Search Acivity 5- Search FUN!

This is my last of 5 entries around "Searching". In this series of exercises and videos, I was able to find some great exercises that I know will help continue to foster online skills. These tutorials take time to complete but I can not help but reflect on how they have changed my daily use of the internet already. For instance....

I needed to find a custom made motorcycle part...a part that did not have a name or number. It can only be "described" by its function. Using < Ctrl >F....I was flying through mass amount of information on chat rooms, part sites, blogs, etc. What an amazing tool! I got what I needed while I ate a ham sandwich! I have a lot of stories that I can't wait to share with students as they do the same activities I did in this course. I can already see the look from students in my head...my wife gave me it already and said..."What, you didn't know that?"...no. Thank you very much. 

"The Easter Eggs"...too funny...those people at Google need more things to do at work...maybe a gym, pool, arcade, etc! Ha Ha. This reminds me of the Game Genie or secret codes in old school Nintendo Games. 

"Handwriting"...WOW! Someone said the other day..."Why write it? Just type/text it!"...Sounds nuts but there are direct connections to a students learning style based on his/her handwriting. Ask yourself...Can you write like your grandparent? What does this say in general? Script is a lost art just like certain spoken languages. This exercise can also be used with students that have high needs in the classroom. 

"Video Creator"...I took the time to create a video that brings you from United States to Colchester Middle School. Another great tool that tells a story in Google's creative way. The video that I created is attached below and it can also be found on the Colchester Middle School Art YouTube Channel. I know that students, parents, community members take the time to do internet searches when thinking of moving or sending students to Colchester. I hope that they come across this video and become more interested to what else we offered. As a district, we have not yet switched over our district domain to Google. This video would be a great little side feature on a website or blog that generates different intrest for all to what Google can do simple and easy.

Colchester, VT Video

"Demo Slam"...I only watched 3 videos....why...I had to complete my blogs, project, and site! These videos are amazing and addicting. The ideas for possible art projects are priceless! I absolutely love the Mt. Rushmore video. Part of the current middle level curriculum, 7th graders specifically engage in art history. We try to keep our yearly art show engaging for all. To help, the elementary art teachers had students perform famous art pieces on the night of our district art show. I think that these style videos can help demonstrate in a fun way the objective to students the importance of creativity and teamwork. Please refer to my classroom website to see how these videos are directly connected to project objectives. Thank you for showing me these resources. 

Activity 4- Even More

I took a picture of my steak, searched by pink, and this is the image that I got!  I am now going to eat it. oh yeah....it was 1.4 lbs= 635.029 grams.

I really enjoyed this group of videos and tips. Not to sound like a broken record but this a concept that I seem to be reflecting on a lot...Google is a tool. I feel that I really connect with these videos more than the others. They sound and read like a car manual. The tools described are very useful to me as an artist. I was familiar with the conversion, calculator, and target query details but I was not aware of the 'Search by Image". I am so happy! What a great tool. I have not gotten to the stage in my life that I have a fancy iPhone but I do have a wife with one! I am always finding crazy objects. I would love to do this activity for 7th graders using art tools or basic junk that connects to history or maybe to other cultures or science or machinery and on and on and on and on. Just like a Scavenger Hunt. I would have the objects prior to class and a Google form that documented all the results by students. Another great tool and use for Google Tools and the classroom.

Activity 3- Advanced Techniques

 <Click Here> 

to go to YouTube Tutorial to 

see how to create something like this!!!!

Thank you for the break down of the advanced searching tech sheet. As I stated in the last post, I am very interested in advancing student knowledge when searching. My gut reaction tells me that this is over the head of middle level students on a daily basis but I say this as a teacher that instructs quick and fast.  Based on current baseline knowledge students have entering middle school, I could see these techniques used as a challenge at the end of a "Search" Activity to help differentiate to all learners but not all could grasp the layered thinking required to use these tools daily in the middle level.

If these strategies were introduced at an early stage and reinforced as students rotated through grades, this would really benefit both students and teachers when researching units of study.

One aspect that I will be integrating into my units in all grades....
Advanced Search...Rights Usage...and File Type.

I know that this blog is public and I know my rights, so I will not self incriminate myself. I used Google images a lot! Correctly? Well, I will just say today I know better.

It has been a challenge to apply images to my work for this class knowing what can be used and what can not be used. The image above was created by using multiple "Free to Use, Share, Modify" images in a free program called Gimp. Gimp is a program very similar to Photoshop. Students are asked to use Gimp in the 8th grade before creating a surrealist sculpture. As I type this, I believe 6th graders could benefit from knowing how to create images from free images on the web rather than copying the first thing they see when doing an image search. Students portfolios and e-portfolios would be very strong if they consisted of 100% original images used according the current copy right laws.

All of my rambling, I am excited for adding these advanced skills into my lessons. I said that some of these concepts might be difficult for middle school students to use but hey...you never know until you try!!!

Activity 2- Art & Science of Searching

When I do searching activities at the start of a unit with middle level students, I am a broken record as I rotate from one student to the next. I find me reminding myself of my teachers. They were nuns that did things rigid and were not flexible to change. ( Do not stare at this image...it moves...or maybe it is me and nuns!!!)

I got a lot out of these videos. I have a lot of experience working with kids and searching the web. I have been looking for good "Straight to the Point" videos that tell it like it is! Searching your results, using filters, searching sites by text (WOW!), translating, patent searching (WOW AGAIN!), etc have a lot of worth to me as an art teacher and fellow artist. One stop shopping but you really need to see these options or you would over look them because they are not in the center or common used daily functions of the web.

Students seem to have trouble completing unit background worksheets for a few reasons. It puzzles me that students struggle with one of the simplest activities on the web other than Facebook. If you asked me or others, you would guess that kids are good at computers. You think they must be good at searching the web for facts/information but it turns out to be like getting blood from a rock. My hope is to give them an easy way to make connections prior to starting a new unit without a large percentage of students not completing the task assigned.

What do 75% all do when faced with a task like this? Students type in the entire questions rather than the main point. They become frustrated when the results do not show up instantly. It might sound crazy but, they want their worksheet filled out in the click of a few buttons. I am looking to refine the process of searching to help them get straight to the point early on in the marking period. I know that I will be adding some of these videos to my web page prior to the end of this course as part of my project.

 I look forward to seeing how students will be using these videos to help tackle the problems I mentioned.  Please look at my final project to see the connections made from the three videos shown in greater detail and understanding.

Search Like a Pro...Activity 1- Introduction

These three videos really do a nice job explaining the basics of Google. I have found myself talking about these videos to others in general conversation. Why? They helped fill in my baseline knowledge around the workings of the internet. I was not born with the internet and it was not part of my life until college. There are a lot of little parts that have escaped me base on how things change over time and my lack of intrest in computers...only so much time in the day!

As a teacher, it is good to start from the ground up when learning and teaching a concept. I am looking forward to taking these concepts back to the faculty during in-service and faculty meetings. If I am asked a simple question like...How can my daily use of the internet be effected by Google?...I understand the flexibility Google offers to users. Or...How does Google organize the structure of its overall page?...or Where can you go to change options for searching?....and etc.

I am guilty for only using "Images" and "Web". I never looked at the left hand panel to refine my searches. I do "Search" activities with students all the time. Allowing students to search for their ideas helps them to connect with the project or exercise from the start. GE's and National Art Standards can be achieved by searching by color. Students with disabilities or low interest levels can search by using their voice....way COOL!!!

I look forward to more of these videos to help me learn how to challenge students, enhance technology skills in lessons, and develop possibilities to engage all learners.

Here is a reflection I found using a search in Google/Books about a book called "Harry and Horsie". I would like to use this book as an intro in my class to how creativity, play, and inspiration works. Plus....I love this style art. I want to stop Blogging and Draw!!!

http://writingamillion.tumblr.com/post/17773611624/on-harry-and-horsie

Getting Started.

This is the first of my blogs that documents my learning here in the Google Tools for Teachers course. I was very excited to take this course. I am a very hands on teacher and individual. I use technology to assist when creating art and documenting art only. Creating a site, managing a site, and exploring technology is a full time art upon itself. Finding a balance is very difficult as an art teacher. Technology has a role but it is just a tool like my brush, pen, or pencil. Understanding your tools makes you a more successful artistic no matter what task is asked of you. Please feel free to revisit my blog to hear me ramble...good ramble!

PS....tHIS PIC WAS TAKEN WITH MY iPAD AND UPLOADED TO pICASA AND SENT TO HERE! i AM BETTER WITH DO THAN WORDS. tHANK YOU!