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Do you YouTube? I was pleased when our district opened the site this year. We are using a new Common Core Standards aligned curriculum that depends on YouTube videos for instruction. This can be a dangerous thing. Especially when you forget that restrictions have been lifted and allow students to look up a Christina Aguilera song. Whoopsie! Naked woman! Click off! Yes, this happened, but thankfully no body parts were revealed and the kids all understood that it was inappropriate for school. Whew! Try again.
Now I am very cautious and preview whatever we watch. This week a friend on Facebook posted an amazing video of starling murmurations. Amazing! We watched this to have a brain vacation, as one of my students called it. This was almost a spiritual experience, such beauty, a miracle shared. Shortly after our brain vacation, we wrote nonfiction rhyming poems. I used Laura Purdie Salas’ lesson from Teaching Authors. This was a collaborative piece that Kaylie and Matthew wrote.
Starling Birds
Mesmerizing clouds of iridescence
Inky black plumage of brilliance
Dark plump birds in coexistence
Nature’s way of perfect balance
–a collaborative poem by Kaylie and Matthew
Please link up your Digital Literacy post today.
Reflections on the Teche 
We use You Tube for all sorts of things, Margaret, from book talks to social studies issues (documentaries, news clips, etc.). I had to smile about the sudden naked lady who appeared on your screen – we’ve had those moments, too – and the comments are horrendous. I make sure that I have the clips ready to go with the screen maximized. That usually works. I’ve shared my post from yesterday about going digital with book clubs.
It’s nice to know I’m not alone. I wish we didn’t have to worry about it. Thanks so much for linking up this week.
Oh! Wowza, what a gorgeous poem your students wrote. I especially like “Dark plump birds in coexistence.” It feels so…cozy and full somehow. Beautiful!
You tube is an amazing source for learning. The openness of it comes with concerns. One thing I did was add an ad blocker app on my chrome browser. That way those random ads won’t pop up when I show a video (always prescreened). The ads may not feature naked women but they are distracting. Loved Tara’s post about going digital with book clubs.
Thanks for the link to Laura Purdie Salas’ writing workout blog. Fantastic!
Beautiful poem, & video. Youtube has opened such wonderful experiences for us all. And our students need to learn that there will be some they’ll need to exit from. Many have such power over this at home that I hope they do learn at school that some are not appropriate. Here’s my post, Margaret, from earlier in the week, just a “small” experience: http://www.teacherdance.org/2014/03/2731-something-fun-movie-tech-contest.html
Thanks for sending your link. I put it in Mr. Linky. I think my students would enjoy this trailer and creating their own box troll.
I love using You Tube for a variety of things – a song to use in a lesson, an inspiring video to use as a writing launch or discussion, and recently to close read commercials. I think it’s so important we start talking to the kids about responsible use of technology. They’re going to be on those sites, and who better to teach them what to do when something objectionable appears than us and their parents? We definitely need to be cautious, but I’m really glad schools are thinking about unblocking a lot of sites that can be used for good.
You have a point, a teachable moment. I didn’t freak out. There are so many good uses, and who better to teach them responsible use.
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