Edward, I know that my 5th graders who are using XOs and Sugar would love to participate with you in this project. Gerald <div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 11:58 AM, Edward Cherlin <<a href="mailto:echerlin@gmail.com">echerlin@gmail.com</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> I would also like to hear any such ideas. I am writing about exploring the XO and its software, to be followed by a teacher's guide that will show how to introduce everything that children cannot discover for themselves in dependency order, and a bite at a time, with appropriate reinforcement. I need all of the real-world information I can get about both problems and solutions. Then, of course, I will need people to try out what I write and tell me what's wrong with it. ^_^ I would particularly like to hear from children who have issues, and be able to discuss those issues with them. <div><div></div><div class="h5"> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 01:42, Cherry Withers <<a href="mailto:cwithers@ekindling.org">cwithers@ekindling.org</a>> wrote: > Gerald, > > It's definitely a balancing act trying to get them to focus on finishing up > something and getting them to explore. Once they realize that they > can affect the object by scripts they just want to do everything they can > possibly do in one sitting (dragging and dropping tiles in one script window > ..then I'm in fire fighting mode). Too much resulted in chaos in my class. > Not doing THAT again. I now give them some time to go nuts on exploration > then pull them back in to finish a project. Now I'm introducing just a max > of two concepts (or tiles) in one 40min. session. > > Kathleen Harness has really good lesson plans for teaching one concept at a > time: <a href="http://www.etoysillionois.org" target="_blank">www.etoysillionois.org</a> > > I would like to hear more best practices/ideas, etc. for teaching Etoys in > the classroom. > > Cheers, > Cherry > > On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 4:13 PM, Gerald Ardito <<a href="mailto:gerald.ardito@gmail.com">gerald.ardito@gmail.com</a>> > wrote: >> >> I agree. Watching the car script is fun for a while. But when they make >> their own first script, it is exciting each and every time. >> >> I also find that the students (I work with 10 year olds) get overwhelmed >> by the number of choices they have. >> >> Anyone else have that experience? >> >> Thanks. >> Gerald >> >> On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 7:11 PM, Cherry Withers <<a href="mailto:cwithers@ekindling.org">cwithers@ekindling.org</a>> >> wrote: >>> >>> The very first time a child sees their object move with a simple forward >>> script is always a magical moment for me and the kids. Never fails. >>> Exploration and excitement explodes after that. I'm new to teaching Etoys as >>> well. Definitely caught the bug. :-) >>> >>> On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 2:43 PM, Simon Schampijer <<a href="mailto:simon@schampijer.de">simon@schampijer.de</a>> >>> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi, >>>> >>>> I am teaching on a regular basis in the Planetarium pilot in Berlin, >>>> Germany [1]. I have been using Etoys now for several weeks and here is >>>> some first feedback. >>>> >>>> First: The kids do like it a lot! I want to encourage everyone to >>>> include it in his curriculum. >>>> >>>> For example you can teach easily the concepts of the coordinate system >>>> with Etoys. You create an object and print out the X and Y values when >>>> moving it on the screen. Or you can use a joystick to alter the position >>>> of this object and use this method to deepen the coordinate system >>>> concept. >>>> >>>> Of course we did as well the famous car example. It was slightly changed >>>> in my class: A bug has to crawl a lane using one or two sensors to stay >>>> on the lane. A lot of interesting concepts to learn here, too (positive >>>> and negative numbers for example). >>>> >>>> And to bring this all together into a portfolio you can use the book >>>> tool (found in the treasure chest) to create a story including all your >>>> objects and games, pictures etc you created. >>>> >>>> I wrote down a few items I was missing when using the book tool and >>>> while doing so, I figured they were all there, just hidden by default. >>>> >>>> - resize all of the book not just one page >>>> - maybe that could be the default option? >>>> - duplicate a page >>>> - different background color >>>> - different sound when turning the page >>>> >>>> When you hit the little button at the far left you will get more >>>> options. And when you use the menu in the middle of the book toolbar you >>>> get all of these options and a lot of more. Just in case someone runs as >>>> well into this :) >>>> >>>> A few things that I came across, too: >>>> - German: When you drop the 'joystick up down' and 'joystick left right' >>>> option onto the world it will change to English. Not when you use it in >>>> a script though. >>>> - some buttons are hard to use: for example when you want to alter the >>>> behavior of the X value of an object (increase..). Those are hard to >>>> navigate. Or dropping options into the test script does not work as >>>> smooth. >>>> >>>> That's all for now - keep up the good work, team Etoys!. >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> Simon >>>> >>>> PS: Of course I am happy to turn items into bugs later. Just thought I >>>> give here a little summary first. >>>> >>>> >>>> [1] <a href="http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Deployments/Planetarium" target="_blank">http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Deployments/Planetarium</a> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) >>>> <a href="mailto:IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org">IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> >>>> <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep</a> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) >>> <a href="mailto:IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org">IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> >>> <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep</a> >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) > <a href="mailto:IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org">IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> > <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep</a> > </div></div>-- <div class="im">Edward Mokurai (默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر ج) Cherlin Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation. The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination. <a href="http://www.earthtreasury.org/" target="_blank">http://www.earthtreasury.org/</a> </div><div><div></div><div class="h5">_______________________________________________ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) <a href="mailto:IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org">IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org</a> <a href="http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep" target="_blank">http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep</a></div></div></blockquote></div>