Summaries+from+MariaD

=Summary emails to class members and parents=

Weeks 1 and 2
On the first day of the class, we had a runaway activity students enjoyed more than I planned, though I should have known better, because jig-saw pedagogic designs are very popular with this crowd. Individual kids brainstormed our wiki name, voted on all names they liked, then incorporated about two-thirds most popular names into collaborative versions. That's how Spamfultriangularkindofpedia was born!

The spreadsheet we used during the activity is here: http://spreadsheets.google. com/pub?key=thbaF-_0IS- a9wMfmKTk04A&output=html It is a Google Docs Spreadsheet - a nice collaborative tool. We looked at bar graphs and pie charts within it.

On the second day, we watched and discussed two videos about visual manipulations of human faces: Evolution of beauty http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=knEIM16NuPg Extreme makeover: Angela Talbot's Old Lady http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=N3U2u1IC78U

Then we introduced the "reverse image search" tool, TinEye. It's THE reverse image search tool, because, unlike other image searches we use, it was the first to analyze the CONTENT of the images, not just keywords some humans used to describe them. The tool can be used to detect changes in images. We started with a famous (among visual literacy bloggers) case of a Canadian magazine photoshopping a person of a different race onto its cover. Then kids used the tool to track image changes in well-known images of their choice. Among finds, we had enhanced colors and brightness on the "Starry night," a presidential candidate with a light saber, and Michael Jackson (allegedly) holding kid underwear to his face. @http://www.tineye.com/

Spotting image manipulation is important because of distorted body images the media is pushing on us, especially girls.

You can see all links in the wiki: @|http:// spamfultriangularkindofpedia. wikispaces.com

Weeks 3 and 4
In the third week, we worked with a frequency analyzer tool called Wordle. If the tool type sounds a tad dry, let me just say it's a great example of the importance of beauty and design in the modern world! The good people at Wordle created the output in stunningly beautiful ways that instantly captivate anyone who tries it. We pasted Wikipedia articles into the tool, but you can also use it to improve your essays (the overused words pop out) and to find modes in your data. Here is the page with way cool word clouds kids made: http:// spamfultriangularkindofpedia. wikispaces.com/Week+3

In the fourth week, we worked with mindmaps, using two tools: Bubblus and VisualThesaurus. First, kids made their own mindmaps of concepts of interest. Note very different uses of maps, and the resulting different structures: Robert and Garrett recorded examples of laser use, which were challenging to find. Caitlin and Yael used the tool for storytelling, and their map's long lines of bubbles match the linear narratives of stories. Will and Noah traced language roots, so their map is a branching tree, with a side arrow. Madison and Christopher did a free association brainstorm, so their map is large and the content somewhat unexpected - how do you get from "food" to "UFOs"?! These are examples of many mindmap uses. I did not know ahead of time how kids will use the tool, and I am quite happy to see a variety of applications they discovered, which match their personal styles.

VisualThesaurus is a gigantic set of mindmaps tracing word connections. I love using it for creative writing. It's very hard to explain how it feels to follow its winding paths, so just give it a try for yourself!

http:// spamfultriangularkindofpedia. wikispaces.com/Week+4

Week 6
Thank you for leading the class in my absence, Anne!

On the last day of the class, we looked at they way visual literacy elements enter into the general design principles http:// spamfultriangularkindofpedia. wikispaces.com/Week+6

Children browsed their favorite sites and analyzed how color, line, balance, size and so on play a role in making the site work. Then we found these same principles in the design of the room we were in. I was pretty impressed with the analytic skills of students. Rock on!

This is a link to what Good Housekeeping did to the poor first lady. Spotting image manipulation is a big part of visual literacy. From the article: "You have to admit, the First Lady does keep a good house. But the editors of Good Housekeeping seem to think she could could have a better face." http://jezebel.com/5511687/ michelle-obama-gets-a- facelift-from-good- housekeeping