TeachEng.us Trading Card: Turn your photos into trading cards! Tons of fun stuff... Give one of our toys a spin! Trading Card, Mosaic Maker, Bead Art, Framer, Pocket Album, Color Palette Generator, Map Maker, Jigsaw, Cube, Magazine Cover, Movie Poster, Motivator, FX, Hockneyizer, Photobooth, Calendar, Billboard, Mat, Badge Maker, Pop Art Poster, Wallpaper, CD Cover, Lolcat Generator, I know, right? It's a lot to take in. Go slow.
Finally! An online quiz worth taking | EducationTechNews.com March 4, 2010 by Claire Knight Posted in: In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Tech Trends Let’s be honest: Everyone loves online quizzes, but they’re just fun and games, right? Not necessarily — here’s one that can help prevent major mistakes with technology. The Institute for Responsible Online and Cell Phone Communication has posted the Digital Risk Spike on its Web site. This free online quiz measures the likelihood of running into a life-altering problem, due to irresponsible online behavior. In addition to the quiz, the site offers solutions that will help reduce digital risks by suggesting changes in online behavior. The link is a sure pass-along to staff and students alike — because everyone needs to know how to use technology responsibly: students will learn how to avoid the digital drama that causes problems, such as sexting and cyberbullying, andstaff will benefit by learning how to reduce the chances of having their identities stolen.
Trading Card Creator The Trading Card tool gives students an alternative way to demonstrate their literacy knowledge and skill when writing about popular culture texts or real world examples. This interactive allows students to create their own trading card about a real or fictional person, place, object, event, or abstract concept. These cards are can be used with any type of book students are reading or subjects that they are studying, and make for an excellent prewriting exercise for students who are writing narrative stories and need to consider characters, setting, and plot. The save capability gives students a way to work on a draft of their card and come back to it to rework and revise as necessary, and to save their finished product to share with friends and family. Cards can be bundled into a single, small collection (8 card maximum) so that students have a way of sort and grouping similar topics in one file. Related Classroom & Professional Development Resources back to top
Blogging About The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom Language Arts Games - Grammar, Punctuation, Capitalization, Vocabulary Sheppard Software's Language Arts page features a variety of games for different grade levels. Elementary students (and anyone who needs a refresher) can play the animated grammar and punctuation games, which review basic punctuation and grammar concepts. This section is continually being refined and expanded, so check back often! Middle school, high school, and adult learners can review their SAT and advanced vocabulary through the SAT Words and Vocabulary in Context games.
Free Online MIT Course Materials for High School Turnitin : Leading Plagiarism Checker, Online Grading and Peer Review Google-Proof Questioning: A New Use for Bloom's Taxonomy The internet has revolutionized information collection. The answer to virtually any question or problem is at our fingertips. Google has made this possible. While I am a great admirer of Google and an avid user of its products, in a way, Google has made my life as a teacher a LOT more difficult. Let me explain. In the "old days" (that would be pre-internet) when a teacher assigned a worksheet with a series of questions on it students had a few options to get the answers. 1. Now I am a teacher. There are two solutions to this problem: 1. Through extensive research and investigation I have come to the conclusion that option number one will prove to be an ineffective strategy. So, what is a "Google-proof question?" Bloom's is arranged into six different levels of questioning ranging from knowledge (the simplest) to evaluation (the most complex). 1. These questions can not be Googled. We are in an age of information. Google has made my job as a teacher a lot harder, but I'm glad.
6th Grade Reading List The 6th grade reading list gives the top ten picks of literature for sixth graders. For more books, see the bottom of the page. Treasure Island By Robert Louis Stevenson This is the captain of all pirate stories. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe By C.S. A book of both fantasy and allegory, this is the first story in the highly acclaimed series "The Chronicles of Narnia." The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain The most famous of Mark Twain's book, the Adventures of Tom Sawyer tells the fictitious story of a high-spirited boy living on the Mississippi River in the late 1800s. Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold By Jean Fritz This biography of Benedict Arnold shows the fascinating details of the man whose name is equated with betrayal. The Bronze Bow By Elizabeth George Speare If I ever had to choose a single favorite novel for kids, I think this would be it. Black Beauty By Anna Sewell The Door In the Wall By Margeurite de Angeli Historical fiction from Europe in the 1300's. Heidi
Classroom 2.0 Technology Tools to Get Teachers Started A mini-manual to Web readiness shows that immersion, with guidance, is key. Credit: iStock Photo The culture of learning is changing, and technology is playing a major role in the transformation. Educators and students are altering the very nature of the classroom experience by increasingly turning to technology as an integral component of learning. The result is that school is beginning to more closely resemble the real world, thereby becoming more valuable, relevant, and useful for everyone involved. Sounds good, doesn't it? So where do you start learning how to integrate technology into your classroom as well as how to use it for your ongoing professional development? One concept that all three say is essential is that your students' needs, and your own, motivate your use of new technology tools. He also counsels against trying to become proficient in everything at once. Web 2.0 What exactly is Web 2.0? It sounds easy, and it is. To learn more, go to Edutopia's RSS page. Listservs Twitter
helping teachers create paperless classrooms Common thinking about what kinds of folks make good 21st century teachers generally runs as follows: “They’re constantly in the process of being trained and being a lifelong learner,” he says. The 'he' saying this is Jeff Murphy, a director of instruction for the Florida Virtual School and he's being quoted in a recent article from Education Week. I cannot tell you how tired I am of hearing this sort of talk. The last thing I want is to be 'trained' more. And, I'm sorry, but 'lifelong learner' has just worn out its welcome as a catch phrase. I want teachers who are curious, experimental, sophisticated, and engaged. What we really need is to be recruiting more geeks. I'm talking about folks who don't have to be 'trained' in using technology. That's who we need to be recruiting. Because that's where our kids are. And -- even more importantly -- that's where the world our kids are entering into is. And more 'training' ain't gonna help. That's like forcing a democracy upon another country. Really?
Building a Bridge to Summer with Projects Culture Teaching Strategies Marin Country Day As part of the school's Maker Lab, Marin Country Day students spend the last few weeks of school building projects. By Matt Levinson The month of May can be a tough time for schools. One school in the Bay Area is rethinking how to finish the year. “It feels like the first day of school all over again, with the same excitement and energy of a new schedule and new beginnings,” says Ted Saltveit, Upper School English Teacher and 8th Grade Class Dean.”Projects come at just the right time, when motivation is waning and students need a kick start and re-ignition.” That’s not a bad feeling this time of year, as the school builds a bridge to the summer months in order to continue to cultivate a love of learning. The projects inspire risk-taking and hands-on learning by breaking down the traditional classroom walls and build trust between teachers and students. “It feels like the first day of school all over again.”