V.R.Burton’s Blog

This post was copied from my professional blog Last summer I took part in PBWork’s Summer Camp and learned lots of resources, tools and tips to use in my class. That was also the summer of my 1st Tweet. I say my first tweet because my PLN did not blossom and bloom until I began [...]

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Third Annual Summer Camp- Limited Enrollment It’s time for the 3rd annual PBworks Summer Camp – the ultimate way for educators to learn how to use wikis in their school. Summer Camp participants will learn the ins and outs of using PBworks, including how to build a secure student-led site, the best way to integrate [...]

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 Check out http://www.go2web20.net/ It has a directory of Web 2.0 tools and resources. The tags can help you maneuver your way around.   Web 2.0 Tools and Applications on one page.  Use the list view and get a short description and review so that you can see what people are saying about each one.    Take [...]

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It’s the greatest time of the year for us in Louisiana, It’s test prep season.  Whoo Hoooooo.  Yes, I know that technologically alllll year is test prep season, but those few weeks right before testing are the most intense.  I constantly look for ways to use Web 2.0 tools and technology to help my students.   [...]

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Recently my students created onl-line arcade games around a novel that we have just completed.  Thanks to my Twitter PLN and  @russeltarr and his Classtools site, my students created a game to help them review for an upcoming test.  In groups, they accessed an Etherpad workspace that allowed them to collaborate with one another and [...]

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Recently, my son received what I expect to be the first of many scholarship offers.  I say that I expect more because he is a great, smart, clean cut student who has never been any trouble.  He is a school teacher’s son and a school teacher’s grandson so as far as I am concerned certain [...]

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I have just put in my preferences for my travel itinerary for the ISTE 2010 Convention.  This trip is a gift (prize) from the wonderful people at Intel.  I am one of twenty educators who were chosen as winners of the Intel Inspiring Educators competition.  The prize is an all-expense paid trip to ISTE 2010 [...]

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This school year we are using PhotoPeach and Animoto for our digital storytelling needs.  I have used Window’s Movie Maker or Photo Story.  PhotoPeach and Animoto were both easier for the kids to use than the programs included with Windows. Click the links below to see movies  from class. Jeri’s movie, Roshon’s movie, Alex’s movie, [...]

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My class has taken advantage of the world wide web to make friends with people who do not live in their neighborhood.  Their state and even their country.We have made contact with 2 schools from different parts of the world.  We are sharing a wikispace with students from Grimmelshausen Gymnasium Gelnhausen, Germany, www.grimmels.de and we are Googlewaving and Skyping with [...]

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Blogging Challenge 2010 It’s Blogging Challenge time. I want us to be ready to participate and do WJHS proud. I have done my homework. I have “pimped out” our blog (and you have been asked to pimp out yours as well.) You will need to post and comment often on this blog, your blog and [...]

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Next week my students will select a story from a list that I have prepared for them and present it to their classmates.  They must follow a set list of requirements to receive credit for the assignment.Short Story Setup They must first set up another blog or wiki that is designed around your chosen story. [...]

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Here is my new curriculum focus for 2010: Reading, Riting, Rithmetic and Rules of blogging, commenting and netiquette.   I should be lounging and vacationing but alas I am planning, preparing, delaying (I have essays to grade.)   2010 is around the corner and I am not ready.  There are tons of things that I [...]

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Just made a video on Animoto called “Thank You M’am”: http://bit.ly/5pq6he

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Here are new production tools Dipity -http://www.dipity.com/:  For making timelines Voki -http://www.voki.com/:  For talking Avatars Mash-Up of Avatar Makes – http://mashable.com/2007/09/12/avatars/ Glogster – http://www.glogster.com/ Image Chef – Visual Poetry: – http://www.imagechef.com/ic/poem/ Online Presentation/Powerpoints (can be embedded) http://www.sliderocket.com/ Flipbook:  http://www.flip.com/ Online Magnetic Poetry – make a poem about your topic, take a screenshot, post an image [...]

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I came into contact with a teacher who wanted to collaborate with an English speaking class.  We ”met” through a summer online course offered from PBWorks.  Our initial contacts were feelers to see what and how we could collaborate.  The focus of our original collaboration was to complete wikis together and use them as a way to share [...]

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Okay, once again all hail Twitter.  I found out from one of my Tweeps about  Microsoft Office 2010 Beta earlier today and I have downloaded it and I am playing.  I am in lovvvvve.  (Hopefully the love will last but for now it is sweet like the honeymoon.)  So far I have sent two blog [...]

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I have copied a blog post for my English I class.  We are currently reading Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington.  We are reading the story (with either a podcast of me reading the story or a student volunteer. )   Our assignments so far have been to generate: a timeline of national and personal events from the [...]

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First of all I would like to apologize for the inundation of electronic devices for you to keep track of and to use for class.  I am trying to consolidate a guide for each of us to follow.  SOCIAL MEDIA Our means of communicating with one another is as follows: Edmodo for a message board.  We [...]

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This link will take you to the Folger site where you will find an abundance of excellent resources.  One of which is a how to about making podcasts with Shakespeare.  As you see from the video the students get pulled into the assignment because they have the ability to create something CREATIVE from their schoolwork.  [...]

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Please do yourself a favor and check out.  TeachersFirst: Online Tools   Be sure to bookmark this site.  Here you will find a plethora of online tools to use.  You can find everything from rubrics, interactive graphic organizers, worksheet builders, letter writer generator, posters, and a “partridge in a pear tree.”  Peruse and enjoy. 

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