Molly+Dershem

=Stark Raving Sane= toc

Introduction
Molly Dershem Gifted and Talented English Advanced Placement English IV English Department Chair

Favorite Things

 * Reading
 * Writing
 * Spending time with family and friends
 * Discussing literature
 * Playing word games
 * Satire

What I've Learned So Far
//**ASSIGNMENT TWO**//: Well, what I have learned is that Prezzi is frustrating to me and others when they won't add a "group" function for editing. By checking the forum, I found a cheat, but here is a feature they need to add, especially if people are paying for this service. The prezzi I made also wouldn't allow me to put a video over the 7 Deadly Sins (that I made) be put in it, or the "Sympathy for the Devil" music file. I don't want to upload my own work to youtube, but I'm guessing that is my only option unless I can find someone else's video. Will look into this, but so far, not sure this is any thing to write home about. . . media type="custom" key="7232893"

//**ASSIGNMENT THREE:**// I love Canterbury Cathedral, and I can use this slide show for multiple lessons--the history of the Norman-French period when the cathedral was started; the story of Thomas a' Beckett's death, told when beginning //The Canterbury Tales//; and it should work with //The Agony and the Ecstasy// as well because of the time period and the emphasis on all the pieces Michaelangelo was doing for the Popes.

media type="custom" key="7815669"

CC1 Nick Garrod http://www.flickr.com/photos/belowred/279668781/ CC2 Major Clanger [] CC3 Hyougushi [] CC4 Chingers7 [] CC5 Steffen M. Boelaars [] CC6 Steve Cadman [] CC7 Hyougushi [] CC8 Steve Cadman [] CC9 Wendy Clarkqt [] CC10 Nick Garrod [] CC11 Archangeli []

//**ASSIGNMENT FOUR:**// When I was in fourth grade, we had pen pals from another state. Waiting for the letters took a long time. I had never really thought about how to update a pen-pals assignment considering all the new technology and much quicker respond time. When I visited epals, my kids were finishing up blogs they had created over Gothic Literature. I think now that if I could find another school anywhere in the US or another country that was having their high school students read this type of literature, I could get voices from other places to comment on my students' ideas. But I think the chance of finding someone doing the same thing at the same time somewhat slim.

So, I could add a component to the lesson that would create a matrix that contained all the information they discovered about Gothic literature, and then set it up for kids who had studied it to add to it or comment on that instead of the blogs. I think my brain can see more uses for this in geography or culture studies than my own subject, but now that the info is in my head, it might cook into something without me thinking about it. I love it when that happens.

//**@http://www.epals.com/**//

//**ASSIGNMENT FIVE:**// My husband bought me a Flip HD for Christmas a couple of years ago, and since then, I have been making videos for a great many of my lessons. I made a commercial for AP English IV when my enrollment was down, and edited it on iMovie. I love Macs and have been a Mac-head for years. The iMovie program was what the kids refer to as "stupid easy", and they are right. That video was too big to upload here, so let me explain the video that is here.

media type="custom" key="7821515"

Sometimes in English, you just have to give information. I have tried various different ways of doing this, but inevitably, if I want to get the information across to every kid, I have to give it. This method can lead to yawning on everyone's parts, but as far as I know, college professors still deliver the majority of their information this way, and my AP seniors are going to have to get used to listening actively. Sometimes, if I am using a power point / keynote / document camera--anything that requires the overhead projector, I will in the middle of the information, when it looks like everyone is dropping off, play this video. It gives everyone a chance to jump start themselves and laugh. I call it "snoring cat". Sadly, when I was fighting with Vimeo to upload it (I always have to fight with these places) I somehow missed the option to name it. Everywhere but here it is "Snoring Cat".

Now that I have defeated Vimeo, I uploaded the AP Ad, and it is here for your enjoyment as well. And no, I did not have the sword in the room when kids were in the building.

media type="custom" key="7821593"

//**ASSIGNMENT SIX:**// Wordle and Glogster--just goes to show anything with Shakespeare in it can be fun media type="custom" key="7813783"

media type="custom" key="7818783"