Cartoon Mash Ups

My students are currently taking Public Domain cartoons and editing them using Movie Maker. One finished last week and the others will be done soon. I will then post them on http://www.youtube.com/ under my 1to1classroom name. Future projects include making an autobiography in Photo Story and working with Voice Thread.

Using what I've learned...

Incorporating all the things I learned in the 21 Things class has been a challenge, but also pretty cool. The biggest challenge for me is trying to balance all the things I am trying to do, plus getting through the learning curve for a couple of things.  In my Digital Storytelling class we have created Movie Maker projects and I am just now getting them posted. We should have most of them done by the end of the week. Here is the very first one, a cool video by Cesar, which shows a lot of creativity!




The challenges? For one thing, when we went to import our video and separate Audacity files (in MP3, of course) into our Movie Maker, it wouldn't work on my computers! I needed some plug-in/file, whatever. Someone from tech had to go on-line, find what I needed (like a driver or something), and install it before we could use Movie Maker. Yikes!

Making Progress

I know people don't tend to keep up with each other's blogs after the 21 Things class ends, but I wanted to document my progress and share with anyone who might still be checking in how I'm doing.

I am teaching Digital Storytelling this trimester. So far I've had students load Audacity and Photo Story onto their school computers. I uploaded a video from YouTube to my school web page (I have a page for each class, actually). It is an old Muppets clip of two worms dancing. This is our "seed" idea.

We made puppets out of dryer hose, ladies trouser socks, craft trim, wiggly eyes and pipe cleaners. (Students were given free creative reign).

Then students found a song (preferably instrumental) to download. They took the song into Audacity to edit. I told them the piece should be no less than 1 minute long, and preferably not much more than 2 minutes. We then exported their edited music as an MP3 so that we can later use it in Movie Maker.

Students created storyboards (I'll include examples later) and practiced with their puppets and their music. I set up a puppet stage, which I had from past years because I have taught theater classes in our program.

We used my Flip camera to video tape their performances. These were then downloaded so that students could import them into Movie Maker and begin editing their programs.

Next week we will finish video taping, and will import their video and sound into Movie Maker, adding titles and credits. I will post their final versions on You Tube and have thought I might bring all of their productions into one Movie Maker video to post on You Tube and, of course, the school web site.

Check back next week to see how it went!

Using Web 2.0 in the Classroom

Create your own sms poll at Poll Everywhere

I really like using technology in the classroom, however there are a couple of things that slow me down. First is the learning curve. I am much better now at some things, but I have to try each thing and I always run across a few snags as I become fluent with a technique or technology.
Second, the school is resistant to some applications, partly because of funding, and partly because of old-fashioned ideas about what students should be allowed to do in the classroom.

How about you? Respond to the poll and let me know what challenges you!

Digital Storytelling

Today I found a really great site on Digital Storytelling. I'd like to share it with you. The link to a video on the site which explain's the author's use of digital storytelling follows: http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/intro/DS-intro.htm


The link to the site's main page is http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/


I will be teaching a digital storytelling class beginning after Thanksgiving and was looking for resources when I found this site. I think it is a wonderful resource. I hope you find it usefull, too.

Check out videos I've posted to You Tube at:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=1to1classroom&search_type=&aq=f

Next Trimester should be even more productive as we create things in my Digital Storytelling class!

Using 21things4teachers stuff in my classroom

I'd like to encourage anyone still following my blog to check out the blog I created for my CRT (Computer Related Technology) class. While much of the class focuses on mastering Microsoft Word and Keyboarding skills, this trimester I also introduced students to blogging, using google docs and a little bit of digital storytelling.

You can visit our class blog at: http://comedcrt.blogspot.com/

Let me know what you think!