First days of school

School began last week. No netbooks yet, but we are hoping next week.  We will be going to the Computer Lab this week to learn how to use Edmodo, so at least that will be out of the way.  I have my Wiki up and running, but I will need to wait on Google for the students to get them logged in.  I am afraid this will be a slow process this year, but I am hopeful for success.  The students will have their own Wiki to use for portfolio purposes, which was a minor battle won.  I am still excited about what this school year can hold!

The Beginning!

It all begins on Monday!  I am really excited over what the school year holds in store for the kids and for me!  I know we won't get the computers until well into September, and that bums me out a little, but I will forge on somehow.  I also know the first week or two after we get the computers will be devoted to learning Edmodo, Google and Wikispaces.  We have decided to have each kid set up a Wiki, through Wikispaces to use as a portfolio of the work they are doing throughout the school year.  We will have an e portfolio this year!  That is great news!  I have my wiki ready to go, and I have mastered Mentormob.  Savid works great for You Tube videos.

What I have been working on....

Things seem to be going well.  I am working on the picture books Wiki and next week I will upload the videos for using technology into my Edmodo library.  We are back to school in less then three weeks, so I am really getting excited about flipping!

I had an epiphany!  We will read what we want to read and use edmodo in small groups to discuss out books.  I think this would give us the best bang for our classroom buck and help the kids read better.  I will still have some of my direct instruction using videos and will use Edmodo for grammar (Caught Ya) and warm up poetry.  I think I have found the perfect way to run the class this year!  Now to get the kids and forge forward.  I am really excited about all of this!  I am using what I have learned in workshops this summer and blending it with what I already know.  Wonderful!

Zondle and LearnBoost

Wow!  The day was not a total bust!  I have the makings of a class that might function this year!  I will use Flocabulary, poetry, fliipping for direct instruction (when I can) and still have time to read Literature Circle books for 20 minutes or so.  Sound like a lot, but I think I have it down pat.  Time will tell.

Found two new websites to use one for flipping and games
Zondle

and one that allows me to lesson plan using the web and it will use my Google Calendar, share to Facebook and Twitter.  LessonBoost has an app on Google Chrome as well.

LessonBoost

Both great and I hope to use them this year!

Flocabulary

Working hard on the Wiki we will use this year.  I have created pages that will go with what we are learning and that students can use for review.  I have created play lists on you tube, and I will upload videos (I am hoping the wiki will take the size of some of the videos) on each page so that the kids can view and review each topic.
I have found a lot of good stuff on Flocabulary.  Since I have an account, I intend to use this as well.  I really like the Word Up, Grammar and Literature links.  I just need to figure out how all of the raps will fit into my classroom.  I am thinking of using them much as I did last year.  I will begin the day with them but this year instead I will follow the lesson plans so that the kids learn the raps, vocabulary and grammar.  I need to make sure I am leaving at least 30 minutes each day for reading or writing.  That would leave me more then enough time to have a mini lesson or direct instruction.  I need to whittle this down to what I am going to use and how I want my day to progress.  Perhaps it would be best to drive everything through Edmodo and use the Wiki for review and remediation.

E books for flipping

I have found a couple of sites that I think might help me flip.  At least I am hoping I can upload a few picture books onto the wiki for the kids to watch and review.

 I had some ideas about pages on the wiki including anchor books, poetry, and grammar.  I am thinking that these pages could be used as review and remediation pages for all students.

e-book library
http://en.childrenslibrary.org/

Tumblebooks

Found a way to save videos to upload to my flipping site. The wiki will only hold so much, so I might have to use another vehicle to show the videos. I am going to try Edmodo in hopes that everything will load there. I still like the wiki idea and will use it in conjunction with Edmodo.

 Savevid.com

Workshop today left me with much to think about.  Still flipping, but all with good measure.  This is going to be quite a process, and I know it will take a couple of years before I have a good working knowledge of the whole thing.  In other words, it is a work in progress and I won't know how the whole thing will be until I get back in the classroom with the kids.  I will continue to share my thoughts here however, and once I get the Wiki worked out, I will link it as well.

Beginnings

     I have begun the Wiki I will use the first three weeks of school.  Included on the Wiki are steps to using Edmodo, Google with apps and using Wikispaces.  I need to add Diigo to the list of tools that I need a strong running knowledge of.
     MentorMob is really coming along and I think I have a good idea of not just how to use it, but implement it in the classroom as well.   MentorMob has a Chrome extension that has really come in handy in creating playlists.
      I am learning screencasting and will have videos embedded in the wiki as well.  I know that videos are only for direct instruction, and I need to leave classroom time to allow for SSR.  I really think that flipping is going to be the answer for the 1 to 1 computers that we have all been looking for.  I need to get it secure in my mind, and then pass the knowledge on to anyone who will listen.
     There are Chrome extensions for screencasting as well.  I have added them to my Google account and hope to understand how they work.

Video production

video

This was created on my IPad using EDUcreations.  I really liked this app.  It was the easiest screen cast tool so far to use and master.
Educreations

discovery

So the stuff on the IPad works and I can email and then embed videos to my wiki and blog.  Using Educreations for all of this.  Seems to be the easiest way to create videos that I have found so far.  I will work with Screencast-O-Matic tomorrow.  I know that will be useful in grading student papers.  Still working on the whole Edmodo thing to support the flipped class.  But at least the video production part seems to be settled :)

Thoughts on Flipping

I know that I will have to add blogging to the mix in my classroom.  I found a great resource for doing this at
Flipping with Kirch  I an going to try Mentor Mob for screen shots.  A lot of other folks are using this, so I will give it a try.  I really want to keep new things I am learning down and applying in the classroom to three.
I know I have to learn screencasting so screencast o matic is a must as is voice thread   I have learned about both of these at a workshop over the summer, so it is now a matter of using them.  I know I have to use blogs for student writing.  Since it seems like most blogs will remain blocked, I think I will use Edublogsfor student blogs this year.
So I think these three tools will be what is focused on, for me, this year.

I am going to begin my two week unit on the flipped class and how students will interact and learn in this class.  I am still toying to work out how I am going to use a wiki within Edmodo so that I will be able to use the tools of Edmodo while still using the benefits of flipping.  As soon as  I complete Unit 1,  I will post it here.

Planning for the first two weeks

The first two weeks of school need to be spent showing the kids how to function in the flipped classroom.  We need to work  on taking Cornell notes, working Socratic Circles, and reviewing the basics of the elements of fiction.  We also need to create our first writing piece.  We should begin a Literature Circle which can be a picture book or short story to show the students how these will work.   I think we will begin grammar once we get past these two weeks.  Grammar will be a part of the first major unit which looks like it focus on the elements of theme, character development and how characters change throughout the novel or reading, how the plot moves conflict toward resolution, round and flat characters,  writing narratives (so we will be able to write a story here) and creating assessments that can be shared with others.  


This will take 3 years to change school culture!

What I have learned about flipping so far....

There are several things that I have learned.  I need to construct some units in order to flip.  I only use video for my direct instruction, and the units must contain formative and sumative assessments.  I need to include grammar, writing and literature circles in these units and work in a socratic circle once a week.  I think I want to use a wiki for all of this.  i have looked into edublogs and while it looks great, it seems a lot to learn.  I already know the basics of the wiki and I can create a wiki for each unit I create. 

 I need to learn more about screencasting and become better at creating Prezis.  I need to use tpck to create betters lessons and units.

tpck

Screencast 0 matic

Voicethread

Things I have learned about Socratic Circles.  I can use these in a flipped classroom and use today's meet for a back channel chat.  I need to include discussions about the current literature circle book and bring in other documents to support reading such as poems,  chapters of books, drama and speeches.  There are so many ways to use Socratic Circles it almost seems endless.  

Mentor Mob

This looks like a great way to get content across to students. You create a playlist of the content you want the kids to learn. Then you load it up on Edmodo. I think it might be great for the elements of fiction, figurative language, and the parts of speech. Glad I found this!
http://www.mentormob.com/

Also word clouds. This may work in flipping as well.

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/best-10-free-word-cloud-tools-for.html?m=1

Screen Shots

Screen shots have been mentioned by several people as a way to flip. I need to investigate this option.

More Flipping

Just found this!  Videos that students can view.  Something else to see how it might fit into the flipped classroom.
http://www.schooltube.com/

 I guess I need to explore all the options and then compress it down to just a couple of tools to begin the year with.  I did dig up my dusty copy of Caught Ya!  I think this may work well with Edmodo for a bell ringer every morning (will use it as an assignment with the annotation link).  I also found my dusty copies of the 6+1 Writing Traits with the books of graphic organizers.  This is something I need to work on to fit into my flipped classroom.  I like the way this method teaches the kids to write.  I kinda got away from that over the past two years, but I see, and feel, a need for this in my classroom again.

Things I discovered this week!

Discovered Symbaloo!  I believe that this tool might be another way for me to flip my classroom.  This site bookmarks sites and allows you to post and share the information.  I need to work with it more to really figure out what I can do with this site.

http://edu.symbaloo.com/

Edmodo for a poetry discussion is still working great!  The kids really love it, and they get to interact with other students they do not see in class everyday.   And I discovered that I can annotate assignments using Edmodo.  This is great news for me, and will save so much time and effort.  Edmodo has come a long way.  I can't wait to  see what they have in store for next school year!
http://www.edmodo.com/?chrome_app=1

I did sign up for the Edmodo workshop on August 8th.
http://blog.edmodo.com/2012/05/02/save-the-date-wed-august-8th-edmodocon-2012/

Todays Meet is another tool that I have been experimenting with.  This site allows you to use backchannels to drive discussions in the classroom.  With Todays Meet, you can set up separate rooms to discuss various elements of a novel or literature circle.  I am going to experiment with this a little bit next week with poetry.  I   think I can use two poems and set up two different rooms, one for figurative language that the poet uses, and the other attempting to explain what the poet is saying to the audience.

http://todaysmeet.com/

ShowMe is another Ipad app that I have been experimenting with for my class.  It allows you to create short videos to upload to Edmodo.  Students can view the instructional video and then work on the assignment.


 I am really getting excited about this whole flipping thing! 

Ideas

I have some ideas for flipping. Some if these I will try before the end of the school year. I am going to try "Caught Ya" on Edmodo as an assignment and warmup activity. I really think grammar might be the easiest thing to flip. I also think literature circles might be an easy flip as well. I will work on that...

Todays Meet looks like a great way to have kids chat about aspects of the novel they are reading

Things that worked this year

Edmodo

Wikispaces I used this for poetry. We were able to post original poetry and comment on both original poetry and poetry written by others. Really gave us a new perspective on writing. Works for authentic writing too.

Penzu works great for keeping an online journal.

Edistorm. Great for brainstorming.

Now the question is, how do I work these ideas into a flipped classroom?

Ideas for Flipping

Webpage with lots of ideas for flipping
http://www.cybraryman.com/flipclass.html

Google

Playing around with Google +. Looks like something I can use in keeping everyone informed or misinformed. Google Drive looks useful too.

Edmodo

I am really liking Edmodo.  I have discovered that I can run literature circles, poetry groups with other classes and join teacher groups.  All of these are helping me on the journey.  In an earlier post, I suggested that I wanted to flip my classroom next year.  There is an Edmodo group that I was able to join to help me with this process.
Edmodo

Flipping my classroom

I want to flip my classroom next year. I will work this summer toward that end.

Live Binder Link
Flipped Binder

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/five-ways-to-flip-your-classroom-with-the-new-york-times/

NY Time article about flipping