The first step to use Flickr in the Elementary classroom is to create an individual class account that parents can access as well. If students are old enough, encourage the students to get their own Flickr account as well. After this part is set up, it is time to explore Flickr in the classroom.
One lesson plan I read about was of a teacher who allowed the students to take pictures of nature or of anything. After they have taken the pictures, they download them and pick one to write a poem about. This allows the students to take total ownership of their project. They picked the picture and what their poem would be about. They also get to experience publishing skills as they would share their finishing product with their classmates and family at home through the internet. This allows the parents to stay actively involved with their child’s progress at school cause they can check their work on the internet.
Another lesson I thought about for kindergarten level would be to allow the students to take pictures and write simple sentences about the pictures for them to publish their own book. Obviously the students probably couldn’t type out the sentences. That would have to be done by the teacher, but they could probably access it off the internet. Also, for first graders, they could take pictures of items, label the items, and put them into alphabetical order. This project would be great for ESL and ELL students.
Now, go get Flickred!
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ReplyDeleteKatie,
ReplyDeleteYour blog shows I deleted my comments. It is because somehow I left a letter out of your name and I couldn't edit it. So, I deleted it and rewrote it with your name spelled correctly.
I think these are great ideas. I tried having a page on our school web site, but I wasn't given privileges to putting things on. I needed to do it and save it on a thumb drive, take it to one our our two technology people, and within 2-3 weeks, they would update it, but by then, it was already getting old. So I just stopped doing it. I have taken lots of pictures of the children and put them in my room, but what a better way to deal with this. If I make my own web page just for the music room and give the parents a little business card with both addresses on there (to keep by the computer), they can go in and see. I really like what you wrote. You will be the best teacher ever! Keep up with that therapy! I've been praying for you daily as you continue to heal. Again, I really like what you wrote and I think that when January comes, I'll be ready to give that info out to the parents! When we act out children's books, when we compose songs, I can put them on flickr for all the parents to see. I looked online, to see what sites are saying about parents using the computer to be a part of the students' life with school and was surprised I didn't find much talking about this subject. I know we have parents who are not very involved with their child's school like. Sometimes, they come to a concert and are very pleased to see their children. When we put a video of a performance on the local TV channel on our Comcast network, the parents act like the children are local stars. When they get involved, they are very proud of the children. It is just that some of them do not get very involved. One site, did have some suggestions for parents to use the computer. I also believe that some parents would go on line to see pictures and what is happening who would NOT go to the schools. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/familyandcommunity/workingwithparents/ipratoolkit/ipra_taking_action/Using ICT to encourage home-school links. I do believe this would be one more way they family might link to the school, if they are not doing it already.