Okay so don't mind my messy hair but here is my TedTalk on my Genius Hour. I hope everyone enjoys it, I really loved the genius hour assignment and am hoping to incorporate something into my own classroom one day.
Alright so I have finally found the best tutorial that has helped me to create the cutest bookmark. Throughout the weeks I found it difficult to go from tutorial to tutorial learning about each pattern and trying out ones I liked. Although it was a task in itself, I have finally found one that is great for beginners!
Although this pattern only has single crochet and chaining, I really liked it too much to pass it by. I really hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. Can't wait for everyone to test it out and see if they were as successful as I was.
Starting the bookmark making was difficult as I couldn't find a good pattern to follow. So I am still on the search for a great pattern that will include at least two of the crochet stitches. As I continue to search for the perfect bookmark pattern I will be practicing each stitch that will help me become confident in completing the actual pattern. I currently have two different patterns ready that will hopefully be perfect to help me create a bookmark as a beginner.
So I was right, the half double is half the struggle! Exciting news right!!
Now that I've mastered the double crochet the half double was super simple as you just go through all three stitches instead of two then two. Learning it wasn't too difficult, especially with the great videos on youtube. There are so many great videos that really take their time to explain the half double and their differences compared to the double and single crochet but the one I found the most effective for teaching me the stitch was one that went in slow motion too..how cool!
Here my friends, I will share my opinion of the BEST beginner video for learning the half double crochet :)
Throughout the video it explains with detail what you are suppose to be doing and how to do it, which really helped me get back into the routine of crocheting.
Perhaps its true, now that I've learned the double crochet the half double will be half the struggle? Well let's keep our fingers crossed! I have recently been working a lot of other assignments which means my crocheting has been placed on the back burner....but not to worry I am back at it. I have completed some fairly extensive research on the half double crochet and from what I can tell it will be easier than the double crochet. So let's get down to business and find out if it is! Can't wait to see how it goes :)
Alright, so I think I have finally mastered (or what I consider mastered) the double crochet. There have been several different videos that have helped me along my journey to mastering the double crochet. Thank you Youtube! For some reason, learning the double crochet took me a bit longer than expected because I was finding myself struggling with the transition from row to row. With that being said, here is the video that definitely helped me out the most learning the double crochet!
Movie Trailer's are a lot more difficult to create than I expected, especially when you don't have a single creative bone in your body (like me!). So after some struggling with iMovie and my internet, I finally finished my movie trailer for my Genius Hour project.
Well....it's true, this crochet stitch is just as I expected, a lot more difficult than the single crochet stitch. This stitch has proven to be tough as I keep getting in trouble pulling the needle through two of the three pieces of yarn. I don't understand how people can so seamlessly do a double crochet without any issues. Jeez, I better keep practicing or else this stitch will take me weeks to perfect!
Alright, so this week is a bit different... What I've been doing over the past few days is searching for the perfect tutorial to help beginners, like myself, learn to single crochet. And I am happy to say I think I have found one!
This video helped me through several struggling questions and mishaps I went through creating my bookmark (which I will show you eventually). With the help of this video, I feel like I am capable to move onto the double crochet and mastering it.
My Genius Hour project, which is laid out in this powerpoint, will explain the new encounters with crocheting and learning how to effectively complete each stitch.
My Background Story
Growing up my Grandmother taught me how to knit when she was taking care of my sister and I. We always enjoyed this as it was our time we spent watching 'grown up' television shows, like soap operas. As we got older, our lives got busier and it became more difficult to find time to spend with my grandmother, and the time we did was over dinner or short outings. Unfortunately, that meant I didn't have the time to continue to knit...but now that I have come to have an appreciation for handmade work, I want to try and get back into the momentum of knitting and crocheting. Thankfully, there are several useful resources to help me learn the techniques, including my best friend who seems to be a professional after only crocheting for one year!
The first stitch for me to learn was the single crochet. Learning the single crochet wasn't as difficult as I expected but I found myself struggling still. I think my problem was that I thought I knew how to use it and moved on quickly, but once I had to come back to it I couldn't remember. Why I couldn't remember the simple stitch I don't know, but boy was it frustrating.
That frustration allowed me to realize that learning one thing at a time works best for me. So now that I feel like I've mastered my single crochet, I am going to continue practicing until I really have mastered it! I recently completed a single crochet book mark, a very simple pattern to practice my single crocheting. I made a minor error during it and added an extra stitch then tried to drop the stitch later on...needless to say, it didn't turn out as well as planned (just wait till you see the picture next week). I did complete the bookmark, but it is not perfect, thus my practicing will continue until as I find the perfect video to help teach those who are beginning as well!
I was originally completing my genius hour based on physical activity and what type of exercise class works best for me.....BUT I have had some troubles actually finding exercise classes around me that I would be able to attend based on my schedule....
Having trouble understanding what Genius Hour is? Take a new perspective after watching this video that helps describe my understanding of Genius Hour and how it works.
I always find it is nice to take another student's perspective, as it helps to confirm your understanding!
A
virtual field trip an new and excellent way to engage your students without
having to spend the money and time on organizing an actual field trip. With a
virtual field trip, students are gaining the experiences without leaving the
classroom, thus creating an educational and engaging environment for the
students as they continue to learn. Virtual field trips allow students to go
through at their own pace without feeling rushed by other students in the
classroom. For instance, if students are traveling through a museum, some may
want to take a little longer on different parts of the museum. When you are
going through a museum as a class it is more difficult to cater to each
students needs and wants, but when students are virtually going experiencing
it, they have more time to enjoy different parts that are more interesting for
them. Virtual field trips are great ways for educators to bring in real world
connections and make connections to the curriculum as well.
During our first virtual field trip, we
were experiencing genius hour projects and were able to learn about the different types of genius hour
projects. Our virtual field trip took us on an adventure of looking at what
genius hour is and how to create our own genius hour. Learning about genius
hour has allowed me to gain a new perspective when it comes to creativity and
engagement in the classroom. By allowing students time to use their creativity
and innovative minds, we are creating more productive students, or so I have
been told. This is an interesting idea to understand as I have never considered
it myself, but according to several resources it is a true fact, ask Google.
The
following video allows for another perspective as to why genius hour is
beneficial to learning within the classroom.
