Using Web Tools for Student Publishing: Projects Across Curriculum Areas

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You can make learning more authentic through cross-curricular lessons in which students create a final product online.

When thinking of online tools and curriculum, also think of digital print and publishing. Not only is publishing a great way to get kids writing, it can integrate curriculum. Integrating curriculum not only saves time, but makes learning more authentic. Publishing can be done by individuals, teams or whole groups.

Some ideas for ways to create digital books and writing in various curriculum areas are listed here and can also be downloaded.  Integrate several curriculum areas by using digital photos to create books or online documents.

• Art, math and writing: create a digital book or online document on the art elements: line, shape, color, texture and space.
• Art, language concepts and writing: create a digital book on perspective using concepts like above, below, under, behind, over, on, far, near, etc.
• Math, social studies, and writing: create a digital book or online document about a construction project in the community. Talk about the math concepts used measuring, angles, shapes. Talk about the effect on the community.
• Science, math, writing: create a digital book about cooking. Talk about measurement, safety rules and what happens when something is heated or cooled.
• Science, language, writing: create a digital book or online document about the steps in a process or experiment. Reading, writing, math: create a digital book about a math mystery using cause/effect writing.
• Reading, writing, health: create a digital comic book about good health practices.
• Social Studies, reading, writing: create a biography book or online document about a famous person.
• Science, reading, writing: create an "I Spy" book with foods from the different food groups.
• Social studies, reading, writing: Write news stories about happenings in the community and publish them on your Web site.
• Social Studies, character education, writing, acting: Take photos of students acting out positive character traits in social activities, such as sharing, helping, brave, respectful, curious, etc. Use these photos to create a book or Web site article.
• Physical education, writing: create a digital book or online document about rules for games or to show how to do a skill.
  

Michelle Bourgeois is a tech coordinator and fourth grade teacher.

Gayle has been a teacher for 35 years. She has helped teachers throughout the nation learn about technology, the Internet, and creative ways to use both in the classroom.

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  The Teacher Store
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Using Web Tools for Student Publishing: Classroom Examples
Students demonstrate what they've learned by creating final products using online tools. New and first year teachers can see some examples of these products from our tech tutors' classrooms.

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