An Idea for Welcoming Students Back to School!

I've been doing a lot of thinking about how I'm going to welcome to students back to school.

I want to incorporate technology, but I don't want to overwhelm them.  

I want to do something fun, but I don't want them to think my class is a breeze.

Decisions, decisions!

Finally, I decided to use video to set the tone of my class on the first day... but which program do I use?!

At TeachMeet NJ, I was introduced to PowToon, an online movie-making/presentation tool that uses fun animation, images, and templates to convey information.  Yes, this is currently in Beta mode, and you need to apply to get access to the site, I honestly think I waited less than an hour for log-in information!
Once I logged onto the site, I found it very easy to navigate.  It prompted me with, "Presentation or Movie", then gave me different templates to choose from to get started.

I selected a Mission template!  I think the students will like it!

Then, I literally went through and filled in the blanks.  They had a pre-made movie and I just changed the text and the images to fit my class.  The only issue was the timing.  If a sentence I typed was longer than the one prior, it messed up the animation and I needed to fix it.

But it was easy!  There is a timeline on the bottom of the screen and users can scroll through each second of the movie clip making edits as needed.

Overall, it took me about 20-30 minutes to make the video, but at the end of the day, I like the video, I like PowToon, and I definitely will be using it again!

Preparing for September: Creating a Home Base

I hope I'm not alone when I say this.

My Back to School nightmares have begun!!!!!!  As usual they consist of children swinging from unswingable lights, boisterous students insisting on sharpening their pencils mid-lesson, and worst of all, soda spilling on my iPad!  Say it ain't so!

To relieve my Back to School worries, I like to nest like an expecting mother.  I go to the place I'll be spending the most time this year.  A place I like to call Home Base.

Similar to baseball players who routinely head to home plate at the start of their turn, students need a place to routinely head at the start of class.  And for my students, that place is Wikispaces.

For those of my readers that are unfamiliar with wikis, please watch the video below!

In my class, our wiki is key!  The wiki allows students to be co-contributors to the site; they create as we create!  The students can post helpful links, share ideas, comment on each other's work, and also show off what they've been working on in class!

Whether it be embedding a Glog, a podcast, or simply a text-based story, Wikispaces is the container for all things Ms. Spiezio English.  Hence, it is the first thing I create for the new school year.

In September, the wiki is pretty blank.  (See my latest wiki here!)  But by the end of the year, it is OVERFLOWING with student work!!!  (See last year's site!)

So, before starting the school year, decide for yourself.... what platform will be your HOME BASE?


More Suggestions for Home Base!

PB Wiki (Another wiki platform!)
Blogger
Edublogs
Edmodo
Schoology

WIKIS IN PLAIN ENGLISH!