LITERACY SPECIAL INTEREST Journal - Number 2

 The Journal of ISTE's LITERACY Professional Learning Network

Scribd.com Version:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/227311233/Literacy-Special-Interest-V1-Number2
Read or Download as PDF (requires free registration)


Table of Contents
  Forward
Editor, Mark Gura Page 4

 Text Meets Video in the Blogosphere: Complex Informational Content for Today’s Students by Dr. Rose Reissman Page 6

 Using Creative Technology to Engage Struggling Readers and Writers as Producers of Literature by Melinda Kolk Page 12

 The Future Is In Their Hands: Using Cell Phones for Literacy Learning by Lisa Nielsen and Willyn Webb Page 21

 Boosting Oral Language Fluency through Technology Intensive Literature Exploration (TILE), a Learning Centers Approach by Kevin Amboe Page 32

 Learning to Teach with Edmodo: Social Networking-based Activities by Kathy D. Shields Page 44

 Using Online Discussions to Develop Literacy Skills and Integrate the NETs by Sandra Wozniak Page 54

 Student Led Podcast Projects Make Common Core Literacy skills Come Alive by Dr. Rose Reissman Page 64

 Using Technology To Enhance Reading Skills For English Language Learners by Kimberly M. Thomas Page 74

Episode #8: Non-Fiction Books and Literacy Learning

Featuring Host, Mark Gura’s Interview with Young Person’s Author, Vicki Cobb

Click arrow above to listen to the podcast (please be patient, the audio play may take a few seconds to start) - The interview starts at 9:50

This episode features a unique look at non-fiction books for kids from the viewpoint of Vicki Cobb, author of many popular science books that are used widely in classrooms. Vicki offers her fascinating and insightful perspective that reflects her own long term experience writing non-fiction books. She also shares about her recent efforts to transform author school visits using online video conferencing technology.

 Vicki’s  Links

Vicki’s website: www.vickicobb.com

 Ink Think Tank: www.inkthinktank.com

Wikis that showcase Vicki’s  work with schools

http://discoveryschool-vickicobb.wikispaces.com/

http://lewisandclarkelementary-alexandrasiy.wikispaces.com/

Articles recommend by Vicki
Authors on Call: Videoconferencing in Class

 21st Century Children’s Nonfiction Conference Talks Books, Apps, and More

 How to Get Kids Hooked on Nonfiction Books This Summer

21st Century Children's Nonfiction: A Conference Recap

Can I Please Have Your Undivided Attention

Good Writing Is Memorable: Scientific Proof


Vicki’s instructional videos  are available at: http://vickicobb.com/vickisvideolinks.html

Host Mark Gura’s links: http://markgura.blogspot.com/ + http://www.lighting-a-fire.com/ + http://www.roboticsforteachers.com/

 

Podcast Episode #7: Robotics and Literacy Learning - STEM and English Language Arts Connected

      

Featuring Host, Mark Gura’s Interview with Leisha Hoot of LEGO Education


Click arrow above to listen to the podcast -  
The interview starts at 7:28

This episode features a spirited discussion about how LEGO’s WeDo Robotics materials are used effectively to foster Literacy learning in classrooms and beyond.  An overview of easy robotics, appropriate for young students is followed by discussions of how teachers can practically use this approach for a variety of powerful literacy strategies.

Important Links

LEGO Education / WeDo
http://aux.legoeducation.us/WeDoMastery/#loc=WD_W1Nov2012


Leisha's Links

WeDo Common Core and NGSS Correlations – on this page under the Resources tab:  http://www.legoeducation.us/eng/product/lego_education_wedo_ndash_getting_started_package/1685

WeDo Case Studies: http://www.legoeducation.us/etc/images/educatorSpotlight/FeaturedTeacherScottRoper.pdf and http://www.legoeducation.us/etc/images/educatorSpotlight/MansfieldISDCaseStudy.pdf

Tufts Activities: www.LEGOengineering.com and search for WeDo.  One of my favorites is “A Chair for Mr. Bear” http://www.legoengineering.com/chair-for-mr-bear/

Articles discussed in the podcast:

(Washington Post) The Answer Sheet / How to Integrate Literacy with STEM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/how-to-integrate-literacy-with-stem/2012/06/13/gJQAX2DGbV_blog.html

(Charlotte Observer) Fourth-graders turn Legos into robots http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/06/21/4121246/fourth-graders-turn-legos-into.html 

YouTube videos of WeDO Robotics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w03n-Y18-9I

(This one’s a very good)  Overview Video of WeDo robotics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_L3AIkXiT0

Another Worthwhile Overview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Jux3uIj0U

The videos below clearly demonstrate the connection between Robotics (and communications technologies) and Speaking and Listening, key literacy skills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWqmPr08_lo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWqDTpgFxsM

http://www.schooltube.com/video/fb55232adb0248b68ac6/LEGO%20Robotics:%20WeDo:%20Animal%20Design%20Project:%20Giant%20Panda%201

WeDo Curriculum Links
http://ase.tufts.edu/DevTech/courses/readings/WeDoIntro.pdf



Click on book cover for information on Getting Started with LEGO Robotics.

Anyone who works with kids can do LEGO Robotics, a rich and highly motivating platform for important STEM Learning! (surprisingly affordable, too) This books explains it all!

Inaugural Issue of Literacy Special Interest JOURNAL

Announcing the very first issue of Literacy Special Interest JOURNAL

Special Episode: Professor Garfield, a Rich Source of Powerful, FREE Instructional Resources - OR - How to “Garfieldize” Your Classroom!

Click the arrow above to listen to this Special Episode 
(player may take several seconds to begin)
Direct link: http://www.divshare.com/direct/24225311-697.mp3

This episode features an interview with Madelyn Ferris, who, on behalf of the Professor Garfield Foundation, introduces us to the wonderful Professor Garfield online resource for teachers  and learners. Madelyn gave host, Mark Gura,  a great interview and a tour of Professor Garfield’s online world.

Links for Professor Garfield

Professor Garfield: http://www.professorgarfield.org/pgf_home.html

Teacher Resource Center: http://www.professorgarfield.org/parents_teachers/home.html

Sparktop.org: http://www.professorgarfield.org/parents_teachers/kids/sparktop.html

Extreme Comics (Pixton): http://professorgarfield.pixton.com/schools/auth/overview  

Comics Lab: http://www.professorgarfield.org/parents_teachers/kids/comicslab.html

English for Your Future/Ingles Para Su Futuro: http://www.professorgarfield.org/yourfuture/

Orson’s Farm: http://www.professorgarfield.org/parents_ /kids/ teachers orson.html

Reading Ring: http://www.professorgarfield.org/parents_teachers/kids/reading.html

Please check back for more episodes soon, including Episode 6, which will feature an in-depth interview with popular young peoples’ author, Andrea Davis Pinkney. Ms. Pinkney is the author Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra , Bird in a Box, Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down, and many other really good books kids will love.

Watch for the upcoming ISTE Literacy and Technology book (title not yet set). This book picks up where (the of now out of print) Making Literacy Magic Happen left off…to be released in the not too distant future…

Host, Mark Gura’s sites and blogs:
http://www.lighting-a-fire.com/  + http://markgura.blogspot.com/ + http://www.classroomrobotics.blogspot.com/

Theme music-  Sunny Day by Mastermind XS / Free Music Archive

Episode #5: Classroom Blogging… For Real... Finally!

Featuring Host, Mark Gura’s in-depth interview with Jeff Piontek, author of Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, Oh My! Electronic Media in the Classroom

Click the arrow to listen to Episode #5
(player may take several seconds to begin)
Direct link: http://www.divshare.com/download/20452471-268

This episode features an article with Jeff Piontek, former Director and founder of the Hawaii Technology Academy and keynote speaker at a recent ISTE conference. Jeff has spent many years conceiving and implementing effective instructional approaches that feature the use of blogs and he shares his experience and reflections about that and more in this insightful conversation.

Episide Segments with Start Times

Part I: INTRODUCTION - Discussion of Classroom Blogging and related resources, practices, and articles Overview Discussion of Classroom Blogging -
(Segment Starts @ approx.  04:43)

Mark’s recent articles: 1. Learning & Leading with Technology: “LEGO Robotics: STEM Sport of the Mind”
2. Scanner: "Down from the Hallway Bulletin Board - Up on the Web: Using Technology to Build a School-wide Community of Peer Writers and Readers"
3. Watch for the upcoming ISTE Literacy and Technology book (title not yet set). This book picks up where (the of now out of print) Making Literacy Magic Happen left off…to be released in the not too distant future

Articles discussed in this episode:
4. Blog Basics – Oxford University Press
http://oupeltglobalblog.com/2012/06/19/using-technology-to-improve-writing-activities/
(Segment Starts @ approx. 06:56)5. Blogging in the classroom: why your students should write online – The Guardian Teacher Network Article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/2012/jul/17/students-should-be-blogging
(Segment Starts @ approx. 11:03)

Google classroom blogging resources
(Segment Starts @ approx. 16:02)
6. Top 20 Teacher Blogs / Scholastic Instructor magazine
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/top-20-teacher-blogs
7. Using Blogs in the Classroom
http://digitalwriting.pbworks.com/w/page/17812820/Using%20Blogs%20in%20the%20Classroom 
(From above) Additional educational blogging resources:
Teaching Today – Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom
My eCoach – Classroom Blogs
Examples of classroom blogs
(Segment Starts @ approx. 17:52)

Resources: a.    Krebs Class Blog: http://krebs.edublogs.org/about/
b.    KIDBLOG:  http://kidblog.org/why-kidblog/ 
c.    SCRATCH authoring program: http://scratch.mit.edu/ ...also…
d.    ALICE authoring program:  http://www.alice.org/ 

Part I: INTERVIEW with Jeff Piontek, Author of Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, Oh My! Electronic Media in the Classroom
(Segment Starts @ approx. 22:05)

·         Jeff’s Website: http://jeffpiontek.com/about/  

·         Jeff’s Book: Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, Oh My! Electronic Media in the Classroom http://estore.seppub.com/estore/product/50112

·         Jeff’s Article – Blogging in the Big Apple: http://www.techlearning.com/article.aspx?categoryid=0039&articleid=42257

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Host, Mark Gura’s site and blog:
http://www.lighting-a-fire.com/  + http://markgura.blogspot.com/

Please check back for more episodes soon, including Episode 6, which will feature my in-depth interview with popular young peoples’ author, Andrea Davis Pinkney. Ms. Pinkney is the author Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra , Bird in a Box, Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down, and many other really good books kids will love.

Episode #4: The Drama of Literacy Learning

Featuring Host, Mark Gura’s interview with Scholastic author Mack Lewis

Click to launch podcast

This episode features an interview with Mack Lewis, a National Board Certified teacher and author of numerous books and articles, many of them published by Scholastic.  Mr. Lewis’ interests include writing plays and dramatized literature. He writes for classroom teachers and students, keeping his own classroom and the needs of his own students in mind throughout the creative process.

Also, this episode covers a variety of approaches and resources for the introduction of Drama into the curriculum. These include: an overview of the many strategies possible for integrating drama, assessing oral expression in the classroom, the use of audio recordings of vintage radio shows and digital animation as platforms for integrating Drama, and Readers Theater

Episode Segments with Run Times:
Introduction
Part I
- Teaching Drama in the Classroom - A Toolbox for Teachers -
Starts @ 4minutes/32 seconds
- Grading Oral Expression: A Blind Spot for Teachers-
Starts @ 7 minutes/47 seconds
- Reader's Theater - Starts @13 minutes/9 seconds
- The Read Aloud Experience - Starts @ 11minutes/6 seconds
- Radio Days WEBQUEST- Starts @ 14 minutes/27 seconds
- Relic Radio - 17 minutes/36 seconds
- Animation to Integrate Drama - Starts @ 19 minutes/8 seconds

Part IIInterview with Mack Lewis – Starts @ 35 minutes/7 seconds

LINKS to Articles and Resources

1)   Mack Lewis:  http://macklewis.com/
+ http://macklewis.com/about-mack/public-educator/
Mack’s FREE article:  Why Use Drama? Reader's Theater Tips, Strategies, & Teacher's Guide http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Why-Use-Drama-Readers-Theater-Tips-Strategies-Teachers-Guide
2)   SIG-LIT Book Study “Teaching With Author Websites” www.siglitbookstudy.blogspot.com
+ Publishers site for book:  http://www.sagepub.com/books/Book233827#tabview=title
3)   Teaching Drama in the Classroom L A Toolbox for Teachers
https://www.sensepublishers.com/files/9789460915376PR.pdf
4)   Grading Oral Expression: A Blind Spot for Teachers
Considering all the time teachers set aside for discussion, it makes
sense to find ways to formally measure students' oral contributions,
says teacher Kyle Redford.http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/04/02/fp_redford.html?tkn=QPMFkAr7OyGnbS4AmZOYHw%2FLfNCBCXusnZkJ&cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS1
5) The Power of Reader's TheaterAn easy way to make dramatic changes in kids' fluency, writing, listening, and social skills http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/instructor/readerstheater.htm
6) The Read Aloud Experiencehttp://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/miller/miller001.shtm
7) Radio Days WEBQUEST: http://www.thematzats.com/radio
8) Relic Radio: http://relicradio.com/otr/show/horror/
9) (ISTE published book) Visual Arts Units: All Levels  (Chapters/Units  16 & 17 cover PowerPoint and Animation)  http://www.iste.org/store/product.aspx?ID=68010)
10) Domo Animation http://domo.goanimate.com/movie/0tR2vsNTG_rQ/0/email + EdTech Blog covers Domo Animate: http://www.ncs-tech.org/?p=420311111111

11)  xtranormal – http://www.xtranormal.com/edu/
+ samples: http://www.xtranormal.com/
+ Related article from Scholastic: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/classroom-solutions/2012/02/persuasive-writing-21st-century-style-part-2-xtranormal-movie-making
12) Frames http://www.tech4learning.com/frames/videos13
13) Read Write Think  printout resources:
-  Character Map http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/character-30199.html
Who are the characters in this story? Students will examine what a character looks like, what a character does, and how other characters react to him or her.
- Conflict Map http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/conflict-30197.html
Ask students to remember a story with no problem or conflict. That would be difficult to do! With this printout, students learn to examine the critical plot element of conflict.
- Narrative Pyramid http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/narrative-pyramid-30845.html
After students read a short story or chapter of a novel, they can use the Narrative Pyramid to reflect on key ideas and details.- Sequence of Events Chart http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/sequence-events-chart-30580.html
This graphic organizer helps students see the sequential or cause-effect relationships between multiple events in a text.

|14) STORYBOARD:  http://www.primaryaccess.org/story/

            + http://www.primaryaccess.org/ 
            PrimaryAccess is a suite of free online tools that allows students
            and teachers to use primary source documents to complete
            meaningful and compelling learning activities with digital movies,
            storyboards, rebus stories and other online tools.

            + How to make a Storyboard - http://youtu.be/65_3bq_0eSY

Host, Mark Gura’s blog: www.markgura.blogspot.com

Literacy Special Interest Group links: http://siglit.iste.wikispaces.net/HOME+PAGE
http://www.iste-community.org/group/siglit
http://www.iste.org/connect/special-interest-groups/sig-directory/siglit.aspx

Contact the Literacy Special Interest PODCAST: literacyspecialinterestgroup@gmail.com

ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving learning and teaching by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education. You can learn more about becoming an ISTE member at www.iste.org/join

    COMING SOON…Upcoming episodes, featuring inspiring interviews with: NY Times Bestselling Author,  Andrea Davis Pinkney: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/andrea-davis-pinkney - Jeff Piontek, author of Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts, Oh My! Electronic Media in the Classroom http://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/estore/product/50112