ToonDoo - Create custom comic books, online, with your own characters, images, and more!

ToonDoo is a site that allows students to create their own Comic Books, online, in their web browsers.  If you use technology in your class, you have probably heard of ToonDoo, but are you using it?  Last school year, I blogged about using ComicMaster to create Internet Safety Comics.  You can read that post RIGHT HERE.  This year, we moved to ToonDoo to provide a more customizeable experience that really doesn't limit my students creativity.  ToonDoo gives students a great resource to practice writing stories with a setting, characters, introduction, rising action, climax, resolution, and conclusion.  Students...

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Sense-Lang - Free & Customizable Touch Typing Lessons and Classroom Environment

Sense-Lang is a site I just started using this year.  Sense-Lang has great resources to allow students to learn Touch Typing Basics and strengthen both their speed and accuracy.  I used Typingweb.com last year, and liked the way it worked but I had to enter each of my students one by one (with the free version) cause it had no import feature.  Last year we were not on a block schedule so I was able to do that.  This year with a block schedule and 300 plus students, I really didn't have the time to enter everyone one by one.  Sense-Lang allows you to create classes, then students can login to your class with a class specific...

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Reflections: Masters Course Technology Integration Class

This week I am completing my Technology Integration class as part of my Masters of Education Program.  During this class, I learned more about the importance of creating and participating in an effective PLN and resources to help strengthen my PLN.  I was also able to create an Internet Safety & Awareness WebQuest. It was excited to create another WebQuest for the first time in years.  I felt like I was learning it all over again "for the very first time." I feel that my teaching strategies will change more in the area of applying myself as a leader of change in technology integration.  I will continue to strengthen my PLN and share it with my teaching colleagues.  I will continue to share my resources and strategies with my colleagues via this blog and social...

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A Thin Line - MTV's Site for Internet Safety & Digital Rights Online

A Thin Line is a very nice site created by MTV to promote digital rights and share Internet Safety Resources, tools, videos,  and strategies.  This site is more appropriate for 8th Grade through High School Students since some of the topics may be inappropriate for younger students.  A Thin Line covers various Internet Safety Topics including: Sexting Constant Messaging Spying Digital Disrespect Online Cruelty You will find many different videos and even places for students to post and share their experiences with these topics online and even "SOUND OFF" or "DRAW THE LINE"  against those who are bothering them online. ...

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Technology Integration - How we can serve as "teacher leaders" in our professional setting?

Any teacher who is effectively trying to integrate technology in their classroom knows how importance technology can be in the learning process of 21st Century Learners.  But what about some of our colleagues who have no interest in technology integration?  How can we serve as teacher leaders in technology integration in our schools?  There are two areas that I fell are paramount to serving as teacher leaders in integration.  These areas are sharing and leading by examples.  Nobody wants to be forced to do something they dont feel comfortable doing.  Technology integration can work as the same ways.  We need to invite our colleagues to join us or browse our Personal Learning Networks or PLNs.  We can show them what is working in our classroom through...

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Hector's World - Interactive Internet Safety Videos & Activities for Elementary Aged Students

Hector's World is a site out of New Zealand with 7 animated video episodes to teach students (Target Ages 2-9 Years Old) about Internet Safety.  It is obviously never too young to discuss basic concepts of Internet Safety and Digital Etiquette so Hector's World is a fantastic resource for Elementary Aged Students.   Hector's World has 7 animated episodes students can watch, as well as, worksheets/guides students can fill in or read along the way.  The episodes star Hector, a talking dolphin, and his undersea friends as they share basic concepts and strategies for staying safe online.  These episodes are short but full...

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Internet Technologies & Concerns

As we strive to incorporate as many Internet Technologies and Resources into our daily curriculum to reach 21st Century learners, there are some concerns that can arise. Are we choosing the best resources that help our students have authentic and effective learning experiences or are we simply trying to incorporate the latest technology trends just to say we did or because others are doing it to?    Are we relying too much on technology in our daily curriculum so when technology lets us down, we do not give ourselves an opportunity for a back up plan or on the fly replacement activity that is just as effective?   We can alleviate these concerns by continuing to network with other instructors via blogs and other social networking sites to see what is working in their...

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Symphony of Science - Scientific Knowledge and Philosophy through Music! This site is simply AWESOME!

Symphony of Science could be one of the coolest sites I have found in a while.  The site was created by John Boswell, who was heavily influenced by the Internet Legends The Greggory Brothers (Double Rainbow All The Way Across the Sky Music Video) and DJ Steve Porter (who created the awesome Rap Chop Music Video).   Symphony of Science features 11 full length music videos heavily influenced by the classic PBS Series Cosmos with Carl Sagan.  Many of the videos and the words to the songs are remixed episodes from Cosmos, Ted Talks and more.  To quote Mr. Boswell on the site:  "The goal of the project is to bring scientific...

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Anatomy Arcade - Interactive Games and Resources About the Human Body!

Anatomy Arcade is a really neat site that has online games and interactive resources to help students learn about the anatomy of the human body.   The games themselves are divided up by body systems.  For example, you can click on games, then choose games about the skeletal system, articular system, muscle system, circulatory, respiratory, nervous, digestive, endocrine, and general.  The games are pretty simply, including matching, jigsaws, word searches, crosswords, etc. Anatomy Arcade would be a great resource for Elementary Students just starting to learn about the Human Body Systems, or for students needing an extension...

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My Top 3 Most Used Classroom Resources, Goals, & More!

Today, I wanted to look at my top most used classroom resources.  Currently, there are no other resources I currently use more than: Google Docs -Google Docs is online, browser based, and free. My students can create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets without needing Microsoft Office installed at home.  They can work on any of these at the same time as a partner or small group.  GoogleDocs even autosaves regularly for students that have a hard time remembering to save their work or save it in the right place.  GlogsterEDU - Allows students to create interactive "glogs" or posters.  Think of it as digital scrapbooking...

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Kidsmart - Internet Safety & Awareness Resources, Games, Videos, Class Activities, and MORE!!

KidSmart is a site from the United Kingdom that offers a large assortment of resources and activities focused on specific topics of Internet Safety & Awareness & Digital Citzenship.  KidSmart offers resources and information covering : File Sharing Mobile Communication Music Gaming Social Networking Digital Footprints Chatting Safe Searching & MORE Once you click on a specific topic, KidSmart's site offers videos, tips, information, resources,  links and more.  This is another site with very kid friendly information and resources covering various topics pertaining to Internet Safety and Digital Citizenship.  ...

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21st Century Learning & Teaching

As this 2011-2012 school year continues in full swing, it is a great opportunity to assess how effectively I am reaching and teaching our 21st Century Learners.  I feel as if I am very prepared for 21st Century teaching and learning.  I several hours every day looking for new resources, tools, and strategies to reach today's 21st Century Learners.  I focus on what tools will not only make the learning process more engaging, but also help make my lessons "teaching that sticks."  I try my best to share my resources and strategies with my colleagues at school, and when time permits, with my colleagues online with my blog.  The process of researching, assessing, sharing, re-assessing is very important to the education process today. I feel my students leave my classroom...

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Technology, School, & Me!

Everyday I walk into my classroom, I feel I do a great job of integrating technology into my daily curriculum.  As a technology teacher, it is my job and my passion.  Walking through my school, it is awesome to see many teachers developing lesson plans and digital age learning experiences.  Booking our computer lab or mobile laptop carts is becoming more difficult with each passing week as school progresses.  Students in 8th Grade are able to plan and present "Virtual Vacations" to historic places and events they discuss in Social Studies Class, they create video dictionaries about the meanings of standardized test vocabulary, they virtually explore famous Civil War battles online, and create podcasts about school events and monthly updates around our school.  Students...

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Scriblink - Your Free Online Virtual Whiteboard!!

Scriblink is a site that offers basic whiteboard capabilites, for free, within your web browser.  What is really cool about Scriblink is you can write on blank pages, upload your own photos and images, or paste a URL of an online image and add your own annotations to it. Scriblink allows you to share the whiteboard with a friend via a unique URL that you share with them.  There is even a chatbox to chat with those you are sharing your whiteboard with. Finally, you can save your images you create in Scriblink to your hard drive for later review (students who are absent?).   Scirblink offers many awesome features with...

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1906: The Great Quake Cover Up - Earthquake Simulator from Discovery Channel

1906: The Great Quake Cover Up is a fun interactive resource from the Discovery Channel that allows students to explore earthquakes and their effects on different structures.  Students select a type of surface to erect a building on, the type of "earthquake proofing" technology they would like to use, then subject the building to three different levels of earthquake intensity.  This is an awesome site to extend your classroom curriculum about natural disasters and earthquakes, you could use it as a resource to have students practice predicting (What will happen if....), or as a resource for comparing and contrasting (Why did structure...

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The Mason Dixon Report - An "1861 Civil War Cable News Show!"

The Mason Dixon Report is an awesome site containing 7 video "News Reports" covering an "in depth look beneath the surface of the Civil War."  I saw this posted on Glenn Wiebe's History Tech Blog HERE! The Mason Dixon Report re-imagines the events of the Civil War through "live" news reports, on air debates, editorials and more.  Once I started watching the first video, I couldn't turn away.  These videos are very well done and incredibly entertaining.  They cover the "stories" with such a serious demenour it makes the videos almost comical, but always educational and entertaining. These videos would be a great extension...

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"What September 11th Means To Me" a simple activity using Wordle.

Wordle is a site that allows students to create cool graphic images and posters using an arrangement of words, phrases, and sentences.  Words that repeat the most in your Wordle, will appear larger than other words. Type in a list of words or phrases to get started! In my class, students are using Wordle to create images/posters of "What September 11th Means to Me."  Students type into Wordle a list of words, phrases, emotions, sentences, what that date means to them as individuals, and anything else they know about September 11th.   The only input I give them is to make sure their Wordles are respectful and appropriate for...

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VectorKids - Interactive Math Games and Skill Builders for Kids!

VectorKids is a site that offers several interactivities and games to help build student skills in Mathematics (and even Social Studies too).  The site offers mostly math activities to help students with basic to intermediate math concepts.  VectorKids skill builders include help for multiplication tables, solving for variables, division rules, addition, subtraction, counting money, geometry and even a United States Capitals Game. The games are simple and would offer a nice extension to your classroom activities or extra help for specific students who may be struggling with these concepts. Check out VectorKids at: http://www.v...

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Illuminations: Resources for Teaching & Learning Mathematics!!

Illuminations is a site created by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) filled with resources, activities, games, lesson plans & interactivities to help teachers teach and students learn mathematics and math concepts.  This site has a lot of resources you could use in your classroom for students from Kindergarten to 12th Grade. My favorites are the 107 different online activities to help make math come alive right in front of your students.  Instead of simply discussing fractions as parts of a whole, Illuminations allows students to actually see fractions visually represented and manipulate them to further understand...

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ChessKid - Learn, Play & Enjoy Chess!

ChessKid is a cool site that aims to teach kids the basics of chess, teach beginner and advanced chess strategies, allow students to practice chess, and students can even play opponents online.  The site has many videos that teach the basics for students who may struggle comprehending the written basics on the site. Chess is a fantastic game but can be incredibly difficult to learn, especially as a child.  However, the game can be played whether your 8 or 80 nearly anywhere at anytime.  If you are interested in having your students practice problem solving, use their critical thinking skills, starting a chess club, or simply...

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Math Playground - Math Games, Word Problems, Problem Solving & Math Videos for Elementary & Middle School Students

Math Playground is a nice interactive site that was requested to me by one of my 6th Graders.  I have hundreds of sites that help students practice and review math problems and functions, but this was not one of them. Math Playground offers children in elementary and middle school many different math interactivities and games.  Some of these games are created specifically for the site, others are embedded from other sites.  The games are really good and there seems to be many different topics and standards covered.  The site does have a few ads on it, but students are used to this. Math Playground is a great site to help...

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CommonSense Media offering Free Cyberbullying toolkit for educators!

CommonSense Media is offering a free cyberbullying toolkit for all educators.  If you aren't a member of CommonSense Media, what are you waiting for?  The site is free and offers a plethora of Internet Safety Resources, Strategies, and information for elementary, middle, and high school age students. The Cyberbullying Toolkit offers information broken up into different ages.  It even includes all the information for an Internet Safety Outreach Program for your local community.  Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4...

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