Flip Video

Ok, we tested it in movie maker and we were fine! Our only problem is our old equipment. We need some sort of DVD burner to burn the edited video and then upload it on a separate mixer. No...I don't understand a word of this but that is what the students tell me! I trust them 100%. They know this kind of stuff!!! So...we still really like the Flip Video but we have to keep looking...

Flip Video for PC - #3

Ok, I took my video and put it in their movie mix program. You can choose the videos you want to use, decide what type of video - nostalgia, classic, kaleidoscope, journal, etc. - and if you want to use their music. I chose nostalgia and their music. Here it is...



Wow. I just need to test it in movie maker - which is the program the students use - and pass it to the next person to try. I'm going to work on some other things right now, but look for the movie maker test later!

Flip Video for PC - #2

Ok, I just played around, made a video, practiced editing with their software, and did a cute little video mix. I'm going to see what I can upload now.



Ok, that wasn't so bad. This has all been done without a manual. I think the students would be even faster because these things are so intuitive to them. This thing is pretty awesome.

Testing the Flip Video for PC - #1

Today we received the Flip Video for PC from our Follett Library rep. We will be testing it for a week. Our 7th and 8th grade students create a daily news program and their equipment needs updating! We are trying to find money and inexpensive equipment.

The Flip Video is about 3 1/2 in. tall and 2 1/2 in. wide so it's very portable. It has built-in video mixing software but is compatible with imovie and Movie Maker. It runs on two AA batteries and has a built in hard drive. It also has a USB plug so you don't have to fiddle around trying to find the correct firewire to load the video on the computer. I just did a quick test video and will see how easy it is to transfer it to the computer.

ISTEP is here!!

It's ISTEP at school today and tomorrow. This year I'm not testing anyone...so far. Which means I have time to catalog books that were "lost" when our computer crashed, read!, work on the new policy and procedures manual, read!, update the classroom book inventory which hasn't been done since 2004, read!, and read! Yeah, ISTEP!!

Book Talks Coming Up!

Ok - my first set of "official" book talks are coming up. I'm doing four books for each grade level. I tried to find books that:

• are at different levels
• would appeal to both girls and boys
• would include one non-fiction choice

So here they are:

6th Grade

• Al Capone Does My Shirts by G. Choldenko
• A Boy No More by H. Mazer
• Woodsong by G. Paulson
• Cracker by C. Kadohata

7th Grade

• Real Time by P. Kass
• Taking Sides by G. Soto
• We Beat the Streets by S. Davis
• The Red Kayak by P. Cummings

8th Grade

• New Boy by J. Houston
• Monster by W.D. Myers
• Malcolm X by W.D. Myers
• Airborn by K. Oppel

These are my tentative choices before teacher feedback. I've already started reading Al Capone Does My Shirts and Taking Sides. Both are good. I'm hoping to get some of the reluctant readers hooked before I'm done.

One of the 7th Grade teachers is pretty awesome at getting students interested in reading. She does quick (or would that be wiki?) talks from the Scholastic TRC catalog. Students practically run into the library to see if we have the books! Of course, that helps with collection development too!