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Multiplication Web Resources

Tue, 5 Oct 2010 22:12:26 -0700

Type in “multiplication” into a Google search, and you may get lost in the resources available to students to learn and practice their multiplication facts. Not that I’ve researched and hit every link available to mankind, but I have chosen a few that stood out. I’ve chosen a couple of online games, a site to print flash cards from, and one site that is loaded with resources pertaining to multiplying numbers.

To see these resources in a perfect one-page handout,
click HERE!

Cooperative Online Writing

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 23:48:03 -0700

The coolest online tool I’ve seen in a while is a Real-Time Document Collaboration Tool found at typewith.me (not .com or .org). We definitely want to foster collaboration with our students, which will allow them to learn from each other. In addition, we want them to improve on their writing. This tool does just that! It’s a very basic program and really easy to use. Students can work together to create and edit a living document on DIFFERENT computers! Even better, there is no account to create, no user names or passwords to remember, and it’s free! Share a link, and you’re ready to work.

It has a couple of features worth mentioning. First of all, you can import and export documents in Word format. Second, as students type, the words are color coded. This makes it easy to visually see who has done what work. Third, it has a chat feature where students can talk about ideas without having to interrupt the live document. Finally, it has a really cool tool where you can see the evolution of the document. Just too cool to pass up!

EADMS for Data

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:35:41 -0700

I will admit, it’s not my favorite online site... but it’s something we have to learn. However, the more I get to know the site, the more I go back to it and the more helpful it becomes. With the beginning of the year rolling in, we must begin to understand the needs of our students. EADMS does a nice job in allowing us to get much needed information and data on a student. Click on the link and learn how to find your CST Results on EADMS and get the option to print or save the document. In addition, learn how to transfer them to Excel.

LINK TO DIRECTIONS

iTunes University

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:03:48 -0700

Lit2Go is a free online collection of stories and poems in mp3 (audiobook) format. You can download the files and play them from your computer or mp3 player. In addition to that, each story that is downloaded contains text so that students can read along. However, you can also print them out and make them into your own books.

There is two ways to access their free collection of books. First, you can go through iTunes. Go into the iTunesU area and search for lit2go. You will find many books you can download straight into your iTunes library. You can also visit the site directly and download them there. One benefit of downloading them from their website, is that you also get the option to print out the stories.

You have the visit the site to see the wealth of books available. Visit them at http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/

BrainPOP!

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 22:38:08 -0700

Hopefully, you are all using Brainpop, a site that offers animated curriculum-based content that engages students, supports educators, and bolsters achievement. It’s ideal for group and one-on-one settings, to introduce a new lesson idea or illustrate complex subject matter to review. I was able to find additional resources that can help you integrate Brainpop and its features into your lesson. These ideas also work with Brainpop, Jr. and Brainpop en Espanol.

The idea is simple. Open a teacher’s account on Brainpop.com and have access to video tutorials and classroom tools. However, using Marzano’s classroom ideas for instruction that work, a clever teacher teacher came up with an idea that can help students with summarizing and notetaking.

Please read all about it HERE.

Picasa Slideshow

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:43:52 -0700

Open House is just a couple days away... What do you do with all those pictures you have taken during the year? Simple. Create a quick and easy slideshow with background music to loop throughout the Open House hours. This is what you want to do:

1) Download Picasa (free download)
2) Create a folder and add all your classroom pictures into it
3) From the “Options” from the tools menu
4) Click the “Slideshow” tab
5) Select “Loop Slideshow” to repeat the slideshow
6) Select “Play MP3” tracks during the slideshow
7) Click the “Browse” button and select a song
8) Click “OK” to save your selections
9) Choose your selected folder, and click on the “Play” button.

Like I said, “Quick and easy.”

2Know! Response System

Tue, 2 Mar 2010 21:34:54 -0800

“It’s so simple. You ask your students questions... they enter answers using Renaissance Responders... and the results are transmitted wirelessly to your computer. But don’t let its simplicity fool you. 2Know! will bring more fun, excitement, and success to your classroom while providing you with valuable student feedback.” from renlearn.com

Our students want instant feedback on how they’re doing, while we want to pinpoint those students that need additional help during the lesson. This program will help you do both. The 2Know! software allows you to get a glimpse on how your students are doing, while the AccelTest Software offers you even more detailed information.

If you were unable to attend today’s TechieTuesday, please ask me for assistance. You can find some detailed information on the 2Know! program by visiting clicking on the following link.

2Know! Resource Guide

2Know! Toolbar Download

ThinkQuest.com

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:35:32 -0800

The popularity of social networking sites has quadrupled from 2005 to 2009. Using these sites can help students practice reading, writing, and learn to express themselves more clearly. In addition, they promote communication and teach valuable computer skills.

ThinkQuest.com is a free, protected, online platform for teachers and students, provided by Oracle’s Education Foundation. ThinkQuest provides students and teachers an online social environment perfect for producing multimedia projects. Students are provided web pages where they can publish their projects, and interact with others using message boards, polls, debates, and brainstorming tools.

After reading an article regarding the new 4R’s (rigor, relevance, relationships, and results), I am convinced that ThinkQuest.com can help our students. Provide rigor in your web assignment, they should not be easy. Allow your students choice, this way it is relevant to their learning. Stay involved and model good communication; you should also ask students to interact and provide positive feedback to projects. At the end, we hope to see results. Results that will be measurable by the openness of online collaboration.

Download the “How To” of ThinkQuest HERE.

Cloud Computing

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 21:16:01 -0800

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. The love for a large hard drive on a home PC is slowly diminishing. Today, many are transferring their files and pictures to the virtual cloud. A server where all your files are available to your dispense as long as you have an Internet connection at home, work, or your phone. Leading the way is Google.

Oracle launched the idea in 2000, but many companies were not interested. Now, it seems everybody is on the bandwagon. From Microsoft to Apple, everyone wants a piece of heaven.

Box.net offers 1 GB of free space, while Dropbox.com offers 2GB of free space. Not only can you save files and have access to them from anywhere, it’s easy to share them.

Picasa.com offers 1GB of free space for photos. Currently, buy 200GB for $50 and get a free Eye-Fi Wireless SD camera memory card (a $70 value).

Google Docs does not offer GB, instead they provide you the opportunity to create, upload, and save up to 5,000 documents. Like the other services, sharing is optional.

For backup services, check out Mozy.com. They offer 2GB of free back-up services

Download a printer-friendly copy of this information, HERE.

Hope for the Future

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:25:51 -0800

Our school, our district, our state, our country... have all been through a tough year. 2009 was a year that brought along record teacher layoffs, the danger of H1N1 into our classrooms, and some of the biggest cuts in education funding in recent California history.

Still, in each other we saw hope, especially during these last 4 months of 2009.

Our school year is only 4-months old, but already we have seen a brighter tomorrow. Our new principal has supported our curriculum, and shown the leadership necessary to turn our school back to a Distinguished School it once was. Teachers are beginning to embrace technology as a method of engaging and helping students. Most importantly, students are witnessing changes in our society that give them hope for their future.

The “Yes We Can” attitude has emerged. From it, we have developed a strategy to end the war in Afghanistan and are in the eve of passing a historic Health Care Reform. Now, the stage is cleared for education.

President Obama’s first State of the Union Address will be in January. Quoting him from yesterday’s interview with the Huffington Post he said, “We’re going to have to make some special efforts, and it start with early childhood education; it starts with education generally. That’s why I’m putting such a big emphasis on that.”

Hope

It’s in the air, and it’s still 2009.

Happy Holidays Everybody!

This post is part of the MAT@USC Hope for the holidays event. Did you have an experience or witness something in 2009 which gave you hope for the future of American education? If so, please see this post for more information on how to share it.