Joan+Bennett

ok - this is still quite different and new to me-- I have been basically exploring as many different technology devices as I can and just jumping in and doing it With the HSP class - we have been using Passport to the Internet - interesting but need the follow up sheets as it is too easy for kids to just keep pushing buttons until they get a "pass" without actually reading or learning

Have primary classes working on Bit Strips - responding to an ebook we "read" from TumbleBooks through the Toronto Public Library Link -the kids love this - a different way to hear a story - they were supposed to create a bitstrip using OFIP type strategies to determine whether the main character was telling the truth (honesty theme) or if it was all a "dream" like Wizard of Oz -- maybe too much - so changed it to creating a comic strip on the importance of telling the truth - still waiting for results - we only have 9 computers so can only do half the class - pairing up proved ineffective in one class so we are doing a comparison with half doing a comic strip using paper and pencil - the other half on computers - eventually they will shift - we did have the presentation from FREEZE DNA - so both methods are practical

attended a workshop on how to combine Smart Boards with Read and Write Gold -- I have to say that Smart BOards are still a bit overwhelming - there are so many tools/applications it is hard to make it all manageable -- I also don't have any Smart BOard materials ready made - again time is a factor that complicates use - need time to prepare materials and never seem to have enough