Cruise Control

After five days on the Carnival ship, Sensation, in the Bahamas and among the most gorgeous and clear green water, I left with abundant ideas and tools to use this year in the "Cybrary." My Team and I created a webquest on Lewis and Clark (Amazing Race style) incorporating United Streaming video clips and assignment builders. One clever group spoofed "The Dating Game" where a diamond meets 3 suave rocks! Jen Dorman and I also created a video on the "mini bed" we found in our stateroom! Joe Brennan gave us tricks and tips on Digital Storytelling from the American Film Institute. The "Door Scene" proved to be another success...Paralleling literary techniques with creating videos puts a new spin on term papers! I can't wait to have the fifth graders create 60 second movie trailers for books they are reading. I also thought about having students create Public Service Announcements once a month for illustrating playground safety, character education, Safety Week tips, Handwashing tips....and all those other topics that come up every year. Maybe this year students will actually listen.... :)