Designing Website

Well, the designing has begun. I am finding out that I am doing more than I need to for my website. I certainly chose a theme (sort of) that turned out to be far more difficult than it needed to be. By choosing the wood signs I have found myself using my paint tools for each portion of my website, rather than just the main banner and background. By doing so I guess I am learning more than I probably would have doing it using tables and basic text links. I like the looks of my site, however it doesn't really represent myself or anything else for that matter. I like old and old looking things and simply felt the wood and stone wall looked pretty cool. I originally wanted to use Diamond plating, but couldn't really make it work.

By using so many images, I am having a hard time organizing the links and images on the background in the exact places I want them. It has taken a huge amount of time pixelating back and forth to get items where I want them. So far I am happy with the looks of the site, and am hoping its construction will get a little easier as I learn how to design it.

Follow up from Animal classification activity

Well we finally finished the actual designing and organizing of our animal classifications using Inspiration. WOW, very comical. Some just had informtion all over the page indicating little knowlege of classification knowlege. Most were able to take their organized information and design some form of understandable finished product. A couple did a fantastic job, were very creative, and informative. I think with more use of the tools, the students will create better products each time. They had little experience with Inspiration, and many just wanted to be finished with the project. Others were simply frustrated in not being able to put things where they wantd it. Some actually got angry. Most found the activity enjoyable and learned a great deal from it. Very funny to sit back and watch their minds design.

Students as Designers (animal classification)

As a result of the learning going on in my cohort as well as my classroom, I decided to quiz my at on their knowlege of different animal classifications. I first reviewed many characteristics of different animals with my class and put those classifications onto sheets of paper. I also put the names of different animals on sheets of paper. The names of animal groups were also put onto sheets of paper for students to manipulate. Students were asked to figure out how all of these sheets of paper could be put together to inform others as to animal characteristics, names, and actual pictures of animals. This afternoon, as a class, we put the organizing into action. It was important for students to figure out, on their own, what needed to go where. As this week progresses, students will use Inspiration to design an Animal Classification Web to display their knowlege of animal classification. They will need to figure out how make the presentation educational as well as appealing to the readers eye. They will also need to include examples of each animal in their sections of the web.

I don't know if this is a good example of student design, but I am trying to get them to think about organizing information in an appealing educational way that includes text and visual graphics.

Stay tuned.

Forgot about the Internet

Thinking only about personally communicating with others as far as telecommunications and lesson design is concerned, my last blog was a little out of line. I definitely confused telecommunications and communications. I did not see the connection of using the Internet as a telecommunications tool. Not only is the Internet a telecommunications tool, but it is a widely used tool that if used creatively will have profound positive educational outcomes. Shame on me for my ignorance.

Telecommunications and 7 year olds

I am really struggling coming up with a lesson to use telecommunications with my 2nd graders. Very difficult figuring out a way to use telecommunications as the learning tool for such young students. I am kind of not really sold on telecommunications being at all effective with any elementary aged students. I guess time will tell.

Well a week after my lesson and it went very well. Eight year olds needed much assistance with the website as they have little experience with websites, but they were able to come up with accurate lists and made some choices for a new infielder for the Nationals. I enjoyed the interaction the kids had with the site and their enthusiasm with the end result.

Lesson 1

Well, I did my Washington Nationals lesson last week. It went pretty well. The kids could not believe I knew someone that worked with the Nationals. They had so many questions. I felt terrible stretching my tall tale with them. The lesson went great. We did not finish it as it extends over a few days, but the kids were so pumped and excited to get to work on it. I am anxious to see how they respond over the next couple of days with the lesson. I am waiting for the parents to start asking me to get autographs for them.