Image Creating and Editing

So many image tools are available for use, whether you want to use just one photo or several.  I could use these in my classroom for fun activities to accompany whatever topic we’re working on.  I teach earth science at the high school level.  One tool that I really like and think would work great with this age group is the Big Huge Labs (bighugelabs.com).  It allows you to create lots of fun items like magazine covers, motivational posters, and movie posters.  In fact, I like this so much I may have my students do it in class tomorrow!  We are learning about coastal erosion and tomorrow they will be doing a webquest. Since I already have the laptops, once they finish the webquest, I can direct them to Big Huge Labs to create a movie poster based on any topic in earth science.

Another one that I could use in my earth science classroom is Foldplay (foldplay.com). They have a tool where you can make kaleidocycle. Their provided images fit right into the subject matter.  I could see having them make a kaleidocycle of solar system formation when learning the astronomy unit. I made an example using their images.

Kaleidocycle. Digital image.  Http://foldplay.com/kaliedocycle.action. Foldplay, n.d. Web. <http://foldplay.com/>

Other image editing sites allow you take a regular image and add various text and effects to it.  Students could search for a creative commons image on one of the topics in the current unit and add effect or text to it to include as part of a presentation.  Dumpr (dumpr.net) and Tuxpi (tuxpi.com) could be used to do this.

Friday night, I took my daughter to see R5 at the Norva.  We had such a great time!  It’s you’re not familiar, one of the members of R5, Ross Lynch, stars as Austin Moon on the Disney channel series Austin & Ally. We took a bunch of pictures and got this great up close one of Ross Lynch.  I used Tuxpi to modify the photo.  

Introduction

Do you ever look at your life and think, how did I get here? What am I doing?  I do.  Often. Today I find myself embarking on a path that will lead me to my third career as a school librarian.  Many things have led me this direction, but the one key thing that got me to this point is a love of reading and learning.

During high school, I always loved science, so when the time came, I chose to major in geology.  I got a B.S. in geological sciences from Virginia Tech in 1999.  I didn't know what to do with myself after graduation, and to pursue a career in the sciences, I knew that a Master's degree would be essential.  I headed to Florida State and in 2001, finished my M.S. in Geology. While getting my Master's degree, I had the opportunity to teach undergraduate classes, which happened to be my favorite part about grad school.

My first career was mostly by chance.  I didn't know what I wanted to do.  I got a job working as a geologist for a large environmental consulting firm in May 2001 through a connection with one of my professors.  After five years, I earned my Professional Geologist license. There were many wonderful things about that job, and also many things that just did not fit my lifestyle, particularly after having my two beautiful daughters. 

Nine years later, I knew I needed a change.  I thought back to my time in grad school and realized how much I loved teaching.  We moved our family back to Virginia and I got a job teaching high school Earth Science. 

There are many things I love about being in the classroom with the students, but after four years, I'm feeling a pull to do something different, but related.  One of my personal passions is reading, not just fiction, but all kinds of things.  The library seems like the perfect place to be.  I get to teach, learn, and help foster a love of reading and learning in others.