Celebrating Language, Culture & History via Skype
Students from MJGDS and Amirim School from Binyamina, Israel celebrate Jerusalem Day together: Language, Culture & History.
Yom Yerushalaim- Jerusalem Day from MJGDS on Vimeo.
How to Subscribe to MJGDS Podcast Channel
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is an audio file, similar to a radio show, that you are able to listen to anytime and anywhere with a computer or MP3 player (ex. iPod.)
Martin J. Gottlieb Day School Podcast
Our podcast is a continuous collection of episodes that showcases events in the classrooms and highlights curriculum content and student learning. Students learn to express themselves in different media that reinforces their studies.
How can I subscribe to MJGDS’ Podcast?
Click on the MJGDS Podcast Channel Link here. You will be asked to open the link up in iTunes, You can then subscribe to the podcast within iTunes
You can also go directly to iTunes and search for "MJGDS" under Podcast. Click the "SUBSCRIBE" button to automatically subscribe to our Podcast Channel.
You can also subscribe manually to the Podcast Channel:
Copy this RSS feed by highlighting the following, right click and choosing “copy”:
http://www.mjgds.org/podcasts/podcast.xml
Paste them into your favorite podcatcher, such as iTunes.
Click on the Advanced Tab, subscribe to podcast and then paste (right click, then choose paste) the RSS feed.
iTunes will automatically subscribe you to the MJGDS’ Podcast.
Now you are ready to download/sync them to your MP3 player.
Space Real Estate Agents
A Teacher's Heart Smiles when...
A teacher's heart smiles when students become creative, enthusiastic and take ownership of their work. This was the case with our 4th grade class.
We let them listen to various examples of class-podcasts and talk to them about creating a collaborative storyline, that would tie individual audio segments together. We also talked about the importance of voice acting in order to engage an audience.
Students started to get excited as we were brainstorming scenarios for their storyline.
Brainstorming on the SmartBoard
We took a screenshot of the final list and uploaded the image to their classroom blog. Students were then asked to write a short paragraph on the blog detailing their storyline. The class was going to vote for the best storyline to be used for their podcast.
Screenshot of Possible Storylines
From their classroom blogs:
Sabrina M.
I think the plot should be where we go the Kennedy Space Center and Hannah accidentally pushes the button that launches the rocket so we go to all the different planets and then an evil alien says that we cannot go back to Earth unless we can name four facts about every planet. And that’s when we say all our facts.
Josh Z.
Plot: We go into space accidentally and we get a tour of space. After the tour a black hole suddenly says ” take a quiz of the solar system if you get any questions wrong the sun will disappear ” and we take the quiz and the sun doesn't disappear.
Reesa Z.
We should do something where we all were asleep and we had a dream about and alien taking us to the solar system and then he/she would give us a tour about the planets. Then we will talk about our planets. After that we all wake up and realize it was just a dream.
Ryan H.
Real estate agents: Aliens from many galaxies away want to sell, The sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, asteroid belt, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto are on the market from alien Real estate agents. The aliens want you to know 4 facts about each planet in order to buy them. If you dont get all 4 facts for your planet by Friday Earth will be destroyed.
Hanna G.
I think the storyline should be: One night all of the classmates dreamed of aliens coming out of the blackhole and they came to capture us. Then the next day we came to school and we went to the Kennedy Space Center and clumsy Hannah accidentally launched the rocket and then it fell so we had to go back to the class and when we got back the class turned into the solar system. In the solar system we learn about all the planets. When we were done we went to the alien real estate agents to get us back home.
Allie I.
Everybody in the class goes home and goes to bed. They all have the same dream. In their dream, they dream about space and learn about space. When they go to school the next morning, they all figure out they had the same dream and talk about what the dream was in class.
Edyn G.
I think that we should be staying at a hotel and there is not enough beds so we pull out a pull out bed and while every one is asleep it turns into a rocket ship and takes us into space and then it turns into a bus and we tour space and then it turns into a rocket ship and gos back to the hotel.
Montgomery P.
I think the plot should be: We go outside for recess, and Daniel tells everyone to come look at what he found. He found twenty jet packs. So we all take a field trip to all the planets and the moon and sun. So when we get back we put the jet packs back where we found them.
Rachel O.
Our classroom turns into the space shuttle because by accident Josh tripped over a binder and pressed the button and no one knew what it did until they all saw the stars and planets.After they see all the stars and planets the class wants to go and take a look around at them all.Mrs.Raitt says “Ok let’s go!”.We all are looking at the planets and then we go back to school.
Shira D.
I would like to do a news cast where on the news they announce that aliens have captured people and they take then around the solar system and that is my idea!
We booked time in the computer lab to allow students to "play" with Garageband and learn about tracks, background music, splitting, editing and moving tracks.
Mrs. R. created a list of planet facts that each group had to include in their segment and students started to write their script.
Items to be included in script
Once each group finished and exported their segment, we imported these files into a new Garageband project and arranged the segments in order.
Putting Podcast Together
Take a "listen" to these 4th graders "Space Real Estate Agents" podcast. Honor their efforts as
- storytellers
- collaborative team members
- creative writers
- producers
- directors
- audio editors
- podcasters
Leave them a comment, including your location, so they can track their listeners on a Map.
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Middle School Math Wiki- Students’ Thoughts
Alan November's idea of empowering students by making them meaningful contributors as well as tutorial designers is the underlying thought of our Middle School Math Wiki. Students reflect on their work and their learning through the wiki.
Middle School Math Wiki- Students' Thoughts from MJGDS on Vimeo.
Parent Coffee Talk: Shelfari-Your Virtual Bookshelf
The last one in a series of monthly get-togethers for parents was held to learn about social networking, technology, teaching and learning in the 21st Century.
This month's topic was Shelfari, a virtual bookshelf.
We are in a era of personalization and social networks. Reading, although mostly done alone, is also becoming social. Today's Parent Coffee Talk attendees created their own Shelfari accounts and started filling their virtual book shelves with books they have read, were planning on reading and are currently reading. Participants also connected to "friends" on Shelfari to take a look at their book shelves to receive recommendations and read reviews.
The idea of creating a Shelfari bookshelf for or with their own children over the summer emerged.
Behind the Curtains of a Skype Call
In this video, we show you a little bit what is happening behind the curtains of the actual Skype call. Students are discussing some of the Skype jobs they take on during a connection as well as debriefing after the call.
Around the World With 80 Schools- Newfoundland, Canada from MJGDS on Vimeo.
Teaching is the Highest Form of Understanding
Aristotle says:
Teaching is the highest form of understanding
Alan November, in the book Curriculum 21 by Heidi Hayes Jacobs, lists "Tutorial Designers" as one of the six new roles to develop empowered learners.
If these two educators , separated by over 2000 years in history, are right... then we should be pushing students to do just that. We need to give them opportunities to become teachers.
The creation and maintenance of the Math Wiki by our Middle Schoolers was the perfect platform to expose students to an array of design tools to create tutorials for their classmates and other math students around the world.
Take a look at the following tools used and student examples.
Microsoft PowerPoint
PowerPoint
SmartBoard Notebook
SmartBoard Notebook
- Screenshot software
Using Skitch
Google Docs-Drawing
Google Earth
iMovie/MovieMaker
Garageband or Vocaroo (web based recording)
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Global Collaboration and Olympic Podcast
Second grade teacher, Mrs. Bernard. and I have been working with Sarah Soltau- Heller, a first/second grade teacher from Port Hardy, Canada
We started out by collaborating on a Google Doc between teachers. We had an idea section, a time line as well as an area to compile resource links.With e-mail and skype calls we crafted a project that both ends would feel comfortable with (tech skill & time wise).The idea was to collaboratively allow students to create a sports news cast about the Winter Olympics.
Then we created a wiki that would house all the media, information, documentation and resource links for our Olympics 2010 Collaboration project.
Brainstorming with Wallwisher
To stir enthusiasm even further for the second graders on our end, Sarah arranged for a Skype interview with one of the Olympic torchbearers from her home town.
Interview with Olympic Torch Runner from langwitches on Vimeo.
Within our schools we collaborated with Mrs. Gutterman, the art teacher, and Mrs. Leonard, the librarian to pull in more resources and connect what students were learning and experiences with other subjects.
Learning about Orcas from Canada
Learning about Orcas via the Arts
Learning about the Sport of Curling
We created a VoiceThread with images of all the sports disciplines represented in the Winter Olympics. As students were learning about each sport from books, TV at home or videos shown in school, they were to take note of facts or other helpful information to be recording in an audio comment on the VoiceThread.
The VoiceThread then became the primary source of information for the students for background information as they prepared their final Sports Newscast script.
Students recorded their sports segment of the podcast, alternating between students from the USA and Canada, to produce an international newscast.
We also arranged for the students to practice and play the Winter Olympic Wii game of Curling. Each class practiced individually.
Practicing Curling on the Wii
Cheering each other on
When then arranged a day and time to have a final competition. Unfortunately we had an accident on our end and our Wii console fell and would not operate. We still sang the Canadian and American National anthem for each other and watched the Canadian team do their Curling via Skype.
Singing the National Anthem of Canada and the USA
Besides learning about Winter Sports, the objective of the unit was global awareness, sportsman ship, patriotism, learning about other countries and flags.
For the teachers and students, the Olympics 2010 was an incredible adventure of international collaboration. Take the time to listen to our collaborative newscast between our second graders and the first & second graders from Canada.
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Skyping with Andrew Evans from Bus2Antarctica
Here is another example how cross grade level & subject collaboration among teachers and students, social networking and communication can take teaching out of the confines of traditional classroom walls and into a 21st century learning arena.
I follow Andrew Evans on Twitter. Nothing extraordinary, since I follow more than 1400 people, but... Andrew was not tweeting about classroom projects or the newest tool to improve teaching and learning. Andrew, sponsored by National Geographic, set out in January 2010 from Washington, DC/USA to travel by bus all the way to Antarctica (...well with a boat ride here and there).
Using Twitter, Andrew allowed his 2500+ followers to experience alongside him his journey through the US, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina all the way to Antarctica... All by bus...
What an incredible experience. Andrew also blogged about his adventures on the National Geographic Intelligent Travel Blog. Since our 8th graders are studying South America, I felt it could not hurt to try to contact Andrew to see if he would be available and willing to skype with our students to tell about his adventures and answer questions. I contacted him.... and he said YES!!!!
We set up a day and time to skype. On my end , I involved Mrs. R, our Middle School Social Studies teacher, and Mrs. Z, our 5th grade teacher, to prepare their students by reading through the Andrew's blog and explore the @bus2antarctica Twitter feed "backwards'.
It was a wonderful opportunity to have 8th graders and 5th graders working collaboratively. The older students were charged with preparing relevant interview questions, guiding and mentoring 5th graders on how to go beyond questions that require "yes/no" answers. 5th graders were in charge of documenting the skype connection via their blog, flip and digital camera, backchannel (we use TodaysMeet.com) and entering data into a form, which goes to a spreadsheet.
Prepping for Skype Call
Skype call with Andrew Evans
Here are a few questions students asked:
By Marni S.
Why has going to Antarctica always been your life-long dream?
What was going through your mind when you were crossing the Strait of Magellan?
How did you get National Geographic as a sponsor?
What was it like getting on a plane and flying home in a few hours after 6 weeks of driving in buses?
Did you learn any new languages on the trip? Or new words in language?
By Shaina P.
I read that you were on a bus with a few Israeli's. Did you learn any Hebrew from them? If so, what?
How did National Geographic support you on your trip.
What was going through your head when you crossed the straight of Magellan?
What were the different weather experiences you encountered?
Was the Mate good? What did you like about it? What did it taste like?
Video Taping and taking Digital Images
Live Blogging during Skype Call
Data Entry of Facts we learned about
Backchanneling
Download our backchannel pdf from the Skype call here : Bus2_Antarctica_Backchannel
Third Graders connecting with Helsinki, Finland
Global Awareness, according to The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, includes:
- Using 21st century skills to understand and address global issues
- Learning from and working collaboratively with individuals representing diverse cultures, religions and lifestyles in a spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue in personal, work and community contexts
- Understanding other nations and cultures, including the use of non-English languages
According to the National Geographic Roper Public Affairs Report 2006- Geographic Literacy Study (pdf),
Young Americans appear to stick close to home, reporting limited contact with other
cultures outside the U.S.
- Three-quarters (74%) have traveled to another state in the past year, but seven in ten (70%) have not traveled abroad at all in the past three years.
- Six in ten (62%) cannot speak a second language “fluently.”
- Nine in ten (89%) do not correspond regularly with anyone outside the U.S.
- Only two in ten (22%) have a passport.
Raising global awareness and making global connections for teachers and students has been one of my goals this year.
Third graders have had opportunities to connect live via Skype to Italy, Israel, New Zealand, Finland, Canada and various states within the USA this year.
Allison Quinn, the teacher from Finland, wrote a reflective blog post about our connection:
They asked and answered great questions that highlighted both the differences (geographically and culturally) and similarities – this was so key. The similarities now seem insignificant – two kids on opposite sides of the ocean have art as their favourite subject – both groups of kids like pizza, the same TV shows – and the same Hannah Montana song. But these seemingly insignificant shared pieces of pop culture astounded and united the kids who were oceans away from each other.
Although seemingly insignificant, these kinds of interactions contribute to a connected feeling, they contribute to a global awareness, that otherwise would not exist.
Seeing students being aware of a bigger world than their own backyard is a first step towards global education. Hearing students use names of far away countries, talk about different languages, cultures and traditions as if they were frequent travelers and jet-setters is a step in the right direction.
Take a moment to watch and listen to our third graders talk about what had surprised them when skyping with third graders from Helsinki, Finland.
Skype Connection:Jacksonville- Helsinki from MJGDS on Vimeo.