The document discusses how Katherine Sokolowski connects her students with people outside the classroom using tools like Skype, Padlet, blogs, and Twitter. It provides an overview of each tool, how to get started using them, and tips for implementation. The document concludes by asking the reader which tool they would like to try setting up an account for and playing around with.

1. Katherine Sokolowski

2. Contact Info…
Email: sokka@sages.us
Twitter: @katsok
Blog: http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com
Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/katsok

3. Plan for today
In this hour I’d like to:
Tell you why I think
students should connect
with people outside the
walls of your classroom.
Teach you an overview of
how I use: Skype, Padlet,
Blogs, and Twitter
Give you time to set up an
account and play around
with one of those options.

5. I began to wonder…
who was the audience
for my students?
Just me?
Classmates?
How could I open up
our classroom to the
world for them?

8. Getting Started…
• Download Skype to your machine
• Create an account
• Think about how you could use Skype…
• Connect with authors
• Search: Kate Messner Authors Who Skype
• Connect with other classrooms
• Mystery Skype
• World Read Aloud Day
• Dot Day
• Mock Caldecott
• Have relatives of your students (or you) Skype in to share with the
class.

9. Skyping with Classrooms…

10. And with authors…

11. Skype Tips…
• Have the students run the Skype visit
• Prepare questions ahead of time. Write them down.
• Bring a book to the carpet or spot you will Skype in case there are
technology issues.
• Have a conversation about active listening with the students.
• Discuss group rules. (Waving, using the restroom, etc.)

14. Getting Started…
• www.padlet.com
• Create an account
• Decide if you want the regular account or Backpack ($45 a year)
• Think about how you could use Padlet…
• Exit Slips
• Brainstorming
• Keeping track of students’ reading
• Visual posters

19. Getting Started…
• Decide what platform you will use - I currently use Kidblog
• Create an account if needed
• Decide on privacy
• What will the purpose of their blogs be
• Mine have evolved from reading spots to writing
• Teach them about blog etiquette and commenting

23. Getting Started…
• Create an account
• Will this be your account or your students? (I have one for my class, one
for myself)
• Sit back and watch for awhile. Connect when you are ready.
• Connect with authors
• Connect with other teachers and classrooms
• How do you introduce students to Twitter?
• What to do when things go south?

26. What would you like to try
out?
Set up a Skype account - www.skype.com
(only if you are ready to download it to your computer.)
Set up a Padlet account - www.padlet.com
I use Padlet Backpack ($45 per year)
Set up a Twitter account - www.twitter.com
(Don’t keep an egg as a profile pic. Create a bio.)
Set up Kidblog accounts www.kidblog.org ($29 per year)
Other options are: Weebly, Edmodo, Google?