Outline of Final Project

My final project is a piece of work in progress. I am creating a power point to help my students create a web and write a short narrative comparing and contrasting dolphins and sharks. The power point will include the necessary information for them to complete the assignment. I want to keep it simple enough for them to be capable of listening to me narrate the power point and them understanding the information being presented. This is an assignment that Richmond County ELA Department came up with for all students K-5. The writing topics are different but the writing focus is for all grades. The student's final writing samples are to be placed in their writing folder at the end of each academic school year. I felt this would help simplify this for my students. I had to figure out what I wanted to do before I actually began. Once I came up with my idea, I began researching information on dolphins and sharks. Now I'm organizing that information on a template to see how it would look on my actual power point. I'm slow, but I hope it turns out great. I think my students will love it.

Course Progress

I am not as familiar with the various programs as most technology savy people, however; I am willing to learn. It takes me a little longer than the norm to learn all the different programs and how to apply what I have learned in those programs but I love trying the different programs. Maybe I will get so good at all of this that I will incorporate technology into any and all areas of the curriculum. I think I will become proficient with Photoshop because I actually purchased the program and I have been playing around with the program at home. I do love my new digital camera and I know that I would not have thought about purchasing it without this class. I would be still purchasing throw away cameras. Thank you! I am learning more about power point as I work through my final project. I'm going to take my time and enjoy this process.

Kidzspiration Project

I love this program! Today I created a poster defining and identifying nouns. I teach first grade and we teach our students common and proper nouns. My poster focuses on common nouns. The poster defines what a noun is and it also has word picture association in order for the students to have a visual of a noun. I will definitely be creating more posters, making worksheets, and doing some interacting activities that the children can participate with on the computer. I can also teach the children how to create webs and posters on the program when I become more familiar with the program.

Second Weekend Expectations

This weekend I would like to understand more about power points and narration in power points in order to do my final project and teach my students through the process of the use of power points for some skills. I have heard alot about kidzspiration and now I would like to learn more about the program and how it could be incorporated into my classroom. Our school will have a computer lab this year and I'm looking at various sites or programs that can be used that would benefit my students in their learning.

Technology and Special Needs Students

Technology allows students the opportunity to work at their own level and pace. There are various computer programs that students can work with that will give them immediate feed back on skills that are being practiced or learned. Our group discussed the various programs and the intelligence(s) that are used when a student works with a particular program. For example, for students that may have difficulties reading, they can use talking books to help them learn to read. The program will highlight individual words, phrases, whole sentences or entire pages depending on what the student needs assistance with. This particular piece of technology would incorporate linguistic and intrapersonal. I'm sure there are many more. We made a list of some of the software and computer programs that are out and listed some of the intelligences that would be used. Some of the programs we came up with are Brainpop, Starfall, Edhelper, Kidznumber and Rainforest math. I enjoyed the article and listening to the other groups discuss their question and answers.

Reflections of the First Weekend!

I really enjoyed class after lunch on Sunday! Up to Lunch, I was a total wreck! I like doing great work and it stresses me out when I feel like I'm not doing what I feel I'm capable of doing. I am okay now! I will be working on everything I've learned this weekend over the next few weeks until we meet again. I'm excited about the things I can do with my students using photoshop. Thanks for all of your help. I know I will get better!

Midterm Project

Today I worked on my midterm in class and I thought that I would never complete the project. It's hard to believe that something that gives so much pleasure could be so stressful. I understand that the more I work with this program, the better and easier it will get. I do Understand that! I focused my mid-term page layout around my twenty-eight year son when he was a small boy. I browsed through an abundance of pictures I had scanned and came up with three that I thought fit what I wanted to do. Once I chose my pictures, I also chose a page layout. Before I could start creating the layout , I had to rotate my pictures because they were scanned upside down. Once I rotated the pictures, I had to crop my photos in order to remove items in the photo that I did not want there. When I finished cropping the photos, I chose a background and arranged the three photos on the background. I used the framing to give the photos a soft child like look/or feel. I did not use the filter, because it took away from the look I was trying to accomplish. I gave each picture a shadowing look or brightness around the photos. I changed the formation, size and coloring of the photos by lightening the photos with the enhance file. I used the text book to choose a font and size to type a text onto the page layout. By the end of the page layout, it became easier for me.

Photoshop scrap book page

This was not easy for me. I was very frustrated and almost wanted to cry. I feel so lost and I cannot work fast. I love doing this but I require simple one on one guidance, almost like my EIP students. Wow! did I say that! Isn't it crazy, I truly understand how my students feel when they are faced with a project that is difficult to them. In this assignment, I Chose the picture that I wanted to work with and then, I decided on a soft tone framing. Once I chose my framing, I had to shift and drag the corner to enlarge my photo. I also dragged the photo to the center of the screen. I went into the background screen to choose a background that I felt was appropriate for the picture and the age of my children at the time the photo was taken. After, I finally decided on the background, I went into the tool box in order to create a text box. I Gave a name that I thought was appropriate for the age and picture. I also gave the picture a personal touch by adding my children names. When I return for the next weekend, I will definitely understand more about what we are doing.

Reflection of Teacher-Created Electronic Books

The Teacher-Created Electronic Books article encourages teachers to use teacher created electronic books for their students using students' retellings of literature they have listened to or read. It explains the benefits of electronic books such as; it engages the students, and it allows students to hear an adult read aloud with intonation and expression. E-Books provides the same benefits as audiotaped books but with the added advantage of technology support. It allows students to practice the skills of sequencing events, identifying main ideas and making personal connections. I think this article was excellent because not only did the article give reasons E-Books are good for teachers and students in the classroom, but it explained in detail how to implement E-Books into your classroom. The article allowed for teachers that have limited computer knowledge and may not understand how to work with computer programs outside of word. I enjoyed this article and I will use this in my classroom.

First Weekend Personal Expectations:

I know very basic things about the computer because the state of Georgia required all teachers to take a mandatory Intech class. I did learn some very basic computer skills; however, there are alot of things I need to learn. A few of my basic goals are:

• to learn about blogging


• to learn about power points


• to learn about photo shop

Born Into Brothels

This was a very interesting documentary. I found Zana to be very passionate about helping the children try and make a change in their lives. She appear to have been a great humanitarian. Even if she didn't intend to get personally invovled in the lives of the children, she did and it made a positive difference in their lives. Watching this film made me reflect on the students I have worked with for the last eleven years. My students lived in low income, single parent and/or extended family homes and there were drugs abuse, alcohol abuse, gang violence, and physical abuse in those homes. After watching this documentary, I wondered how many of them are in an environment like the one I watched in the documentary. I'm sure Zana has opened many eyes when it comes to the abuse of children. She has proven that it doesn't take a village to start a movement to help save children, but it may take a village to actually save the children. I feel that her endless effort in helping the children through the use of her passion for photography was a divine gift from God. It allows others to see that we can use our gifts and talents for more than making money. We can use those gifts and talents to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves. What a better way to show our love and passion for children! Wow! This was amazing!