What are we learning by blogging?

We've been exploring several 2.0 tools, including Blogger and Kidblog, with our Grade One students. Blogger has been particularly enjoyable for them as they love the idea of writing "for the world." Through

 this platform, they're learning the basics of online safety and progressing toward becoming responsible digital citizens. They understand the importance of being mindful of what they share online and are embracing the concept of being responsible while maintaining their privacy.

(Blogger is incredibly straightforward to set up for the class. All you need is an email address, or a class account on Gmail, and the students will quickly grasp how to log in, post, publish, and edit.)

Additionally, we've been experimenting with Kidblog, where the teacher sets up an account for the class and easily adds students and guests. Here, students can showcase their expertise on various topics, and classmates and guests can leave comments. Moderating the comments and inviting other classes as guests is seamless. Each student has a login name and password to access the class blog.

In our efforts to teach digital citizenship, we've found valuable resources online (for K-6) through the Great Kim "Webkinz." These resources are accessible to everyone on "OURPLT.

How do you plan to engage your students in learning the essentials of digital citizenship?

Top 5 Slideshows

We've been exploring various 2.0 tools in Grade 1 and have particularly enjoyed creating slideshows. These presentations are fantastic additions to our classroom because they're user-friendly, visually engaging, and our students absolutely adore them.

Here are some quick examples to showcase the power of these slideshows. (Prepare to meet my adorable furry companion in My Top 5 Slideshows!)

1. Photoshow is a delightful tool for crafting engaging presentations. With its diverse themes like spring, outer space, and old films, it offers plenty of creative possibilities. Additionally, it boasts features such as speech bubbles, stickers, and animations to add flair to your show!

2. Animoto offers incredible slide transitions synchronized with the music. The pace adjusts according to the tempo of the music, creating dynamic visual effects. I particularly admire the text transitions in Animoto. However, one downside is that it can take quite a while for Animoto to process the show.

3. PhotoPeach provides a user-friendly platform for students to create slideshows quickly. The presentations are ad-free, and the creation and processing time are minimal, making it a convenient option for classroom use.Princess Scoutie on PhotoPeach

4. Slide allows for easy creation of slideshows with the freedom to add numerous photos at no cost. However, the presence of advertisements detracts from the overall experience.

5. Domo Animate Slideshow is a fun way to present photos. You can use templates including Willie Nelson to jazz up the show.
GoAnimate.com: Princess Scoutie by iambeamer2