This Presentation includes an explanation of student created Twitterature (Rewriting classic novels by tweeting them), student created Google Docs for school systemwide bell ringing activities, student created Graphic Novels using Pixton, student created audiobooks through Audacity, and finally, student created crowd-sourced novels. (An Example from 30 Days to Empathy, the World's First Crowd-Sourced High School Novel ever published is included. Links to viewer participation in future crowd-sourced novels are also provided in this thorough PowerPoint Presentation by 2014 CPS Tech Innovator of the Year, Jay C. Rehak.

1. Y E
OU
NGAGING
Jay C. Rehak
S
TUDENTS
Twitter @jaycr1
By

2. Learn to Say….
Every time a teacher can
YES
legitimately say
to a
student, the teacher is…
 Empowering the student to
learn by doing
 Allowing students ownership
of the assignment.
 Validating the students’
desire to learn

3. Why Engage Students in
Technology?
 Functional tech literacy
required for most jobs in
the future
 Critical thinking skills
developed
 Students made
comfortable with rapid
technological advances
 Teacher educated
through students

4. st
21
The Key to
Century
Success is…

5. The Value of
Collaboration
Students do more and the
teacher does less.

6. Five Examples of Integrating
Technology into the Curriculum
 Students read a novel and create a
book of “Twitterature” using Twitter
accounts
 Students read a novel and then use
PIXTON to create to create a graphic
novel
 Students generate Google Doc
Spreadsheet to create a meaningful
daily “Bell ringer”
 Students use Audacity or Garageband
to record a famous short
story, essay, or poem, making it
available to classmates
 Students create publishable
collaborative literature (short story
collections, essays, grammar
books, novels)

8. Create “Twitterature”
Have students work in groups to recreate a novel or play
using “Twitterature.” “Twitterature” is having students write
140 character dialog and descriptions as a way of retelling a
famous work of literature.

9. Example Twitterature
Christina, Nitzah, Elijah American Lit
Period 4
 Scarlet Letter Tweets
 @hestaprynne: ugh, this prison is so drab!
 @hestaprynne: Thank the Lord for the rose bush outside #pretty
 @hestaprynne: these ppl gotta stop starin’ at me and my baby
#nosy
 @womaninthecrowd#1: You disgust me! #gross

10. Scarlet Letter Twitterature
Continued
 @hestaprynne: these adults gotta teach their kids
some manners
 @hestaprynne: ugh.why'd I marry a misshapen scholar
many years my senior
 @hestaprynne: can't believe what's about to happen.
 @rogerjustchillin: I'm heeerreee

12. Use Free Cartoon Websites to Retell
Stories - Create a Graphic Novel
The value of retelling a story
(novel) through the creation of
comics:
 Students must read
literature to reinterpret
 Visual learners team with
verbal learners
 Students more
aware/comfortable with tech

13. Use Pixton to Create Graphic Novels (Black Boy

14. Black Boy as a Graphic Novel

15. “Wordle” Break
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DuDLw0Zftc Okay
Valentine.

17. Student Created Google Calendars
 Students create Google Calendar used by the following
year’s students
 Students “credited” with site, and quoted by peers
 Calendar a “bell ringing” exercise engages students in
writing daily journal
 Calendar can be shared with other classes or schools
 Assignment creates “legacy” students take pride in

18. Google Calendar Bell-Ringers

20. Create Audio Archives
 Have students record a short story, poem, or famous
speech. This gives students the opportunity to “star” in
the classroom without the pressure of “live performance.”
Share the files with students, or make it a homework
assignment to listen to a short story, poem or famous
speech read aloud by a peer.

21. Write Crowd-Sourced Novels

22. Someone Else’s Shoes
Our latest
crowd-sourced
novels have
six first draft
versions

23. Coming Soon!

24. BTW: CORE CURRICULUM is
COVERED
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
Reviewing

25. Other Ideas…

26. Student Movies
 An Okay Valentine
 Waitin' For the Train
Google Doc of Songs Use Google Docs to
organize the songs; have students input the
data
2013- 2014 Music Award Ballot Students
vote on their favorite videos

27. Students’ Favorite Websites

28. You know what to reach for….

29. Any Questions?

30. Thanks for listening
 If you want to reach me: Jaycrehak@gmail.com or
jcrehak@cps.edu
 Follow me on Twitter @jaycr1 or @WYTV4u or @
Official30days
 Watch WYTV at wyoung.org
 Scan this barcode for my website.

31. Recommended Websites
 http://www.Pixton.com
http://www.Createspace.com
 http://www.twitter.com
http://www.audacity.com
 http://www.wordle.net
 http://30daystoempathy.blogspot.com
 http://someoneelsesshoesnovel.blogspot.com
 http://www.dropbox.com
And of course, make sure you have a Gmail account
and start using Google’s tools for educators.