Flickr

I created a Flickr account a while back and uploaded my first photos to the site a couple weeks back. It's free and easy if you have a Yahoo account, and even if you don't you just need to take a little more time to set up the Yahoo account and Flickr can be yours too. Let me tell you a little more about Flickr before I move onto the first way I will use Flickr with my class. I was very interested in learning about the photo sharing website that is free or for a price with added perks. A quick sign-up and millions of photos can be searched. If you find one you want to use, just Flickrmail the photographer to find out about using it. The site does not disappoint with easy ways to upload your digital pictures and share them. Especially helpful ideas from a podcast by Alan Levine that was under Help at the bottom of the screen, click on the Tools tab to download the Flickr Uploadr. This makes it even easier to upload photos to Flickr. Pictures you upload can have notes added to photos, so students could make captions, add insight into the photo taken, or even write poetry about the picture. Another use would be much better pictures for clip art or assessments. You can also comment on and have other people comment on your photos if you choose to have them public instead of private. A final exciting function in Flickr is the Map tab. Photos can be placed on the map and added to a growing number of other photos all over the world. This would be a way to set up a tour of a community thousands of miles away.
Now onto my use for Flickr. With each of the photos I uploaded I wrote story starters and guides to help my students or anyone else who would like to write about the pictures I posted. My idea is to have students access the site at home, with the help of their parents, to have time for extra practice with the writing process and typing. I'll be interested to see if my students take to it. I have included a link to the site under my links tab.