Learning 2.0

Commercials for Teaching

2011-03-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

I love using commercials in the classroom. I came across these two and had to share my ideas:

This is a great commercial to use when teaching personification. Any of the latest Geico commercials would be great in a lesson for Idioms/Cliches.

Tom Barrett's Interesting Ways Presentations

2011-02-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

Tom Barrett has created numerous helpful presentations for using tools (such as Wordle) in the classroom. Now, he has all of his presentations in one spot:

http://edte.ch/blog/interesting-ways/

Enjoy!

ELearning Tools for Schools and Learning

2011-01-31T13:18:00.000-08:00

The Bright Ideas blog shared this mindmap of Web 2.0 tools used for various aspects of learning and education:

"Click on titles such as ‘communication’, ‘presentation’, ‘educational games’, ‘teacher resources’, and ‘mobile applications’ to find lists of online tools. Jesper has used Mindomo (online mapping and brainstorming software) to create this resource. What makes this mindmap so wonderful, is that Jesper updates it regularly!"

Here is the link to that map!

http://www.mindomo.com/view?m=48511abbfb7e4145a33dbe6453d0f8af

Neat Grammar Lesson

2011-01-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

I received this email from M.Adamcik. Look at the many uses and contexts for the word "UP".

UP
This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the
dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky
or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do
we speak UP, and why are the
officers UP for
election and why is it UP to the secretary to
write UP a report?
We call UP our friends,
brighten UP a room, polish UP the
silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We
lock UP the house and
fix UP the old car.

At other times this little word has real special
meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets,
work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one
thing but to be dressed UP is
special.

And this UP is confusing: A
drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at
night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP,
look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary,
it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can
add UP to about
thirty definitions

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may
wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is
clouding UP . When the sun comes out
we say it is clearing UP.
When it rains, it soaks UP the
earth. When it does not rain for a while, things dry UP.

One could go on & on, but I'll wrap
it UP, for now .......my time is UP !

Send this on to everyone you
look UP in your address
book..or not...it's UP to you.

Now
I'll shut UP

It would be neat to extend this by having students write something similar for other words in the English language that have multiple meanings. The teacher could create a list of words and (in groups) students could write something similar for their assigned term. Here is a list to help you get started:

http://sb058.k12.sd.us/multiple%20meanings/multiple_meaning_words.htm

More Ideas from @Learngamer

2011-01-21T07:37:00.000-08:00

There is a scene in Inglourious Basterds where they are playing a card game. Each person has written something on the card, passed it to the person to the right and stuck it on his/her forehead. The person must guess what is written on the card.

I love the idea from @Learngamer for Human Sticky Notes. Students place sticky notes on their bodies and guess the terms. I thought about tweaking this two ways:

1. Have students in groups do something similar to the movie. Seated, students write one term (vocabulary, a character from a story, or a part of speech) on a sticky note. The student then passes the note to the person on the right and that person immediately sticks it on his/her head. They spend the time trying to figure out what is on their heads.

2. Have students place sticky notes on each others' backs with terms written on them. Students walk around the room, asking peers for clues as to what is on their back. Once the student figures out the term, they move it from their back to their front. The student with the most on the front wins.

The other idea I loved is the Basketball game. This is how I would tweak it:

Have students in groups complete a short worksheet (4-5 problems). Each group has a runner. The runner brings the worksheet (once completed) to the teacher. The teacher briefly checks it; if correct, the student can ball it up and shoot it. The student then gets another worksheet to do the same thing. The group with the most worksheets in the hoop wins. You could have two hoops, one designated as 2point and one for 3 point.

Thanks again @Learngamer for the inspiration and creative ideas...you make learning so much fun!

Teaching Parodies?

2011-01-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

I love this video by Weird Al Yankovic . I do not think it is school appropriate but, you could definitely use the song to help teach the definition of parody:

Engaging and Interactive Ideas

2011-01-12T11:34:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Learngamer. I think it is my new favorite site. There are so many great ideas, and @Learngamer shares many more on Twitter. I want to share my thoughts about a few of his ideas:

1. Pull it out of your Brain - Have the students read sentences out of the "brain" and write them correctly. This is great practice for complex, compound/complex, and other sentence structures. This would also be a great way of practicing punctuation, such as commas and end marks. Prize to the one who gets the most correct!

2. Chopstick Game - Have students draw vocabulary words out of the bowl, and define them correctly. If the student cannot, another student can try and steal the paper. The one with the most papers wins. Or, have the student draw a generic word out of the bowl (such as like or very). The student must come up with another word they can use in their writing instead of that generic word. Same concept here as before.

3. Hopscotch - Make your own hopscotch mats out of old sheets. Number them as you would a regular hopscotch mat. Then, write the numbers on your chalkboard and what they mean. For example, number 1 could be from a vocabulary list they must define. If they land on number 2, they must shout out a preposition. Have different tasks for the numbers they land on.

4. Frisbee - Have post it sticky notes on 4-5 frisbees. Toss them to students. If the student answers the question correctly, they keep the sticky note. The student with the most sticky notes wins. Take it a step further by having a student write a new question on a sticky note, stick it to the frisbee, and toss it next.

Thank you @Learngamer for the great ideas and inspiration!

Random Links

2011-01-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some random links I collected over the break:

http://corkboard.me (alternative to Wallwisher)

http://quinturakids.com/ (research/search engine for kids)

http://www.converttocartoon.com/ (convert photos to cartoon)

http://www.creativity-portal.com/prompts/imagination.prompt.reload.html (writing prompts great for ELA)

http://foldingstory.com/ (group storytelling)

http://ohlife.com/ (neat journal writing site)

http://www.quietwrite.com/ ( a peaceful place for students to write)

http://www.onlinevideoclock.com/ (play a YouTube video at a certain time) (can’t seem to get it to work at MISD)

http://www.historyteacher.net/ (a great history site full of resources)

Enjoy!

#LessAmbitiousBooks

2011-01-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

I came across this thread on Twitter yesterday and simply had too much fun coming up with alternate titles for popular novels. Then today I had a fun idea. This would be a great inventory to use with your students at the beginning of the school year. Give them a small list of books they should have been exposed to at this point in their school career, such as "The Outsiders" (The Insiders) and have them in teams correct the list. The groups who correct the most win.

Then, take it a step further and have the students (in groups) create their own #LessAmbitiousBooks. We could then guess them as a class and vote (usingPolleverywhere) on our favorites. The favorites could then be tweeted out in this fun thread. What a neat way to conduct a reading inventory and expose students to popular novels and stories.

More Ideas for Digital Camera in ELA Classroom

2011-01-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

Here is the original tweet from @kellyhines :

Doing a #365photo project? Here are some neat ideashttp://ow.ly/3wUPX

After looking through the ideas, I came up with a few of my own. For the photowalk, have students take pictures of their school campus and develop a type of "survival manual for incoming freshmen" or do an "all about our community project" and take pictures of the community (including members). These would both lend themselves to great writing projects.

For the strangers project, tweak this to include people around school or the community. I could see students interviewing janitors, cafeteria staff, and bus drivers and creating a type of "Who's Who at our School" for teachers and admin new to the campus.

For the A-Z project, have students take pictures of A-Z items that apply to a novel or play. For example, the students could take all sorts of pictures that tie in to the drama Romeo and Juliet. These could be themes (such as love or death) or other terms examined in the play.

For Go Mono and Pick a Something projects, these could both easily tie into novels or short stories. Students, while reading "The Scarlett Ibis" or "Mask of the Red Death" could take pictures of red items. When studying To Kill a Mockingbird, students could take pictures in black and white and discuss the symbolism of seeing things only in black and white.

Thanks @kellyhines for the great idea!

Ideas for Writing Projects/Essays

2010-12-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

What a great idea from @chrislehmann! His Elluminate speech referenced a Spanish IV project. The students’ wrote an essay about themselves; specifically, what people see on the outside vs. what the student possesses on the inside. The Spanish students learned and created masks to reflect their outsides and insides. They then cut up pieces of their essay and used that to decorate their masks. What a neat project to do at the beginning of the school year. This would be a great way to learn the students and their inner passions/fears/beliefs.

Another essay I used was about the students’ favorite song. This essay would be a great vehicle for teaching persuasive writing. They followed this template and had to convince me if their favorite song would be remembered years from now.

I guess what I am getting at is tweaking the writing projects to reflect more of the student. Sure, you can still practice the various forms of writing but gear them toward the student and his/her interest. I think this would motivate the student to write and write more passionately.

Start the class with Local Trivia

2010-12-22T06:53:00.000-08:00

Every morning I receive an update from KWTX in my Google Reader. They are almost always interesting and great for curious minds. Here is an example of this morning's update:

"Good morning, it’s Monday December 20 and it’s shaping up as a pleasant day in Central Texas. It’s the 124th anniversary of the opening of the Texas hotel where nearly a half-century later a future president had his first date with a future first lady. Do you know what it is?"

When you click on the link, it takes you to the rest of the story. I thought this would be neat to write on the board each morning (omitting the weather reference). Then read the class the answer. This would build the students' knowledge of local history and trivia. This would make a great addition to a Texas history classroom. To take it a step further, I might add a few of these on a test as bonus point items.... just a random thought this morning!

More Web 2.0 Tools

2010-12-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks to @jholland for the great list of Web 2.0 tools. I really enjoy the image generators and effects!

http://webapplications.wikispaces.com/

T’was the Night Before Finals

2010-12-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

T’was the Night Before Finals

B.J. Williams

T’was the night before finals, and all through the school,

Students were gaming, because that was the rule.

The grades were all posted on Grade speed with care,

In hopes that exemptions would keep all kids from here.

The students each struggled with an empty head,

While teachers all hoped they’d remember what was said.

When some with a scantron, and I with pen of red,

Had just written keys for bubbles filled with number two led.

When out of the office there rose such a clatter,

I gave up grading to see what was the matter!

To the edge of my room I flew like a flash,

Unlocked the door that’s a security latch,

A student was mooning, bottom as white as the snow,

And gave a retching to all who happened to see the show.

When what to my wandering eyes should appear?

But a smart student who knew how to escape from here!

He coughed and he spewed, for this he knew,

Would help others believe that he had the flu!

Then, more rabid than beagles, my student’s they came,

I greeted them wearily, and mumbled their name,

“Now Justin, now Ali, now Zippy and Bob!

On Trenton, on Kristy, and good old Rob Dawg!

To the front of the class, a seat between all,

Pick up a scantron and take the test for the fall!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

My students were blown away with numbers like pi!

So up to the test they would write what they knew,

Along with a lot that they had guessed on too!

And then in a twinkling, I heard all through the class,

The pencil’s led marking, student’s hoping to pass.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

I noticed a cheater, their review placed neatly on the ground!

They were dressed in defiance, from their head to their foot,

And out of the classroom I gave them my boot!

His bundle of books, he threw on his back,

He looked back at me and said, “You don’t know Jack!”

His eyes – how they twinkled, his smirk no less,

But my smile came knowing he was headed to ISS!

My droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And then I saw the student who really didn’t know!

The stub of his pencil he held firm in his teeth,

And smoke from his ears circled his head like a wreath!

He had a blank face, and a grasp of math as firm as jelly,

He was perspiring too much, which made his odor quite smelly!

In class he was silly, paid less attention than an elf,

And so now I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

A wink of my eye, and a nod of my head,

And the student now knew, his grade was dead!

He spoke not a work, but continued his work,

And wished now in class, he had not been such a jerk!

And laying his pencil beside his test,

He conceded to fail, as he knew not the rest.

He rose from his desk, and in exasperation gave a whistle,

As his grade plummeted, like a tomahawk missile!

But I said to him, as he walked down the hall out of sight,

See you next year! Maybe then you’ll get some right!

Do you need a Web 2.0 tool?

2010-12-20T08:04:00.000-08:00

Look no further than this site from Jeff Thomas from Houston, TX:

http://sites.google.com/site/jeffthomastechsite/web-links

Be sure to also check out the slideshow and video of the day as well as other goodies on the left hand side.

So Funny, and So True

2010-12-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

"You're sitting in a chair in the sky!!!!"

Here is the original tweet from @ktenkely:

"Was just reminded about video http://bit.ly/VQltA hilarious & illustrates difference between digital native & immigrant worldview #edchat"

Here is that video....

Ten Tools for Tuesday

2010-12-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

Festisite - A neat site to make some creative items. Use the personalized money generator to put your kids' faces on money. Make a bulletin board and hang their money when they score well on an exam. Introduce Mt. Rushmore or the statue of liberty by putting a photo of your student on it.

Wondersay is a really simple and fun idea. With Wondersay, you can use any simple sentence or twitter account to generate a cool animation! Wondersayings are easy to create, customize and share. No software programs to download (it's all online), no sign-up or passwords (save them by copying the link or embedding them in your website), and all for free. Click the example below to see an example of a Wondersaying I made.

http://bit.ly/dLSKTB

Cool Iris - It's simply the fastest and most stunning way to browse photos and videos from the Web or your desktop. Effortlessly scroll an infinite "3D Wall" of your content without having to click page to page, whether you'e on Facebook, Google Images, YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, Kodak Gallery, or any supported site. Or channel surf the latest news, TV episodes, movies, and music videos all from within Cooliris.

Livebrush - Livebrush is a drawing application. It employs an easy-to-use brush tool that reacts to your gesture. By combining simple motion controls with brush styles, Livebrush offers a fun and unique way to create graphics.

Word it Out - Simply enter some text and create your word cloud. You can keep your word cloud secret or share it. You can even embed it onto your webpage. The settings are also customizable.

Kaleidocycle - Upload your own photos and create a foldable cube. Create your own Rubix cube of review terms, images, etc.

Random - Check out the free random things you can do at this site. Play the coin flipper, dice roller, or card shuffler as a means of classroom collaboration

Where's George? - Do you ever wonder where that paper money in your pocket has been, or where it will go next? This is the place to find out. All you need to do is enter the denomination, series, and serial number of any US dollar bill, and your current USA ZIP or Canadian Post Code in the box below.

On my Birthday - Find out everything (and I mean everything) that happened on a specific day, such as your (or your students') birthday.

Spell with Flickr – Simply type a phrase or word in the box and watch the letters pulled from Flickr. If you do not like a letter, click on it and another pops up. What a neat way to practice spelling or vocabulary words.

'Tis the Season (for my favorite Christmas videos)

2010-12-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

Today was our department Christmas party. I cannot help but to think of some of my favorite videos/video clips for the holidays....enjoy! (Not appropriate for school viewing.)

Top 10 Sites for Teacher Resources

2010-12-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

Teachers often ask me for good (free) sites to find everything from lesson plans to interactives, and other premade goodies. I have compiled a list of ten sites that are my “go to” sites for time savers, resources, and new materials. The following are in no particular order:

1. Thinkfinity – What I LOVE about Thinkfinity (in addition to the numerous contributors and content types available) is the SEARCH option. You can modify your search to include interactives that students can complete in a computer lab setting by simply placing a check mark next to this option.

2. Awesome Library – A great site for lesson plans and content related sites. Click on the appropriate topic and explore project ideas and multimedia resources.

3. Classtools - Classtools.net allows you to create free educational games, activities and diagrams in a Flash! Host them on your own blog, website or intranet! No signup, no passwords, no charge!

4. SAIL On – A great resource provided by 9 public school districts in the Houston area. Simply hover over your level, then click on the desired grade and content area. Provided are web sites, interactives, and lessons matching specific TEKS.

5. 4Teachers - ALTEC, the umbrella organization for the 4teacher tools, manages the Technology Rich Classroom (TRC),Title II-D initiative in Kansas. Take a look at the powerful 21st Century learning taking place in these classrooms!

6. Teacher’s Domain – I really like that the media is provided for you. Many of the video clips mentioned in the lesson are viewable from this site.

7. Teachers First – To browse, hover over “Classroom”, “Resources”, and click “By Subject/Grade”. I really like the “weekly brain twisters”.

8. Super Teacher Tools – This site contains templates for classroom review games, management tools, and tools for fun.

9. Pete’s PowerPoint Station – Do you need a PowerPoint? Look no further than Pete’s. Be sure to also check out Greta’s games for interactives.

10. ETRIP – Created by my school district, ETRIP is filled with links, lessons, and resources for using technology in your classroom.

Please share some of your “go to” sites here!

12 Days of Whataburger

2010-12-01T06:57:00.000-08:00

Even before I became pregnant, I have been a HUGE fan of Whataburger. I mean, who can resist those tasty fries, burgers, and chicken tenders? I find myself pulling in to a Whataburger at least once a week now for breakfast.

This morning was no different than other mornings. I was running late and had forgotten an important paper at home. I wrestled with fussy children this morning who didn't want to get dressed, didn't want to go to daycare, and didn't care that mommy was running late for work. As I realized my paper left behind, I called my husband and asked him to scan it for me. I pulled up to the Whataburger drive-thru and ordered my breakfast.

When I pull up to pay, the lady behind the window says "Someone has already paid for your breakfast." I quickly look around to see if I know anyone. She says, "A stranger paid for your breakfast." I immediately burst into tears. That person will have no idea what this meant for me. I was having a horrible morning and really couldn't afford my breakfast. This stranger made my day, and his/her $4 gives me hope.

I don't want to get too emotional but, do something nice for someone else. Even something as small as $4 breakfast can make someone's day. And if you love Whataburger, sign up for the 12 Days of Whataburger, and buy someone else a tasty breakfast.

http://12days.whataburger.com/

Idea to Practice Spelling Words

2010-11-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

Notes From McTeach: A Little Low Tech

I came across the above blog post today. What a neat idea! Have the students create art using their spelling words. This is a great assignment! I thought about tweaking it some for TAKS. In ELA, there is an entire section of the workbook titled "Confusing Words". This section includes words such as "affect/effect", "lay/lie", and even words such as "compliment/complement". It would be neat to:

1. Assign the student a confusing word.
2. Have the student create a picture describing/defining that term.

For example, a picture for "lay" could be a book on a desk. Then have the student share why this picture defines their term.

Thanks to McTeach for the great idea!

Vocabulary Flashcards

2010-09-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

I came across this idea today from @harrisonmike and @johannastirling. The idea is to use photos from Flickr to create flashcards. It would be neat to assign students vocabulary terms, give them a FlipCam or digital camera and set them loose. (It would be even better if the students were allowed to take them home, but school would be fine too.) Students will then capture the term in a photo, then have fun editing it using Picnik. After the photo is edited, the students could work together using Google docs to create a presentation over the assigned terms. They could then present them together.

Or, put the photos in Photo Story and create a movie over the terms. After the presentations are over, students could submit their photos to this Flickr channel, or the teacher can create his/her own Flickr channel to publish the students work.

Thanks @harrisonmike and @johannastirling for the great idea!

Awesome Drama/Short Story Project

2010-09-28T07:28:00.000-07:00

You need to have the students bring a cereal box (empty of course).

1. In partners, assign a story (fable, fairy tale, something that they can read). They will read (The 3 Little Pigs for example) and with their partner, create a cereal box promoting the story.

2. First, cover the cereal box with construction paper.

3. Next, create a cover for the box. This should include the title, a picture, and maybe a caption (a quote from the story or maybe even a review like “Coach Smart gives The 3 Little Pigs two hooves up!”)

4. For the side, instead of nutritional facts, here they will list the cast of characters, using terms such as antagonist, protagonist, major and minor characters.

5. For the back, they will cover it with the facts from the story and pictures. These would include: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.

Awesome idea!

A Way to Intro a Book Report

2010-09-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

This idea came from an interesting blog post by Shelly Terrell. I think this would be a fantastic video clip to play before having students compose a book report or any research/writing assignment. Thanks @ShellTerrell for the great idea!

Educational Motivation (What NOT To Do)

2010-09-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

from Larry Ferlazzo....

Postcard Puzzles

2010-08-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

I found this online from Edutopia. While not utilizing technology, this activity is another great way to get the students writing and teaching grammar (parts of speech/parts of a sentence):

Postcard Puzzles - Cut a bunch of postcards and give one piece to each student. They have to find the matching students, put the puzzle together and write questions about the postcard that apply to what I (the teacher) may have done over the summer. Then, share with the class.

You could also adapt it by making the postcards pictures of characters from a story. Then, the students have to answer some questions about that character (an idea to teach characterization).

New Spice | Study like a scholar, scholar

2010-08-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

Grammar Practice

2010-08-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

I get so many great ideas from Larry Ferlazzo. Here are three that can be geared for practicing grammar, specifically any part of speech or parts of a sentence:

1. Revised Image Go Round: This is a neat activity (sort of like the image go round I borrowed from Corrie at ESC12). Put 2-3 pictures at a group. Students look at the pictures, imagine what probably happened BEFORE the picture, and write sentences speculating about what might/could/may/must/can't/couldn't have happened to the people in the pics or suggest what they should/could have done to prevent their situations. Don't forget to number the sentences according to the numbers of the pictures. This could be used to practice any part of speech or part of a sentence….

2. Create a cube: This would be neat for your kids to create and share…it’s a cube all about them. They can pull in audio, video, pictures etc. This would be neat to use as a “get to know you”, intro to the personal narrative, or intro to researching biographies/people….

3. Create an Animoto over a "Dream Vacation": With this new unit about journey, here are some pictures of the place I would like to visit if money were no restriction. Can you guess what place that is? Write your guesses in the comment area, using the parts of speech we just learned.

4. Using Voicethread: I have seen many teachers using Voicethread. Have students type or read their sentences regarding your prompt. Emphasize use of the part of speech you covered in class that week. Then, play the voicethread back for the class, having them count the specific part of speech covered. The one with the closest answer wins....

Music Videos and Irony

2010-08-16T18:32:00.001-07:00

I love Toby Keith and so many of his videos contain irony. I mentioned in a previous post his video "It's a Little Too Late" to teach the short story "The Cask of Amontillado"...well, you could also use that video to teach irony. You could also use "Who's your Daddy" as well..

You could also use "The Reason" by Hoobastank, especially for teaching a twist at the end of a story.

I have so many ideas and I am fortunate to share them with this blog. I just really miss the classroom. I hate not being able to use these great ideas. I wonder if I should return to the classroom or keep on in my role as a campus technologist...I know I am hormonal right now (being 7 weeks pregnant) but I just feel this tug in my heart that I cannot ignore.....

Letter Writing

2010-08-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

I used to teach 7th grade and was always looking for creative writing assignments. I used "Letters from a Nut" to teach letter writing. My favorite was the letter from a guy who left his sword in a hotel. Then, I would have the students write a letter about some fictional situation.

Again, I am still watching "CBS Sunday Morning" and came to the section about funny letters from camp. It is called "PS-I hate it here!" Again, what a neat way to teach letter writing. I think the kids would get a laugh out of these funny letters about camp.

The Hero Unit and Princess Bride

2010-08-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

In many English courses, there is a unit about a hero. Whether it is King Arthur, Julius Caesar, etc there is a hero unit. In this unit, stereotypes are explored and discussed. In the past, I used a research project based all on heroes: a literary hero, a historical hero, and a pop culture hero. Students had to research one person from each category and then conclude by defending their argument that indeed that person (such as Eminem) is a hero and fits the category of a hero.

At my last school, we taught King Arthur as our hero unit. I just watched "CBS Sunday Morning" and they covered Rob Reiner, who directed "Princess Bride". Of course, my light bulb went off. It would be really neat to show clips from "Princess Bride" or the movie in its entirety and discuss the heroes, stereotypes etc.

Bloom's Taxonomy (according to Star Wars)

2010-08-11T08:18:00.001-07:00

Quick Post about Wolfram Alpha and Back to School Activity

2010-08-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

I received this in my Diigo groups update and wanted to share a quick idea:

http://blog.wolframalpha.com/2010/08/05/10-fun-questions-kids-can-answer-with-wolframalpha/

Taking just a few of these questions, create a get to know you activity for the students. Use WolframAlpha to answer the following questions:

1. What are your two favorite colors? What color do you get when they are mixed? (use "mix red and blue" in Wolfram Alpha as your search)

2. Type in your birthday and research.

3. Type in your name and research.

4. Type in "growth chart, age and height" and see how tall you will be!

5. Type in "words that rhyme with...your name, your nickname, this class!

Glogster

2010-08-06T09:12:00.001-07:00

Blooms Taxonomy (according to Pirates)

2010-08-04T09:12:00.001-07:00

A Few More ELA Resources

2010-07-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

I have been busy the past two weeks. I have taught the EOC Exam for Eng I and II, attended grad school classes, and been sick. So, for my two readers of this blog, I give you a few more resources and ideas for ELA class (in no particular order)

Education World: There are templates here for ANYTHING you might need. From awards to calendars, you can find it here. There is also a Language Arts section with templates for book reports and newsletters.

Word Games - What a way to practice and enhance vocabulary! This site is loaded with word games such as crossword puzzles to sudoku.

Picture Sandbox - Do you need images? There are millions to choose from here.

Videos for Class - Izzit has many short video clips complete with questions. Similar to CNN Student News, this site is a great way to practice TAKS skills such as summarizing and synthesizing information.

Synonym Finder - This would be another great tool to enhance vocabulary. This tool would also be helpful when writing.

The Human Calendar - I thought this is a great idea for a class calendar. Take pictures of all of your students and make a calendar.

Teen Chat Decoder - Not sure how to use this one...maybe have the kids re-write something using this decoder...or summarize a short story using this language...maybe Romeo and Juliet summed up in teen chat???

Wordia - I like the videos here. This is another great tool for vocabulary development. Simply type in your term, the definition comes up with a matching video.

Have a great week!

One More Music Video Idea

2010-06-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

I forgot...I used to practice open end response questions with music videos. I used "Goodbye Earl" by the Dixie Chicks and always asked:

"Should the girls be held criminally responsible for what they did to Earl?"

Short Stories and Movie Videos

2010-06-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

I am always looking for neat extensions to anything. Yesterday, a few English teachers and I were discussing a few of our favorite short stories. I mentioned William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily. Someone mentioned she shows Tanya Tucker's Delta Dawn video and discusses the similarities between the characters Delta Dawn and Miss Emily.

Then someone mentioned The Cask of Amontillado and I mentioned Toby Keith's "It's a Little Too Late" and how these two settings are the same. Then as a class we also mentioned irony.

I love literature...

Lord of the Flies "Stuff"

2010-06-14T13:16:00.001-07:00

A friend needed some of my Lord of the Flies worksheets. I placed them all here:

http://techlearning20.wikispaces.com/Lord+of+the+Flies

Enjoy!

Grad School 2.0 Tools

2010-06-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Today, I attended my first face to face class in grad school at Tarleton. Dr. Worrell (@DrWorrell) is awesome and has so many cool tools and great ideas for implementing technology in the classroom. She shared the following great sites today:

1. Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Too many great tools here to name..I really liked Alternatime as one of her timeline resources, Best WebQuests, and Ask Kids ( a really cool search engine for kids).

2. Six Word Memoirs - I do not remember how I stumbled upon this site but what a fun writing assignment. Sum up yourself, the main character in our story, the plot of a novel or conflict in a novel, in six words. Divide the class into groups or partners and assign each a character, setting, conflict, lit. term, anything related to a story and have them make a six word memoir.

3. Social Media Posters - I am trying to find ways of using and promoting the use of social media within my campus/district. This is a neat assortment of posters that convey the importance of social media.

All in all, grad school is exciting and overwhelming at the same time. I seem to be juggling things ok, but this is only week 1. Keep your fingers crossed for me...:)

A Plethora of Web 2.0 Tools and Writing Ideas

2010-06-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

A plethora??? Yes, a plethora of goodies this week and my ideas as to how you can use them can be found here (in no particular order).

1. Social Networking - So Twitter is blocked...there are a few alternatives you can try. Yammer is really easy to use and provides a threaded discussion anyone can follow. You invite people to join your group, similar to Edmodo. Zonkk is another option. Zonkk allows you to customize your own web address and looks similar to Facebook in layout and capabilities.

2. iEtherpad is going away...no problem, try Sync.in or TitanPad. Both sites work in the same collaborative fashion.

3. Two really neat writing resources are Son of Citation Machine and Thesis Builder. These are both handy if you are writing any type of research paper.

4. I'm Under Arrest for What??? - I thought this would be a neat addition to a literature unit including Ben Franklin and his virtues and aphorisms. After studying Franklin's 13 virtues, have students compare those with these weird laws.

And to conclude here are three more misc. tools that I thought were simply too cool not to share:

1. SAIL On - Do you need interactives for your subject area? Look no more...

2. Movie Soundtrack Player - Simply type in the movie title and the entire soundtrack pops up. You can listen/play each song from the movie. This would be a neat addition to a literature or short story study. Create a playlist/soundtrack for a short story. Or listen to the soundtrack of a novel turned into a movie, such as Romeo and Juliet.

3. Clipart for History - Similar to Phillip Martin, this site has some really neat clipart you could use in a history/social studies classroom.

Have a great week!

More Innovative Grammar and Writing Practice

2010-06-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

I am consistently coming across more and more neat tools that anyone can use to motivate students to write. Some of these sites would also make for great grammar practice as well. (Not your run-of-the-mill worksheet either.)

1. 5 Card Flickr - Using the images you "draw", write a story. This site would be a great way to journal. As a class, show the images we "drew", give the students 7-10 minutes to write, and share a few of the different versions of stories written based on the identical images. You could then discuss any line of literary devices, from point of view to even figurative language.

2. LetterJames - These would be a neat way to create a visual for any vocabulary, spelling, or literary term. Have the students create their own image for the term, print it out, and hang it up!

3. Fake Science poster - I love this sight! The posters are reminiscent of the 1950s. Have students discuss what is incorrect about each poster. Better yet, have students create a poster. Then, as a class, discuss what is incorrect about it.

4. MovieClips and Music - Both sights are great for introducing and reinforcing concepts. When teaching literary devices, such as irony, show a movie clip containing irony. I like that this site contains movies clips from movies all students should watch, such as Casablanca. When studying grammar (parts of speech for example) place the lyrics to a song on the board, let the students watch the video or listen to the song, then correct the grammar.

5. The What-if Question Genie - Again, another great tool to use as a warm-up or journal activity. Have the class choose a prompt that everyone can write to. Then, share a few of the different stories that result.

6. NextUp - This is a great tool you could utilize for classroom management. Put your agenda in it and let that help with management. You can put in 5 minutes for the warm-up, 10 minutes to read, and 20 minutes for discussion. This tool would really help things move in your classroom.

7. Nacho Foto - Find images of trending topics in real-time! This would be a great supplement to the "Today in History" so many people are a fan of. Put up images and read a brief summary of the current events story. This is a great resource for keeping students up to date on what is happening in the world.

8. Talk like Yoda - This would be a great tool to use when studying parts of a sentence and/or parts of speech. Have students identify what you are studying...then, have students create their own Yoda phrases. Perhaps even have students create a voki using their Yoda phrases.

Idioms!

2010-05-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

I always loved when I taught idioms. I would have the students make a poster. They would divide it in half; one side had the literal meaning, the other had the implied meaning. Today, @carlaarena introduced me to the Flickr group for "Idioms in English".

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1383087@N24/

This would be an awesome activity. Have the students use either flipcams or digital cameras to find examples of idioms. They could then explain the literal and implied meaning. If you used a flipcam, you could make the videos a movie (using Moviemaker) and watch them on "Movie Day". Even bring popcorn...if you did digital pictures, you could do a Photo story, and still watch them on "Movie Day"...

Memorial Day-Pass this along!

2010-05-27T07:47:00.001-07:00

Please share with students, staff, and everyone!

gickr.com animation

2010-05-26T07:07:00.001-07:00

Make your own animation

It's all about ELA!

2010-05-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/original/change.jpg

And it's all about CHANGE!

I think it's ironic that when I typed "ELA" into my BigHuge Thesaurus, terrorist organizations popped up. This post is all about ELA. Here are some sites this week and my ELA ideas for each (in no particular order)

1. Wordsteps - When studying grammar (for example, idioms) it would neat to see how certain phrases and words could translate. When studying literature (such as Julius Caesar) it would be awesome to translate some of those pivotal phrases, such as "Et tu Brutus".

2. Skype an Author - @MZimmer557 mentioned this site today via Twitter. It would be awesome to connect with an author and ask them poignant questions.

3. Lit2Go - This is one @eduese introduced me to at PASA two years ago. I love the extensive collection of audio books. Perfect for any reader...

4. Pearltrees - Pearltrees is an neat alternative to Wallwisher and Edistorm. I think it would be a neat way to brainstorm any number of things, not just writing. Post an argument and have the students defend a position.

5. Author Webpages - This is a neat site filled with author webpages. This tool would be useful when introducing a new novel. The students could research the author beforehand.

6. Writing Prompts - My buddy, @mwedwards, mentioned this site and I LOVE IT! It is a place to find many creative writing starters (prompts). This person @wsfcsdit has so many hooks for getting students to write!

7. The Old Farmers' Almanac - This could be used for numerous point of view writing assignments. Write about today from the perspective of a farmer, a farmer's wife, the garden, the cow....

8. Noodletools - Similar to Easybib, this site helps you cite your research. My buddy, @edtechconnect, likes this site because it will cite APA style.

9. Biocube - This is a neat site to summarize someone you researched...great biographical tool!

10. To Kill A Mockingbird projects - @jpsteltz has AWESOME projects for his TKAM unit that can be adapted to ANY novel/short story. Check out his student prezis, scrapblogs, etc.

Another idea for creatively increasing writing

2010-05-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

I came across a Tweet today from @sali2go2 and @jenverschoor. It mentioned the 60 Best Movie Poster of All Time. This is a great resource and could be used in the classroom for a variety of writing assignments. For example, every Friday you could show one of these posters (try to showcase one of a movie that students most likely have NOT seen). Have them write ANY of the following:

1. Predict what this movie might be about.

2. Write a trailer for this movie.

3. Develop a cast of alternate characters for this movie.

4. What songs might be on the soundtrack?

5. Predict what the tone of this movie would be, the category (romantic, comedy, drama)...

6. Mention a vocabulary word from our list or a spelling word to help your description.

7. Mention what literary device you might see in this movie (conflict, personification, etc)

8. Write any of these things practicing what we covered grammatically this week. For example, use so many linking verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc....

Then, if possible, find a clip from that movie poster. You could find it off YouTube most likely. Have the students check their writings and see how close their predictions were.....

Just another thought...I think I might need professional help! Are there support groups out there for English enthusiasts??? :)

Ideas for Increasing Writing in Class

2010-05-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

This week, I attended the TOT ELA EOC exam. Ok, for those of you (like my husband) who may not know what that means, it is the Training of Trainers for the English Language Arts End of Course exam. This test will replace the TAKS test. I came away with my head spinning, mostly thinking about how English teachers can prepare their students for this test. I came across this page titled "Using Writing in Mathematics" The light-bulb went off...these ideas and strategies can be adapted to fit any subject. I will reflect on the ELA slant...

I will mention my favorite ideas listed on this site.

1. Begin with affective, open-ended questions about students' feelings.

Sample Direction #1: Reflect on your participation in class today and complete the following statements:

I learned that I...; I was surprised that I...; I noticed that I...; I discovered that I...; I was pleased that I...

Sample Direction #2: Describe how you feel about solving _________ problem.

This could also be modified as a warm-up to class. For example, what have you learned about.....or how do you feel about verbs, writing, reading the classics.

2. Explain/write about key concepts learned in class, before class, or after class...

Sample Directions:

Explain in your own words what subtraction means.

Explain what is most important to understand about fractions.

Here are a few more oriented for English class:

"Explain what is a verb." "Explain what is most important about writing an introductory paragraph.."

This article also had neat ways of using writing with group work or team work.

3. As student writing progresses, ask students to write about their small group work.

Ask the group to write a summary of how they reached a solution, including any "false starts" or "dead ends."

Ask each individual to write an explanation of the group's work on a problem. Have the small groups discuss the individual explanations.

After a small group assignment, have students "explain and illustrate two different approaches to solving a problem."

The solution written about could be any type of open ended question. For example, who is a better leader in our story Lord of the Flies at this point? Or do you think Romeo and Juliet's plan will work? Or, how can Brutus gain more power away from Mark Anthony?

Bottom line...think of clever ways to increase writing in the classroom. Writing doesn't have to be a formal paper that takes days or weeks to produce. It can (and should be) a daily assignment that students can enjoy and use as a vehicle for learning!

Who I am Reading...

2010-05-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

I am honored to have my blog noticed by such outstanding people. I have had two phenomenal people read and share my blog:

@alexgfrancisco

http://zarcoenglish-tooloftheday.blogspot.com/

@mwedwards

http://mwedwardstechnology.blogspot.com/

I think I share the opinion of many when I say how truly grateful and appreciative I am of my PLN. Even though I haven't met you personally, I feel I know you. I look forward to collaborating with you daily and wish you all the best.

Here are blogs I feel you should have in your reader:

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/

http://thenerdyteacher.blogspot.com/

http://ndooley.edublogs.org/

http://itscindybrock.blogspot.com/

http://educationstormfront.wordpress.com/

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

http://whatedsaid.wordpress.com/

http://edutechintegration.blogspot.com/

http://carlanderson.blogspot.com/

If you are tagged, follow these rules:

1) Insert the picture above into your blog with a link back to the blog that nominated you
2) List 10 blogs you feel others should read
3) Tell the bloggers you have nominated that you have tagged them.

Sometimes you're the windshield...

2010-05-17T11:20:00.001-07:00

2006-06-23-19 bug on the windshield in oklahoma.JPG, originally uploaded by kellyhafermann.

Sometimes you're the bug. Mary Chapin Carpenter said it perfectly. This week, I was definitely the bug. I hit so many windshields this week, I was grateful for a weekend break. After two pep talks from SHansen, and one from my boss, I feel as if I can keep on keeping on.

So, this week, I came across numerous history related sites. Here they are (in no particular order)

1. Currency Converter - This always reminds me of my grandpa. He used to constantly tell me that I do not know the value of a dollar. Well, this site lets you compare yesterday's prices with today's. This would be a great addition to an economics lesson or any story with a setting in the past (To Kill a Mockingbird, Grapes of Wrath, ex..)

2. Panoramic Images - I know I have mentioned this site before but I feel I should mention it again. They seem to constantly update their site with new images and additions. Check out the USA 360 Virtual Tours section. Read your students a short story about Death Valley, show them the panoramic, and then have them write a journal entry from the viewpoint of a lizard living there. What a great lesson!

3. World History - I like the ability to upload your own family tree and see how your family contributed to history. Many English teachers I know have the seniors research their family tree and develop a family crest. This would be a neat addition to that assignment.

4. Motto Generator - I like this site. In addition to the above, you could have students create their own family motto. I think this would be a neat assignment to do at the beginning of the school year as a "get to know you" activity. Create your own motto(s) that represents you as a student/learner. Then plug them into glogster and make an interactive poster "ALL ABOUT YOU".

So, I will end with the famous words of Joe Dirt. "Life's a garden...dig it!"

http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2001_Joe_Dirt/david_spade_joe_dirt_001.jpg

This Story Makes me Angry

2010-05-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

Waco-Area Parent: Child's Wheelchair Reason Given For Long Wait at Restaurant: http://bit.ly/9ma1Fi

I received this email from an employee within our district that details this event. I have changed names to protect the family's privacy. I have also omitted the staff member's name.

I contemplated sending this out to the faculty and staff. I
decided I must.

This past Sunday Joe, a former student and player of mine,
along with his family went to Cheddars. Joe and his wife Jill
have a son named Jim who has a spinal condition that has relegated him
to a wheelchair.

They arrived around 3:00 p.m. They were told the wait would be
approximately 12 minutes. After about 30 minutes, and after multiple
parties who came in after them were seated, Joe's wife Jill
approached the hostess and manager to make sure their name was still on
the list. He told them it was.

After another 15 minutes and numerous other parties being seated ahead
of them, she again approached the manager. This time he became
belligerent and told them they were still trying to find them a table.
Jill asked why others who obviously came in after them were being
seated before them. The manager (who is now raising his voice for all
to hear) told her that the wheelchair Jim was in would block the aisles
and that only able-bodied patrons could be seated at this time until the
crowd subsided.

She turned around and asked Joe if he heard what the man just said.
Joe did hear it, but asked him to repeat it. The guy came from
around the stand, threw up his arms and repeated what he told them,
again raising his voice. The manager offered to show Jill how the
chair would block the aisles. Jill told him he did not need to show
her. Joe said at this time Jill began to cry. The manager told
them that if this was not satisfactory, they could leave, and if they
kept making a scene, he would be forced to call the police.

Joe asked for his name. The manager refused to give it to him,
saying he could get it at Cheddars.com. He asked for the two hostess'
names and the manager told him they were available online as well. At
this time, the manager picked up the phone and called the police.
Joe gathered his family and left. He said the other folks waiting
for a table were literally dumbfounded by the manager's actions. Many
of them left as well.

I just spoke to Joe and have tried to make sure this recount is as
accurate as possible. I realize how hard this is to believe. In this
day and age, that someone could be so blatantly inconsiderate is really
quite unfathomable. I am sickened by it.

What you do with this information is up to you. I just thought everyone
I know should here this story.

Now that I know, I do not think I will be frequenting Cheddars.

Middle School Science Sites

2010-05-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Today, we are administering the 8th grade technology assessment. I am assisting an AMAZING science teacher. She shared with me a list of site students can visit once done with the assessment. Most are science/math games but some are simulations...enjoy!

WebQuests and Science Games
Rags to Riches (5th grade TAKS questions Game)
Rags to Riches (part 2)
Who Wants to Win 1 Million Dollars?
Earth Science Millionaire Game
Energy Battleship
Cool Math Games
Science Interactives/Hands-on Activities (check out under Living Things the Cow Eye Dissection

Just a thought for a research project

2010-05-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

A tweet from earlier today:

jeff_shoemaker

Love this quote! RT @quotme: "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." - William Shakespeare

What a great quote to use as a springboard into research!Students could research someone (from history, literature, or pop culture) who fits the different descriptors within that quote. For example, Prince William might be considered someone who is "born great", Barack Obama is someone who "achieved greatness", and William Wallace had "greatness thrust upon him". Students could choose their people and through research defend their argument.

Just a wild thought...thanks @jeff_shoemaker for the inspiration!

Vocabulary Week 1

2010-05-13T08:31:00.001-07:00

AudioPal Widget

2010-05-13T08:06:00.001-07:00

Learning how to use Audiopal!

It's Story Time!

2010-05-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

So much emphasis is placed on digital storytelling. This past week, I came across some really neat tools for telling a story, not necessarily a digital one.

1. Magcloud - You can create and publish your own magazine. This would be a great project for a class. You can publish a magazine "All About Your Class". Or, for larger projects, like a unit over Romeo and Juliet, you could publish a magazine at the end of the lesson.

2. Tikatok- You can create your own book and then order it. This would be a neat gift to give your students as they graduate your class. If I taught seniors or even 8th graders, this would be an awesome graduation gift.

3. Zoo Burst - Ok, here is a digital storytelling site that was just too cool not to share. You can create your own 3D Pop-Up book. What a neat way to review for a test, maybe finals, TAKS, or even a vocabulary quiz.

4. Blogs and Vokis - This site is one @cindybrock shared. It is a 3RD GRADE CLASS using blogs and vokis for biographical assignments. How neat would it be to use a voki to tell a story or write your story on a blog.

Have a great week!

Why I have gained 15 lbs..

2010-05-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

Friday: birthday Friday. Next week: pot luck luncheon....I have eaten all day today. Breakfast was birthday cookie cake, lunch was buffet at Mazzio's pizza place, and now I just ate this that my buddy RYezak made:

Concho River Delight

Melt 2 sticks margarine

Mix with 1/2 cup lt. brown sugar

2 C flour

1/2 C finely chopped pecans

Bake at 325 degrees in Pyrex pan for 25-30 min. Cool

1st layer

Mix 1/2 large Cool Whip

2 (3 oz. each ) pkg cream cheese

1 C powdered sugar

Beat together and spread on crust

2nd layer

2 small boxes + 3 C milk

1 large instant vanilla pudding

Spread over cream cheese

3rd layer

1 large instant chocolate pudding

Topping - 1/2 large Cool Whip

Decorate with chocolate curls

Since joining this group, I have gained and gained...but it is worth it to be working with such a great group of people!

Teaching Main Idea, Tone, and Purpose/Audience

2010-05-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

I came across this video clip from @harrisonmike. He was talking about how these ads make him smile. The proverbial light bulb went off. You could use commercials like this one to teach main idea, tone, purpose and audience. For example, it is a bit unclear what the message is in this ad for Snickers. I would show the kids this ad and not mention the title. I would then ask the kids to share/discuss/ write down the answers to these questions:

1. What would you title this commercial?

2. Who is the audience and what is the purpose?

3. What is the tone of this commercial?

4. What is the main idea?

What an engaging way to practice these skills for the TAKS test!

Awesome Ice Cream Cake

2010-05-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

My friend, CPetroff, makes this awesome ice cream cake...I just made one for my kids' teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week...here is the EASY recipe!

2 Boxes of Regular Sized Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 Large Tub Cool-Whip

1 Bottle of Caramel Syrup

1 Bottle of Hot Fudge Syrup

1 Bag of Heath Pieces (It's called Bits o' Brickle)

In a large pan, line the bottom with 12 ice cream sandwiches. Spread a layer of Cool-Whip, and top it with the caramel and hot fudge. Top that with another layer of ice cream sandwiches, Cool-Whip and caramel and hot fudge. Top it by sprinkling the Heath pieces on top. Freeze overnight! It is delicious!

Exported my Bookmarks

2010-05-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

I recently got a new laptop. It is a very cute, green Dell mini. The problem...I have a bunch of bookmarks on my existing laptop. Today, I finally got around to exporting my bookmarks into a list. Since I cannot figure out how to post my list on here, I have placed it on my wiki here:

http://techlearning20.wikispaces.com/My+Bookmarks

Enjoy browsing my bookmarks! Now if only I could organize them on Diigo or Delicious :)

A Few Twists on a Great Lesson

2010-05-05T08:55:00.001-07:00

I came across this idea for "Character Scrapbooks" from @mwedwards and @artysteph26. I thought about these as a twist on that lesson...

Students create a glog over a character in the story. The glog must contain the following with page numbers for textual evidence:

Three things I know about ......

Three words that describe .....

Three details about .......'s appearance

Three facts about ........'s personality

Three challenges .......... face

Three accomplishments .......... achieved

Students could also create a wordle, a sliderocket, a prezi, a scrapblog, or even a storybird containing this information.

Misc sites and GRE goodies

2010-05-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

I am preparing to take the GRE. I am super nervous about this test. In preparing for the test, I stumbled upon VocabSushi. It is pretty challenging and entertaining at the same time. My buddy, SHansen, also gave me these sites:

http://www.wtamu.edu/academic/anns/mps/math/mathlab/gre/math_help.htm#arith

http://ww2.coastal.edu/kingw/gre/slide00.html

http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=11

When looking for useful search engines, someone mentioned Mashpedia. I like this search engine. It brings up top news, trending people/topics, and search results contain videos, flickr images, and social media mentions.

60SecondRecap is one I can appreciate as an English teacher at heart. You could use this 60SecondRecap as a trailer/teaser into a novel, as review along the way, or students could create their own 60SecondRecap as an assessment.

Guess the wordle is a game I played with my English classes. I would put together a wordle over vocabulary terms, characters in a story we were reading, or grammar concepts I covered that day. Part of their warm-up was to guess the wordle in their journal. @GuessTheWordle has a site called Guess The Wordle. It is fun to play and definitely a neat tool you could use in the classroom.

Three more sites I found this week are Livebinders, Web 2.0 Top 1,000 List, and How to Create a Tour in Google Earth. And if you like panoramas, check out Panoramas.dk - awesome images!

Have a great week! Also, if you have any tips, tricks, or sites that might help me with the GRE, let me know by leaving a comment or via Twitter @lisamonthie

My New Favorite Commercial

2010-05-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Voicethreads and Art Sites

2010-04-28T07:06:00.001-07:00

This week has been a great week. Due to TAKS testing, I have been kicked off my campus. (My office is used for one-on-one test administration.) I have been working with my team at our technology office. I love working with my group. They are fun people to be around, and great at what they do. They have the best ideas, the best tips, and they are just downright fun people. I am teaching a class this summer over Voicethreads with a partner. We have been developing our 1/2 day course and this is what we have:

What is a Voicethread?

Comment on our Voicethreads (1 and 2)

Individual Voicethread / Comment

Handout Prezi

Seventeen Interesting Ways to use Voicethread in the Classroom

Teacher use for Voicethread

Network (Lesson Planning)

Project Ideas

More Project Ideas (Before and After)

Professional Development

Personal Use Ideas

Student use for Voicthread

You Learn from Me, I Learn from You

Ideas for Implementation

Voicethread Tips for Teachers Voicethread Student Do's and Don'ts

Please feel free to comment or add to our voicethreads.

One of my team members had a list of art websites. She received this list from Terry, one of the talented ladies at WorknSmartr . I haven't checked these out but they look pretty good:

http://www.crayola.com/

http://www.albrightknox.org/artgames/

http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/youth/

http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/index.html

http://psych.hanover.edu/Krantz/art/

http://www.nga.gov/kids/kids.htm

http://kids.tate.org.uk/games/my-imaginary-city/

http://www.artjunction.org/

http://www.moma.org/interactives/artsafari/index.html

http://redstudio.moma.org/

http://www.childrensmuseum.org/games/index.htm

http://www.tuxpaint.org/

http://www.dreezle.com/

http://www.queeky.com/app

http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/brushster.htm

http://www.abcya.com/abcya_paint.htm

http://www.artsonia.com/

Have a great, productive week!

A Sweet Post for Friday

2010-04-23T13:34:00.001-07:00

Normally I do not post anything on Fridays. I am usually pretty busy and just don't have any time. Today was birthday day at work and we had two FABULOUS desserts. I had to share the recipes:

DEATH by CHOCOLATE

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 c. Kahlua (or chocolate or caramel syrup?)
4 boxes prepared chocolate mousse instant pudding (don't know if they still make this)
4 Skor (Heath) bars, broken up
2 med. size tubs Cool Whip

Bake cake in a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. When cooled, poke with a fork. Pour kahlua over to saturate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Assemble in trifle bowl. In a 3 1/2 quart trifle bowl layer ingredients. First, half the cake, broken into chunks. Second, half the pudding mousse. Third, half the candy pieces. Top with half the Cool Whip. Repeat layering and top with chocolate shavings. Refrigerate until serving. Serves: 8 to 12 people.

The Paul Newman Chocolate Cake 1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix (or use your favorite recipe)
1 can (14 oz) sweetened and condensed Milk
1 jar (16 oz) Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel (or make your own)
1 container Cool Whip (or whipped cream)
4 (1.5 oz) Heath Candy Bar, crushed (or your favorite topping)

Bake cake according to box directions, using a 9" x 13" pan. While cake is still hot, poke holes from top through to the bottom using the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour condensed milk over the top and let soak in. Pour caramel over the top. Let cool completely. Spread whipped topping over the entire cake. Sprinkle crushed candy over the top.

After that, @mguhlin shared this site that is full of graphic organizers for specific teaching strategies. Make sure you print out the graphic organizer that is suggested. Have a great weekend!

Books and Brainstorming

2010-04-22T12:06:00.000-07:00

I attended another great session via webinar with Monica Martinez at TCEA. It was a lunch and learned session all about ebooks. She mentioned several sites in which to download ebooks:

Feedbooks

Barnes and Noble

eBooks

I also remembered two sites that are great for audio books:

AudioOwl

Books Should Be Free

Storyjumper is another neat site that let's you create and publish your own children's book. Lulu also lets you publish as well.

After watching the #140CONF, I had so many ideas...The first one is using Spaaze. It is similar to Wallwisher but different. You can move the screen around and attach actual files instead of just web links. One downside is that you have to sign up to use it, but teachers can get around that.

Today, I received an amazing idea from @kevinhoneycutt. He uses Plurk. While I am still learning how to use Plurk, I can tell you that I am already a huge fan.

Two new tools you can utilize for brainstorming are Mind42 and Chogger. I came across this very informative map of Web 2.0 tools today on Mind42.

Have fun exploring these sites!

Better late than Never...

2010-04-19T13:12:00.001-07:00

Ok, I just discovered TED talks. I know, I know...I am behind the times. If you need inspiration, TED talks will fill that need. There is also an application short cut that runs using Silverlight that you can have on your desktop.

Another "idea worth speading" is Awesome Highlighter. I really like Diigo and the ability to annotate and bookmark however, anything categorized as social bookmarking is blocked by our school filer. Awesome Highlighter allows students to highlight anything on the webpage they are viewing, and has the option to email the highlighted material or copy it to the clipboard.

CNN Student News is GREAT! Everyday, CNN has a 10 minute news program for students 8th grade and up (although I bet 5th and 6th grade could follow along). There are lessons, transcripts, and you can even preview the next broadcast. I see so many possibilities for this in class. You could tie the current events to journal writing, discussion, or a great way to conclude class on those days you might finish a little sooner than expected.

Lastly, I came across Google Earth 101 for Educators. While I am still new to Google Earth, this site provides much needed step-by-step for learning such a complex program. I also like the information available on the left side under "main sections", such as Geo-caching for Educators.

On a personal note, I have decided to apply to graduate school through Tarleton State University. I hope I can do it..it has been seven years (and two kids) since I have been enrolled in school. Wish me luck!

Have a great week!

Integrating Digital Tools in the Classroom

2010-04-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

A while back, I attended a great session at ESC Region 12 called "Integrating Digital tools in the Classroom". The ladies at WorknSmartr did a great job as usual. But, as usual, I came back with many sites that are blocked by our filter. After a few hours, I have a few sites accessible for our teachers categorized by purpose. You can find those sites here. If you have any others, please feel free to leave a comment or send me a message via Twitter: @lisamonthie

Have a great rest of the week!

Bluebonnets!

2010-04-12T16:06:00.001-07:00

This Month's Tech Tips

2010-04-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

I really like Voicethread. There are so many uses I can imagine for it. Here is the email I sent to my faculty. If anyone would like to comment on my VT, feel free. I would love to show how it works....

I have created a Voicethread for you to watch over this month's tech tips. You can find it at this link:

http://voicethread.com/#u453621.b1060255.i5658870

If you do not have time to watch the Voicethread, you can access the sites from the links below.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or would like help incorporating these sites into your lessons.

Thanks!

Lisa

Glogster

2010-04-08T19:19:00.001-07:00

This glog was found at http://digitaltoolsforteachers.blogspot.com/2010/04/collection-of-online-story-makers.html and created by @artysteph26. Thanks for the great glog!

A Movement...

2010-04-07T12:39:00.001-07:00

Thank you @web20classroom for putting this video on your blog.....

2010-04-07T08:01:00.001-07:00

Search Engines and Web 2.0 Tools

2010-04-07T06:36:00.001-07:00

Thanks to @cheryltice for these great resources from her wiki. Cheryl has a page called "Quick Tech Tips" and there you will find the slideshow "Thirty-six Interesting Ways to Use Search Engines in the classroom". I have listed my favorite four search engines that provide students with a visual representation of their results (in no specific order):

1. Tag Galaxy - I must put a warning label on this tool. It is addicting!!! I spent 15 minutes this morning playing with it.

2. Search Cube - While a little tricky to use, the results include videos and images.

3. Eyeplorer - I think this would be a great tool to use for brainstorming a research paper or assignment.

4. 10x10 - This is all current events. I love the fact that you can choose a different date and time (after 2004) and look at the current events for that day. What a neat addition to your "Today in History" updates...

Through my Diigo updates, I came across this site called "Paul's E-learning Resources". I LOVE THIS SITE! There are so many Web 2.0 tools here, all on ONE page, and categorized by purpose. It is easy to use and completely FREE. I love the way this page is neat and organized. Have a great Wednesday!

iPad Webinar

2010-04-06T13:57:00.001-07:00

I still have mixed feelings about the iPad. I participated today in TCEA's webinar "What can you do with an iPad?" The following are some notes I took from Lori Gracey, the presenter. I think it will be exciting for students but I am uncertain about transforming or revolutionizing education. Lori made some excellent points regarding education. If we do not change out teaching styles, this piece of equipment is nothing more than a shiny toy.

Wired Magazine Future Functionality on the iPad

http://mashable.com/2010/02/16/wired-magazine-ipad-demo/

Sports Illustrated magazine demo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntyXvLnxyXk

Time's paid version:

http://www.cmswire.com/cms/web-publishing/woodwing-create-digital-magazines-for-the-ipad-007162.php

iPad in dashboard: http://www.maclife.com/article/news/video_ipad_installed_car_dashboard_we_want_one

25 Tips to Become an instant iPad Power user:

http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/25_tips_become_instant_ipad_poweruser

EduTv

http://constructingmeaning.com/

http://iphone.moodle.com.au/

Podcasting Basics

2010-04-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention this in the previous post. I attended a SUPER session at ESC Region12 over podcasting. Here is a link to the session and its handouts. I created a podcast as well. It's all about using a clothes line. I think it's quite comical.

Need lessons?

2010-04-05T13:08:00.001-07:00

Or maybe some fresh ideas??? I have been helping teachers lately revamp lessons. Some I make suggestions utilizing technology and others I have been looking just for some new ideas. I have utilized the following sites:

1. AppleEngine - I really like this site for its ease of use. It utilizes Google search engine and sorts the results based on type (lesson, printable, game, etc).

2. Teacher Zone - I don't like the fact that you have to sign up to use this site...but, it is free and the videos are quite good.

3. Thinkfinity - I love Thinkfinity! I really like the fact that for the "Resource Type" you can search for "Interactives" to use with your lesson. The lessons are great and aligned with standards.

4. Teacher's Domain - I like this site because of the digital media. Most lessons have images or complete downloadable videos.

5. Cybraryman's Educational Websites - If you haven't checked out Cybraryman yet, you should. He has so many resources and great interactive sites.

6. NeoK12 - This site is full of good stuff. Videos, lessons, and games are all in one easy to use site.

On a personal note, I am finally feeling settled in the new place. Today, my husband started my garden. I call him "Farmer Mark" (see above photo)I cannot wait until this weekend when the boys and I get to roll up our sleeves and get dirty. Have a great week!

Easter Suits

2010-03-29T12:50:00.001-07:00

Today was picture day. We were told to send the kids to school in their Easter suits. Check out my cuties....hopefully, mommy gets a picture. Last time, the little guy tried to bite his teacher and the big guy cried the entire time...but I mean, look at them, how can I stay mad!

Random Stuff

2010-03-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

Last week was a super busy week. On the same day, I monitored the TELPAS test, trained on the SMART Board, and presented at Region 12. I was dog tired. I will share some of the things I shared:

SMART Board Training

Social Studies session at Region 12

Also, I am not sure where/how I came across this handout, but, it is a GREAT resource for ANY teacher. It is 44 pages long, so I probably wouldn't print it out. I used something like this when I taught. At the end of the school day, I reflected on if the strategy worked successfully or what I might want to try for next time. There are strategies for opening and closing a lesson, and everything else in between.

I also came across this page of tools to enhance/encourage collaboration. I mean, what a great site! So many here I had not heard of...

Here are a few other random sites I checked out (and liked) this past weekend...

Ipadio - it's like Gabcast but easier....

Thwapr - share videos to phones...plan on testing this with my iPod touches(?)

Free Audio Books - books you can download..plan on using with the iPod touches...

And I was looking for some more sites like Freeplaymusic and found these....

Royalty Free Music

Sound Bible

Soundzabound

Free Music Archive (search by genre at the top)

On a personal note, we hung mini blinds and are actually seeing an end in sight at the new house. Mark, my husband, is having some trouble with the wiring of some of the switches because the house is just so darn old. Other than that, the good news keeps coming...my dad went today and cancer is still in remission....YAY! I plan on having my parents over for Easter dinner. Mom is bringing the ham, and I am to do the sides...anybody have a great recipe they want to share??? :)

Have a great week.....I am attending a session Wednesday over podcasting so watch for podcasting goodies to come!

SMART Board goodies and other stuff

2010-03-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

I LOVE THE SMART BOARD! There, I said it. It was introduced to me this year and I must say, it was love at first site. There are so many things you can do with it. From movies to interactives, it is so much more than a board used with your projector. I have developed a training session for my teachers and placed the information on my wiki. Feel free to use/share with other SMARTBoard enthusiasts.

Today is a faculty meeting day. I have added what I plan on sharing to my website. I have pasted below the tools I hope to share...

1. Cool Iris - It's simply the fastest and most stunning way to browse photos and videos from the Web or your desktop. Effortlessly scroll an infinite "3D Wall" of your content without having to click page to page, whether you'e on Facebook, Google Images, YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, Kodak Gallery, or any supported site. Or channel surf the latest news, TV episodes, movies, and music videos all from within Cooliris.

2. Livebrush - Livebrush is a drawing application. It employs an easy-to-use brush tool that reacts to your gesture. By combining simple motion controls with brush styles, Livebrush offers a fun and unique way to create graphics.

3. Word it Out - Simply enter some text and create your word cloud. You can keep your word cloud secret or share it. You can even embed it onto your webpage. The settings are also customizable.

4. Kaleidocycle - Upload your own photos and create a foldable cube. Create your own Rubix cube of review terms, images, etc.

5. Random - Check out the free random things you can do at this site. Play the coin flipper, dice roller, or card shuffler as a means of classroom collaboration.

On a personal note, I can now see my house as our home instead of rooms filled with boxes. I hung curtains, ceiling fans, and pictures over the weekend. It is amazing how these little things make your house feel like your home. We even ate our very first meal at the dining room table. For my own record keeping, I cooked a pork tenderloin roast, mashed potatoes, and bread. It finally is becoming our home. Pictures will be posted soon! Have a great week!

Social Studies Resources

2010-03-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Do you or someone you know teach Social Studies? Are you looking for some new resources for your Social Studies classroom? Look no more... I am helping a coworker by presenting a session at Region 12. She teaches alternative certification for Social Studies teachers. She has about 57 in each class and they are looking for fresh ideas. So, I told her I could help. I am sharing these resources and letting them explore. Check them out!

http://techlearning20.wikispaces.com/Social+Studies

Monthly Tech Tips

2010-03-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

I have been super busy with the house and boys off during Spring Break. Our new house doesn't have internet or cable yet so I haven't been able to post in awhile. So, not much new from the tech world. That being said, I will share some tech tips from the past. The 1st and 15th of each month, I send out a tech tip similar to Tammy Worcester's. These are for my campus (which is a 5th and 6th grade campus) but I feel are applicable at any grade level and ability. You can use these in your classroom or computer lab, in groups or during direct instruction.

______________________________________________________________________

ABCya! Fifth grade children's computer games and activities have large easy to use navigation buttons as well as simple instructions. Activities include addition, subtraction, counting money,keyboarding practice, and much more! Great in the Computer Lab or at the end of your class period.

_______________________________________________________________________

Museum Box is a tool that allows students to place items in virtual boxes. These items can range from images, text, sound to video clips. Use these boxes for students to assess, investigate, debate, explore and develop ideas. The possibilities are endless!

To get a better idea of what a Museum Box is, check out these examples.

The Treatment of the Jews by the Nazis

Thomas Clarkson's Box

________________________________________________________________________

Storybird!

What is Storybird? Storybird is a service that uses collaborative storytelling to connect kids and families. Students can create a story all their own, or two (or more) people can create a Storybird in a round robin fashion by writing their own text and inserting pictures. They then have the option of sharing their Storybird privately or publicly on the network. The final product can be printed (soon), watched on screen, played with like a toy, or shared through a worldwide library. Check out this link to see a created Storybird and you can read more once you're at the website.

________________________________________________________________________

Virsona!

What is Virsona? Virsona is a tool that gives students and teachers the ability to create and "chat" with historical or fictional characters. I would envision it being used to research historical figures or talk with fictional characters. Instead of looking up information on that historical figure, students can actually "ask" the figure about themselves. To see an example visit this link to chat with Abraham Lincoln. If you set up an account (it's free and easy) you, or your students can create other Virtual historical figures as well or even a virtual you! I would even be willing to put in the information for a historical or fictional figure if you just get it to me.

Here is a link to a great lesson plan for Virsona. Students first research a Virsona that is already created and then they research their own figure and create a Virsona for that person.

________________________________________________________________________

Misc Creative Tools

Custom Tombstone Creator - Use this to create your own tombstone. Have students create a tombstone for a historical figure, a character from a story, a famous artist or musician, or a fictional person.

Newspaper Clipping Generator - Use this to create a newspaper article. Have students summarize a current event, an important event in Science or Math, part of a story, or a historical event.

Children's Book - Use this to create your own children's book. Have students create a story based on a writing prompt, an event or time period from history, or the life of an important person.

Kerpoof - Have students create a card, a story, or a picture or drawing....the possibilities are endless for this studio website.

________________________________________________________________________

Picnik

Picnik is an online photo editing website that is similar to a software program like Adobe Photoshop. However, Picnik has a variety of advantages over a program like Photoshop. Advantages include: saved hard drive space (because it's web based), quicker processing time, easier to use tools (stamps/stickers/frames/text), updated themes according to the time of year, linking capabilities to sites such as Flickr, Photobucket, MySpace, Facebook, collage templates, and the fact that it's FREE (although there is an upgrade option)! This could be a great tool to use in your classroom or at home.

How do you sign up for Picnik??? YOU DON'T HAVE TO! You can actually just go to their website and start editing. Upload a picture from your computer or a photo sharing site and begin.

________________________________________________________________________

Visuwords

It's a dictionary! It's a thesaurus! It's a complete visualization tool! Visuwords is great resource for vocabulary development. You can see relationships, derivations, meanings, parts of speech, and read the vocabulary word in meaningful contexts.

You can zoom the term in and out by rolling the wheel on your mouse. You can click the gray background and drag the mouse in order to shift the whole term around so you can explore. You can grab any part and pull it away from the others to clarify connections and relationships.

________________________________________________________________________

Web 2.0 Playground

2010-03-01T08:04:00.000-08:00

Today I am attending a session at ESC 12 over Web 2.0 tools. The company, worknsmartr, has neat resources for everything from video editing to virtual field trips. Here you can download their handout. I also am working on my session for Web 2.0 tools. You can view my stuff from my work web page. Have a great Monday!

Why a PLN?

2010-03-01T07:14:00.001-08:00

I found this from @web20classroom on Twitter and loved it.

Quick Update

2010-02-26T13:42:00.000-08:00

I have three of my training sessions planned and material ready to go. Feel free to look at my sessions over the Ipod touch, Flipcams, and Web 2.0: Photo Editing and Image Creation Tools.

My Work Website

Have a great weekend!

Let it Snow!

2010-02-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

Wow! Tuesday, my kids' daycare was cancelled and my school released at 12:30. Today, we had a late start at 10AM. The past two days have been so much fun. The boys played in the snow, slept in, and had a nice breakfast this morning.

My technology training for today was cancelled due to the late start. I am uncertain when it will be rescheduled. Now, I am working on training for the Ipod touches. My campus won 15 touches in a grant I wrote. Here are some of the neat sites I have found for IPod touch apps (in no order)

1. Math Snacks

2. Learning Continuity

3. IPod Games for Learning

4. TCEA Spreadsheet

5. K-12 Apps for Ipod

I also love that you can download editable Discovery Education videos and use Dropbox to put files on the touches. Have a great week!

My House

2010-02-17T12:45:00.000-08:00

This post is purely personal and not professional (wow, talk about alliteration)...I created an Animoto of our house. Now, when I am complaining, you can see what I am complaining about....

My House

A few of my Favs

2010-02-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

I have to give it to Beth Phinny from Big Spring junior high. She has the best list of websites I have EVER seen. Some are educational and some are plain fun. I have placed it on my wiki under "Do you need a website". I mean, hundreds and hundreds of sites can be found just under one tab. Also, I have added IPod Resources and a link to my buddy's Google Tools page to my wiki as well. I am preparing for my upcoming after-school sessions on IPod Touches and SMARTBoards. I am swamped.

On a personal note, working on the new house is KILLING me. I find more and more work needs to be done as I work. For example, we pulled up the carpet to find huge cracks in the floor. I removed a broken vanity out of the bathroom to find a huge hole, and a huge piece of sheet rock missing. I am getting overwhelmed more each day. I am beginning to think we will never move in....

Have a great week!

Notes from TCEA

2010-02-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

These are my notes from TCEA. I know they are not organized or easy to follow but here you will find a lot of neat resources. There is one more site coming but won't be ready till Sunday.

http//txtechnogeeksrus.com will be ready after Sunday. This site will have hundreds of educational and fun websites. Have fun reading my notes and please share these valuable sites and ideas with others.

I need a Website Quick:

This session covers Adobe Fireworks CS4v in designing a webpage. http://technology.esc2.net/tcea/fireworks

During the break, I spoke with a lady from Waco ISD who attended a neat Web 2.0 session beforehand; she gave me this site:

http://edtech2020.com/ (Session Resources)

We made a page in a very complicated program (Adobe Fireworks)...but we used http://morguefile.com/ to get some free photos.

Putting the Fun back in Learning with 21st Century Tools:

Using www.thinkfinity.org you can provide a classroom rich in 21st century skills. Interactives shown were the lemonade stand, Power Up, Primary Krypto, Comic Creator, ARTSEDGE (Perfect Pitch), EConEdlink, and the rest of the content providers.

Tinkerball at http://inventionatplay.org/ was a really neat interactive .

IPlayground

Apps for IPhone/IPod

http://spreadsheets.google.com/lv?key=0AurJI49o5M_0dC00a011WGRSd09paTFFTmhOSHowU1E&hl=en&invite=CMiIsukK&token=vKWpIiYBAAA.qJIEAjq_T_El_CEaUO82jQ.qQK7J_Yx3DGOm265Ra-VfQ

Notes from Exhibits:

Check out http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/home.jsp under Student Activities for some cool stuff

Adding Pizzazz with Web 2.0: (also note the copyright link for teaching copyright and fair use)

http://add-pizazz.wikispaces.com/

I also came across http://digitalgoonies.com/ and http://webapplications.wikispaces.com/ for more Web 2.0 goodies

Here is a neat page for images http://www.loonapix.com/

Info on Voicethreads http://voicethreadmultimedia.wikispaces.com/Resources

Fun using http://www.random.org/ for a door prize activity using the coin flipper - fun!

I overheard this site in the hall: http://scott.esc2.net/ look under Resources.

Mobile Technology for DI http://mobiletech.wikispaces.com/60minsession

Getting Creative with Digital Images:

http://sites.google.com/site/tceapresentation/

Using Office to teach ELA http://blogs.parisisd.net/dmartin

Create your own room and Twitter hashtag http://todaysmeet.com/ (great for backchanneling)

To create a neat panoramic image, http://photosynth.net/ - it places the pictures where they belong. I also like Kaleidocycle...

More cool web 2.0 http://www.rush2knowledge.com/rush2knowledge/Welcome.html

IFlip for Videos:

Found these while waiting...distance learning pdf and http://timeglider.com/ and http://tagul.com/ ( cool tool for Word Clouds)

http://www.stupeflix.com/

Google Tools with Tammy

http://www.tammyworcester.com/TWHandouts/New_Handouts/Entries/2010/2/9_TCEA_2010.html

http://www.diigo.com/list/randyrodgers/tcea2010

http://kristascott.edublogs.org/

Print, Cut and Fold

http://printcutfold.com/

Check out the Copyright resources under Links. Templates are in my Google docs.

http://www.authorstream.com/ for fun stuff to do with PowerPoint.

Don't let Technology be Your Titanic

Take pictures of people at the door - when their picture comes up, they win a prize.

Use pictures when you tell a story.

Use the SMARTBoard as a way of taking attendance during professional development. For examples, have teachers drag their apple to the tree as they come in.

You can use the timer for time management.

Use GPS for prof dev - have an Amazing Race, a campus scavenger hunt, etc. Use it when you have a new campus open to learn the building, to get to know other depts.

Use Clickers to ask "What percent of our students were at risk in 08-09?" The categories can be TAKS, AEIS, Demographics, Getting to know you.

Google Earth lessons:

http://gelessons.com/

Educational and Useless Websites

http//txtechnogeeksrus.com

http://site.txtechnogeeksrus.com/

http://classroomnext.blogspot.com/ Google APPs for Education

iTouch i Learn....

http://sites.google.com/site/misdtechconnect/tcea (look in Google Docs for powerpoints and hand-outs)

http://www.edupic.net/ Educational Graphic Resources

I am sore...

2010-02-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

We worked on the house all weekend. My grandparents were HUGE fans of dark paneling. Well, once we pulled the paneling off, we discovered WALLPAPER! Yes, a lovely floral wallpaper straight out of the 80s. So, I spent my weekend scraping wallpaper. I am feeling like we bit off more than we can handle. The amount of work we still have remaining is a bit overwhelming. I just keep telling myself a little at a time.

I have discovered several really cool websites and I am listing them in no particular order:

1. Livebrush - It is a really cool drawing tool. The students would enjoy using it to doodle at the end of a class period or during free time.

2. Cooliris - This is a site way of sorting your photos. It looks almost like an IPhone.

3. Gickr - This site lets you create a gif animation of your photos.

4. Word It Out - It is like Wordle on steroids. It creates really neat word clouds.

5. AllMyFaves and Symbaloo - What a neat way to search? I think it is better than Google...or you can use it to access your favorite Google Tools.

Pretty short post but I have a ton to do before I leave for TCEA. Can't wait! Have a great week!

Work, work, work

2010-02-01T12:24:00.000-08:00

That sums up my life lately. I have been extremely busy at work and home. First, we officially started working on our new house (my grandparent's old house). We completely emptied it and took the majority of the furniture to Goodwill. The rest of the stuff ended up in the dump. We have a lot of work ahead of us. As I mentioned before, my grandparents smoked. You can see exactly where everything hung on the walls. We have to paint and replace carpet. It is fun, exctiting, and overwhelming at the same time. Mark, my husband, is also sick with strep throat. So, he has been feeling horribly but still being a trooper. He has helped tremendously and been a good sport about everything. Next weekend, my brother-in-law is watching the boys the entire weekend. So, we plan on painting frantically the entire weekend.

Region 12 was successful. The teachers were excited, motivated, and left ready to try some new tools. I hope I changed the way they think about using technology, that it isn't a separate entity but a part of their teaching and curriculum.

This week, I am busy preparing for an early release day. We have some break-out sessions planned and I was partnered up to present new ideas and uses for document cameras. I have some clever ideas but I wish I could come up with more exciting ones:

1. Word Walls
Create mini thematic word walls in Word using clip art, print and lay under the document camera during writing or reading time so the students can easily see the words if needed.

2. Writing Practice
Display an essay, story, worksheet etc...Have students revise/edit, complete the worksheet, etc.
3. Scrabble
Write a word. Have students take turns adding/editing the word. Points are awarded to the side of the class that lasts the longest.

4. Fill in thinking maps

5. Spelling Practice
Use your letters to spell words; place some letters (you have secretly already pre-selected which letters) under the camera and let the kids come up and try to spell a sight word from their list.

6. What's Missing Memory Game
Place several objects under the document camera and then use the Freeze feature on your document camera and take one item away. Now unfreeze the camera and have the students guess which object is missing. This activity helps students learn to pay attention and notice details, which is a valuable skill when noticing letters, shapes of letters, and their similarities and differences.

Use the missing shape as a writing prompt – Where did the (object) go?

7. Matching
Color Match – match color objects to their color word
Alpha/Word Match – match letters or words to pictures of objects
Money Match – have a Money Amount sheet for students to count the money “into”

8. Categorize
Have two pictures beside each other of terms (vertebrate/invertebrates) Pass out cards of animals, traits, characteristics and have students place them in the right spot.

9. Ordering
Alpha Order – alphabetize letters or words
Number order – put numbers in the correct order
Bigger/Smaller – order objects by size

10. Timeline
Project a blank timeline and have students write on post-it notes to add events

Our session is this Thursday so any ideas are welcomed. Have a great week and try not to work too hard!

I am addicted....

2010-01-26T13:22:00.000-08:00

to the Smartboard, that is...I spent today making my very first Smartboard lessons. I am sure they would be considered basic but I am proud of them. I created them for a remedial pull-out reading class. After showing the Smartboard at our last faculty meeting, I have now become very busy making lessons for teachers. Some have asked me which is better, a Smartboard or a Mobi Interwrite tablet???? I like both, but I just can't decide. I can see the benefits of both.

I have also helped write a grant this round. The teacher wants a printer that will make posters. I came up with some pretty clever activities you could do with this printer:

1. Students can create customized motivational posters. Suddenly,
a picture of Abe Lincoln becomes a motivational poster for honesty.

2. Magazine covers can be designed for various story settings. When
studying colonial America, students invent a magazine for the times.

3. Students can reinvent an important instructional concept into a
pop art poster. A math theory of angles will jump off the page when
transformed by colors and design features.

4. When studying time periods, students can create mosaics using a
variety of media. Westward Expansion is illustrated by images of
the settlers, horses, and homesteads.

5. Story settings and historical events become movie posters. The Mayflower is “now showing” and features pilgrims, a cast, and a catchy scene summary.

6. Students can construct their own maps of towns, villages, and geographical features as they are covered in class. Students can invent their own islands and become cartographers, equipping their maps with the fundamentals of geography.

7. The class can create their own calendar. Each class can have their own month, researching important historical dates, holidays, and class events.

8. Students develop posters for vocabulary terms, concepts, and other instructional objectives. The students will create meaningful content and long-term mastery of material will occur.

There are a few sites that allow you to create posters (blockposters.com) but this printer makes professional grade posters. So, that was my day...I am getting excited about ESC12 this Thursday. I just hope I don't get too nervous. When I do, I talk really fast. On a personal note, it seems as if everyone is finally healthy. I just wish we would all sleep in our own beds. This weekend we get to start working on the new house so it should be exiciting.

Have a great week!

Weekend Fun

2010-01-18T10:48:00.001-08:00

This weekend we visited my brother-in-law and his wife and kids in Keller, TX. It was my nephew's birthday. We spent the weekend playing outside and grilling. It was very relaxing! Saturday night we visited Joe's Crab Shack. What I LOVED about this Joe's was the enormous playground outside. The wait was lengthy but bearable as the kids played on the playground. I love spending time with them. Their house is HUGE and the boys can all play together without destroying anything.

I am excited because my class sets of Flipcams and IPOD touches arrived. The next week I plan on figuring out how to load free apps for the teachers to use in their classrooms. I am also trying to stream some videos on the IPODs. I have my session at the education service center next week so I am begining to get a little nervous. Other than that, I am busy working on a break-out session for document cameras. Have a great week!

Awesome Lesson from Ferlazzo!

2010-01-13T06:49:00.000-08:00

I think this is a great writing practice activity that can be geared toward TAKS....I got this from Larry Ferlazzo's blog.

Gather a range of interesting photos so that you have a different photo for each small group of 4-5 in your class. Remove and keep the captions for each, and mount each in the center of a large sheet of paper.

Put students in groups and tell them that they will be doing what’s called a “text on text” exercise. Their job will be to write comments in the space around the photo, leaving room for others’ writing as well.

Write the following four “response choices” on the board to remind students of the kinds of things they should be writing in response to the photo they receive. Tell them they may do any or all of the following:

Make a personal connection to the photo. (E.g., “Reminds me of when I visited the Empire State Building in third grade.”)

Write a question the photo brings to mind. (E.g., “Why can you see only the backs of people’s heads in this shot?”)

Write a detailed observation about the photo. (E.g., “The color red is everywhere–the sun, one person’s shoes, and the flowers and curtains in the background.”)

Make a guess as to what information the original caption of this photo imparted. (E.g., “This looks like the dedication of a memorial to someone who died.”)

Give the groups each a photo and 3- 5 minutes to write. When each group finishes, have them pass the large paper with their photo to another group, moving clockwise. When each group receives the new photo, they should add their comments to those already there. They can continue the work of adding personal connections, observations or questions, and/or can respond to previous writing as if in “conversation” with the notes left by previous students.

Continue this way until all the groups in the room have seen and commented on all the photos. (Make sure each photo is returned to the group that had it originally, as part of the fun of this exercise is reading the responses to the original comments.) Ask the class to discuss how their relationship to the photos and their understanding of what each “says” deepened as they wrote and responded to what others wrote. How true do they find the saying, “A picture paints 1,000 words?” Why?

Finally, read the captions you removed originally and have students guess which photo went with which caption.

Fun with PhotoStory

2010-01-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

I had a great idea for TAKS review - have the students write their TAKS narrative, then create a PhotoStory. The student selects images and music that fits their essay, then reads the essay in a voice over. I did this one using the prompt "Write an essay about a time you depended on someone."

TAKS Essay (scored a 4)

The Alliance

2010-01-11T13:24:00.000-08:00

I have joined an alliance with my Tweeps....I am not sure what that means but that guarantees that I will soon have an actual audience for my blog. I plan on still keeping it a mixture of personal and professional posts. I shall begin with the personal first...

This weekend, due to technical difficulties, we were not able to start working on our new house. Instead, we went shopping for a new bedroom set for the boys. We found the cutest camping lamp, pillows, and curtains. However, Target did not have the comforter. I ordered it online as soon as I came home. We are looking for our bedroom set next.

Ok, now for the professional...I finished my wiki for my upcoming session at Reg12. I think it turned out pretty good. I plan on keeping it updated so people can use it as a tool. I am busy writing grants and trying to get people excited about using technology in the classroom. My biggest success has been Animoto. The teachers really like using Animoto to introduce their topics. Another fun thing the teachers used was Voki. I could use some lesson suggestions for EInstruction's Interwrite Mobi (tablets) and GPS devices. Those two items are my personal grant requests for this semester.

Well, that is all for right now. I am off to pick up my kiddos....

Funny Video

2010-01-11T12:24:00.001-08:00

My friend Debbie shared this video with me....I can't help but to post! Enjoy!

SafeShare.TV - The Safest Way To Share YouTube videos

2010-01-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

SafeShare.TV - The Safest Way To Share YouTube videos

Sick and Tired

2010-01-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

Ugh...we have all been so sick lately. It started with me...I am stubborn and refused to go to the doctor. Instead, I chose to remain sick for two weeks. I am FINALLY feeling better, but still very tired. J (my little guy) has a severe sinus infection and W has bronchitis. He has missed school two days this week due to fever. Both boys have not been sleeping well so, in return, mommy and daddy have not slept either.

On a positive note, it looks as if we will soon be moving into my grandparents house. The drawback: both of my grandparents smoked (Mamaw was up to 3 packs a day before she passed away) so we have some work to do. I am excited to move from a tiny 2 bedroom apartment to a spacious 4 bedroom 2bath. First, we plan on getting rid of all the furnishings, then painting, and hopefully adding some new light fixtures. My grandparents were big fans of the dark paneling and pink shag carpet....needless to say those things are first on my list of changes.

I feel bad for Mark lately (my hubby). He has been working so hard and has been so stressed. I try to help as much as I can but with everyone being sick, he has been keeping our ship afloat. I hope his load lightens soon.

Ok, that is all for now. I have to go make snacks for the big football game tonight. Go Texas!

Learning 2.0

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gickr.com animation

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Glogster

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Easter Suits

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