Dot Day and Google Hangout

I have been wanting to do a Google Hangout and thought a Dot Day occasion would be fun.  There is a new library media specialist, Abby,  in my school system who was willing to be a guinea pig (she’d never done one before either) so we worked out the details and gave it a whirl!

We came up with a second grade class at each location that would be attentive and interested.  She collaborated with the art teacher at her school as she hadn’t done Dot Day before.

Planning Was Important

I sent blank circles to Abby so her students would be creating dots just like our students.  I also sent questions about The Dot for the students to answer.  I chose several completed dots from our end and took photos of them as ours would already be up on the wall by the time of the Google Hangout.  Our second grade teacher had her students answer the questions and then gave me several good responses.

Abby and I tested Google Hangout a couple of days before hand to get a feel for how it worked.

Google Hangout Success

Our students were not really sure of what to expect, but they soon got into it.  They really enjoyed it.  After introductions I had our students come up and share the photos of their dots that I had printed out.

After each group shared their dots and writings we all watched a YouTube video of a reading of Peter Reynolds’ book, Ish.  I thought it continued and extended the theme of The Dot about creativity, risk-taking and art.

Watching a reading of Ish on YouTube.

Our first Google Hangout was a success!

What we looked like from the other end! That’s Kelvin reading his written response to a question.

After completing the Hangout I showed the students where the other school was located using Google Maps.  During the Hangout we each shared a photo of the exterior of our school so our students would have a context to the other location.

I will encourage my teachers to reach out to other schools or experts who they could contact and have an exchange of ideas or information.

 

International Dot Day 2019

2019 International Dot Day is in the books at International Studies Elementary Charter School.  I started the week before reading Peter Reynolds’ book, The Dot, to all of my classes, explaining that they may have heard this book before, but that they are not exactly the same person as they were the last time.  The may have a different perspective as they have grown, physically, socially, intellectually and experientially.

As I did last year, every student (all 420+) colored in a dot, which was used to create a large mural in the central hall.  It turned out beautifully and the students and staff are loving it.  Several have said they wished it would stay up all year.  It does have a great textural quality to it, in addition to the amazing designs and color scheme.  It goes to show how much of an impact individual pieces have when pulled together.

 

 

Promoting Dot Day and IB Learner Profile Connection

On September 16th we celebrated Dot Day by encouraging faculty and students to wear dots.  We kicked off the day having students read a brief history of Dot Day and the global phenomenom it has become.  I made small posters with a couple of the IB Learner Profile attributes that are seen in the story (along with quotes from the book to make that connection visible).

Dots Everywhere!

At dismissal I recruited a couple of students to display a large poster and the IB Learner Profile posters so that parents could get a deeper appreciation of the themes and concepts of the book.  It was HOT but the students were troopers to stand out there!

 

 

Connecting with an IB PYP School Across the Globe

I found out about an IB PYP school in Queensland, Australia whose year 5 students were gathering data for their Exhibition inquiry; they were inquiring into education around the world.  They were using Padlet to gather information and included a list of questions.

I worked with one of our 5th grade classes to add to the Padlet.  We divided the class into small groups and each group answered all of the questions.  I looked at all of the responses and chose the best (the most well written and accurate) answer for each question.  I had a student from that group type in their response.

I then took a photograph of the students in their classroom to add additional information about what our school looks like.

The teacher and several of the students had an “aha moment” after this experience.  They remarked that maybe we might be able to use this method of gathering information when they get ready to do their Exhibition in the spring.

Wink, wink, nod, nod…..I thought they might get it!  So glad they did (without me having to say it).

 

Harry the Dirty Dog and Kindergarten

I really like reading Gene Zion’s Harry the Dirty Dog to our kindergarten students.  They love the story.  I think they enjoy the fact that Harry has such a good time getting dirty.  I’ve never done any activity with the book  before but this year I want to provide more opportunities for the kindergarten classes to draw (and eventually write) and participate in hands-on activities.

Drawing Harry Getting Dirty

This year I asked them to draw a picture to show  what they think  Harry will do to get dirty.  This early in the school year, I mostly got drawings of Harry without much background or action.  That’s okay.  They had fun drawing Harry and talking about what they were drawing.

These drawings show the WIDE range of development in the classes.