Summary of Learning

Integrated Expressive Arts

I used Photo Collage to create my collage.

My biggest take-aways from Integrated Expressive Arts were that these studio projects seem simple but they take a lot of artistic ability, which I lacked in the making, I did not realize there was so much effort in drawing portraits, and also I learned about all the different approaches to introduce art topics, with read-alouds, videos, and showing art pictures and asking questions directly related to the standards.

I plan to incorporate integrated expressive arts in my classroom using the different approaches to introduce the art projects as students have different learning styles and I will provide a visual representation of the art project as an example to show my students what the art project might look like. The good thing about art is that students are creative in their own ways. It is hard to test creativity, so my plan is to ask my students what they drew, colored, demonstrated and ask what the whole art project entails to get a deeper level understanding of what they were completing and thinking about.

Art Tech Task #5

The app that I chose for the storytelling app was Puppet Pals.

This app lets you create movies using videos, images, animation, etc. I found a video on YouTube that explains how to use it. Students can use this application on their own, too.

I would use this tool in the classroom as I want to teach second grade. The students would be at an age in which they would be able to create their own puppet show with instructions. This would be a group project for students to do. Puppet Pals give students a chance to use technology in the classroom and is a good method when it comes to TPACK, what we learned about last semester.

I would use Puppet Pals in the classroom because students need a blended classroom, with technology incorporation, so they are able to do things on their own. If students are just sitting in desks listening to the teacher instruct, they may struggle retaining the information. Puppet Pals give students the chance to apply their writing and reading skills to make their show. This could be an art experience for students as they can create their own puppet shows and have interactions with other students. It is a fun way of learning for students to be creative.

This application is easy to use because the instructions are simple enough that students can grasp the concepts easily. Students may struggle with creating their own story behind the puppet show. It is easy just to use words from a book, but in order for students to use their writing and reading skills, they have to think outside the box and create their own stories.

Studio 4 Reflection-Grade 3

Ok so no judging on the outcome of this art project. I did not follow the instructions fully so my art project turned out looking a little scary. The drawing is not too bad, but the transformation through the transparency film was an epic failure.

This is a 3rd grade art project. We were instructed to sketch a picture of a face and it's attributes, if the face is smiling or frowning, the hair color, etc. After we drew the face, we had to place transparency paper over our drawings and color the clear paper using water-based markers. We had to color the face, hair, lips, eyes, etc. After that was completed, then we sprayed a blank piece of paper with water and had to blot the paper with paper towels until there were no puddles left and then placed the transparency paper with the colors on it, with the colored side touching the wet paper. We then took a roller and rolled the color onto the wet paper. Here is where I messed up and where students will mess up as well. I did not blot the paper well enough and there were puddles left which created the image of the colors globing together and not transferring into the places in which they were originally colored. My character is roughly 20 years old, happy and smiling, although the picture shows a blank face, she is supposed to be smiling. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and make-up on, the got smeared into a crying mascara face.

This project was fun and we had several laughs with it. The students will get the chance to explore drawing faces. Using the transparency paper made this project interesting, I thought it was cool how the process all worked, so I can imagine that students in 3rd grade will think it is something like magic.

Ohio Department of Education

6PE Recognize and identify choices that give meaning to a personal work of  art.

1PR Demonstrate skill and expression in the use of art techniques and processes.

2PR Use appropriate visual art vocabulary during artmaking processes

5PR Show increasing attention to the nuances of elements and principles of design when creating personal works of art.

5RE Use feedback and self-assessment to improve the quality of personal artworks. 

Studio 3 Reflection

Above is a picture that I created for a second grade level art class. We had to read and watch the story on video of "Rosie's Walk." Then we had take one of the scenes from the story and recreate it using construction paper, scissors, and glue. I recreated the haystack scene in which Rosie the hen jumped over the haystack and the fox that was chasing her did not jump over the haystack, he tried to go straight through the haystack and got stuck. We were instructed to try to make our picture into a type of collage, so to the best of my ability, I tore up pieces of paper and pieced them together to form the shapes that I wanted, like the sun, the cloud, the grass, and the haystack. To show near and far, the grass is the closest place in my picture, so I made it larger than it should have been. The haystack is also large because it is in the front of the picture. The cloud and sun is in the sky and smaller than the haystack because they are much further away.

This studio project is appropriate for second graders because it incorporates the use of scissors to cut out shapes, it incorporates tearing pieces of paper up to make them into certain shapes, helps them demonstrate how objects can be represented near and far with size, and allows them the opportunity to a part of a story in their own words.

Standards that backup this studio project:

1PE Notice and point out details and respond to expressive features in artworks

2PR Envision what cannot be observed directly and depict it visually.

3PR Create artworks based on imagination and observation of familiar objects and scenes.

4PR Demonstrate flexibility in their creative processes and use of art materials

Areas of potential difficulty for students would be the collaging process. It took me a minute to figure out how to piece things together to make it look like a collage. I know that I did not collage enough but it was an effort. Also for a child to have to cut out the shapes of animals would be difficult.

Art Tech Task #4

The tool that I chose to evaluate was YouTube. YouTube does everything. You can find a video tutorial on basically anything and it is so helpful. YouTube is not just for video tutorials, it can also be used for teacher lesson plans, movies, television shows, funny videos, etc.

I would use this tool in the classroom for lesson plan ideas, as I also use Pinterest for this too. I can use it for games if I need an idea, or I could upload an activity that my class did. I can put the students in charge of making their own video. I watched this video from a class the other day about phonics. I want to use that activity as it looked fun for the students, yet was effective in teaching them about phonics.

I would use this tool so that my students and their parents could look back on the projects that they completed in my class. I could use these as video projects such as creating a weather channel and my students would broadcast the weather as a science activity. YouTube is interactive in which students could take turns recording the scene and I will assist them in uploading the videos online so that eventually, they will be capable of doing everything on their own.

 YouTube has all the links and pages in the side margins which makes everything easily accessible. To upload videos, all you have to do is create an account, then on the main screen, click the upload button and go from there. Students might struggle with the distractions on YouTube. There are so many "interesting" videos available that students could easily lose track of what they are supposed to be doing on the website, but other than that, everything is relatively simply.

Art Tech Task #3

The that I chose to evaluate and test out is called WaveShop "a bit-perfect audio editor that doesn't modify samples needlessly." It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars as of 2014. This app is different from other similar apps as when you edit a small portion of the audio file, only that small portion will be edited rather than the entire file. There are several features in this app, including changing audio format, a multithreading process, recording with no limit but disk space, etc. To view a full list of features, go to: https://sourceforge.net/projects/waveshop/

On the side bar is listed a few projects that are recommended to download from to begin editing an audio piece. This app is mainly used for basic wave editing, so the use of this app is limited in terms of not being able to vary pitch sounds.

I would use this tool in my classroom for my auditory learners. Sometimes it is good to change up how a lesson is taught so this would be a version that I would have my kids master at home. I would teach them in class how to access the app on the computer, then when they go home from school, they can listen to the recording of the lesson to help them with any questions and their homework. This is helpful for when I do not have enough time during class to fully teach a lesson.

A different way to use this app is to have the students work with a partner and teach their partner a part of lesson, after I have gone over the lesson. This is a retelling exercise to make sure my students understand the content. I would have them record themselves, so I could evaluate what they have mastered and still need help with.

This tool is easy to use because students would not need to necessarily edit their audio piece. They are simply using this app to record themselves or listen to the recording I provided for them. I would be the one to edit the audio piece that I provided. This tool may be difficult for students to use as they are younger students so it may be too complex for them with all the editing options there, they could get confused and side tracked wanting to explore what the entire app entails.

Studio 2 Grade 1

1. Create a post on your Artist Portfolio.

1. Include an Artist Statement that answers these items:

Today, I was a first grader. I was instructed to count the members in my family and think of a place where we like to go. There are four people in my family: mom, dad, brother, and me. The place I went all the time when I was in first grade was to Charles Mill State Park in Mifflin, Ohio. I went camping every year, so I drew a picture of chairs sitting around a fire pit, trees because it was in the woods, the sun because it was summer time, and water at the very top because there was a lake over there. I drew everything water color paper using oil pastels of all colors. After I drew everything, I had to choose a secondary color for the water color. I chose purple as my favorite color is paper. I mixed red and blue to make purple. I chose not to completely cover my picture in water color as it has more of an artistic appeal with the streaks.

This studio project is appropriate for first graders as it reinforces student knowledge of primary colors. Students gained the knowledge of what secondary colors are and how to make colors such as purple, orange, and green. Students then get to demonstrate their knowledge of secondary colors as they are instructed to only use one secondary color as a water color on their own.

Students may experience difficulty in this task if they are color blind or are not too familiar with colors as they have to identify colors as primary and secondary. Students may also experience difficulty with drawing and not being able to color anything in with the oil pastels. For each mistake I made, I wanted to color in the area to fix my drawing mistake, but I could not as we were only allowed to outline everything.

Standards covered in this studio for grade one:

6PE Generate artmaking ideas from their daily experiences and the environment.

1PR Demonstrate beginning skill and craftsmanship in the use of art materials and tools.

4PR Create an artwork based on observation of familiar objects and scenes.

4PR Create an artwork based on observation of familiar objects and scenes.

5RE Discuss the meanings of visual symbols, images and icons observed in artworks.

To fully look at the Fine Arts Standards for first graders, go to: http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Ohio-s-New-Learning-Standards/Fine-Arts/Ohio-Visual-Art-Standards-Final-2.pdf.aspx

Art Tech Task #2

For my second art tech task, I chose to use Storyboard That: http://www.storyboardthat.com/
Although this app is used for comics, I chose not to include any words or texts so the pictures are open to interpretation. For younger children, it is important to provide books of all sorts, including books that only have pictures so especially for the ones who struggle to read, can interpret the pictures in which ever way they feel like. With this app, you have the option to add people, so I added children and a teacher to my pictures. You also have the option to change the scenery to anything that does not even relate to school. I chose to use the classic storyboard, but you can also use the comic storyboard to include comments or sentences to go along with the pictures, add framing and signs, etc.
As I did with my storyboard, I included what I thought was necessary and my story is self-explanatory and simple; riding the school bus to school, playing the piano in school, and students in the classroom. Others may look deeper into the pictures and see a bigger message such as students who are fortunate enough to ride the bus to school, how piano is an art form and is therapeutic for students, and the importance of getting a quality education in a safe environment. Students can manipulate pictures and words to fit their art masterpiece however they would like. I could use this tool to have my students retell a story we read in class in their own picture and words to show comprehension. It would also allow for students to express their creativity.
This tool is easy to use because students can manipulate the pictures by adding people and props, words, and colors. This tool is difficult to use because there are so many options to choose from that it can be overwhelming for students but also it can take away from their creativity as they can just chose any background, person, prop, etc. For this to be an effective task, students will have to read or be read a story then they are to retell the story in their own words and pictures rather than just having the students come up with a story on their own. The main purpose for this task is to check for comprehension.

Studio 1 Kindergarten

I was asked to close my eyes and think of a room in my house; I thought of my bedroom at my mom's house. Then I was asked to examine what everything looks like and each item's placement. Finally, I was asked to draw the elements of my bedroom using only oil pastels in primary colors. Beginning in the right-hand corner is the door to enter my bedroom. On the door is a towel. Next to that is my bed with a large rug underneath. Next to my bed is a window and at the end of my bed is an ottoman. Going to the bottom left corner is my cats' food bowels and their litter box. Next to that is my hamper and in front of my hamper is a large duffel bag. I only stay at my mom's once a week so I have to pack up a week's worth of clothing each time I come back to her house. In the left-hand corner is a shelf where I put lotion and body spray on. At the very top is my closet where there is built-in shelving that I attempted to draw and also hangers to hang jeans and shirts. Lastly, there is my standing fan.

This studio project is appropriate for kindergartners because it is simple, it introduces and reinforces what primary colors are, students were asked to identify primary colors in several different pictures then apply the use of primary colors to their own art work. Students were able think of any room in their house, think of the elements within it, tell the person sitting next to them all about it, then draw and color what they talked about. According to the ODE Standards for fine art, students in kindergarten need to be able to perceive, perform, and reflect. To perceive, students need to discuss other people's art. To perform, students need to create their own art. To reflect, students need to explain their art to others. Here is a link with the list broken down from the ODE website: http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Ohio-s-New-Learning-Standards/Fine-Arts/Ohio-Visual-Art-Standards-Final-2.pdf.aspx

Students many experience difficulty with the drawing and coloring aspects. When I was trying to draw using the oil pastels, it was hard to keep straight lines with a consistency in color. The harder you press, the darker it is. But if I were to stop in the middle of a line and try to continue drawing that line, I struggled with keeping the line constant. Also, I can picture everything better in my mind so when I applied my thought to paper, it did not turn out exactly as I had pictured.

Art Tech Task #1

The tool that I chose was Pixar Express. With this tool, I was able to create a photo collage for all sorts of designs and picture sizes. I can use two pictures or I can use sixteen. I can alter the color of a picture, edit it in many ways. There are also more options such as using the webcam to create a picture or I can just browse on the internet through the application to find what I need.

I can leverage this tool to create integrated art experiences in my classroom by giving my students the opportunity to freely choose what they would like to create. I explored the options, but I chose to make a collage with pictures that I feel passionate about. You could create a collage with anything you wanted, but I chose to include my animals, teaching and learning, music, and nature because those are some of the things that I love. Students have the option to personalize their collages however they want.

I would use this tool in the classroom to learn about what my students enjoy in their lives, what they feel passionate about, what they surround themselves with, and what is going on inside their heads. I like to figure out what my students are thinking and this would give me an opportunity to find out more about my students and I also get to see their creativity in the process.

Students can use this app to create their own digital media artifacts. On the home screen of the website, there are simple pictures and words to help guide users to where they want to go. From there, you either browse, take a picture, or add pictures from your library or save them from the Internet. It is simple. You can then edit the pictures that you choose in nearly any way you want to with a few clicks.

Students might challenge with the placing of the pictures. When a picture is added, it is not placed centered in the frame and it is not automatically re-sized to fit in the frame. Each time I tried to drag the picture over, it would leave that frame and enter into the frame next to it. The way around that is moving the picture slowly with several clicks rather than moving it in one motion. I also struggled with the middle picture because my entire picture is not in it. I tried editing the picture to make it fit better, but it did not work. It would be nice to be able to resize the picture while it is in the frame so I know exactly what it will look like, but I had to edit the picture from a different page and then it was added back into the frame.This is what the picture is supposed to look like. I thought if I cropped the picture enough that I could fit the entire picture in it, but it just made the picture blow up to fit the entire frame.

Summary of Learning

I cannot believe that this semester is over already. I have learned so much throughout this course such as the importance of TPACK, E-Books, the proper use of copyright, and having a flexible and blended learning environment for the students. I also learned through the use of cool tool reviews.

The main purpose of TPACK is to make the content easily accessible for students. TPACK gives teachers the opportunity to integrate technology rather than using technology as a substitute. Technology needs to be worked into the lesson plans. I will use the TPACK model to enhance my students' understanding of the content and help motivate them to want to learn. Students are surrounded by technology these days, so they may have a desire to learn through the use of technology as it pertains to them.
                                                        
E-Books are an incredibly useful tool. They can be used for any students, including students with disabilities. E-Books are an appropriate source for literacy exposure to books and reading. Students receive the opportunity to write their own stories about what they have learned. They help get the students engaged as they gave to apply their skills and knowledge they learned. Best of all, the students are given a writing voice in the sense that they have contributed to society and their opinions matter.

                                               
I have learned that not everything on the internet is free. Before this class, I have heard of the term copyright, but did not know it was applied to things on the internet, only books and products with trademarks, etc. Many teachers use copyrighted material through fair use, which is the use of copyrighted material for educational purposes. Including Creative Commons in the copyright material gives others the ability to use the material. There are different levels of Creative Commons, though. Depending on the blocks, people may have to pay to use the material or they may just have to cite the source. Either way, you need to be knowledgeable of the stipulations.

                                  
Teachers need to provide a flexible learning space for their students. What this means is that students need to have other seating that just their desks. They need comfortable chairs such as bean bags. couches, and swivel chairs. I am in my 20's and I still struggle with sitting in the same chair for long periods of time. I actually do not like sitting at all, I need to constantly move around. This also gives teachers a choice in the way they can interact with students rather than having to talk to a students at his/her desk, it is more comfortable for both the student and the teacher.

Also classrooms need to be blended, especially since technology is already a huge part of many students' lives. A blended classroom gives students direct instruction from the teacher, and indirect instruction from the technology. With technology, students can apply the content taught by the teacher through apps, quizzes, games, etc. The students receive immediate feedback this way. too. Technology integration is used to engage students. I will have a blended classroom to make sure my students understand the material as it encourages students to participate in learning.

My last cool took review was on the use of YouTube. I knew how to watch videos on YouTube, but I did not know how to upload any videos. I am not that tech-savvy, so I had to watch a tutorial on how to upload a video to YouTube as my video exceeded the time limit, making it extremely difficult to upload. It also took 3 hours to upload. Anyways, through my experience, I learned that YouTube is not just about watching funny videos. Teachers upload their lesson plans for others to view. There are tutorials for everything (including how to use YouTube, ha.) What I am getting at is, the purpose of YouTube goes beyond entertainment, it provides learning experiences of infinitely many opportunities. It also provides a forum where people all around the world can connect, share ideas, and modify them to your liking.

About me

My name is Stephanie Evans, I am a junior at The University of Akron, dual-majoring in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. I an completing my first year here at Akron as I am a transfer student from Ashland University. There, I studied nursing, so I have huge biology and chemistry background. The reason I changed schools is because I had family medical issues and financial issues and my fiance graduated college, so we moved to Akron, close to Cleveland, so he could find a better job. I changed majors because nursing school is memorization-based for so much, which education is application-based, and I love it. I was actually working as a nanny and decided to apply at Akron last minute to see if I could still attend school last fall. It happened to be that I was accepted the day school started to attend school at Akron and I began classes the next day.

 I work at a daycare in Akron as a school-age teacher. I work with second through fourth grade most of the time, but sometimes I have all kindergarten through fourth grade, too. I will be working during the summer, as a full-time teacher, creating my own lesson plans, taking the students on field trips, and participating in a carnival at the daycare.

Last semester, I accomplished something so big. I made the Dean's List with a GPA of 3.925. I was so proud of myself. I think taking a year off school and changing my majors was the best thing I could have done. I was already young for my class, so being able to mature and then attend school has helped me focus on the importance of school, not just getting through it. I try so hard now, do more than just the bare minimum. I set aside time each day to complete homework and do not let myself get behind on assignments.

I have grown so much through this semester, I became a teacher and use the things I learn in class and apply them to my students. The activities that I have to make in my classes, I let my students try them out and tweak them according to my students' needs. For my major project in Educational Technology, I learned how to crochet, Not only did I learn how to crochet, but I took the time to teach my students how to crochet as well. they loved it. I sat down with them and walked them through each step, it was an amazing experience. They were able to help me through my project. My goal is to incorporate my students in my decisions as much as possible because in the end, they are the ones that are going to be affected and changed.

Last PLN, Productivity

I am a very productive person. Other people call me a busy-body as I cannot just sit down, I have to constantly do things. Whenever I help students with homework, I cannot sit down, I have to stand up and walk around. This helps me think of new ideas and activities to do with the kids since I am always thinking. Technology has helped me expand my ideas to others and if I cannot think of something to do, I can use technology to help me use someone else's ideas. But that is just one way I use technology to be productive. I also use my Google calendar to organize my routines and deadlines, that way I always have my schedule with me wherever I go.

After watching this week's topic video and reading the featured articles, I have learned about so many other ways to become even more productive that relate more towards teaching rather than my every day activities. I have used Google Docs in the past for school so I am familiar with the app, so that will be a must use in terms of sharing documents with colleagues or parents. I found this fa-nominal app called Wunderlist. I checked it out and it is so much better than my Google calendar. Here is the link to sign up. As with my calendar I can access it anywhere with internet or data. When signing up for the app, it gives you categories to choose what you want included such as grocery lists, family information, work information, etc. I can then enter in to-dos and share them with others and organize them however I want. In the classroom, I can use this tool to set goals for the students and share them with the parents, that way everyone is on the same page and the parents can be involved in their child's goals and accomplishments throughout the process. Parents can be there to help their child because of course there will be steps and processes included.

Other productivity tools I will use in my classroom include YouTube and SmartBoard. I am sure there are others I will use, but these are a must.

Jake Miller's presentation showed me that for big issues in the classroom, there are small, easy solutions. Teachers just need simple guidance to learn such steps. He did not just use some issues, he used many issues that teachers may face every day, for example, one of the problems addressed was "I need a way to communicate with [the students] what they should be doing, when" the solution: Google Calendar, one of my favs. Well done presentation, Jake's presentation.

Major Project Post #5

Here is the link to my video for my major project, learning how to crochet!

Major Project Post #4 Design Plan

Stepping Texture Hat

Supplies:

          Yarn of any color

          H (5mm) size hook

          Large sewing needle

Brim (band that goes around your head)

    Begin with a slip knot

    Chain 8

    Insert hook into each loop and slip stitch (7 in total)

    Turn project over and chain 1

    Only work in the back loops

    Continue this until desired length is achieved

    When finished, slip stitch into back loops to join (creating a seam)

    Do not cut the yarn

Round 1: Beginning the hat

    Chain up 3 (never count this as a stitch)

    Double crochet into ridge (count in sets of 5)

    Repeat all the way around (add in more stitches if you don’t have enough to finish with a set of 5)

    Slip stitch into the top of the chain 3

Round 2:

    Chain 3

    For the first 3 stitches, complete front-post double crochets

    For the next 2 stitches, complete back-post double crochets

    Repeat all the way around (still in sets of 5)

    End with back-post double crochets

    Slip stitch into top of the chain 3

Round 3:

    Chain 3

    Begin this round with 1 back-post double crochet

    Next, 3 front-post double crochets

    2 back-post double crochets

    Repeat all the way around and end with 1 back-post double crochet

    Slip stitch into top of the chain 3

Round 4:

    Chain 3

    First 2 stitches are back-post double crochets

    Then 3 front-post double crochets

    Repeat all the way around and end with 3 front-post double crochets

    Slip stitch into top of the chain 3

Round 5:

    Chain 3

    First stitch is 1 front-post double crochet

    Then 2 back-post double crochets

    Then 3 front-post double crochets

    Repeat all the way around and end with 2 front-post double crochets

    Slip stitch into top of the chain 3

Round 6:

    Chain 3

    First 2 stitches are front-post double crochets

    Then 2 back-post double crochets

    Then 3 front-post double crochets

    Repeat all the way around and end with 1 front-post double crochet

    Slip stitch into top of the chain 3

Repeat rounds 2-6

Round 1 of closure: (remove stitches to close the gap)

    Chain 3

    Make 3 front-post double crochets

    Skip the next space (leaving a space) and make 1 back-post double crochet in the second space

    Then 3 front-post double crochets

    Repeat all the way around

    Slip stitch into top of the chain 3

Round 2:

    Chain 3

    3 front-post double crochets

    Skip the back-post double crochet (leaving a space)

    3 front-post double crochets, repeat all the way around skipping the back-post double crochet

    Slip stitch into top of the chain 3

Round 3:

    Chain 3

    2 front-post double crochets

    Skip the next front-post double crochet (leaving a space)

    2 front-post double crochets

    Skip the next front-post, repeat all the way around

    Slip stitch into top of the chain 3

To complete the hat:

    Cut a 2 foot strand (this should still be attached to the hat)

    Pull the strand all the way through to make a knot

    Put string through a large needle and insert needle across the gap, then across again making an X

    Pull it tight to close the gap

    Insert needle through the center and tie it to make it secure

Pom-pom

    Complete 100 revolutions around your hand (not too tight, it has to come off your hand)

    Cut the yarn

    Cut about 1-2 foot long strand and set it under the wrapped yarn

    Tie the strand around the ball of yarn tightly

    Take scissors and cut the folds on ball of yarn (being careful not to cut the longer strands)

    Insert the longer strands into the top of the hat and secure the pom-pom in place by sewing it in

    Cut any additional strands on the inside of the hat