Keystone Moments Blog

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-08-13T23:30:00.001-07:00

Stick Picks

random number generator

tags: assessment random_number_generator
Videojug - Get Good At Life. The world’s best how to videos plus free expert advice and tutorials.

"Welcome to Videojug! With over 60,000 free, professionally-produced 'how to' videos and guides, we provide expert solutions & step-by-step advice on getting good at life. "

tags: videojug video tutorial;
teachweb2 - home

tags: web2.0
Virtual Field Trips Home

tags: virtualfieldtrips
Virtual field trip

tags: virtualfieldtrips
The Teacher's Guide Virtual Fieldtrips

tags: virtualfieldtrips
Virtual Field Trips for the Classroom or Home at Internet 4 Classrooms

tags: virtualfieldtrips
Virtual Field Trips - Blackwell's Best

tags: virtualfieldtrips
NoodleTrip - Go Virtually Anywhere - Virtual Field Trip Search Engine

tags: virtualFieldTrips
An OOPS Virtual Field Trips Page!

tags: virtualFieldTrips
educational-origami - Virtual Fieldtrips

tags: virtualFieldTrips
Educational Videos MEET ME AT THE CORNER

tags: virtualFieldTrips
Learn how to create engaging and interactive virtual field trips for your classroom | SimpleK12

tags: virtualFieldTrips
100 Incredible & Educational Virtual Tours You Don't Want to Miss | Online Universities

tags: virtualFieldTrips
Technology Department - Links for Virtual Field Trips

tags: virtualFieldTrips
Online Testing Free Quiz Maker Create the Best web-based quizzes ClassMarker

create a teacher acct - no cost

tags: quiz assessment web2.0

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-08-06T23:30:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-07-30T23:30:00.001-07:00

teachwithyouripad - iPad Apps

tags: ipad apps

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-07-23T23:31:00.001-07:00

CameraSim: Online SLR Camera Simulator

tags: SLR online camera photography
Free Multiplication Worksheets

tags: multiplication

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-07-16T23:30:00.001-07:00

PrimaryPad - Superfunky collaborative writing for schools

PrimaryPad is a web-based word processor designed for schools that allows pupils and teachers to work together in real-time.

tags: etherpad collaboration web2.0 writing
Free Math Help - Lessons, tutoring, message board and more. Algebra, Geometry, Trig, Calculus... whatever level you're studying!

Algebra, Trig, Calc, Stats...

tags: math tutorials
Mr Printables - Free Printables for Kids and Mums & Dads

Inside you'll find a huge selection of free printables for kids and parents to enjoy together.

tags: printables flashcards elementary
Infographic: Tallest Mountain to Deepest Ocean Trench | Our Amazing Planet

tags: science infographic visualization earth geography
Free Pictures - Wylio.com

requires a login using a google account

tags: photos creativecommons
Create Tutorials in One Click on Tildee !

tags: tutorials
Microfacts/Weaving History - Home

Create 'factlets' — places, people, events — and string them together into 'threads' at the click of a button.

tags: timeline history
WolframTones: An Experiment in a New Kind of Music

tags: music
Soundation — Make music online

create and remix tracks on the web

tags: music editor
UJAM

create music (in public beta)

tags: music
beatlab - make music together

tags: music Rhythm beats Interactive
ManyBooks.net - Ad-free eBooks for your iPad, smartphone, or eBook reader

tags: ebooks
‪The History of English in Ten Minutes‬‏ - YouTube

tags: english history
Online coloring pages

tags: coloring activities puzzles eyehand coordination
2010 Census Interactive Population Map

tags: census map interactive
Free Technology for Teachers: An Introduction to Advanced Google Search

tags: google search
FileStork - Request files from anyone using Dropbox

hm, hand in folders - bye bye

tags: dropbox filesharing
Automatoon- Easy Animation For The Web!

Create animation that you can use on the web.

tags: animation
Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

30 Years, 135 launches in 135 seconds

tags: nasa space shuttle history
Free Technology for Teachers: Google Maps for Educators - A How-to Guide

tags: google maps googlemaps
FREE SAT Test Prep | FREE SAT Prep Course Online

The First FREEInteractive Online
SAT TEST
PREP

tags: FREE SAT test prep
Chami.com Image Embellisher

tags: image photos photography
CloudCanvas

tags: graphics web2.0 editor photo photography
Word Games - Play Word Search, Crossword, Puzzles and Sudoku Games
eEtiquette – 101 Guidelines for the Digital World

tags: netiquette etiquette
Knovio | Online Video Presentations Made Easy | PowerPoint + Webcam

Knovio™ is a free tool for turning PowerPoint slides into rich video presentations right from your web browser. No fancy hardware or video software needed - just a webcam and microphone.

tags: powerpoint presentations
slidestaxx - create amazing social media slideshows

slidestaxx enables you to gather various social media into a beautiful slideshow for your blog, website or directly on slidestaxx.

tags: slideshow presentations
Math4Mobile - The mLearning Way

Math for mobile devices

tags: mobile math mathematics
PenCamp - Free Fun Pages

Make Your Own Pages
Write a Story. Create a Poem. Share a Joke.

tags: publishing writing
Verbling

is the instant way to practice and learn a language, so far just Spanish/English support

tags: Spanish ForeignLanguage

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-07-09T23:31:00.001-07:00

FableVision Learning Poster Gallery

amazing printable posters!

tags: Poster
Pollmo Polls - The simplest polls on the web

tags: technology polls survey poll web2.0
Free Technology for Teachers: 7 Tools Students Can Use to Create Music Online

tags: music web2.0

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Using Wordle

2011-07-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

I recently facilitated a district course on Web 2.0 tools, and Wordle was a huge hit! Wordle is an amazing creation that allows the user to create word clouds from text. The premise is that words that are used more frequently appear larger than the words used less frequently. Below you will find some tips, potential classroom uses, and a visual of the various fonts in Wordle.

What is Wordle?

Take text, type or paste it into wordle.net, and it generates a word cloud. In a word cloud, words that appear more frequently appear larger.

You can use the ADVANCED tab to enter words and assign them values instead of typing or pasting.

To keep phrases together, use a ~. For example, if you type New York, wordle treats them as two separate words. If you type New~York the two words are treated as a phrase and stay together

Potential Classroom Uses:

These come from a variety of sources....

create synonym or antonym posters (make the root word larger than its synonyms or antonyms)
paste student work into wordle to check for over used words (make sure there isn't a check mark under remove commonly used words)
character analysis, biography, autobiography (make the person's name larger than the adjectives/phrases used to describe)
paste in famous speeches, provides a nice visual of "important" words
compare and contrast inaugural presidential speeches, leave out the names and see if students can accurately identify the president
create class t-shirts with names, activities....
great "All About Me" project/ice breaker
holiday/theme "word walls" (i.e. type SUMMER and make it large, type summer related words that students might use in writing and make them smaller
summary of a book, keywords
Just about ANYTHING!

Tips!

I highly suggest creating your wordle text in a word processor first... then save it. It is just about impossible to go back and edit a wordle since they are not saved.... and I do not suggest saving to the gallery. What is placed there can't be taken down. This way you still have your text and a simple copy and paste can save you time over having to recall and type everything all over again.
TO SAVE and PRINT: You need to save the wordle as an image. In some cases you can right click (control click on a Mac) and save the image that way. If it doesn't work, take a screen shot! On a PC that's a print screen. On a Mac, use SHIFT-COMMAND-4 and your cursor turns into a camera. Drag over the wordle then let go. The screenshot is saved to your computer, most likely your desktop.
Something to consider... if you are printing a large amount of wordles, consider the background color. Black consumes a great deal of ink.

ISTE Thoughts and Takeaways, Part 2 (Organizing Digital Photos)

2011-07-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

One of the presenters I like to see is Leslie Fisher, and I got to two of her sessions. YAY! Here is a plan of attack I developed after attending her session about organizing digital photos. Right now, I have years worth of photos just sitting in iPhoto, some organized into albums, most just hanging out in their event folders.

My Plan:
1. Get Adobe Photoshop Elements for Mac and learn how to use it!
2. Attach keywords or tags to photos on import.
3. Make use of the stars for favorites.
4. Hit the delete key more often to get rid of photos. (I keep everything.)
5. Replace my camera card with a better one - one that has rescue software that I can put on my computer.
6. Encourage everyone I care about to stop backing up photos to DVD or CD.
7. Attach my Time Machine backup more frequently ;) and look for a second backup solution.
8. Scan the hundreds of photos I have sitting here from my grandmother (using 300 or 600 dpi).
9. Spend the rest of my summer organizing all of my current pictures.
10. Since every list needs a number 10, learn to use my DSLR as a DSLR, instead of a point and shoot camera. ;)

Some of these things might be obvious to most people, but they were not to me. And, besides, Leslie's humor coupled with great information... awesome experience.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-07-02T23:31:00.001-07:00

EtherPad Alternatives

tags: etherpad alternatives
TypeWith.me: ietc11

collab typing

tags: TypeWith.me collaboration typing
Online Event Registration – Sell Tickets Online with Eventbrite

tags: events registration schedule
Task Management At Its Best With Wunderlist | 6Wunderkinder

tags: productivity list todo organize
RockMelt - Your Browser. Re-Imagined. Also available for iPhone.

tags: browser

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

ISTE Thoughts and Takeaways, Part 1

2011-06-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

Three and a half days with brain food and inspiration around every corner... student and teacher showcases, lectures, sessions, bring your own laptop sessions, vendors, playground areas, discussion areas, friends, networking, and very little sleep... that would be my take on the ISTE 2011 Conference this year. To call this a technology conference would actually be only partially correct. I am pleased to see that student/teacher learning is at the heart of this conference.

Keynote speakers were not all self-proclaimed technology experts, instead we heard from Dr. John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and the author of Brain Rules. My biggest takeaways from his talk: We know that "every brain is wired differently from every other brain and learns differently... according to its wiring." He admits that there is much we know about the human brain, but much we do not know. When asked if he could design a classroom based on what he knows of the human brain, he was quite clear. Exercise increases brain power (Brain Rule #1). Medina suggests that aerobic activity we at the center of what we do. He went so far as to say that schools should have uniforms and those uniforms should be gym clothes.

As I reflect on my own classroom, which I dearly miss, I remember taking power walks with the students once or twice a day, taking frequent stretch breaks, dancing to learn the times tables, and, yes, the Cha Cha Slide became part of our daily ritual. According to Medina, this helps, but isn't enough. The day would be one huge aerobic class with pockets of learning, instead the inverse is true. Is this practical? Probably not. But the point that exercise increases brain power is one point that cannot be overlooked. For more about his insightful Brain Rules, check out his website, linked above. It is research combined with anecdotes, making it a very interesting read. He has this is in audiobook form and he reads it to you... it's almost worth getting just to hear him read it. ;)

Time to do more mental digesting before I continue writing. I need to take my own advice, the advice that I give folks taking courses or working through trainings with me, don't expect to "get" everything all at once. This was an incredible buffet from which to sample. I need to sift through my learning, decide what to keep, what to try, what to put on a shelf for later, and so on.

One last bit that I want to share for now... I took all conference notes on various devices, my iPhone, iPad, and laptop, depending on what was charged up and the time, using EVERNOTE. This is an application that can be downloaded for Windows, Mac, and iOS operating systems and, here's the awesome part, it syncs across devices! That means when I took and saved notes on my iPhone and went to my laptop, the notes were there! All ISTE notes were arranged into one notebook (or folder) and each session got it's own page. AMAZING! I did learn that I could take notes with my LiveScribe pen and sync those to Evernote as well! (More on that later.)

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-06-25T23:31:00.001-07:00

Google For Educators - Geo Education

tags: google googleearth
Avancemos 2 Unit 2 Lesson 2 flashcards | Quizlet
Touring and Saving Directions - Google Earth Help

tags: google google earth touring
KDitzler's Teacher Resource Page - Big Huge Labs

tags: bighugelabs
Tech Tips for Teachers: Big Huge Labs (Ideas for Classroom Use)

tags: bighugelabs
Technology / Sheldon's Workshops

"Welcome to the technology integration page where you will find
links/tutorials for students, parents, and teachers! "

tags: technology tutorials WHSD

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-06-18T23:32:00.001-07:00

Online Basic Skill Games

tags: language_arts math science social_studies interactive
Basic Computer Skills Home

tags: Computer basic skills

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-06-11T23:32:00.001-07:00

edcamp - home

tags: edcamp unconference

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-06-04T23:31:00.001-07:00

Food Pyramid Gets a Face-Lift with New MyPlate | Diet Articles

tags: food pyramid plate health diet
Best Practices | Center for Social Media

tags: copyright fair-use
What You Don't Know About Copyright, but Should - Technology - The Chronicle of Higher Education

tags: copyright fair-use
cooltoolsforschools - Presentation Tools

tags: web2.0
Computer Viruses and Threats - Explained by Common Craft - Common Craft - Our Product is Explanation

tags: viruses computer
BoomWriter - Schools

"Boomwiter supports creative writing, reading comprehension, peer editing and genre studies, to name just a few vital reading and writing skills.

"

tags: writing

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-05-28T23:31:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Flubaroo

Add on that grades google forms

tags: grading google docs forms googleforms assessment
Elementary Math - home

Focuses on a different math program, not everyday math, but the resources were still good.

tags: math elementary wiki
Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus - An online thesaurus and dictionary of over 145,000 words that you explore using an interactive map.

tags: thesaurus visualization
Remove Mac Protector (Uninstall Guide)

tags: mac virus
A Maths Dictionary for Kids 2011 by Jenny Eather

tags: dictionary vocabulary resource
Calculator

great for the interactive board

tags: calculator math interactive
Start - goPileus

tags: filesharing file sharing

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-05-21T23:31:00.001-07:00

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Ready Reference & Copyright Sources - Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators

tags: copyright reference citation library
Transfer Big Files Free - Email or Send Large Files

tags: transfer files filesharing
Online File Sharing, Send large files, Managed File Transfer, FTP Replacement, with No Email Attachments | YouSendIt

tags: storage file transfer yousendit ftp
Ubuntu for Schools Part 2: Apps and Software – PM Technology Blog

open source solutions for elem

tags: open_source elementary
ABCya! Friendly Letter Maker - Learn to Write a Friendlyz Letter!

tags: writing letter interactive friendly_letter
Career Browser: What do you want to be?

tags: career browser
CareerZone Pennsylvania

tags: pennsylvania careerzone career
Nutrition Education, Free - Fun Healthy Kids' Games, Healthy Family Living Website, Food Pyramid Education, Healthy Eating Wellness Tools, Children's Nutrition Information, Free Kids' Games

"Welcome! Nourish Interactive is your free one stop resource for fun nutrition games for kids, interactive nutrition tools and tips for parents and health educators to use to promote healthy living for the whole family."

tags: health nutrition kids wellness
WeatherSpark | Interactive Weather Charts

tags: weather interactive
College Packing List - Your College Checklist

tags: college packing list university
ArtsAlive.ca - Home

tags: music arts interactive dance drama
RANDOM.ORG - True Random Number Service

tags: random generator
The Food Price Rollercoaster | WFP | United Nations World Food Programme - Fighting Hunger Worldwide

tags: food price infographic
Invitation to World Literature

tags: literature english world
Google For Educators

search tips, weg searches, book searches, google scholar... posters for the classroom/library

tags: google posters education resources reference
explore - cultural and educational films and photos

tags: videos film photo
Google eBookstore

tags: google ebooks
SearchTeam - real-time collaborative search engine

tags: search searchengine collaborative
FlipSnack | PDF to Flash page flip - flipping book software

tags: pdf flip flipsnack flipbook
Record & Share your PowerPoint presentations | Present.me

tags: presentation powerpoint
Engrade is the #1 Online Teacher Toolset

tags: gradebook web2.0 education
Smash Cards - Augmented Reality English and Phonics

tags: flashcards Augmentedreality
Human Body Maps | 3D Models of the Human Anatomy | Healthline

tags: anatomy science biology
Live Video Chat and Video Conferencing - FREE & Simple | FaceFlow

tags: videoconferencing chat collaboration
SpeedCrunch - fast and usable calculator

tags: math calculator LInux MacOSX Windows
Web 2.0 scientific calculator

tags: calculator math web2.0 tools
Download details: Microsoft Mathematics 4.0

tags: calculator math microsoft download
The Free Online Scientific Calculator :: Encalc

tags: calculator math scientific
Online Mind Mapping and Brainstorming app - SpiderScribe

tags: mindmap brainstorming collaboration mapping
Free Online Learning at GCFLearnFree.org

tags: tutorials education elearning math reading computers
Poetry Corner, over 100 poems for kids that are free, fun, funny, original, plus learning activities for children, K-12, teachers help, kids poetry, stories, cartoons, publishing, publish, free, kids, children, fun, kids, cool, fun, humor

tags: poetry Reading
Poems for Children - The Classics

tags: poetry children
Poetry for Kids

tags: Poetry Reading Poems kids
Jack Prelutsky

tags: poetry reading
InklessTales.com 4 kids: Animated Alphabet, stories, games, music, learning fun

tags: Reading books ebooks
The Harry Potter Lexicon

tags: harrypotter
Harry Potter | Scholastic.com

tags: scholastic harry potter literature
Stories

tags: kids ebooks
Fizzy Funny Fuzzy Poetry For Kids: Welcome!

tags: poetry
Resources - Activities - The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

tags: resources activities eric_carle art
Charlotte's Web

links, summaries, puzzles, quizzes

tags: charlotte web charlottes_web literature
Braille Bug

tags: braille blind reading
The Best Children's Books -- Teachers' Picks - Sorted by Subject and Level

tags: literature reading books
Websites for Kids | mymcpl.org - Mid-Continent Public Library

tags: accelerated reader AR books reading
Aesop's Fables

tags: aesop myths fables
Dibdabdoo.com child kid safe search

tags: searchengine kids search research reference
Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia

tags: reference research
Awesome Library

tags: resources library reference research
Kids Games, Kids Movies, Kids Music, and More - Yahoo! Kids

tags: kids search searchengine
http://www.kidsclick.org

tags: research kids searchengine
Dictionary - MSN Encarta

tags: dictionary
Open Directory - Kids and Teens

tags: searchengine kids
CyberSleuth Kids.com :Student Homework Helper

tags: search kids searchengine
Ask Kids

tags: kids SearchEngine
TypeWith.me: Live Text Document Collaboration!

collaborative online document

tags: collaboration writing web2.0

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-05-14T23:31:00.001-07:00

CLIU 21st Century Education - Google Tutorials

tags: Google tutorials
Internet Detective | Home

tags: internet research
ABCya! Learn to Count Money

tags: math counting money
ImageChef - Customize Photos, Clip Art

tags: photos web2.0 graphics tools generator
BigHugeLabs: Do fun stuff with your photos

tags: photos web2.0 tools photoediting flickr photography bighugelabs
Color Explorer • Free tools for working with digital colors

tags: color webdesign tools design
Pictaculous - A Color Palette Generator (courtesy of MailChimp)

tags: color design palette generator
Color Trends + Palettes :: COLOURlovers

tags: design color
Color Scheme Designer 3

tags: color design webdesign tools
kuler

tags: Color Design tools adobe
TEXTANIM - animated text generator

tags: text animation generator
signbot - make your own animated scrolling text LED sign

download as gif

tags: generator graphics animation design
glowtxt.com, The best glowing text generator

created embed code

tags: text graphics fonts
14,936 free fonts for Windows and Mac - FontSpace

tags: fonts typography design
dafont.com

free fonts (mac and pc)

tags: fonts typography design
Free online photo editor - Aviary.com

tags: photos editor
Picnik - Photo editing the easy way, online in your browser

Fix your photos in just one clickUse advanced controls to fine-tune your resultsCrop, resize, and rotate in real-timeTons of special effects, from artsy to fun

tags: photos photography web2.0 tools

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-05-07T23:31:00.001-07:00

iLibrarian » QR Code Roundup: 10 Resources for Librarians and Educators

tags: QRcode
Showcasing Student Work with QR Codes | Connect!

tags: QR codes
"How Do [They] Even Do That?" Myths and Facts About the Impact of Technology on the Lives of American Teens | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

tags: technology teens
Integrated Academics - Podcasting Help Videos

tags: podcasting audacity
iClarified - Mac OS X - How to Green Screen Using iMovie '09

Mac OS X | How to Green Screen Using iMovie '09

tags: imovie ilife greenscreen tutorial
AppleScript: saving scripts

tags: script
How to include an icon with script? [Archive] - The macosxhints Forums

tags: script
Applescript Tutorial 1

tags: script
macosx.com - View Single Post - Using applescript to open web browser and go to a site

tell application "Safari"
activate
do JavaScript "window.open('http://www.yahoo.com')" in document 1
end tell

tags: script
Handwriting Worksheets Wizard | Multi-Word Worksheets

tags: zanerbloser handwriting worksheets
Free Technology for Teachers: 10 Sites and Apps for SAT Vocabulary Review

tags: sat vocabulary
60in60 - Sites Archive

tags: 60in60 web2.0
Dropbox - Simplify your life

tags: storage backup dropbox
Media Converter - the fastest free online audio and video converter

tags: converter conversion mediaconverter
Fotopedia

Collaborative photo encyclopedia

tags: photos photography
morgueFile free photos for creatives by creatives

tags: photography photos
DROPitTOme - Securely receive files from anyone to your Dropbox

tags: dropbox storage dropittome filesharing Large_files
60 in 60: Web 2.0 Tools by Brandon Lutz on Prezi

tags: Web2.0 prezi 60 60in60 lutz
National Archives and Records Administration

tags: history archives government
Trading Around the World

tags: Economics
FREE: online survey | Free online surveys | Free survey

tags: surveys survey questionnaires
Free Technology for Teachers: Google Tutorials

tags: google
Strike – A fun and easy way to strike stuff off lists

tags: todo web2.0 collaboration
To do list, simple, easy, fast, sharable: Ta-da List

tags: lists productivity
Music Tech Teacher, Music Quizzes, Games and Worksheets

tags: music quizzes
http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe5e16767d66007f7317&m=ff2e16777762&ls=fdc715707462067b7d14767c65&l=fe6015767c6105797115&s=fdec15787c6d0d7c73137175&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe1917707d630375731c77

Discovery Education partnered with Energy Balance 101 with the purpose of fighting childhood obesity.

tags: wellness obesity health healthy
ImageOid - Image Effects

tags: effects image photos
Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Home Page - Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators

tags: resources education technology lessonplans kathyschrock
CFF Archive - home

tags: cff archive

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-04-30T23:31:00.001-07:00

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-04-23T23:31:00.001-07:00

Free games - Science Museum

tags: science interactive game
Loans, Financial Infographics, Savings Accounts & CD Rates - VisualEconomics.com

tags: economics
Save web articles as PDF for reading later: Joliprint

tags: joliprint websites Printing
Webs - Make a free website, get free hosting

tags: website
http://www.theorganizedclassroomblog.com/theorganizedclassroomblog.com/QR_Codes_in_the_Classroom_files/QR%20Code%20Math%20Fun.pdf

tags: QR
educational-origami - home

tags: blooms HOTTS
My Avatar Editor

tags: avatars generator
Where Did My Tax Dollars Go? | DataVizChallenge.org

Where Did My Tax Dollars Go' is an effort to explain how taxes are computed.

tags: taxes government
Learn Basic Words (Spanish, Portugues, Italian, Czech, French, German) | Imendi.com

Flash card like game, assign meanings to foreign words.

tags: language foreign_language
Google Map Maker

tags: google map
Wordle - Beautiful Word Clouds

tags: wordcloud wordle
Tagxedo - Tag Cloud with Styles

tags: wordcloud wordle
WordItOut - Generate word clouds (and make custom gifts)

tags: wordcloud wordle
The Hidden Water We Use - National Geographic

tags: water
MapMaker Interactive - National Geographic Education

Explore your world with map themes, data, and tools for customizing your map

tags: geography maps
Splashtop Remote Desktop for iPad Free for iPad on the iTunes App Store

I have this and it works well!

tags: splashtop desktop remote ipad
The British Museum › Welcome to the British Museum

tags: museum london history

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-04-16T23:31:00.001-07:00

Matter

tags: matter
Ponton's Pond - Leaping into 1st Grade!

tags: matter
States of Matter - 1st Grade Pathfinder

tags: matter
Chem4Kids.com: Matter

tags: matter
Printable interactive 100 number chart worksheets- color number patterns 1-100

tags: 100s_chart math interactive
Kids online games and playworlds, safe and fun website with content for preschoolers

Games, coloring, stories, playworlds, activities, videos

tags: games music
Teachmeet victim selector

tags: random name generator classroom_management
AT&T Internet Safety Connections Game

tags: internetsafety internet_safety cybersafety
5th Grade Mathematics Websites and Lesson Plans

tags: mathematics 5th

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-04-09T23:31:00.001-07:00

Why Do We Have Seasons - Educational Music MP3 - The KidsKnowIt Network - Educational Websites For Kids

"Our Free Educational Songs are both entertaining, and informative. Research shows that children learn better through music than through any other medium. Use these educational MP3s to support and enhance your lesson plans."

tags: music
SmartBoard Favorites

tags: ESL
The Four Seasons - PrimaryGames.com - Free Games for Kids

tags: four seasons
Freemake - Best Freeware Alternatives To Paid Video Software

tags: video_converter
Create a brochure or flyer in five easy steps :: Welcome to MyBrochureMaker.com

"In just 5 easy steps, you will create brochures for your business, your group or yourself.
"

tags: brochure

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Weekly Diigo Finds (weekly)

2011-03-26T23:31:00.001-07:00

Diigo and Delicious « Interactive Inquiry
tags: diigo
BBC - Schools - Famous People
tags: biography
Meet Amazing Americans
"Discover the inventors, politicians, performers, activists and other everyday people who made this country what it is today."
tags: biography
Biographies: Profiles of people who made a difference & shaped our world.
"
Pitara Kids Home > Magazine
Biographies for Children
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Feature length articles for children on men and women who changed our world with path breaking ideas and actions. Biographies and profiles of people who have shaped our world. Personalities include statesmen, leaders, political thinkers, inventors, scientists, artists, writers, actors, sportspersons and achievers… "
tags: biography
ALA | Great Web Sites for Kids
Various biographies for kids, arranged this way:

"Appropriate for PreK aged youth
Appropriate for Elementary aged youth
Appropriate for Middle School aged youth
For Parents/Teachers/Caregivers "

tags: biography
Open Directory - Kids and Teens: People and Society: Biography
Hundreds of biographies arranged by career/topic.
tags: biography
Biographies for Kids, Famous Leaders for Young Readers
"BIOGRAPHIES for KIDS
Famous Leaders for Young Readers"
tags: biography
Bio4Kids
Stories and activities.
tags: biography

Geocaching, A "Rewarding" Experience

2010-10-02T04:36:00.000-07:00

A few years ago our schools adopted SWEBS (School Wide Effective Behavior Support). Unfortunately my understanding of SWEBS is limited as I was just leaving the classroom as it was being adopted. Every teacher has the same set of expectations for students... that they be ready, respectful, and responsible. As part of this approach, students can earn school money that can be spent in a variety of ways. Routinely a school store on wheels makes its rounds to classrooms where students can purchase school supplies and novelties with their school money. Teachers offer other ways to spend the loot, such as having lunch with the teacher, getting extra computer time, or earning an extra recess.

One school, Lakeside Elementary, offers students another opportunity to spend their "Lakeside Loot." Each month the SWEBS team comes up with larger rewards. This month it is GEOCACHING! Thanks to a mini grant from PAECT, I have ten GPS receivers that we can utilize! So, in a nutshell, we have a few hundred students paying their hard earned money to use GPS receivers to find hidden treasures on the school grounds.

Here is how I set it up:

1. Purchased 10 Lock N Lock containers and created labels for them. "Lakeside Geocache A, B, C..."
2. Purchased 10 different kids of stickers, placing one kind in each container
3. Found 10 hiding spots and noted the latitude/longitude coordinates of each one
4. Loaded these 10 spots (waypoints) into EasyGPS and sent them to GPS receivers
5. Created a map, complete with pictures, for those helping guide students

Here is how it will work:

1. Students will get a 15 minute orientation on the sport and how to read the receivers.
2. In small groups, students will be assigned an order to follow. This way every group isn't searching for Geocache A at the same time.
3. Groups venture outside and search for their caches. When they find a cache, they take a sticker from the cache to put on an index card. This is their proof that they found the caches.
4. Follow up with be a brief refection piece.... what did you learn, did you enjoy the activity, and what could be changed to make the experience better?

I will check back in after and let you know how it went!

Reflections: Things went according to plan for 4th and 5th grade. If I had it to do over again I would send an adult with each 3rd grade group. They handled the activity well, but could've used a little more assistance. I was very thankful for the help of two teachers... they stayed with their classes. :)

Our experience was captured in the newspaper!

First Week

2010-09-02T16:58:00.001-07:00

Year 2, Week 1 as a K-12 Tech Integration Coach... reflections

This year has gotten off to an insane start! After only one week in, I have a good part of next week all booked. It is soooo nice that teachers know what I do and how I can be of help to them this year. Next week I will be helping people set up email groups, create wikispaces, spruce up and revise current wikispaces, start Moodle sites, use Moodle within their classrooms, create effective powerpoints.... and I know there will be more as time passes. I am thrilled to be busy!

Constitution Day

2010-08-09T15:56:00.001-07:00

I was asked to share my Constitution Day resources... still building...

http://sheldonworkshops.wikispaces.com/Constitution+Day

Testing Posterous!

2010-08-03T19:43:00.001-07:00

Testing 1-2-3, blogging just got easier! Thanks to my pal, Kristin Hokanson, for introducing me to Posterous!

The Summit

2010-08-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

At this time last week I was in my element, surrounded by like-minded folks, immersed in topics of learning and technology, two of my passions, and loving every minute of it! If you have not yet seen Sir Ken Robinson talk about the "element," you can check out this TED talk or see his book here.

The 2010 Keystone Technology Integrator's (KTI) Summit was an amazing experience! Having attended the summit in 2007, I decided to leave the classroom and attempt a new role, of technology integration coach. This time, attending as a mentor, I was looking to soak up as many good and new ideas as humanly possible. While I could go on and on forever about the experience, I have boiled down my week into my own "top 5" list!

The Top 5 Take Aways from the 2010 KTI Summit

5. The Livescribe pen has so many practical classroom applications. (post more on that later)

4. My friends are inspiring!

3. It is time to turn up the H.E.A.T. in our lessons!

2. Connections, connections, connections lead to further learning. PLNs are crucial!

1. It's not about the technology.... it's about learning! FOCUS ON THE LEARNING!

I will expand on these in more depth, each one will take a post of their own! Spending an entire week in my element, exploring ways to better engage students... it doesn't get much better than that!

Keystone Technology Integrator Summit 2010

2010-07-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

During the week of July 26th, I am attending the Keystone Technology Integrator Summit at Bucknell University. I attended the summit for the first time in 2007, and that became a life changing experience for me. (I will save that for another post.) This year my role is "Keystone Mentor." Today I will find out what that means exactly, but I know one thing for sure.... I am in for a fabulous week. I will post my reflections and learnings here.... looking forward to an exciting week with many new adventures!

STEM Resources

2010-02-21T10:45:00.000-08:00

Patti Duncan, Science and DEN Guru shared some amazing STEM resources. Here is a overview of STEM and the list of resources. Thanks, Patti!

From PETE&C Den Preconference:

Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics

~ Changing the way we teach to integrate more of them together.
~Prepping our kids for futures in these industries. "workforce ready"
~Making kids aware of the careers available in these areas.

Students will be problem solvers, innovators, inventors, self starters, logical thinkers, technologically literate...

STEM Resources:

http://stem.discoveryeducation.com/
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/stem/
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/stem/index.jsp
http://www.stemschool.com/
http://www.mn-stem.com/ (Includes future careers!)
http://www.pasteminitiative.org/
http://k12s.phast.umass.edu/stem/
http://www.girlscouts.org/program/program_opportunities/science/
http://www.mos.org/eie/ Great for elementary grades!
Log in to DE Streaming....STEM Connect
http://www.eweek.org/Home.aspx
http://fuelourfuturenow.com/

A most amazing presentation!!!

If It Isn't Broken....

2009-11-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

If you haven't yet read Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, MD, it is well worth the hour or so it will take. Change is inevitable and healthy. However, when you have something that works, why change it?

Perhaps one of the most eye opening experiences for me in my new role as K-12 Technology Integrator, is the dedication teachers have to certain applications. As a third grade teacher I could not wait to try something new, which is probably why the Technology Director asked me to test out Palm Pilots with my students. Having said that, with the ever increasing demands of standardized tests, new reading programs, additional benchmark testing, etc... sometimes teachers simply do not have time to check out newer applications.

Many of our teachers have loved the legacy application, ClarisWorks for Kids. When this school year ends, the program will be pulled from our images, along with its older sibling, Appleworks. Teachers have argued that there just aren't replacements that do what these programs do. I beg to differ. It might take a little time, but with the Web 2.0 world at our fingertips, and a Technology Integrator ready to assist, replacements can certainly be found.

I held off on publishing this post, and have made many edits before publishing because my intent is not to upset people, but to educate them. I finally decided to post when the Technology Director was going through some old software licensing documents and uncovered a letter dated 2002, stating that ClarisWorks for Kids had been abandoned by Apple three years earlier. It "might" work on OS9, although that was not the original intent. We are in the year 2009, running OS X and beyond. It is time to seek alternatives and move forward.

Oh, if you haven't seen Kidspiration.... it is worth a close look.....

ENO Pointers

2009-11-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

Our district recently purchased several ENO interactive boards, these boards are everything the teacher could possibly want.... durable, wireless, and magnetic! The computer connects via bluetooth to the stylus. The board itself is so durable that it can withstand dry erase and even permanent marker. Sounds great, right! Well, after installing 6 boards, we were having issues with everything just freezing up on us.

After getting in touch with Polyvision, I was given a number of troubleshooting steps to try, including changing batteries on the pen, trying a new driver, using the Polyvision bluetooth dongle instead of relying on the computer's build in bluetooth... PC, Mac, it did not matter. Problems persisted.

Polyvision sent a technician to assist us in our troubleshooting efforts. We discovered some minor tips that make a tremendous difference in the functionality of the boards. My only wish if that these tips were posted in BOLD on the ENO website. Our problems could really have been handled over the phone.

In an attempt to assist our teachers, I posted the tips here, on my wiki. I am pleased to report that we are up and running nicely! We run Smartboards, Promethean boards, and Polyvision Walk and Talks in addition to the ENO. It is crucial that boards "just work." Teachers do not have time to troubleshoot beyond the basics. For the sake of our teachers and students, I am hopeful that these basic steps have eliminated our problems.

Games

2009-09-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

As this school year kicks off there is something missing on the computers in our district. Traditionally we have a series of application known to our students as, free choice games. These games include the likes of Super Tux, Marble Blast, Wingnuts, and other cherished favorites.

It has been interesting sitting on the fence between educational technology and the technology analysts and network administrators for the last year and a half. Last year I watched as login slowed to a crawl, computer functionality falter, and the analysts and computer lab teacher investigate. This time the culprit.... these free choice games. These particular games are awesome, but resource intensive. These games also caused storage problems because of the students copied the apps to their personal desktops/accounts.Even the very best teacher monitoring can't totally prevent determined students from playing. Once these games were removed from the computers and server, the problem disappeared.

As a teacher, I always felt it was important to have rewards for students... sitting in the teacher's chair, extra recess time, no homework coupon, and free choice computer or Palm Pilot time. However, I found it difficult to justify letting the students play games. To me, the games had to have an educational component. Our time with students is so limited, we want to make the best of every possible moment. My workaround was to compile a list of sites that had educational games and give students choices within the list.

So, for the benefit of our teachers, I thought I would share some of my favorites for elementary students:

Please be aware that I am compiling this list from home. Some of these sites may be blocked at school, due to ads or additional links on the pages. Our ultimate goal is to keep students safe, so if they are able to click out of the site and head elsewhere, we just need to move on to another site.

Lemonade Stand
Finding Educational Games
4KIDS
Kidz Page
Fun Brain
Primary Games
Kaboose
Nobel Prize (middle/high level)
Eduplace
Sheppard's Software
Play Kids Games
Ed Heads
Academic Skill Builders
Game Goo
i Know That

This is only a small sampling of sites available. If you have some favorites, please feel free to share.

Broaden Your Circle

2009-06-20T09:39:00.000-07:00

Nearly a year ago I followed a tweet, taking me to a blog that I had never read. The author was commenting on why he would not attend NECC. To put it mildly, his post was quite controversial in the educational tech. community. When I read his post I became intrigued as I had never heard of anyone NOT wanting to go to NECC, the mecca for ed. tech folks. Questions started to pop into my mind as I continued to read other posts by this blogger, but, I was hesitant to comment on his blog and ask my questions, so I emailed him. His response came within a day! His response was very insightful and made me really think about education.

Did I agree with everything he wrote? No. However, he really made me reflect on the use of technology in education. Our exchanges continued and, through his tweets I was introduced to other bloggers. One blogger was comparing Everyday Mat h to other math programs, showing the inferiority of some of the problem in Everyday Math as compared to these other programs, (like Singapore Math). As a teacher trained in Everyday Math, having taught it for ten years, I became very defensive and actually commented on the blog! The results of which were a conversation about rigor in Math curricula. The author of the blog and commentors showed me another point of view!

Why am I sharing this??? Because, by exposing ourselves to other points of view, we can reflect, learn, and grow. If we only communicate with like minded individuals, I think we can become very complacant. So, taking Matthew K. Tabor's advice, I try to subscribe to blogs that differ from my point of view, and so far, I have learned something valuable. There is something to be learned from everyone, and we do not grow if we do not step our or our comfort zones.

Another Year Older and Wiser?

2009-06-12T16:49:00.001-07:00

This morning, while enjoying my morning oj and bagel, I perused my email and twitter. THE Jim Gates sent a hysterical ecard, my mom wrote a birthday message on my Facebook wall, and my incredibly sweet Personal Learning Network wished me birthday wishes on Twitter. Isn't technology grand?!?

After much mental debate, weighing pros and cons, I decided to leave the classroom and become our district's Technology Integrator. This new role involves working with teachers, administrators, support staff, and..... KIDS! So, I spent my birthday moving out of Lakeside Elementary.

Throughout my decision making process there were many people listening to/reading my ramblings about indecision. As I reflect on this decision, I have created a TOP TEN list of things I will miss and things I won't miss.... here it goes...

TOP TEN Things I Will Miss

10.Reading and responding to writing journal entries.
9. Routine.
8. Using Palm Pilots with kids.
7. Pumpkin seed math.
6. Read alouds.
5. Blogging with kids, watching them light up as they write for an authentic audience.
4. Unsolicited hugs.
3. Watching those "lightbulb" moments when something makes sense.
2. Observing maturity shifts.
1. "Adopting" 25 kids for 180 days and becoming part of their lives.

TOP TEN Things I Will NOT Miss

10. Lunch count, we handled money.
9. Lunch duty (always afraid someone would choke, as I lost a student to choking in classroom.)
8. Restricted times to scoot out to the Necessities room.
7. Report cards.
6. Watching children take PSSAs, as I sit on my hands and bite my tongue.
5. Tracking down that "missing" precious possession.
4. Snow boots, hats, gloves, scarves, snowpants, etc...
3. Worrying constantly about what was or wasn't going on in the homes of the kids.
2. Field trips (not a fan of bus trips)
1. IST meetings.

Thanks to all who were influential in my decision. Here goes nothing! :)

Reward Systems

2009-04-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

As a teacher, I have used extrinsic reward systems within my classroom, weening as the year progress, to help foster intrinsic motivation. This year, in my son's school, a school-wide reward/consequence system was put in place. As a parent/observer here is what I have noticed:

~The entire building has a set of expectations that are reinforced and expected everywhere.

~There are opportunities for children to earn individual "dollars" for displays of good behavior and choices.

~The dollars can be spent on school supplies and also on intangibles, such as extra recess and lunch with the teacher. Dollars can be "banked" and used for larger events called "Monthly Blowouts."

~Children earn bracelets/bands each month for displaying good behavior.

After three marking periods with this system, here is what I noticed, again, as a parent:

~My child strives to earn the "dollars."
~He has a very clear understanding of "saving" as he only spends a small amount of dollars, while saving up for the monthly blow-outs.
~The kid can make change (in dollars) like a pro.
~Obviously, money talks to my child.
~The bracelets are a great sense of pride. They are worn for a day then stashed together in his backpack.

This last month, my child did not earn his bracelet and he was quite upset. It offered his teacher and I an opportunity to talk with him about good behavior choices that he obviously not taking. In other words, it was a teachable moment.

In the many discussions that followed, my son commented on one particular child... she has never earned a bracelet. He empathized with her and thought that was not fair. As a parent/teacher I really gave this some thought. What about the child dealing with behavioral issues that are not always in his/her control? What about the child that shows improvement, but not enough to earn a bracelet? Are we showing some sort of discrimination against that child. Let's face it, that child already knows that he/she is different from the others. Are the bands just an "in your face" way of highlighting that? I am not sure. Thoughts?

Keeping Kids Safe Online

2009-04-05T05:26:00.000-07:00

I was recently involved in facilitating online safety sessions for 9th graders followed by assisting a fellow teacher set up a moodle course about the cyber communication dangers (teachers as the audience).

In both cases the internet dangers were certainly highlighted. In my experience kids are going to be online and connected. To try to stop them would be futile and, well, pointless. Instead, here is what I would suggest... if fact, this is the approach I take with my own son.

1. Tools (internet, social networking sites) are NOT evil.
2. Not all people using these sites have good motives.
3. It is up to us, teachers/parents, to teach our children how to be safe online.
4. As teachers/parents we must monitor the internet activity of our children and make them aware that we are doing it.
5. Open dialog with children is important.

Here are some resources that I have found helpful:

http://www.isafe.org/
http://www.netsmartzkids.org/indexFL.htm
http://www.wiredsafety.org/

and there are many more.

Comments or other resources?

State Testing

2009-04-01T14:25:00.001-07:00

This has been a very stressful month in our household. It started with my third grader going ballistic about having to take state mandated reading tests, math was just fine, but reading was a totally different story. The child did not simply cry, whine, or fake illness, he screaming, cried, hung on to me, and went into a fit of hysterics when it was time to get on the bus. Since he did not get on the bus, I drove him to school. When I tried to pull him from the car, he entered into a fit, the likes of which I have never seen! He was beyond reason.

This happened twice in a week.

While I refuse to let my child get away with such behavior, I still have to wonder how much emphasis was placed on the test in school. When I teach third grade and come upon the yearly exams, I have the kids set up "offices." We move desks into private locations in the classroom and I allow the kids to bring in a few pictures to place on their desks. We talk about the fact that the state wants to make sure kids are learning. Since they can't come sit in our classroom to hear the kids read, watch the kids to math, reading their writing workshop pieces, and so on, they use this test. My pep talk includes something like... "It is time for you to show all of the exciting things you know!"

I know my child has entered into a "contol" period where he is trying to see just how much he can control, test, and push. Another thing that I am absolutely certain about is that my child's halo is held up by horns. I am just wondering how the testing environment is "set up" in his school. I will find out next year when I return to third grade I suppose.

High stakes testing, right or wrong, is a sign of the times.

Do I want to do away with testing completely? No. The concept is a very good one.

Would I like to see their value put into a different perspective? Yes. Data is important, however, it is one piece of the puzzle that determines a child's progress.

Ok, rant over. If you have any cool tips or tricks to help relieve test anxiety for your students or own children, please share.

FLIP Camera + 8 year old, part 2 ---> Incorporating Story

2009-02-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

In my previous post, I sent my son on a Geometry Hunt. (see post) After hearing Jason Ohler and Daniel Pink speak at PETE&C, my new challenge to myself is to find a way to incorporate "story" into my students' school experiences.

If you have not yet seen The Greedy Triangle, by Marilyn Burns, I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy. The main character, a triangle, has grown very dissatisfied with his life. It is boring to only have three sides and three angles, so he goes to the Shapeshifter time and again to get just one more side and one more angle. The reader follows the triangle through his adventures as a quadrilateral, pentagon, hexagon, and on and on! With each transformation, the triangle discovers different activities. For example, as a pentagon he was privy to top-secret information, but he couldn't share with his friends. While this book is excellent for reviewing and/or reinforcing many common polygons, it is also a story about being happy with yourself.

So, using The Greedy Triangle as a springboard or model, I could have students incorporate digital storytelling with the treasure hunt. Let the planning begin!

Additional Academic Standards Addressed:
1.4. Types of Writing
1.4.3 GRADE 3
A. Write narrative pieces (e.g., stories, poems, plays).
Include detailed descriptions of people, places and things.
Use relevant illustrations.
Include literary elements.

Write with a sharp, distinct focus identifying topic, task and audience.

1.5 Quality of Writing
1.5.3 Grade 3
Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
Gather and organize information.
Write a series of related sentences or paragraphs with one central idea.
Incorporate details relevant and appropriate to the topic.

Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
Sustain a logical order.
Include a recognizable beginning, middle and end.

Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of composition.
Use sentences of differing lengths and complexities.
Use descriptive words and action verbs.

Revise writing to improve detail and order by identifying missing information and determining whether ideas follow logically.

Edit writing using the conventions of language.
Spell common, frequently used words correctly.
Use capital letters correctly (first word in sentences, proper nouns, pronoun "I").
Punctuate correctly (periods, exclamation points, question marks, commas in a series).
Use nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and conjunctions properly.
Use complete sentences (simple, compound, declarative, interrogative, exclamatory and imperative).

Present and/or defend written work for publication when appropriate.

FLIP Camera + 8 year old

2009-02-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

A recent Woot purchase was my Flip videocamera. The primary reason for my purchase was to have a videocamera that my third graders could manipulate easily. So, I gave my 8 year old the camera, a list of geometric shapes, very little instruction, and set him loose. From the quality of the video I can tell that we would need to work on video taping skills, but, all in all, I am impressed. I think this camera will be a fine addition to my elementary classroom.

Here are the steps Ry and I followed to make a finished product:

1.Hooked the Flip to the Macbook's usb port (cactus, as he calls it)
2.Dragged the video from the camera
3.Opened the video in Quicktime, exported it as a .mov
4.Opened iMovie09, imported the video
5.Added a title slide ... by this time I lost him to his Lego collection, so I did the rest without his assistance.
6.Exported the completed movie as Quicktime.

So now I am thinking, with some training, this type of project is feasible in the elementary classroom! We have many "treasure hunts" as part of our math program. Wouldn't it be incredible to have kids film their treasures instead of writing them down. Sharing back to the group could be much more clear! The alternative is having kids describe their findings. What if they could actually see them. And... what if the camera went home and the treasure hunt took place outside of school. Oh, the possibilities, without cords and tapes to manage.

PA Academic Anchors:

ISTE - NETS:
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Warning: Video may cause motion sickness:
http://gallery.me.com/lorips#100221

Special thanks to my son, who has been stuck with many challenges since I haven't had my own third graders. :)

Also...I know Ry needs to understand the difference between circle and sphere and he could point out what part of the windows, table, and tv are parallel. I was focusing on process. If I did this in the classroom. I would insist that the content be correct as well. :)

Powering Down

2009-02-10T18:13:00.000-08:00

In 1995 I bought my first computer, a power mac. As a substitute teacher I began to explore the world wide web using the Mosaic web browser. From there, I became intrigued with how technology could be used in the classroom. From then on, I was "plugged in" to the world of technology.

During the last two years my ventures into the web 2.0 world has been exciting. Devouring books and blog posts, creating wikis and google docs, connecting via twitter, plurk, Discovery Educator Network, Keystone Technology Integrators, and Classrooms for the Future coaches, using, mac, pc, and iphone has become an integral part of my life.

Currently some professional development efforts have failed miserably. I have started to really ponder the concept of "professionalism" and to reconsider "putting myself out there" so to speak in terms of sharing with others. My passion for reaching our digital learners, making learning meaningful for them, and for the concept of instilling life long learning has driven me in my ventures thus far. As I am readying myself to leave the role of technology integration coach and re-enter life as a third grade teacher, I am saddened. In order to protect myself emotionally I have decided to step back a bit. Perhaps it is time for a break from the intense world I have been experiencing, not because I am overwhelmed, but because I am not making a difference.

My recent purchase was a regular cell phone. My iphone has become an ipod. It's time to refocus. I am not discouraged, but disheartened and am looking forward to some clarity of thought and restoration of some self-esteem.

2009-02-09T07:17:00.001-08:00

My first year w a GenYes Tech Team

7 Things You Don't Need to Know About Me

2009-01-17T05:40:00.000-08:00

As you can clearly see, I have been neglecting my blog. For about two months I have started and not finished about three different posts. I have been tagged in my Professional Learning Network to participate in a meme. So here are my 7 things:

1. My husband and I are high school sweethearts. We met in Algebra class in 1988, got married in 1994 and brought our son, Ryan, into the world in 2000.

2. From as far back as I can remember I have always wanted to be a teacher. I can still remember lining my stuffed animals up and "teaching" them whatever I learned in school that day.

3. My first job was with Sears, at a catalog store in Honesdale, PA. My duties included taking orders, entering them into the main frame, and waiting on customers when the orders arrived. My coworkers were very nurturing and taught me how to deal with people.

4. After building our dream home in 2006, we welcomed some new additions to our family.... 2 goats (Billy & Thor) and about 45 chickens. Four of the hens run loose while the others are in a coop. The "four" have become our pets, peering door for food.

5. Music has always been my escape. From clarinet and chorus in high school to bell choir and church choir now, I find my peace in music. Classic rock, contemporary Christian rock, and classical are among my favorite genres.

6. During my first year as a teacher, I lost a student as she choked in the classroom. She is in my thoughts daily and I never really got over the experience, however I have learned that it is not always possible to make sense of why things happen.

7. It wasn't until college that I had a true best friend. As a commuter I did not get to know very many people, but there was a girl who seemed to be in many of my classes. After striking up a conversation I learned that she was also a commuter and we had quite a bit in common! We carpooled for about three years and a wonderful friendship grew.

If you made it this far, congratulations! Now I get to tag some folks...

Kristin Hokanson
Scott Snyder
Linda Nitsche
Chris Champion
Dianne Krause
Aly Tapp
Michelle Krill

If you don't like memes or have been tagged before, apologies.

I am a Teacher

2008-12-13T08:27:00.000-08:00

Reflecting back on the last year I have discovered that I truly miss the classroom! For the last year I have been serving as our district's "Classrooms for the Future" coach, a temporary position required for our district to receive technology in the high school. The main concept behind the grant is one of high school reform. Professional development is also a component of the grant. So my role has been to assist the teachers in making the shift from 20th century classrooms to ones that infuse technology.

When I think back to the factors that led me to make my decision....

Once our district's technology director gave me Palm Pilots to try out in my 3rd grade classroom (2003), I started to see how technology could be used as a tool to meet the different needs of my students. Through the years I found ways to weave technology into the curriculum, attended (and presented at) PETE&C and learned of new and exciting ways teachers were engaging their students, and was named a Keystone Technology Integrator. After the Keystone Summit, a week long event centered on enhancing learning while using technology as a tool, my professional life took a huge leap forward.

I became connected with some other educators who shared my vision and passion of learning. Daniel K. Pink's A Whole New Mind helped me to see that we, as teachers, have an obligation to teach in ways that incorporate both sides of the brain. From here I moved to Wikinomics and The World is Flat. My connections to other grew through the use of twitter and skype. Suddenly I had a personal learning network and quickly discovered the true meaning of life-long learning. Exploring blogs, wikis, rss feeds, podcasts, and aggregators gave me more ideas and my teaching started to truly transform.

It was at this point that I was asked to consider leaving my classroom to become our district's Classrooms for the Future coach. I decided to apply and signed on, learned that I would leave 3rd grade half-way through the year. My emotions were so mixed. I had only just begun to blog with my students and to work with wikis and project based learning. I was ready to collaborate with a first grade class in western PA via skype. There was so much to try, I was not sure I wanted to leave this class! Then, the concept of getting an opportunity to bring about this kind of learning in the high school excited me.

Over the last year, I attended 12 different required training session, most two days or more, all over the state of PA, networked with other coaches from all over the state, and started to share what I was learning with the high school teachers. Then things started to change....

My coaching job started to become more about troubleshooting and trying to manage online courses, tracking every minute of my day and capturing them in daily logs, and defending the entire project to many. A half year position turned in to a year and a half of coaching.

While I have been enjoying my job and exciting things are happening in the high school, I am starting to really miss my own class. As my class wiki and blog remain dormant this year, I realize that, well, this did not need to be the case. :(

I do not regret the decisions that I have made as I have learned so much. When this year ends, so does the grant and I can't wait to return to teaching. Having worked with "smart" classrooms I am going to search out grant opportunities to bring some of this technology into my classroom. I am going to continue to build my lessons and resources for a new year, a new beginning. I can't wait!

Blogging Buddies!

2008-10-25T05:18:00.001-07:00

It's time for the K12 Online Conference! In case you are new to this one, it is a conference for teachers by teachers, where presenters put together 15-20 minute talks that can be viewed or downloaded. I enjoy it because I gets tons of great ideas, for free, from the comfort of my living room!

After viewing “We Like Our Blogging Buddies: The Write Stuff with Blogging Mentors” my mind started to spin! First graders were paired with college students (aspiring teachers) and they became blogging buddies. First graders blogged, college students commented on their blogs. It was a positive learning experience for all involved.

Last year I had my third graders blogging, but in small groups. We used blogging as a reflection/reporting tool. I could see some real possibilities for collaboration here! This would be a wonderful opportunity for students in a practical writing class! The high school students who typically struggle with writing could actually become mentors for younger students. In this way, everyone is writing for a real audience, with an authentic purpose, bonds are being formed, and, everyone is learning! This could be an opportunity for some struggling learners to feel helpful and needed.

In the presentation each student had his or her own buddy and they exchanged pictures. I think I would have my students describe themselves to their buddies and vice versa. They could draw pictures of each other, and then do a meet up on skype. In my future elementary classroom there are 3 laptops so this could be done with a learning center approach, after modeling and guided practice.

The high school students could also benefit from this revising, editing, and commenting process because it could be a great opportunity for review lessons on specific skills. hmmmmmmmmmm

Until I get a chance to try this out, I might have to attempt to recruit a friend or two. I would love to see this in action! Well, back to the conference!

Brain Rule # 1 Exercise

2008-08-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

My reflections on brain rule #1 exercise:

Interesting Discoveries:
Long term memory (not short term) seems to be enhanced by exercise.
Aerobic exercise can lower your risk for dementia.
Exercise is very beneficial to people with anxiety and depression.
Children who are physically fit appear to concentrate better than those who are less active.

Favorite quote:
"Physical activity is cognitive candy." p.22

Implications for the Classroom:
The concept that exercise is vital is not a new one. It helps our bodies physically and mentally. So it would stand to reason that children need to be physically active throughout the day. Here are some ways that I have incorporated movement into the average day:

*Use dance music, such as the Cha Cha Slide, or the Macarena as a morning warm-up.
*Change groupings and seating arrangements many times throughout the day.
*Allow children to work around the classroom, not just at their desks. I call their desks their "home bases."
*Take power walks either inside or outside.
*"Act out" many concepts. For example, when the children are learning their multiplication tables, we use movement. For the three times tables, we would hop on "1" and "2" then JUMP on "3". So for every multiple of 3 we were making a more dramatic movement.
*Take stretch breaks as needed throughout the day.

I would love to hear how others are incorporating movement and exercise in their classrooms!

Brain Rules!

2008-08-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

I was on the lookout for a good summer read/listen when I noticed that many people were reading and discussing Brain Rules by John Medina. Since podcast season is not hopping right now, I decided to download the book for my ipod. I am only 4 chapters into this book and it has already made me rethink how I teach! I decided to use my blog as a place for my reflections. If you plan to read the book and haven't, you might want to tune out any of my "Brain Rules" posts. Here are a few items that might interest you if you are considering this book:

*The author has a website, complete with exercises, to accompany the book.
*Eduwikius BOOK CLUB is exploring this book, as are many other groups in the blogosphere.

Planning Collaboration Virtually

2008-07-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I started working on a presentation for the PA Governor's Institute STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). Some of my fellow Keystones and CFF coaches gathered on a conference call to begin discussions about how to present 21st century skills to this audience. We broke off into 3 groups: elementary, middle, and high school. I had the pleasure of working with Jeff Rothenberger on the elementary portion of the presentation. We brainstormed, shared information, created a wikispace, and developed a Keynote presentation without any face to face meetings. We met today, for the first time, and gave our presentation.

A year ago, I would never have envisioned that this would be possible! Our early correspondence consisted of email in order to exchange skype names. Later we used video skype in order to share ideas. We each built our part of the project on a collaborative wikispace then moved into a Keynote presentation. (It occurred to me today that we could've used Google Presentations as well!) Jeff created the template for the presentation as well as his slides. He uploaded it to my .mac idisc. I downloaded it from there and added to it. We continued to revise up to and including the day of the presentation.

The implications for education are tremedous! Even though the digital divide is still a reality, many people in my area are migrating to the local libraries to obtain internet access. This virtual collaboration could make group work more feasible! Where was this when I was in college?!?

It's All About Learning

2008-07-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

Having worked with teachers, helping them to embrace technology as a tool to enhance learning, several good questions keep arising.

1. How can I do all of these new things and still teach all of my content?

2. What about preparing kids for PSSAs? (PA accountability testing as part of NCLB.)

Here is how I address these questions:

Learning and technology are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Technology is a wonderful tool to have in our tool belt when helping learners learn. Does that mean technology should be infused in every lesson? No. My rule of thumb is if technology can help to ENHANCE instruction, then use it.

I have found that varying instructional strategies is also essential. While I grew tired of continual lecture as a student, or classes where all I did was participate in cooperative learning, my guess is that students might tire of the integration of the same technology techniques if they were used all of the time. I think the key is to know your content, know your learners and their needs, know how what technology tools are available, and then blend them together.

So, I guess I am trying to say that LEARNING is at the heart of everything we do. Technology is a wonderful tool to help engage learners but it is not all about the technology, it is about the LEARNING.

This might muddy the waters, but here are some references that I go to when developing lessons:

The Needs, Learning Styles, Multiple Intelligences of your Learners
Rigor & Relevance (making activities relevant and rigorous, higher level thinking)
Understanding By Design (keeping the "main thing" the main thing, starting with a main concept, not all of the details) - awesome book that I studied in grad. school and is still being discussed and practiced today
21st Century Skills (skills that our children will need in an ever changing world)
State Standards (our curriculum)

Just remember..... it's all about the learning.

What a Difference a Year Makes

2008-06-12T18:54:00.000-07:00

Birthdays are naturally times for reflection. A year ago I was an excited 3rd grade teacher. I was about to embark on a new adventure, a trip to a technology summit as a Keystone Technology Integrator. During one week last July my life changed in ways I can't quite articulate. For a week I was immersed in learning about learning and technology integration with a group of people just like me. I was no longer an oddity. There were 100 other people just as excited about making learning come alive for children.

Perhaps the most exciting outgrowth of the week was that I developed a Personal Learning Network. I have stayed connected to most of the people that made incredible impressions on me. We have stayed connected on a daily basis for nearly a year now via skype, twitter, wikis, eduwikius, google docs, elluminate, and wimba.

So now I have made connections to some fabulous people all over the world! When I have questions, need support, want to share, I head to my computer. I am also able to offer suggestions/advice, collaborate, and share in the lives of so many special people!

This summer I look forward to teaching some district level courses on technology integration, facilitating a study group for my high school CFF teachers, moving my classroom to a new building, co-presenting at the Governor's Institute (STEM) and just being a mom and wife!

Phoenix Lands on Mars ( ustream.tv )

2008-05-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

Around 7:30 pm EST I saw a link on twitter pointing me to a link on the internet with live coverage of the Phoenix landing on Mars. Immediately I began channel surfing on tv looking for live coverage. While scouting out MSNBC, NBC, CBS.... I could not find any sign of this breaking news. Finally, FOX news showed portions of the story. Let me tell you about the internet coverage.

Spacevidcast used a medium called ustream.tv to stream the event live. Not only was I able to see the event, I was able to interact with the other 1,000 people also watching. People from all over the world were watching and chatting simultaneously! So, not only were people from all over the world able to chat with each other, the internet audience was also able to ask questions and get them answered by a scientist!

I had questions but did not feel comfortable voicing them in the chat room so I found one of my
KTI technology mentors online and skyped him my questions. We were able to chat and share the experience as well.

This is what web2.0 is all about! The internet is no longer just a read only medium, people can interact and create!

Fish! Catch the Energy & Release the Potential

2008-05-25T15:03:00.001-07:00

For some strange reason I stumbled upon a quick read which really packed a punch! The idea of capturing energy intrigued me so I purchased it used from Amazon. The key concepts in the book are worth sharing, no, shouting! I will refrain from sharing the parable, besides I could not do it justice. This is one of those, "you just have to read it for yourself," things!

Here are four key concepts that anyone can implement, in their work and personal lives, in order to get the most our of every moment:

1. Choose your attitude. Not every task in life is enjoyable, but the attitude you bring to the task is paramount.

2. Play, and include others. By having fun and including others, the day will be more enjoyable. I can't help but draw a connection to Daniel K. Pink's A Whole New Mind where play is a crucial element in survival in this new age that he calls "The Conceptual Age."

3. Make their day. This book clearly pertains to the world of work, so making the customer's day is what is meant. I would like to broaden it to include the popular concept of performing a random act of kindness.

4. Be present. In this fast paced, multi-tasking world, it is important to give people the time and attention they deserve. I am soooo guilty of not doing this! When my son goes on and on about how we is going to use his play tractor to excavate the sand pile, I need to stop what I am doing and give my time and attention to him. This will help reinforce how important he is to me.

So, with these four nuggets of wisdom swirling around in my brain, I am going to look for ways, at home and at work, to implement these concepts! I would love to chat with anyone who has read this book or just hear what you have to say!

Wikipedia, Teaching Kids to Think

2008-05-03T16:57:00.001-07:00

There has been a controversy brewing in the academic world about Wikipedia. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales sends a message that Wikipedia should not be used for serious research. So, should it be blocked in schools?

Wikipedia has been unblocked in our district and, because of teacher request, is now blocked. There was mixed reaction among the high school faculty. Most were relieved because students are now forced to go beyond a google or wikipedia search for content. Many were frustrated because wikipedia was a good place to get the gist of something. They also liked that primary sources were often linked as well.

So, is it better to block this tool? What happens if they still insist on using wikipedia as their "one stop shop" for research? Or... this this an opportunity to teach students how to verify information, or how to utilize Wikipedia as a springboard to primary sources? Food for thought.

For additional background information on Wikipedia I highly recommend Wikinomics.
The book focuses on the concept of collective intelligence. What do you think?

Digital Natives?

2008-04-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

Today I had the honor of presenting Audacity (open-source audio recording software) to students attending an area HS computer fair. To my surprise the majority of the students had not heard of podcasts. As my presentations concluded I had extra time so I thought I would open up the discussion to web2.0 tools. As I began to talk of blogs and wikis I got many blank stares. With everything I have been reading and discovering within the last 9 months, students have been referred to as "digital natives." Suddenly I realized that I had to back up and punt. For most of the students I was speaking a foreign language.

This helps to clarify and intensify, for me, the need to address 21st century learning and NOT to make assumptions. Many of my teachers are discovering that they need to teach basic computer skills before they can begin to use the computer as a learning tool. Perhaps the digital divide was larger than I thought!

I am truly curious... is anyone discovering this, or is our situation in northeast PA unique. (We are quite rural and many families are still on dial-up internet.)

Dangers of Skype

2008-03-17T17:33:00.001-07:00

This cannot be tweeted because there is no way to condense it to 140 characters. So think of this as a long tweet and a warning.

Tonight I was teaching a class to other teachers. We were learning to create wikis and exploring Discovery Education Streaming. I decided to break things up a bit and started a skype chat with my friend behind me. We were playing with various new skype icons and were complaining about sitting so long.

I got up to go help someone with a download and my friend called me back to the computer. All of a sudden, under my login, I read, "Aren't you guys supposed to be in class?" I did not type it. No one in the room got up, went to my computer and typed it. AHHHHHH

We waited for another response. nothing Finally my friend got an idea, she types back into the chat and asks if this is my husband. It was and then he continued to antagonize us.

The warning for all skypers out there.... never leave your home computer logged into skype when you are not home! You never know what will happen. The only saving grace is I had just shut the projector off!

Blabberize

2008-03-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to come up with a solution to this issue:

Some parents don't grant permission for their child's photo to be online. (Which I totally respect.)

So, how do you still include that child in activities online?

Blabberize allows you to upload an image, create a mouth, and record voice. The mouth then moves as the recording is played back.

Hmmmm, a child could draw a picture of him/herself, draw the mouth, and record their own voice.

Think of the possibilities. If you are recording your students doing an activity, like a book review, this child could now participate.

Click here to see what I mean.

JOTT helps Multitaskers!

2008-02-18T13:13:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been driving when you suddenly had a brainstorm or an important thought? Instead of digging for a napkin or scrap paper, now you can JOTT. Let me explain. A few weeks ago so friends starting chatting about "JOTT." Further exploration let me to this website.

I signed up for a free account. Verified my email. Verified my cell phone. In about 5 minutes I was set. I call JOTT from my cell, speak my message, and JOTT transcribes it to text and emails it to me. I could also set up other email addresses and have JOTT send messages to others.

Now, if only JOTT could just read my mind and take out the trash! ;-)

PETE & C 2008

2008-02-13T10:03:00.000-08:00

I just spent four days immersed in conversations and presentations pertaining to educational technology integration. I learned as much from talking to my personal learning network as I did from the sessions I attended.

*Had the opportunity to meet with the other coaches in my region to set up a regional sharing day for our teachers.

*Participated in a Skype backchannel which helped to cement what I was learning while collaborating and sharing with others.

*Participated in live blogging during a Keynote presentation.

*Connected fact to face with many other Keystone Technology Integrators (whom I met this summer at the Summit). The way the Summit works... former Keystones come back and work with the new Keystones. So I not only got to visit with other 2007 Keystones, but former Keystones who have greatly impacted my life.

*Attended workshops and sessions to enhance my understanding of technology integration.

*Presented to others "Web2.0 Tools Go Elementary"

For more information on the sessions at PETE&C, check out this wiki started by CFF Coach Michelle Krill. Throughout the conference, and after, many of us collaborated by adding content to it.

http://reportingback.wikispaces.com

What technology will my child see in his lifetime?

2007-12-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

A conversation with my father sparked this post. Today Dad was introduced to the Nintendo wii bowling game. For those unfamiliar with the system, a player straps a remote to her/his wrist and then becomes an active player in virtual sports. The remote serves as a tennis racket, a golf club, a bat... or with some add ons, boxing gloves, steering wheels.... the list goes on! A sensor bar on or below the tv "reads" the player's movements. So, using the remote, my dad was bowling in our living room.

Do you remember this??? The old Atari that allowed us to play games like Pitfall and Pong.

And this???

With each new entertainment or computer system that came into our home I can remember thinking...."this is so cool! It can't get better than this!" and with each advancing system the images became clearer and more vibrant, more engaging, more user friendly, more entertaining! I wonder what is coming next. In the 80s I would never have been able to wrap my head around the concept of a virtual environment, like Second Life, or the virtual gaming of the Nintendo wii! What technology will my child see in his lifetime?

From records, 8 tracks, cassettes, and CDs to mp3s and ipods.... what is next?

I can't even imagine, but I can't wait to find out! What do you think??

BTW, images are from wikipedia.

Juggling 21st Century Skills and PSSAs

2007-12-15T08:13:00.000-08:00

Teachers face many challenges. The world is a rapidly changing place (understatement) and we sometimes find ourselves scrambling to keep the pace. I've been devouring books lately, audio and print, and have been really intrigued by the comparisons between 20th and 21st century skills. The above diagram outlines the skills I am referring to and is linked to its source which gives more detailed information.

NCLB has brought about state level standards and testing which require attention as well! As I sit in trainings about these skills, some wonder how teachers are to incorporate these 21st century skills in light of the testing. I do not see these as separate. Let me explain, using third grade as my example.

For me the standards set the curriculum but not HOW I teach. Therefor I can create lessons which encourage cooperation, collaboration, higher level thinking, and technology as I address the standards. Last quarter my students were to learning about ecosystems in Science. Rather than just read the book, complete the worksheets and activities, and recite the information back on a test..... we used a wiki.

On this webpage (Wiki) I placed links to sites dealing with the various ecosystems we were studying so each ecosystem had about 4 sites. This way my students were using the internet as a research tool. In small teams students had to explore the sites in order to be able to report back plant and animal life, as well as climate of their ecosystem. All notes were kept in an inspiration template. Each group created a poster of their ecosystem and "taught" us about their ecosystem. This was a mini jigsaw activity.

I was exploring with voicethread at the time and did not have parent permissions for students to participate, so I created a voicethread as a study guide for them. The next time I do this activity I will still have students create posters, but we will scan them. The scanned images would be used to make a class voicethread.

Ah, yes, PSSAs.... the test I used was written in multiple choice format so that students learn how to take that type of test. Grades, yes... I used students' work on the project and the test for determining a grade.

I know we get overwhelmed, but there are ways to address the curriculum by using 21st century skills. I feel that is important because these are the skills that our students will need in the world. If you made it this far, thanks! Here is a spot where a group of us are talking about teaching these skills.

CFF Hearings

2007-12-05T14:22:00.001-08:00

As I was sitting down to catch up on some email last night, I saw on Twitter that PCN was showing senate hearings on the CFF project. As I tuned in I really was at a loss. I had some many thoughts swirling around in my brain. I really wanted to discuss what I was watching. I put a message out on twitter that I was also watching the hearings and was looking to chat about it. One of my mentors from Keystones (and a CFF coach very in tune with educational technology issues) opened a skype chat. She and I were typing furiously, sharing ideas and opinions when another Keystone joined the conversation!
Yes, I know I am a geek, but more than that, I am a connected geek! Everything that I just described happened within ten minutes or so. Three PA educators were having a discussion about the state of educational technology and technology integration issues in PA.
How often have we watched shows or read books and can't wait to get involved in the lunchroom discussion, wondering what others thought of that episode of Lost? By using technology these types of chats, or backchannels, can happen in a timely fashion.
As for the content of the hearings, I am going to be looking for a blog entry on that from The Connected Classroom.

CFF Training on the APPLE Side

2007-12-02T05:49:00.000-08:00

This training consisted of how - tos, technology integration in action, and theory behind 21st century skills. We also practiced coaching! We were given a piece of paper (the only paper we used during the entire two day..everything else was digital) and asked to make a paper airplane. We flew our planes. My plane took a nose dive! We paired up with someone whose plane went really far and then the "expert" helped us improve our planes. The expert was not allowed to touch our planes. Through guided practice, verbal and visual directions, my plane flew across the room the second time. Needless to say, the time "flew."

CFF Training on the PC Side

2007-11-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

Day 1: For the next two days I will be exploring technology integration tools using the Levovo laptop that all of our PC teachers will using with the Classrooms for the Future grant. During these sessions we will be exploring ways to integrate 21st century skills. Right now we are learning about blogs and everyone is learning to create one. I have some nice, easy "how to" directions for anyone interested! I will keep you "posted." Pun intended.

Day 2: Today we completed two interactive activities. The first was a google earth activity where we had to plan a trip and complete an estimate of cost for the trip. My group spent most of our time trying to embed a picture with the placeholder. The other major project was completing a timeline using Learning Essentials (templates that go with Microsoft Office). Our timeline dealt with events of the Civil War and looking at ways communication occurred in 1863 vs. communication paths today. One of my network friends was attending this same training in Pittsburgh. Get this, he skyped in a Civil War expert to help his group! Cheating, I think not. Using available resources creatively... YES! Bravo, MB!

MEOW - Meeting Leopard

2007-10-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

Friday night my copy of OS X Leopard arrived! The back up and installation took about 3 hrs. The only negative thing I noticed was that my documents need to be organized. For some reason all of my movies and documents are smooshed together. That's minor.

iChat has some minor glitches. A friend shared his screen and then we couldn't get the cameras back on. I had to restart.

I really like the organizational features! The dock houses the applications, documents, and downloads, but the new part is that, with one click, you can see your apps. in a stack or grid format. Documents show in a cover flow, and downloads are either a stack or grid. I really wanted to try out time machine but my external hard drive is not large enough.

The new photo booth background have kept my son pretty busy. Ok, I like it too! I am anxious to try Time Machine, the back-up feature new to Leopard. Unfortunately, my external hard drive is not large enough.

I have to say, this is one nice kitty!

Reflection

2007-10-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

As I have been reading feeds and checking out blogs lately I have noticed that many of them have a common thread. Many of my new pals are feeling overwhelmed. I have to admit that I am feeling the same way. I have spent some time thinking about all of this...

When I stop to think where I was less than five months ago... I was a third grade teacher very excited about integrating Palm Pilots, Inspiration, Appleworks, and Knowledge Box into her classroom instruction. I had never heard of wikis, twitter, skype, and the like. Along came July 2007 and the Keystone Technology Integrators Summit. Little did I know that my life was about to change drastically. Every minute of every day I was being exposed to new technology and tools, new people and ideas, new ways to keep in touch! Mike B. was so right on at the Summit, Day one, when he said something like, "you are going to learn new things but, for me, it was more about the people and the connections I made."

There are times that I do feel overwhelmed by all of the tools and technologies that are created and evolving almost daily. Then I stop. I take a second to think about all of the wonderful people I met, the ones who have become my network. I am not in this alone. There are others who share my passion. If I get stuck, if I need to vent, if I can lend an ear or some advice, my network is a click away.

So, as I reflect back, I realize how lucky I am to have had the experiences that I have had, to learn more about how our digital natives learn, to experience some pretty awesome tools to enhance learning and teaching, to connect with others who are just as excited about this stuff as I am, and to be able to have some really incredible brain food! The learning curve is steep right now, but I am truly enjoying the ride! P.S. Kristin H. this is all your fault ;)

Virtual Bookclub

2007-10-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

Would you like to join a book club where the meetings happen virtually? You read a book and then join others in a virtual environment to discuss the book. A group of us are doing just that! The book that we have chosen is Wikinomics, How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything. Our group meeting will be set up here. Feel free to join!

K12 Online Conference

2007-10-10T16:13:00.001-07:00

Just when I thought life couldn't possible get more exciting, along came the K12 Online Conference. This is a conference that spans the course of a few weeks and meets no where and everywhere! Presenters upload their content or arrive virtually. There are some sessions where participants can go and chat about what they've seen, heard, and experienced. Can you imagine? A conference that comes to you, when you are ready for it! As David Warlick, the first keynote speaker and respected blogger, said, we are redefining the boundaries!

A link to the entire schedule is here.

FlatFlatFlatFlat

2007-09-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

I have been reading and thinking about Thomas J. Friedman's book The World is Flat. Friedman spends the first few chapters of his book giving examples of ways in which the world has been flattened. In my mind I replaced flattened with the word "connected." If I have learned nothing else over the last 3 months it is that our world can be connected!In my new roles as Keystone Technology Integrator and Classrooms of the Future Coach I have been introduced to a multitude of new concepts and applications. Whenever I have questions, need advice, want to share something new, or get feedback all I have to do is send my request through my twitter feed, skype pals, ichat buds, posts on blogs or wikis and (almost instantly) I am connected!

These web2.0 tools have enabled me to be connected, giving lifelong learning a whole new look! Can you just image the educational implications here!

Classrooms For the Future

2007-09-21T18:28:00.000-07:00

This week was an exciting one! Our district was awarded of $360,000 in a state wide grant initiative to bring high schools into the 21st century. We have a technology supervisor who is incredible! She has brought many grants into our district. To make a long story short, I was asked in April if I would consider putting my resume into the state so that I may have an opportunity to apply for the "coach" position that accompanies this grant. As of Tuesday night I have become our district's coach which means that I will have the opportunity to work with our high school teachers to assist them in integrating the technology coming as a result of the grant.

This is an incredible honor for me! In the same breathe it has been one of the toughest weeks in my teaching career. I have spent four weeks with my 3rd graders and feel that I have really connected with them. After sharing the news with them, writing to their parents, and going through a box of tissues, I am packing and getting ready to go to "boot camp" next week. Having spent the day with the long term substitute teacher filling in for me, watching her interact with the children today, I can honestly say this is going to be an incredible year!

An old friend once told me that you don't grow unless you step outside your comfort zone. So, here I go!

Uses for Video iPods in the Classroom

2007-09-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

I have been asked recently, "How do you use video iPods in education?" While I have my own uses I thought this would be a good opportunity to do a bit of research. Here, in random order, are some ideas that I found from various sources (sources listed below):
*Share video (purchased from iTunes store or other sources - they have "Schoolhouse Rock" clips!
*Capture and convert streaming video (teachertube...) to share in the classroom.
*Use iPod to hold video that you make with your class.
*Use Apple's iQuiz to create and share quizzes
*Share audiobooks (great for differentiating instruction).
*Creating and sharing podcasts.
*Listen to podcasts found online. (Apple has iTunes U which has some incredible material.)

If you are looking for a more comprehensive list, visit learninginhand.com.

Other sources:
Apple's resources
iPods in Education

Sending Text Messages with iChat

2007-09-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the MacCast and learned that it is soooo easy to send text messages using iChat on the Mac! All you do is add a person, select AIM acct., enter +1 and the mobile phone number with area code as the person's name, and then you can start sending text messages via iChat! The messages come back to you in iChat. There is a link to click when you want the messages to start going to your phone.

A Visual Search Engine!

2007-09-06T17:22:00.001-07:00

By listening to a podcast (can't remember which one) I heard about a visual search engine, called Page Bull, which I found to be very helpful!

Bookmarks...

2007-08-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

How many times have I bookmarked something only to forget what computer I was on at the time and what web browser I was utilizing?!? Since July I have been using del.icio.us, a social bookmarking site. I added a tool to Firefox and, when I bookmark a site, I can add tags to organize it. Then, these links are available to me on the web, on any computer I choose to use!

We The Teachers

2007-08-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight I learned of a site created by a teacher and her husband that is packed full of resources for teachers in a variety of grade levels and subject areas. I came across everything from PowerPoints and handouts (pdf) to lesson plans. This is an awesome, free way for teachers to share! A login is required but it is FREE! Have fun.

Video iPod to TV

2007-08-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

I love social networking! Thanks to a pal on my twitter feed I learned of a $2.10 cable for connecting a video iPod to a tv (which, thanks to PTA, all of our classrooms possess). After hooking it up I was able to get audio but no video. A dear, sweet techy cousin found this link for me... and now it is working! So basically, I had to go to Video>Video settings>TV out and turn it on. BINGO! Thanks to all involved and now my third graders can experience the cool Schoolhouse Rock videos that I purchased from iTunes!

All Charged Up (How's that for poor grammar?)

2007-08-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

After using Palm Pilots with my 3rd graders for several years, I finally found an inexpensive, easy way to charge the Palms. The back story is that this summer I had the good fortune of hearing Tony Vincent speak at Shippensburg University (PA Keystone Summit). Later I explored his website and learned that another teacher uses baskets to manage the plugs, boxes, and wires. The picture illustrates my variation. I used a crate to hold all of the surge protectors and chargers. Then I laced all of the wires into the smaller green basket. Finally I used the purple caddy to hold the palms. This makes it easy to store the palms as well. After they are charged I can unplug them, grab the purple caddy, and lock it in a cabinet.

Our tech. supervisor has purchased a set of video ipods for use in the district this year! Stay tuned!

Learning in the PALM of your Hand

2007-08-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks to an ambitious technology supervisor and the EETT grant, my Palm Pilots are charged and ready to go! The students use Palms in writing workshop, in response to literature, to take notes in content areas, and to complete self-checking math fact practice quizzes. I have found Tony Vincent's website extremely helpful! This begins year 4 of handheld learning in my room!

EdTechTalk

2007-08-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight on twitter, I learned of this site..... http://edtechtalk.com/ from Kristin Hokanson, an awesome person I met at the Keystone Summit! At 9pm this evening the site hosted a show called "Women of Web2.0." Through iTunes I listened to some very inspiring educators and how they plan to use Web2.0 tools, and technology in general, with their students this year. Kristin was one of the speakers and she shared several important points. The one that I want to share is that teachers are all in different places when it comes to integrating technology. Comfort levels differ. That's ok! The important thing is to work a step at a time, like we do with our kiddos. Take them from where they are - and move them forward.

Kristin also mentioned that these tools are enabling us to make our classrooms connected. No longer are our classrooms these little isolated rooms with four walls..... they can become global. So, one of my goals for this year is to share what I have learned about Web2.0 tools in my district. I hope to offer a class before winter.

I have been tagged...

2007-08-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

Tag! I'm it! Jennifer Moylan tagged me this week! In an effort to make our presence known as bloggers, we were excited to follow her tag and pass it along to others. By tagging others, we can create new connections and learn from what others know.

Here are the rules:
Post these rules before you give your facts.
List 8 random facts about yourself.
At the end of your post, choose (tag) 8 people and list their names, linking to them.
Leave a comment on their blog, letting them know they’ve been tagged.

So, here are my random facts:
1. My husband, son, and I have been raising chickens that lay rainbow colored eggs.
2. I have been teaching 11 years, one year in 4th grade and the rest in 3rd grade.
3. Thanks to my technology supervisor I have been using Palm Pilots with my classes for 4 years.
4. Our family loves to ride ATVs, especially in mud!
5. Making jewelry is one of my favorite hobbies.
6. I have one younger sister and a total of 7 step-siblings.
7. Integrating technology is one of my passions.
8 I am hopelessly addicted to diet Pepsi.

Unfortunately I know few people with blogs. I hope to teach a Web2.0 course in our district this fall, so I am going to tag just two people for now.

I tag:
Jill
Elisha

Journey North Tulip Project

2007-08-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

While taking a professional development course last year, another 3rd grade teacher stumbled across a website that we both made use of last year. In our Science curriculum we study plant parts, growth, life cycles... and this site allowed up to participate in a project with tulips!

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tulip/

After examining the bulbs, we planted them with the help of 7th and 8th graders. Then we reported online when we planted the bulbs, when they emerged, and when they bloomed. We became part of a constantly changing map. We were able to predict when we thought spring would arrive in different locations all over North America and Canada as well as view patterns in nature.

Journey North offers quite a few projects.... I would love to try out the monach migration project next. Our bulbs are already on order for this year.

Class Pet

2007-08-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

Meet Googles, our Webkinz class pet! Children earn reward coupons that they can use toward special priviledges, such as skipping a night of homework, extra Palm or computer time, craft area time, using a special chair... and now my third graders can earn time caring for our class pet. On the Webkinz site, Googles becomes a virtual pet. The children will encounter many different learning games as they help to make sure that Googles is happy, healthy, and well fed!

Podcasting with Garage Band

2007-07-21T21:30:00.001-07:00

Apple support offers this information regarding podcasting via Garage Band.

http://www.apple.com/support/garageband/podcasts/

Class Website

2007-07-21T19:55:00.001-07:00

I communicated to students and parents through this site:

http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/MrsSheldon/

Our Vision

2007-07-21T19:46:00.001-07:00

At the Keystone Summit, we were placed in small groups that met once a day. Each groups was to come up with what we thought the classroom of the future would look like. Here is our vision...

Keystone Project 2007

2007-07-21T18:58:00.000-07:00