Martha Snider’s Blog

Wow, what a week!  I’m sure there’s somebody who has been blogging and Twittering up a storm.  My only claim to fame so far are my pictures from Monday and Tuesday.

The San Francisco tour was fabulous.  Our guide, Christopher, really knew his San Francisco lore, a Herb Caen on wheels.  If you don’t know of Herb Caen’s journal and literary contributions, you can get a feel from the San Francisco Chronicle archives.

Wednesday and today had their fair share of highlights, too. As the saying has gone this week: “But Wait! There’s more.”

By a quirk of fate, I traveled through the Marin Headlands on Saturday, June 27th.  You might remember me as the local who quoted Mark Twain’s impression of San Francisco in the summertime.  June 27th was an exception to the rule as much as Twain’s quote is falsely attributed to the author according to Snopes http://www.snopes.com/quotes/twain.asp.  The San Francisco Bay Area weather was crystal clear without a cloud in the sky, 78 degrees with little wind until late afternoon.  Of course, this meant that in the Central Valley where I live, the temperature range was 108 in Stockton to 110 in Sacramento.  We won’t talk about Redding, Red Bluff, Fresno, or Bakersfield.

What will the weather be July 13-17?  Chances are it will be cold and foggy as usual.  Yet, you may want a pair of shorts, swimsuit, and beach towel on the outside chance that we get another heatwave.  Overall, our weather has been unseasonably cool so we’re probably due some heat.  You can check out July’s average and not so average temperatures at Weather.com, either Sausalito or San Francisco,
http://www.weather.com.

Since we were taking the cool scenic route back home from Santa Rosa, the afternoon in the Marin Headlands provided some additional information for our upcoming DEN Institute.  Other than the swimsuit, I was reminded about the abundance of hiking trails, including a great 1 mile round tripper to Point Bonita Lighthouse.  

There’s also an array of bunkers and other defensive positions dating back to the 1800’s to explore.  Closed-toed comfortable walking shoes should be on the packing list.  Even if we don’t walk too much in San Francisco on Tuesday, take it from this five years in the City girl; you want your comfortable footwear.

While we’re on the subject of hiking, there is poison oak in the area.  If you venture in the brush and woods at all, it will find you.  At the Welcome Center, I got this photo to let you know what poison oak looks like at this time of year.

After checking with Lance, I understand the beach is not far at all from where we will be staying.  There are regular beach showers and bathrooms so that you don’t have to walk the extra bit back to the barracks.  If you are one of the West Coast locals like me and driving in, bringing some beach gear to share is probably a cool addition.  Such things as lawn beach chairs and a cooler might be handy at the bonfire, too.  You can get driving directions and other valuable information at the Headlands Institute site.

Is there a marine biologist or science teacher in the crowd?  You’ll love the Marine Mammal Center just up the hill from the barracks.  On the Saturday Saturday we were there, they had 118 harbor seals and sea lion yearlings they were trying to save.  If there’s time, you might learn how to feed one.

My last noteworthy “discovery” is that there are areas around our barracks where my AT&T cell phone worked just fine.  Stick with what we were told and don’t plan on your cell phone.  There is a pay phone in the barracks area.  Does anyone remember how to use a calling card?  Oh, never mind!  Somehow we’re getting access to the Internet for Skype, right?

Depending on your travel plans, there are a couple of us that will be hanging in San Francisco Friday afternoon waiting on late flights.  You are welcome to join us.

Got any questions about the San Francisco Bay Area?  I’d be happy to help.  For other information about DEN NI 2009, please check out that blog @ http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/national-institute-2009/.

RSVP by Friday May 29, 2009 @ 11:59pm.

We spent quite a bit of time on using our iGoogle account with DE Streaming and the DEN. More about that later. Just now we’re working with Voki. At our June 2nd DEN event, we’ll be doing more. Here’s my latest Voki that is showing how Voki could be used in Social Studies.

Get a Voki now!

This past week would lead one to believe that we bypassed spring and went straight to summer.  HOWEVER, this weekend is suppose to be cool, if not rainy in NorCal.  That being the case, it’s a perfect reason to curl up with your laptop and enjoy the DEN Virtual Conference April 25th.

OK, no laptop… Your desktop with big cup of cocoa will do just as well.

So what’s a Virtual Conference?  Basically, you attend a one day conference from the comfort of your favorite Internet connected location. The price is excellent, “free.”  For Saturday’s agenda and more details, please visit the National DEN Blog.

Here’s what you need to know:

Date and time: Saturday, April 25, 2009 6:00 am
Pacific Daylight Time (GMT -07:00, San Francisco)
Change time zone
Program: DEN Webinars
Duration: 8 hours
Description: Connect with educators from all over the country during this unique professional development experience where you can attend, in-person, online or both!

The DEN Virtual Conference is a national event that provides educators a unique opportunity to experience Discovery Education’s high quality professional development. Participants have the flexibility to attend the DEN Virtual Conference online or in-person at one of many regional events hosted by the DEN Leadership Councils.

BE AWARE!  The keynote is at 6am.

To register and or sign in, click here.

August 12, 2008–The Lodi DEN held its first event of the 2008-09 school year.  With the help of an otterpop and DE Streaming videos about icebergs, Lodi educators took a respite from the San Joaquin Valley heat at Ronald E. McNair High School in Stockton, California.  Returning STARs, including Heidi Burri from Lodi Middle School, helped first timers join the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) and move straight onto becoming a STAR.  The vehicle we used to help attendees through the process of learning about the DEN and becoming a STAR member was a newly created DE Streaming assignment, “Icebergs For Educators.”  Attendees were looking to share their experience at their school sites during Common Planning Time (CPT) the next day.  Our next event is September 15th at Lodi Middle School, 3:30-5:30.

If you’d like a copy of “Icebergs for Educators” prior to its posting in Media Share, please contact me.

What’s a NIng? By Wikipedia definition, a Ning “is an online platform for users to create their own social websites and social networks, launched in October 2004. Ning was co-founded by Marc Andreessen and Gina Bianchini.” For school, the unique features of a Ning help educators take advantage of using web-based tools that our students, digital natives, already know outside of school. Ning use allows educators to create their own secure custom “academic” network for a particular classroom, school, or district instructional need. Nings have been used by educators world-wide with great success. My first introduction to ning use was through my participation in CUE, ISTE, and Discovery Educator Network (DEN). Ning features were customized so that participants can easily upload multiple formats, Including .doc, .ppt, .xls, and .pdf. Additionally, instructional materials and student developed projects that include picture and video file formats may be used. Uisng a Ning in conjunction with DE Streaming and other DEN resources provide educators with even more possibilities.

Here’s an article about the how 21st Century tools–including blogs, wikis, and nings–address NCLB.
http://www.nea.org/esea/21stcenturynclb.html

How much realia can you really bring into your classroom?  Think Tech Green and master the techniques for sharing virtual realia with your students using a green screen.  Green screen?  What’s that?  It’s a backdrop like the weather person uses to show the maps of the globe.  Essentially, you can place anyone 0r anything any place.  Here’s a brief intro to how to set up a green screen environment.

Once upon a time we tacked a white cloth up on the wall to make an extra overhead or LCD screen.  Now, look for two bright Kermit green clothes, one for the wall and one for the floor.  If you want different levels, more clothes on boxes, or stage platforms.

You and your students wear any costume, just nothing green.  If you wear green on green, then you’ll be a talking head or some other crazy looking creature.

Before you record:

1.  Write your story with the background in mind.

2.  Find the background images and video to fit the story.

3.  Rehearse the delivery of your story.

4.  Record your story with the green screen.

5.  Merge your green screen video with your images/background video.

6.  Edit and polish your project.

That’s the basics.  Want to learn more?  Watch for upcoming Lodi DEN events….

Steve talked about a lot of things this morning. I’m trying to embed my first video clip in a blog. What you should see is known as LodiUSD’s “Web 2.0 School.” This presentation was originally made to our School Board in May 2007. I updated it in May, 2008. It was posted to the web with my Google Teacher Academy application.