Thing 24: Infographics

I made it!  Caught up to Thing 24 this morning - Infographics
Interesting topic - seems to be an extension and the next generation of graphing.  I liked the TED video.  The information presented in images looks so easy to create, but as I found out - it is pretty easy as far as adding images, but deciding what to add and how to design it is time consuming and challenging for someone who isn't a natural graphic designer :)  I have a new appreciation for graphic designers.

I decided to use data from our December '14 RocRead.  Students read over break and then return a form detailing what they read.  They receive a certificate and a book.  Participation is voluntary.  I used the program recommended by the AASL - easel.ly.  It was easy to add images and text.  I started with a template and added my own images.  I was limited in my choice of graphics because it was a free version.    My question for future projects - can you upload data so the size of images are relative to the results of the data - i.e. if you are comparing girls vs. boys as in my example would it size the images to fit the percentages.  I just had to eyeball it.  Also, I calculated all the data in Excel - I wonder if the paid version have a way to store data so it does the calculations for you.

I know from experience that participation rates are highly dependent on how much the individual classroom teachers promote and/or require it.  And because our upper grade levels with the highest participation are gender based classes, my data didn't surprise me.

Here is my Infographic

Thing 23: Makerspaces

When I first looked at what Makerspaces were I was very confused as to what they were and how they fit into libraries.    I watched some of the webinar Hands On Learning  by Michelle Luhtala,  saw Caine's Arcade, looked at Slyvia's Super Awesome Maker Show, and a few of the other links provided.  I realized the whole makerspace movement is just hands on learning - renaming an old concept.   When my kids were younger we spent many days at the Strong National Museum of Play, and at almost all the exhibits there was a make-it take-it table, stocked with art and craft supplies that would allow children to use their imagination and make something that connected to the exhibit.  I remember "crafts" as part of lessons when I went to school and my own children brought home many when they were in school.  Providing 3D printers, robotic supplies, and other hi-tech equipment in public or school libraries is just an extension and updated version of the "make-it take-it table"  I think.

Students always learn more by doing - it connects all the concepts they read about and listen to - this is a proven fact.    Makerspaces are not new concepts, just maybe a new space or additional space to put them. 

We have a number of Lego League groups at our school that meet in the library before and after school.  One of the exercises for the Jr's are to take a box of random Legos and make something  - such as a model to help during a hurricane or tornado.  Each kid makes their own model then has to explain it and they all look wildly different - it is so great to listen to and watch these kids.  I'm going to pass along info about the local makerspace to the Lego coaches.  I saw the website reading another colleague's post on this topic on Netvibe - rochestermakerspace.org.  They have a free open time during the week for families.

It would be great if we could have funding to get these kinds of supplies for all the grades to use in the classroom.  There  were some great online resources to use, especially the category of coding.
Our building has an annual science fair and I see many examples there of kids applying makerspace concepts.  I know there is a local place that sells what businesses consider "waste" from manufacturing and teachers can go there and get supplies.

I am a librarian, not a classroom teacher.  I don't know all of what is contained in the modules, but I don't think I have seen or heard much about any hands-on learning. Students enjoy and need opportunities to combine their imagination with new concepts to solve problems.  This is what they will do in the "real" world someday.

At our building we have periodic Club Fridays for grades 3-6 that last hour of the day.  Examples of clubs are knitting, cooking, tech club.  I think makerspace club would fit perfectly with a different theme every meeting.

Thing 22: Create a Resource Guide

I was introduced to LibGuides this summer at a district PD.  I use it for easy access to the Empire State Information Fluency Continuum.  RCSD gave each of the librarians a login so I went with this tool.  I watched one of the webinars on how to use it and found it very user friendly.  Over the last year, some of my library lessons for 6th grade have centered around the historical fiction books they read - The Lightning Thief, Bud Not Buddy, and Dragonwings, so I decided to use that as a topic for my resource guide.  I found videos of author interviews, made bibliographies about book resources in my library on the historical topics connected to the stories,  and found other resources to post.  I used Teaching Books for finding the author links. 
I am going to send the link for the LibGuide to my 6th grade teachers and to all the elementary librarians in my district.  My students are now reading Bud Not Buddy and I plan to share this with them after the break.  I will do a follow-up blog on how it is working.  I use Google  Classroom with my 6th graders and will use this LibGuide as a link for resources in my lesson.  This is much easier than putting all these links into each assignment in Google Classroom.

Here is the link to my LibGuide -
http://libguides.rcsdk12.org/grade6

Thing 21: Productivity Tools

Good to be back on Cool Tools! I am glad to be revisiting Productivity Tools. I have started using Google Drive and Google Classroom this year in my library.  The students have loved Google Classroom.  It is very user friendly and the students have been able to pick up on it very quickly.  I can link websites to assignments and it makes grading and editing the student's work very easy.  The students like sharing comments with me and others.  It also makes it easy for the students to complete work they miss because of band and/or special services they get pulled for.
 I have been learning Google Docs and sharing documents with a committee I am on, which reduces the amount of emails I have to process.  The feature I have liked most about Google Docs is the revision feature.  A student thought she had deleted all of her essay and we were able to see her minute by minute revisions and restore the whole thing.  You don't even have to remember to save anything - which is something younger students frequently forget.

I am using a new productivity tool this year that is not on the list - Planbook.com.  Last year my district switched to ABCD days for elementary school, which required me to change my plan book organization.  I  was using a manual plan book and I wanted to switch to something online.  I found Planbook and it has worked out great and it is only $12 per year ($1 per month!)  You can copy and paste lessons, which for libraries is great because we often teach the same lesson multiple times per week.  You can go back and easily modify lessons and it also has a search feature which I love.  Here is a link - planbook.com, check it out!

Thing 20: Tools for creating websites, pathfinders, portfolios and more

The last thing!!  I looked into many of the options and finally decided to try Weebly because it seemed the easiest.  I started a website on Dragonwings.  My 6th graders are currently reading this and we have had many lessons in the library related to the book.  Here is the start of my web page, http://52dragonwings.weebly.com/  obviously a work in progress :)
 I found Weebly user friendly for a novice such as myself.  The home page of Destiny is so quick and easy to use, but not very visually inviting.  I may consider Weebly or a similar project next year to link to my Destiny home page, especially to make it more kid friendly and inviting.


My plan is to expand the Dragonwings site to include links for all three 6th grader novels - The Lightning Thief, Bud Not Buddy, and Dragonwings.

Thing 19: Online Learning & DIY PD

Initially I had some difficulty finding a topic/link to connect with.  I found TechChicks the most useful for me. I listened to their podcast called Dry Binary Tacos - didn't understand the title until I listened to it - they are podcasting from a taco restaurant in Texas and the tacos are dry - haha.  I have to admit that I haven't listened to may podcasts over the years, but this was very useful. I'm going to put the older podcasts on my to do list.   I opened a second window so that I could visit the sites as they were discussing them.  I learned about great math sites that I am going to share with my teachers.  We use First-in-Math, but the kids are always looking for something else, and I have yet to find any math on the Cool Math site. The QR Sight word Bingo looked like a great game that I will share with my K-2 teachers.  There was also the quiz site Kahoots which I will be able to use in my lab with my library classes.  I can see having students do a short article with an online database and then taking a short quiz on Kahoots, or a quiz after a story, like AR.   Gives them accountability other than pen and paper. 

Thing 18: Digital Tattoo & Digital Citizenship

I "googled" myself on Google and Bing.  There are quite a few doctors with my name and my husband's ex sister-in-law with the same name as me pops up more often than I do :)  My Facebook doesn't come up so I'm glad about that.

I read See Why This English Teacher Says Digital Citizenship Must Begin With Pen and Paper.  I thought it was a great idea.  Students always learn more effectively when it is hands on and face to face.  I had a KidsBlog last year with my 5th graders.  Kids posted comments and answered questions about books they were reading.  I did have a few post negative comments about other student's opinions.  Because I had to review everything before it was posted, trouble was avoided.  In the future if I have the blog again, I will use this idea.

I also read the article about Digital Passport. Although I didn't sign up for an account at this point, the idea of a training program before they go online is a great idea.   I had concerns about third graders having a GMail account though.  8 and 9 year olds are a little young to navigate their own email and the risks involved.  When they have an email it gives them the capability to sign-up for all kinds of things on the Internet.  Our building is considering replacing our Netbooks and laptops with Chromebooks next year.  I will mention this program.  This year, students with GMail accounts found my GMail account I made for this class and were trying to friend me.