Spotlight Assignment of the Week: Wikis with Jason Hubbard

The Assignment

This week’s featured assignment is Jason Hubbard’s Amendments assignment.   In this assignment, Mr. Hubbard’s “Law, Community, Response, and Policing” students worked in pairs and small groups to research an assigned amendment to learn how that amendment protects citizens and restricts law enforcement”.  Using the research pathfinder created in conjunction with the library, Mr. Hubbard’s students created a scavenger hunt about their amendment using Glogster or PowerPoint.

What We Did

With assistance from Ms. Hamilton and Mr. Hubbard, students learned how to:

1.  Join the class wiki

2.  Create/add a wiki page to the wiki.

3. Embed Content:

For students who were using PowerPoint or Google Docs, the skill of creating a free SlideShare account was introduced.  Students were able to upload their presentations to SlideShare and to get an “embed” code for embedding their PowerPoint into the Wiki; students then learned how to use the embed widget and embed their SlideShare into their group wiki page.

Students who created a Glogster learned how to find the embed code and embed into their wiki page.

Once the multimedia scavenger hunt was completed, students composed a reflection paragraph their learning process.  Students then worked to complete the other scavenger hunts created by their classmates to enhance their understanding of the other assigned amendments.

Reflections

Here is what Mr. Hubbard has to say about this project:

It was great to see and hear many of the students express their enthusiasm about trying something “outside the box”. Most found that using the available technology to “get out of the books” made their learning of the material come more easily and without the usual effort. As with all technology, we ran into some little snags here and there but in the end, that just added to the overall lesson by throwing in a little mini lesson on patience.   The media center staff made the use of the technology extremely easy.  I think we will be using the SlideShare and Glogsters for many of my classes future projects.

Are you interested in doing a similar assignment or using a wiki to host student created content?  Come by the library, and we will collaborate with you to make your wiki dreams come true!

Resources

Do you want to know more about wikis?  Check out these resources to learn more!

• Everything You Wanted to Know About Wikis but Were Afraid to Ask
• Why Wiki?
• Wesley Fryer’s Way to Use a Wiki
• Using Wikis to Make the Research and Learning Process Transparent

Research Reflections: 10th Shearer and Yount Students, January 28, 2009

Directions for Writing:

Now that we have completed Day 7 of our persuasive research project, it is time to stop and reflect. Please compose a mini-essay following the outline below; your mini-essay should contain at least 8-11 complete sentences.

You will need to address all of the following prompts within your essay and/or paragraph:

1.) What have you learned about your topic within the last week?

2.) What, if any, information has been SURPRISING?

3.) What resources have you used for information?

4.) In your opinion, what has been the best source of information so far?

5.) Describe your progress thus far; please discuss your “game plan” for what you plan to do each day in order to finish on time?

6.) Finally, what are you proud of that you have accomplished so far? What has been challenging or frustrating? Have you done any work outside of class? If so, please discuss.

Directions for Posting

1.  Type your work in Microsoft Word.  Be sure to save and save often!  You may compose this work as a single spaced piece of work.

2.  Be sure to indent or use block paragraphs.

3.  Please print a copy of your work.

4.  Once you have printed, you will post your work to the blog.  Please follow Mrs. Hamilton’s instructions for posting.  Please use your first and class period only when POSTING.

Keep up the great work!

Adapted with permission from B. Hamilton, Media Specialist

Using Electronic Notecards: How Are They Working for You?

For the last week and a half, we have been working with 9th grade English students from Ms. Nayman and Ms. Shearer on Elizabethan research.

One new skill we have introduced in this research project is the use of the electronic notecards in NoodleTools.  We would like your feedback on how this method of notetaking  has worked for you.

• Do you like the electronic notecards in NoodleTools?
• Why or why not?
• Would you use them again for other research projects even if the teacher did not require it?

Please let us know what you think!  Remember to put only your first name on your comment submission.  Thanks!

Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Fleet

Mr. Cline’s Students: Which resource was most helpful for elements research?

Yesterday and today we researched various elements using these resources:

• The GALE Virtual Reference Library
• Grolier Online
• Encyclopedia Britannica
• Student Research Center Gold
• Print books on elements
• Our del.icio.us favorite websites on elements

Which two resources in the pathfinder did you find most valuable?  How did these resources help you find the information you needed to gather your information for Mr. Cline?  Please share your thoughts on these questions here on our blog!  Thank you for your feedback!

Mrs. Hamilton and Mrs. Fleet 

Playing in the Database Dirt: Reflecting on Your Findings, Pickart’s 11th Honors American Literature

Think about the information sources you used today to explore resources for Hawthorne, literary criticism on The Scarlet Letter, and the Salem Witch Trials.

 

Which databases do you think you might be most likely to use for your 11th American L/C assignments during the upcoming year?  Which ones did you find most helpful?  Why?

Sapere 9th Grade Research Reflections

For the last five weeks, we have been working with Mr. Sapere’s 9th grade English classes on their first major research project.  Now it is time to reflect! 

1.  What was most challenging about this research project/process?
2.  What do you think you did well?
3.  What would you try to do better if you had more time?
4.  How did the library help you with the research process?  What do you think you learned about researching from the media center this spring?
5.  Which resource was most helpful in your research?  Was there a particular database or book that you found to be most informative?

Please share your thoughts in a well composed paragraph.  Remember to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation!  Remember to put your first name and last initial only when you post.   All comments will be moderated before they appear on the blog.  Thank you!

Robinson’s 9th Grade Research Paper Reflections!

For the last five weeks, we have been working with Ms. Robinson’s 9th grade English classes on their first major research project.  Now it is time to reflect! 

1.  What was most challenging about this research project/process?
2.  What do you think you did well?
3.  What would you try to do better if you had more time?
4.  How did the library help you with the research process?  What do you think you learned about researching from the media center this spring?
5.  Which resource was most helpful in your research?  Was there a particular database or book that you found to be most informative?

Please share your thoughts in a well composed paragraph.  Remember to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation!  Remember to put your first name and last initial only when you post.   All comments will be moderated before they appear on the blog.  Thank you!

Mrs. Lester’s Students Respond to YA Novels!

For the last two weeks, the Unquiet Library has been working with Mrs. Lester’s 10th grade English students to select young adult literature novels that relate to issues and challenges facing today’s teenagers.  In this post, you can read their feedback on the novels they selected and read…we have been thrilled to see many of these students visiting us to sneak in some extra reading time!

Take a look at what Mrs. Lester’s 10th graders have to say about their YA novels!