E-Tools

Fifth Grade Dance

In the fifth grade, the students go to the National Zoo for Science and we continue to work on choreography in dance. The two websites I chose were Read the Words and National Geographic Kids: Dare to Explore. The fifth grade students will analyze the movement of an animal of their choice in order to create a movement phrase that represents that animal. They will first visit the National Geographic Kids site and click on Animals and Pets, then Creature Features. The students will scroll through the animals and choose one. Next, they will read the facts and view the photo of the animal. Then, watch the video. While reading the facts, they are to write down key words from which they can create movement. When they watch the video, they are to describe the movement that they see so that they can either replicate or draw ideas. Once they have gathered all of their information, the students will create a poem. In the poem, they cannot state the animal's name. They can only describe the animal's physical features, movement quality, and habitat.

When the students have completed their poem, then they will visit the website Read the Words. The students will type in their poem or download it to the site. They must choose an avatar and a reader of their choice. Once they are finished, they will download the poem to use once upon completion of their choreography.

The students are to create their movement phrase using their poem as inspiration. Students must utilize the elements of choreography: body, energy, space, and time. Once the dance is completed, the students will have time to rehearse the choreography with their recorded poem. Then they will present their finished product with their peers. The peers are to guess which animal their classmate chose.

Google Docs vs Wikis

I must admit that I have more experience with Google Docs than Wikis. Both programs are web-based, free, and allows others to edit information provided your privacy settings. In detail, Googles Docs offers: word, presentations, spreadsheet, sites, and form creation that can be shared with others. The programs are easily accessible. I find that adding a form or a poll to the Wikispace is not that simple. The other day I was trying to add a widget to my Wikispace. I decided that I wanted to add a poll to see who understood Arts Integration. With Google Docs, I can create a form, which is within the program. With Wiki, it will send you to another website where you have to join in order to create a poll. This was not convenient. Wiki allows for collaboration in one place. As opposed to Google Docs provides multiple formats to edit documents: word, spreadsheet, sites, etc. With Google Docs, you can allow the world to see the information and provide permission for those to edit. With Wiki everyone can edit the information. Wiki has a discussion section. This is not offered in Google Docs as a separate entity. I am still learning about Wiki and Google Docs, but at this time I find Google Docs easier to maneuver and use.

Wiki vs Blog

After watching the initial video about Wiki, I wished I could have used this two weeks ago. Tonight we just finished our 8th Grade Dance Presentation. The students were the choreographers and the costume designer. They had to select music that best represented the message that they wanted to convey to the audience. During the planning stage the students could have used Wiki to share their ideas. They could have created categories of topics that they needed to address and then shared their ideas under each of them. The only downside that I see to using Wiki vs a Blog is that you do not have record of what the previous person noted if it gets erased. At least with a blog, you are able to have running record of a conversation. At times, having a running record can be too much. If you do not have the time to read all of the comments, you may only skim through the comments and miss the important ideas or thoughts.

After creating my on Wiki space, I find it very overwhelming. I did not know where to begin or what my focus should be. As the Arts Coordinator, I find that most of my staff are not comfortable with Arts Integration. Thus, I decided to create my Wiki space around that theme. I find that the Wiki is a good resource and I hope once I finish developing my Wiki, it will begin to be a resource for me and others who would like to implement arts integration.

Blogging Newbie

Wow, it took me a few minutes to figure out how to post on other people's blogs.
Awesome ideas for use of your blog!  I would have LOVED to have access to areas to discuss performances when I was  growing up!  Also it absolutely would be a way for students to study greats.  I can see you just naming artists and allowing students to freely explore the works of those artists and share information, or techniques too.  You definitely would have to pay close attention to copyright issues for performances though.

I love the picture!

Good job!

I like your background and your photo. I had trouble adding a photo but will add at a later date. This blog will be a good way for your students to kindly critique and complement each other. You can also importa video of a performance and have them discuss that.

First TIme Blogger

I have always heard of people creating blogs and inviting me to view their blog, but I never had the time to try it for myself. Watching the YouTube video made it seem easy to do and it was. I enjoyed the opportunity to personalize my blog. I am still not satisfied with the way it looks. I like the fact that it is not a permanent setting. I can change the way it looks or feels at anytime.

I could see this as a good tool for my students when we take field trips to see different dance performances. They can blog about what they saw in terms of costumes, choreography, and performance. They can comment on each others blogs and provide insight to what their classmate may or may not have seen. This could work well with their in class performances too.