Today, my new friend, Brenda Cleland and I wrapped up a collaborative project that my ComTech 10 class and her Grade One class did together. The Grade One class (the Clients) have hired the high school class (the Freelancers) to animate their drawings. The students were paired up and assigned a blog post in which they were able to have a conversation in the comment section. The Freelancers asked the Clients how they wanted their drawings to be animated. They were not allowed to change the artwork in any way; it would be like changing a client’s logo! We hope you enjoy the results below. Be sure to read the comments in each blog post to get a feel for how well the two groups communicated without meeting in person.—
The URL: https://sites.google.com/a/epsb.ca/winter-traditions/home
And on that note, Mrs. Teacher List and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the coming year! Rest well and we’ll connect again in January.
– Pete
Edmonton teacher, Leslie Friesen, passed on this interesting article from Scholastic. The author makes a good case for using the different pieces of the popular Lego sets to illustrate fractions in different ways. There are some printables to help students use the manipulatives. I thought it was good advice given to pre-pack the pieces you need in a bag rather than give the set out.—
The URL: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2013/12/using-lego-build-math-concepts ]]>
Thanks to my pal, Shelley Boan, who shared with our staff this Rick Mercer Rant about bullying in school. If you’re not familiar with him, Rick Mercer is a CBC personality who often hits the nail on the head with social commentary. This might be a good way to start conversations about National Anti-Bullying Week, which begins next week. Probably best for high-school audiences or preview the clip yourself to determine if your group will benefit.—
The URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Y7qpiu2RQ ]]>
Last year, Adobe created an iPad app called Slate. It is an engaging and simple-to-construct storytelling engine. The problem (for me, anyhow) is that it was only available as an iPad app. This week, Adobe released a browser version, making this much more widely available. There is no cost to use it however students (or a lead-teacher) need to use an Adobe I.D. (13+ yrs). It’s simple to learn and the results are stunningly professional. My Photo students will be diving into this tool in a few minutes…—
The URL: http://slate.adobe.com/ ]]>
Here’s a great collection of cheat sheets for those using Google Apps. There are several other resources on this site as well that you might want to check out. These cheat sheets would be suitable for professional development or classroom use.—
The URL: http://www.shakeuplearning.com/google-cheat-sheets.html ]]>
What happens when you combine classic arcade game movements with painting action? This summer, I had the pleasure of meeting Andy Phelps. Among other titles, he is the founder and director of the RIT Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity (MAGIC). Andy asked this question and had the skills and resources to explore the answers, resulting in Splattershmup. Splattershmup is a game that allows players to “reflect on their in-game actions and strategy through visual reflection, and to approach the creation of art as an arena of action.” The art that is created in the game can then be shared and discussed. It’s a really cool concept and perfect for a Friday recommendation.—
The URL: http://splattershmup.rit.edu/ ]]>
About four years ago, I recommended CameraSim to help students practice their digital slr camera skills online. I’m going to be using this simpler version today to introduce composition with the Rule of Thirds. It’s a great way to get started before we break out the cameras for the class period!—
The URL: http://camerasim.com/apps/focus-frame-shoot/ ]]>
Here’s an interesting, enlightening read from NoBullying.com about the bullies in our lives and communities. I hadn’t thought about some of these profiles before and enjoyed the perspective.—
The URL: http://nobullying.com/portrait-and-profile-of-a-bully/ ]]>
Just how big is the Solar System in which we reside? This 7 minute film by Wylie Overstreet and Alex Gorosh will put it in perspective. Without giving away all of the surprising details, using a marble as a scale representation of Earth, they needed over 7 miles of dry lakebed to fit it all in.—
The URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR3Igc3Rhfg ]]>
Gayle Grass contacted me the other day to let me know that you can download a collection of no-cost ebooks featuring Iris The Dragon. From the site: “One dragon, four seasons, and lots of drama and challenges down by the riverbank. Download your reader format and start the discussion. All books are medically vetted, endorsed, and represent a superb resource for kids, parents, teachers, and health care practitioners to discuss mental health issues.”—
The URL: http://www.iristhedragon.com/bookstore.html ]]>