NoodleTools For Teachers: Creating a Project Template for Your Class

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If you want to help students get started with a new project in NoodleTools with information already added, for example, a To-Do list, one or two citations, a new notecard or outline, here's how to do it in NoodleTools.

Start with a project template in your own account. Then share it with students by giving them a URL to copy your project to their NoodleTools personal folder.

1. On the My Projects screen in your teacher account, create a new project in the style and level you want students to use.

2. In the new project, provide any of the components you want them to use or refer to. Here are few examples:

• Provide a to-do list in advance of the project deadlines.
• Create a pathfinder using citations for key sources they will need.
• Model a sample annotation to show what criteria to address in an annotated bibliography.
• Create notecard(s) to model analysis: a paraphrase, a summary or bullet point notes.
• Model inquiry and reflection in "My Ideas."
• Add an outline to show important subtopics.

3. Go to the Dashboard screen for your project, under Sharing  column click the + sign.

4. In the pop out box select where you'd like to share the project - with a project inbox; with a student collaborator; or as a public view

5. Click on "Configure public access" and "Allow entire project to be copied" and "done"
this will created a URL in the box under "Public View" that can be shared with students. 

6. Share the URL with your class. (You can shorten the link with an URL shortener tool to make it easier to share it with your students, a QR code, or the URL can be posted on a web page where students can easily access via their browser.)

7. After students load the project template's URL in their browser, they can click Copy project.  

If they are already logged into their NoodleTools account, they will be prompted to copy the project into their account. If they are not logged in, NoodleTools will prompt them to log into their account first.

After NoodleTools confirms the project has been copied, the student should close this window and return to their My Projects screen and reload the page. The project template will appear. 
 

8. As they make edits to their copy of the project, the project template in your account remains untouched.
 

For example, in this public project http://noodle.to/toothnotes with notecards and citations, you can use it to help students learn:

1. How to add a source like this one about flossing: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140527-does-flossing-protect-your-teeth

2. How to pile notecards into subtopics and move them into the outline.  Or you can change subtopics in the outline or move them up and down.

3. How to add tags. 

• For example click on a notecard, choose "Cues" and "Need help" from the Tags menu to show users how they can quickly identify where they need help.
• Or you can click on a notecard, choose "Colors" from the Tags menu and then add a red dot for a "con" argument or a green dot for a "pro" argument.

For example, in this public project http://noodle.to/toothnotes students are asked to write an annotation for each source explaining how they would use it to answer the question "Is tooth decay caused by sugar?" A teacher or librarian can view and comment on each student's work. If the topic is directly related to a subject being studied, the student could write a short essay or compose a visual argument using the sources.

Purpose of this assessment:

• Checks a student's understanding of the threshold concept that relevant and credible sources may be biased or have a point of view.
• Evaluates a student's application of the threshold concept that writing is a "conversation" among ideas, rather than a report of facts.
• Assesses a student's skill in using claims and evidence.

Assesses a student's ability to write a coherent, critical annotation