PE: Final Project: Mind42.com

Final Project Planning - RILS Planning

Target Audience – Senior English Students.

Materials – Laptop Connected to Projects (computers for all students if possible), Internet access, Mind42.com.

Objectives – To create a mind map, as a class with student participation, of the material we read in class and the themes we discuss linked to outside sites that will enhance the learning to these. The Mind Map will be used through the year and/or as a review session before exams.

Procedure – during class, I will set up the basic shell of the mind map to each main text we read in class, students will review by telling me the themes. Once the basic mind map is in place, I will have the students (in the computer lab) work together to expand on the mind map by adding links, images, plot lines, addition text examples. So by the end class, we will have created a completed, interactive mind map that they can access anywhere they have internet access.

Web 2.0 Tool – Mind42.com.

Social Participation/Social Learning – The students will be interacting with the tool and with each other to add as many additions as possible.

Making Connections – The students will access prior knowledge by review the basics of what we learned in class but then through this lesson they will research and collaborate to expand the mind map that will ultimately be their study guide at exam time.

Create/Produce - The end product will be the class mind map

Reflection – I will have the students write an exit ticket on what they thought of the experience after they immediately do it. Then at exam time I will have them reflect on the usefulness this lesson and this tool had on their learning.

The class has all the steps except the reflection. On Monday, I will give them time to finalize any part of the mind map and then the groups will present what they did, to the class and then they will do the reflection at the end. I was actually shocked at the amount of effort I got from them in working with this tool. There were all working together, I am not used to seeing an entire class collaborate on a project. I think I am on to something here.

PE5-Mind42.com

Ok, I was on a roll. I created the basic shell mind-maps for each unit involved in my CBR. Just a reminder, my lesson plan for the web 2.0 tool (mind42.com)will play a roll in my CBR challenge. So I made a basic mind-map for Beowulf, Canterbury Tales, Macbeth, and Pride & Prejudice. I included only themes, author info, and era background titles. The students will have to research these units (depending on what unit they are in) to collaborate and enhance the mind-maps. They will have to change colors, add links and images, add additional nodes. These mind-maps will be used by the groups in the unit lesson presentation.

I also decided to make a mind-map organizing my ideas for my own CBR challenge. Then I can use that when it comes time to explaining the challenge to my students. Plus it helps me keep track of what I have done and what I need to do.

For example, I know I have to finish my pre-survey by Wednesday and plan to assign the challenge by the end of the week. Then I will present learning styles, then teaching methods, and so on. I plan on continuing this mind-map by adding in links to the Sunshine State Standards website (instead of printing off copies), as well as links to learning styles and teaching methods and web 2.0 tools. The challenge will be figuring out what will get through the school students computer firewall. I also realized I can't have the students collaborate on the mind-map until I get access to their school emails.Which I will be inquiring about tomorrow.

PE4-Mind42.com

So I have been busy becoming a Mind42.com expert in-time to do my lesson either this week or next. I am looking to use this web 2.0 tool with my senior English block class (who I won't meet until Monday). I plan to use it collaboratively with all the student in the class. I have reserved the media center lab in anticipation of doing this lesson. While the class is in the lab, I will get them started on Mind42.com by laying the basics out in the mind maps (this lesson will eventually tie into my CBR also). Then the students will be responsible for enhancing the mind-map individually on their computers: adding links, images, notes).

So today I checked out the Introduction video provided under the "about" menu on the Mind42.com website (or you can go to http://vimeo.com/1230441) The video is good about showing all the options available with this program and how simple the options are to execute. However, the video has no verbal instructions and goes pretty fast. I think a beginner would be better off playing around with the tool first then watch the video so they won;t be lost. I will say, I did not know about the post-it note option until I watched the video. But, when it comes to the uploading to the internet and the sharing option, I will be coming back to this video to focus on the part of it. I also learned that you don't have to post your mind map for the whole world to see, but those that do, the map are all under the browse maps menu. You find the map you need already made (why invent the wheel all over again?) Even if you want to make your own map, browsing the pre-made maps is helpful in giving you ideas on ways to set up our map.

So, my next step in implementing my plan is to create maps for 3 of the 4 groups that will be in my class. I want to save one map to create in-class so the students can see how to use it. But really Mind42.com mind-map are so easy, even if they weren't paying attention they could still figure it out. I actually started 1 of the maps when I first found this tool, so I am on my way.

BP7_1 minute movie_Commercial

I made a commercial to promote PlanbookEdu.com to teachers.

BP6_classmate's blog link

Here is a link to Dr. Jude Rathburn's blog about a Web 2.0 tool that looks really fun.

BP5_classmate's blog

Here is a link to Cheryl McGovern's blog post with her cute iMovie from her quilting vacation.

BP4_mind42.com

Ok, so I know we have use mind mapping tools before in this EMDT program. But I have to say, Mind42.com is the best mind mapping tool have have come across. It is so easy. It literally is just click click click. On the other mind mapping tools I've used, there is lots of right clicking to get options to show, whereas with mind42.com the editing option appear as soon as you create a line. Even the sign up was quick.

Another reason I like this mind mapping tool best is that with other tools, I have to draw the line from one idea to the next and move the ideas around to fit. After a while it looks very sloppy. Mind42.com automatically branches off your ideas with just a simple click of the "node as child" or "node as sibling."

But, the biggest selling point for me was all the extra options (still easily used, very self-explainitory). For each node you can attach links to web sites that relate to your idea. For example my mind map was about Beowulf (the novel), so I attach a link to the Wikipedia site for Beowulf. I did the same thing for the node about epic heroes and Anglo-Saxons. You can also link this mind map to other mid maps you create. Like, I could also use this to make a mind map for each novel I teach in my senior English class and then link them all together through a separate mind map dealing with the central themes we discuss in each. You can also set an icon or add an image from the web to identify your node. Plus if you mess up, there is a simple "undo" button on the left.

This mind map can be collaborated on, by students in my case, if they had access. Then as a class they could build the mind map with details and links. I have absolutely found my new classroom toy for both my students and me. I can't wait to use it Tuesday as a review tool before midterms.

PE3_imovie

Congratulations to me! I am an iMovie beginning expert. I really like all the options available in creating movies. However, I still think, in terms of ease, Movie Maker is easier. The coolest option in iMovie has to be the green screen effect. Now, I don't have a green area to film, but that would be interesting to learn more about. There was a lot of feature that I never would have thought to do with a movie and when it came to my own clips I didn't know where to begin. I really got to liking the lynda.com tutorial. I liked that the tutorial, though over two hours, was broken down into very short segments. That made it much easier to take was I learned and try to apply it to my own video I had going at the same time. I had a lot less video to work with since I have only scarcely started to use my new video camera, so many of the more advanced things he did with the video (like picture in picture) I just didn't have the extra video to do that.

What I did do to finish my movie was as in pictures also taken during winter break. I also used video feature to the clips of Sophia dancing. I choose the feature that blackened the corners, I did this to take the focus away from some of the distracting background stuff. I also tweaked the pictures I added. The picture with the twinkled lights I adjusted the light options to make the colors in the picture stand out better. For the picture just before the credits, I tweaked the fade options. I also added clapping sound effects to end of the dance clips after muting the clip sounds so you don't hear Evie screaming in the background. I also applied ducking to the Coco video clips so the music would not over power the voices.

So I hope you enjoy watching what my kids did over winter break.

PE2_imovie

Good Morning! Well, I am up bright and early watching Lynda.com imovie tutorials and working on my practice movie. I am about halfway through and I am all ready like imovie much more. I am wishing we had done back in the beginning when we first started using imovie because I had no idea what I was doing and the imovie tutorial that comes with imovie was not helpful.

So I started a new project. I decided to work with some video I took over winter break of my kids. I decided to do this project without a theme so that I could learn how to use transitions and such manually. I split up the long film clips so that I was using only highlights (because really, videos of kids have a LOT of unusable footage). I also rearranged the clips to flow better. I have put in titles and transitions. I know the tutorial said to avoid doing the rookie mistake of using too many transitions, but some ended weird and only a transition would make it look better. I only used one "fancy" transition. I am going to need to trim or tweak the sound levels some of the clips in the "princess Sophia" section because the sound in the clips is not good because my young daughter was off camera, screaming, but I want to keep the music that was playing in the background at the time. I might end up just muting the sound in those clips and downloading the nutcracker music and inserting the music that way. I will eventually have to edit the time of some of the clips to make the movie 1 minute.

PE1_imovie

So I am so thankful today is Friday and it is a three day weekend because this was a bad week. I am also very thankful for Cheryl McGovern for being a great friend and getting me through this week with CBR revision suggestion and my friend Arielle for taking me out tonight. I am child free tonight and am getting into my Lynda tutorial.

I must say, the introduction nailed it when it said, those used to other movie editing software may find imovie foriegn because up till now I really HATED imovie. I found it horrible compared to MovieMaker. So I am hoping Lynda can help me see the iMovie light at the end of the tunnel.

BP_2_PlanbookEdu.com

Discovering Web 2.0 Tools: PlanbookEdu.com

As I've mentioned before, I am a teacher and I have to plan for 4-6 different classes (drama consists of 3 levels). The lesson plan form my school recommends using is not beneficial to me and the amount of classes I teach. The lesson plan format I currently use is only for one class at a time. It is supposed to be for in-depth explanation of the daily lessons. But because my classes are project-based most of the time I am just putting "research" or "work time." I never look at these lesson after I finish them and email them off to my administration.

With that said, I really love the Plan book at PlanbookEdu.com. You can set it up for whatever type of calendar system you need to fit your classes. I chose the weekly option with spots for 6 classes (in case one drama or debate class is doing something different from the other). I also went to advanced options and set it up to have an extra column to put the names of my different classes into. I also chose the option to include a spot to put in state standards. You can make the lessons as in-depth or as simple as needed.

You can name your plan book whatever best fits your classes. I named mine 2011 planbook. I tried to set it up for only January-June 2011 but it put the entire 2010-2011 school year. No big deal, I just wanted to fill it in from where I am starting now. I love the format. I usually use a plan book purchased from Office Depot to keep track of what I am doing weekly and monthly, this is much easier to keep up. To input your lesson all you need to do is double click the boxes. For more in-dept planning click on the edit link in the boxes.

The best thing about PlanbookEdu.com is that it is accessible anywhere. I can do my lessons at home and just bring up my planbookedu.com site at school. Currently, the lesson plans I have been using are word documents. So, I have to save or download to all the various computers I use. I plan on showing this to my administrators to see if they will accept this, if not, I'll still use it because the weekly AND monthly view is what I need to keep track of what I am doing over the long term.

BP3 iGoogle Screen Shots

Included:

screen

shots of the tabs of my igoogle page.

BP1: Welcome to My Blog

Hello, my name is Heidi Faber. I currently teach English, Drama, and Debate in Florida . I certainly have had a learning experience this past month. I interviewed, via Skype, for the best job ever; great quality school system, supportive administration, a planning period, students who care about learning, in a state that isn't going to do away with my tenure or make my pay based on the test scores of students I don't even have...nothing I have at my current school or in my current state. Then I found out today I didn't get the job and instead must stay at my current school that, I learned Tuesday, plans on eliminating my drama and debate classes next school year. I did give the best interview of my life and I must thank what I have learned at Full Sail for giving me a more professional way of expressing my beliefs and philosophies.

To top it off my faithful dog of 11 years, Shemp, died a week before Christmas. Needless to say, I'm not in a great mood. So welcome to my blog and may the rest of the entries have more positive things to say than this.