Student News: April 29, 2005


by the Scholars of Room 208


This week after vacation, we started Podcasting (click here to hear the show, and hear some students explain what Podcasting is). This week we used a little recorder, headset, and microphone to record everything for the podcast. One student went around and asked what the word possible meant to [people] for the "Word of the Week." We also got permission from Aaron Shepard to do his play called, "Lightning Larry." We've been practicing, hoping we will perform [it] next week. We're excited to do some more podcasting.

Also this week, we are starting research on Northeastern Native Americans. We are writing facts about them in our packets. The packet is called IIM. books. IIM. stands for "Independent Investigation Method." So far we have learned a lot about Native Americans. We have learned about Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and the Micmac Tribes. They are all part of a big group called the Wabanaki. We need to pick one subject --- either shelter, food, clothes, and so on. We are having a lot of fun with this project so far!

The third thing is [that] some artists came to watch us make Visual Conversations in our computer. Their names are Marni and Jennifer. Visual Conversations are designs that you make to explain something that's happened or is going to happen. In computer, we made visual conversations on a program called Image Blender . Image Blender is a program that makes it easier to make designs or visual conversations. If you draw a picture on Image Blender you can make it 3D or black and white. The artists showed us some of their Visual Conversations. They had beautiful colors and designs that made you feel happy.

Finally, this week we [had] Author's Chair. Emily J. read her story, "The Dream" (which you can hear on the podcast). Emil J.'s story won 2nd place in the Literary [Achievement] Awards for 3rd grade. Author's Chair is when you read a story that you wrote, and then when you're finished you be quiet and people give "warm" and "cold" feedback. Warm and cold feedback is when you give comments about when you like things or feedback that you need to work on.Then you talk about the comments or questions that stand out to you. We have Criteria we follow too. It has "Reader" and "Audience". "Reader" is: Look up, Don't get upset, Use Voice, Make sure everybody is listening, Be Serious, [and] Don't "Dis" yourself. For "Audience" there is: Don't Talk while the reader is reading, Stay on Topic, Don't get upset, Don't call out, No "Dissing", Tell WHY and EXPLAIN Feedback, and Everyone Participate. That is what Author's Chair is.

Posted: Thu - April 28, 2005 at 02:36 PM
         

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