Saturday, October 23, 2010

Writing Fun



www.writingfun.com

Writing fun was a tremendous way to model different types of writing to students, the website is set out marvelously and gives examples on how to write different types of writing such as information report, recount, persuasive etc etc




The website clearly sets out a series of steps on how to complete the various types of writing and gives examples for students to follow


Below is an example on how to write a narrative


I would recommend this website for any teacher in the workforce


Maths Online Games













www.mathsisfun.com


There are some wonderful online maths websites for children of all ages. Maths is fun has resources for all sections of the curriculum as well as online games.


Website http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/













This is another great website for online maths games

Who wants to be a mathionare is a exciting and challenging game for grades 3 and above, I have used this website many times on my rounds and the students are always throughly engaged


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Reasonably Clever & Catchment Detox

http://www.reasonablyclever.com/

On this webiste you can create your own lego character

You would direct students to mini mizers and from there you can create your own character

While this website will be a fun activity for kids, the learning value is debatable






http://www.catchmentdetox.net.au/play-game/


This is an excellent online game for focussing on the environment and water health. The object is to build a town and keep it environmentally friendly, students need to make money via chopping down trees and raising cattle but they have to be careful to replenish and replant the trees or you will be in for an environmental diaster.


Different types of animals can be raised such as organic and luxury things can be built such as resort hotels to attract visitors.


I would suggest grade 3 up play this online game becuase it can be quite in depth


Build your wild self & Sketch Swap

More online games and animations

http://www.buildyourwildself.com/


Build your wild self is a fun quick animated activity, where students can create a cartoon type person. Students can make them human or half human and half animal

This is a webiste you can use to continue to give children ideas on how animations are completed and to flood them with ideas they can use in their own time, instead of just jumping on playstation games




http://www.sketchswap.com/

Sketch swap is a cool website where you are able to freely sketch whatever you like and after you submit your sketch someone elses bounces back. There are some small regulations such as it must be an animation and writing must be in english for moderation purposes

There is a small issue with this webiste as you dont know what sketch is going to bounce back, Im still undecided whether or not I would use it in the classroom

This webiste would be fantastic for developing kids hand eye co ordination

Xtranormal - Movie Maker

http://www.xtranormal.com/



Design Your Scene

Xtranormal offers a variety of artistic sets and actors to fill your stage.


Custom Camera Angles

Unleash your inner Spielberg, and leave the camera work to them. You can frame your action by selecting a pre-defined camera shot, making and saving your own setup, or rely on their Magicam option for automatic camera switching.


Drag-and-drop Animations

Quickly bring your characters to life with our patented drag-and-drop animation system available on the web.



This by far the most sophistcated animation program i have come across, with lip snching basically done to a tee.



This would be a website you can use once the students have a feel for producing short animations



Students are required to type dialogue and what happens, therefore not only does it incorporate ICT but has a literacy focus as well



Dvolver - Movie Maker




The above video was created at www.dfilm.com

It is not appropriate for primary school students as the website has a sexual connotation to it

Animations on the internet seem very easy to use and can in general be implemented in the classroom.
Students with a creative side will love the animation programs and will love playing around with different backgrounds, characters and dialogue.

Zimmer Twins



Zimmer Twins


ZimmerTwins is an interactive website that enables students to create their own cartoons


On zimmertwins.com you create your own endings to one of our story starters. You may also create your stories from scratch. So put on your director's hat and you might just be our next featured movie maker!


This can be a fun way to finish a literacy lesson or lesson for ICT



http://www.zimmertwins.com

The net is not the enemy


The net is not the enemy


http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/the-net-is-not-the-enemy-20090809-ee6h.html?page=-1)


This article is talking about social networking sites and the progression from the 1990’s when the internet began to today’s world of facebook, myspace and twitter. The Catholic Church has argued that social networking sites and killing off real life friendships and people no longer talk face to face, when infact I believe it’s the opposite.


A lonely kid of the passed may have sat at the computer and participated in online chatroom’s which were a dangerous place of anonymounity and were barely regulated. These days he would have added people from his class and if not confident enough to chat in person can at least chat to his real friends over the internet through facebook and/or myspace.


Research also suggests that the new communication tools available to young people help enrich their offline friendships rather than commoditise them or replace them with superficial relationships. In addition to these social benefits, a study conducted last year by the University of Minnesota suggested that using social networking sites improved technology and communication skills, boosted creativity and exposed students to new and diverse world views.


Social networking activity taught students how to edit content, to think about design and encouraged the production and sharing of poetry, art, photographs and video content. These students also tended to do better in exams.


There are always going to be concerns over privacy and young people letting the world know too much about their likes/dislikes and where they live etc. It is important to teach these young people about the dangers of posting too much information on the internet.