So here is my screen cast, using Jing, to introduce my BookWiki to my class.

Introduction to BookWiki

Misty

To demonstrate success with this project the students will:

• Write three book reviews on their BookWiki page.
• Comment on three other students’ BookWiki pages.
• Add at least one image to the BookWiki page.
• Use text formatting features (titles, bullets, section dividers, etc.) to enhance writing.
• Include the items listed in the class’ co-created rubric (example below).
• The class will co-create a rubric for what to include in each BookWiki.
• Ultimately the students will work on the BookWiki on their own, and go above and beyond the expectations.

Introduction

• Introduce the students to online book discussions by presenting some current online book clubs.
• http://www.girlzone.com/html/intowords.html
• http://www.planetbookclub.com/kids/booktalk.htm

Background Knowledge

• Discuss previous ways book reports are completed.
• Student groups come up with why they like or don’t like doing them.

Present Material/Practice

• Introduce the site to the students. https://nheroom522.wikispaces.com/
• Demonstrate how to edit wiki pages, and how to add pictures, links, and widgets.
• Have them add to their page by creating a personal note about themselves and the genres they enjoy reading.

More Practice

• The first BookWiki will be about a book that I read aloud.

• We will write notes together about the theme, our opinions, and evidence to support our claims. We will create a rubric of what should be included in the response.
• Then each student will add to their wiki page. Students will then be required to read and comment on two to three students pages. This will entail modeling how to log on, how to read and respond, and how to publish their comments.

Elicit Performance

• The final step will be for the students to add to the BookWiki about a book that they read on their own, and add comments about three other student’s BookWiki.

Provide Feedback and Assess

• Students will provide feedback to each other through the comments section on each page.
• Teacher will assess and give feedback on the comments section as well.

Enhance Transfer

• Students will be encouraged to create a Voice Thread, Podcast, or an iGoogle web page for a book or author.

Development

Prior to Presenting

I plan on using Wikispaces for my site, therefore I will need to:

• Set up a class Wikispaces site with tabs for a home page, and a page for each student to discuss their books.
• Set up usernames for the Wikispaces site using gmail addresses to represent the students (ex: nhe522#1@gmail.com for student #1).
• The Wikispaces site should have a sidebar that lists student pages.
• Create two or three example pages for the students to use as a reference for what is expected.

Have you heard of Animoto? It is a site where they take your pictures, music of your choice, and they mix it into a cool movie. Check out the one I made in about 15 minutes.

http://animoto.com/play/mGYLYzrN50HMZBtHJboEBg

Misty

I created a podcast to give my students some information about their teacher.

Learning About Your Teacher

Content Map

Here is a content map that demonstrates the learning that will need to take place prior to using the Wiki site. It flows from the bottom to the top, final objectives.

Not Another Book Report!

Responses to literature are a standard in the upper elementary grades. Frequently they are boring for the students to do, cumbersome for the students to complete regularly, and frustrating for teachers to teach and grade. A solution to these problems could be found in Web 2.0 technologies. Blogs, Wikis, and social-networking are interactive, collaborative ways the students can use the internet to share information and create.

Click here to read more

This next year I will be teaching a 3/4 combo class with only 20 students.  I am kind of excited because then I will be able to manage my tech stuff much more easily.  I am planing to create some type of book blog, where the kids could write reviews of articles or books, and other kids could respond.

I am trying to figure out how to set it up so the kids could create a new post themselves, and others could respond to that post.   I would also like to use VoiceThread for book reviews too.  Maybe we can add that as a feature to our classroom blog.

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