Web Quest
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=334657
Overview:
I created a web quest for first graders. Although most web quests are more detailed and interactive I made this one simple and more as an introduction to web quests. One of the writing projects my first graders work on is feelings. The students pick four feelings to write about. We go through the whole writing process and each student ends up with a book to take home and share with their families. This year in addition to that I had the students follow a web quest and create a class movie about feelings. The students had to work both individual and in a group to create their project. Above is the link to the web quest. Below is the final project.
https://spark.adobe.com/video/XjY3sLkXttGcS
Reflection:
The project turned out great. The students were proud of their final project and excited to share it with their parents. I ran into a few problems along the way. To create the finial project I was using Adobe Spark. I chose this program because I could record the students talking. Although in the web quest it asks the students to add both a picture of their team and an image from google showing their emotion I was only able to add one picture. We did go through the steps of finding an image on google, saving it and sharing it with me. However in the end I was only able to use one due to the problems I was running into with the program. I would like to find another free program that will allow me to add pictures and voice that is as easy Adobe Spark. I found
Stop Animation Word Families
Overview:
I did a review of word families and rhyming words. During the review each student received a word family. They then made a list of 6 or more words using the word family they had chosen. Next they learned about stop animation and how to make a movie using that technique. They then made a stop animation movie using the word lists they created. After they finished their movies they then shared them with me through google and I created one movie using all their short movies. Above is the link to the finished you tube video.
Reflection:
This is the first time I have attempted to have first graders use stop animation. I feel that for the first time for both my students and myself it turned out pretty well. The students were so excited that they had created a movie on their own that at recess one of them tracked down the principal and brought him into class to show him his movie. I had the students use the camera on the chrome books. Which most students were able to figure out. However using the chrome book camera's meant that everything they did was backwards and upside down if they were not looking at the computer screen. Next time I would like to have front facing cameras so the letters can be facing them and make it a little less complicated for the students.
Google Draw
Overview:
Google draw is a great way to connect digital art with class projects. When my students are allowed to have free time on the chrome books google draw is one of their first choices. I have been looking for a way to incorporate google draw into a class assignment. As we were working on our seasons unit the connection was made. I had the students create a google draw page showing the difference seasons on one page with seasons labels. Above you will find a google slides of the student's final assignments.
Reflection:
I am always amazed at how much first graders really can do when given the chance. They were all able to create all four seasons in very different ways. I also liked that each season had color that helped the picture feel like that season. Although I liked that they were able to draw what they felt represented each season next time I will add a few more instructions. I would like to see them stick to a theme while drawing each season. For example pictures of weather for the seasons or a holiday in each season. With a theme included I feel it would be a little easier to recognize some of their pictures and why they chose to draw what they did.