Parking Lot Reflections

I worked with some teachers of ESL and LEP students after school today. I had been invited to show them how to use some of our online resources and some technology to aid in improving the students’ English. We looked at things across the curriculum—lots for reading and things like vocabulary-building, but we also looked at several things helpful for social studies, science and math.

We took content samples from our subscription databases including Facts on File, Teaching Books, Tumblebooks, Discovery Education videostreaming and worked in PowerPoint. Not that we produced slideshows, but we looked at how users can use visuals…be they clipart, photos, maps, etc. and manipulate them for use in PPTs and other things. The participants also found out how easy it is to download and use pieces of videostreaming.

One of the things I also emphasize in this type of staff development is to look “outside the box”… think about how a historical photo can be used to teach word meanings or use a science video to explain a particular idiom. And my favorite part…using picture books to introduce a concept or ideas for end products the students can create themselves!

Another idea that came out was that by including lots of visuals and silly bits of video, a teacher will have captured the attention his or her students so that even MORE learning can take place. Our kids are visual learners these days and it is a shame not use as much “stuff” as possible.

And yes, we had an oops moment..something to always expect when working with technology. You gotta learn to roll with the punches. What was our oops?…the screen shot I made would NOT paste to the PPT so we could manipulate it. That was a first for me! But that’s ok..we still practiced with the crop tool and the grouping technique and turned our “pretend” screen shots into the weirdest new bird—a wingless chicken with a Sphinx head! Names anyone?

One other thing I did…I challenged the group to “play” 15 minutes a day…mess around in an online resource, play with PPT tools, READ blogs (yep—showed them the blogroll!), but do SOMETHING with technology or explore an online resource EVERY day. Sounds simple enough, but I know..even 15 minutes will be hard to squeeze out of the days of most of these people…their plates are very full…but it WILL be worth it…they will benefit…and more importantly, so will their students!

How did we end this action-packed day? Animoto of course!
Sample: http://animoto.com/play/a6df2b2069bf9260b24c6c822387db3a
(I can’t get it to embed!!)

I hope some of the participants will share their classroom ideas here in the comments…

Over the last couple of weeks I have come across several web cam experiences while doing a little research and watching the boob tube. I tend to forget about web cam sites…there are hundreds now.

Thought you might like to see the ones that came up on my radar screen recently. They can sure be a help with animal studies, weather, and geography…and I know you can come up with all kinds of reasons to check them out and use them with your students and your own viewing pleasure!

This morning CBS Sunday Morning did a feature on The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Female elephants are brought here to live out their lives in groups, with “best friends,” and plenty of acreage. They have both Asian and African elephants who were circus performers and zoo residents. Thoe oweners set up the cameras so that we could watch the animals, but not disturb them in this comfortable habitat. There is a series of lessons that you can use along with video footage.

The National Park Service has a series of web cams throughout its parks for a variety of reasons. The ones noted on this map also record weather statistics. Included is information on how to use the information in lessons about air pollution, acid rain, and ozone issues.

Additional web cams (without air quality info) include Yellowstone, Glacier, and Yosemite.

Around ten years ago, I discovered the africam series of web cams and they helped turn me into the internet junkie I can be at times. most of the cams are trained on water holes where you can watch a virtual parade of animals pass by.

On the same site are a couple cams in North America…the Bald Eagle cam and the Osprey cam.

Also included at this site is a cam of the pyramids in Egypt…not the most exciting cam site unless you are into sunsets, BUT they have some things helpful to students and one is a visual comparion chart of how large things are in relation to the pyramids…fun way to present point of view, big and little, or compare and contrast.

And take a look at this…a mashup of web cam photos and YouTube video technology! What a fun way to talk about Africa and its animals! There are more videos…check the blog here.