http://my.brainshark.com/The-Time-Machine-889660578

Making Media Presentations

• How to Create Your Own Podcast: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

http://radio.about.com/od/createyourownpodcast/ss/How-to-Create-Your-Own-Podcast-Make-Your-Own-Talk-Show-Music-Program-or-Audio-Stream_2.htm

This article provides a number of useful sites and resources for making your own digital audio recording spiffy and available to share in a variety of formats.

For: All ages

• How to Create a Podcast Video Tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hrBbczS9I0

A pretty elementary walk-through for making, editing, posting, and sharing  a podcast. It also helps with working with Audacity and Wordpress. It also is very helpful in terms of sharing helpful podcast sites.

For: All ages

• Audacity

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

A free audio editing and recording program. It is a great resource for splicing together sounds.  Pretty much the cheapest and easiest way to edit sound files.

For: All ages

• Masher

http://www.masher.com/

A free, online video mash-up site. It allows you to use their library of clips, images, and music to make your own original videos. Allows you to easily share and imbed videos.

For: All ages, though I would use supervision

• Animoto

http://animoto.com/

Another free online, movie/slideshow maker. This one allows you to add music as well. It looks very crisp, professional, and clean. The website worked way better for me in Internet Explorer than in Firefox. I think this would be a good place to make a video slideshow for a book talk or a book/story response project.

For: All ages, as far as I can tell

• How to Make a Movie with Movie Maker Tutorial Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOcnV0UpIG4

A video walk-through of how to make a movie using MS Movie Maker, which is a free program you can download for PCs. It takes a little getting used to but it can be a quick and easy program to use once you get the hang of it.

For: All ages

• How to Create a Video in iMovie

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Video-Using-iMovie

For Apple users, a relatively bare bones step by step set of instructions to make an iMovie. It is supposed to be so easy a child could do it.

For: All ages

• xtranormal

http://www.xtranormal.com/

A relatively easy way to take your words and make an animated movie. The site requires you to sign up and create an account,which is free. More options, like additional characters and settings are available if you want to get a paid account. There are also options for educators, including class sets of subscriptions.

For: All age students

• So You Want to Get a Ph.D in the Humanities

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obTNwPJvOI8

A sample xtranormal movie. A funny, mean teacher/student advising session. Also, a pretty good critique of academia. Learn about a student who wants to make a living writing about literature. And death. Also about the poor, put-upon, and jaded professor.

For: College students

• Goanimate.com

http://goanimate.com/

An even easier way to make a video than xtranormal, though you can only make a one-minute long video without having to upgrade to a paid membership. Also, no sharing other than offering a link. And you have to pay to download your video. You have to register, and there is a choice of characters, setting, and style, just like xtranormal. They also have an educator option. Don't forget to save your work, because I accidentally hit the back button and lost all my work the first time :(

For: All age students

So, you made a video and want to post it somewhere?

• YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/


The granddaddy of video hosting sites. It may be blocked at your school, but there are ways around that by typing https in your web address for example. You can post among the crazy cats, insane babies, and vloggers. Requires registration to post.


For: Most ages, though supervision  and previewing are advised

• Vimeo

http://vimeo.com/

A free video hosting site. It tends to be more academic than YouTube, though it has its share of silliness as well. Requires registration to post.

For: Most ages, though supervision  and previewing are advised

• Teachertube

http://www.teachertube.com/

A free video hosting site with a specialty for educators. It has lots of educational videos in many subject areas and you can join in the fun there and post for free. Also requires registration to post.

For: All ages, as far as I can tell. Some subject matter may be too intense for younger students.

A text set collection about Greek and Roman Roots

  General Resources for  Greek and Roman Roots

Books

 

Vocabulary from Latin and Greek Roots: Book 1

Elizabeth Osborne (Author), Paul Moliken (Editor), Larry Knox
Ages: 12 and up

This book is a collection of lists arranged by root, along with illustrations, and typical vocabulary exercises. I am not too high on the exercises, but I like how the words are grouped and presented. This is a nice, usable resource for students.

 
Greek & Roman Roots: Keys to Building Vocabulary
Timothy Raskinski, Nancy Padak, Rick M. Newton, & Evangeline Newton
Ages: for Teachers

This book is a collection of information, strategies, and activities for teaching these roots to students. It would be a great resource for teachers in many subject areas.

Websites
 

• Root Word Dictionary

http://www.macroevolution.net/root-word-dictionary.html
Ages: Grade 4 and up

A pretty comprehensive list of common roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Good for quick reference and study, and also easily searchable alphabetically.

• Quizlet Greek and Roman Roots Flashcards

http://quizlet.com/9288114/greek-and-roman-roots-flash-cards/
Ages: Grades 4 and up

A simple way to study, memorize, and read roots, their definitions, and a few keywords. This is an easily manipulated, somewhat interactive activity.

• The Dictionary of Greek and Latin Roots

http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/roots.dict.html
Ages: Grades 8 and up

A bare-bones list of roots along with a sample word. This seems like an easy and quick reference for students and would make for a good handout. The sample word for bi- (bisexual) may produce giggles or troubles, so I would probably copy and tailor the list myself.

Roots in Mathematics

• Math Root Words

http://www.curiousmath.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=14&theme=Printer
Ages:12 and up

This website includes a short list of the roots and origins of some common math words. I think it would be useful for sharing where some of the concepts and ideas came from.

• The Etymology of Geometry Words

http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/mathematics/a/061210EtymologyGeometryTerms.htm
Ages: 12 and up

This write-up includes a readable version of math etymology, links to other articles about Ancient Greek and Roman mathematics, and also is followed up by a brief quiz. A good, reliable source of information for students.

• Rhythm, Rhyme, Results

http://www.educationalrap.com/music/math/
Ages: 12 and up

This website sells raps songs about mathematics vocabulary. Their songs about the metric system and geometry are particularly helpful. They provide short samples of each song online. Also, they have three versions of each song (fast, slow, and instrumental so students can perform themselves).

• Vocabulary Strategies for the Analysis of Word Parts in Mathematics

http://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com/curriculum_files/free/activities/october2011/Root_Word_Tree.pdf
Ages: Teacher

A handout/article for teachers about using Root Word Trees activities with students. This activity gets students to dissect words and also identify related terms.

Roots in Science

• Scientific Root Words, Prefixes, And Suffixes

http://www.jdenuno.com/PDFfiles/RootWords.pdf
Ages: 15 and up

A comprehensive list of common, technical scientific roots and affixes arranged to fit onto two pages that can be printed off and kept as a resource.

• Flocabulary

http://flocabulary.com/subjects/science/
Ages: 12 and up

This website sells rap songs and books containing lyrics and exercises for student use. Songs touch on life science, earth science, chemistry, and physics and contain references to root words as well as clever word play. They provide samples, with videos, online.

• 10 Long Science Words

http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/word-lists/10-long-science-words.html
Ages: 15 and up

A page defining 10 long scientific terms and the roots/affixes that are in them. I can see this page being turned into an interesting activity with students where they use the roots/affixes to define the words on their own.

• 190 Biology Root Words Quiz

http://download.cnet.com/190-Biology-Root-Words-Quiz-Android/3000-2054_4-75362453.html
Ages: 13 and up

An app for Android that gives students a chance to practice flashcards, take quizzes, and refer to a dictionary. A nice, portable resource.

Roots in Other Languages

• Spell It! Words from German

http://www.myspellit.com/lang_german.html
Ages: 12 and up

This page has a list of English words derived from German. When you click on each word, you get to see its definition and roots. It has spelling activities and a kind of worksheet feel to it, but I also think it is informative. You can also use this link to find roots from other languages on a handy toolbar. This could be a great way to start comparing word knowledge.

• Spanish-English Cognates in the ELL Classroom: Friend or Foe

http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/lessons/spanish-english-cognates-in-the-ell-classroom-friends-or-foes/
Ages: Teachers

A lesson plan for teaching about roots and cognates in Spanish and Latin. This plan includes activities of comparing common Latin roots as well as identifying false cognates that can create confusion.

• Borrowed Words by Language - French

http://www.krysstal.com/display_borrowlang.php?lang=French
Age: 12 and up

Perhaps a bit pedestrian looking, but this list details a good number of French phrases and words commonly used in English. A good way to get at idioms and cognates.

For tomorrow's post!

Hey all, for class on 6/4/14, I have us down reviewing children's websites. Please check out the following websites on your own, then pick one to review in an in-depth, written entry (about 200 words).  Then check out what your classmates have to say...

Here's a list of sites:

http://www.Clubpenguin.com

http://www.fanlala.com/

http://www.Webkinz.com

http://www.Whyville.net

http://www.nick.com/club

http://www.funbrain.com/

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

http://www.brainpop.com/

http://www.timeforkids.com/

http://www.hasbro.com/mylittlepony/en_US/

Some things you might mention in your review:

• What age level student should use it?
• Is this a site that could be used in school? If so, how?
• Are there any content area connections?
• How interactive is the site?
• How commercial is the site?
• Pros about the website?
• Cons about the website?
• Does it require you to sign up?
• Is adult supervision required? 

Keep these questions in mind for later reviews when you get to choose your own websites.

Happy reviewing!

Reflection on Bauerlein & Howe

This is the first thing that came into my head about this video. A lot of folks think that new technology is dumbing people down, and I think the issues are more complicated than that...

My initial thoughts on these guys:

On Bauerlein:
There is a part of me that does not want to like Bauerlein's train of thought. He seems to be cut from the E.D. Hirsch, Jr. school of thought, that you have to know certain canonical or core subjects and texts in order to be literate. I just think that leads to a sort of snobbery. Do you really need to read The Federalist Papers in order to be a productive citizen? (I haven't). Or several plays of Shakespeare? (I have). Do we all need to have certain shared cultural knowledge in order to relate, interact, and be successful? I am not sure. If anything, it seems to me that there is so much knowledge right now that it is difficult to ascertain just which parts are most important to know. Sure, some seem to get you into more clubs, like honor societies and colleges, but how much of that is living in the past or looking at a set of skills and knowledge that are becoming less relevant every day?

I do take his point that we do not know the repercussions of what all this peer-to-peer networking will be in the long run, and I do wonder about the disconnections that can be occurring that may short circuit traditional mentor/mentee relationships.

On Howe:
I wonder: Are millenials smarter than everyone who came before them - or do they think differently and have access to way more data that ever before?
The measures he cites seem to be random and maybe unhelpful: IQ scores? homework hours? TV-watching hours? I am not sure if these things and the behaviors he mentions mean that students in the past were worse off or better off now. Just because tests scores range up may mean that teachers are doing a better job preparing their teachers for the tests.

I do like his point about how we are constantly measuring the youth of today according to the past, when we have no way to measure those past youth to today's standards. There is a part of me that suspects strongly that there are no really big differences between youth then or now, and that the differences lay in the technologies and affordances we have. Of course children in the 1950s read more. TVs were scarce; there were no video games, and if you wanted entertainment you had to go out to the movies or hang out with your friends. Nowadays you can log on and hang out as much as you want (or are allowed) and see all kinds of sites worth of games and entertainments (videos and music, etc).

On this entire debate:
I also feel there is a danger of trying to characterize an entire generation. How alike or cohensive can they be? Are there outliers who excel (e.g. the spelling bee and science fair winners and Ivy League students) and skew things up? Is Howe cherry-picking these examples, like Bauerlein implied? I do not know if the examples he cites are representative on the whole. Likewise, I do not know if the basic skills and general cultural knowledge Bauerlein seems to want would be all that helpful in the end either.

I feel the answer lies somewhere between these two authors and their books. Students have access to more information and texts and technology but that does not necessarily mean they are smarter or dumber. They actually have to do something with all the (dis)advantages they have. And the jury is still out there. What I take from this debate is that we have to do school differently and take into account this current generation, which has to deal with transformational change way more than anyone else has had to. But then we are all in that boat, only we have not necessarily always been in it at the same time until now...

Are they smarter or just different?

One last thing that gets my goat:
Lots of people like to cite this 2004 NEA study that cites how much people are not reading any more. What about this 2008 NEA study done a couple of years later that says exactly the opposite? Is it chopped liver?

Welcome!

For the next few weeks this blog will be the hub for our class interactions and also a place where I will model things. I hope that you find the class helpful, challenging, educational, and *gasp* maybe a little fun.

More to come soon!