Thing # 21

Well, thanks to the folks at Digital Wish and the amazing gift by Lamplighter's administration, each classroom was given a flip digital video camera just before winter break last school year.  Digital Wish is a company seeking teachers and donors to improve the technology in today's schools.  The company is offering a 2 flips for the price of 1 for educators.  The flips make digital videocasting much easier on a mac - as photostory does not work on a mac...
Flip utilizes a program called FlipShare to edit and subsequently share the videos you take.  You can create flip channels, email videos, create movies and DVDs, create greeting cards, and lots more to share videos with families and friends .  To add a video to your blog, you only need to share the video online, then save it as an "other" to be uploaded into your blog, or where ever.  (FlipShare only exports its files as .mp4 files.)
For this thing, I chose to share a video I took while visiting my parents in Iowa a few weeks ago.  Here, we see Grandpa teaching his grandson a truly useful skill...

Thing # 20

YouTube and I go way back.  I enjoy showing movies on occasion to help illustrate a point, though you should always choose and embed your videos ahead of time because you never know what a search may bring up.  For example, this is a search I did for time lapse plants growing, and try to ignore the clip 5 clips down...
I do love some of the funny things you can find on it.  I have sent links to humerus videos many, many times.  Because it is an open source site, if you feel adventurous enough you can add your own movies.  Recently, one of my friends let us know he and his wife are pregnant in a way only Jeff could orchestrate.  (And if you are feeling really adventurous, you can even view his marriage proposal to Jennifer.  Please be sure all small children are out of the room before viewing...)
With TeacherTube, I LOVE the videos Dr. Loopy created for Skyview Elementary school.  This is part 1 of 4 on matter.
To continue our happy post, I leave you with this fun clip:

Thing # 19

Well, this list of web 2.0 sites was created in 2008, so a few of the links and services no longer exist.  I tried to find a more current list, bu was unsuccessful.
Aside from the sites we have already visited, there are lots of sites that are just fun to play on.  I'm not entirely sure how most of them would fit into an elementary classroom - Cocktail builder could be great for a Friday night, but isn't really going to help much in the classroom...  Some are handy around the house.  I'm Cooked, for example, has great videos of cooking instead of just recipes.  You can literally follow along with the internet chef when creating your dish and pause when necessary.  Revolution health will replace your medical dictionary.  (Though, I've learned from experience not to spend too much time looking up my ailments online as you always end up with cancer or the plague...)
Overall, I enjoy many of the sites on the list, some of which I am able to use in the classroom.

Thing # 18

Well, after looking at Open Office, I will say it is would be nice to have office programs at one's finger tips without paying the premium.  This could be very beneficial to schools that do not have the funding to secure office programs.  I also think Google Docs are extremely easy to use and could possibly be used for the same reason, though Google Docs require each user to create an account and I'm not sure if I really want to keep track of every student's account name and password so they can get to their reports again.  (We have a log-in system at school for students to use the computers, and even at the end of the year there are still many students who do not remember their chosen passwords.) 
So, both have their monetary advantages.  I think Google Docs has more opportunities for collaboration, so is probably the choice of adults and older students now.

Thing # 17

Because Rollyo limits the sites students can search from, you can be a little more confident your students aren't going to pull up something inappropriate on accident.  (Nick's unexpected search - 23 player Perdu Dans La Toile - is a FANTASTIC example of why we have to search before class time and not during...)  If you have been bookmarking sites for a long time and collecting sites you know you will want students to use, you are fairly set to make your own roll.  If this is a new project for you and you do not already have sites in mind, this will be a time consuming project for you.  (I could see this being a big deterrent for many teachers.)  It is fairly easy to search other people's rolls to decide if you want to use it or edit it, but, again, if you are not already familiar with the sites you will want to check them out before expecting your students to use them to collect information.
For this activity, I created a roll for insects, a research project done with the 2nd grade at the end of the year. 

Thing # 16

Towards the end of the school year, we do research projects in the first and second grades to help students practice using various sources to gather information about a topic.  One of the resources we use is the internet, using safe search for kids.  Because we are teaching students how to determine if their resource is a credible resource, we generally tell them to stay away from wikis like Wikipedia because anyone can get on them and change the information.  (We do discuss comparing resources to be sure the information on them matches, and to use as many resources as they can find.)  And, yes, I am teaching the students to be wary of Wikipedia even though I regularly use it as a beginning resource, and listen to my husband and his friends quote it like gospel...
As a technology teacher, we have discussed using a wiki to teach various software programs to teachers and as an on-going question/answer forum for the software during the learning process.  The idea being we wanted our teachers to be fluently using the programs on their computers so they could easily teach it to students.  But, teachers are incredibly busy people who don't always have time to corner another busy teacher to ask a question about the program he/she is using.  So, the teacher could post the question and expect an answer from a multitude of other teachers within a day or so.  I honestly think the only reason we didn't use it is because the idea of a wiki can be intimidating to someone who is already technologically challenged (and afraid).  I do, however, think this is something we could probably use in the future as we continually encourage teachers to confront their technological reservations and build new skills and confidence.

Thing # 15

My how the act of reading has changed!  My family and friends have conversations about it all the time.  In camp A, we have my husband and a few of our friends, who love the e-reader apps and e-books.  My husband recently purchased the iPad, with the major selling point for him being he could have an e-reader application that would let him have a book to read no matter where he is.  According to camp A, a story can be woven as long as there are words to read.
In camp B, we have my dear friend Kathryn and a few other friends who absolutely cannot part with paper bound books.  In their opinion, the reading experience is not complete without the weight of the book in their hands, and the smell and the feel of the paper as they turn each page.  According to camp B, giving that up would completely ruin the reading experience.
Camp C includes friends who would very much like to turn their reading into a digital experience, but are unable to because they cannot read the print on the device they are using (generally an iPhone), and to increase the font size enough so that it is readable would transform their books to one word on the screen at a time.  According to camp C, this an unacceptable way to read, as they would have to spend all of their time scrolling.  (I have been told not to laugh here, as it will one day become my fate as well...)
Each camp has very convincing arguments.  Camp B is concerned that books are going to be phased out completely, leaving us a solitary race bent over our personal computers.  (I believe the term "Borg" was thrown out at some point.)  Camp A feels that they are staying abreast with the latest technology, which just happens to meet their story devouring needs. 
I think "Into a New World of Librarianship" does a great job of illustrating how we as educators need to be prepared to succeed in both camps.  We need to be prepared to facilitate camp A, while providing opportunities for camp B to continue to enjoy their reading experiences.  I suppose that would make us members of camp D - enjoy both the bound book reading experience and reading experiences using new technologies. 
On a side note - though I spend a vast majority of my time on a computer, I tend to prefer to read my books the old fashioned way, despite the constant peer pressure from my husband to get an e-reader app.  :o)

Thing # 14

Well, my technorati keyword search for "School Library Learning 2.0" came back with nothing for both blog and posts.  So, I did my own search - kittens.  Yeah, this is definitely not something we can use in our school, as a benign search came back with some very colorfully worded blogs and posts! 
And, of course, the popular blogs, searches and tags page is not currently working. 
Technorati is great for finding what you would like to catch up on in the world.  It isn't wonderful for searching for classroom specific content, but I don't think it is meant for that.  Technorati seems to be more geared towards what people are talking about, even gossiping about, not finding facts about topics.  It is a directory of opinions, which can be a very fun experience, indeed. 
I do think tags can help quickly refine searches and get you to what you are looking for faster.  That can make a huge difference when you only have a few minutes to find, research, and create a lesson.

Thing # 13

I bookmark all of the time on my laptop.  So much so that I have to review them continuously to make sure they are all still working.  AND I have to have my computer with me to utilize them in the classroom.   Delicious alleviates much of this issue.  Delicious is also potentially useful in school because it is easy to share sites being used for a lesson in multiple rooms by multiple teachers/computers.
The interesting thing about sharing is you have to already know someone's username to link your tags to theirs.  Not necessarily hard to do, but it adds a step if you don't already know the username of the person you want to link.  I was able to tag some of my favorite sites on delicious, but don't know anyone's username, so it is difficult to share. 
I do think that in my case, this will be most beneficial in using bookmarks in more than one location.  Because I float from room to room it can be handy to be able to show my students what I want them to see quickly so they can get started on their own work.  Though I have my own laptop that I take with me, there are times when it is just easier to use the homeroom teacher's computer. 
I'm not sure it is feasible to use this with my students, as they are young and each site makes it fairly easy to get into some inappropriate territory on accident.  If I could set up a student specific account, where students could only get onto the sites I have bookmarked for them, it could work.  That could also be nice because students would be able to access the sites they were using in school at home.

Thing # 12

Cool Cat Teacher has a wonderful point about criticism of ideas.  I love how she touches on the high likelihood that at some point someone is going to be very critical of what you have posted - whose main goal is to "steal your enthusiasm for blogging with... unkindness".  Her advice: delete and never look back!  She then continues about how to properly comment for productive reasons - all of which are techniques teachers use daily when guiding students toward improvement.

A common theme among every suggested commenting etiquette sites is to be sure that your comment is adding to the conversation.  Don't comment just to write, be clear and positive about what you want to say to help the conversation.

For my 2 blogs of interest...
 I first chose this one about picky eating.  Although my son is only 14 months, it can be a real battle to feed him.  (Mainly because I refuse to allow him to survive on Goldfish and Graham crackers as he would choose...)  his blog has LOTS of great tips for helping older children eat well.
This blog is set up to help with gardening in the DFW area.  It has lots of ideas and help for gardening in this area - something I struggle with after learning everything I know about gardening in the fertile, Iowa area, and not the desert that is Texas... 

Thing # 11

Well, I grabbed a stack of books - some from my recent Administrative degree, some professional books I read for school, some just books I like.  They were all very easy to add to my library.  Because the results are coming from Amazon, you don't have to even be that exact when searching for the books you want to add to your library.  (My account name is KTucker97.)

As far as the "groups" and "talk" tabs go - I can see they would be really great for creating a book club of some kind.  Everyone could read, add the book to their collection, and discuss it in one of these sections for a designated time period.  Tough part would be keeping up with everyone who wanted to participate, as these areas are all public. 
Personally, I could see it as a challenge to me to read and/or keep up with what others are reading, or see as "must read" books (a very hot topic in my family!).  EX: 1001 Books to read before you die

Thing # 10

I had a lot of fun with the Motivational Posters:

This one, a real-time picture of the kitty.  (Honestly, it is what he is doing right this very minute..)

This, created from a picture taken on a trip I took to Ecuador.

And, of course, one of my favorite place.  (I think I may print this one and use it as motivation to get back there.  I seem to be obsessed!)


I jumped on Wordle to make this using Wikipedia:

Overall, very fun experience.  I could definitely spend way too much time discovering new and different ways to play with my pictures.  For the classroom, I could see using them to help students remember quick tricks or shortcuts with technology, or basic computer rules and expectations.