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One of my favorite pieces of the library media world is trying out different Web 2.0 tech tools to support authentic learning experiences. Web 2.0 really does transform students from information users to information creators and producers! ThingLink is a tool that brings interactive links and notes to photos. Icons appear on the picture and each has either a link to a website or video, text or both! I tried it out by making our current NaNoWriMo display in the Learning Commons "virtual" by adding links to the online catalog, a YouTube link and different NaNoWriMo-related links that match the visuals.
Any GMS teachers interested in giving this a try, please let me know! i'd be happy to explore different modes of integration to find what will work best for a full class.
Ms. McCall You may have been wondering what this "NaNoWriMo" business posted around the Learning Commons is all about... well, it's pronounced "nano-rhyme-o" and it's an abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month! Happy November, or NaNoWriMo! What is NaNoWriMo? It's a community of writers who gather for one month [November] to write as many words as they can and in 30 days produce a full novel. Sound crazy? It is! But it's also a great way to connect with other writers and to focus all your creative energy toward one complete product. The full NaNoWriMo program pushes writers to write 50,000 words, but the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program gives student age writers the opportunity to set attainable word count goals that allow for obligations like oh, school, extracurriculars and a social life, on the side. But don't take my word for it! Listen to a young NaNo writer below speak about what it is and why she participates (also I want her book shelf full of YA goodness!) Thank you YouTube user TheReadingFox for the inspiration!
A big part of NaNoWriMo is the social media, forum community and pep talk inspiration. NaNo is not just for amateur writers either... many bestselling published authors have taken on the competition to challenge themselves, including Maggie Stiefvater and John Green. I highly recommend any students interested in writing to take the plunge and write! Visit the Official NaNoWriMo Twitter feed for daily (or more like hourly) motivation, especially reminder to stop editing and start writing. NaNos, we have books and sites to support your writing journey , and you will have all of GMS cheering you on! Ms. McCall Feel free to post any questions if you'd like to know more!
Ms. McCall |