Google Presentations & Docs, QR Codes, and Goos

In Literacy we have been spending a good portion of time intertwining informational text into everyday instruction.  Following our winter break, everyone in our class did a research project of a New Year's Celebration from somewhere around the world.  We used one of the Literacy by Design guided reading titles: Encyclopedia of New Year's Celebrations Around the World.  Since the book is a level V, which is below / at level / and above the level of our students, we used it as a WHOLE group reading book.  This proved to be a success.  As we read the book as a class, we took notes together, identifying the most important information about each individual celebration.  After we completed the book, students then chose one particular celebration to zero in on and research further.  

As a class we developed a rubric for what their project's end result should look like.  Students determined that the project should be presented using Google Presentation (they have wanted to do a research project using Google Presentation all year).

This opened up the door for some other unique opportunities.  Because many of our students get the general concept of finding information on a given topic, if they search the "right" spots on the web, we spent more time modeling what a presentation should actually look like.  For example, slides should have fewer words and pictures / videos that add to the slide, using word art makes titles appear more clear, and keeping the overall feeling of a slide clean makes the views feel less claustrophobic.  We also heavily used the tool "Research" within Google Presentations (and Docs for that matter), to make citing a breeze.  I for one wish I had that tool growing up!  

Another piece we added was the use of placing a QR Code on the cover slide, so that others could easily follow along.  Students also included the "Goo" (Google shortened URL) that others could use to access their presentation.  Students were allowed to bring in their personal device during presentations, with a pre-installed QR code scanner (I recommend Kaywa Reader - but others work fine too) and permission from their parents.  This turned out to be a hit during presentations.  Students could not wait to try and scan each other's codes.  Plus, they did a fantastic job following their peers' presentations on their devices.  The process was a success. 

So that others could view our presentations, students printed their first title slide and posted it above their hallway cubby.  This makes it so that anyone with a web enabled device or a QR code scanner can view their presentation.  This will be awesome for parent-teacher conferences!

Since the previous presentations, we moved on to using informational text to formulate an opinion.  Last week students had to form an opinion to determine whether or not Punxsatawney Phil would see his shadow or not, ultimately determining our winter's fate.  On Wednesday we shared information, both about the legend and the facts, with students about Groundhog's Day, Phil, and groundhogs in general.  From this information, and researched information, students formulated an opinion that they had to stick with.  In our class, based on research, one-third of the class thought Phil would see his shadow and predict a long winter, while two-thirds predicted the opposite.  Looks like the one-third group was right...we'll see!

Today, as a wrap-up to their research essays (done on a Google Doc), students had to create a one slide Google Presentation including their general prediction, an image, word art, a "goo", and a QR code linking the slide to their Google Doc.  SUCCESS!  Rather than print the Google Doc, we will now print the one page Google Presentation  and again post it in the hallway for others to read.  

It is really beginning to be fun to see how we can melt different components of Google together to create one really unique project.  This sort of project will certainly keep my students engaged for the rest of the year, no matter the subject or genre.