Digital Anthropology ~ My, How Times Are Changing

If you're planning on being in London anytime soon and are interested in earning an MA in Digital Anthropology, then UCL is the place to go.  I actually had no idea that the field had developed so quickly but here's their write up.

Digital technologies have become ubiquitous.  From Facebook, Youtube and Flickr to PowerPoint, Google Earth and Second Life.  Museum displays migrate to the internet, family communication in the Diaspora is dominated by the new media, artists work with digital films and images.  Anthropology and ethnographic research is fundamental to understanding the local consequences of these innovations, and to create theories that help us acknowledge, understand and engage with them.  Today's students need to become proficient with digital technologies as research and communication tools.  Through combining technical skills with appreciation of social effects, students will be trained for further research and involvement in this emergent world.

We'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.

Resources I Love

Yes folks, it's time for another edition of Resources I Love.  And to kick it off, what could be better than the ability to locate the other side of the world?  Pop on over to Antipodr, where you can plug in your location and see where you'd end up if you tunneled through the Earth.  It makes for a fun activity as you're teaching geography.  

If you're in more of a poetic frame of mind you need to check out Wordle.  As their website states, 

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

What a super way to create an original bulletin board display.  Have students create their word cloud, print out the work and hang them up.  To add to the visual impact, they can illustrate their work.

And last, but certainly not least, it seems as if Lego is about to launch cell phones and cameras made out of everyone's favorite plastic brick toy.  This probably doesn't count as a true resource yet but I haven't been this excited since the special edition Mr. Potato Head, "Darth Tater."  

While the phone may turn out to be a hoax, we do know, "The company has formed a partnership with Las Vegas firm Digital Blue to manufacture a range of Lego-based electrical goods which are a world away from its traditional toy bricks.  The fully functioning range of gadgets also includes alarm clocks and a so-called 'boom box' - an all-in-one CD and radio player."

I hope you find these helpful folks, or at least fun, and look forward to hearing about what resources YOU are using in the classroom.

TEACHER SHARE

Teacher Feature: Kerri-Ann Ruthven

As part of an ongoing effort to build connections among this fabulous group of educators, we thought you might like to know more about each other. Keep your eyes open for this regular "Teacher Feature."

TEACHER FEATURE:  KERRI-ANN RUTHVEN

What's your favorite picture book?

For a younger audience-anything by Lois Ehlert, she has an amazing gift as an author/illustrator to practically anticipate a child’s questions and curiosities and skillfully incorporates the answers into her books offering entertainment, information and brilliant pictures.  For the upper grades my favorite book  is Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, it appeals to both genders and diverse interests- just a wonderful coming of age story. 

What's your favorite time of year to teach?

Spring, everyone and everything comes back to life!  Especially as a librarian in a school, during the doldrums of standardized testing in the classroom I can offer a refuge through books.  Spring offers so many opportunities too for hands-on learning experiences. 

What's your favorite resource?

Jim Trelease’s The Read~Aloud Handbook.  I refer to it often when talking with parents and teachers and use the annotated bibliography to create book lists, make reader’s advisory recommendations and whenever I need a good read for myself or my family!

TEACHER SHARE

Resources I Love

Hi folks.  I have been running across all sorts of super resources lately and I have to share them with you!  First up, (actually the only one up for today) is Stationary Studio, a super writing resource created by Peggy Healy Stearns, Ph.D. and the fabulous folks at FableVision.

According to the folks at FableVision, the program includes the following features:

226 curriculum-based borders and shapes, expandable to 306 with Add-On Packs

Easy, flexible tools for customizing writing line style, line width, layout, color, and text to suit students’ needs

Dozens of ready made cross-curricular activities aligned with state and national standards

Eight special fonts, including dotted fonts for handwriting practice – or use any system fonts

Create your own activities and save as templates

Multiple print formats including full page, mini-book, postcard, note card and more

“Let’s Get Writing” Activity Book by Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns included as a free PDF

  

As a teacher of young children, I can't wait to try out some of the different formats with my students. The themes alone should keep the enthusiasm level sky high for some time to come.  And keep in mind that Peggy Healy Stearns Ph.D. is the same educator that brought us Neighborhood Math Machine, a definite favorite of mine!

So folks, check out the demo, go have fun writing with your students, and let me know what you think.  Until next time...
  

Teacher Feature: Amy Borrell

As part of an ongoing effort to build connections among this fabulous group of educators, we thought you might like to know more about each other. Keep your eyes open for this regular "Teacher Feature."

TEACHER FEATURE: AMY BORRELL

What's your favorite picture book?

They're too numerous to count.  Just a few right from my daughter's bookshelf: Knuffle Bunny, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Goodnight Moon, Olivia, Rabbit's Gift, Is Your Mama a Llama?

What's your favorite time of year to teach? 

When I was in the classroom, I liked late fall/early winter.  At that point, I felt we had gelled as a class, but still had some of that "fresh new school year" energy.

What's your favorite resource?

Not surprisingly, I am a big fan of online activities.  A few of my favorites are:

Kid's Environmental Report Card

Character Scrapbook

Story Starters

Teacher Share

TEACHER FEATURE: AMY BORRELL

What's your favorite picture book?

They're too numerous to count.  Just a few right from my daughter's bookshelf: Knuffle Bunny, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Goodnight Moon, Olivia, Rabbit's Gift, Is Your Mama a Llama?

What's your favorite time of year to teach? 

When I was in the classroom, I liked late fall/early winter.  At that point, I felt we had gelled as a class, but still had some of that "fresh new school year" energy.

What's your favorite resource?

Not surprisingly, I am a big fan of online activities.  A few of my favorites are:

Kid's Environmental Report Card

Character Scrapbook

Story Starters

Make Your Own Presidential Museum

On the off chance you didn't catch Amy Borrell's Make Your Own Presidential Museum lesson, you should definitely check it out. This is a fun activity that can even be modified for young students. Make sure to click on her resource tab as well; she has some super links, like the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum Video Preview. Enjoy!

Teacher Share

Teacher Feature: Brian Calligy

As part of an ongoing effort to build connections among this fabulous group of educators, we thought you might like to know more about each other. Keep your eyes peeled for this regular "Teacher Feature."

TEACHER FEATURE: BRIAN CALLIGY

What's your favorite picture book?

Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco.

What's your favorite time of year to teach?

I'd say the Fall. As a technology teacher, we do a big unit on weather/current events in September/October with our 5th and 6th grades and hurricane season is in full swing! There are lots of resources and current event stories that match what I'm teaching. It is also very interesting for the students - they love tracking those hurricanes!

What's your favorite resource?

Probably EnchantedLearning - seems to have something for everybody!

Teacher Share

Teacher Feature: Jill White

As part of an ongoing effort to build connections among this fabulous group of educators, we thought you might like to know more about each other. Keep your eyes peeled for this regular "Teacher Feature."

TEACHER FEATURE: JILL WHITE

What's your favorite picture book?

There's a Wocket in My Pocket by Dr. Seuss

What's your favorite time of year to teach?

I love the fall and the beginning of the school year. I love how the children enter class with excitement and anticipation. I enjoy getting to know them and their personalities. Everything seems so new.

What's your favorite resource?

My colleague Ann Powell. She is full of great ideas. Other than that...google.com. I google EVERYTHING!!! Every subject I'm going to teach, I google it. I use webquest.org often along with scholastic.com. I do like Marcia Tate's book, Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites. It's a great resource as well for teachers.

Teacher Share

Dr. Seuss in the Classroom

Hi Folks,

I noticed that a lot of teachers have been viewing my I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today! lesson plan and I thought with Read Across America coming our way I'd toss out another resource or two.   The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden at the Springfield Museums is absolutely incredible.  While it might be a bit chilly to visit right now, you can pop on over to the website to check out Horton, Thidwick and that good old baddie, The Grinch.

Another super resource is The Seuss, the Whole Seuss and Nothing But the Seuss: A Visual Biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel.  Richard Cohen provides a detailed and insightful look at the life of Dr. Seuss in this well illustrated book.  Here's the hitch.  I think it might be out of print so you'll have to make do with a used copy, but it's worth it.

OK all you Seussians.  I'm taking off for Whoville.

Teacher Share

Logo Options - Need Feedback!

We are debating between two logo options for Teacher Share and would like to get your thoughts. The attached logos are shown in black and white so that people can focus on the design rather than the colors. If you have a few minutes during this busy time of the year, please let us know which logo you prefer and why.  Thanks!!

Download site_logo1.pdf

 

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