Update: A Collaborative Project for Beginners-- Want to Join? Grade 2 Focus

Update #2: Several more folks have agreed to join the project (tho Matt, below had to drop out) so I think the best idea would be to set up a wiki where we collect our ideas, calendar of events, and resources. Stay tuned, I'll add the wiki link here after I create it later tonight. Thanks everyone! This will be fun!

Update: I HAVE TWO LIVE ONES! Matt in Michigan and Lorraine in Mass are thinking of joining this project. Thanks everyone. I am cross-posting from the Global Education Collaborative Ning.

I am helping three grade 2 teachers do a small project that demonstrates the power of collaboration. We would like to meet others whose students will create and share short slide sets with voiceover about My Favorite Toy.
The set: Photo of child and toy, Google earth placemark showing where toy was made, scanned drawing by child of scene in which he/she gets or uses the toy, with voiceover.
I am putting together a lesson template now and can share it with participating classes so we're on the same page. Interested? Please let me know! We would be ready to share after April 7.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Hoenshell on March 14, 2008 at 9:20pm

We will be using IMovie to record the images and voices.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Krauss on March 14, 2008 at 9:58pm

I think we can use a variety of tools-- given the teacher's status (new to technology), I think demonstrating how many ways there are to accomplish something like this has a lot of value.

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Permalink Reply by Lorraine on March 16, 2008 at 8:58am

Okay, thanks for the feedback. Were you thinking of posting this on the web or just exchanging the completed files?

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Permalink Reply by Matt Hoenshell on March 18, 2008 at 3:51pm

I tried to get my 2nd grade teachers onboard even telling them that the most technology they would have to use would be a video camera. They said no, they don't have enough time to do this. I apologize but my school is out. Sounds like a great project wish I could have got them on board.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on March 18, 2008 at 3:54pm

In our district teachers spent 27 weeks preparing for state assessments. They are oh so busy, too.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Krauss on March 18, 2008 at 5:32pm

:( This syncs with our curriculum so my teachers are into it... I think that's almost always a requirement, try to insert NOTHING, but develop new literacies within an existing project. Thanks, Matt.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Hoenshell on March 18, 2008 at 6:00pm

I tried to get them to think about how we could replace something they are going to do with this but they could only focus on the tech portion of it.

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Permalink Reply by Lorraine on March 18, 2008 at 6:37pm

In my computer class I try to incorporate writing across the curriculum. We don't introduce keyboarding until third grade so it takes them a while to type, however they can usually type three sentences in ten minutes. I asked the second graders to type three sentences about their toy. For example: My name is _____. My favorite toy is ______. I like it because _____. I have 47 second graders so I decided that rather than have the students bring the toy in, I would have the kids draw a picture of themselves in Kid Pix and while they were engaged in this drawing I had a private conference with each child and asked them what their favorite toy was. I did an image search on the toy (many webkins, some bikes, a few electronic games) and put the image into a groups folder with the child's name on it. The students know how to go to the groups folder and to import a graphic into their kid pix drawing (sometimes I request the help of student assistants since not all of the students remember the steps.) Most of the students have saved their image. (I hope!) During the next class I will have the children open their images again and export them as a jpeg. Again a few of the second grade assistants will help others who may have difficulty with this. They will put the jpegs into a groups folder and one of my student assistants will put the images into powerpoint. Finally we will upload the powerpoint into the virtual classroom and record each child telling about the toy. Since I only see the children for 40 minutes a week, it will probably take a total of 2 or maybe 2 1/2 class periods. Sometimes for these types of projects I wish that I had another teacher or assistant in the room since another pair of hands is always welcome. However I make use of student assistants and that seems to work. The students were very excited to be able to work with graphics about their favorite toy. The second grade teachers will get a printed copy of the document that each child worked on. Sometimes they display them on a bulletin board. They will also get a copy of the URL to share with parents. It is always motivating for the students to know that they will have a global audience on these projects. I'll let you know how it goes.

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Permalink Reply by JoNelle on March 18, 2008 at 8:21pm

THis projects sounds very do-able. My classes are very similar to Lorraine's. We just completed 2nd grade lessons with Kidspiration and are beginning to make simple recordings. I will put something together in time. I have poems in my plans - students recording/ reciting poems- we can add images with PhotoStory or another program.
Here are some video clip examples from a very special project -in progress for school news and spring carnival.
http://isurff-friends.wikispaces.com/CrazyTalk

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Permalink Reply by Jane Krauss on March 19, 2008 at 9:20am

Jonelle, want to do the toy project with us? Where are you located? Let me know.

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Permalink Reply by JoNelle on March 19, 2008 at 8:59pm

Yes, I would love to join this project. Our school serves Fort Mill and Tega Cay communities in SC.

I actually started with one of my four 2nd grade technology classes today. If it is okay, I may need to a version of what has been outlined. I have 2nd graders on a four-day rotation basis. We are very interested in videoconferencing too- we are isurffers on Skype and ooVoo.
Students brainstormed a list of ideas about their toys - very interesting list. It includes many videos on their toy teaching lessons and different safety topics. Right now we gearing up for Spring Festival presentations and activities and are into videos http://isurff-friends.wikispaces.com/CrazyTalk (new fun tools).

question- are you finding a variety of places where your toys are made?
keep in touch....thank you!
JoNelle

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Permalink Reply by Jane Krauss on March 25, 2008 at 2:00pm

Let's plan a skype call with Lorraine and collaborating teachers on my end... we are on pacific daylight time. The outline of the project is in the first part of this discussion thread, but here's what we decided to tell parents so we'd get more diversity in toys (and hopefully places they are manufactured)-- Please help your child select a toy that has a story. Maybe it was a first gift, maybe it was a beloved hand-me-down, maybe it was handmade by someone dear. If you are having trouble selecting from several favories, please look at the "made in" tag and select one NOT made in China. (You and your child will notice that many many of our toys are made in China. We'd like representation of some toys that are made elsewhere if it's possible!)