WebQuests

What is a WebQuest? A WebQuest is a classroom-based lesson in which most or all of the information that students explore and evaluate comes from the World Wide Web. Beyond that, WebQuests usually involve group work. They are build around resources that are preselected by the teacher. Students spend their time using information, not looking for it.

How would I have my students use my WebQuest? I would have my students use the WebQuest I have created in early December to help them understand the meaning of the many symbols of Christmas. It would also be a great way for them to be involved in, and help out with the decorating of the classroom for the holidays!

Here are some websites for you to look at to learn more about WebQuests and see some examples.

• Concept to Classroom
  

• Bernie Dodge

• California Gold Rush
  

Fall Field - Final Week!

We wrapped up our field experience today. Fun's over --- Now the work begins, finishing up all the field assignments! I feel like this last week we were there was definitely our best. We were busy, busy all of the time and the days blinked by. We spent our first two weeks just helping out and we got to the know the kids, but this week when we taught our lessons, I feel like the kids finally got to know us and we really clicked with them! (Oh, how we are going to miss "wall ball" at recess! -- Over, just when I was getting good!) It was sad to leave today but also exciting because I loved teaching them and now I'm one step closer to becoming a teacher! Our lessons all went really good. It was hard to know how much time things were going to take. Marcie and I laugh because we worried about not taking long enough - that certainly never was a problem, there were a few things that we never got to or had to really rush over. What a great experience!

I'll see you all very soon back in good ol' 109!

Fall Field - Second Week!

Hi again to my cohort girls - and C.J.
This week was lots of fun. The school wrapped up visiting artists with a big assembly where lots of students were chosen to perform! It was GREAT (long.. 2 hours of sitting cross legged on the gym floor, but great)! We watched students dance, perform an opera, tell stories and perform puppet shows. It was all thanks to a grant that our teachers had written. I really want to do something similar at my school someday! I think all in all the puppets were my favorite. I've made my own puppet so don't feel sad, you'll all get to see it! I'm planning on having my puppet help me teach one of my lessons next week - I'll let you know how that goes.

We've been working hard making sure our lesson plans are ready to go for next week. We were planning on having our students go to the computer lab and watch our digital story from our blogs but come to find out blogs are blocked in our school and so I guess we'll figure out plan B.

I'm going to be sad to leave after next week. I'll miss the kids in our class, they're a super bunch!

Fall Field - First Week!

I can't believe the first week of Fall Field is already done. The time has flown by so quickly. Marcie and I are visiting a multi age classroom. I was a little nervous at first about how this would work with 4th, 5th and 6th graders all in the same class, but so far I think it great! The students divide up for subjects like math and language but other than that they are together. The kids all get a long so well and they are really well behaved for the most part. We haven't officially taught any of our lesson plans yet, we've just been helping out with whatever our cooperating teacher wants us to do.

The school that we have been visiting really emphasizes the arts. (Prof. Wright would LOVE IT!) Last week and this week all of the students in the school got to choose a visiting artist to spend 50 minutes a day with. Some of the options were opera, puppetry, visual arts, dance and storytelling. Our teacher has let us go around the school and check out all of these different classes. It has been so much fun and we've gotten some really fun ideas that I know someday we'll use.

I guess that's it for this week. Hope everyone is doing good! I'll see you in two weeks!

Digital Storytelling

A digital story is a video clip that can be recorded with your own voice, illustrated with still images, and can include music. As a teacher digital storytelling is a great way to add fun and excitement to any subject. It also helps build communication skills and deepens learning. The possibilities on ways incorporate digital storytelling into the classroom are endless. Students could create a digital story to introduce themselves, present a book report, create their own personal story or report on an assigned subject.

To help you become more familiar with digital storytelling surf the following websites and view the movie above.
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/
http://electronicportfolios.com/digistory/
http://www.apple.com/education/documentary/

Now that you have learned a little bit about digital storytelling it's time for you to give it a try! In class we watched my digital story, A Day Without A Farmer. Now I want you to reflect on how your life would be different without farmer. Think about your day. What things would be different? What things would would stay the same? These stories can be serious or you can choose a lighter, funny, mood. Your story should last 2-3 mins long, include music and show specific examples of what life would be like without farmers.

*We will follow the 7 step process that we discussed in class and that are listed below, so start with your storyboard and script. Here is a link for a storyboard template you can use http://docs.google.com/View?docid=ddg3h34r_559gv8558hn . Have these ready for me to look at on Friday.

*After the storyboard and script have been approved by me then you're ready to start gathering images. You can use pictures you have taken yourself or gather, google images, Creative Commons or any of the others we talked about in class. Make sure that your pictures are at least 640x480 pixel so that they'll look clean and crisp in your story. Remember to be selective about the images you choose, let them tell the story!

*When you have your images gathered you're ready to import them into the PhotoStory program. In Photostory you'll also be able to add transitions, effects, text, narration and music. I'll be showing the process to you in class.

Be creative and have fun!

Digital Storytelling Process
1. Write out storyboard and script.
2. Select images you would like to use for your digital story.
3. Select audio you would like to use for your digital story.
4. Select content and text you would like to use for your digital story.
5. Open Photo Story 3.
6. Import images into Photo Story 3.
7. Add titles, text, and/or information to your pictures (remember in using text less is more)if needed.
8. Change the effects of the pictures.

Welcome Back!

Welcome Back to School! I am Mrs. Tomadakis and I'm thrilled to be your second grade teacher. I hope you had a great summer and are ready for a great school year. I want to help you get to know me a little better. I live in Spanish Fork with my husband and my three children. I love to read, ride my bike and play board and card games. This is my first year teaching and Brockbank Elementary. Now leave me a comment telling me a little bit about you and what kind of things you like to do.

Welcome To My Blog!

Welcome to my very first blog! I am so excited to be learning all of these new cool things! I would like to help you start to get to know me. I live in Spanish Fork, where I was born and raised, with my husband and 3 children. I enjoy riding my bike, all kinds of board and card games and spending time with my family. My children are all in school full time now and by no means do I feel like they no longer need me around, but it does leave me with a large amount of time on my hands that I want to spend doing something that is rewarding and fulfilling. This probably the biggest thing that has drawn me to a teaching career, so that I can have a work schedule that is somewhat in sync with my children's enabling me to be the kind of mother I want to continue being and also have a career that allows me to serve others and make a positive difference in the lives of children.