My grandmother passed away from Alzheimer's. Years ago, she left home and was lost for hours before a policeman found her. She didn't understand English. Please record a video about your loved one using Flipgrid,and create a QR code bracelet for them. It could make a difference.DIRECTIONS: |
|
|
PURCHASE QR CODE MEDICAL ALERTS AND MISSING PEOPLE IDENTIFICATIONS.
From Artsonia you can purchase...
Print Avery iron-on labels for clothing...
At Zazzle you can design...
Purchase tyvek wristbands in bulk through Wristbands.com...
Purchase silicon wristbands in bulk through Silicon-Wristband.com...
Flipgrid QR Code jewelry also makes wonderful birthday, anniversary, retirement, and graduation gifts.
I've always believed that there should be opportunities for students to learn with their heads, their hands, and their hearts. Our students may understand the effects of the Cold War, how to balance equations, the scientific method, the proper format of a persuasive essay, how to speak another language, score a goal, mix watercolors, and play in tune but what will any of that matter if they don't develop a sense of compassion for others and pride in their work.
This year I was fortunate to continue my career in a district where I met an occupational therapist with a focus in assistive technology. She and I were both familiar with the benefits of sensory walks for ALL children. These walks reminded me of the painted footprints that I used to follow from the lobby to the Children's Room in the basement of my public library. If you have never seen a sensory walk before, check out this video.
|
While brainstorming we began thinking, "Wouldn't this be a wonderful opportunity for kids to do something FOR kids?" My colleague invited two special education elementary classrooms in our district to be part of our pilot program. Then we approached a special education teacher who helps to prepare students for work study opportunities. With her advisement, a graduating special education senior was invited to become the project manager for this endeavor. Applying the skills that she had learned in the program, she created a Google survey for pilot classrooms, assisted with cutting and weeding the designs created by the Cricut Maker, and even created a PowerPoint presentation about proper line up procedures that she shared with the elementary students. This student developed leadership skills that will last a lifetime.
Using the Cricut Maker to design and cut the shapes...
The Cricut Maker in action...
|
The student project manager teaching the elementary students about proper line up procedures...
Trying out the sensory walk before it is installed...
These first sensory walks are fairly simple designs, and we look forward to working with classrooms in other district elementary schools on more elaborate projects. Although sensory walks are available for purchase, the benefits of this project were more far reaching...
* using technology and resources already available
* ability to customize during the creation process
* making connections among schools in the same district
* involving special education students in the process so that they can apply what they have learned in the classroom
* empowering students and educators
One day after school in my library as I was cleaning up and getting ready to leave, I discovered that the pen that had been left at the circulation counter for students to sign in with had been misplaced again. Pens were a commodity since they had a habit of rolling off the counter, or being indefinitely "borrowed." I remembered seeing pens with feathers attached to the top of them in my colleague's classroom to prevent pens from being misplaced. I had the solution! I quickly ran to my computer and printed out a few copies of the QR code for our library book recommendations Flipgrid, laminated them, and attached them to the tops of some pens. I didn't need to replace the pens until the ink ran out, and the QR code was a reminder to share their favorite books with one another.
And I snuck a few reminders into new books when I processed them too...
Create a MixTape for each of your students, combining their responses from various topics during the school year.
Kick it Old School with MixTapes □
□You pick what goes on your MixTape (any video Response from any of your Grids).□You set the order you want Responses to play.□MixTapes are view-only and can be shared anywhere.□Your community can Follow your MixTapes and receive an email when new videos are added. Ready to get rocking?
Create student ID badges.
Scan Student ID Badges with QR Codes for Easy Access
If your students don't have Microsoft or Google accounts, Flipgrid makes it easy to secure your Grid using Student IDs! Educators can add or edit their Student ID List at anytime and print out the...
Save time, and download multiple QR response codes at once.
|
Some years ago, my friend and colleague Claudia Leon and I brought our NYS Liberty Partnerships students on a field trip to the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park, Long Island. We brought with us:
- wooden toys donated by adviser Steve Kaplan and the students of his Toy Making Club
- pantry items donated by adviser Mary Lapid and the students of the National Honor Society
- True Hope cancer dolls that our students had purchasing through fundraising
- and hats that I had knitted for babies
This year I had been speaking to a group of students about the Ronald McDonald House and what an impact that field trip made. At the same time, a new program was being promoted by DonorsChoose.org and the Born This Way Foundation, led by Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta, to support mental and emotional wellness. As an advocate for student voice to empower children to become agents of change, I had used the Flipgrid video recording tool for our SLIME event's Make a Difference Charity Pitch Fest. With all of these in mind, tt was time to write a new project with my students:
"Many of us visit the library because it is a place where we can relax and meet with our friends during free time. Our library has a classroom area, a reading lounge, and a makerspace. We even have exercise bikes that we ride on when we read. Our "Kids Kindness Kart" that has supplies so we can make things for others. During a day of working so hard, it's nice to visit the library and make things with our friends like toys for shelter dogs, cards for sick kids, and kindness rocks. Mrs. Holzweiss told us about the Ronald McDonald House, a place where families stay when their children are in the hospital. We want to help these families to cheer them up, and to know that people are thinking about them. We know that it's hard when people you love are sick, so we can take turn our pain into something positive.
If this project is funded we will have the supplies that we need to create beautiful works of art, and enjoy the wonderful smells and sounds of the library. After we paint our pictures, we are going to record video messages of hope with the Flipgrid app. Then we will print the QR code and attach it to the back of the artwork before we give them to the families at the Ronald McDonald House. They will have the artwork and a video to remind them when they need cheering up. If they want, they can even respond to our videos. We can do some awesome things together! This can make our school and the whole world a better place."
A few students participated by creating works of art in the library during their free periods, but I soon realized that it would take quite some time to paint 100 pieces of artwork to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. And so how it usually happens in the library, one thing leads to another...
My colleague Amy Scognamillo, a 6th grade ELA teacher, explained how she had been reading the picture books We're All Wonders by R.J. Palacio and Malala's Magic Pencil by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai with her students so that they could develop not only literacy skills, but also empathy. Listening to Amy speak was magical!
I explained my idea of this Ronald McDonald House art project to complement her lessons, and Amy immediately agreed to join me. For three days, my library was transformed into an art studio. With paints, crayons, markers, canvases, and brushes Amy's students created heartwarming messages of hope and inspiration. They not only learned ABOUT empathy, but they were given the opportunity to make a difference with their hands, hearts, and minds.
This project is particularly special for both Amy and me. Today is the 19th anniversary of her mother Marie's passing, and the 13th anniversary of my sister Laryssa's passing. I thank Amy not only for collaborating with me as a colleague, but the gift of making a difference with her and her students.
Click here to view the student messages: https://flipgrid.com/6af621
Kristina A. Holzweiss
Ed Tech School Librarian
Professional Developer
Author
Maker
Archives
July 2021
April 2021
February 2020
December 2019
September 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
January 2018
December 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
Categories
All
AASL
Advocacy
Alzheimer's
Appsmash
Aprons
Autism
Awards
Bitsbox
Bloxels
Book Fairs
Books
Book Tasting
Book-Tasting
Brag Tags
BrainPop
Breakout EDU
Buncee
Business
Buzzers
Canva
Coding
Conferences
Contests
CoSpaces
Creativity
Cricut Maker
Curation
Design
Digital Book Bentos
Digital Portfolios
Doink
DonorsChoose
Dry Erase
Ducks4Laryssa
EBooks
Electronics/Circuits
English Language Learners
ESBOCES
ESL
Failure
Fake News
First Day Of School
FlipGrid
Fliphunt
Folger Library
Games
Gamification
Genially
GIF
Google Slides
Grants/Funding
Green Screen
Grit/Perseverance
Growth Mindset
Guest Post
Hacks
Howtoons
Immersive Reader
ISTE
Kapwing
Kids Deserve It
Kits
K'Nex
Legos
Literacy
Little Free Library
Madison-Oneida BOCES
Make A Difference
Make Magazine
Makerspaces
Making
Malala
Manners
Memes
Microsoft
Music
Newsletters
New Teachers
NGSS
NYSCATE
Organization
OSMO
Ozobots
Pedagogy
Planetarium
PLN
Productivity
Professional Development
QBall
QR Codes
Reading
Reading Logs
Recycled Materials
Relationships
Research
Resumes
Scholastic
School Librarian Of The Year
School Library Journal
Sensory Walk
Shakespeare
Shopping
Skype
SLIME
SnapCircuits
Social Media
Special Education
Standards
STEAM
STEM
STREAM
Stripling Model Of Inquiry
Student Engagement
Tackk
Target
Teen Tech Week
Thank You
Thinglink
Think It Up
Twitter
VersaTiles
Video Games
Virtual Field Trips
Visitations
Visual Literacy
Wakelet
Webinar
Web Tools
Wireless Door Chime
YALSA