Arts and Literacy
Tonight I attended a discussion in TappedIn called, Arts and Literacy, and it was so neat! We discussed how several forms of art (e.g. photographs, paintings, primary sources) can spark a student’s interest in a lesson. Our host showed us several cool sites that offer free art visuals.
My favorite site was: http://www.humanclock.com/index.php
This site shows you a different picture for each minute of the day, and you can see the pictures in digital or analogue time. This would be a cool way to teach time and numbers to kids, or inspire you to make your class time or calendar clock- so much potential lies here.
For my complete list of neato web sites, check out: iKeepBookmark.com
This discussion showed me how close art and literacy is. Also, incorporating art into your curriculum shows your students that other subjects, such as science or social studies, do not have to be boring. With some creativity, we can enjoy any subject.
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)DoppelMe
I tried creating an avatar, and loved it! At DoppleMe.com, you can create a funny, cartoon you, aka your avatar. You can then use your avatar as your picture in blogs or IMs, etc. I thought this would be a cool (and quick) way to give your students a personality for class blogging. Earlier I mentioned using blogs as a way to integrate technology into the classroom. The reason I like this idea so much is because it offers everyone, even your shy kids or those who need more time to think, a chance to participate. If they create an avatar, they may enjoy their blogging experience more.
The only thing to watch out for is that DoppelMe has a section where you can buy pieces of clothing. It lets you use real money (e.g. PayPal) to make your avatar cool. So, when using this in class, be sure to explain to your students that they can only choose free items! If they understand that it is a privilege to create and use avatars, they should (cross your fingers) abide by the rules.
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