Classroom+Wikis



Flat Stanley Wiki

Visit our classroom wiki: Shylanski 10 Wiki **__Technology Standards Addressed __**  **II. Communication ** //B. Use technology to communicate information in a variety of formats // 1. Select appropriate technologies for a particular communication goal. 3. Use multiple digital sources to communicate information online.

Demonstrate an understanding of the legal, social and ethical issues related to technology use.  4. Use classroom procedures to manage an equitable, safe and healthy environment for students. **V. Integrating Technology into the Curriculum and Instruction** Design, implement and assess learning experiences that incorporate use of technology in a curriculum-related instructional activity to support understanding, inquiry, problem solving, communication and/or collaboration. 1. Assess students’ learning/ instructional needs to identify the appropriate technology for instruction. 2. Evaluate technology materials and media to determine their most appropriate instructional use. 4. Use appropriate instructional strategies for integrating technology into instruction. 5. Select and use appropriate technology to support content-specific student learning outcomes. 7. Manage a technology-enhanced environment to maximize student learning. **VII. Professional Growth** Develop professional practices that support continual learning and professional growth in technology. 3. Continually evaluate and reflect on professional practices and emerging technologies to support student learning.
 * III. Legal, Social and Ethical Issues**


 * __Description __ ** Each year second graders at our school read the book __Flat Stanley__ by Jeff Brown. In this book, a boy named Stanley is flattened when a bulletin board falls on him. Being flat allows Stanley to have many unique adventures, including traveling in an envelope to visit his friend in California. After reading the book, the students make their own paper Flat Stanleys. They write to friends and family members in other places and ask them to take their Stanleys on adventures. It is so much fun to learn about all of the places that the Flat Stanleys get to travel!

I wanted to add to this experience by creating a Flat Stanley wiki. I collected and created new resources that could make the project richer for students. The youtube video I included is a great motivator for the students. It gets them really excited about the adventures their Stanleys might have. I thought the VoiceThread that I made would help jog their ideas as they began writing. I included a Google map that the some of the children added "pins" to after getting their Stanleys back. This allowed them to visually mark on the map where their letters had gone.


 * __<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reflection __** It was a little difficult to use this project authentically with my students this year. I had a lot of ideas that stemmed from STEP training that developed after most of our Flat Stanley project was already completed. Most of the parts of this wiki were shared with students after the fact and so did not truly help to spark and inspire them the way that I hope these resources will when I use them next year.

I found the "pin" function on the Google map to be a really novel way to mark the locations where the Flat Stanleys traveled. It was relatively easy for me to learn how to create the "pins." It proved to be much more challenging to help second graders figure out how to mark the map. I ended up doing most of the process for them this time around. I am sure that with practice (probably less than I would need), they would be able to become more proficient with the process.

I was not able to truly implement the "discussion board" or shared group development aspects of the wiki this time around. Time and timing were definitely limiting factors in this area. As with the other projects I completed, it was difficult to find the time to train the students in how to use the program as well ad give them time to use it. I also think that with my improved understanding of how wikis can be used, I could now create a wiki that is better suited to having kids contribute to it. I think that the children would really enjoy being able to contribute to a wiki, if not this particular one.

I really look forward to building on this wiki prior to the implementation of next year's Flat Stanley project. I know that with more time and practice I will be able to find even more ways to use it to excite and engage the kids in my class.