DEN at Fallingwater

The DEN spring training continued yesterday in PA at Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house. Almost 40 educators gathered to learn and network in a really cool venue! The morning began with Discovery updates from Lance (click here to read his take of the day on the national DEN blog) and sessions on Animoto, SketchUp and Geocaching. Despite a little poison ivy, everyone found at least one cache and learned about the joys of SketchUp! The best parts of the day were the student presentations. Three students helped out in the sessions to share their work and teach the teachers the power of these tools. David, Morgan and Jeff did a great job! The day commenced with tours of the Fallingwater house and we even dodged the rain by about 30 minutes. It was the perfect end to a fantastic day.

A huge thank you goes to Jim Hopton, Peggy Barger and Lance Rouguex for all of their help and for making the day so memorable! We already started to plan the next event in the fall! Click here to see more pictures from the day.



(Some of the backgrounds didn't transfer, but you get the idea!) : )

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Pittsburgh DEN Event

It’s time for a spring training Day of Discovery hosted by members of the PA Leadership Council! Join us at the Frank Lloyd Wright house at Fallingwater (http://www.paconserve.org/index-fw1.asp) for a few hours on Saturday, May 17th. It promises to be a day full of learning, networking and fun!Here are the details:

Who: You and any other person(s) you choose to bring with you (They do not have to be STAR Discovery Educators…just have an interest in educational technology!)

Where: Fallingwater-Free tours available after the training

When: 9-1 on Saturday, May 17th

What: Sessions will include Geocaching (we will use real GPS units), Google Sketch-Up, Animoto and The Best 2.0 Websites/Tools (Twitter, VoiceThread, Google Maps, etc.) plus a tour of the Kaufman house at Fallingwater.

Lunch will be provided.

Why: Because “good” technology training is hard to find!

**Reservations close May 12th!!**

To reserve a spot or if you have any questions, contact Bridget Belardi at bridgetbelardi@gmail.com. Hope to see you there!

WorldWIde Telescope

I had some friends stop over a few weeks ago and one was quick to make fun of the Wired magazines stacking up in my powder room. I guess they expected Martha Stewart or something, but yes, Wired is one of my favorite magazines. Admittedly, I don't understand SOME of the articles (I haven't fully developed the very technical and gadget aspect of my geekiness) but every now and then I find some very useful information.

My favorite section is "Expired, Tired and Wired." Today, I noticed Google Earth in the "Expired" category, and I did a double take. In it's "wired" place was the WorldWide telescope from Microsoft. I'm a big Google Earth/Google Map fan, so I had to check out what trumps them! I'm about two months behind the big announcement, but I think it's definitely worth pointing out to prepare for the big release.

Basically, it's a virtual telescope that allows exploration of the universe. Take a look at this video that shows the footage from the telescope. Students will be able to explore the constellations, just as though they were driving a space satellite. When clicking on the image, data is displayed for further investigation. Wow! It's due out (free for educators) this spring. It's a good thing I subscribe to Wired (and don't tolerate abuse for it)!!! : )

Week 9 Thing 23

Don't be sad, but this will be my final School Library Web 2.0 post. My 23 "things" are finally complete. I think that this "mini-course" was a good opportunity to reflect on many of the 2.0 tools that are available for teachers and librarians. I especially enjoyed reading others' blogs to see their thoughts about the tools. For me, it was a good mix of tools that I'm already using (blogs and podcasts), new tools I decided to try out with the students (the online image generators) and tools that I don't really like or are awkward for me to use (tagging in Technorati).

I would recommend this course to all of my librarian colleagues and hope that there will be a 2.0.2 "advanced" class, because there is still so much to learn! Thanks to Marg Foster, my 2.0 "advisor," Joyce Valenza for her help and advice at PETE&C and the rest of the 2.0 team.

Week 9 Thing 22

Even though I choose to do most things online (my banking, research, get directions, etc.) reading books is not something I choose to do on the computer. I don't feel like I'm actually "reading," I do more skimming of the text, so looking at ebooks and even listening to them were a challenge. However, I was able to find some shorter pieces, like Aesop's Fables and poetry that I could definitely use with my students. I would like to take some time to continue to explore the options with ebooks and audio books and see the contents these sites have to offer.

Week 9 Thing 21

Podcasting
I find podcasting and easy way for students to express themselves and "show what they know."

We implemented a podcasting program in our district elementary libraries last year. Starting with 4th and 5th grade, students wrote and recorded book reviews using Audacity. These reviews are stored in a common server for all students to access. I noticed that the books with reviews were checked out more frequently than the ones without. You can listen to the district podcasts (my school is Foster) here: http://multimedia.mtlsd.org/podcasts/library/ Some fourth grade students created their own podcast show and write the script to record news, updates, etc. Audacity is easy for them to navigate and save on their own.

These book reviews are now being written by all grade levels and some are transferred to VoiceThread. Here are reviews written by the first graders:
My goals are to help the classroom teachers to implement podcasts for students who are absent, readers theater, etc.

Week 9 Thing 20

You Tube
I uploaded the video the second graders and I created last year to Bill Harley's tune, "@ Your Library." We discussed digital storytelling, storyboarding, and using video editing tools.

Week 8-Thing 19

Library Thing (see the bottom of the sidebar)

While testing LibraryThing, I couldn't help but to see several similarities with GoodReads. I like GoodReads because of the recommendation option and the RSS feed (I receive updates when one of my contacts reviews a book). However, LibraryThink makes it easy to view tags and organize books. I also like seeing the "popularity" of the books.

I hope to use LibraryThing on my school web site to "publicize" new books so students can "see" the covers and even click on them to read a summary. It's proven that seeing the cover image prompts students to check that book out more often. I might try and set that up now...I'll post a link if I get it done.

The image to the right is a screen shot of some of the books I entered that are found on my book shelf at home that I'm looking at right now! :)

Week 8 "Thing" 18

Even though wikis are easy to use, Google Docs are just as easy, but I only use them on a minimal basis. With the students, I think Wikispaces is the best because they do not need an email account to log in. However, I have used Google Docs within my professional organizations. With many of us scattered around the country, collaborating is easy! I can't help but wish this was around when I was in college...it definitely would make group projects much easier to get done!

Week 7 Things 16-17

Wiki Wiki! It's not surprising that wikis are named after the Hawaiian word for "quick." Wikis are perfect for fast, collaborative documents and they are spreading like wildfire through our school district. Although I've only used wikispaces, I took the time to browse through pbwiki. However, no matter what wiki platform you choose to use, privacy settings are important. When teaching the students about wikis, an important next step is Internet safety.

Here are some ways I used wikis with my students:

1. Third grade students are part of a folksonomy project where they are coming up with their own tags for books. Often, students search the OPAC for "funny books" and hardly any results are displayed. Students brainstormed tags and use a wiki to add titles as they see necessary. Here it is: http://fosterbooklists.wikispaces.com/

2. Fifth grade students found their favorite author and illustrator web sites and added them to this page: http://fosterlibrary.wikispaces.com/

3. Teachers request books and AV equipment on a wiki too: http://fosterav.wikispaces.com/

(I made all three wikis public for the time being, but will reset the privacy options in a week or so).

P.S. I also posted the tagging project on the PA Curriculum wiki.

Week 7 "Thing" 15

Even though this is only my second year as a school librarian (and makes me a relative "newbie" to the profession), I have been around libraries my whole life. However, libraries are definitely NOT what they used to be! In Michael Stephens' article, he points out six important traits of 2.0 librarians. 2.0 Librarians must: plan for users, embrace 2.0 tools, control "technolust," make good/fast decisions, be a trendspotter, and get content. To me, these are obvious traits, but I don't think many people outside of the profession understand. In these days, school library positions are being cut and librarians are being forced to share buildings. This is the case in my district where we have a librarian who is moving and the position is in jeopardy of not being filled. Each school needs a dedicated librarian who is proficient in these six traits. Embracing technology by being a trendspotter will ultimately help students and teachers have access to the necessary content.

Week 6 "Thing" 14

Technorati is a fun tool to explore (although not to be used with kids...I came across some some inappropriate language!), but it's an easy way to sort through others' posts. I used the OpenID Claim to claim my blog and after doing so, it gave me a rank (like 2,900,000 or something like that!) and an "authority" number. I'm not sure how Technorati decides these numbers, but I guess it'll do (for now!).

To me, tagging has one major flaw: not using a common language--much like subject headings with books. The students in my school always ask for "funny books," but barely any books use "funny"--it's "humorous." I have yet to find an elementary school student to search for "humorous" on their own in the OPAC! As a mini-solution, I had students create their own tags for books at our library: http://fosterbooklists.wikispaces.com/ (This link will probably resurface on the "wiki post.") I transferred these tags into our OPAC, so now first graders can search for "funny" "funne" or "funy" books (the most common misspellings). Tags are opened with a common language.

Of course, I had to search for my name on Technorati and was surprised that only a few of the results were from my own blog!

The challenge was to tag a post in html in Technorati...I'm always up for a challenge, and slowly learning html....Although I do have to wonder why there isn't an easier way to do this...
Technorati Tag: SJLibrary2.0 Did that work? I'll have to double check!

Week 6 "Thing" 13

Del.icio.us really is delicious. Even though my "Bookmarks" bar is still pretty full, I use del.icio.us to create a quick go-to bookmark for sites I come across accidentally or need to come back to later. When someone puts a link out on Twitter or when I see a site worth checking out in a professional resource, I try and add it to my set of bookmarks. I don't have too many saved (because I learned that I don't go back to them if there are too many and if too much time passes....) but the ones I have saved will be worthwhile for me to reference again...ok, maybe not the Jimmy Dean "Sun" commercials...but they are pretty funny, right? :)

I added the del.icio.us badge to my blog, but if you would like to see some of my bookmarks, here ya go: http://del.icio.us/missbelardi

Week 5 "Thing" 12

Ack! I've gotten so behind on my posts! "Analog" life seems to have gotten in the way of my "digital" life! : )

Of course, as an elementary school librarian, Internet safety is an extremely important issue...Once a student forgot to bring in a picture for art class about a jungle animal, so he typed in "jungle animals" on the classroom computer for an image search, and one scantily-clad Amazon-George-of-the-Jungle-looking woman appeared on the first page of photos.

Anyway, Rollyo is an interesting application that could dodge this sort of issue and I'm surprised that this was the first time I've even heard of it. It allows you to designate up to 25 web sites for students to search. I found 12(ish) sites that I would want students to use instead of a generic Google search for basic research.

The next steps would be to create elementary vs. intermediate grade searches (for readability). My only question to sort through is how this tool might be better than NetTrekker...Would it be a supplement in case NetTrekker does not display needed information?

Here's my trial Foster Reference version:

Select Search Engine...Foster ReferenceSearch The Web

Powered by Rollyo

Week 5 Thing 11

I love this list of Web 2.0 winners--for professional use as well as personal use! I already know and use sites like PeerTrainer, Pandora (cusomizable radio), Facebook and and Twitter. However, I had a great time exploring Picnik, Care2, and Cover Pop. I think I liked Cover Pop the best--the image was captivating on it's own, but when you mouse over a book, a full picture comes up along with the info for the book (according to Amazon), such as "Heat" in the attached image. I wish I could create one of these so that upon mouse over, the call number of the book would come up with the cover so students would be able to find it in our library. I might work on that...

School Library 2.0-Week 5 "Thing 10"

Online image generators are addicting! I spent hours searching Google for various image generators like Image Chef, FD Toys, and comic strip generator. I used this image for bookmarks on Valentine's Day and my students also became interested in creating their own. Besides being a fun tool for me, students could use these as a follow up to thematic units, create trading cards/bookmarks, etc. The possibilities are endless! However, one thing to be cautious of is that some of these images are not appropriate for elementary-age students. I would not want them adding text "tatoos" to themselves--online or in person!

My Mothership Called Me Home: Post-PETE&C 2008

I had a lot of time to reflect on PETE&C on the 7 hour drive back from Hershey on Tuesday (it's only a 3.5 hour drive when it's not blizzard-ing on the turnpike!), but it's taken me until today to synthesize it all. 2008 proved to be a different experience than '07. Last year, I went to PETE&C with the goal of taking in as much new information as I could--and I did. I came back slightly overwhelmed with new ideas, tools, and attempted to try them all during the past 12 months. My goals for '08 were to build a stronger network, grow as a professional and take more of an active role in the conference.

My online network came alive in Hershey last weekend. Meeting my Twitter contacts face to face was amazing. We would pass each other in the hallways and introduce ourselves by our Twitter names first. I was also lucky to spend time with those who contribute to my professional development and are role models for me, like having dinner with Joyce Valenza, hanging out with Jen Dorman, "wii-ing" with the DEN crew, debriefings with Steve Dembo (and his family!) and even got to have lunch with David Pogue. I learned so much even through our casual conversations!

I was also able to spend time with Chris Stengel, my Director of Technology and Justin Meyers, the Coordinator of Business Technology in Mt. Lebanon. It's refreshing to know that we share the same vision for our district--that students will develop as 21st century citizens and be smart, safe users of technology. Chris and I presented our Administrator 2.0 Academy was actually(which pretty intimidating to present at this conference) and 3 hours after we got home, Justin had created a Twitter-ish application for our in-network blogs after I told him how cool they were! They are so talented!

I do plan on using a few of the tools I learned about last weekend (like Blabberize, Skype and some digital storytelling apps) but I came back a better professional. I don't know why it insists on snowing every year so we miss the last day of sessions, but I'm already yearning for next year! I said it last year and I'll say it again... PETE&C is like my mothership calling me home!

Steve Dembo's Keynote at PETE&C

"If digital immigrant educators want to teach digital natives, they will have to change." --Marc Prensky

The dynamic Steve Dembo (this is a photo of us on the DEN "excursion" in the Bahamas this summer, not today in Hershey!) started the day with a quick poll: polleverywhere that takes polls using a cell phone. Unfortunately, the crazy Internet in the Hershey Lodge is sub-par (um, is this actually a technology conference?)... He also reminded us that digital natives grow up with these tools while many teachers are digital immigrants and talk tech "with an accent." He also gave some interesting statistics like 28% of children 12-17 have created their own blog.

Dembo also discussed how the movements of knowledge, tools and the expert work together for teachers to change in the flattening world, and touched on wikinomics (curriki--a site that encourages teachers to collaborate to write curriculum).

He also reminded us how cool networks like Twitter, Second Life and Ning are and how powerful those learning communities can be if used correctly. It should not be considered work--they are social, learning opportunities.Try hitchhikr to follow along with conferences to "keep up" when you can't be there in person.

Just like Steve said, I'm synthesizing, reflecting and sharing as I write this post (even though they are sketchy notes from while I listened to Steve) and hope that my students will be able to do this as well.

Copyright and Fair Use

Ok, I hang my head in shame because copyright is not something I know a whole lot about. I know it's in my job description, but I just can't seem to get a grip. I seem to put a lot under "fair use" and then not worry about it. That is the wrong thing to do! Here's what I learned (besides the fact that I'm most likely violating copyright without even knowing):

--Copyright gives protection for authors of original works.
--Anything you make is automatically copyrighted.
--Facts and public domain items are not copyrighted.
--You can register your own items for a nominal fee.
--Fair Use allows teachers and students the ability to use materials for educational purposes (not for recreation!). 4 points for fair use:
1. The purpose and character of use for education
2. Nature of the copyrighted work
3. Amount of work used
4. Effect of the use on the market place (Is it impacting finances for the author)

--Copyright Law for Teachers and Librarians (book) to find out what is classified as Fair Use?
--Creative Commons
--Digital Resources have 2 laws: (and this is where I start tuning out because I don't understand everything!)
Digital Millenium Copyright Act (gives rights to libraries for archival purposes)
TEACH Act (had to buy a copy/permission from the author to post & limited to class members only (password protected)

Can use images/video legally by:
-use online databases or another multimedia service (Discovery Ed Streaming)
-flickr (etc.) for creative commons licensing (for educational purposes)
-ask permission to the copyright holder
For free & available music:
www.projectplaylist.com
www.squidoo.com/freesounds
www.royaltyfreemusic.com
www.soundzabound.com

The more I learn about copyright, the more questions I have. Can I use just a portion of a song? Is it 10% of a book you can copy? Can I place images of books on the website? I might try the book I just referenced so I can find the answers...

Skype Me

Erik Wittmer and Amy Musone's session on Skype proved to be a great introduction to Skype. They gave examples of how their students skype each other (or video conference/ make a free phone call) while providing live examples of their classes. Learning about others in their community, promotes technology curriculum, allows for engaging collaboration. Using "white board meeting," students can write/type to each other as well. The team worked with the book "Rules" to tie in to the curriculum. A presenter (the autistic support teacher) skyped both classes and students. One third grader even Skyped into our session to tell about benefits of Skype.

Up to six different connections can go on at one time.
www.ecam.com--a recording device so teachers can see what the kids recorded (for Mac)
www.pamela-systems.com/products

Join the Skype PETEC wiki for teachers to add their user names and grade level and connect with other classes that are Skyping too. petecskypeme.pbwiki.com
Invite key: petec

Web 2.0 Tools Go Elementary

Collaboration and communication between (even the youngest of students) fosters learning from an interactive point of view. Blogging gives students the opportunity for reflection, writing for an audience and a published piece.
Journey North (tulip project)--can log/view when tulips start to bloom-follow them north

Wikispaces will create student accounts (Help+Teachers) help@wikispaces.com
list user names and passwords (don't need email addresses)

Webkinz has opened a world of learning and virtual collaboration. (3 class pets and giving all students user names/passwords)

Eduwiki --to share resources (work smarter, not harder)

David Pogue, PETE&C Keynote

As a technology critic for the New York Times, David Pogue examined what might happen when "the digital generation grows up." A few things are going to change:
1. Technology--
-----Phone calls over the Internet, like how hopefully Skype will move to cell phones (T-Mobile already has one to replace their land line). Googl cellular (46645) for free directory assistance. Get movie showtimes by pressing "nameofmovie zipcode" (Shrek 15017)
----- Simulscribe--where you can read your voicemail
----- A la Carte TV- Shows will be archived and movies will be downloadable

2. Wireless Everywhere
-----Verizon has a cellular card where you can get online anywhere
-----iPhone (search YouTube for iPhone Shuffle)
-----wifi skype phone

Teachers need to be aware of these emerging technologies and be able to use them on a personal level before implementing them with students in order to to ensure best practice.

At lunch time, the PA DEN Leadership Council was lucky enough to have dinner with him at the Hershey Lodge. It was an honor to be able to connect to him on a personal level and tell him all about the DEN! Attached is a photo, a complete documentation of my red cheeks! : )

pogue@nytimes.com

DEN Pre-Conference

This is not pretty and not insightful, but they are my notes from the sessions I attended at the pre-conference....I'll update more when I get home from Hershey.
Session 1: Digital Storytelling w/Jen Dorman
www.jdorman.wikispaces.com/petec2008


Slide Share—can now slidecast—takes original powerpoint and can merge with an audio file

Slide—create slide shows with thought bubbles

Bubble Share-- can add kid friendly themes

One True Media—can upload many types of media—text, audio, music

Slideroll—can upload right from Flickr (**Make a Flickr group**)
--download right to desktop

Google Presentations—can embed Google Docs

Dandelife—for students to tell their own life story

***swivel.com for embedding data charts


Mapping Tools:
Google Maps—for collaboration on creation & maintenance of maps—can layer media


Mapwing—build, share, explore virtual tours (can embed)

www.makebeliefscomix.com *pretty safe content (can print comic strips) but students can save the their strip as a picture file and then add it to the web

Kerpoof—designed for use in schools (teacher section for lesson plans, etc.)

GMAIL… Enroll students by jakedavis.bridgetbelardi@gmail.com

Gaggle.net (for student email?)


Video:
www.eyespot.com --artists put whole songs online for students to use (watch for inappropriate lyrics)

Photo Editing
Splashup
Picnik
Phixr
FotoFlexer (beautification tools)


Image Manipulation:
www.mrpicassohead.com/create.html
www.befunky.com


SceneCaster
-create and share 3D scenes on the web—create a room/space/people
(have to download an app to use)
-google search engine for 3D objects


Bookr www.pimpampum.net/bookr/
-create storybooks and students add captions to pictures
-upload to flickr?

www.vuvox.com


Scrapblog (can embed)
-students take pictures (on a field trip) and create a scrapbook

voicethread—create content in Kidspiration and have students comment

BubblePLY www.bubbleply.com/demo/apx
(can add subtitles in another language)

Session 2: Green Screen with Lance Rougeux
-layer 1 is the downloaded video
-video 2 is the shot video
--effects, keying, chroma key
Edit effects
Dropper, similarity
Blend is opacity


To get rid of the wall,
Back to effects
Transform
Crop effect


Kathy Schrock’s Video
Import streaming video into premier (on top layer)
Still image on layer 1
(have students take a picture looking at the

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Session 3: Google Earth—Julia Tebbets
www.sewickley.org/~jtebbets/
Click “for teachers’ then “conference handouts”
Tour Plan
--For landmarks
--For habitats (highlight range of animal’s habitat) import
--Explorer path—add placemarks along the voyages
--Google sky—can click the sky and see what you would see in that spot on earth
--under layers, a weather layer
--students all upload placemarks, etc to the K drive --that folder will load into google earth
-make a new folder
TO SAVE:
have students close up their work folder (so they can make sure their placemarks are all in the folder)
--right click that folder and have students save to the server

--Can also right click and “save in “my places”

To edit something on the placemark, right click the folder, right click properties, add

**Call Lance to set up a generic school ID and password for Discovery Streaming

**Go to Julia’s website to get html codes for embedding





Session 4: 50 Ways—The Online Edition
-Taking from Alan Levine’s wiki-- cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/storytools
Blabberize—for animal reports, mouth of a dollar bill,

Jumpcut
-can create a “set” of content for students to search

bubbleshare
-comic maker but can use audio

myplick

DEN Virtual Conference

I spent my Saturday afternoon attending the Discovery Educator Network virtual conference. About 200 other teachers also joined in on the amazing conference. I learned so much while sitting on my couch!

Digital Storytelling session with Steve Dembo (My notes from the session!)
1. Using Discovery Streaming calendars for students to research biographies--includes videos, encyclopedia excerpts, photos, etc. Use Blabbarize to make photos "talk" with your voice and then embed it. (This would be so fun for the 3rd graders to use with their research on a famous American as a follow up to the wax museum! LOVE IT!! :) (Can use Zamzar to convert to a wmv and then import all.

2. Use ToonDo (a comic strip creator) to import your own images and place multiple strips together to make a book. The fifth grade might like to do this as an extension of their digital storytelling projects.

3. Map out events on a timeline with XTimeline and can attach photos, videos, etc.

4. VoiceThread (my favorite!) is another way to import photos and have students add their comments through text and voice.

5. Jumpcut--an easy online digital video editor. Students can work at home if needed.

6. Myplick--Combine with Discovery Streaming's audio database to turn presentations into music videos. Import powerpoint slides and add audio for appropriate transitions between slids. Can be embedded!

**The whole PowerPoint will be posted in the Discovery Educator Network archives. http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/StoryTools for all 50 Tools (and more!)

Lance Rougeux presented more 2.0 tools like moonk, using emoticons, and mosaickr.

Again, the Discovery Educator Network exceeded all my expectations! I love DEN!

Week 4 "Thing" 8 and 9

How did I ever live without RSS? Reading blogs is one easy component of professional development that is quick and free. Before I signed up for RSS feeds, checking blogs (I used to read over 50) for new content was time consuming and annoying. Using Bloglines makes the most of my time and now I am able to take 15 minutes (about once a week) to check in with all my favorite blogs. I've been able to get many lesson ideas, resources, links, etc. from the top educational technology leaders and librarians in the world.


As an extra bonus, my school district set up customizable employee portals (home pages) for every teacher so we can add widgets and find feeds that we can use for professional development or for instruction. It automatically opens whenever we log in to one of the district computers. It's been interesting to see teachers use this portal in a variety of ways. Most have embraced it and have tabs and tabs of widgets and feeds. I have pages for professional blogs, library blogs, world news, and local news. I'm definitely lucky to work in a district that is promoting this tool and giving teachers the opportunity to explore new technologies. I'm attaching a screen shot of my MTLSDHome page (it will maximize if you click on it) to show how I learn every day.

Week Three "Thing 7"

It was a tough decision as to what to post for the broad category of "anything tech." Dozens of ideas were swirling through my head! However, just this morning, one of my Twitter contacts sent this link, and it's the obvious choice to discuss.

I had no idea that The Library of Congress had it's own Flickr site (and/or a blog). The Library of Congress blog posted links to it's Flickr site last week where over 3,000 photos are easily accessible. This is a pilot program with two main goals: "If all goes according to plan, the project will help address at least two major challenges: how to ensure better and better access to our collections, and how to ensure that we have the best possible information about those collections for the benefit of researchers and posterity. In many senses, we are looking to enhance our metadata (one of those Web 2.0 buzzwords that 90 percent of our readers could probably explain better than me)."

Wow!! This is what libraries should be (I think). The library is requesting comments and hoping additional resources are shared. The photos are ones that do not have copyright concerns and it only takes five minutes to browse and learn about 10 new things. The photo I decided to add is the opening day of the New York City Public Library (sometime between 1910-1915). Definitely cool!

So, LOC gone 2.0. It's a good thing PA is right behind them!

Week Three "Thing 6"

I loved having the opportunity to explore some of the Flickr web sites. I used Color Fields to make the yellow/orange collage at the bottom and couldn't help but think of the ways to use it in the classroom. Kindergarten or first grade students could search by color to create a color book or older students could find photos that correspond to a piece of literature or as inspiration to begin a written story. I also tried to use Montager but I couldn't figure out how to make a mosaic of the picture I wanted to. Flickr Toys is much easier to use and has a lot more options. Here is a mosaic I made with Big Huge Labs. It was a little more time consuming than I would have liked, but I think it is a fun collection of some of the things that happen in my library. I will definitely include this image in my upcoming newsletter and blog!

Week Three "Thing 5"

I heart Flickr. When looking for a photo sharing site that was easy to use and easy to share, Flickr was the clear winner. I've had my account for well over a year now and it's had over 2,000 views, mainly from students. I like the embeddable feature so it can be viewed straight from my web site, even though Flickr is blocked within the district and the updated number of views. Parents enjoy looking at photos from the library and surprisingly, the photos with the most hits are those I take outside of school, like at the Steeler game or Christmas morning. The children appreciate the personal connection through the pictures---even the youngest of students who can't read yet.

The photo on the left is one of my favorites on Flickr. When I was a classroom teacher, I had these boys in kindergarten, first and second grade. They are now in fifth grade and like to read more than ever (even if it is "Where's Waldo?"!!!).

Flickr serves all my photo needs!

Week Two "Thing 3 and 4"

Hopefully combining posts 3 and 4 isn't a problem...They just seem to fit together...

Even though I've been the owner of this blog for almost a year, just recently have I contributed to it on a regular basis. I still wonder who actually cares what I have to say, but then I think of all the blogs I read and learn from every day and so I hope SOMEone benefits from it! I especially love to watch the Clustr maps because I never thought people in Europe, Australia, and Asia would stumble upon it!

I just began another blog, The Cybrary, aimed to the audience of parents and teachers (and students) in my building/district. I plan on using it as a resource for them to learn about some of the things we do in class as well as giving updates on educational websites/new technologies. I'll report back to how it's going so far.

I am especially anxious to read everyone else's blog and "hear" their insights to this process. Bloggers unite! : )

It's Not a Stick!

While reading Antoinette Portis' book, "Not a Stick," the first grade students predicted the imagination of the pig in the story. When some of their predictions were not confirmed, they wanted to continue the story and make their own illustrations. The drawing/recording timeline was exactly 15 minutes (the longest part being the scanning...this was their first time using the scanner). Here is their work (notice how they are really practicing reading with expression!):