Welcome to the Art Zone

Since I will no longer be working at the district office as a Technology Integration Specialist, I decided to rework some of my island on the Reaction Grid to reflect the transition as an art room resource. I will be doing short presentations at ISTE2010 in Denver on this and my curriculum skybox at the SIGVE (Special Interest Group Virtual Environments) playground. I hope to meet the people I now count as very important members of my PLN (Personal Learning Network). Some of them live in Oregon, Michigan, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, New York, Florida, the UK, and Thailand! (See video below)

Leaving Teen Second Life

Right now the plan for the coming school year is to begin anew on the Reaction Grid. Since I will be going back to the classroom as an art teacher, I will use my island on the Reaction Grid for teaching art. I have a great student gallery but if I can get computers for a graphic design course, I will also use the space for 3D sculptural student work. Mrs. Rodriguez will be starting an after school club and her school will be purchasing their own RG island. Mrs. Baron would like to start the new school year off with her own space on the Reaction Grid as well. I will continue to support them as much as my schedule will allow. I look forward to working with more students and demonstrating how engaging lessons can be when taught by an avatar!

New Floor Plans for Last Project

Students don't have much time left before the end of the school year. Classes will be cut for field trips and other end of the year activities, so these probably won't get finished. It was a first completed, first choice situation and students picked from several new floor plans on which they could collaborate. The choices were: two different types of office buildings, a middle school classroom, a primary classroom, an auditorium, and a 50's diner. There was also a club/restaurant project underway from last trimester. Students who completed the Cartoon Challenge with a high degree of craftsmanship got first choice. Students are realizing that just because they say they are done doesn't mean they are finished to my standards. This kind of project is so easy to grade because the rubric is very simple. Either a student did something or they didn't. I enjoy watching the students interpret the floor plans. Today a student asked another what a certain symbol meant. The other student said that it was the symbol for a Christmas tree, when it was actually just a generic indoor plant symbol. I love it! (See video below)