Website Project

To see my website on Etiquette for Kids with Special Needs, click here.

Card of the Month Club

Hello,

   If you would like to order our January card, please click here.  Fill out the form and submit it.  Orders are due by the end of the day on December 13th and donations will be collected on December 14th.  Your cards will be delivered on January 4th.  Thank you for ordering.

Video Assignment

This video assignment turned out to be very hard for me.  I didn't have a movie maker on my Window 7 so I had to download one.  Then I had trouble because it wouldn't take my video that I filed using a video camera because it was in a .bov form which I don't understand.  I finally got the movie on their and then relized it had no audio options to it besides being able to download music to it.  So, I had to download audacity, do my voice over and export it to the movie maker.  I spent a lot of time doing all this.  My video is showing students with special needs the steps to take in order to make pudding.  This cooking acitivity ties into the Alternate Assessment Physical Science benchmark of combining two or more items in a recipe.  You will notice in the video, that I use picture cards in order to show the students a visual of the ingredients and equipment they will need so they can match the real item with the picture.  The matching is shown by the person in the video.  It is important to show each and every step of retrieving each item needed so the students will also know and see that this is what they will need to do.  I try to use simple one step directions. Click here to see my video.

Networking Assignment

I have networked with other students in this class through blog posts.  Here are a few examples:
Samantha S.
Karen R.
Jane K.

I also made a few comments on the class discussion board.

Wiki K-12 Post

I had no idea what a wiki actually was before coming into this class.  I have used them for information a few times but I have never contributed to one until now.  I didn't even know that I could contribute to a wiki.  So I have included a page in the K-12 wiki on my slideshow project.  For this project, the students take pictures of things that they like and don't like.  The students use these picture to create a slideshow about their likes and dislikes.  Here is a link to my wiki page.

Podcast Assignment

I used audacity to create my sample podcast.  I was able to figure out how to record and stop recording.  There are lots of other buttons in the application that make it look confusing and hard to use.  I am not sure that I would use this particular application with my students but may choose one that is simpler.  For my podcast, I did a simple audio of a greeting to another person.  This is something my students would need practice with or even just stating their name intelligibly.  I would use pod casting with my students so they could practice pronouncing or enunciating words and be able to listen to themselves.  I have one student that is able to read at the 1st grade level.  I could also have him read a book on the podcast and then he could listen to himself reading.  Here is my podcast sample.

Screencast Assignment

I used http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/ in order to make the screencast sample for my class.  The only problem I had with using this site was the volume.  Even after watching their screencast on setting the volume, I still was not able to get it very loud.  I made a sample for my students on how to use the paint application.  As an assignment for them I would have them record themselves drawing something using the paint application or they could even record themselves navigating another website.  I would also be able to use this to show my students how to play educational games on the computer. 

Card of the Month Club for December

Windfall School Parents,

    If you would like to order cards for the month of December, click here.  Each set of cards comes with 10 cards and 10 envelopes for a donation of $5.  Orders are taken until November 19th and cards will be delivered December 1st.  Send donations to school with your child.  Mark the envelope with your child's name and that it is for the Card of the Month Club.  Thank you for your order.

Webquest Assignment

I used http://www.zunal.com/ to create my webquest.  The website was fairly easy to use because it had the sections to the webquest ready and I just needed to type the information in and add the websites I wanted included.  In order to use this with my students, we would have to create a webquest as a group.  I could give them some choices on topics.  What do they want to learn about?  Maybe as a group even search the web on the topic of choice.  For my sample, I created a webquest on etiquette at the movies.  It may be beneficial to my students to have several webquests made on etiquette for a variety of activities and environments.  Click here to see my webquest.

Photo Slide Show

For this project, I will help my students take their pictures that they made for their photo album of likes and dislikes and we will make a slideshow with them.  The students will be able to watch their videos on the computer which will be of interest to them not only because it is about them but because they helped make it.  For my sample, I used Animoto.  I have to say it was easy to use and I really liked how it had sample music to choose from on the site to use in the slide show.  What I didn't like about Animoto was it only makes a 30 second slide show for free and anything beyond that I would need to pay for a subscription to the site.  Also, with power point I am able to use a switch and have the students press the switch in order to change the slide and see a new photo.  With Animoto, the slide show was more like a movie and played all the way through.  In some situations this is good but I wouldn't use it very frequently for my students since I like for them to participate as much as possible in every activity. Below is my saple video.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Photo Album

For a photo album project, I decided to have my students take pictures of things they like and dislike.  A discription of the project will be sent home for the parents to get involved.  Since we have some kid tough cameras at our school, I can send one home with a different student each night.  The parents will help their child take pictures of things that he/she likes and dislikes.  The parents will indicate on the project sheet what the pictures are and if their child likes it or dislikes it.  When the camera is sent back to school, I will be able to help each student upload their photos into an on-line album. This will also help me to learn more about my students.  Here is an example of my pictures of likes and dislikes.  Picasa was a very easy site to use and upload photos.  It took me longer do decide what I didn't like than it did for my photos to upload.  

Google Doc Assignment Part 2

For the second part of the Google Doc assignment, I have decided to have my students use a calendar template.  By using the template, my students can access a ready made calendar and type any activities, work hours, appointments, field trip, etc that they may need to remember for each month.  Using Google Docs, will allow them to access their calendar from any computer, make changes and save as needed. By it being on the computer, my students will not loose, forget or rip there calendars. But there is the option of printing out the current month if he/she would want to carry it with them.   Here is a link to a calendar sample I filled in up to the month of October.

Google Earth Tour Assignment

I have made a Google Earth Tour for my students in life skills.  On my tour my students will go to Beuhler's, by using the provided website they will find the circular for the local store and find the items on a grocery list that are on sale.  They will also visit a local movie theater and using the site provided, decide on a movie they want to see, when is it playing and how much will their ticket cost.  The last stop on the tour is a local restaurant.  My students will use the link provided and open the menu to the restaurant, decide what they would like to eat and drink while there, how much will it cost and decide how much money they will need to bring to the restaurant with them.  To see my tour click here. After watching my google tour, I will have my students as a group help make a tour of important local areas.  I will provide them with picture cards of a variety of areas in the community, such as: hospital, police station, playground, fire department, etc.   As a group and using the picture cards, they will help decide what local areas are important to know if they have an emergency or get lost.  Together, we will find the areas they choose and make a Google Tour so they can play it back and see what they helped create as well as learn about areas in the community they can go when they need help.

Card of the Month Club

Hello Windfall School Parents,

  If you would like to order handmade cards from room 116 for the month of November then click here.  All orders/donations need to be in before or by October 15th and the cards will be delivered on November 1st.  Thank you.

Personal Learning Network

Creating my PLN was a very long process.  It really made me think about how I do learn information, store it and share it with others.  And do I share it with others?  Probably not as much as I should but that will change now.  I used the site http://bubbl.us/ to create my PLN.  I have to say I had more fun deciding on the colors of the little bubbles than I did thinking about learning, storing and sharing information. But I finished my diagram and would like to share it with you, just click on the link. 

On-Line Quiz Assignment

I used the site http://www.proprofs.com/ to create a multiple choice quiz on saftey signs for my students.  Using this site to make the quiz was very simple, easy to understand and quick.  I also liked that I could use an image or video in each question.  I would have liked to be able to use pictures in the answer area as well but this site didn't offer that option.  To take the saftey sign quiz click here.  One way I could get my students involved in making quizzes, is to show them a video and as a group have the students decide what information is important to remember from the video.  Using the information from the students, I can create an on-line quiz for the video.  Or I could have the students each come up with a question about the video to put on a quiz and then I could do the technical part of actually making the on-line quiz.

Google docs Assignment Part 1

In my class this year, we will have a Card of the Month Club.  This project will have my students hand making cards to sell in order to raise money to help pay or supplement the cost to them for our classroom community outings, purchasing supplies for future cards and our horticulture project.  In order to sell the cards, we have to have orders from school staff and parents.  I have created a form that is easy for both staff and parents to access and order the cards.  For the school staff, I sent out an e-mail which explained our classroom project and included a link to the form.  For the parents of our students, I have sent a letter home explaining the project and included this blog address http://www.lorieslog.blogspot.com/ .  The parents will visit my blog which I have added a post to them about the Card of the Month Club.  In the post is a link they can click which will take them to the form.  By using the form on google docs, the order information is compiled in a spreadsheet that I may print out when filling card orders.  This is such a nice feature because in previous years, staff had to come to my classroom in order to notify me of an order and I would have to stop what I was doing in order to write it down.  This process with using the form has made it easy for everyone to order cards right from their desks or homes.
Click here to view the form.

October Card of the Month Club

Welcome Windfall School Parents,

     If you would like to order handmade cards from Room 116 just click here.  Remember your donation/order is due on or before September 15th. 

   

Web 2.0 Tools

While looking at the tools available, I went to the drawing category with the idea of finding something that would help my students develop skills using a computer mouse and be interesting and motivating for them.  I found Tux Paint which is drawing software for children ages 3 to 12 and free to download and use.  I tried downloading the zip drive folder available but couldn't get it to open once I did.  So, I deleted it and just downloaded the software to my computer which there are two downloads included in the software.  Since it is a download, I will have to get permission from administration for our computer guy to download it to my classroom computer, which isn't always easy and I am sure by the end of this class he is going to be really tired of hearing from me.  But for my students it leaves an icon on the desktop which allows them easy and independent access to the software.
    Once I got the software running, I did like it.  It is very easy to use.  The students have different tools available to them on the left side of the screen that include a paint brush, stamp, text, shapes and lines.  On the right side of the screen are the many options for the tools.  My two favorite options are in the stamp tool because it has realistic pictures of many items like transportation, food, and animals to name a few.  Also in the stamp options is the letter and number signs in American Sign Language which would be great for me to use with my students.  Not only can I use it for the students as an unstructured time for mouse skills but I can also create structured activities for mouse skills as well as other skills.  I created a page where I placed capital stamps of the letters "A", "B", and "C" on the right side of the drawing area and in a different order on the left side of the drawing area.  The students will use the line tool to draw lines in order to match the letters.  Once a student is done with the activity, they are able to erase, print or save using icons on the left of the screen under the tools.  I saved my structured activity and it saved directly in the program which is nice but also a downfall because I had no other option of where I wanted it saved.  Also, for this assignment I am unable to retrieve the activity in order to provide a model and share with others.  The saved pages are easy to access in the program by pressing the open tool.  Once in the saved folder, students can see a small visual of each saved page and even see a slide show of all the saved pages.  When opening a new drawing page there are templates of puzzles, scenes to add stamps to, grid sheets and even maps.   
   Over all, I enjoyed using this software and will ask for it to be downloaded to the classroom computer.  I am eager to use it with my students, especially the puzzle templates and sign language.  I am even going to leave it on my laptop so my children can use it.

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog. It was created for my technology class but feel free to talk about other things as well.

Welcome

Welcome to Lorie's Log.  I am a Special Education Teacher and I am currently taking a class at BW to get my masters in Education Technology.  This is why I have created a blog.  Will I ever use this blog?  Who knows.  Maybe I will become a master blogger after this experience.  Anyways, if you are on my blog write something.