Thing #7

I was never aware that Google had so much to offer. I have always listened to the secondary teachers complain about having limited access or having to override to utilize Google, but I thought "What is the big deal?" Well, after playing extensively with iGoogle, I now know what the big deal is.

Being in charge of the morning announcements, like most of us are, I always feel rushed to help my announcers find all the information they needed, especially the top box office movies. After looking at all the options on iGoogle, my announcers helped decide what we needed to have access to, and set our page up.

We are utilizing: weather, sports, box office movies, quotes of the day, in the news, Did You Know, and they also chose a few things, just for fun, that we don't use for announcements.

Thing #6

Just when I think I have found my favorite "Thing," I move on to the next assignment, and I have even more fun with it. For this "thing," I created a trading card for Madison's basset hound, Quencey, used Spell with Flickr for my VW bug, created a softball collage with Mosaic Maker, and a few other things.

I had the perfect opportunity to think about school uses when Dennis complained about not having time or a "worthy" enough reason to take his 8th. grade social studies classes to the computer lab. I fired up Flickr Toys and my blog, and showed him some of the features that he could teach his students, along with the computer tech. I thought he could use the trading cards for his explorer unit, and then he thought of using the trading cards for the key players in his Constitutional Convention lesson.
They also have access to the mobile laptops, so I reminded him that he didn't have to "take" them to the lab, he could bring the lab to his class.

I am afraid that "the test" has had a negative impact on our students getting the opportunities to experiment with all the new technologies. I hope this project will help me gain insight and provide my teachers with new technologies that will give them "worthy" reasons to make it down to the computer lab.

Thing #10

Even though I am usually a very random person, when I work on projects, I seem to become much more sequential. However, after looking at several of your Blogs, I went straight to Image Chef to "play" a little. I can see these tools as really spicing up and adding variety to all of our websites. My students are in the middle of a Planet Contest where they create a new mnemonic device to help students ages 5-11 remember the order of the planets. Once I "play" a little more and learn how to post one of these little gems to my website, I think that is how I will announce the winner, and even display some of the other entries, as well.

After endless choices, I chose the Taxi Cab for a little Galloway advertising. And the Danger sign speaks for itself to anyone with a kid(s) in the house.

Taxi Anyone?

'Aint Nothing Soft About It

'Aint Nothing Soft About It
Originally uploaded by traceysadler

Using fd's Flickr Toys "Mosaic" in combination with my Flickr favorite photos, I put together a softball collage. I am still at the beginning stages here. I found many softball photos that I added to my favs, but I can't figure out how I can rearrange the order that I put them in when I make a mosaic. It seems to just selct them in the order I have them in my favs. Also, I am trying to figure out how to combine favs. with my own uploaded Flickr photos. Still a lot more playing to do!!!

Batter Up

Mad Dog 08
Originally uploaded by traceysadler

Using fd's Flickr Toys, I created a magazine cover with one of Madison's softball photos. After playing with several different toys on Flickr, I think I could spend the most time with the magazine covr creator. Obviously, Madison doesn't mind either.

Walkin' the Dog

Walkin' the Dog
Originally uploaded by traceysadler

Way too much fun!!!!! I have just found my favorite creation on Flickr Toys. I may not make it through the rest of my "things."

Thing #5

Maui 480
Originally uploaded by karl_szabo

Being the non-traditionalist that I am, Dennis and I were married in Maui, Hawaii-just the two of us. The entire week we were in Hawaii, we were fortunate enough to run around the island in a Mustang convertible soaking up the sun. This picture is of the Hana highway, where we would just pull over, hike down, and snorkle in the ocean. The joke at the luau we went to was how all the other newlyweds were pale, but Dennis and I were sporting a fabulous tan. My theory: I didn't fly all that way to spend my time in a hotel room. I wanted to take in as much of Hawaii as I could.

Thing #4

1. Daily Research- Every year I try to think back to what we liked or didn't like about a research unit. I always talk with the teachers after the unit, but I thought to Blog each day about how the research went, what worked, didn't work, etc. would give us all a way to post feedback and help us remember.

2. Happenings In the Library- Keep up with a Blog that would reflect on what classes are coming into the library to do. This would be a great way to "win over" some classes that do not come as ofetn as other classes. Plus this gives teachers and administrators ideas of ways to utilize the library.

3. Bluebonnet/Mockingbird Log- Now that our campus is reading old and new Bluebonnet and Mockingbird books all year long, a Blog would be a great way for students to communicate about their reading, younger classes to post activities and responses to their reading, and a place for other students to read about a book they were interested in.

4. Calendar of happenings in the library

5. Book Club and Book Talks

6. Reading/Writing/Listening/Thinking Connections for teachers to utilize

7. Promethean Blog- WIth our campus being the test campus for mounted Promethean boards in all classrooms, a Blog about ways that Promethean boards are being used in the classroom, new lessons, and even student responses to Promethean lessons.

Thing #3

As of this post, I have changed my avatar at least four times. This time it looks a lot more like me. My background is where I would love to be right now: on the beach anywhere warm, getting sand between my toes, with the, "It's five o'clock somewhere" philosophy.

When I created my latest avatar, I added a turle that walked back and forth across the page, (to represent Okie, the Galloway Library aquatic turtle) but when I posted it to my blog, he no longer walks back and forth. I am sure it is the way I exported it, but I am not sure. Anyone know the answer?

Thing #2

Something that I have never second guessed was that I am, and will always be a learner. During the process of becoming an Abydos Learning International trainer (formerly New Jersey Writing Project in Texas), we read about the lives of numerous nuns and the results of them being "lifelong learners." In Dr. David Snowdon's book, Aging With Grace, we learn how continous reading and learning new things at all ages prolonged their lives. I don't know about you, but if research shows that reading will help me live longer and have my "wits" about me, I can't think of a better way to spend my time.

As far as my strength, I feel that I have the confidence to be a lifelong learner. I am not usually afraid to try new things, especially with technology. I figure I am not going to break anything, so why not try. We tell our students over and over to try new things. The same holds true for us. What we learn together today can be done alone in the future. I have the confidence to attempt new things, but I also have the courage and confidence to ask for help.

Now just because I have the confidence to try new things, does not mean that I look at a problem as a challenge. I enjoy new technology, but I do often get frustrated with new issues and go into "flee, flight, and fight" mode. Most of the time I can come back to the problem and work it out, but it may take me a while to downshift and learn from the crisis. As I often tell Madison, "What doesn't kill us will only make us stronger." Hopefully, I will come out of this challenge pumped up!!!

Thing #1

I am not exactly sure what I thought Web 2.0 training was going to be, but I knew I was looking forward to it. Needless to say, I did not leave disappointed. I have always considered myself to be fairly "technologically hip." Boy, was I wrong. I never realized just how far behind I am, and how many possibilites there are out there.

When I came home, and started talking about the different "things" we were going to be working on, Madison, my 9 year old, was not as surprised by what I had to share. She was like, "Oh yeah, I know about....." She was familiar with most everything I shared with her. Part of me was a little startled because I thought I "knew" all the things she dabbled in on her computer. Not that anything was inappropriate, it just made me realize I need to pay closer attention to what she does on her computer. The other part of me was excited sionce this gves me someone else to access help from (0: Now, we talk a lot about technology, and she is more interested in what I am doing for "homework."

I am looking forward to learning more about blogging, and reading about the ideas everyone has for using blogs with their students. I am never surprised by the great ideas our group always comes up with.