When it comes together

Our Explorer Biography wiki projects are coming along. We've gone over finding important information, researching, when to fact check, note taking, and paragraphing. Huge undertaking, but certainly worthwhile. The achievement I'm most proud of is working on citations.

Citations are the bane of my existence. I know kids need to do it. But our projects typically bog down, and citations get swept aside. This time I had them do it in the middle of the project. We used the OSLIS citation maker (I'll add a link later, the downfall of the mobile blogger app). I demoed it and then each had to do 1 as a ticket to recess. The result? Success! MLA format citations on their pages!

This will dovetail nicely into our social studies cba (curriculum based assessment). The cba is next- a chance I research an idea, evaluate points of view, and construct a plan of action. Very excited!

*note: unfortunately I can't share our wiki pages. They are on our internal site called haiku (google it, worth checking out). It keeps us in line with child privacy laws.

Thank You Internet

We're in the middle of Internet research. The project is to create a biographical wikiproject on an explorer. Kids need multiple sources, and need to take notes aimed at gaining a variety of pieces of information. The information will answer questions that they posed- things they would expect in a biography.

While researching our ship ran afoul.. How you ask? We found faulty research! It was brilliant, and even more perfect than I cod have planned. You see you uncovered a site that, on the surface, looks like a regular website. Kids had found it, printed stuff from it, and went along their merry way. Then someone actually read it. The exchange went like this:

-Student: Mr. Hanson, the text says Sir Francis Drake returned to his baking company. I don't get it.
-Me: huh? Baking company?
-Student: yeah, it says right here that he used a stolen recipe to start his baking company that still bakes cakes today (Re: Drake's cakes).
-me: hmm, let's go back and re-read. I'm not sure we are getting accurate info.

Of course this led us to re-read and uncover the errors in our poor researching. New Jersey, boardwalks, and stolen recipes on CD were all part of the rather interesting piece of historical fiction. But it brought out the need to do some fact checking. As I read this aloud to giggles and hoots, the message was clear. Go back over your work. Since? The quality of research, note taking, and work has improved. Hallelujah!

Cursory Understanding

Piggybacking off yesterday's post about patient problem solving, I stumbled upon a great find. Way back at the start of July the Tempered Radical posted about the death of the Google Wonderwheel, a tool that broke down complex concepts into smaller pieces that are related (and may be part of what you are looking for). In truth, I'd completely forgotten about it during our CBA research this spring. It would have been really fantastic for kids to break down broad issues with complex relationships, or at the very least distill them into more manageable, bite-sized pieces.

The Radical posted about a tool called WikiSummarizer. Essentially you type in search terms, or concepts you are researching, and they are distilled into related topics found via wikipedia. Now it isn't foolproof, but gosh it would have been really helpful. How? Well that brings us back to the notion of patient problem solving.

Say you are one of my students and you have seen a news story on deforestation (maybe a 30 second spot, 60 seconds if you're lucky). You decide that you want to work on the issue of deforestation for your CBA (classroom based assessment). The major premise is that you think it should be stopped because you know that trees are important for the environment-- big bummer that loggers are cutting down the trees ("stop the loggers!"). Where search becomes problematic is that you have a limited knowledge base to draw from in your assessment, yet you are intensely interested in the topic (bike safety? not a big bike rider, not so much. clean drinking water? doesn't seem applicable in our developed area.. etc). Interest is important, but it begins to wear thin when the articles you are trying to decipher are over your head. Patience only goes so far, and certainly can erode even the most interested and patient problem solvers.

Enter the Wikisummarizer, or so I envision. Kids might not necessarily use it first, but it can be in that first tier of resources. After kids start their search, they can refer to the wikisummarizer to help move them along or confirm/refute ideas they have on the topic. Instead of not necessarily knowing what other search terms or steps they could take, they've got another tool to access and move them along. It makes me excited.

Using Wikis

We're in the midst of tying up some work in our 5th grade reading text. We're using the opening theme to practice some of the reading skills we'll be using throughout our literacy workshop, and to further engage in non-fiction (outside the Amer. Revolution). The theme is Nature's Fury, with the big picture takeaway being that nature can be really destructive. We've read a snippet of realistic fiction involving earthquakes. We've also read about storm chasers, particularly of tornadoes.

The final piece is about volcanoes. As a whole, the text is really high interest. Kids go "whoa" when they see black funnel clouds or volcanic eruptions, which helps kids keep going when the vocabulary gets a big dense. Part of today's extension was to find the Ten Largest Volcanic Eruptions (leaving it open ended), and to classify (or categorize?) by continent (skills we are using- organizing information in category/classes). About a quarter got to the research, and I put one group in charge of getting the information onto the wiki.

I left their task pretty open ended, even leaving off the classifying part. Above is a snippet of what they found, with the link being of their own doing. While it isn't ground breaking, it is a step in the right direction. We can do some research, post it, and link it. Eventually we'll do full fledged projects on here, posting arguments about things like the Stamp Act, Tea Act, and the revolution as a whole. That is #'s 2, 3, and 4 from the 50 Ways to Use Wikis link. There are a variety of other ideas in there, but the top 30 have some good nuggets to cull through. The overall hope being that we can share what we learned in a different format (and cut out some of the paper!).

Wiki Practice

I am excited to begin releasing control of our class wiki. Last year I jumped into it, and tossed kids into the deep end. For the most part, it was successful as judged by the content posted. This year I decided to release control a little differently. Previously I trained kids on an individual/small group basis. Those kids would later become trainers, and it worked fairly well.

This year I opted for login instructions. Kids would be able to log themselves in, then use the practice pages to get familiar with the text editor in PB Works. I made 11 copies of the directions, and had kids work in pairs to log in and complete one of the practice pages (they're all the same). The goal being that kids would all be able to log in and add text information to the wiki. As a whole that was really great, with the next step being learning how to add pictures to the site.

While it isn't perfect, I'm confident that kids will know the basis information needed to be turned loose on the wiki. That opens up a whole end of extension work which should be fantastic.

20 Book Challenge: Check-in

Back in October I kicked off our 20 Book Challenge. I was challenging each 5th Grader to read 20 chapter books over the course of their 5th grade year; 5 from a recommended list, 3 during novel study, 12 of their choice. The whole purpose was to push kids to seek out books that they might not ordinarily seek out, largely because the path of least resistant is... well, it is easier (hence least resistance)!

Where are we now? Well the kids that would eat it up are doing just that. I've got a few that have completed the challenge already, and are aiming for 50 (that is just the type of kids they are- book in hand all the time, excited to read, challenging themselves, getting it). I've got quite a few in the 10+ range (say 10-15). Many of those kids I would expect to be there, but not all of them. I've also got a variety in the 5-10 range, and a few in the 0-5 range for a myriad of reasons. The volume is fantastic, which really is half the battle. You become a better reader by reading more, and at an appropriate level. While they didn't start the year seeking out thicker, more challenging titles, they are often are now. They know that the expectation is to have a book with them at all times (throughout the school day- although beyond would be best). I couldn't be happier.

The next step is creating a book project that shows understanding of a book they read. We'll start that work this week. While we continue with some non-fiction reading, we'll add in the project with plenty of work time attached. Then we'll take time during the last week before Winter Break to present our books to our peers, post them on our wiki, and get feedback. It'll also be a great chance for the kids to experiment with posting on the wiki, something I have held off on thus far. Combining the 20 Book Challenge with our novel study will hopefully lead us in the right direction for narrative writing understanding.

Greater Tech Usage

Ever since my time as a pre-service teacher, I was dreaming of integrating a variety of technological pieces into my instruction. As I moved forward, I used a little bit in my student teaching and continued to dream of a technologically literate classroom. Last year, my first year of teaching, I used tech on a regular basis. From the class wiki, to having kids highlight passages on the Activeboard, to having students create presentations in powerpoint, we were all over technology.

Now was it what I had been dreaming about? I suppose I could answer in two different ways. Relative to where I was in teaching, I felt fairly good about how I was able to integrate technology into my daily instruction without making it feel forced. Relative to others I am inspired by, I was itching to add more and make them integrate with more fluidity than before.

This coming year I have a few new wrinkles planned...

• A class blog: with the 70-80 kids I'll see, the goal will be to divide them into 3 groups and have an A, B, and C. One week, A will be blogging in response to a question, quote, statement. That same week group B will be responsible for commenting on the work on 1-2 of their peers (I'll tweak it based on ease of use, efficiency), and group C will be off. We'll rotate each week. This will likely be connected with social studies and/or our novel study, giving everyone something to connect to.
• Wiki Group Work: my past class of kiddos was great at creating powerpoints. While I sometimes struggled with the content they created (writing style, conventions), their technology knowledge was fantastic. Instead of 20 powerpoints on the Boston Tea Party that just get sent to me (they presented too, but it was really an audience of 1... me) we will create using the wiki. We'll be using some rubrics to assess our cooperation, our contributions, and the content. Plus we'll take out some of the flash that became uber-distracting with the powerpoints.
• Podcasting: I had hoped for a podcast this past year, but it just didn't happen. What I am considering doing is having a monthly podcast from each rotation group, with 3 students per rotation working on it. Essentially it will be "Social Studies in October...etc" They can cover concepts/content they liked, books they read, or something I haven't envisioned. They'll need to create an outline/script, and then use Audacity to record it (3-10 minutes). We may also podcast some of the other audio projects we're working on.

There are probably 1,000 other things that I could do to integrate more technology into my classroom. But those are the big 3 I am going to be focused on. Secretly I am hoping that wikis become the technology focus this coming year for my district (we have a yearly district focus with training around it). But, I'm also hoping it is something entirely new that I can wrap my head around.

Worth Watching

As my wife and I start the process of getting set for the school year, slowly but surely, I am trying to go through my google reader for inspiration. One post which I saved was from Brian Crosby of Learning is Messy. When I had started the teacher certification program, and just getting started with web 2.0 tools, I started following a few different blogs. This was one which I followed fairly regularly, but was intimidated by because of how impactful the teaching was. It was as close to problem based learning as it gets, and the experience was moving to me.

Fast forward to last year and I tried to implement some of those same tools. We used our class wiki on a regular basis. It was an effective tool that students could use to write about events in US history, as well as revise some of the work of their peers. Beyond that they were able to search for other usable sites that would add depth to the information they already learned by embedding links and pictures. But I shied away from blogging in year one, if for no other reason than uncertainty around how it would work with 60 kids (and no true plan for how to ensure it would be connected to the standards).

Below you'll find a link to the TEDxDenverEd presentation by Brian Crosby. It further reinvigorates me as I prep for the upcoming school year.

Summer Goals

Summer is here, although it could be a touch warmer. Being packed up and checked out, I won't head back to school until July. My parents come out to visit at the end of this month, and I'll likely take them by to see where I make things happen. Hopefully Mt. Baker will be out, as it is nice to see that from the school parking lot (and brings this full circle since my big brother works up at the ski area.

Here are some school related goals for the summer:

• Take June off from planning (tougher than you'd think)
• Clean out my Google Reader. Already done! Dovetails into the first point a bit, as most of my ed-reading is done via blogs these days.
• Roughly map out my year (what content and approx when, what main objectives)
• Read at least 15 books that I'll have in my classroom library. Current list below..
• Clean up the classroom wiki and get it ready for next year.
• Work on setting up a system on Google Docs to capture ideas that I can access anywhere (I'll admit to not using docs or delicious much since leaving school. This post reminded me of the usefulness of it.

I'm more than slightly excited for next year. It is difficult to not get my yellow legal pad out to do some planning, but I am going to resist. Blogging will need to fill that void for the time being. Here is the list of books on the bookshelf:

• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (likely done by the end of tonight)
• Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
• The Penderwicks by Birdsall
• The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
• Wringer by Jerry Spinelli (possible book club book next year).

Last Day

Wednesday was the end of my rookie year of teaching. Year One is officially in the books. As I told my kids, you have many firsts in your life. First day of school, first day of high school, first day with a driver's license, first day of college, etc. You remember those first things vividly. This year will be no different for me.

There are a myriad of ideas running through my head. What went well? What do I want to change? How/When will I get the blog and wiki rolling next year? All of those are good questions, but I need about a week or two off. I need to bask in the afterglow of yesterday, thinking about the kind words the kids said. Someone got the idea to write a goodbye message on the front whiteboard, which spread into half of our cohort writing goodbye notes. It was touching, and gave me the impression (illusion) that I made an impact for the better. The cards I received were along the same lines.

After cleaning out the room and getting organized, I'm officially off. I won't head back to the building until early July. I'll head in to get a few of my curriculum materials, and start thinking ahead to the fall. I'll post some of the questions I am pondering as the days pass. But today... today is for the afterglow.

I Like to Laugh

That isn't true. I love to laugh, and would laugh all day long if I could. The past few weeks have been rather hectic. After our midwinter break that spanned the end of one week and the beginning of the next, everything has been in overdrive. School has seemed to have everything coming at once, from budget talk to state tests to student share night. Added onto that was buying a house (doing all of the many things that go with that) and trying to rehab from a pulled quad (2 times). But all the while I've found some funny things to laugh about...

• Crazy hat day was yesterday, and one of my kiddos wore a cowboy/girl hat. She came running back from recess and gave a "yeee-haww" with her arm doing the lasso. It was quite funny, and she cracks me up.
• The comparison of the Sign of the Beaver to camping. I'm not sure that Matt, in the 1700's, was going to be heading to the General Store when he ran out of molasses, but perhaps if he were camping...
• I laughed when I saw that the focus of a new school was on technology. Personally, I believe my district is a fairly tech heavy district. I also know that I use technology A LOT. But I don't think either of us says "we are focusing on technology." Instead the focus is on great instruction that will help students grow as learners. Can technology help with that? Absolutely. My kids are using the Internet to find/read articles for current events. They are researching to add information to our class wiki. They are creating presentations and Photostory work to go with reading and writing they have done. We create audio versions of work using Audacity, and we do all sorts of things. But those are all extensions of the instruction I already provide. Could I provide great instruction without technology? Yes. But it would be an adjustment. I always wonder, how will technology make this lesson better? If it won't, then it isn't worth using at that time.
• "Wait a second, you mean I need to summarize all that I read (20 pages) by the end of the week?" Yes, yes you do.

Updating the Wiki

Our class wiki has been getting quite a bit of use. I've used it as a receptacle for information so that students are able to access information at home. This has alleviated sending home the textbook. Granted, the information in the textbook is at a lower level, and a bit more accessible. Nonetheless the wiki has been a useful tool.

This week is when I start to release some of the control. One of the assignments for the week is for the kids will be to describe one of the colonies using some of the information we've been gathering. The information fits into the categories of: Reasons for Founding, Geography, Economy, and Government. We created questions that matched those categories so that we could be strategic in our reading, and more focused when looking for information.

What students will be charged with is choosing one of the colonies, and writing a 1-2 paragraph description of the colony. They will also need to search for at least one link that adds more information for the colony. We'll then group responses by colony, and read them to evaluate which we think is most accurate and descriptive.

Soon after we'll add a section on where you'd want to live if... (you wanted religious freedom? you wanted self-government? you wanted to sow seeds of flax?!). I'm excited to relinquish some of the control (granted I still need to post things, or have kids post during class with supervision).

Wiki Stuff

Found this today via twitter... worth checking out. It has a crazy amount of wiki information and use in classrooms. I don't tweet very much education stuff, but I do follow many educators for all their professional network stuff.

Can we add to it?

Many great things came about today. First and foremost was success with instruction as we practiced making predictions, and linking it to evidence of some sort (ie. a picture or a word/phrase might inform you about what comes next... so adding that at the end of your prediction). After that I received my set of 3rd-5th Writer's Workshop books from Heinneman. I've been borrowing some from a 4th grade teacher, and finally was able to return hers. I dog-ear, sticky note, and continually use my teacher books so they were a must have. Lastly I received my district laptop. It is a HP, and has been imaged by the district so that they can do any maintenance if needed.

Beyond those great things was this question: "So, umm, Mr Hanson will we be able to add information to this wiki while we are in here?" Oh yes! Yes you will. My first reaction, since I am considering how I want kids to be able to edit, was that they can bring the link and the description and I will add it. So I will be interested to see what they find, if anything. Ultimately, this wiki is what I'd like to have for the kids. Even more powerful is what the Crosby class was able to do in working on the "Reno Bike Project." As a whole though, take the small victories and be ready for more work tomorrow.

Mr Hanson's Social Studies Wiki

Back when I was at UW-Bothell I decided that I was going to create a wiki for my technology class. As I was planning today, a regular Sunday afternoon occurrence, I found a great way to get my wiki up and running! Since we are going to be doing some work on natural disasters, and linking that back to the geography work we did previously, I could easily use the wiki to have kids extending their learning. The obvious upside, to me, is that I wouldn't need to send home a 5+ pound textbook!

So Mr. Hanson's Social Studies Wiki is up and running. We're going to be working on Earthquakes much of this week, so that is the furthest along. The others simply have pages and Coming Soon on them. For the natural disasters it might seem like lots of work for little use (we'll see each for about a week). On the contrary, the web research I'd already done for background information made it easy to plug in relevant information. In total it was about 30 minutes of creation, and the kids should be able to locate a variety of usable information in a central place (in particular for homework). In the future the kids will be adding to the pages, and responsible for adding new/usable information.

If only it wasn't called a wiki... my wife hates the word wiki, as it is reminiscent of the word wookie... aren't wookies cute though?

Integrating Technology

I hope to integrate some technology into my teaching this Spring. We only have one student usable computer, but that isn't a big deal to me. I am excited about the kids creating, or at least creating the audio for, a podcast. I'd like to make a series of them that could go on the school website. This will likely be related to an All-About unit that I want kids to write. The other option is during a poetry unit. I'm also considering using tech in a PhotoStory way, which would be to have student artwork on screen with voice (re: student) narration to the artwork.

I want to use the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives during math in our math opening too! I have a wiki that I've "started" but I don't have any content yet. The model I'm using is here. It is a project to be worked on over the next few weeks.

As TeacherWife told me yesterday, you will have a ton of ideas but you'll likely only get a chance to implement some of them in this short period. Those are the words that I need to keep in mind when I worry that I'm not meeting my own expectations.