Big things in the making...

I am beginning to incorporate more technology into all of my English 11 classes.  Two of my classes participate in the Photo and Literacy (PAL) Project with Syracuse University Professor Steve Mahan and his students.  For eight weeks, our students participate in creative photo and writing projects that are displayed at the Warehouse Gallery on West Street each semester.  We have created a Facebook page for the students to post photos, journals, writing assignments and projects in progress.  This will help keep them in touch with each other and to promote their work to friends and family. We will also be developing blogs for the students to keep in addition to their written journals. 
My English 11 Advanced students are hard at work on their independent reading blogs.  Check out Cho Cheung's, Brittany Kazmirski's, Zoe O'Leary's and Bellotta Yambuya's blogs about their selected books.  Students will be moving on to Prezi.com to create presentations about their chosen books before we read the heavily anticipated novel Push as a class and begin the Research Paper Process!
Keep checking back for more updates!

FOWLER PRIDE!

March 22, 2011

I just finished talking to Manami and I am now creating a Prezi to use for my unit on To Kill a Mockingbird.  I am happy to gain some exposure to this as eventually I want my students to use this to present their independent reading books and eventually to present their research papers we'll be writing in April.  I want them to have a creative and innovative way to present their work and I am also hoping to film their presentations to post on my site.

I am excited about the further prospects of using technology in my classroom.  My students are currently completing blogs about their independent reading books, and at the end they will create a virtual conversation with the author to present their books to the class.  I am hoping to create a database of these conversations and videos to help suggest readings for other kids who are looking for a book to read.  It will help them gain confidence in their presentation skills and their familiarity with technology.

The Grapes of Wrath

Students are completing character journals based on The Grapes of Wrath and posting them to their blogs.  They have also used www.photovisi.com to create collages based on their impressions of the novel!