Specific Activity:
Well, I had a specific idea for the use of a piece of this technology in my creative writing class (an elective for 10-12th graders) and am in the process of using it. Here it is:
My CW students create a cast of characters and a common event to write about. Then they create plot lines that must compliment each other (and not contradict). I set up a wiki for them to keep track of all of the mutual information, and they have made it their own. Here it is: http://champlincw.pbwiki.com/
They also have blogs, so they're posting their stories for all to read and to help them clear up contradictions.
I'm doing this project for the 4th time, and it changes each time a little bit. This time, adding the wiki has really changed the nature of the project: kids are more excited and invested.
Final Project Ideas:
1. Our sweet 9th graders are writing a lot of "firsts" this year: their first literary analysis paper, their first research paper, and their first comparison/contrast paper using embedded quotes. Most kids understand how to write these papers with the instruction they receive in class, but some kids need that one-on-one time for me to just repeat it all over again. I could make some vlogs summarizing the instruction for any/all of these papers so kids could review at home if they are totally lost once they sit down to write the paper.
2. CW2: I did a digital poetry unit with them last year and they LOVED it. They made some very cool stuff, too (on Powerpoint) but most kids' digital poems were like music videos for poetry. I'd like to see them explore this genre on a deeper level. More examples? Some articles? Maybe I need to spend some more time with that unit.
3. Romeo & Juliet: We do a persuasive essay for this one for 9th grade. It would be cool to do some online role playing before they launch into the essay, so I could develop the guidelines for some asynchronous discussions/other activities to assist with the pre-thought/pre-writing work.
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I'm so glad to hear that using the wiki has gotten kids even more involved in your project. That's really cool. It was so high interest as it was...
As far as your final project ideas go, they all sound pretty fun. Anything to make RandJ more interesting, right? At least the kids like it. The vlog for paper writing sounds really practical. I would have really liked it when I was a student. On the other hand, my students wouldn't use it. if you think your kids will use it I think its a great idea.
You could creat screen shots with examples of bad writing covered in red ink! Oh I'm getting shivers. Geeky teacher shivers.
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