Student-designed learning. My enrichment group was ready for another project. I often can't wait to share my thoughts with my students and will say, "I have an idea!" This time I asked them if they had any ideas...... This post focuses on what they came up with! The other reading groups have had opportunities to decide what would be the purpose and creative outlet for their reading projects as well. Small groups are were the success lies. More individualized attention + at the students' level + their ideas coming to fruition = accomplisments they OWN!
innovative?
Group E's story....
They'd just finished reading Fish Face by Patricia Reilly Giff. We'd used Edmodo to discuss the book. But, it was time for an extention project. They wanted to create something with avatars, readers theater, and record videos. As they continued to share ideas, a solid project idea started to form.
First, they each created a character that could have been in Mrs. Rooney's class in the story. They did this the old fashioned way with crayons and paper. They brainstormed about what kind of character traits they could possess and each decided what their character's personality would be like.
Next, they used Portrait Avatar Maker to generate an avatar from their crayon creations. This site worked exceptionally well! They really enjoyed it.
After that, the group was challenged as they worked together as writers. They made a story elements chart of their ideas for the Readers Theater. Then they composed the script that included the original characters
ensuring that everyone would have similar amount of lines, this part was very important to the writing team. Also, the writers made sure that the script had a lesson that could be learned or a theme. Here is the Google Doc of their final version.
Finally, they filmed each other and make little video clips introducing the characters. They showed their sketches and their final avatars.
Last, the students practiced and practiced the Reader's Theater. The performed it for the rest of the class.
Here is the VoiceThread with the various aspects of the project....
Group E didn't stop there...
Next on their menu was The Candy Corn Contest by Patricia Reilly Giff
Here's the project overview -
Glog Creation Contest
Glogs will be judged using the following criteria:
1. Design - Creativity and Elements
2. Accuracy - Correct Events and Details
3. Teamwork - Cooperation and Working Together
4. Presentation - Confidence and Clarity of Voice
Your mission: To create a Glog with your partner on The Candy Corn Contest! How you go about this is up to you.... the possiblities are endless! Let the creative juices start flowing.
Here's what the partner groups came up with...
The results...
We used Rubistar to create the rubric based on their ideas. It was a mix of pre-made choices and custom options. The rubrics were used to "judge" the contest by our panel of judges - Mrs. Giannicchi (Curriculum Coordinator), Mrs. Cullen (Library Aide), and Mrs. Root (Teacher Aide).
Two groups were tied upon the submission of the rubrics by the panel of judges. The final group was brought to the front based upon the landslide of votes casts by the student audience. As corny as it sounds, they were all winners. But, then again it was the Candy CORN contest!
Here's their Animoto of photos from the presentation...
Balto project details...
They read The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford and loved it! They've been on a roll with devising activites for their reading group, so it was their choice again.
This time, they wanted to create a collaborative web similar to Cacoo, but they requested something that would be more user-friendly for them to use independently - aka didn't require a sign-in by the teacher. So, Google Docs was utilized again. But, this time they took advantage of the drawing feature to create their web. Thank you to Mark Carls, our technology integrator, for reminding us of Google Docs again, when our attempts to use Gliffy didn't work out! The students were quite persistant and he "saved the day" when the other options weren't cooperating as planned.
They also wanted to create a digital timeline of the events in the book. They worked together to put all of the events in the story in sequence. They ended up using timetoast for the tech tool for their timeline. They were hoping to sequence the events without dates, but everything we found required exact dates. So, we improvised and decided next time to adjust and either pick a differerent book or an alternative project. Here's their finished timeline....http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/61330
Here's some of the ideas the other reading groups have come up with regarding tech integration and links to their web pages....
Using a distraction to the learner's advantage....
Group A's Bubbles Jr. Letter Writing
Book report goes VoiceThread style combined with elements of our Skype Literature Circles....
Group D's Cam Jansen VoiceThread Mystery Book Report
Before, During, and After reading using online sticky notes, drawings, and non-fiction text....
Group B's Linoit - Camoflague
Collaborative Topical Web - Collection and organization of facts on owls from two texts....
Group C's - Cacoo Web on Owls
IMPACT?
Their ideas were brought through to fruition. They've learned to cooperate to make their visions a reality. They needed to find that happy medium between their own ideas and those of the group.
This post has been in draft mode for a while and when I read this Tweet by Andrew Marcinek, @andycinek, today, I couldn't agree more and it gave me the inspiration to wrap this up!
Here's some of his other thoughts from #edchat today...
I'm always asking questions. Constantly thinking. These are a few that have consumed my thoughts lately...
What IS the role of a teacher?
How do YOU inspire your students to think for themselves?
What steps do you take to TRANSFER more control of their learning over to your students?
Who makes up your student groups - differentiated, leveled by interest, created by ability?
When is it to stop modeling and time to let go & let them?
It took them a lot longer on their own, but the end results were worth it! Ideas mean something when they are put into action. I'm proud of my students and love it when I now hear them say, "I have an idea!" They are so excited to share their thinking and even more excited that they have the opportunity to act on it and make it happen!
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