https://voicethread.com/library/ Recent content on VoiceThread Digital Library Hugo -- gohugo.io en-us https://voicethread.com/library/using-voicethread-in-an-online-course-from-professor-russ-meade/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/using-voicethread-in-an-online-course-from-professor-russ-meade/ VoiceThread “humanizes” the on-line classroom experience. As a college Professor, I teach all over the US exclusively asynchronously. I will be presenting an academic paper using VoiceThreads with the titled “Making Your Online Classes, Sing, Dance, Talk, and Talk Back.” https://voicethread.com/library/using-a-bilingual-spanish-english-dictionary-by-david-thompson/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/using-a-bilingual-spanish-english-dictionary-by-david-thompson/ Using a bilingual dictionary correctly is an important skill for nearly all language students, and this tutorial aims to help students understand how to use a dictionary well. https://voicethread.com/library/upstanders-not-bystanders-gail-desler-and-natalie-bernasconi/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/upstanders-not-bystanders-gail-desler-and-natalie-bernasconi/ This VoiceThread challenges all forms of bullying and also offers teachers opportunities to guide students in protecting online privacy and in building a positive digital footprint. https://voicethread.com/library/the-use-of-works-of-art-in-a-2nd-semester-german-course-by-dagmar-jaeger/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/the-use-of-works-of-art-in-a-2nd-semester-german-course-by-dagmar-jaeger/ This VoiceThread shows how students can engage with a work of art in an active, personal and innovative way while practicing new vocabulary and grammar structures in the target language. This conversation also fosters collaboration among students inside and outside the language classroom. https://voicethread.com/library/the-silk-road-from-constance-vidor/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/the-silk-road-from-constance-vidor/ Description The Silk Road VoiceThread is a broad introduction to the subject of the ancient routes that linked China, Eurasia, the Middle East, and Europe beginning in the 2nd century B.C.E. It is aimed at Middle or Junior High School students and is organized into four main categories: (1) where the trade routes were located, (2) what goods were traded, (3) when the main eras of its development took place, and (4) who were some famous people who influenced its development. https://voicethread.com/library/the-c-u-b-process-by-ellen-phillips/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/the-c-u-b-process-by-ellen-phillips/ Description This is a great VoiceThread example because it gives both students and parents access to an important lesson that they can play as many times as they need. C.U.B. is a great strategy to use on any type of question and in any content area. It teaches students to analyze the question by breaking it down into smaller parts to make it easier to comprehend and answer. Plan I began by breaking the C. https://voicethread.com/library/suicide-scenarios-9th-grade-health-by-mr-carriere/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/suicide-scenarios-9th-grade-health-by-mr-carriere/ Description This module serves as a lifelike simulation for Health students who need to make critical decisions in real life situations. Assignment I took the scenarios from one of my powerpoints. Then I added answer pages and comments for students to listen to. My goal was to create a “choose your own adventure” approach to Health related problem solving and critical thinking activities. Tips Be sure to have your text saved in a Powerpoint. https://voicethread.com/library/poetry-and-illustration-from-constance-vidor/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/poetry-and-illustration-from-constance-vidor/ Description The Poetry and Illustration VoiceThread shows how illustration can be used to interpret and illuminate poetry written for young readers. It begins by showing illustrations by two different illustrators of Edward Lear’s The Owl and the Pussycat. The narration points out some contrasting ways in which each illustrator has responded to the poem. The VoiceThread then asks its audience to look at and respond to illustrations for poems from John Updikes’s collection, A Calendar for Children. https://voicethread.com/library/our-community-by-jasmine-frans/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/our-community-by-jasmine-frans/ Description Second-grade students participated in a global project about communities with 10 other schools. Sao Paola, a school in Brazil, led this project. Plan Students took pictures around the community and uploaded it to Voicethread. Students typed up and rehearsed their comments about their pictures about their community. They used the video option to comment on their pictures. Goals To share events, values and cultures that make a community; to collaborate with other classrooms around the world; to learn what others do in their communities. https://voicethread.com/library/non-traditional-online-students/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/non-traditional-online-students/ Description This was a project for Electronic Word English Class at Eastern Oregon University. It is a great example of what can be done with VoiceThread for distance learning students. Both students that worked on the project live in different states. The project consisted of a survey given to 55 online students at EOU to determine commonalities, statistics, and specific feedback. The results were presented in this VoiceThread. Plan We mapped out the project based on feedback from a student survey that we sent out to online students who attend our college. https://voicethread.com/library/lubo-s-dream-first-grade-english-by-katie-stover/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/lubo-s-dream-first-grade-english-by-katie-stover/ Description This is a great example of the use of VoiceThread because it showcases young students who want their voices to be heard. As part of my dissertation research, first graders used VoiceThread to publish their writing to advocate for social justice with a wide audience beyond the four walls of the classroom. In their VoiceThread titled, Lubo’s Dream, a group of first graders tell the story of a former Lost Boy named Lubo who is working to raise money to build a school in his home village in South Sudan. https://voicethread.com/library/les-sons-des-animaux-animal-sounds-by-audrey-misiano/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/les-sons-des-animaux-animal-sounds-by-audrey-misiano/ Description This multi-age global VoiceThread is an example of how you can create a project that can keep on growing with more and more participants from around the world. There are voices of children from pre-school all the way up to about 10 years of age involved in this project. It was very fun for the children to hear the voices of other children as they were added. Plan My friend, Sylvia Duckworth, created the powerpoint for a separate project. https://voicethread.com/library/les-cantines-du-monde-by-rachel-sabre/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/les-cantines-du-monde-by-rachel-sabre/ Description In this activity, students research photos of typical school lunches from around the world. They select five photos and upload them to VoiceThread, name the country and describe each photo. Finally, students upload a photo of their own typical lunch and describe it. They discuss what foreign lunch they like best and why, along with what changes they could make to their own lunch to make it more healthy. This is an end of unit assessment. https://voicethread.com/library/language-learners-use-voicethread-to-practice-speaking-bophany-huot-city-college-of-san-francisco/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/language-learners-use-voicethread-to-practice-speaking-bophany-huot-city-college-of-san-francisco/ Description This is one of many examples of how an ESL student can practice her computer skills and her language skills to talk about everyday activities. Students can practice speaking as many times as they like before sharing it with their teachers and classmates. This is a rare opportunity for ESL students. Usually, if this activity is done in class with a partner, Jenny, the narrator, can only say what she wants to say once; on VT she can go back and change her speech until she is completely satisfied with her work. https://voicethread.com/library/language-from-carla-arena/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/language-from-carla-arena/ Description This VoiceThread shows an example of teacher trainers using the technology they plan to use with their learners. It’s their self-expression and the understanding the power of VoiceThread to give voice to our stories. Benefits to educators Educators learn to use technology to heighten their students’ learning experience. Educators are empowered by the project and understand the feeling of empowerment that students will experience. Educators see how changing the means and approach to storytelling can impact on the final outcome in terms of learning, understanding more about ourselves, sharing our stories with others. https://voicethread.com/library/kindergarten-storybook-from-leanne-windsor/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/kindergarten-storybook-from-leanne-windsor/ Description Kindergarten does a year long unit of inquiry on storytelling as part of their PYP programme. We had authors and storytellers come to our school as part of this unit. This VoiceThread displays the illustrations that the children drew with author Alison Lester when she visited our school. We followed the pattern of her picture book series about children and what they are doing day to day. The VoiceThread was a wonderful way to demonstrate the children’s work and also have them identify vocally what their drawing was about. https://voicethread.com/library/kindergarten-reading-from-heather-taylor/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/kindergarten-reading-from-heather-taylor/ Description I think that this is a good project because the children are able to share some of their experiences with reading and talking about books at home. Many families have difficulty expanding text with their children at home and knowing how to talk about books. By doing this VoiceThread I give them an example of how to expand text and how also to discuss reading more at home and compare what their friends are saying about reading too. https://voicethread.com/library/k-12-art-poetry-and-music-from-erin-berg/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/k-12-art-poetry-and-music-from-erin-berg/ Description This is a collaborative VT from three different classes across the United States (2nd graders from Utah, 9th grade English students from Colorado, and 5th-6th grade music composition students from Texas). This VT is an example of the power of collaboration using technology. This encompasses art through words, visuals, and music. Assignment Second graders first completed a piece of artwork, depicting a place they love to visit or imagine visiting. https://voicethread.com/library/it-s-hiding-up-my-sleeve-7th-grade-english-by-amy-cobb/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/it-s-hiding-up-my-sleeve-7th-grade-english-by-amy-cobb/ Description This is a powerful reflection of a young girl’s seventh grade experience. It tells a story using six photos that defined her middle school year. Something as simple as this really packs a punch. So far, it has been viewed 968 times. Students take ownership of the project by taking their own images to illustrate their thoughts and ideas. Students record their thoughts and ideas in a format that can be viewed again and shared with friends and parents. https://voicethread.com/library/history-podcast-with-secondary-ed-students-from-laurie-cohen/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/history-podcast-with-secondary-ed-students-from-laurie-cohen/ Description This project gives students an opportunity to be creative while demonstrating their content knowledge and technological skills. After developing the Lesson Plan and creating this sample, our US History teacher loved it for his class. He is using it in the 10th grade class. Plan I created this VoiceThread project in a Podcasts & More class for my Masters in Education - Educational Technology emphasis at Cal. State University at Bakersfield. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-studying-abroad-in-ecuador-david-thompson/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-studying-abroad-in-ecuador-david-thompson/ Description This VoiceThread is a good example of digital storytelling for the purpose of reflecting on a study abroad experience. While the VoiceThread platform allows for visual appeal through images, it does not detract from the primary goal of storytelling: to listen to the voice of the storyteller and participate in his or her experience. This particular thread demonstrates both the power and simplicity of VoiceThread projects, since the tool allowed my students to create and share digital stories easily, keeping the learning experience of study abroad central and minimizing the technical expertise required to make their stories visible. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-teaching-with-technology-from-ellen-dobson/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-teaching-with-technology-from-ellen-dobson/ Description This VoiceThread demonstrates the use of features that are unique to the application. The creator has used both voice and text to “teach” the lesson. He has incorporated images, video and graphics into an aesthetic package. Throughout the presentation, he prompts students to respond to what they are seeing and hearing. Most importantly, he has taken an academic subject and enlivened it with sport and recreation. Assignment This project was completed by Sean Russell, a pre-service teacher at East Carolina University. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-radiology-case-study-from-heather-schmuck/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-radiology-case-study-from-heather-schmuck/ Description This VoiceThread gives users a chance to critically think and problem solve a real life scenario. This specific VoiceThread is geared toward radiology students currently enrolled within a program who possess some knowledge of pathology and protocols. Plan I planned it based off of experience that I’ve had in the clinical field. With the advent of computer technology in the imaging sciences, attention to detail in some cases is faltering. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-pre-columbian-art-history-by-janice-robertson/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-pre-columbian-art-history-by-janice-robertson/ Description This VoiceThread shows what can happen when students have the opportunity to expand on class teachings and assigned readings, incorporating material of their choice into an art history class: in this case, a 200-level undergraduate course on Pre-Columbian Art and Civilization. The beauty of the assignment is that it is simple and open to interpretation; it is also solidly integrated and fueled by multiple aspects of the course. Student accomplishments exceeded my expectations; this lead me to rethink my teaching objectives and standards for learning assessment, a process that is ongoing. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-online-technologies-from-jen-hegna/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-online-technologies-from-jen-hegna/ Description I am an online Grad student in the Information and Communication program at the University of Wisconsin - Stout. VoiceThread was an excellent way for my team to co-present and reflect upon our journey in a online collaborative project this past spring. Assignment Once we agreed to use VoiceThread there really were no other steps. I had to develop the shell, email the team to get their feedback, then - after that it was pretty simple! https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-online-learning-from-michelle-pacansky-brock-2/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-online-learning-from-michelle-pacansky-brock-2/ Description This is a VoiceThread that is from a single learning unit in a 16-week online Women in Art class at the community college level (introductory art history students). It incorporates voice and text comments as well as great visuals and a movie clip. Instructionally, the VoiceThread required students to discuss and reflect on specific images and ideas that they learned about in the current learning unit that was tied to this VoiceThread. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-grammar-practice-infinitive-or-gerund/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-grammar-practice-infinitive-or-gerund/ Description The goal of the activity was to have students create their own sentences using the target structure. The objective was to give students the chance to personalize language as well as check how well they could use the selected verbs. It’s a great way for students to personalize knowledge by recording themselves using the target language. Assignment I took my iPad to class, as I wanted to record students reading their own sentences to a VoiceThread created by a colleague (AureaStela). https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-from-della-curtis/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-from-della-curtis/ Description Used with graduate students to provide an overview scenario of information literacy and the use of VoiceThread. They respond to a series of questions about information literacy. They are also responsible for responses to another set of questions by their students and teachers. Assignment The project was accomplished as a out-of-class assignment over a two-week period of time. Everything about VoiceThread was easy - creation, technical, tools, etc. The objectives remained the same over the course of the project because it was carefully planned with the focus on what I wanted my students to know and be able to do. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-blogs-in-teaching-from-kristen-kozloski-ph-d/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-blogs-in-teaching-from-kristen-kozloski-ph-d/ Description We used blogging as a reflective practice in my course on Designing Multimedia for Learning. This is an example of our final reflection, as a class, of that blogging process. We also had another class join our reflection and post their ideas as well. It is a great example because it shows how this tool can be used for reflection and to join classes together on a topic in a way that was never before possible. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-aztec-art-by-janice-robertson/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-aztec-art-by-janice-robertson/ Description This VoiceThread shows what can happen when VoiceThreads are woven into a 500-level graduate/undergraduate seminar on Aztec Art, and everyone has the ability to see what everyone else is doing–a surprise ending turns out to be a game-changer. Feedback on the last day of seminar and in the final written essays was especially striking. One student reported that, when we switched from VoiceThreads to the written essays for the final assignment, she all of a sudden “felt isolated”–heads nodded throughout the class, and a rousing discussion ensued. https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-analysis-of-tim-o-brien-s-the-things-they-carried/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/higher-ed-analysis-of-tim-o-brien-s-the-things-they-carried/ Description This VoiceThread is a look at a great piece of writing by Tim O’Brien. It is set in the 1960’s during the Vietnam War. Most of my students were not familiar at all with the subject matter. This VoiceThread encouraged my students to critically examine the story and post their insights for the entire world to see. I saw them go from being reluctant and nervous students to enthusiastic and totally engaged teachers of one another. https://voicethread.com/library/high-ed-online-learning-from-michelle-pacansky-brock/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/high-ed-online-learning-from-michelle-pacansky-brock/ Description This VoiceThread is from a learning unit in a 16-week online art appreciation class at the community college level. I used VoiceThread to deliver content, as in a lecture, but wove in open-ended questions for students to respond to. I’m really excited about this VoiceThread. I think it could be used in many different contexts. It incorporates voice and text comments as well as great visuals. My students’ comments are insightful, engaging and demonstrate evidence of discussing ideas in a group setting (like a class discussion). https://voicethread.com/library/group-wikis-and-inclusion-exclusion-in-higher-ed-by-the-learning-technologies-team-at-university-of-durham/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/group-wikis-and-inclusion-exclusion-in-higher-ed-by-the-learning-technologies-team-at-university-of-durham/ Description We are using the functionality of VoiceThreads to address a real problem for us as staff developers - how to share good teaching practice. By uploading videos describing the approaches and experiences of teachers, we are providing an easy to access resource for our lecturers to find out about the approaches and projects of their peers. By using the features of VoiceThread, we have captured the perspectives of teaching colleagues and students. https://voicethread.com/library/grades-3-6-hindi/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/grades-3-6-hindi/ Description This VoiceThread was created as a homework assignment for STARTALK summer Hindi immersion camp for kids in grades 3rd thru 6th. Kids loved this homework, as no writing was involved, and they could use the technology and it gave them good reading, listening and speaking practice. Assignment First I created a Word document using Hindi (devnagari) script. This document listed several everyday Hindi sentences in correct and incorrect forms. The document then was converted to a PDF document and uploaded on VoiceThread. https://voicethread.com/library/getting-to-know-berlin-in-a-1st-semester-german-course-by-dagmar-jaeger/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/getting-to-know-berlin-in-a-1st-semester-german-course-by-dagmar-jaeger/ Description Higher Ed students practice their German speaking skills by creating a collaborative “tour of Berlin”. This assignment exemplifies collaboration between students and emphasizes the use of listening and speaking skills outside the classroom. Plan I chose an appropriate map that is detailed enough to show various sites in Berlin. Students then chose a location in Berlin to give directions to. Assignment The goal was to get students somewhat familiar with downtown Berlin in an interesting and engaging way, putting to use vocabulary and grammar structures students just learned, i. https://voicethread.com/library/game-design-by-george-haines-4th-grade-class/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/game-design-by-george-haines-4th-grade-class/ Description A group of 4th grade students were asked to design and create a level for a video game with clear objectives, challenges, and strategies, then had game designers review their submissions. The VoiceThread served as a platform through which the students could describe their work and designers could give constructive feedback. Assignment Students designed a level using several components: different types of blocks (as obstacles or design elements) coins “star blocks” for goals a time component enemy NPCs (non-player-characters) to defeat or avoid Students took a screenshot of their design, which was uploaded to a VoiceThread slide, then recorded their description using the Doodler tool for annotation. https://voicethread.com/library/feed-the-fish-1st-grade-math-from-heather-reinbrecht/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/feed-the-fish-1st-grade-math-from-heather-reinbrecht/ Description This VoiceThread is a great example of using technology to get children interested in a math lesson. Plan After deciding on a topic, I created a Powerpoint that I felt was appropriate and then worked on adding the voice to it. After combining all the areas there were a few adjustments to be made. I wanted to find a way to incorporate something like this for the younger children who I will be working with. https://voicethread.com/library/digital-storytelling-abraham-lincoln-s-dog-fido-from-clare-caddell/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/digital-storytelling-abraham-lincoln-s-dog-fido-from-clare-caddell/ Description VoiceThread brought a little-known story about Lincoln to life, with images as well as voice. It was created in response to my second and third graders, who wanted to know more about Lincoln’s dog, Fido. Assignment I researched the details online, wrote - and rewrote! - my script and searched for images that were as historically accurate, to the time period, as I could find. Great sources for images were Wikimedia Commons and the American Memory project resources from the Library of Congress, because they provided some background information on the dates and locations. https://voicethread.com/library/comparing-j-s-bach-and-paul-mccartney-constance-vidor/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/comparing-j-s-bach-and-paul-mccartney-constance-vidor/ Description The J.S. Bach and Paul McCartney VoiceThread introduces young learners to the great baroque composer by way of a comparison/contrast with a musician with whom they are more familiar. Each fact about J. S. Bach is accompanied by a fact from a similar aspect of Paul McCarney’s life. Each pair of facts or anecdotes concludes with a question asking students to respond or reflect on the differences and similarities that are suggested in the VoiceThread. https://voicethread.com/library/compare-them-chinese-grammar-practice-for-9-12/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/compare-them-chinese-grammar-practice-for-9-12/ Description Comparison is an abstract concept. The sentence structure is rather simple, but there are different forms. I chose ten pictures showing contrasting concept and asked students to practice with different structures. It gave me an idea of how well they have learned about this grammar. Plan I did a lot of oral practice in the class first. I chose the adjective they have learned in prior lessons, and used them as keywords when I searched for pictures. https://voicethread.com/library/book-review-a-single-shard-by-linda-sue-park-from-c-vidor/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/book-review-a-single-shard-by-linda-sue-park-from-c-vidor/ Description VoiceThread showcases information and images about the geography, history, setting, and themes of Linda Sue Park’s Newbery award winning book, A Single Shard. The book takes place in ancient Korea, a time and place that may be unfamiliar to many readers. This VoiceThread aims to make these elements a bit more familiar to students with brief explanations and interesting images. The VoiceThread also suggests ways in which some themes of the book are evident in the story’s imagery. https://voicethread.com/library/american-art-searching-for-values-by-constance-vidor/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/american-art-searching-for-values-by-constance-vidor/ Description American Art: Searching For Values asks students to observe and interpret works of art from several different eras of American history. An advance organizer at the beginning of the VoiceThread shows the students how to describe what they see in the image and then draw conclusions about what these details might suggest about values and ideas that were important to the artist or to the patron. This VoiceThread gives students a glimpse of how artists of different eras have given voice to cultural values and ideas, and gives students practice at using artifacts to gain an understanding of the past. https://voicethread.com/library/all-about-polar-bears-kindergarten-esl-by-monica-schnee/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/all-about-polar-bears-kindergarten-esl-by-monica-schnee/ Description This VoiceThread won a PBS Teacher Innovator Award. The authors of the “book” are kindergartners who were learning English as a second language. Some of the children barely spoke English, as you can see by the short sentences, and some were advanced students. They had just started to learn how to read and write. This work is a great example of how children learn a second language, how they learn literacy, how they learn oral fluency and practice their oral skills and most importantly, how their parents were able to see and hear how their children are learning English. https://voicethread.com/library/9th-graders-write-children-s-stories-about-astronomy-mrs-edenstrom/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/9th-graders-write-children-s-stories-about-astronomy-mrs-edenstrom/ Description I had all of my 9th grade science students do a Children’s story about astronomy. They had to have facts, but tell it in a creative way that could be read and understood by elementary aged students! I had great success with this. Assignment Last year my students did the same project, but they created a paper book where they illustrated each page and wrote the words on the page and turned in a book. https://voicethread.com/library/9th-grade-chinese-language-lesson-from-james-rolle/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/9th-grade-chinese-language-lesson-from-james-rolle/ Description VoiceThread provides a medium for this character-by-character explanation of a commonly used phrase in Chinese that students can listen to and learn on their own time. Assignment Since this lesson is one-sided - i.e. there is no input from students - this was a fairly straightforward VoiceThread to create. I took the phrase, chose a Chinese-themed background image, then created a screen for each term and narrated each screen. https://voicethread.com/library/8th-grade-historical-fiction-from-shirley-scamardella/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/8th-grade-historical-fiction-from-shirley-scamardella/ Description This picture book was written, illustrated and told by students. It was entered into the Scholastic Books, Kids are Authors Contest and it won Honorable Mention. I feel this is a good VoiceThread because this is the finished product of a two month project. Assignment The first part of the project was to learn the elements of the historical fiction genre. Next, I taught the elements of a story which included plot, theme, setting, characters and point of view. https://voicethread.com/library/8th-grade-the-human-spirit-from-roberta/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/8th-grade-the-human-spirit-from-roberta/ Description The goal was to assess student understanding of human spirit vs. human nature. Students were required to respond to two questions raised on ! the slides created. Assignment The theme for the year in our Social Studies class is the human spirit. After an initial discussion in the classroom, I wanted to see what individual students were thinking. I found pictures using google images that dealt with the concept. I used other examples in the VoiceThread Digital Library to instruct students in the use of VoiceThread. https://voicethread.com/library/8th-grade-refugee-stories-from-creative-technology/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/8th-grade-refugee-stories-from-creative-technology/ Description VoiceThread has enabled refugee communities to share stories about what it means to come to a new country to live. It examines, through childrens telling their stories, what it is like to start in a new school, in a new culture, in a totally new place. It gives children who add their own stories an opportunity to examine their own feelings, and realise that they are not alone. Feelings of isolation and marginalisation are lessened through the sharing of experiences in the web based video comment section of the stories. https://voicethread.com/library/8th-grade-colors-of-the-night-by-mrs-brosnan/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/8th-grade-colors-of-the-night-by-mrs-brosnan/ Description A wonderful example of continuing teaching “outside the class room”. Assignment First I took my students to The Museum Of Modern Art in Manhattan to view Vincent Van Gogh’s “Colors of The Night” exhibit. The students were taken around the exhibit by a museum docent to learn about the the art work from the museum docents perspective. Upon returning back to school I uploaded pictures from the exhibit and created a VoiceThread posing questions to my students about what they had learned about the art work and gave them links on my schools e board where I posted this VoiceThread to help them answer the questions I had asked them. https://voicethread.com/library/7th-graders-practice-math-in-action-from-ms-redd/ Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/library/7th-graders-practice-math-in-action-from-ms-redd/ Description VoiceThread showcases this great example of Math in Action. My students love the idea that they can comment on a video featuring one of their teachers and it feels like they aren’t even doing math!! It makes Math come alive and helps students relate to the problem! Assignment I have been using VoiceThread to prepare my students for the state standardized tests. I use a flip camera and carry it around school to try to catch Math in Action.