Flipgrid QR code book talks!

During Teen Read Week (October 2018) we encouraged students (and of course ALL our aides) to choose a book and do a quick book talk using FlipGrid.

We then had them use or create a BitMoji avatar to post with a QR code next to the book on display here in the library using this  Book Talk template

The flipgrids we created can be viewed here:  flipgrid.com/c06ce1c5
Enter the password- schsbooks18

I wrote of the steps for the kids here in this doc.

Notes: I used the Chrome extension Goo.gl URL Shortener (heard it might be going away)
To get the absolute URL for individual Filpgrid videos, I had to log in as an Educator
Sign in>View topics>View Videos
Choose the video you want to create a code for and click SHARE on the right
Like this really cool one by Abby: https://flipgrid.com/s/c2e0ad83d473

Then open in new window to create QR code. Or, past in your favorite QR code creator. 

Rubiks cube Mosaic project Dec 2018

My clerk Lynn and I heard about the Rubiks.com cube lending program. I had read about them being used on a library blog that used them during teen tech week. I didn't want to wait until spring, so we put in for 100 before winter break 2018 thinking we didn't want to be overwhelmed with too many.

Lynn and I looked at the patterns, it looked like we had better do more so that we would have better resolution on our images. I upped our order to 225.

We contacted the Rubiks.com cube lending program.
Some basic FAQ's
We can borrow 3x3 cubes for up to 6 weeks, using the Rubiks Cube Lending Program.
You put in a request for a lending time.
You have to agree to several things (like pay for shipping, replace broken ones, submit Principal's name and I think 3 emails)

We received an email that we could get them and confirming our dates- awesome!  We got lots of emails confirming our shipping dates and they were delivered a week before they were supposed to come.

We used the Create your own mosaic website and the mosaic.twisttheweb.com which allows you to upload images and it will create the pixelated templates...which are awesome. Not every image works very well, the more pixels the seemed like the better.  You can also play with the dithering and get something that works ok. 

We started with a cropped image of Harry Potter from the cover of the Goblet of Fire...that uploaded worked ok. Lynn was searching google for book covers and saw Good Night Moon (which was really popular). 

We took free block kiddos, my makerspace crew, lunchtime folks, study hall folks. I did personally go to a few classes to seed the pot, but it worked very well regardless...plenty of folks. 

We kept the boxes of cubes behind the counter and had the templates ready for students that requested them. If someone wanted to do some we gave them a 9x9 template with the picture, a basket of 9 bricks and if needed a basic booklet from Rubriks.com

Promo- teased on announcements, tv announcements, and set up a table right in front of the library entrance. 

The first puzzle we started and then finished the next day. Good Night moon started with one study hall kid 2nd block and finished that same day after school. We email staff and display for a full day after completion and tear down to rebuild the next day. 

Feedback:
Some of the kids say how wonderful it is to have this resource for a stress reliever for finals week. 
We took it and displayed it for our open house night.

So far so good...we are on our 3rd puzzle and are trying Wonder. We need to do a better job of pictures with kids who are building and completed puzzles for our blog, website, Instagram and Twitter accounts. We did put them on TV announcements though. 

QR Code directly to Email - for Art Projects

My art teacher Torkelson and others are having their students post their end of semester art projects with a posted format and cool description of their work to accompany the artwork.

Last spring when students did this, one set created a QR code that opened email and sent a response to that student.

I thought that was cool, but didn't know how they did that. So...I poked around and found https://www.qrstuff.com/ that might have been what they used. You can create a variety of QR codes that lead folks directly to something...like email.

It worked pretty well. Torkelson said this might be helpful for the advanced kids and perhaps especially for those entering the district art show. It might be a way to request feedback in a positive manner but could also open up an entire can of worms for negative bad spirited stuff too. hmm.

Fold a book Student Aides Project

Book club and student aides have been folding books to make designs (December 2018).

We asked for thick discards from other schools when they were offered (Like the Twilight series)

Students used book folding templates like this one from ScrappyStickyInkyMess which were really good to line up the pages. They also found good designs on Pinterest and others. 

I found some Instructables that helped.

The best site that student Aide Abby found was entitled Creating Book Art  from VektorRacheln. It is pretty cool because you can upload your own artwork to their online free software  and kinda get a good design from it. 

They are doing it, but the way I understand it...it is most helpful if you determine the number of pages needed and then mark the pages from the template. Make sure to mark off the strip/line you have folded because it will take some time and there can be confusion. 

Good luck and be patient!

PS- if it helps, here is my list of OneTab hyperlinks