Don’t You Just Love Google Earth?

Jan 4

Posted by John Howell in teaching | No Comments

I remember as a young kid that I never enjoyed reading very much but would find myself falling asleep with an atlas on my chest. There was always some place a map could take me that a book couldn’t so, it’s no wonder that I love Google Earth as an adult. Christopher Columbus' First Voyage
I try to use Google Earth as much as I can during my Social Studies lessons because it lets me tell a story in an incredibly dramatic way that simply can’t be done with a traditional map.

I am teaching a unit called East Meets West and I am starting out with good ole Christopher Columbus. Initially, I want the students to imagine what life must have been like during those first 72 days of westward travel. I want the students to have an emotional experience, at some level, that will elicit a deeper appreciation for Christopher’s first adventure. This is no small task for any teacher BUT I am here to say that Google Earth is a tool that if used correctly, can do this for students.

Picture this:

Scene 1
The class lights turned off, students huddled on the floor in front of the well lit Smartboard, and Planet Earth illuminated as big as life on the screen.

Scene 2
Teacher talking in a whisper like voice looking directly into the eyes of students using subtle hand gestures and telling a story in an overly dramatic way.

Scene 3
Students get goosebumps and they can’t wait to learn more.

It’s possible ~ really!

“Tricks” I’ve learned to create a dramatic presentation that elicits a deep emotional response.

  • The only feature I have checked in the sidebar is the “Boarder View” so students can clearly identify countries. Depending on the presentation the pictures and wiki articles that are embedded throughout may be more of a distraction initially.
  • Then I get rid of the sidebar view completely. I want the screen to have as few distractions as possible during the presentation.
  • I use the “Ruler” function and click on “path” so I can stop my line at strategic points that gives me an opportunity to embellish the presentation and to ask questions along the way.
  • I wait to zoom in so students have a “global” view of the story.
  • Only in the end do I zoom in as close as possible for the ultimate WOW effect.

All of the above mentioned bullet points are done prior to the students seeing the screen. Think drama! If I have 5-10 minutes of an attention span to work with I don’t want to waste 1 minute clicking and setting up the screen. I am really trying to get the WOW effect from the beginning to the very end.
Traveling to Asia ~ 15, 000 miles
Question:  “Can students use Google Earth as a presentation tool to tell a story in a dramatic way?”

Answer:  Oh, I am pretty sure they could handle it!

Goin’ Gloggin’

Jan 3

Posted by John Howell in literacy | 1 Comment

Kevin’s Meandering Mind is a blog I have been following for the last couple of days now and his writing is steeped in some really good ideas. I am going to follow suit in his latest, Considering Glogster, as a reading project with my fifth graders. Here is a link to his Glog which I used as a model to create my own.

Reasons Why Using a Glog is an Awesome Idea

  • Extends their learning and interests by identifying and linking to a variety of other sources online
  • Chance to share their creative spirit online with the embeddable feature that Glogster provides.
  • Talk more with each other about the books they are reading.
  • More accountability
  • Using a Glog is just plain fun!


If you are interested in creating a Glog with your students here is an extensive list of Frequently Asked Questions that will go over much of what you’ll need to know to get started.

T.H.E. Learning Lab

Dec 30

Posted by John Howell in Uncategorized | No Comments

Diana G. Oblinger writes:

Space—whether physical or virtual—can have an impact on learning. It can bring people together; it can encourage exploration, collaboration, and discussion. Or, space can carry an unspoken message of  silence and disconnectedness.

The idea of designing a learning space is in my circle of influence and something that I have been working on during the course of this school year.  In the video clip below I am going through and highlighting some of the work we have done at our school in an effort to create a place to bring people together.  It has been a huge collaborative effort in order to get this far with our Learning Lab and there is still much work to be done.

My principal, Kent Maslin, has been an unyielding support to the teachers at our school and I had a chance to catch up with him and capture some of his thoughts on THE Learning Lab.

The inspiration for this idea came to me after reading David Jakes’ blog post titled Me? Obsessed? where he considered the question “What are the dimensions of a learning space?” However, it was the last part of his post that actually got me out of my chair, into my car, and into school to start a conversation with Kent to get this Learning Space going.

David writes:

Yeah, we will always have classrooms. I get it. But I would encourage you to think bigger, think beyond that typical space to take advantage of every opportunity for learning, and that includes a consideration of how space can impact learning, and what kinds of learning can take place in those spaces. I think that consideration is something that we dismiss too easily, it’s too much of an assumption that we don’t seriously reflect upon.

THE Learning Lab is a long range experiment and we at Tioga Hills are thinking bigger.  I am excited to bring you updates on this process so stay tuned!

Digitized Writing Workshop

Dec 11

Posted by John Howell in LucyCalkins, writing | 1 Comment

“Teach the writer then the writing” a phrase coined by Lucy Calkins that still holds true despite the fact that I have moved my fifth grade writing class into the computer lab. For several years I have embraced Lucy Calkins’ model of the Art of Teaching Writing.  It has been a journey that has not only given the students a framed sense of choice but has liberated my instruction as well.  I am simply standing on the shoulders of the good work that Lucy and so many others have already accomplished and I have transposed that writing model into a digital format.

Here is a brief overview of what our Digitized Writing Workshop looks like.

First

We are working on writing Personal Narratives and many of my first mini-lessons have been focused on Strategies for Generating Personal Narratives.  During the first 5-15 minutes of class I have the students huddled around the screen as I take notes on Our Wiki and model a particular strategy for the students.

Then

I will usually give the students some think time to get a few ideas on how they could use the particular strategy I have just modeled.  They will then turn to their writing partners and have a conversation.  We usually go around and give several students an opportunity to share their ideas with the whole group.

Next

I will ask the students to log on to the computers and sit next to their writing partners.  I then direct them to open up their Microsoft Word document and Our Wiki so they can have the tabs open and an example to refer to if needed.  During this time, the students are composing their personal narratives just as they would if they were using a Writer’s Notebook.

That is it for the moment ~ no blog, no digital collaboration through a wiki BUT this model is a scaffolding step in that direction.

While the students are composing their personal narratives I am circulating about the room taking a knee and having one on one conferences with students.  I can easily scan the room and see 15 computers at any one time to see if students are having any technical difficulties or struggling with the days work.  I am about 2 weeks into this model of a Digitized Writing Workshop and there are indeed pro’s and con’s.

Con’s

  • slow typing skills can get in the way of fluent writing
  • organizing Microsoft Word files
  • managing technical problems
  • sending and receiving documents through Blackboard

Pro’s

  • EVERY student loves Writing Workshop (based on the number of “yeah’s” shouted out when I mention that it’s time to go the computer lab)
  • I can track writing data with Microsoft Word
  • practice authentic computer skills daily
  • students can send and receive documents through Blackboard
  • I can insert comments into all Microsoft Word documents that can be considered and then deleted by students

The reality of this framework is such that not only am I trying to help children become better writers but they are also learning a technical skill set.  My ultimate goal is to help them improve their writing but to get there I must also help them attain a certain level of technical proficiency at the same time.  It’s messy at first but within a couple class periods the students are comfortable enough to manage a 30-40 minute writing experience with little to no technical difficulties.

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White Water Rapids Ahead!

Nov 16

Posted by John Howell in balance | No Comments

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I met Myrin on Veteran’s Day while we were both waiting for our vehicles to get repaired at Sears.  He was tall in stature and had a quiet confidence about him combined with an overwhelming sense of contentment.  I enjoyed our banter as we patiently waited and was quickly entranced by this 82 year old man’s epic tales of adventure that had ensued.  Myrin spoke eloquently as he told me stories of the 21 cars he owned during his life, his wife Katherine, who passed 11 years earlier, his twin sister Marian who died in a tragic fire when she was 8, and his 36 years at IBM ~ 36 years!

As I listened I couldn’t help but wonder what epic tales my own children will tell when they are 82.  I had images of the “Did You Know?” video going through my head of kids having multiple careers in their lifetime.  It seems clear that the days of having one career over the course of 36 years are extinct.2716750582_e64db67529_o

The metaphor that helps me get my head around that kind of future is one of a white water rafting journey.  Winding down an unpredictable, unstable, and somewhat uncomfortable river that require one’s full attention to not only stay afloat and navigate the turbulent waters but to be mindful of possible opportunities as well.  This would not be accomplished alone, rather with a team of people that each specialize in a certain duty and yet have the flexibility to make decisions as needed.  I am sure there would be times of tranquil waters, but as in any white water adventure those moments are limited and rough waters lie ahead with sudden drops and unexpected obstacles that require immediate attention.

Perhaps that is a bit a grim but I wonder are we really preparing students for this kind of future?  A future where the routine is in the fact that there is no routine.  A future where they will have to rely on a variety of skill sets that must be transposed over multiple areas; skills that Sir Ken Robinson, David Warlick, Ian Jukes, and Daniel Pink speak of; skills that Peter Senge, Gary Stager, Steven Covey, and Daniel Goleman and so many others speak of.

I do not claim to have the answers to these questions but I am eager to begin discussing the possibilities.  I am willing to jump into the river to navigate my way down the rapids in order to eventually help others find their way as well.

HHQV53T2TRCX

Skype in the Classroom

Nov 11

Posted by John Howell in literacy | 1 Comment

Using Skype in the classroom without a doubt enhances the literacy experience for a student.

Here is what I have seen:

1. Students practice their communication skills

  • speak with clarity
  • listen for meaning

2. Students make visual connections that deepen their understanding of a text

3. Students build on their schema

4. Students become much more engaged in the text

5. Students begin to look for ways to question the text in an effort to have another Skype experience in the classroom.

Of course many others have written about this same experience.  Just google “using skype in the classroom” and you will see what I mean.

While reading the story Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary, my fifth grade students were generating questions about the main character’s dad who is an over the road truck driver.  Leigh Botts, the young boy and main character, missed his dad because he was gone all the time due to his job and it ultimately lead to a divorce.

Here is an abbreviated list of their questions:

  • Where do truck drivers sleep?
  • How do they cook on the truck?
  • Do they use maps or GPS?
  • How do truckers make their appointment like the dentist or doctors?
  • What do they haul?
  • Don’t they get tired of driving all day?
  • I wonder if they like their job?
  • How do they deal with being away from home for so long?

So we turned to Skype and called a truck driver so they could get some answers.  The truck driver we called is my dad and it just so happens that my mom is also on the road with him.  They have a laptop with a web-cam and we were able to sit in the front seat and get a first hand view of the life of a truck driver.  The students enthusiasm was palpable and it was clear that I need to continue to incorporate powerful literacy experiences like this in the future.

Here is a small portion of that experience:

Writing While Reading

Oct 18

Posted by John Howell in Web2.0, literacy, reading | 2 Comments

Writing While Reading
I write all over the pages of every book I read.  It helps me have a conversation with the author and allows me to keep track of my thinking while I am reading.  I would love to have a Web2.0 tool that allows me to highlight, underline, and take notes in the margins while reading online.  Is there any such tool available? I just read through  Alex Beam’s article I Screen, You Screen, We All Screen where he quotes Anne Mangen highlighting the differences of reading a traditional book compared to reading online.  She says:

The feeling of literally being in touch with the text is lost when your actions – clicking with the mouse, pointing on touch screens, or scrolling with keys or on touch pads – take place at a distance from the digital text, which is, somehow, somewhere inside the computer, the e-book, or the mobile phone.

I hear ya Anne!  If there is an online article or blog post that I really want to read deeply I will often print a hard copy so that I am able to write all over the paper.  If I don’t print off the article I will often highlight a section of the text, as if I am copying and pasting, which gives me a focus during the online reading experience.  It also gives me a specific purpose for using the mouse, it limits my scrolling, and seems to limit the distance between me and the digital text.  It’s not perfect but it helps my brain.

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Playing with the Smart Senteo

Sep 21

Posted by John Howell in smartboard, teaching | No Comments

Together we are smarter!  After many discussions with fellow colleagues here is what I am up to with the Smartboardsenteo Senteo Response, which I like to call “clickers.”

Here is how it will work:

As the students enter the classroom they will find a 10 question assessment of the content we have been working with on their desk.  Yes, it will be a paper copy. (More on that later) The remotes will also be on their desk so they can input their responses to the corresponding questions.  I will have the assessment started on the Smartboard but students will not have to go through the questions one at a time as a class because they have the paper copy on their desk.

After all the students have finished we will look at the responses that were given using the beautiful graphs that are embedded into the Smartboard software.  I can’t wait to see how it works.

Control Freak

I guess we need to add one more remote in this bunch.

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President Obama’s Speech in Wordle

Sep 7

Posted by John Howell in education | 1 Comment

I copied and pasted President Obama’s September 8, 2009 speech into Wordle that he will deliver tomorrow to the students of America.  It makes for a pretty interesting visual and an effective way to help students talk about key points of his presentation.

President Obama's September 8, 2009 Speech

Me and My Google Reader

Aug 28

Posted by John Howell in blogging | No Comments

My Google Reader has become for all intent and purposes, my front line of attack when dealing with the massive flow of filtered information that comes across my screen.  Listen!  There is no doubt that time slips away from us all while we are navigating our way through the limitless links of cyberspace.  Literally within minutes I can easily forget the reason I sat down to the computer in the first place.  So, in essence my G-Reader has become my virtual anchor.

I have come to a place where I am o.k. with unsubscribing to some and subscribing to others.  It wasn’t always like that.  There was a time when I had subscribed to so many incredibly interesting people that every time I opened my G-Reader I was blasted with a tsunami of info that I simply could not keep up with.  However, I have now found b-a-l-a-n-c-e.

I have also become the master scanner as I navigate through the plethora of links in the ole aggregator and can very quickly determine if it’s worth my time or not.  Look it.  It really comes down to that…time and what we choose to spend it on.  It’s basic economics ~ there is an infinite number of amazing websites but a finite number of minutes in a day so therefor we must choose.  As I write this I am reminded of Jeff Utecht’s wonderful illustration of the Stages of PLN Adoption and I suppose I am knocking on the door of stage 5.

Ultimately I am search of that one blog post that challenges my thinking within the world of education.  The inspirational post that illustrates how one teacher, one student, one principal beat the odds.  At any rate, the ability to use My Google Reader effectively has freed up time for me and has allowed me to have a life.

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