Literature and Living
Environment:
Using Both Free and Web 2.0 Tools
Presentation:
•Course Overview
•Moodle (as a
connecting tool)
•Zine
•Wordle
•Digital Video Editing
•Web Research
•Blogs and Forums
•Conclusion (The
Future?)
Course Overview – “Our Philosophy”
In the Living Environment our
goal is to learn more about
ourselves and the world around
us with an emphasis literacy and
web 2.0 skills.
Course Description: The literature of Living Environment
creates a risk free environment that combines the skills of Living
Environment with literature that will support the units of study to help
student reach a higher level of mastery of the key ideas and
performance indicators of the New York State English Language Arts
and Living Environment standards.Students enrolled in this class will
earn both their Living Environment and English 9 credit.
Course Overview – “A look inside our classroom”
Moodle – “A Connecting Tool”
Moodle as
•Collaborative tool
•Online Notebook- “No more
lost documents”
•Drop box for assignmentsReduction of excuses
•Ever Growing Class
Generated Glossary
•Published student work as
inspiration
Moodle – “A Classroom Without Walls”
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Christopher Sweeney [10:19 PM]: miss gnann it is 9:41 and im
trying to do your hw and i just cant do it, i didint have time to do all
of it, i had do mr. shears tech drawings that are due friday, mr. s
power point for digestion, finish my mothers christmas present and
a spanish hw packet because my class was bad for a sub and i
was in such a bad mood that i could not finish your book because it
was so slow reading it but i tried to do the card assinment but could
not find the resolution because im not sure i found the biggest
problem,and i had no time to do the language divices card because
i dont have time to find all those words but i do know some of there
meanings but a little iffy on others, so please give me some advice
on what to do.I got my reportcard today and found that i had an 87
which is unexceptible on my terms,my parents are pleased with the
grades but not me i shoot and will get over a 90 in each and every
one of my classes and especially for yours because i like it so
much and i would like to worrie less about this particular class and
focus more on classes that are harder for me. So i need your help
with this book,my grade and this upcomeing test.
Moodle – “A Classroom Without Walls”
Monday, 17 November 2008
~MattDogg~ Matt [03:38 PM]: Hi Miss
Gnann, i have a brilliant idea for
scratch.mit.edu I am going to atempt to
create a game about Fever 1793 and
the object is to not get hit by the fever
so i guess i will create a certain sized
blob that the person will have to avoid
well i will see you on tuesday!!
POWER ZINE
Example 1
WORDLE.NET – ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES
•A DIFFERENT WAY
TO PUBLISH TEXT
•WORD CLOUDS
IDENTIFY
IMPORTANT TERMS
Windows Movie Maker
Digital Video To Enhance Critical Thinking Skills
THE ORGANELLE METAPHOR PROJECT
Windows Movie Maker– “Enzyme Animation Project”
Windows Movie Maker– “Enzyme Animation Project”
Free
Windows
Software
-Engages students
in the steps of
Biological Processes
-Holds Interest in
dry material-Allows
for individual
creativity
Windows Movie Maker– “Heart Dissection Lab”
Ideas
-Allows the
documentation of
labs and activities
in a video format
that students can
watch over and
over again.
-While editing
video students are
forced to think
about the science
procedure and the
creation of a final
product that makes
sense to an outside
audience
– “Enzyme Animation Project”
Free
Animation
Software
-Engages students in
the steps of Biological
Processes
-Need to create an
account to create and
watch the animation
Web Research– “Pathogen Trading Cards”
Examples
Web Research– “Pathogen Trading Cards”
Students Evaluate Internet Sources
Web Research– “Pathogen Trading Cards”
Students Evaluate Internet Sources
Quick Web Research– “Pathogen Trading Cards”
Examples
Blog Spot:– “Pathogen Trading Cards Sharing Info”
Blog Spot:– “Pathogen Trading Cards Sharing Info”
Students Post
Questions to Blogspot
to be viewed by the
entire class
Student Work Samples– “Pathogen Trading Cards”
Trading cards research
stepping stone for
“America’s Most
Wanted Pathogen’s”
video project
MOST WANTED PATHOGEN
STUDENT REFLECTIONS:
Movies are as fun to make as they are to watch, but
when you are making a movie there is a lot more to
it then you think. There’s animation, music, creativity,
directing, camera crew, and you cant forget the actors.
The movie has action, comedy, and science fiction.
I am most proud of the editing of are music and how we
changed it for the climax and the end of the movie. All
of the editing was Steven Randall and he did a really
good job promoting the disease and how it takes over
the body. I am also proud of the acting job that we
had between me and Edwin it had action that blew you
away.
The decisions that our group
made to demonstrate the
teamwork was from the
beginning when we sat down
with Steve and fed him our ideas
in editing the movie till we
finished our critiquing in the
end of the movie.
We all participated and
we all worked to bring
this production together.
Forums– “Classification Carousel Activity”
Forums– “Classification Carousel Activity”
Forums – Free Tools
Advantages:
-Free
-Easy to use
Disadvantages:
-Ad supported
-Lacks total teacher
control
Word Imagery– “A picture is worth a thousand words”
Word Imagery– “A picture is worth a thousand words”
Word Imagery– “A picture is worth a thousand words”
Student Comments
Through the year in English, my writing has
improved. I have learned how adding literary
devices in my work creates a more appealing
text. Writing essays has become easier. I found
new ways of adding what I am thinking. Also, my
vocabulary has improved. I can use sophisticated
words to interest the reader.
Student Comments
My habits have changed in a huge leap. Before in
English class, I completed my assignments only to
the expected levels, only putting in a limited
effort, not unveiling my true potential. This year, I
do not follow the given standards, but I rather set
my own expectations high, high above what is
expected. All of my work that I do in this class
has been put together by 110% effort.
Student Comments
I feel much more of a reader than I did
before. I personally always hated reading
books, seeing them as a waste of time, but
I have turned that around. I still don’t love
to read, having a remaining bored feeling
about reading, but I don’t mind reading as
much. Having less revolt to reading has
allowed me to focus in on the context so I
am able to understand the plot much better.
My reading comprehension has without a
doubt improved immensely. Having a
better understanding of a book when
reading has made me enjoy reading more
and I can see myself as an avid reader.
Student Comments
The use of technology in English class
is out of the ordinary. When a person
thinks about English, they think books
and pen and paper. The use of
technology has been useful. I did not
know much about computer programs
at the beginning of the year, but now I
know a lot about how to use computer
programs, which will help me in my
future. Technology is the future!
Student Comments
Reading has become more enjoyable for me this year. I
think because of my age and my willingness to explore
I’ve begun to read more. I see myself as a high level
reader, and I can understand sophisticated context. This
year, I’ve become to like different types of writing; in this
class I’ve had to read books about science, and I’ve
come to like books with a little suspense in them. I read
more outside of school now, and I take time to
understand the books. This year, I’ve read many books
involving life problems with people, and I can
understand their position and I think of ways that my life
can compare, or be different than theirs.
Student Comments
In this English class I have
learned more about technology. I
know about many computer
programs that will help me not only
now, but also when I go to college.
These programs will be useful when
I need to create presentations.
Using this technology helps me
understand better what I am
learning.
Student Comments
In literature of the living
environment ‘s technology use has
helped me greatly. The use of
different programs had helped me
because I basically expanded the
variety of ways to do work or
projects. To have knowledge of use
of different programs can also help
me in the future as well as now.
The use of different programs has
expanded my creativity and ability
to do certain things on the
computer.
Final Results
Living Environment Regents Exam
English 9 Final Exam
Increase in the number of
students achieving
mastery over traditional classes
Conclusion
Questions
Comments