Virtual Tour: Adv's & Disadv's; What sensory exp's might help

Implementing a virtual tour in the classroom can have many advantages and d disadvantages. One advantage is that the virtual tour allows students to see things they may never get to see in real life. It gives them the opportunity to learn about different places and to vicariously experience them through technology. Also, it could be a way to get students engaged in learning about new places and cultures. A disadvantage of the virtual tour is that it may be hard for some teachers to learn the software. Also, vicarious experiences are no substitute for real ones.

Many sensory experiences could assist students in a virtual tour. Having available foods specific to the culture the class is learning about is one. Listening to music from the culture is another. A teacher could have the kids make costumes that fit the more traditional dress of the area being studied. This would probably require parental involvement, which is not a bad thing. The kids could draw some of the stuff they see while watching the tour. My group's plan involves a market day in which the kids "buy" and "sell" goods and services. The sky (and the budget, in some cases) is the limit when dealing with this topic.

Google Earth

One of the basic things one can do in Google earth is look at specific locations using the "fly to" bar. Locations often have pictures or videos associated with them in the program. These things can be used in the classroom to teach students more about the world. This program is interactive, so students can get involved. They can suggest places they want to see, or perhaps the class can go exploring using one of the many navigation tools provided in the program. It seems like a great program for kids in class or just for general use.

Modifications to Wiki portfolio, way late

I added a personal objective to my Wiki. I also added a picture of myself. I put in a link to my PLE. These modifications will enhance my wiki by telling people more about me, letting them see what I look like, and sending them to my PLE, which will hopefully have lots of ideas on it.

Most difficult thing about implementing Digital Storytelling in Classroom

I think one of the most difficult things about implementing a digital storytelling project into the classroom would be learning to use the software and having to take the time to compile the story. It is difficult to put the stories together using at least moviemaker and keep all of the pictures together. I had a rather hard time with that, as the pictures are not actually saved in movie maker itself. I think it could be fun to use occasionally. However, I am a bit old fashioned, but I think there isn't a substitute for actually reading books in the classroom with the kids. The digital storytelling takes a while to compile, and while it could be a fun project to do as a class, I think it would be difficult to do it just as a teacher.

Digital Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LEjbVZoLP0

Late, Comments about other people's storyboards

I looked at the storyboard of Anne Yamashito about a fairy princess who explains signs. I thought it was fun to blend the

I looked at Brittany Beecher’s storyboard about a little boy writing. It was very cute, I thought. I love writing.

Janessa Choate, Harry Potter to teach cliffhangers. I love seeing more familiar, fun examples of things in classes. I like this idea.

Haley VandeMerwe, Princess, hat, bat, rhymes, etc…Very cute. I love the story line. It confused me a little at the end, though. Why did the rat suddenly have the hat instead of the bat?

I couldn’t find a 5th one that wasn’t ours. I like that ours uses fun characters.

Week 5

Windows Movie maker is, overall, a fairly decent movie making program. It is relatively easy to import pictures. Overall, it is a fairly simple, user friendly software. However, there are definitely some cons to it. I am finding it very difficult to import narration to the right places. It is frustrating. I can import the narration, but I'm having a hard time timing it.

Blog Week 4, Who I am teaching

I have talked to my family a little about what we have learned in class. I have taught my family a bit about tokbox. I sent them a video message. I don't know how they reacted, but it was fun to send. Also, I told my missionary about the fact that I am taking this class. We send tapes back and forth, and he slowed down the tape and recorded on fast recording thinking I wouldn't know what he was doing. He told me that he could do a lot more with technology than I could, and I told him I was taking this class and learning. It was funny.

Storyboard

Storyboard
(add as many rows below as you need) Names: Karly Allen, Rebecca Blair, DeeAnn Loveland, and Amber Smith
Scene Script/Description
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=2c34294de0&view=att&th=126539453687a4a1&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

Once upon a time, there was a very small giant. (The giant was small compared to the other giants..to us, he would have seemed huge). Giants are fictional characters, which means they do not exist in real life, but for this story, we will assume they are factual characters. A fact is something that is real.




One day, the giant was sitting in his cave, watching the bigger giants fight, and a beautiful, tiny, magical princess appeared to him on a motorcycle, wearing a black leather jacket and leather pants. She pulled her helmet off, shook out her long hair, and told the giant she had a job for him.




“Come on, there’s no time to waste!” the princess yelled as she revved the engine of her motorcycle. The giant picked her up with his giant hand and said, “Hold on a minute, what do I have to do?”




The princess told the small giant her story. “Prince Charming said he was going to visit his mom for the weekend, but now I know that story was fictional –fictional means it was not real – because his mom called this morning! It could be a fact – a fact means something that is real – that my Prince has been kidnapped!”




The Giant replied to the princess, “I cannot help you, because I am too small. You should find another Giant who is bigger and stronger.” The princess was not impressed with his response. She looked at him with her hands on her hips and said, “Size is not what matters! Besides you are bigger than anyone I have ever met, and BIG enough to help me, so let’s go!”




The fact was, the giant was huge. He had just forgotten because he always compared himself to the other giants for so long. The giant felt happy to be needed, and he gently lifted the princess back onto her motorcylcle and followed her to the the foggy forbidden forest in search of her prince.




As they went into the foggy forbidden forest, the princess was happy to have the giant accompany her because as she told him, “I am afraid.” Feelings are facts and her fear was real.




The giant said, “I am not afraid” (and that was a fact for him) and he carried her over the swampy patches and helped her find her prince.
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