Tool #3

I used a word cloud to describe my classroom and displayed it on the sidebar. Something like this could be used to introduce a presentation for parents early in the school year as we describe what our prek day is like. Word clouds could also be made using the children's own words to describe anything we might be learning about or as a brainstorming activity before writing a class poem or group story.

I also created an Animoto video (shown below) using some photos I had taken last year of a Gingerbread Man cooking activity done in the classroom. Children would love seeing themselves in videos or books created this way following a special activity, field investigation, etc.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Tool #2

I'm excited about being part of a PLN and sharing ideas and strategies with other teachers. I'm also a little scared since this is so new to me, but I appreciate this opportunity to begin to learn about the new tools that are available to me in the classroom.
I liked the comment about being respectful of one another when commenting. Sometimes I think written comments can sound harsher than spoken ones and we should be mindful of this.

The 5 blogs I commented on: Waves, Polar Bear, Mrs. Boone's Class, Spring Daffodils, and Bellas Orquideas.

(Tool #1) In the classroom...

Children might enjoy hearing their teacher's voice on a blog if I decided to call in and record my own personal message. I could use the Avatar tool to make funny characters on the blog or even create a character from one of the stories we've read. My students could also assist me in creating a blog from a character's perspective and dictate words the character might say.