creative way to share information on a single virtual wall.

Tagul: Like Wordle, but it allows you to make links to individual words in the resulting image.

Jing: Creates websites from screen captures created online. CamStudio is a good free alternative for regional screen captures on the PC.

Gizmoz: Allows you to create avatars.

Email GEEC@google.com to get a full license code for Google Pro for educators.

Web 2.0 owners almost universally allow educators to take and use screenshots from their sites. Just email the site manager to make sure it's okay to post your screen captures.


Permission to use Discovery videos in Google Lit Trips.

ISTE 2010: Other Good Sites

EasyBib: An easy-to-use online alternative for EndNote. Useful for young writers learning to cite their sources.

Kerpoof: This is an online drawing and movie-making program.

Kids.gov: This is a one-stop-fits-all website connecting children to a multitude of children's games.

Games about Money

• Meet Us at the Mall: Helps students learn about business competition and smart consumerism.
  
• Stagecoach Island: Compliments of Wells Fargo, this game offers a virtual world where students can learn to manage their money.
• H.I.P. Pocket Change: This site is maintained from the U.S. Mint.
  

ISTE 2010: November, "Digital Learning Farm: Students as Contributors"

Digital Learning Farm: Students as Contributors
Presented by Alan November

We need to trust children to teach teachers.

Tutorial Design Team:
Mathtrain.tv: Includes videos of math concepts. Some teachers allow their students to either do homework, or they can create screenshot tutorials. An important element is to NOT give students grades for their creative works; otherwise, motivation will decrease over time.

WolframAlpha: An online tool that will solve algebraic and other similar math problems. If you type "Solution" along with the problem, you can find the steps to the solution.

Dan Pink, Drive: In Pink's book, he states that if you do not have purpose, your motivation will decline. November, then, states that we need to focus on giving children purpose. One such purpose is to have them create products that can benefit others.

Screencasting is a critically important tool that teachers seldom use.

Production Designer:
A key to enhanced educational opportunities is to release control to the students. An example of this is Bob Sprankle's student vodcast. In his elementary-level classroom, they do a weekly podcast on what the class learned throughout the week. A student designs the production for the week. After creating these podcasts, students individually came to Mr. Sprankle and asked him if they could create their own shows. One student created a writing show and another created a math show.

Scribe:
Using Google Docs, have three different students keep notes during a single teaching period. Have each of the three students focus on a different aspect of the presentation. Also, inform each of these scribes that they should add additional information as they feel it would be helpful, and they can add information to their notes at any later time.

Researcher:
School culture has conditioned children to create a dependency on the teacher to answer their questions. They are not encouraged to explore on their own; they are rewarded when interacting with the teacher and asking questions of the teacher. A job students may have in the class is to to be the researcher. When a student asks a question, one student is required to find the answer online.

Global Communicator:
One student's job should be to find email addresses of people that could act as experts when the class has questions they are unable to answer.

Kiva: A website designed to facilitate loans to small businesses around the world. For $25, students can choose a business to support and follow the success of the business. When the money is returned, you can re-invest it.

"Don't forget the kids." In fact, perhaps we should spend more time empowering kids to improve learning and less time on professional development. Perhaps a school could put together a team of students who will identify a list of ways they can use cell phones for learning within the school environment.

ISTE 2010: Schrock, "A Dose of Twitter for Every Day of the Year"

A Dose of Twitter for Every Day of the Year
Presented by Kathy Schrock

Ways to integrate Twitter into the Classroom:

• Choose a historical figure and tweet as if you're that individual.
• Provide a summary of a chapter or lesson.
• Share a link relating to the topic of the week.
• Do collaborative writing.
• Post a question each night.
• Have students follow a breaking news story.

30 Interesting Ways to use Twitter in the Classroom (Tom Barrett offers suggestions for using Twitter in public schools. These are available at

The Twitter Song by Ben Walker

ISTE 2010: Dodge, "What is Engagement, Really, and Where Can I Get Some?"

What is Engagement, Really, and Where Can I Get Some?
Presented by Bernie Dodge

News Dots: Ask students what story interests you the least and why?

360 Cities: Allows you to look at cities from a photographic 360 degree perspective.

• Compare/contrast cities
• Have students find examples of high-density and low-density populations, high and low GDP
• Where would you rather live?
• Place novels in context
• Prepare for an annual Washington, D.C. trip
• Consider geometric shapes in architecture
• Create a 360 City of your community and describe its history

Have an observer randomly choose 4 four students and observe them for three-minute intervals while you teach. Ask them to determine the level of engagement for each of the students. Are they engaging with each other? The teacher? Materials? The content?

Engagement is about looking closely at what everyone in your classroom is doing.

Nevada Curricular Standards: A List

Because I have had to reference Nevada Curricular Standards for several of my consulting contracts, I found it helpful to create a single list of cross-curricular, cross-grade standards. All Nevada Standards appear on the Nevada Department of Education website, but they are separated by subject area and grade, and each subject area has adopted its own design and display format. Though I have not had need for all standards, I created a single document compiling standards for those subject areas (social studies, English/language arts, mathematics, science, health, art, music, theater, physical education) and grade bands (3, 4, 5, 6-8, 9-12) I use most frequently.

Click here for the compiled list of Nevada Curricular Standards.*

*Note: This is not an official list and should not be used in lieu of the actual state standards.

Google Searches by Jennifer Ritz

See the related website at http://sites.google.com/a/escoweb.org/google/searches

Begin by doing a simple Google search, click on "Show Options" (right to the left of the results), and choose the type of search you want to do. When you click on one of the options, it will give you more options. Click the option you wish to search, click "Search" in the search bar, and then choose "Web" on the left-hand side.

• Google Related Searches: Identifies similar searches that might help students specify what they wish to learn.
  
• Google Wonder Wheel: Similar to a visual thesaurus, but for Google searches.
  
• Google Timeline: "Timeline" will separate sites into time periods (e.g., tsunamis, search by years and the choose those from the 1700s).

Google Squared: This site allows you to search general information for a collection of similar items (e.g., presidents, math history, and Native American tribes. You can save and export the resulting square into Google spreadsheets which will keep the information clickable or into CSV which creates links).

Custom Search Engines: This allows you to modify a search and then save and manage it. It is a way to allow students to search for keywords within only the sites you specify.

Google Earth/Google Lit Trips (CUE-SN Presentation)—3/13/10

Click here for the slideshow from the Google Earth/Google Lit Trips session.

Please visit the useful sites below:

• Google Earth: This allows you to download Google Earth and access resources to assist in using the tool(s).
• Google Lit Trips: Created by Jerome Burg, this is the location for accessing and downloading approved Google Lit Trips.
• Formatting Place Marker Descriptions: This includes the HTML codes for basic placemark coding.
  

Steve Dembo and Lindsay Hopins: "Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools"

Web 2.0: Entirely web based, interactive, plays well with others

Crappy Graphs: This allows quick and easy basic graphs. You can download or embed these graphs.
Wall Wisher: Allows you to put sticky notes on things. This works well for quick, collaborative note taking. You can drag notes around to use like a concept map.
Delicious: Social bookmarking.
Let Me Google That For You: Shows people how to Google. It shows a screencast of typing in terms and pulling up the search terms.
ipadio: Allows quick easy mobile podcasts. You must register to use the site, but there is no charge. The resulting audios have embed codes and automatically makes an iTunes podcast.
Blabberize: Allows you to use any photo and "Blabberize" (make the person/animal) speak. This would work well for having famous people tell autobiographies. The result is an embed code.
Animoto: This is free for one year for educators. It allows you to make music videos using your own videos. You can upload yur own images, rearrange them, add text, highlight images (so they'll stay up longer). You can use your own audio or use the audio they've provided for free. It adds in all the transitions and visual effects so allows students to quickly make the videos. This would work well for a photo collage for a year-end festival.
Wordle: Allows you to create word clouds. If you want to take it to the next level, use Word Sift. In Word Sift, you paste in text. It creates a word cloud that is not as visually appealing as Wordle, but it allows you to interact with the words (e.g., highlight language arts words or social studies). You can choose a single word to bring up a visual thesaurus and the application will also bring in related images from Google images.
Glogster: There are two versions: public and educational. Glogster allows you to create visual e-boards with embedded media (inc., sounds, videos, and pictures).

Notes on this session are available here.

NCSS Presentation 2009: "21st Century Social Studies"

I highly recommend participants in this session review the resources at the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website.

Click here for presentation slides. You may also access the Schaaf Coyote of the Day Pledge of Allegiance audio as presented by Mrs. Schaaf's second grade classroom.

NCSS Presentation Notes: Social Studies—Research and Practice

What Does It Mean to Think Historically... And How Do We Teach It?
Presented by Bruce van Sledright

Who epitomizes the depth of historical knowledge?

• Historians.

How do they become these experts?

• It's about reading and literacy practices combined with self-understanding and an awareness of social-cultural context and the individual's role as a citizen.
• Fundamentally, becoming a novice expert is about achieving se;f-understanding and awareness if socio-cultural content itself (positionality)

Our challenges need to address these isues:

• School literacy practices: Searching for the "one right idea"
• Epistomological positions
• The School and Cultural History Curriculum: Our education is about commemoration, not investigation
  

NCSS Leadership Conference Notes

Accessing Funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA)
Presented by Beth Ratway

The meeting began with an introduction of the attendees and discussion of how states are connecting internally.

Money is currently available through SFSF, Race to the Top, SIG, i3, ED Tech, TIF, SLDA, and TQP. All of these run through IDEA and Title I.

The types of questions social studies councils should be seeking to answer include:

• How do standards and assessment impact your work?
• How can you use data to improve the work of your council?
  

The currently education landscape focuses on ARRA, I3, NCLB, and 21^st Century Skills.

ARRA: 4 Assurances expected of those seeking to procure funding

• Support effective teachers and school leaders
• Improve the use of data (Data systems: fully implementing a statewide longitudinal data system, accessing and using state data, and using data to improve instruction)
• Complete the implementation of high standards and high-quality assessments
• Turn around persistently low-performing schools, whole-school reform, and targeted approaches to reform.

In addition, states should be focused on developing and adopting common standards, developing and implementing common, high-quality assessments, supporting transition to enhanced standards and high quality assessments.

The key is to find the intersecting nodes for standards and assessments, teacher and leadership effectiveness, support for struggling schools, and _____.

Race to the Top Funds go to state educational agencies, school improvement grants, investing in innovation funds, educational technology, teacher incentive fund, and statewide data system. As social studies councils, the focus should probably be the i3 (Investing in Innovation Fund)Funds (a part of the third phase of funding. For this grant, the interest is in improving student achievement or student growth from high-need students and promoting school readiness. Only LEAs or non-profit organizations can get this in collaboration with an LEA.

Funding focuses on three levels: development of research-based theories ($5 m award), validation (up to $30 m award), and scale-up ($50 m award).

To receive the grant, there must be 20% private sector funding, conduct independent program evaluation, cooperate with technical assistants, etc.

Other interested topics include improving early learning outcomes, supporting college access and success, assisting ELL and disabled students, serve schools in rural LEAs. If applications address these issues, they will receive preference.

All proposals should include partnerships (e.g., with other LEAs, other social studies councils).

Beth recommended the following resource for assessing higher level thinking objectives: Authentic Intellectual Work by Ken Newman (a way to look at depth of knowledge and other educational outcomes)

ARRA grants should be in the million dollar range, the grants should be pretty competitive, and they will probably be due around the spring/ summer.

Legislative Briefing

Presented by Della Cronin

Some of the concepts that appeal to Secretary Duncan are charter school and pay for performance. The interest on Capitol Hill, however, has been on health care, not education. Duncan has stated publicly that NCLB has its good and bad points and noted that we have had a narrowing of the curriculum as a result of the legislation.

There appears to be a focus on preparing children in early childhood as a way to support the overall goal of having all students graduate from high school and increase college enrollments.

There is a bill from Rockefeller that would provide funds to states to support 21^st century learning. Senator Kennedy and Senator Alexander introduced a bill that would expand the sample size for the NAEP civics exam and place an emphasis on history assessments. Nothing is currently moving out of the re-authorization process.

There appear to be concerns about equity and access in education. The rural areas and inner-city schools appear to facing the brunt of America's contemporary financial status.

Make sure when coupling terms, we include citizenship (e.g., "College, Career, and Citizenship").

Online Course Designs: Are Special Needs Bring Met?

Dr. Mark Horney and I would like to to thank the American Journal for Distance Education and the Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning for the honor of receiving the esteemed Wedemeyer Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Distance Education in memory of Charles and Mildred Wedemeyer. We hope that our research may continue to open the back doors for students who might otherwise be marginalized.

The citation for our full paper is:
Keeler, C., & Horney, M. (2007). Online course designs: Are special needs being met? American Journal for Distance Education, 21(2).

For an overview of the study, view this video interview between Rosemary Lehman and Drs. Keeler and Horney.

Presentation Slides
Presentation Notes
Data Sheet

Video Interview

Surviving the Desert: A Lesson Plan

Surviving the Desert
Developed Christy G. Keeler, Ph.D.
Geographic Alliance in Nevada

Grade Level: 7-12
Time: 100 minutes separated into two days (plus homework reading requirements)
Overview: Using Grand Canyon as a case study, this lesson introduces students to desert survival issues by having them read about desert survival, evaluate possible hiking routes given Grand Canyon maps and related data, and develop a safety pamphlet for use by those visiting and planning to hike in Grand Canyon region. The lesson concludes by having students compare their instructional pamphlets with actual safety and hiking pamphlets of Grand Canyon.

Connection to National Geography Standards

The World in Spatial Terms
(1) How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information.
(3) How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface.
Places and Regions
(4) The physical and human characteristics of places.
(5) That people create regions to interpret Earth's complexity.
(6) How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.
Physical Systems
(7) The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth's surface.
Human Systems
(9) The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface.
(12) The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement.
(14) How human actions modify the physical environment.
Environment and Society
(15) How physical systems affect human systems.
The Uses of Geography
(17) How to apply geography to interpret the past.
(18) How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.

Materials

• Computers for every six students (with printer access)
• A classroom computer with a projector
• Photocopied excerpts of the book chapters (See “Procedures”—“Before the Lesson)
• Topographical maps of Grand Canyon
--http://www.grand.canyon.national-park.com/brightmap.htm
--http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/usgs/gc_gc_ed.htm
• Hiking guides produced and distributed to all visitors by the National Park Service about Grand Canyon (i.e., the information provided at the entrance to the national park)—Enough for each group of six students to have a copy of each circular AND the below trail maps of Grand Canyon (one of each for each group of six)
• Grand Canyon Trail Guide: Bright Angel (http://www.grandcanyonassociation.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=GCA&Product_Code=M10070&Category_Code=&Search=trail+bright+angel&Search_Type=OR&Offset=49)
• Grand Canyon Trail Guide: Havasu (http://www.grandcanyonassociation.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=GCA&Product_Code=M10085&Category_Code=&Search=trail+bright+angel&Search_Type=OR&Offset=50)

Objectives

• Students will identify geographic structures of desert regions with specific attention to Grand Canyon.
• Students will identify dangers associated with desert survival.
• Students will prepare cohesive plans for surviving desert climates and physical geographical structures.

Procedure

Day One

Opening
Project a topographical map of Grand Canyon (http://www.jcu.edu/philosophy/gensler/escalante.gif) and, in their journals, have students propose routes for hiking from the rim to the river, justifying their choices, and stating issues they might face when making the trek.
Development
1. Discuss student responses during their review of the topographical map, focusing on the abrupt elevation changes common in Grand Canyon. Next, in lecture format, briefly explain the geography of the region by addressing the history, geology, flora, and fauna of the region while addressing the broader issue of deserts. The following resources may prove helpful:
• http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/arizona/images/s/grand-canyon-maps.jpg
• http://away.com/gifs/states/az/m_gcnpov.gif
• http://www.arizona-leisure.com/grand-canyon-history.html
2. Ask students what issues they feel may be important when hiking in Grand Canyon, recording their answers on the board.
3. Place students in groups of six and have each group begin to design a pamphlet that could be given to travelers to Grand Canyon who intend to hike in the park’s region. Specific attention should address dangers of the Canyon and safety recommendations. Groups should choose their design and begin input basic information before the end of class.
**Have students use pre-made pamphlet templates (available in the Project Gallery of Microsoft Word) to save time on design, therefore allowing more time to focus on content.
Closing
Inform students that for homework they will read information about dangers affecting individuals either hiking in deserts or visiting Grand Canyon. They must come prepared with their homework for class tomorrow.

Homework

Distribute copies of the following chapters and book sections to students to read for homework. Provide each student with a different reading to ensure the class completes all readings. Every student in each group of six should have a different reading and both the Desert Survival and Death in Grand Canyon books should be represented in each group. Student must prepare a brief assignment including the following items:
• The name of their reading
• A brief description of what they read
• Five tips for hiking in desert regions or Grand Canyon extrapolated from their reading

The readings include:
1. Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey—“Water” and “The Heat of Noon: Rock and Tree and Cloud” [Note: The “Water” chapter includes some inappropriate language. Additionally, both chapters require high reading levels and may include adult content.]
2. Desert Survival: Tips, Tricks, and Skills by Tony Nester—Assign each of the following sections, one for each student:
--“Physiology of Humans in the Desert”
--“Desert Hazards”
--“Anatomy of a Survival Situation”
--“The Basic Skills of Survival”
--“Outfitting Your Vehicle”
--“Obtaining Water in Arid Regions”
--“Desert Survival Shelters”
--“Firemaking Skills”
--“Knife Uses and Safety”
--“Signaling for Rescue”
3. Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon by Michael Ghiglieri and Thomas Myers—Assign all chapters EXCEPT those on suicide and murder. Assign at least one student to each of the following book sections:
--Chapter One (Falls): Chapter Introduction AND “Falls from the Rim,” “Falls within the Canyon”
--Chapter Two (Environmental Deaths): Entire chapter
--Chapter Three (Flash Floods): Entire chapter
--Chapter Four (Killer Colorado): Chapter Introduction AND “Lethal Errors Made While Running the River,” “River Crossers Who Didn’t,” “Swimmers Who Drowned Elsewhere in the Colorado,” “Swimmers Who Drowned between Phantom and Pipe Creek” AND “Swimmers Who Drown Elsewhere in the Colorado,” “Accidental Swimmers Who Fell in from Shore” AND “Mysterious Disappearances Who Drowned from Camp,” “Lessons of Safety & Survival from the Grand Canyon Colorado”
--Chapter Five (Air): Entire chapter
--Chapter Six (Freak Errors and Accidents): “Rock Falls,” “Venomous Creatures,” “Freak Errors and Accidents”
--Epilogue (Lessons): Entire section

*In larger classes, have multiple students read the same passage, but limit the number of students per passage to ensure an even distribution of readings.
* If there are not enough books for students to take home to complete the readings, copy chapters or chapter sections for each student. In some cases, it is possible to copy two pages on a single side of paper, for a total of four pages per piece of paper. Require students return their reading passages for use with future classes.

Day Two

Opening
As students enter the classroom, have each student choose one tip for hiking in desert regions or Grand Canyon from their homework assignment and write it on the board. [For smaller classes, have each student write two tips on the board.]
Development
1. Have students continue on their pamphlets. Halfway through the class period, have students print out their pamphlets. (They will turn these in for grading after class.)
2. Provide each group with hiking guides from Grand Canyon (see “Materials”) and have them review these to identify hiking and survival tips. Each group will create a T-chart titled “Pamphlet Comparisons.” On the left, they will write “Recommended Improvements for Our Pamphlet” and the right will write “Recommended Improvements to Their Pamphlets.” Student groups will complete the T-chart and turn it in along with their pamphlet.
Closing
Have a brief discussion about what students learned through this two-day unit.

Assessment

1. Provide credit based on student ability to actively collaborate with a group to complete the pamphlet and their ability to collaborate in the whole class group for the project analysis.
2. Grade the quality of student responses on their homework assignment.
3. Grade students on the quality of information included in the pamphlet and their T-charts, taking into account the collaborative nature of the assignments.

Extending the Lesson

• Have students replicate this lesson for a national park in another region and ecosystem of the United States.
• Have students evaluate their group pamphlet and create a new pamphlet on their own. The pamphlet should combine content from the original group-generated pamphlet, class discussions and lecture, and official park documents.

This lesson is available at http://keelerthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/07/surviving-desert-lesson-plan.html
or in downloadable Microsoft Word format.

NECC 2009: Session Notes

A Ripple Effect: 21st Century Innovations that Matter
Cheryl Lemke

Adolescent learning: peers, school, home, distributed resources, work, networked publics (a networked space where the public meets). —B. Barron, 2006

We need to create environments where we can work and learn peer-to-peer with our students because that is where they go to learn what interests them. Students need to see the value-added that the teacher offers.

94% of adolescents are involved in online gaming. —Pew

Multi-tasking is a myth. Our brains have an executive function that allows us to only think about things serially. Students, though, are faster than adults because they are younger (our brain processing speed peaks at between 20 and 30. When you move from one task to another, there is a slight delay and loss of time. There is, however, background tasking (e.g., listening to music). When students are engaged in difficult to cognitively process content, we should decrease the need for background tasking and multi-tasking. Drill and practice builds automaticity that leads to a greater ability to do background tasking while engaged in processing new content. Our students are giving us their “continuous partial attention” (Linda Stark).

http://www.positech.co.uk/democracy2/ : This is a game that allows users to try and keep a country alive. It considers elections, economics, etc.

If you grant students choice, on average, their grades will increase by a full grade.

On average there’s less than 10 seconds of sustained discussion in the average classroom. Instead, there is teach-talk followed by student-talk, followed by teacher-talk.

http://voicethread.com: This is a nice tool for working with video, stills, audio, and text/drawings.

http://flowingdata.com/: This is a tool that assists in visualizing data (e.g., Twitter posts about Obama during the Inaugeration, growth of Wal-Mart). http://gapminder.org is a similar program that allows you to track demographic features over time.

http://scratch.mit.edu/: This tool is good for teaching students about gaming and gaming environments from a design perspective.

Tammy Worcester
Tammy’s Favorite Technology Tips, Tricks, and Tools

http://www.tammyworcester.com

• http://vozme.com: Users type in text and the application reads it aloud.
• http://vocaroo.com: Allows you to record your voice. It results in an embed code.
• http://jamstudio.com: Allows users to very easily create music loops.
• http://fur.ly: Allows you to shorten multiple URLs into one. This creates a website that would be great for creating webquests or smaller Delicious sites.
• http://www.imaginationcubed.com: This is a free online basic version of KidPix. More than one individual can work on the whiteboard at a time and you can email the project to others. The email includes the real-time drawing, not just the finished product.
• http://jing.com or http://skitch.com: Allows you to do screen captures and make edits (e.g., adding arrows and text). You can also record voice and screen changes (like with Snapz Pro X).
• http://kickyoutube.com: Allows you to download YouTube videos for later use. Just add “kick” in the YouTube URL and choose (from the bar on the top) the format in which you want to download. Then, click the green “Download” button. Next, right-click over the “Down” button to download the video to your hard drive.
• http://classtools.net (Random Name Picker): Picks a name from a list you provide. The application includes an embed code so you can have the program run whenever you wish to use it (e.g., from the class blog).
• http://taggalaxy.com: Looks in Flickr to find any images relating to the tag you select. You could create your own tag and hen look at the image (a globe) with just your pictures.
• Firefox Shortcuts: Use Apple-L to move to the URL bar. To create a shortcut, go to the search box for the website (e.g., Amazon) and right click and create a shortcut (e.g., type az twilight and it will look for
• “Twlight” in Amazon).

Dr. Christopher Moersch
Teaching 2.0: Challenging the Interactive Generation
http://lotiguyspeaks.blogspot.com

• H-E-A-T (high-order thinking, engaged learning, authenticity, technology use
• There are three parts to every learning activity: content, process, and product
• http://www.lotilounge.com: Allows schools to take the LoTi digital-age survey
• “What gets measured gets improved.”
• http://wordle.net: Allows analysis of textual passages.

Tom March
WebQuests 2.0: A Richer Web Improves a Good Idea

http://tommarch.com

• http://clipmarks.com: Allows you to copy/paste from multiple webpages therefore creating a pool of resources related to a personally-selected topic.
• http://diigo.com: Allows you to highlight, ask questions, and comment on individual websites.
• http://pageflakes.com: This is an alternative to iGoogle. It provides you with an assigned web address instead of having it just be available after logging in. The site allows you to subscribe to multiple RSS feeds in the form of tabs at the top of the page. This would be good to allow students to take turns reviewing individual webquests.
• http://vue.org: This is an online version of Inspiration.
• CEQ•ALL ("Seek All")—Choice, Effort, Quality, Attitude, Labor of Love (A taxonomy for this century); Set-up educational opportunities that allow students to make choices, requires hard work/effort, the teacher makes him/herself available for ensuring quality of student work/learning, allows students to feel good about themselves by having a good attitude, and teachers and students must put a labor of love into their work.

Vendor Notes

Global Fever (a vendor that provides curriculum relating to the environment) created a collection of rich resources using ComicLife. Their sample pages all use ComicLife and can serve as excellent examples.

Kids.gov: Like Thinkfinity, this is a central location for accessing several website. Its function is to bring together government sites intended for use by children.

From Banned to Planned: Cell Phones in Schools
Hall Davidson
http://discoveryedspeakersbureau.com/node/119

Poll Everywhere: Allows you to have students take a quick poll using their phones.

Suggestions for ways teachers are using cell phones in the classroom are avilable at http://k12cellphoneprojects.wikispaces.com another resource is http://www.cellphonesinlearning.com.

Voicethread: A tool for creating projects like HyperStudio, but it allows you to add audio recorded directly from your cell phone.

Davidson suggests we rename "cell phones." In some countries they call it a hand phone and keitai ("a snug, intimate technosocial tethering"). Cell phones are different from other technologies because they are both input and output devices.

"Classroom management is less of an issues when engaged learning is taking place."

Qik: This site allows you to broadcast live from a cell phone. It will also allows you to embed code into blogs or Google Earth.

Shazam: It allows you to hold-up your cell phone to a song and the phone can decode the name of the song.

Cell phones can read bar codes (bar code readers are freely available online) and they can create bar codes from text/pictures (QR code generators).

Amazon bought a company that does object recognition (e.g., you can take a picture of someone's shoes, send it to Amazon, and Amazon with offer it for purchase).

Davidson has placed Fatherlee's paperwork for using cell phones in the classroom on his website (see above). It includes a letter home to parents, instructions for designing cell-phone educational activities, and a tech-survey for parents to ensure students aren't being charged for their in-class work.