Week+2

Task 1.

My Story….enjoy

I chose 1C 2A 3C

“What now?” cried Baby Bunting staring through the window. The street was deserted. Nothing moved. “Perhaps mum’s gone to get me a new hat to replace this stupid blue one I have to wear. Baby Bunting sighed and picked up his Magic School bus book, and slowly tried to read.

Task 2

Scolastic – Nice idea. It generates limited story ideas though. Topics are quite cool. Again relies on network and internet connections which are great when available. Here though limited I would use it to focus ideas or at least show that we can have multiple ideas based on similar things. I would use it for Grade 3 -4. Not enough content to be used extensively.

Britstrips for School.

What fun….I love the idea of creating comic strips especially for those students who language is not too good. This gives them another outlet to create and write that is far from the norm. A good tool for lesson delivery as well. Why would the students want to watch me when they can read a cartoon??? Good for creative story ideas, for explanations of topics and for general expression. I would use this grade 4-5 and up. However, cost of the tool would probably stop us using it….

Futureme.org

I use futureme.org during out unit changes and choice. The students write a letter to themselves, explain what they think it will be like in the senior school and moving to grade 6. They can express any concerns and see if their concerns are valid. We have used this over the last few years and found it to be very successful and reflective for students. It also allows us to talk about e-mail best practice and responsibility when using the World Wide Web. We use it with Grade 5 only.

Task 3


 * I thought I'd have a go with Writeboard as it seemed fairly straight forward. Here is the link I hope you can use it.

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Michael

Evaluation of Collaberative Writing tools.

You know sometimes we use stuff for the sake of using stuff. I often wonder if there is a benefit for not using too many of these types of tool. I like that fact that when we write collaberatively in class, there is this interation, this sense of community, this focus on achieving the same goal as we sit around and discuss the pros and cons of story ideas.

Thats not to say that I dont think these sort of sites have a place in the wider scheme of things, I think they do.

So I looked a a few, having used Google Docs and storybird, but settles on write board due to its simplicity. I thought that the simpler the tool to use the better it will be used. Write board is just that the chance to write and add to a story without too many bells and whistles, too many distrctions and problems. So I've set up a writeboard for my class with the view that I star and story and they complete it. So watch this space........

Tried the collaberative writing with the class. I set up a writeboard oage and give them all the password. It was not as sucessful as I'd have liekd as the students kep deleting the previous entries!!! Needless to say they really enjoyed it anmd want me to set up more. This I will do, once I can get the rules for entry right.