Most of the projects were part of a Language Arts grade.  Technology is not a separately graded curriculum and is believed to be a "tool" to achieve a learning objective.  Following directions is a part of grades, but strict formatting is often not the goal--process and content is more important than form at this point in our students' learning.

Projects

GrantBook

Instructions: GrantBook - Private and Personal Information

Template: GrantBook Template

Student Folder: Grantbook folder

This project was used to introduce the wiki as a tool as well as teach students about private and personal information along with netetiquette.

The wiki began as a private wiki where students created a "GrantBook" (FaceBook like page) about themselves following guidelines for adding personal information.  Rather than post photos of students, self-portraits were created using TuxPaint and then uploaded and linked to pages.  When pages were complete, students had to login with their parents and review the information.  Parents were required to comment on an assignment paper on the content and sign it before the wiki became public.

After the wiki became public, students realized that it became available via Google at some point and their attention to detail on their pages increased realizing that it truly was available to the "world".

Both sixth grade classes participated in this project.

Follow-Up

• Purpose of the wiki and use as a "public" forum needs better explanation for parents to feel more comfortable.  Also having an upgraded wiki with premium would allow for more freedom like it was for the first year.

• Spend more time with creating pages: naming and placement in folders.
• Students need more understanding of the file system when "uploading" files as well has how to see the images using thumbnail pictures.
• Illustrate (with videos) how to insert different photos/images types
• Storing files on the PBWorks server

Current Events

Instructions: Current Event Instructions

Templates: Current Event and Current Events with Links

Student Folder: Current Events

Typically, students would have used PowerPoint to do a current event project with pictures.  These are short projects that encorporate notetaking, resources (accreditation) and illustration/photos.  We use the wiki as the presentation medium because it was available from home.  Transferring files between home and school along with file formats, versions and other issues make it difficult, so a template was born to cover the basic format.

There were a couple of issues trying to get the format looking good as well as inserting photos on some sites where accessing the photo's URL was not easy.  However, students persevered and demonstrated in classrooms using the Wiki.

There were two rounds of Current Events for both sixth grade classes.  The first round focused more on using the wiki as a content gathering tool and presentation vehicle.  The second round focused on ensuring you had "credited" your source with the appropriate URL and adding "additional links" for the more curious explorer as well as demonstrating with more than a photo or two.

Follow-Up

• Emphasis on naming becomes important when lots of pages are created.
• Split Current Events by Class and Project to make the number of pages more manageable.
• Re-iterate storing on the site versus linking and embedding on the site
• Time sensitivity due to nature of the current event (choose a different source?)
• Illustrate (with videos) how to insert different photos/images types (add videos for...)
• Sites with "embed" functions
• Sites with flash apps with photos
• Sites where the URL is difficult to find (using properties)

Book Reviews

Instructions: Book Review with TuxPaint Illustration

Template: Book Group Discussion Book Group 2 Running Review

Student Folder: Book Reviews

There were two rounds of Book Reviews for one sixth grade class.  The first was a standard running notetaking (dielectric).

Walker Creek

Instructions:

Template: Personal Walker Creek Page

Student Folder: Walker Creek

In sixth grade, our students attend an outdoor education experience.  This project included reflections about that experience, choosing photos and creating pictures that represented activities during the week. 

Last year, it was imperative that students create their pages in the correct folder to prevent access from the public to the photos they were linking.   Since the entire wiki was private this year, it was not as big of an issue.

Follow-Up

• Having the added security model helps students understand the importance of private and public information and using it wisely.

Science Notes

Demo Page: Ms Mason - Science Notes Demo

Student Folder:  Science Notes

We introduced the wiki as a means for gathering ideas and keeping notes on their science project.  Some use the tool others did not.

Teddy Roosevelt Group Literature Response

Student Folder: Teddy Roosevelt

Students were divided into groups to respond to the book.....  As a group, they were to summarize information, provide quotes and other items.  "Stealing the Lock" was discussed as an etiquette issue and practical issue.  The project required coordination and cooperation to ensure there wasn't mishaps with entries on the page as well as formatting and consistency which were stressed more heavily.  Many students tried using the Table of Contents plugin (which doesn't work as easily with the new editor when you center headings).

Only Mrs. Haugen's class participated in this project.

Wiki Management Observations

Since the subfolders and user groups have now been added, the following recommenations are made for managing the wiki better.

• Upgrade to the premium to handle private, personal and secure information better
• Use folders and subfolders with images stored in subfolders.
• Create groups of users by class for better management.