Grade three students have completed part three of their four part social studies series studying communities from India, Tunisia, Ukraine, and Peru. Enjoy this social studies journey to Peru!
To view a full screen version of this VoiceThread, please use the following link: 3HW Peru…Wish You Were Here
To view a full screen version of this VoiceThread, please use the following link: 3S Peru...Wish You Were Here Ms. Tonhauser
Grade three students have completed part two of their four part social studies series studying communities from India, Tunisia, Ukraine, and Peru. This VoiceThread postcard project allows students to demonstrate an appreciation in the differences among communities with technology infused learning.
Grade three students have completed part one of a four part social studies series studying communities from India, Tunisia, Ukraine, and Peru. This VoiceThread postcard project allows students to demonstrate an appreciation in the differences among communities with technology infused learning.
“Social Studies provide opportunities for students to use the processes, tools and techniques of various forms of technology. The Alberta Social Studies program of studies includes selected outcomes from its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) program of studies.” The student resource, Many Voices, suggests incorporating technology as a vehicle for inquiring, communication, representing, decision making and problem solving. Technology can be used as a tool to: • Gather and identify information • Express and create • Organize information
VoiceThread is one our favourite Web 2.0 tools here at Camilla School. Teachers are using VoiceThread as a digital storytelling tool that can be shared in the classroom, school, and education community. This tool offers online collaboration, interaction, communication and participation from around the world.
4L students read Judy Blume’s book Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing as a novel study. Judy Blume is an award-winning author of children’s and young adult literature with over 80 million copies of books in print.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing tells the story of fourth grader Peter Hatcher and his little toddler brother Farley Drexel ‘Fudge’ Hatcher. As a big brother, Peter always has to help his little brother Fudge, who seems to get all of the attention. This makes Peter feels neglected by his parents. Peter feel like a fourth grade nothing! This book is filled with more interesting characters such as Mr. Yarby, Sheila, Jimmy, Sam, Jennie, Dr. Brown, Mr. Vincent, Dr. Cone and of course Dribble, Peter’s pet turtle.
Judy first got the idea for the book when her children’s babysitter showed her a newspaper article about a toddler who swallowed a turtle. This quirky story inspired Judy to write the story as a picture book titled “Peter, Fudge and Dribble.” Many publishers rejected the idea until several years later when it caught the eye of an editor who wanted the story to be told as a chapter book, and the novel was written. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is the first book in her Fudge series.
The Ted Harrison Studio in Victoria, British Columbia has begun collecting student artwork to share via the Internet. We are pleased to report that the 2K artwork from our April 18th Ted Harrison VoiceThread has been invited to be part of the online student gallery in Flickr photosharing. Flickr is a free Internet photo and video hosting website that houses over 4 billion images.
To view a full screen version of this VoiceThread and leave a comment for 5B through the tool, please use the following link: 5B Novel Study: The Incredible Journey
5B has just completed a novel study using the VoiceThread multimedia tool. The visual component of this VoiceThread project has allowed grade five students to showcase comprehensive volcabulary words, setting/locations and core characters from their novel study captured in a free tool called Wordle. This online tool is becoming increasingly popular in education because its versatility across all subject areas. Wordle creates ‘word clouds’ or a visual display using text.
During the reading of the novel, each student was responsible for creating a Microsoft Word document listing important vocabulary words, significant locations and main character names for each chapter. After the novel was finished, students copied and pasted their assigned chapter list into Wordle and a word cloud was created. Wordle gives users the artistic freedom to customize their image by choosing: • foreground and background colour schemes • horizontal/vertical layout of the words • font style
Once Wordle images were uploaded into Voicethread, students recorded their chapter highlights through the use of an external microphone.
Ms. Tonhauser
5B has just completed technology enhanced project combining Wordle, language arts writing, summarizing skills and their recorded voices. Our VoiceThread focuses on the thrill seeking novel, The Incredible Journey that we read together as a class. Each student was assigned a partner and with that partner they were asked to summarize a chapter of the novel into eight main events. They also had to choose twenty interesting and important words found within the chapter for the wordle they created. We are lucky to also have some very talented artists in our class who recreated a beautiful cover for our project. Many students commented that it was an exact replica of the original on the cover of the book! The students were thrilled to see their finished work on display for the entire world to view! They had a fantastic time working collaboratively and creating their own summaries for The Incredible Journey.
"I can develop age-appropriate behavior for social involvement as responsible citizens contributing to my community." Grade 7 Social Studies Learner Outcome
At Camilla School, cross-age learning occurs year round to promote community building. Such activities are mutually beneficial to both younger and older students; resulting in both academic and social gains. For our teenage students, it is an opportunity to model their skills and knowledge for their younger peers. Mr. Paustian’s Grade 7 class provided a wonderful finish to our 2K Ted Harrison project. In Assessment for Learning, descriptive feedback is an important strategy that supports improvement. To provide responses for the 2K VoiceThreads, each 7P student first listened and viewed a presentation with care. After taking notes of key words, they then created responses to express their connections and opinions. Finally, they shared their fine comments using audio, text, and or doodling. The 2K students were delighted with the thoughtful feedback. A huge “THANKS!” goes to Mr. Paustian and his class for taking the time to do extra from their busy schedule. What a great example of student contribution and leadership made possible by VoiceThread!
2K has just completed a technology infused project combining original digital artwork in the styling of Ted Harrison, social studies research, language arts writing skills and their recorded voice. For an introduction to the VoiceThread Web 2.0 tool, please visit the following link: Introduction to VoiceThread
To view a full screen version of this VoiceThread and read visitor comments posted for 2K through the tool, please visit the following link: 2K Ted Harrison Project
Sturgeon School Division has been promoting research-based instructional practices to improve student learning. One area of focus is Assessment for Learning (AfL). In this process, both students and teachers worked together to achieve targeted learning outcomes. This AfL learning journey was infused by the wonders of technology.
This Ted Harrison Project provided the students a purposeful opportunity to share their learning with local and global friends. The students were guided by the Big Question: How do (did) the Inuit adapt to the Arctic? An introduction was made using a previous VoiceThread project. Our class was fueled with enthusiasm. After each child had decided on a topic of interest to address, we studied the remarkable artwork of Ted Harrison on the Internet. The experience was magnified by the use of our Promethean board. Noting the patterns, our class established criteria as to what their art should target:
We analyzed and discussed how best to apply our KidPix skills to create the visuals. While the children experimented with the KidPix drawing tools for appropriate effects, they collected information relevant to their presentation. By assessing examples of grade level VoiceThreads, they determined the criteria for their content and presentation. In AfL, these powerful conversations enable students to understand “quality” and their own capacity to improve. Essentially, the children’s choice and voice scripted the teaching. The on-going references to where “we’re at” and “where we’re going” uncovered instructional needs. When students are involved in the assessment process, they take on ownership of their learning and progress.
Ms. Kwan
Ted Harrison is a Canadian treasure who is an author, artist and teacher. Harrison's work is displayed in art galleries and private collections worldwide. He is also well-known for his best selling illustrative books including The Cremation of Sam McGee. For further biographical information and illustrative examples, visit the following websites: Ted Harrison Painting Paradise Official Ted Harrison Website
Grade 2 students created original digital artwork using Kidpix software. This drawing software allows students the flexibility to define their pictures using a variety of art mediums such as a paint brush, pencil, marker, crayons and a colour fill bucket. Students outlined the template of their picture first using a pencil, carefully mapping out the landscape background. It was imperative to the success of the picture that all lines were connected so the colours filling in each section would not spill out into neighbouring landscape sections. The foreground details were the next part of the drawing process. Once pencil sketches were completed, students choose vibrant colours to fill in their artwork in the styling of Ted Harrison. Part of the instructions outlined to students was to create multiple pieces of artwork and then choose which picture would best represent their written text. Once each picture was uploaded to the VoiceThread tool, students recorded their voice with the help an external microphone. Each student was asked to evaluate the quality of their recording, remembering that a clear, articulate voice was needed to capture the listening attention of blog visitors.
“A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to leave comments in several ways - using voice (with a mic or phone), text, audio file, or video via a webcam." (VoiceThread, 2009)
VoiceThread.com gives a wonderful introductory overview as found in their multimedia presentation below:
“Design and produce a device that uses a magnet.”
Grade 2 Science, Topic C: Magnetism Alberta Education, Programs of Study
Assessment for learning (AFL) is a practice that enhances how we learn. Together, the students and teacher are actively engaged in the planning and assessment of learning. They set criteria to frame the learning, monitor the progress, and think of ways to improve and achieve the goals. For our Grade 2 Science project, we combined the power of AFL with technology. After our study of Magnetism, we came up with criteria for our project using the curriculum outcomes. The children each created a game to show their understanding of what magnets can do. Along with a digital image of the game, each student contributed his/her thoughts using VoiceThread for a class multimedia presentation. This unique technology captures each individual performance; making it possible for the student to self-asses. It also allows us to share our creations with others, and invite collaborative feedback. The capacity of VoiceThread helps students understand that learning is an on-going process. We will use the feedback to help us edit and improve. We are thrilled with this opportunity to practise digital media literacy! Ms. Kwan
The process of recording 2K students using the online VoiceThread tool was not complicated. A couple weeks before the recording process was going to take place, pictures were taken of each student holding their project as they were manipulating the magnet appropriately. Once all of the digital pictures were taken, they were uploaded into the VoiceThread program. Students were then ready to record their voices in small groups. Each recording session consisted of a laptop, a microphone as well as 2-3 students with prepared scripts. This was an exciting project for students as it was the first time many of them had recorded their voice. It was also just as thrilling for students to stand back and watch the live recording process in motion.
We hope that you enjoy Camilla School’s first VoiceThread! Ms. Tonhauser
Welcome to our school blog! Camilla School is a K-9 school located in the Hamlet of Riviere Qui Barre, Alberta, Canada (Sturgeon School Division).
Our "Catch the Dream...Build the Future" school motto recognizes our commitment to engaging and educating students in the 21st century.
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