Google Art Project Reflections

Background

I had heard about Google Art Project but I had never really taken the time to sit down and play with it. I had a chance to learn more about Google Art Project at a Google Apps Summit. All the ideas I am sharing in this post are a result of the workshop I went to run by Jim Sill.  As with many things, it is something that older students could be taught how to use and then be set free with. However, as a grade two teacher, I did find some useful applications.

Teaching Art

The most obvious application is to use Google Art Project when teaching art. In my grade two class, I have an artist of the month that is connected in some way to the type of art the students will be creating that month. For example, in September, I teach students about line and so the artist of the month is M. C. Escher (who is NOT in the Google Art Project).

One of the activities I have the students do is experiment with their pencils what kinds of lines they can make- thin, thick, squiggly, straight, light, dark, etc.  Next year I plan to use this pencil drawing, An Elephant, to illustrate using a variety of lines in one drawing. I would use the cool zoom feature (discussed more below) of Google Art Project to zoom in to take a closer look at the lines that make up the elephant. 

Zoom

You can zoom into artwork. Very cool for encouraging/teaching art appreciation. You can a create a link to a particular part zoomed in. To do this you have to be signed in (EPSB staff automatically have an account through Google Apps) and you have to add the image you want to zoom into to YOUR gallery. It will prompt you to create a gallery if you do not have any set up. For example, I created a link to the image on the left to show my class. When you mouse over the image you will see another image appear in a black box on the right hand side. It will allow you to zoom in further or zoom out to the entire picture. You could use this as a whole class experience on the Smartboard or you could have students explore art more deeply on their own individually. With grade two students, I would recommend providing them with the links/images you want to explore (you could post these on SchoolZone).

There is a user-created gallery within Google Art Projected titled Zoom In Thinking Routine. "The purpose is to get students to focus on the detail of the images and then gradually reveal the greater context of the image as the students discuss their thinking. Thus stimulating thinking and ultimately activating their creative thought processes." I love this idea! It could be used when learning about an art technique or to inspire more detailed writing. Perhaps even giving the zoomed in shot to inspire creative writing and then only show them the full picture after! 

• Zooming In for Stimulating the Creative Thought Process

Street View and a Virtual Field Trip

You can visit art galleries using Street View. The 'peg man' allows users to walk through parts of major art galleries. It also may be worth discussing with students how these things are available on the Internet. People have to take pictures of them. 

I do a Van Gogh unit each year to teach oil pastels and texture. This year my students will be going to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam! Not only will students have an opportunity to see what the inside of a famous art gallery/museum looks like and how they are set up, but they will be able to explore the artwork as described above. When a piece of artwork in a museum has a black and white icon near it (like the example on the left), users can select it to explore the artwork. 

Compare

Another cool feature is the ability to compare two pieces of famous art side-by-side (notice the yellow compare icon in the screenshot to the left). This is not something I might use regularly with my grade twos. However, I teach pointillism and then impressionism. I think showing a zoomed in side-by-side comparison would be a great segue between the two projects. 

Search and Refine

The tools for navigating around Google Art Project are fairly simple to learn. They have a search function and a refine function to help the user find what they are looking for.

The search function will bring up not just the artwork or artist you are looking for but the collections they might be stored in and user generated galleries. 

This is not a database of every famous work of art. There are many artists you will not find.

Limitations and Cautions

As a Canadian educator, one limitation of the Google Art Project currently is the limited number of Canadian collections it currently offers. Hopefully in the future this will be expanded. For example, I would love to see an Inuit art collection!

As well, as mentioned above, it does not include every famous artist. It also does not include the entire body of work for each artist within its database. For example, this is not the website to use to research Picasso. 

As with many art history books or art gallery field trips in general, you need to be aware that art contains nudity. Therefore the Google Art Project contains nudity. Like any resource, on the Internet or otherwise, you need to use at your own discretion  The better familiar you are about a resource, the more you are able to mitigate any potential issues. 

Learn Yourself

Want to sound like an expert on a particular piece of art? Press the details button. As you might have guessed, you will get the details of the artwork, including viewing notes. 

Other Links

• My general reflections on the Google Apps for Education Alberta Summit.
• Great Works Worth a Visit (Jim Sill's Gallery with Google Art Project)

Making a Brochure Using Presentation Lesson Plan

Title: Come Visit Meteghan

Alberta curriculum social studies connections:

• Students will understand how the physical geography of each community shape its identity.

• Students will access and retrieve appropriate information from electronic sources for a specific inquiry.

• Students will prepare and present information in their own words, using respectful language.

Materials:

• Books and/or textbooks on Nova Scotia and Meteghan 

• Brochure planning sheet

• access to computers and Google Apps

• Brochure template

Activities:

1. Have students use a variety of resources (books, textbooks, websites and videos) to research why people might want to visit Meteghan and what they could do there as a visitor. For some website ideas see Social Studies Grade Two, Nova Scotia and Acadian Culture.
2. Provide students with a place to record their research, such as the brochure planning sheet. Students should write in proper sentences at the bottom. However, in the place where the image will go, they should record keywords that they can use to help them search for images that will relate to the sentence.
3. Have students hand in their planning sheets so that you can edit them and check they are on topic. 
4. How you do step 4 will depending on your students' skill with Google presentation. I recommend creating a template that you can share with your students, such as a brochure template. Have your students make a copy and rename.
5. Demonstrate on a Smartboard how to select the text "type here" on the template and to delete it before starting to type their own sentences (using their planning sheet).
6. Demonstrate on a Smartboard how to use the research tool in Google presentation. Model using keywords to search for images. Go over your expectations for what types of images are acceptable. (Will you accept cartoon images if they are on topic?)
• You may want to discuss what happens when your keywords do not result in any appropriate images. For example, as Meteghan is such a small village, searching "Meteghan whale watching" may not be a good combination of search terms. "Nova Scotia whale watching" might work better.
7. Allow students time to work independently. This will likely take 1-2 lessons or days. 
8. Have students share their presentation with you. You can print them out. Select print using system dialog. Then select "Use "2 sided, flip on short edge".   Here is an example of a student's brochure.

Assessment:

Rubric for Meteghan brochure.

Feedback:

I'd love any suggestions to improve the lesson and rubric.

Inuit Culture Lesson Plan

Title: Inuit Culture Presentation

Alberta curriculum social studies connections:

• Students will organize and present information, such as written and oral reports, taking particular audiences and purposes into consideration.
• Students will investigate the cultural and linguistic characteristics of an Inuit community in Canada.
• Students will identify key words from gathered information on a topic or issue.

Materials:

• Books and/or textbooks on the Inuit
• Research planning sheet
• access to computers and Google Apps
• Inuit Culture Presentation Template

Activity:

1. Have students use a variety of resources (books, textbooks, websites and videos) to research different components of Inuit culture. This can be done as a whole class, in partners, as individuals or a combination of the three. For some website ideas see Social Studies Grade Two, look under Nunavut and Inuit Culture. 
2. Provide students with a place to record their research, such as the research planning sheet. Encourage jot notes instead of sentences.
3. How you do step 3 will depending on your students' skill with Google presentation. I recommend creating a template that you can share with your students, such as Inuit Culture Presentation Template. Have your students make a copy and rename.
4. Demonstrate on a Smartboard what the text slide should look like (sentences or bullets) and review your expectations.
5. Demonstrate on a Smartboard how to use the research tool in Google presentation. Model using keywords to search for images. Go over your expectations for what types of images are acceptable. (Will you accept cartoon images if they are on topic?)
6. Allow students time to work independently. This will likely take a number of lessons/days.
7. Have students share their presentation with you. Here is an example of a student presentation.

Assessment:

Rubric for Inuit Culture Presentation 

Feedback:
I'd love any suggestions to improve the lesson and rubric.

Extending my Reach - Using Google Forms for Division One Online Learning

Imagine a grade two student staying up till 9:00 PM to attend school. The sun has set several hours ago and the warm night air is a balmy 25 degrees. On the other side of the globe, a grade three student scrambles out of bed before the sun rises to attend the same class at 7:00 AM his time.  These boys attend class via Elluminate Live,  the online classroom for students in grade two and three at Argyll Centre.  One student lives in the United Arab Emirates,the other is in Hawaii.  Other classmates are scattered across wintry Alberta: Cold Lake, Lloydminster, a ranch in southern Alberta, and of course Edmonton and area.  These young students and their parents use Argyll Centre's 123 LearnNet for their daily lessons. Our weekly Eluminate Live online class is an opportunity for learning and creating community.

How do I use Google Apps in this context?

What Have I learned that I can share with teachers in classrooms? 

My goals, like yours, are to use technology with sound pedagogical practices and connect my students with other learners.

Google Forms for Self Assessment in Language Arts

Google Forms makes it possible for these grade two and three students to complete a self assessment of writing skills while at the same time responses are conveniently recorded in a spread sheet for my information. 

In December students learned about the writing traits of word choice and voice and applied their  developing skills by writing persuasive letters.  They were introduced to two simple rubrics and participated in assessment of various pieces of writing. 

Rubric for Word Choice*

Rubric for Voice*

Using these rubrics students were asked to complete self assessment of their persuasive writing with a focus on word choice and voice. Students were familiar with the rubrics and self assessment.  With the support of an adult they responded to the questions on the Google Form.  

You can find a copy of the Google form here, Thinking about My Writing.  The link will take you to the spread sheet where student responses are recorded. To view the 'live form', click on: Form - Go to live form. If you would like to have your own copy, click on,  File and Make a copy... Rename your copy and modify or use as you wish. 

My two students may be half a world apart but they share some common learning goals. 


*These rubrics are modified and can be found here: http://web.sd71.bc.ca/literacy/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Wee-Can-Write-rubric.jpg

Well, That Didn't Go Smoothly

We started the Google Apps part of our grade two Inuit culture research project today and it was anything but smooth. However, it was not a disaster - which I attribute to a few things I think are worthwhile pointing out:

1. My class followed an established routine and expectation during computer time (and really, any class time). 
2. I had a solid understanding of how Google Apps work and how they are shared that allowed me to problem solve.
3. I had booked an hour block of time with the net books, which gave me the breathing room to problem solve.
4. I had an exemplar ready to go.

So What Happened?

I had created a Google presentation template I wanted my students to use. I had set the share settings to Public on the web - Anyone on the Internet can find and edit. Then I had created a homework assignment in SchoolZone and I attached the Google presentation to that homework post.


The students clicked on the link. The goal was for them to make a copy. However it did not give them that option (it was grayed out). 

So What Did I Do?

1. I checked the original document and its share settings. It was correct but in the meantime I noticed my students' names were under Who has access. 
2. I also noticed it said 50 people were viewing the document and that many of them were "anonymous". That was unusual.
3. I had my students close the tab with the presentation.
4. I directed them to their Google Drive. My goal was to make sure that Google/Share was having them logged in correctly. 
5. Then, since I had seen that the share had happened, I had them select "Shared With Me" and sure enough, there was the presentation. 

So What Happened Next?

I had them open the presentation again and it opened the presentation but this time it gave them a message that the document is very popular and they should try again or dismiss. This was a bandwidth issue I thought. I explained to them it is like lining up for music. We cannot all get through the door at the same time. However after a number of minutes we were still encountering the same issue with only 17 students. I had my students close the tab with the presentation and try opening again. No luck.

So What Did I Do?

1. I had them all put their monitors at 45 degrees and decided to go straight to the teacher demonstration of what they would be doing for the first few steps. I used the template as an exemplar on the Smartboard of what I wanted them to do once the issue was resolved.
2. After my demo, about 10 minutes later, I had students open the Inuit presentation from their Shared With Me folder and we had success.
3. Students then got access and made a copy and were able to work on their project.

Why Share This Misadventure?

I am sharing this adventure not to discourage people. Rather I am hoping that it shows that even "tech savvy" teachers encounter problems. As well, to spotlight the value in spending time in understanding how the new tools of our trade work so that we can not only problem solve on our own but demonstrate to our students how to problem solve when encountering technical problems.

Oh and to get helpful feedback - thanks Terry for the helpful comment!

Grade Two Bloggers

Background
I decided to use Blogger with my students this year. We will have a class blog  only, not individual blogs. I have blogged with student before but I have never used Blogger with grade twos. 

Preparation
If you have never used Blogger before, give yourself some time to set up your Blogger account and your blog.

You will need to add each student as an author. There may be a more expedient way to do it than I did. I am the type of person who fiddles rather than reads instructions! :)

Under settings, you will see "permissions".  Add each of your students. They will need to accept the invitation by going to their Share mail account during your first lesson. 

I also have decided to keep this blog private. However, I added our school's administrative team as readers. I plan to find a buddy class either in or out of the school to add as readers. If you do not select an option, your blog is open to all readers by default.

My final step of preparation was to create a post for the students to do their writing about. 

I found the image I used on Writing A Writing by searching Google images with the search terms: writing picture prompts. 

Pre-Writing
As my focus was on them posting for the first time, I did not want to complicate matters by making the writing assignment too complicated. On the day before we started blogging I showed them the picture prompt.

Students did a think-pair-share about the image. Then we did a class write using a descriptive paragraph organizer (here is a paragraph organizer similar to what I used) on the Smartboard. I gave them the first part of the first 3 sentences and I gave them the last sentence. 

I looked up and saw .... They were .... It sounded ...I felt ... I wonder if I will ever see them again?

We brainstormed possible endings to each sentences which I recorded as jot notes on the Smartboard.

Blogging
I booked the netbooks for an hour for this first round of blogging. 
Once students got set up to blog, I pulled up the Smartboard brainstorm again. We reviewed the ideas. Students did one line at a time on the netbooks. 

After most students were finished one line, I had them all put their netbooks at a 45 degree angle and reviewed the next line. For those students who needed a challenge, I had them extend their "I felt" sentence to include "because" or encouraged them to add a sentence of their own.

Once the first three or four students were finished and ready to publish, I reviewed how to use the spell check function. Up until this point I had been teaching it individually as it was appropriate. Students had to address their red squiggly lines and then put their hand up before they could publish. I read their posts and then gave them permission to publish.

Once a number of the students had published, I again asked students to put their monitors at a 45 degree angle. I then demonstrated how they could comment on other students' work. I modeled reading a post and then selecting reply and typed "good job". 

The energy in the room changed when they started to see other people posting on their work! It was motivating to me to see how excited they were. 

For the last part of the writing period students completed their posts (some required my assistance to complete it) or commented on posts.

iPads in Kindergarten

At Dunluce Elementary, Shanon, Dana, and Raelene along with their Principal, Bryan Evans, are excitedly preparing to introduce iPads to their Kindergarten classes. They have all had their own iPads for a few weeks to get comfortable with them and now they are getting ready to roll the cart out to their students. Wisely, they bought five for each Kindergarten class first, with the potential to expand to other grades when the need/demand presents itself.

When asked how they hoped to use the iPads, they were mostly saw it as a consumption device in Division I, or in UDL terms, to be used for multiple means of representation. After we went app hunting and playing, we discovered that the most of the content apps were either expensive, limited in scope, or not very good. However, we did find a lot of cool content creation apps that we thought had a lot of potential applications and began to realize how powerful iPads can be for multiple means of expression and engagement.

Here is our discussion guide and the advice sent to us from Lisa Henderson at Pollard Meadows:


What I came away with from our discussions:

Have Configurator installed before starting the conversation and looking at the apps. It would be best if the lead teacher(s) had a working knowledge of Configurator (and the Volume Purchasing Program) before iPads are introduced to the teachers. It would have helped me a great deal if I knew and understood Configurator.

One idea that we came across was to set the lock screen with a picture of the class iPad rules. Originally, we used an image of rules we found on the internet. It wouldn't be hard to make a graphic set of rules that would be closer to our context once we see the iPads in action.

Please share any advice you can share with us about your experience using iPads in Kindergarten.