Week 12- Text Set

I chose to create a text set about dance. The books range from fiction to nonfiction. Many of the books selected have African-American dancers since I tried to relate this to my classroom as much as possible. Books with characters of color are always a hit within my classroom. I could not narrow my standards down to just one because I felt like the stories had similar events and characters but different problems. The best standard I could come up with was RL.3.9 With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories. 

• Dance by Holly Karapetkova 

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen

I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield- Morrison

Dancing Star: The Story of Anna Pavlova by Gladys Malvera

Star Ballerina by Times for Kids

Misty Copeland: Power and Grace by Richard Corman

Of course these books specifically come from where I have access: Time for Kids, Hoopla and Amazon. Everyone may not have access to these resources.

Week 12- Ebook Experience

Since using my Jacksonville Public Library account to use the app, Hoopla, I have downloaded and read 2 books! I must say that I am proud of myself because although I love to read, I also love the feeling of turning the pages and putting my bookmark in to keep my page. The book took up space so it was a constant reminder that I had to read it or the sticker on the back of the book told me when it was time to return it. Hoopla has allowed me to read books on the go! I downloaded the app to my iPhone and iPad. That helped me be able to pick the book up wherever I am. Did I mention free?! Hoopla did not cost me a dime and I read books that are available in my public library. I did buy a book that was not available on iTunes but that was okay because I have been dying to read it.

The program I used was Hoopla. On this site you can read books, watch television shows, listen to albums, and read comics! It practically covers all likings. As previously mentioned, the availability of what you may want to read may not be there but the genres are present. The last book I read was To Kill a Mockingbird written by the late Harper Lee. I read it in high school (many many many years ago) but I recall it being amazing. I was not disappointed this time around either. A young girl is growing up in a time where she has to adapt to her surroundings and deal with the struggle of living in those times. She befriends an individual that she knows no one would approve of. Her father, who is an attorney, deals with a trial that hits very close to home.


Ebooks are beneficial. I truly enjoy them. I think the classroom and education could benefit from ebooks but I know the problem will arise when discussing financials and how would tablets be funded within the school. A different approach to this could be textbook companies making the texts that accompany the curriculums be made available. Even if teachers have to register their classes, an app, compatible with Apple and Androids, could be a simple solution. Kids need books in their hands even if they are not truly flipping the paper pages!

Week 11- Ebooks

My books were sent to the Professor Cavanaugh from UDL Book Builder.
Storybird book is attached in pictures.

Week 11- Storybird

See the book I created using the pictures given on Storybird! It is a neat program. This could be great for kids to publish their pieces of writing and parents can buy them.

http://storybird.com/books/j-milton/

Photos

Week 10- Literacy Field Trip

Today I visited Clay County Literacy Coalition! Located in Orange Park off of Kingsley Blvd, this little gem services many people within the community. The population who uses this facility seem to be mostly adults who want to learn and/or improve their English. The facility was small but had much space for small groups and even a meeting area for larger crowds. Computers were available for use for registered adult learners. When speaking with the representative from the location, he said that they serve as the middle person between the learner and the tutor. Tutoring may occur at the center or a location which is agreed upon by the two. Many ethnicities have been served here: Spanish, Colombian, Arabian, African and others.  All hours and locations must be given to the CCLC for data recording. The people who teach here are all volunteers! The CCLC is a non-profit organization which has been around since 1995. Pictures were prohibited while people are being tutored but I understand why (privacy).

While I was there, one group (two women) were working together on making words with letter tiles. It seemed as though they were focusing on building the words more so than the handwriting and print. I could hear them repeating words and even changing the initial consonant. The interaction was friendly which leads me to assume this was not their first session together.

The house of CCLC were not very friendly to my career since I am still in school this week but I took time off work to stop in. They have a social in April for tutors but no information has been set in stone. I am going to definitely be visiting this place again!

Week 9- Microsoft Photo Story

I was not pleased with this program. It required a tedious download and was not very user friendly. I created my Photo Story with text on my opening slide, images from the story I selected, myself narrating the commercial, and light jazz as background music. It was not my best creation but I am hoping to use Garage Band on Apple in the future.

Week 9- Animoto

I have always wanted to create videos that are read alouds I have done! Animoto may just be the gift I have always wanted to make that happen in the future! Check out my Booktalk I created. It was VERY simple. The hardest thing I had to do was convert my voice recording into an mp3! Check it out!

Week 9- Booktalk Cartooning

I created a booktalk cartoon about the reading strategy, retelling the story of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. Making the cartoon was very easy! I like how makebeliefscomix.com had pre-made characters and props I could put in my comic strip which makes it super easy to put it all together.

Week 8- Lit Circles

Technology-enhanced literature circles can be a great thing if technology is readily available to participants. The advances in technology are quite awesome. When reviewing this assignment, I could imagine having different participants fulfill their roles using various forms of technology. Different ideas I could see are:

• Discussion Coordinator- Typing up various questions to have participants respond to, record their introduction as coordinator and answers to the questions given
• Literary Expositor- Record themselves reading the text aloud, highlighting the favorite points and explaining where to turn to correspond
• Vocabulary Elaborator- Use different online resources to define vocabulary and receive different examples of the word
• Graphic Illustrator- Create drawings on Paint or Google Image search looking at different examples

Of course there are many more jobs that are a part of the literature circle. These few are very minimal. I could see individuals using iPads, tablets, and applications to successfully fulfill the requirements of a literature circle.

I cannot say that this was great for first grade but with more guided practice/gradual release, it could be successful. The technology available at my school would support this type of cooperative learning.

For my assignment, I used the scholars in my class. Using our iPad cart, I downloaded my Kindle app and let them read/listen to Mercy to the Rescue which is a chapter book that is great for beginning readers. I assigned 5 tasks to 5 scholars. I gave the assignment sheets to each of them. Individually, I called them up to explain their tasks. They originally made it seem so hard but we went through it together. They all knew how to use Google so that was quite awesome to see. My Coordinator was very awesome because she was able to keep everyone in line and checked in with them to make sure they were completing their work. Scholars had 20 minutes on Tuesday and Wednesday during their center time to work on their circle assignments.

Week 7- REVISED Library Visit

What did you think of when you thought of the public library? 
When I thought about the public library, I did not originally think of the technology pieces playing such a big role. 

A place to check out books? A good set of children’s books? Did you think DVDs, music and audiobook CDs, downloadable books, literacy classes (English and technology)? 
As I stood in the library, I did see the opportunity for computers and printing to be done. Everything else has to be used inside the library and checked out with a valid card. There was a place to check out books but you have to do it only when it is open. On the Sunday that I went, the library was closed for patrons to check out. I did not get the opportunity to check out anything. Speaking with the library attendant, they had a very small library, roughly 7,000 collections available which includes books on CD, children's literature and physical books. The library has 12 employees with one person at the counter to check out materials to patrons.