Harris Burdick

One my favorite activities that we did in grad school came from our very first class.

We worked in a group of three and wrote a story together based on a picture.

We each had a different picture from a book called Harris Burdick, that we started to write about.

After 20 minutes we would pass our writing to one of our partners to continue our story.

At the end of 20 minutes we would pass our story to the last person for them to finish it.

Each partner built on the story previously written.

When we were finished we each had a story that we started,

and we were able to get great writing ideas from

our partners.

I did this same activity with my class this year.

They LOVED it!

When they got their stories back, they had the option

to re-create the story however they wanted.

They could take advice from their peers or they can

change the story back to how they wanted.

Story Jumper

I have been looking for a new Web 2.0 writing tool to use with my students.

I typically use Storybird at the beginning of the year for my students to get ideas for writing,

but I wanted a tool that would allow the students to use their own creativity.

I found a tool called Story Jumper that allows my students to start a story from scratch.

They each get their own account that they can use at school and home.

They can even purchase their book and view other classmates stories.

Check it out!

Descriptive Writing

For the last couple weeks our class has been focusing a lot on character development in our reading and writing. Students are able to see character development in their books, but it's been difficult to apply it in their stories.

In an attempt to help them with this, I found something on the Web called Creature Creator. It allows you to create a creature, then asks a lot of different questions about the creature you created. At the end of the questioning it puts everything into a story.

Students are able to see the character development through this activity.

Once they create their creator they will using the Snipping Tool and save it as JPEG to post onto our blog.

They will then use Build Your Wild Self to build their own creature and write their own story about their wild-self.

Students have started adding post to our blog. They are constantly asking if their work can be put on the blog! This week each student wrote a story elements pyramid and typed it on word. Once they typed it on Word they copy and pasted it into our blog.

Story Bird

Story Bird is a Web 2.o that I use for writing. It encourages and gives ideas to my most reluctant writers. It is the reversal process of writing; students find pictures and then create a story based on the art. It is also has a feature that students can comment on other students stories. I have a couple students that have written over 45 books this year!

Comic Creator

Comic creator is another tool that I really like. My students made comics this week using this tool. They then turned it into a story and added dialogue into their narrative story. It was a great way to introduce dialogue.

Animoto

Our school participates in a fun raising program called Boosterthon.

They come into our school and classrooms for 9 days and talk about

character. This year's theme was "EPIC Adventure.

At the end of the program students run in Fun Run.

The kids love this time of year!

I made this video on a program called Animoto.

You can upload pictures, video, and text to create

a professional looking slide show.

It's a great way to compile picture and share with

your students parents on your class blog.

Carpool

I work in a school system that does not use public buses.
Half of the students carpool while the other half walk
home or meet their parents somewhere besides school.

One of those students that walks home
everyday was in my class last year.
He was that little boy that gave me a huge hug
and would look at me with his bright blue eyes and
freckled face every morning.

He never called me Mrs. Jacobs,
it was always, "no mam," or "yes mam."
Not only does he have manners that would
make every mother proud, but he is one
all-star athlete.

He always pretended like he was pitching a baseball as
he held a book in one hand and swung
the other with a make believe ball.

He stuttered his feet as if he were making a route
on the football field every time he lined up
to leave our class.

This sweet little boy was rushing to meet his mom
after school yesterday to show his mom something
he had gotten at school.

As he was rushing to her window he
ran in front of an oncoming car.

He was hit by the car and he could have been killed,
but God decided it wasn't his time.

His first words after surgery and a few
hours of sleep, "Mom it feels like
Christmas!" Tired, exhausted, worn-out
mom replies, "What do you mean sweetie?"
"My bones are going to heal and I'm going
to be okay."

I'm not a mother yet and I can't imagine
the helplessness she must have felt after watching her child
get hit by a car just a few feet away,
but I know that comment gave this mother hope and peace
that everything is going to be alright.

God is good. Not sure what we would have
all done if this ended differently. I realized
after this accident, that I don't have old
students. Once a child is your student
they are always your student.

My students will use this blog to study story elements in reading.

Voice Thread

I love Voice Thread! It is my favorite Web 2.0 tool.

We made our first VoiceThread of the year this week.

My students wrote comparing and contrasting paragraphs.

They took a picture of their work with the document camera

and uploaded their picture and voice to our class Voicethread.

They are not ready to have their own account, but this

is a good start. I have a few students that are not at

this publishing stage in their writing, but most of my

students have done their thread.

When everyone has completed this assignment

I will embed it into our class blog for parents to see!

Typing Skills

There are many different parts to reading... phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, and comprehension. Students don't start comprehending until they have all the

previous parts in place!

In the same way, there are basic fundamental skills that need to happen while using a computer. I'm anxious to start projects using technology, but it takes my students awhile to type.

I'm trying to find the balance with fundamentals on the computer

and engaging computer-based projects.

I want them to be fluent on the keyboard,

but I don't want to spend all our time doing

meaningless typing activities.

It's a slow process, but we are inching our way towards something good..

just wish it would come a little sooner.

Wrapped with Writers

I have been reading a great writing

book called "Of Primary Importance," by

Ann Marie Corgill.

She talks about how the best writers are the one's that

know themselves well and are able to tell stories

about their life experiences.

In an attempt to help 2nd

graders understand themselves better, we made

self-portrait collages the 1st week of school.

For the next couple weeks students took turns

telling stories about their pictures. They excitedly

told stories of fishing trips, Disney World, family

traditions, and their "favorite things."

The next step is turning these oral stories into written

stories. The students self-portraits will be hanging on the walls

of our classroom for the rest of the school year!

We like to say that our classroom is "wrapped in writers."