// Langwitches Blog

With the wonderful small, but high quality, Flip Video cameras (and similar brands), it has become affordable (around US$ 150) to bring video production into the classroom. The camera is light, handy AND sturdy that even a Kindergartener can use it to show the world their perspective. A great way of making students part of [...]

A new school year has started for us here in the Northern Hemisphere. We are off to a fantastic start. I am working with our 5th grade teacher and class on their Christopher Columbus Social Studies unit. We are looking to involve students in researching the historic figure from different perspectives in order to put [...]

If you are ready to weave global awareness & collaboration into your elementary school classroom, consider participating in the Teddy Bears Around the World Project For the third year, Teddy Bears from around the world are contributing images about their travels, traditions and customs to this blog. Currently, there are contribution from the following categories: [...]

A teacher’s heart smiles when students become creative, enthusiastic and take ownership of their work. This was the case with the 4th grade class at my school. Their classroom teacher asked me to introduce podcasts to her class, she and her students took it from there and RAN… with it… I came to their classroom [...]

Via Kim Cofino on Google Buzz, I found the Google SearchStories Video Creator. I see some great possibilities in the classroom for it. Pre-reading activities Book summaries Introduction /background knowledge Discussion starters Doug Peterson has already blogged about his vision of potential uses in education, as has Kelly Tenkely from iLearn Technology. You will create [...]

You must have noticed that I have been reading and re-reading “Curriculum 21″ by Heidi Hayes Jacobs. I have posted my first impressions and recommendation here and since then have joined and written about the companion Ning to the book here.  I created a Flickr Curriculum 21 group to have a hub for images and [...]

I have added a new visual to the “Skill Set” of ” It’s not about the Tools, it’s about the Skills“. Digital Storytelling Skills

Many times, I see eyes glazing over, when I excitedly speak with parents or administrators about blogging, skyping or podcasting with students. Many of them, unfamiliar with the tools, will immediately feel uncomfortable. Some will automatically and immediately steer the conversation back to what they know: What about learning the basics, like reading, writing, math [...]

One of our first grade classes read the book Flat Stanley by Jim Brown. They sent paper Flat Stanleys to relatives and friends around the country and received images and stories back. Then, inspired by the “worldwide” success” of the “other first grade class’” podcast episode of the Magic Tree House, the six year olds [...]

My 5 year old niece lives in Brazil. I don’t get to see her much… Over this winter break, I was able to share some precious time with her though Skype. I read her several stories as I was showing the accompanying illustrations to her through the webcam. She also read to me in her [...]