EDOL 533 Week Four

This was a fun week creating different ways to use a PowerPoint. I had only previously used Microsoft Office 2003, but used my daughter's Microsoft Office 2007 for this week's assignment. During the next 3 weeks, I have scheduled times to visit 4 elementary schools and share my presentation with various grade levels through teachers that I know at each of the schools. At different times throughout the year, I dress in costume and read related books, tell related stories or advertise children theatre productions that we have coming up at the local theatre.

It will be fun to bring the students a different kind of "story."

I created a PowerPoint describing the game of Quidditch, the magical game played on flying brooms in both the Harry Potter books and films. Universities and high schools around the country and world have formed teams to compete in this game as a "muggle" (non-magical)sport. The Power Point was titled, "Muggle Quidditch: Let Your Imagination Take Flight"


The PowerPoint Outline includes: Where it All Began; History of the Game; The Rules-the Field, Players, Equipment, Snitch, Scoring; and, The Future of Muggle Quidditch.


The PowerPoint gives background information on the Harry Potter books and author J.K. Rowling. It also describes The World Cup - held each year in Vermont.

It describes the rules of the game and ways to make it "elementary school friendly." This is a fantastic way to have classroom physical education. It's low physical contact, and yet it is aerobic. Everyone is equal--physical capabilities, coordination, or lack thereof, will not make any one player stand out.
This is great for a school wide sporting event with all classes at each grade levels competing, or just one class with 15 minutes for recess.



The one thing I was most proud about-- I loved incorporating the "flying" snitch and trying the different ways of having it "fly" on to the page.

What I would do differently--If I were to create this or a similar PowerPoint again, I would like to add a 30 second video clip of someone actually trying to "catch the snitch".

I showed the PowerPoint to both my teenage daughters, and they loved it. They thought the slide design was effective, the color choices good, the information thorough, and the graphics "cool".

After reading all the posts on discussion board this week, I have many news ideas to use PowerPoint in the classroom. I would use it as a presenting tool for both the students and me. I liked that the reading explained sending PowerPoint presentations home in a zipfile, in case the students did not have the software necessary for viewing it at home.

EDOL 533 Week Three

Week Three is almost over. I realize the purpose of this class was to get me thinking in terms of technology application for my students and the classroom. When I had first decided to sign up for the technology class, I was thinking we'd learn how to tune in to school wide TV Broadcasts, or how to use "Channel One", or similar region based informational/instructional news casts for students. Then, I thought maybe we'd learn spreadsheets for grades, but after that, I hadn't really known what we'd do. This has been fun and exciting to think of alll the possible applications for the classroom.

I've begun working on my power point for next week's assignment and it's been exciting to find ways to use all the creative methods of assembling the "slides". I have things bouncing in, etc.....things I'd never really consider using in my job related presentations.

I use word processing and desk top publishing daily at the office. I send out emails to all the Chamber Members; I write to an assortment of businesses, representatives, etc; I create flyers for town/Chamber events; and I send out a newsletter once a month. I have enjoyed the discussion board this week with the different applications my classmates thought of to use both wp/dtp in the classroom.

Recently I had to design the t-shirt for our 8th Annual Raggedy Ann Festival and 5K Run. Raggedy Ann's author Johnny Gruelle was born in Arcola, Illinois; however, his father R.B. Gruelle was born and raised in Cynthiana. He is a famous painter in his own right. When the grandchildren were tracing their roots and heritage, they came to Cynthiana and spoke to our mayor about starting the Festival (This was before my time--I would have had the festival for the Painter R.B Gruelle-, who was actually from here, if I had had a say in the matter). At any rate, I had to design the t-shirt, and it is the same with flyers for the classroom....or anything! The font has to be eye-catching. There cannot be so many different types of fonts that the reader gets dizzy looking at them all. If the fonts are too busy, the important information sometimes will be ignored or overlooked. The graphic needs to complement/support the idea of the text. Sometimes no matter how large the print is, it will be the picture that grabs/captures the attention of the reader.

Now for desktop publishing:


This is a sheet of "buttons" for our Earth Day Festival. I print these out and then use the button machine to make mylar covered buttons with the clasp backing. These are great for advertising events or getting the public involved with different issues. I recently ran a campaign for "Shop Cynthiana First." I made buttons and gave them to all my downtown businesses so that they could give them to patrons. It supported the notion that they need to shop/support locally.



This is the front page to March's newsletter. The format is similar for each of the monthly newsletters. This month just happens to be gearing up for the Festival in April. The newsletter is usually 3 pages (front and back) with articles and highlights from our businesses and around town. I send it electronically to those who wish to receive it that way (going green), and snail mail it to those who like the paper copy.




This is the insert that I print to go in a plastic holder that mounts on a wooden frame for each of my chamber members. I have incorporated the Chamber logo. Each year is identified by a different color even though it states the year. I have tried them different ways, but I feel this is clear, concise, and easily recognized. A classroom could create a logo so that parents would/could easily recognize papers that would need their attention.



This is the front of the 3-fold brochure for the Raggedy Ann Festival. Listed inside is the schedule of events and special attractions. I would like to do this brochure a bit differently; however, because Raggedy Ann is copyrighted with Simon & Schuster United Media, once it has been approved, we are not at liberty to change anything. I created this a couple years ago, and after finally getting approval, I am hesitant to try to change anything.

Once in the classroom, I shall enjoy the opportunities to teach my students how to use wp/dtp with their assignments and projects.

EDOL 533 Week Two

March 15 -- "Beware the Ides of March"…not this year!

This has actually been an exciting week. I had originally signed up for this class in January, but between my job work load and the intimidation factor from an on-line class, I postponed EDOL 533 until now. Last week I was very stressed with my "navigations", hoping I was "finding" all my assignments and submitting them as requested/required. This week has been such a pleasure. I am more comfortable with cc.elearnportal and navigating within the site.

I have enjoyed reading and comparing the differences between spreadsheets and databases. For my job I use spreadsheets all the time. I put the Chamber Membership information/dues, etc. on one. Also, when I host a road race, I enter the names of all the participants, their addresses, ages, genders, shirt sizes and teams-if applicable. But, it was suddenly very different thinking in terms of the applications for student use. There wasn't a particular instance when I was surprised with what or how a spreadsheet/database could be used. It was just that the entire concept was new and exciting. This is my first class since heading back to school. I still have my foot in the business world, but I have stuck my head through the classroom door. I have enjoyed thinking of different subjects/grade levels, and what might work for each.

I visited a recommended website that pulled up after I specifically went hunting for ways to incorporate spreadsheets/databases into geography. It was interesting to see how students, "without the skills or tools to analyze large volumes of data, could create and use a database to categorize countries in various ways and examine the possible relationships that exist among them." http://homepage.mac.com/iowatimp/aea10grp2/cwarner_page/CWarnerUOP.html

Each year there is a National Backyard Wildbird Count. I thought it would be fun to have the students participate--the possibilities are endless! I have a notebook that I keep track of ideas. Most of these ideas are originals; but, some have been adapted from manuals, magazines, workshops, conversations with friends, information from other schools, and passing bits of data. This week I have enjoyed adding many new ideas to try with my students.

I found several wonderful sites that discussed uses of spreadsheet/database in the classroom. One I liked in particular was:
www.madison.k12.al.us/comp/serv/Spreadsheets/spreadsheetresources.htm. On that site it listed other successful websites. These websites then listed great ideas such as Excel Games, Creating a Crossword Puzzle with Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet Activities, Middle School Math Lessons, Lab Activities, 101 Ways to Use Excel in the Classroom. I think the above URL is one of many great resources for the teacher.

EDOL 533 Week One

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

First Week with EDOL 533

I had always been the person that hooked up friends' stereos, programmed VCRs, used video cameras, recorded tape-to-tape (VHS) and wired transformers from 220V to 110V for our appliances overseas! That was the 1980s...a lot has happened in 30 years!

This week I have read so much on the exciting things that can happen when technology is brought into the classroom. The assigned readings, the discussion board, and the worksheet have all set my mind in motion to begin thinking of ways I could use technology in my classroom. I am excited for all the help and enrichment information available on-line for classroom use. I am anxious to try setting up various methods for communication with parents-allowing the ability to keep them up to date with the successes or concerns, of their child.

Although I read the wrong text edition, I learned how the learning environment can have a definite impact on the learning process. Good classroom layout is key for the success and individual needs of each student. Also, learning and feedback are a continuous loop, each corroborating and supporting the other.

Challenges I may face as a teacher may be spatial limitations: teacher/student ratio; no windows; no room for individual space; etc. Neptune Beach, Florida had approximately 40 children in a classroom, whereas, Cynthiana, Kentucky has between 18-21.

I have learned that I must adapt to the ever-changing classroom atmosphere. Certain methods of teaching may work one year, with one group of students, but may miss the mark another time. As a teacher, I will need to constantly be assessing the learning process of my students to ensure that my methods used are matching their needs.

The YouTube Video: A Vision of Today’s Students was incredible. As much as it got me thinking of how at home I am in the environment that they were saying was obsolete, it also made me ponder the statement that today’s students multi-task. I think at times that the way that students multi-task are with quick, instant tasks not always with something that requires a long attention span. Children of today’s society are surrounded by hype and we keep giving it to them bigger, better, brighter, louder, crazier, etc. While we must meet their ever changing interests, we must also be a stabilizing factor in their lives. Many are jostled from school to daycare, to after school activities, to eating supper in the car, to spending weekends at either mom’s or dad’s new home- each with a different set of rules. We must keep up with the times to help students prepare for the future and meet the demands society will all too soon place upon them, but we must also teach them how to enjoy a good book, have conversations with friends, and notice the world around them.