Karey+Winnert

My regular education class, which includes 24 fourth grade students.
 * __Participating Class/Students__**

Our first attempt at blogs were used during Thanksgiving time, when students were asked if they could invite one person alive or not, who would they invite and why. Our second blog was in response to literature that was read in our Scott Foresman reading series, which was more prompt writing. Our third and final blog was a conjunction of both a response to a story we read in our series about hurricanes, but which was also sent to Andy Parker of Channel 2 news to inform him what we learned from reading that text.
 * __Blog Project Outline__**

I enjoy doing blogs in the classroom/computer lab due to the children being able to be independent when working on these. Also, when used with our reading series, they are able to use their text and go back and find the information if needed. I also like that it integrates technology in the classroom and allows them to practice using the keyboard, which I feel is a life skill and needs to be taught. Another thing I enjoy is seeing the progression of what they write at the beginning, as opposed to the last blog. Some of the downfalls, I do not like about blogs is that the children are too casual in their typing (i.e.; no capital letters, punctuation, misspelling, etc.) Even though in my prompts to the students I state that they have to have a certain number of complete sentences and to use their C.U.P.S, they still refuse. In a couple of the postings I will go in and edit their work with them before it is put out for the public, but I also feel that is not a TRUE reflection of their writing ability.
 * __Blog Outcome and Self-Reflection__**

__** Participating Class/Students **__ My fourth grade students who have participated in our Living Wax Museum.

__** Podcast Project Outline **__

Students in my two fourth grade Social Studies classes were given the project of Living Wax Museum, which consists of picking a famous person, preferably an American who contributed positively to our society and history. The students view the movies Night at the Museum I and II and to give them some background information, along with our Social Studies curriculum. They are then read a list of names that previous students have researched for LWM, this helps the children that still may be struggling for a person. They are given an outline, as a guide to help them with their research. In conjunction with Cecelia Driscoll's library class we begin our research by looking for a biography on their person. We continue to work on research in library with our books and in Social Studies class by using valid internet sites. Students then fill out their outlines, write a research report, come up with a costume based on their person, and then finally they have to create a speech highlighting the main points of that particular person and it needs to be written in the first person point of view. The day of the LWM, the students dress as their famous person, we use the gymnasium and as the other classes in the school, family members, and people of the community come through they press the "button" on the floor and then the students "come to life" as their person and tell you all about themselves. That day, while the students were dressed in their costumes I used our Flip Videos and recorded each one of them doing their speech. __**

Podcast Outcome and Self-Reflection **__

I loved the way that the vodcasts turned out. I ended up using the Flip camera and during the LWM, I individually recorded each one of my students dressed up in their costume. They loved doing this project so much, which makes the whole thing worthwhile to see the ownership and pride in their eyes. Often students who have been very quiet and shy all year long, perked right up to say their speech for the camera. Very happy with this project and I know the children will remember this project for a long time to come.