National Geographic MapMaker Interactive Featured 5-4-11

If you’ve played around with Google Earth at all, you know that it is an amazing mapping tool, but with all its features it can be quite overwhelming for students to use.  Next time you want students to incorporate maps in their projects, consider this instead.

MapMaker Interactive

Through National Geographic, students can create different types of maps (physical, climate, population, etc.) and include their own markers and text.

While you’re there, browse through the other offerings of the National Geographic Education website.  You can find videos, lesson plans, and a wealth of other information regarding world news and geography!

Diigo Featured 8-18-11

Does it frustrate you that your bookmarks are not available when you log on to a computer in the lab? 

Do you resent the time you waste having to search for that youtube video again?

Have you ever discovered an online article with a gem of information hidden in a sea of clicking, then never been able to find it again?

Would your content area team benefit from easily sharing each others’ findings on the internet? Check out:

“Diigo is a next generation social bookmarking and annotation service where you can highlight, tag, add sticky notes and comment on any webpage. With emphasis on collaboration and the power of the community, Diigo greatly improves how people discover, remember, collaborate, and share on the Internet.”

Glogster Featured 8-25-11

You want your students to demonstrate and display their new knowledge, but posters and projects can be expensive and wasteful with our resources.  A better option might be to create a virtual poster with glogster!

  

This website allows students to display visual information, photos, text, even animations in a compact format.

The homepage is full of helpful information, student example posters, and even lesson plans and rubrics designed around this program, not to mention step-by-step instructions on how to create the posters! 

Bit.ly Featured 4-27-11

So you found an amazing article or website that you want your students to visit, but the url is a gazillion characters long!  The kids will never be able to type it correctly.  What a headache!  Try this!



Copy that long url and paste it into bit.ly to get a shortened version for your students to use!

I took this url - http://www.amazon.com/Little-Vampire-Women-Louisa-Alcott/dp/0061976253/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303929735&sr=8-1 and entered it into bit.ly to get a much more manageable http://amzn.to/muWWic

Try it next time you have a grizzly address for an amazing website!

Joliprint Featured 4-20-11

So, you’ve found a great article for your students on the internet!  But, when you go to print it out there are menus and ads cluttering up the space… Now there’s a solution!

Simply cut and paste the url of the article you want into joliprint.com and this free program will create a clean PDF for you to save and/or print!  If this is a feature you will use often, you can even put a browser button on your toolbar that makes the process one simple click! 

KETencyclomedia #3 - KET On Demand Featured 4-13-11

KETEncyclomedia Feature #3  KET ED On Demand

           

KET ED On Demand is another resource for finding streaming video on the web.  This is also where you will find listings for KET programming and showing times for recording from the television.  Again, much of the offerings are accompanied by teacher resources and links to KY educational standards.

 

KETencyclomedia #2 - Teacher's Domain Featured 3-30-11

KETEncyclomedia Feature #2  KET Teacher’s Domain

The Teacher’s Domain is another great resource for digital media from Public Television.  The clips provided on this site include NOVA, Frontline, Cyber Chase, and several other great shows.  All clips come with teacher resources, discussion questions, and a list of the core content standards that apply.

Similar to United Streaming, this site allows you to save videos in personal and group folders, so if you need any help researching, let me know, and I’d be happy to do some digging for you!

Prezi Featured 9-1-10

So, you've been using PowerPoint for years... ready to take your presentations and those of your students to the next level? 

This website allows you to create presentations that flow, zoom in and out, move from one spot to another in a unique and pleasing manner. 

Please don't be intimidated by its impressive display.  Prezis are easy to make and the website provides step-by-step instructions.

Wordle Featured 9-8-10

Literature is art!  Prove it to your students with this week’s unique and fun web tool. 

This program generates word art from the text you provide and gives more prominence to the words that appear more frequently.  You can change the colors, fonts, and layouts to fit the design that your work inspires.

This would be a neat way for students to display poetry or even to be aware of their word usage when writing essays. 

 I created this wordle just by pasting the previous text into the program.  Pretty neat!

What Should I Read Next Featured 9-15-10

It’s only September, and some kids are already having trouble finding something that interests them to read.  Well, if you have a kid who asks you just direct him or her to this week’s featured web tool.

Type in the name of a book or author that you have already enjoyed, and this site will provide a list of similar books from which to choose!  You can also create an account and save lists of books that you like and don’t like, and the program will use that information to narrow its suggestions even further!  Very cool!

Internation Children's Digital Library Featured 9-22-10

We are always encouraging our students to learn about other cultures and experience new insights through the perspectives of others.  What better way to teach this then through the literature of those cultures?

There are hundreds of full-length books from all around the world and in many different languages available to read in this digital library.  Use it to show images and script from other countries.  Use it to expose students to literature written by and for those who live in that culture.  Then, compare the literary styles to our own.  Take a fresh look at the world through the eyes of others!

Tip for usage:  While you are viewing the books, click F11 on your keyboard to enlarge the view and remove the toolbar at the top.

Kids.gov Featured 9-29-10

Teaching kids how to research is crucial to creating a 21^st Century learner.  Help them to narrow their searches and introduce them to credible sites by using this week’s web tool.

This site is actually a portal to thousands of other sites with information covering all content areas and interests.  All of these websites have been screened to be kid friendly and accurate!  Every teacher in the building should be checking out this great resource! 

RSOE Emergency Disaster Information Service Featured 3-9-11

Be the first to know about emergencies taking place around the world!

RSOE Emergency Disaster Information Service

This web tool uses Google Maps to give up-to-date information about emergencies around the planet.  This service is updated every minute and includes seismic events, epidemics, nuclear energy emergencies, airplane accidents, etc.  Use it as a starting point for researching.  Click on any icon to get a bit of information about the event and then have your students find the whole story through news websites.

KETencyclomedia #1 - Discovery Education Featured 3-23-11

If you’re not using KETencyclomedia in your classroom, then you’re missing out!  Over the next three weeks I will feature the unique aspects of this wealth of educational resources!

KETencyclomedia Feature #1  Discovery Education (aka United Streaming)

Many of you use Discovery Education (United Streaming) to find videos and photos that apply to your content, but one big complaint is that there is so much information to weed through.  Next time, give me a call with a topic in mind and I would be happy to narrow the search for you using the content sharing feature!  Or work with other teachers to share what you have found!  Check out the suggestions I made for the 8^th grade science department by following these steps!  If you need information to log-in, let me know!

Double click on the different videos to view.  You can also click on the Choose button to copy the videos into your personal My Content folder.  Videos can be viewed as segments or full-video.

Study Stack Featured 3-16-11

Do you have important vocabulary that your students need to master?  Use this week’s web tool to create electronic flashcards and simple games for memorizing those key terms!

This web tool already has thousands of flashcard sets available on a wide variety of topics, but you can create your own specific sets as well.  The best part, in my opinion, is that your students can use the simple flashcard option to practice vocab, or they can also choose to play games (see the options below) that reinforce the information.  Students can even download the vocabulary and games to their smart phones and practice on the go. 

Voxopop Featured 10-6-10

Have any students who are reluctant to write about how they feel, but could talk your ear off??

Why not capitalize on their love of chatter by using this week’s web tool to help them communicate their thoughts.

This web tool allows you to create talk groups, similar to blogs except that you record voices rather than text.  Students can give opinions, debate topics, add new information, and ask  and answer those Critical Thinking questions from the Critical Thinking Student Tool in a brand new and fun way!

Dipity Featured 10-20-10

I personally love timelines.  They condense information to give a general overview as well as a few tidbits to encourage delving deeper into a topic.  Rather than a Power Point, have your students create timelines to demonstrate their knowledge!

 

This web tool allows you to develop timelines and imbed into them photos, links, videos, related articles, etc.  It really couldn’t be any easier.  There are even how-to videos available to walk you and your class through making a timeline.

There is also a library of timelines already created that could be used in classrooms.  Many current events are chronicled such as the story of the Chilean miners or even the progression of the World Cup last summer.    

Forvo Featured 10-27-11

Correct pronunciation of certain words is a highly disputed topic.  It becomes even more complicated when dealing with unfamiliar languages.  If you and your students come across any difficult words to pronounce, let the contributors of this week’s web tool settle the debate.

This web tool provides pronunciations of thousands of words in hundreds of languages.  It is a compilation of recordings by native speakers from different regions of the world.  Have a debate in your class and choose the pronunciations you all think are best!  Students could even contribute their own pronunciations to the site to give representation to our part of the country.

Magnetic Poetry Featured 3-2-11

Everyone loves to play with the magnetic poetry boards! 

Now have the same fun electronically!

This web tool allows you and your students to create poetry and stories using words provided in one of four kits.  No longer can kids say they can’t think of anything to write!

Wisemapping Featured 2-23-11

Rather than print out all their resources, have your students make an online linkable mind map!

This web tool allows you and your students to make simple mind maps where they can organize their research and link their websites in one location. 

This is an excellent tool for brainstorming and gathering data.  It can even be used collaboratively with other students!

Just think of all the paper we can save!

KY Virtual Library Featured 12-2010

The KY Virtual Library is an invaluable tool for finding articles and primary sources for use in your classroom, but with so much to offer it can be a little intimidating to use. So, for the next few weeks I will be going through different aspects of the site to show you the different features.

Step One:  Choose “Middle School Students” under the “Students” heading on the left side of the KYVL homepage, and the following screen should appear.

#1

 

After clicking on this icon, enter your topic in the search box at the top.  Then, the best part of the Student Research Center is that by scrolling down you can limit your search with the option to choose the reading level of the articles! 

“Lexile Reading Level” is a scale similar to AR that determines the difficulty of a piece of writing.  By highlighting “850-1100 (Grade 6 to Grade 8)” you eliminate the articles that may be too technical for your students. 

Don’t forget to check the “Full Text” box before scrolling back up and clicking “Search.”

 

#2

NoveList is an excellent place to start if you are looking for a novel to use in class that meets curriculum content.  There is a how-to video on the right-hand side of the home screen that introduces the program and gives a great overview of the features.  Take a moment and check it out!

#3

Kids Search is a Visual Search Engine for finding articles, etc.  However, this tool is unique in that it features a Dictionary, an Encyclopedia, and an Images Search Engine.   This would be a great place to have the students start the research process.

#4

The Grolier Online Passport provides access to 4 different online encyclopedias:  Encyclopedia Americana, Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, The New Book of Knowledge, and Amazing Animals of the World. 

You can search all four encyclopedias at the same time or use them individually.

I found the Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia to be especially interesting.  It features an events calendar that provides reasons for celebrating every day with articles and lesson plans.  There is also a searchable timeline.  If you are looking for literature for classroom use, exploring this site will be time well-spent.

#5

ProQuest is very similar to EBSCO Host in that it is a searchable database for articles.  The range of magazines, journals, and periodicals available is quite impressive!  And, I found this program easier to use than EBSCO Host.

#6

 

WorldCat connects you to library collections throughout the country and makes suggestions for books, articles, sound recordings, internet resources, images, and maps.

Use this resource when searching for library-approved internet resources on different topics.  Simply search for your topic and click the Internet tab!

If you need any assistance finding articles for use in your curriculum please don’t hesitate to ask!  I would be more than happy to help you research!

One last thing…  KY Virtual Library works automatically while on the school server, but at home you have to use a password.

Please contact the public library for this information.  (684-0211)

Piclits Featured 1-5-11

Help your kids summarize their thoughts on an issue and display it through a visual image with this week’s web tool.

Choose a picture from their library of inspirational photos, then, write your own caption.

Use them to talk about different types of literature like advertising and inspirational writing.

I made this silly one!  J

Storybird Featured 1-19-11

 

With this web tool, students choose pictures from pre-made art libraries and add text to create a story.  The extra feature of this program is that students can collaborate with others in creating their stories through email invitations. 

Imagine collaboration with other classes or even with other schools in creating stories. 

Teachers can stay informed of progress by using the Parent features. 

Take a minute and check out the introductory video!

Google Tools Featured 1-26-11

Where is the first place most of us go when we want to find info on the internet?  Google.com of course!  Check out these tips that you can pass on to students for how to improve your searches.

These printable posters give search tips for using Google

http://www.google.com/educators/posters.html

This link showcases some of the quick features that Google has to offer.

http://www.google.com/help/features.html

Panoramio Featured 2-2-11

 



This site combines Google Earth maps and photos uploaded by users to show what different places around the world are really like. 

Next time you are traveling the world, be sure to share your photos!

Tagxedo Featured 2-9-11

Go beyond abstract word art to create shapes and logos with your writing pieces. 

1.     Take a familiar book, writing piece, or poem and create a tagxedo then see if your students can guess what you are portraying.

2.     Take a survey of your students’ interests then enter the data to show commonalities through word art rather than a graph.

3.     Have your students take a stand on an issue by creating a word art poster to display!

Voki for educators Featured 2-16-11

This web tool allows you and your students to make simple avatars that can be embedded into web pages, blogs, or wikis. 

The best part of this site, however, is the library of lesson plans already created for teachers to use with the avatars.