Video Tutorial - Annotating an Image in Google Drive

Hello.  Today I wanted to share a tool that I haven't seen discussed too much but I think could be a very valuable tool for teachers in a variety of subjects and grade levels - annotating images in Google Drive.

I created a short (6 minute) video demonstrating how you can annotate images in Google Drive.

This would be a cool way to have your students leave comments about an picture or image.  Here are some ideas:

• ·         Label a math problem
• ·         Describe areas on a historic map
• ·         Describe the parts of a cell on a diagram
• ·         Analyze parts of a famous work of art

I think this could be used in any subject area and is easy to use.  As the teacher you can comment on their remarks and you could create small groups to work on a single image.  

If you can think of a great way that this would help you in the classroom please share with a comment to this post.

Thanks.

Video Tutorial - Editing Audio on YouTube

Today's tutorial is a description of how to edit audio in a YouTube video.  Do you want to add some funky music to a video you've shoot or add some nice background music to a video slideshow you just made?  YouTube has over 150,000 music tracks which you can easily add to your video.

The video is part of a series of tutorial videos on the many ways YouTube can be used by teachers to edit and curate video. You can check out the entire playlist here.

Bring the Maker Movement to Your Classroom - Presentation Resources

Recently I have given several presentations at conferences on the maker movement in our schools.  I have become energized in the past year becoming more familiar with MakeyMakey kits, Snap Circuits, Raspberry Pi and a variety of kits and DIY projects.  As an educator, and a dad, I think this is an exciting time to be teaching and the maker movement pushes back the discussion to creativity and practical learning.

The resources for my "Bring the Maker Movement to Your Classroom" presentation can be found online here.

My presentation for this topic can be found below on Slideshare.

Bring the Maker Movement to Your Classroom from Eric Langhorst

YouTube Tutorial : Video Editing Features in YouTube

On day's edition of YouTube tutorials I want to share some of the options you have within YouTube to edit video.  Once you have modified, or made a video like we discussed in yesterday's blog post on Creating A Slideshow in YouTube, you can modify the colors and filters. This tutorial is very quick and meant to just introduce several video editing options within YouTube.

One feature which I use often is the ability to automatically stabilize shaky video.  When I shoot video with my cell phone it often isn't as stable as I would like so this is one of my favorite features.

The video is part of a series of tutorial videos on the many ways YouTube can be used by teachers to edit and curate video. You can check out the entire playlist here.

Video Tutorial - Creating A Video Slideshow in YouTube

Today I want to share a quick tutorial on one of the most under appreciated features of YouTube - the ability to quickly create a nice video slideshow from your digital photos.  You can add effects, filters and enhancements along with a ton of great music available in the audio section.

You can add text, transitions and overlays in your video quickly and then upload to YouTube.  A great tool for any teacher or student looking to create a quick video from field trip photos, photos taken during a season or event. 

The video is part of a series of tutorial videos on the many ways YouTube can be used by teachers to edit and curate video. You can check out the entire playlist here.

Video Tutorial : Creating Custom Start and End Times in YouTube Playlist Videos

Today's tutorial explains how to create a unique start and end time for a video within a YouTube playlist.  This is helpful for teachers who may want to use part of a longer video with their students.  If I had an hour long video on Washington's Crossing and just wanted my students to watch the portion between the minute 5 and minute 8 mark of the video it would be crazy for me to ask my kids to find just the right clip from the longer video.  With this editing tool  you are able to specifically highlight just one part of the larger video.

Video Tutorial : Creating A YouTube Playlist

YouTube is an incredibly powerful tool for teachers to both create and curate videos for the benefit of their students.  It is amazing to think that by creating a free YouTube channel with your Google account you can reach a global audience.

I recently offered several workshops to teachers on using YouTube in the classroom and was really hit by the following two statistics that really demonstrate why we as teachers should be considering how we could use YouTube to reach our students:

Creating a playlist is a great way for teachers to help organize the huge amount of content on YouTube for your students (and yourself).  I would never ask one of my students to physically go into the largest library in the world and "find a book on the Civil War" so I would never ask them to do the same on YouTube.  

I have already created a YouTube playlist for every unit that I teach in 8th grade U.S. History. Having a playlist, which is basically a folder, already created means that when I do stumble upon a great content video on YouTube it is just one click away from being saved in my playlist for when I want it later.  I recently stumbled upon a great video about the Jefferson's gardens at Monticello so I quickly added it to my "Monticello" playlist so I can find it later when I teach that unit next.

In preparation for a recent workshop I recorded some video tutorials to help teach some of the editing and curation tools available in YouTube. I want to share the first one - Creating a Playlist in YouTube - in this blog post.  Over the week I will post different tutorials each day or you can jump ahead and view them all at once in a playlist with all ten tutorials.

Thanks Gettysburg Flag Works

A couple of weeks ago I received an e-mail from the Gettysburg Flag Works of East Greenbush, New York.  They said they were fans of the blog and asked if they could send me one of their flags for my classroom.  I love displaying flags in my classroom and started to check out their selection of flags online.  They have an incredible selection of flags, including many historical flags from the Revolutionary War and Civil War.  I finally made a decision - the Tea Stained Betsy Ross flag.  

I received the flag in the mail today and immediately put it on display in my classroom.  It was an instant hit with my students.  It has the appearance of a historic flag and it a great way to start a discussion about the historical significance of the Betsy Ross flag.

Thanks to the Gettysburg Flag Works for the flag.  It is a great addition to our classroom.

Makey Makey Projects for the Industrial Revolution Unit

This is the second year we have used MakeyMakey kits in my 8th grade American history classroom as a project when studying the industrial revolution.  In the past after discussing innovation and inventions (like Morse Code, John Deere's plow, etc.) I had students come up with their own invention.  They would fill out a simplified patent application and it was an OK assignment but more often than not it was a very unrealistic invention - basketball shoes that allowed you to dunk, a machine that created an entire four course meal with the push of one button.  

Last year I handed out MakeyMakey kits to groups of students, showed them how it worked and then let them play with it for a day to create their own "invention".  The students then share their invention with the rest of the class in a "Shark Tank" style.  The students loved it.  Some students said it was one of their favorite activities of the year.  

We are doing the project again this year and today was their day to work in groups and try to invent with their MakeyMakey.  Since students are just given one period - about 45 minutes - to create something with the MakeyMakey they typically create game controllers in a variety of formats - pencil lead cardboard, water in Dixie cups, gummy bears, fruits, etc.  They had a blast and tomorrow they will share their creation with the rest of the class.

MakeyMakey kits are one of my favorite ways to introduce the maker movement to my students.  Later in the semester my 8th grade emerging technology class will work with the MakeyMakey kits for a little longer and create something a little more complex.  

American Bison by Cardboard Safari

This week I added a new decoration to my classroom - an American Bison trophy head.  It is made completely of cardboard and was made by Cardboard Safari.  Here are a couple of pictures of the creation process and the finished product.