Monday, March 23, 2015

Screencast explanation

The screencast that I did was an explanation of the calendar of events in South Haven, Michigan.  I live there, and love the town. It is a great place to live and visit, especially in the summer. In the screencast I pointed out a few of the most popular events in our town. You should visit soon!

screencast 3

Unable to display content. Adobe Flash is required.

jing test

Unable to display content. Adobe Flash is required.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Laura Ingalls Wilder trail map explanation

I designed a map similar to one that I would expect a class of middle schoolers to create after studying Laura Ingalls Wilder. She was a writer, born on the frontier in 1867. Wilder lived a rough life of a frontier family in several towns, suffering the hardships and misfortunes that most people had in those conditions, including deaths, illness, and terrible winters.

With the help of her daughter, she began recording her stories about growing up on the prairie. She published several books that have become classic children's literature. Fascination with Wilder and her life grew throughout the years and a trail was created so people could experience where she lived and thrived. She died in 1957 a very famous writer.

I thought it may be interesting and educational for students to create a google map showing the destinations on the trail. In place of the standard google map markers, I used pictures of Wilder's actual homes.

Laura Ingalls Wilder destination trail map

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Educational podcasting

TED talks

TED talks are from a non-profit organization devoted to spreading ideas. They began in 1984, using the initials T (technology), E (entertainment), D (design). They cover all topics, ranging from science to business to global issues. They are short, powerful talks which are 18 minutes or less, presented by experts and professionals in their field.

The podcasts I have linked can be found on itunes, and are very informative, covering many different aspects of education. My favorite so far is one by Rita Pierson called "Every Kid Needs a Champion."