Alphabet Adventure: Learning how it works
Posted by learnconnect on October 19, 2007
Did you notice that the Alphabet Adventure Web site has two main areas: the Alphabet books and the class Web pages ?
The book pages are where your students will post their images and sounds files. And the class Web page is a reflection AND tool communication which you use to communicate with peers and with parents.
These areas may have different purposes, but you essentially create them in the same way, technically speaking. So now is the time to look into how you will be creating your book pages and your web pages.
PLEASE NOTE: I can’t make a URL link here directly to a page in the private teacher area of the site because you always need to login. So your starting point will always be the public teacher area where you enter your user name and password. Sorry ‘bout that.
Once logged in, go to the “Project Resources” and then into the “Instructions” folder. There are two documents under the heading “Publishing on the site”. Print them!
Your first task: Create a mascot for your Class Web Page
As part of the process of making your students aware that they are part of a GROUP that is contributing to an on-line book, discuss with them the idea of having their very own mascot, logo or visual identifier.
The children easily recognise logos such as MacDonald’s, Wendy’s or the Montreal Canadians (or any sports team they love for that matter!) They understand that these stand for something, that they carry meaning (pre-reading and pre-writing). You could suggest that they come up with a way to identify their class so that, when they or their parents go to the list of class web pages, the picture will stand for them and they will be able to recognise it.
This could be a drawing, a picture of the class mascot, or any other digital representation. The important thing is to make it part of the class discovery process.
You post this digital image through the side menu “Class Web page” (see instructions you just printed). It’s as simple as browsing to locate a file on your computer and then clicking on a “Submit Modifications” button.
This step is not technologically difficult and will help you become familiar with the project interface.
If you need instructions for creating the mascot picture, for example, putting an image on your computer from your digital camera, resizing an image, scanning and saving, using image creation software, email me and I will post the instructions for all to see.
Question: how do you think you will use the class Web page in your project process?
Christiane Dufour
October 19th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Hi again,
Great ideas for the class mascot – I like the idea of linking it to a logo. We have taken the first step and looked at the AAG site as a class (gr.1). The kids were excited! I plan to use the website to keep them hooked and to interact with parents. We look at it together by hooking up the computer to a projector. This is great for class discussions. I have gathered all my parent’s email addresses and will be creating a mailing list so that I can email parents and tell them to check out our site whenever we add things to it.
October 19th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Hello,
My class is truly excited about the aag project as well. I cannot wait to show them our web site. The logo you are talking about, should that be used to replace the happy face that appears by defect beside our name on the list of participants?
Iam planning to use the class website in the way as Colleen. I know the parents will love to see what is happening in our class.
October 22nd, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Hi Veronique,
Yes, that classroom logo or mascot will replace the happy face that you currently see when you ask to see the class Web Pages.
Christiane Dufour
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I had originally gone on the website and changed the “happy face” mascot to a picture that I had on my computer – the empty classroom. I also made up our nickname to “Mrs. Lynch’s Eager Readers. After reading your explanation of getting the kids to take ownership of the website and including them in making up the mascot and nickname we did some work on that. I used the projector to show the kids the website. They were very excited. Many of them wanted the address so they could show their parents. We talked about mascots – at games. We brainstormed some animals and then the kids went to work designing some mascots. I picked a few out of those and will have the class vote on them. On another day we brainstormed some I and K words and I gave the class an opportunity to choose which letter they wanted to do. Twelve kids will do “I”and twelve will do “K”. We plan to write sentences to go with our letters. We have more work to do on this.
November 16th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Studetns will create their own logo, so they will be able to view our class web site faster. Great idea! I can’t wait to get started.
I wanted to know, on average, if many parents participate in the class web page since I will also begin a parent mailing list.