Glogster and the Creating Mind

I thoroughly enjoyed this project!  I have used Glogster with my 2nd graders before, creating “posters” about themselves or subject content.  I had not, however, used it myself for content delivery and assessment.  So I am excited to find yet another use for Glogster.

Howard Gardner, author of Five Minds for the Future, insists that the “height of creative powers…is in the mind of the five-year-old.”  (Gardner, p.84)  These young children “are not only intrigued by a wide range of phenomena, experiences, topics, and questions; they persist in exploring.”  (Gardner, p.84)  Since the “challenge to the educator is to keep alive the mind and sensibility of the young child,” the use of Glogster in the classroom is one vehicle to use in achieving this goal.  (Gardner, p.84)  Glogster is a great tool to use in developing the creating mind at any age, as can be shown in the following example.

Here is my glog about Christmas traditions in the United States.  This glog will be used as an introduction to the study of Christmas traditions in the U.S.  The following Social Studies TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) for 2nd grade will be addressed:

• (1A)  explain the significance of various community, state, and national celebrations such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving.
• (14C)  explain how selected customs, symbols, and celebrations reflect an American love of individualism, inventiveness, and freedom.
• (15A)  identify selected stories, poems, statues, paintings, and other examples of the local cultural heritage.
• (17A)  obtain information about a topic using a variety of oral sources such as conversations, interviews, and music.
• (17B)  obtain information about a topic using a variety of visual sources such as pictures, graphics, television, maps, computer software, literature, reference sources, and artifacts.
• (17C)  use various parts of a source, including the table of contents, glossary, and index, as well as keyword computer searches, to locate information.
• (18B)  create written and visual material such as stories, poems, maps, and graphic organizers to express ideas.

After a brief introduction to the whole class in the computer lab, and an explanation of procedures to follow, the students will proceed through the glog independently (or in pairs).  One of the items on the glog is an assessment tool in which the students watch a short video clip about holiday traditions and then write about their favorite family Christmas traditions.

After completing the glog assignment, the students will be assigned the task of choosing a Christmas tradition or symbol to study more in depth.  Using various kid-friendly search engines, Discovery Education video streaming service, School Tube video site, and the Microsoft ClipArt gallery, the students will create their own glog to present their research findings about their chosen tradition or symbol.

Besides addressing many Social Studies TEKS, I know that the unit will aide in developing my students’ creating minds!