Our first VoiceThread project is completed and features two local experts sharing their knowledge of chewing gum.

You will find their report on the 3rd Grade Page.

Four students from Ms. Albinger’s first grade class created a short, informative PowerPoint around their study of plants.

Look at how much our students are learning - all within a 0:44 presentation!

Great work students!


Download

We captured some fabulous pictures from our first day of school and created a slide show which debuted at Sheridan School’s first student assembly. Dr. Feeney also showed the slide show at the beginning of her presentation during last night’s Curriculum Night event.

If you did not get to enjoy, yet, or simply want to see it again, here it is:

Download

We have completed our final multimedia project for this school year. Miyamoto’s Podcasts is a collection of four reports written by students from Mrs. Miyamoto’s 4th grade Explore class.

Students began with their written reports and from there we created “enhanced podcasts.” (An enhanced podcast is simply a spoken word audio recording ”enhanced” with images, sound effects and music tracks.)

Our four podcasters and topics are:
Olivia - American Idol
Maikal - The Beatles
Lilly - Otters
Grant - Video Games

Instead of embedding the podcasts here on our Sheridan Showcase, we created a stand alone website to spotlight these wonderful podcasts.

There are two ways to access the new Miyamoto’s Podcasts website:

1. Click here to go directly to Miyamoto’s Podcasts, or
2. Go to our District 67 web page (www.lfelem.lfc.edu) and choose Sheridan Elementary from the Schools pull-down menu. Click on the Mrs. Miyamoto’s Podcasts link located in the column on the right side of the page.

Enjoy the summer!

Yesterday we videotaped 16 of Mrs. Newtown’s third graders reciting poems which they chose to memorize and present to the class. Some poems are familiar, some obscure and some are even original compositions.

You will find the video on the 3rd Grade page.

Enjoy!

penguin photoToday we uploaded our latest VoiceThread project, “Penguins” by C. S. - The Penguinologist. You will find it below the “True Me Projects” on the 3rd Grade page.

You can also now see all of the fourth grade “States” presentations that were featured during our recent Family Sharing Night. Go to the 4th Grade page and scroll past the Voki project to find them.

Stay tuned, we hope to have more projects posted before the end of the school year…

Greetings from Illinois - postage stampWe have just posted one of the “States” slideshows that was featured at last night’s Family Sharing night celebration.

Be sure to check out the 4th Grade page for more details!

We will post the other two ASAP.

Tipi imageI think we can now say for certain that the VoiceThread projects have been a resounding hit this year at Sheridan School. With the completion of “England” by H. H. - The Puck Master and “How Native Americans Hunted” by O. B. - The Artistic Ant, we have published a total of 11 student-centered, student-driven VoiceThread projects.

To be honest, at the beginning of the year I was hoping to have 5 or 6 projects created with VoiceThread. Needless to say, we have surpassed my expectations.

The great thing about these projects is that each and every one of them are wonderful examples of what our students can do when we give them ownership of their learning. What I mean is that all of these projects were the result of the students having the desire and motivation to research and report on their areas of interest (and expertise).

We have also noticed some other important benefits. Students became keen assessors of their work. When we were recording if they stumbled on a word or two, or did not present their information to their liking, they were quick to “want to get it right.” And because their projects were to be published online the students knew that people other than their teacher would be viewing and listening to their projects, so their standards and performance expectations were high. But these were self-imposed standards, not teacher or curriculum driven. And isn’t this pride of work an important skill set we want our children to have?

I hope you take the time to see and hear the great work that is coming from these students. I also hope you give them a “Hey, good job on that VoiceThread project” the next time you see them.

It would be really great if you left us a comment, or two. I know the students would love to hear from you…

King CobraAs you can see, this king is a cobra!

Stop by the 3rd Grade Page to see and hear C. N. - The Cobra Hunter’s new VoiceThread report on the very large and poisonous King Cobra snake.

Any suggestions for the next VoiceThread fit for a king???

King Tut MaskYes, the title of this post comes from the classic novelty song, King Tut, recorded by Steve Martin & The Toot Uncommons in 1978 - around the time of the first exhibition tour of the boy king.

But what we are so excited about is the latest VoiceThread, “King Tut” by G.W. - The Egyptian Inquirer. You will find it on the 3rd Grade page.

He coulda won a Grammy,
Buried in his Jammies,
Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia,
King Tut.

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