Storytelling

Very excited about our new Cool Tools topic this week.  I am creating a story right now using Storybird.  The illustrations are beautiful.  I have a first grade class coming to library soon and I know they will love this.  I will have them help me complete the story.  I will post it here on my blog when we are finished.  My daughter, Ava, is eight and loves to write.  I will show her this great tool this evening and I know she will enjoy using it.  Looking forward to learning more this week.

Laurie
Happy Reading and Blogging!! 

Busy Time of Year

I find myself saying "this is the busiest time of the school year" throughout the entire school year.  I now have many of my classroom teachers collaborating with me on inquiry units.  I read an article recently about using QR codes in education.  I am planning a unit on genres for my 3rd-5th grade students using QR codes.  I am very lucky to have an entire set of iPads to use with my classes.  My incredibly awesome Computer Lab Aide is finding an app for QR codes for me.  I am ready for our next cool tech tool.  I am enjoying posting to my blog and viewing other blogs.  I think I will add a few photos to my blog soon. 

Happy Reading and Blogging!!!
Laurie Alden

Bloggin and Inquiry

I attended another great inquiry workshop at BOCES this week.  My second grade team and I created an inquiry unit for Black History month.  Very excited to get started.  My third grade students are starting their second inquiry unit very soon.  We just completed a desert inquiry unit and now we will start polar regions.  I have been thinking about creating a blog to use with my third graders to use as an assessment piece.  Here is my question?  Is it safe to use a blog provider like blogger.com with my students? 

I would appreciate any responses.

Happy Reading and Blogging!!

Week 2 - Cool Tools for School

I am really enjoying reading the blogs.  I am writing down ideas for my own library blog.  My plan is to work on it over the holiday break.  I have been using all of my free time in the evenings at home and on my lunch break at school reading the Hunger Games.  I know I am way behind everyone else but I had so many other books to read.  Well now I am hooked.  Once I make it through all three books then I will focus some of my evening time on my blog.  I have been talking to my students about this online course.  They love when I go to workshops and learn about great new tech tools.  I have a great group of teachers in my school who also love when I share these tech tools with them.  Looking forward to continuing this online course. 

Happy Reading and Blogging!!

Trying Again....

Here I go again.  I thought I posted a comment when I first created my blog on Monday.  I am very excited about this online course.  I have attended several of Polly's workshops in the past and have used many of the tools to improve my instruction.  This is a very busy time of year for me and I don't have the time to attend workshops.  Taking an online course will allow me to learn about these great tech tools and use them instantly with my students.  I already have many ideas on how I will use a blog with my third graders.  I am also looking forward to networking with so many great school librarians.  I have really enjoyed reading the blogs.  I am finding many great ideas to use on my own library blog.  I am really hoping this post makes it to my blog.  Let's give it a second try. 

Happy Reading and Blogging!!

Laurie