[IAEP] Dumb Questions... Input Wanted... Please Discuss!

[Steve Thomas]

On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 4:04 PM, Caryl Bigenho <cbigenho at hotmail.com> wrote:

>  How do you make the Etoys-to-go usb from a file on a disk? Does it need
> the Live usb Creator?
>
Just download the Etoys to go zip file from
here<http://www.squeakland.org/download/> and
unzip it on your USB drive. You can then run from the USB (which is nice for
kids, because then they can keep their work with them all the time and it
doesn't matter what computer they use, even whether its a Mac or PC) they
always have their projects with them as long as they have the USB.
You could also have a copy of the zip file to place on the teachers
computers.  No Live USB Creator needed.
I just tested by downloading the zip on a Mac copying and unzipping on my
USB and it ran on my Mac and Windows machines :)  Do a test run just in case
and shoot me an email if you have problems.


> Has anyone done an introductory workshop like this for classroom teachers?
>
>
> If so, which Activities worked the best in the workshop?
>
If you demo Etoys, one approach which I always use as my first class is to
have them play with the two tutorials included in Etoys, 1st Etoys Castle,
then Etoys Challenge. With kids I get through these in about 30 minutes.
That said there is more to Sugar than Etoys, and taking up 30 minutes may be
a bit much, but it does make a nice intro and it gives the teachers an
experience they can use in their classrooms with kids.

If you haven't done such a workshop, which Activities do you think I should
> consider including?
>
Ones they can see the use in their classroom right away.  Yes the goal is
constructionist and they create their own models and build things
themselves, but IMNSHOBOWO (In My Not So Humble But Often Wrong Opinion) the
first goal is to get them to use the tools.  You can show them the
Cuisenaire Rod projects and explain how they can be used by kids to explore
fractions and journal about their own understanding. Avigail Snir created a
nice one on fractions of a Circle Game (and their are other good ones as
well, depends on your audience).

Also showing them how they can create a story in Etoys using a book is a
great project as well. At Squeakfest their was a very powerful story created
by a girl in Haiti detailing her ordeal during the earthquake.

The EtoysIllinois folks have some nice examples of projects done by kids as
well (cc'ing Kathleen Harness who can probably give you better suggestions
then I can).

Stephen
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