Coaching in and out of the classroom: Using Lucid Charts in the classroom

Background

I teach 6th grade science and reading strategies. With every reading strategy I teach a 21st century skill associated with that strategy. My reading strategy for this week is making connections between texts. A text-to-text connection.

Other posts I've done:
Typewith.me
Commenting on a blog
Voki
Infographics
Wallwisher

I have been seeking new ways to visually show making connections outside of pencil and paper and wants to show the connectedness of print, media, and other text based materials. Then along came Lucid charts.

Lucid charts is best described as a online, FREE, web based, flow chart creator. It has the capacity to work colaboratively and publishes a number of ways. So far, to me, it has WAY more capabilities than my little 6th graders can utilize but they loved the flexibility and creativity they were afforded by the program. I thought it was awesome and the kids thought it was very cool too. My tech specialist that were watching me use it were so intrigued they got on right away and created an account. Very cool!

Lesson Plan

Teach making connections: text-to-self (see the digital versions and student products here)
Teach making connections: Text-to-text using Lesson 46 in the daybook activity
Give feedback on daybook lesson
Provided student an opportunity to demonstrate making connections using the book they are currently reading
Give feedback on making connections using their book
Create a flow chart using lucid charts about their day today, set up how we can use this to make connections
Give feedback on flow chart
create connections model for students to demonstrate how the connections should be made and provide guidelines
My model is the image located to the right here->
Have students make connections using Lucid charts following key provided.

Set up

I had never used lucid charts but heard about if from Larry Ferlazzo's blog. I'll tell you soemthing, if Larry likes it, I like it. That's the bottom line. I jumped right in plaued with it for a couple minutes and had no problem seeing endless possibilities for thsi free service.

made copies of Lesson 46 in daybook.
made copies of my model for the final days activities
Reserved two classes on two days of the computer lab
Enjoyed watching the creativity flow!

Evidence of student work

This being the first time I completed this task its hard to discuss what and how it would be scored.

There are two separate entities here to be assessed:

1. Is the student capable of making connections usin the book they are reading (curriculum item).

2. Can the student utilize a flowchart creation application to create a visual puzzle of the book and connections they are making.

Student work: (I did notice some of the images didn't translate to the finished product, you'll get the drift if you see a large blank spot, that's where an image was at one time.)

Kolton