Confuzzling

I figured out how to add pages to the blog, but I can't figure out how to allow comments on the other pages (?).  This is definitely holding the wagon train up!  Stay tuned.

Great article about Homework - Reading for the Fun of it

Sharon Taberski has an interesting article on her blog called, "Homework - Reading for the Fun of it." Check it out, here.

Pioneer Family Names Above In Red

Beginning March 14, our crew will begin a simulation about pioneer travel from Independence, Missouri to the unorganized territory of what would become Minnesota.  The "pioneer children" will be blogging about their journey.  This past week we have visited two settler cabins and a prairie schooner.  The students picked 1840 Victorian names and selected a family name.  They will document their journey in a digital scrapbook and add their journal entries about the trials and successes they encounter on this blog. Please feel free to follow along and give them feedback.  We look forward to "seeing you" along the trail.

Donors Choose

Wow!  I just had my first project posted by Donors Choose.  I'm very excited.  I am asking for 5 Nook ereaders.  My second and third graders are going to really be motivated to read using these cool devices.  Our 21st Century learners really do need to be motivated by different kinds of learning opportunities.  To view my project click  Mrs. P's project

Talking Rocks

We decided to have some fun with the rock descriptions we wrote...so we blabberized them and uploaded them to our wiki.  Check them out, they are unique.  The original site is called blabberize.com.
http://carlas23.pbworks.com/w/page/35252883/blabberized-rocks

Alternative Assessment

I have set up a "wall" for our crew to post what they have learned about rocks and the rock cycle at
 http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/carla23 .  Students may visit here either from home or at school to add their knowledge about our expedition topic.  I'm trying this method of assessment as a test and I may use this rather than the traditional KWL method!  Maybe, who knows.

Just Had To Share

We have been writing descriptive paragraphs about the rocks we have been studying and I wanted to take it a step further.  I gave the students cameras with microscopic lenses and told them to focus on something on their rock that they described in their paragraph.  They then had to change the description from a onlooker point of view to the rock's point of view (I, rather than "the rock").  We will be taking these photos and making the rock give the description using "blabberize.com."  I will post those creations also, but I was so amazed with their work...I just had to share!  We will share the original writing with the photos in our Celebration of Learning where the parents and community attend.

 The students worked with a partner giving advice and reviewing the photos .  Once the photos were loaded onto the computer the students chose the final photo that "will tell its story."  My initial instructions were to photograph their rock "up close" and make sure they photographed the detail they explained in their written description.  The rest was up to them...except I wanted them in focus.