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WELCOME TO WEEK 2
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Week 2 (Jan 16 - Jan 22, 2012)
During this week, participants will
- explore some digital tools for writing in the classroom
- see examples of how these writing tools can be used in the classroom for creative writing and research projects
- share ideas on how they would use those tools with their learners
Week 2 Tasks (Jan 16 – Jan 22, 2012)
This week we will look at tools that can be adapted for short research projects and tools that can be used to spark creative writing.
Task 1: Creative Writing: Character, Setting, and Plot
a. Let's start the week with some creative writing! To get started, select one of the four Characters in Column 1, one of the four Settings in Column 2 and one of the four Plots in Column 3. (Your choices will probably not be in the same row).
b. Once you have selected your three pictures (one character, one setting, one plot) write a 50-word story-starter (introduction to a story) based on the pictures. Include as much or as little information as you need to stay within the 50-word limit. Share your story-starter in the COMMENT AREA below. Comment on other participants' story-starters as well.
Task 2: Creative Writing Tools Review
a. Now let's discover some online tools for creative writing. Click on each of the three pictures you chose for your character, setting and plot.
b. After you have opened the links and read through the descriptions of the three tools, choose at least one to share with other participants in our Edmodo Group. Describe your understanding of what the tool does and how you would use it. What age group would you recommend the tool for? What is unique about the tool? Do you see possible problems or limitations?
Task 3 – Collaborative Writing
a. Now that you've had a chance to write a story starter and research various writing sites, let's try some collaborative writing. Below is a list of sites designed to allow multiple writers to collaborate on written projects. Click on a few of these sites and choose one that you think looks like a good place to create a brilliantly creative piece of collaborative literary experimentation:
- BubbleUs Brainstorming made simple
- Entri Get feedback on rough drafts / Jot down ideas and share through Twitter
- Google Docs Collaborative writing
- LiveTyping Collaborative writing
- MixedInk Collaborative writing for groups
- Novlet Collaborative writing of nonlinear stories
- ThinkFree Online Virtual office / Edit documents in your web browser
- TypeWithMe Collaborative writing
- WriteBoard Sharable web-based documents
- Zoho Writer Online word processor - create, connect, collaborate
b. Once you have registered (if necessary) for the site of your choice, read through the story-starters your fellow participants posted in the Comments section on this page. Copy and paste one of the story-starters in your collaborative writing site, add your contribution to the story and then share the link with other participants in our Edmodo Group.
c. Add to the newly-created stories and check in frequently to see where our collective creativity leads us! Enjoy the journey!
d. Are some sites working better than others? Share your evaluation of the different sites with the group in your digital portfolio.
Task 4: Further Exploration: Research Projects and Other Writing-Related Sites
a. To write up fact-based research projects, students need to summarize clearly and concisely. Using tools designed for presentations requires them to reduce information into short, concise statements. Take a look at some examples of written summaries enhanced with images by using presentation tools such as Prezi, PhotoPeach and Sliderocket to write about people, places and processes.
People: Research an author, scientist, innovator, politician…someone who has made a difference.
Example using Prezi: Mary Anning
Places: Research a specific aspect of your city or region, or another place you want to learn more about.
Example using PhotoPeach: The Architecture of Old Montreal
Processes: Describe a process in 10-15 steps. The process could be related to a topic you are studying, a hobby or your field of interest.
Examples of Student Slideshows using Sliderocket:
b. Comment on ideas you might have or sites and assignments you have used in your class for creative or fact-based research writing in our Edmodo Group.
c. Finally, here are a few more sites with interesting possibilities for promoting improved writing skills--feel free to comment on any of your observations or suggestions this week:
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Week 2 Benchmarks - Have I finished?
I have.....
- selected the three pictures (character, setting and plot) to write the 50-word story starter
- shared my 50-word story starter in the comment area below and have commented on other participants' introductions
- explored the three online tools for creative writing and have shared my classroom ideas in our Edmodo Group
- explored the online collaborative writing sites, have chosen one of my peers' starters and have expanded it
- shared my writing expansion based on a peer´s started in our Edmodo Group
- reflected upon the collaborative tools exploration and their use in the classroom in my digital portfolio
- checked examples of written summaries enhanced with images (Prezi, Photopeach, Sliderocket)
- shared educational uses of creative or fact-based research writing tools in our Edmodo Group
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, an international education association
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