Have you heard of FreeRice.com? This site let’s you play a vocabulary game..and for every word you get right, it donates rice to the United Nations to help end world hunger.
Free Rice adjusts the vocabulary it gives according to your level…so it’s appropriate for all ages. I’ll post a link on the SCS Links for Kids area, in case you’d like to have your students try it out. A word of caution though….it’s addictive. I found myself playing for quite awhile last night!
Mrs. Prettyman’s Language Arts classes designed some awesome magazine covers on the laptops using Microsoft Publisher. Their covers were based on information they had gathered and used for an animal report! You can see them better “in person” outside her classroom door…so if you have a chance, check them out! What a creative way to get kids writing, Mrs. Prettyman!!
[slideshare id=186068&doc=animal-magazine-covers-1196366420746598-4&w=425]
You can also seem them a bit closer if you click this link, and choose the “full” button.
Meg Swecker, an ITRT from Roanoke County, is currently in Cozumel, Mexico. She has been making VoiceThreads for area schools to use in class, and posting them. Five classes from Salem City Schools have had a chance to participate in the project. You can view all the VoiceThreads from the project here. Thanks, Mrs. Swecker! We’ve had so much fun learning about ocean life with you!
Classes from both G.W. Carver and East Salem have put together a few questions in a Voice Thread for our friend, Mrs. Swecker, as she travels to Mexico to scuba dive.
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The GenTech crew interviewed Sean Sharp, an ITRT from Floyd County, on their latest podcast episode. Sean talks about some exciting ways Floyd County is using technology to help with assessment. He also talks a bit about the challenges and rewards of working in a rural school district. Take a listen! While you are at it, you might want to check out Sean’s blog too!
Wow…I just ran across this link, Panoramas.dk, and it’s worth it’s own post. I have to give Brian (TRT from Williamsburg) credit for finding the site since I found the link it in his blogroll on his blog. The site contains Panoramas (306 degree views) of various places around the world including the Giza Pyramids, the Colosseum, the Apollo Missions, the Great Wall, the Yulong River, and many, many more very cool places! My favorite was a gorgeous Panorama of the Krakow Military Cemetery on All Saints Day. There are some ads in the sidebar and at the bottom of the site, but nothing to obtrusive. I did notice that some of the panoramas had links to show the place in Google Earth. I have not had a chance to try it out in the lab or on the laptops, so you’ll want to test the site on them before trying to use it with a group of kids. Also, if there is a specific panorama that you would like linked on “Links for Kids” for your grade level, let me know. Since the site contains ads and links to other sites, this would be the safest way to use it with your class.
I’ve been frequently asked about learning to use the Smartboard. Well, here are some links that will help you get started!
First, if you are on a computer that doesn’t have the Smartboard’s Notebook software (for instance, if you are working from home), download it by clicking the link below:
After you’ve played a bit with the Notebook software, you might want to download some pre-made lessons. You can search for content from within the Notebook software (see picture).
You can also search by grade and subject on the SMART Technology Website:Download pre-made lessons from SMART Technologies
You may also want to check out this handout to help you out:
Creating Lessons with Notebook Software
A couple of other things to explore:
Beth Swain recently send out an email talking about the upcoming technology and math inservices she will be offering. I think these are going to be great, and I highly recommend them!!
1. November 27th, 3:00 to 4:00 pm, G W Carver Computer lab– this workshop will focus on websites for teaching SOLs from the patterns, functions and algebra strand. There is something for every level K-5. They have basic patterns to balance scales plus much more. I am sure you will find something to take back to your classroom to use. You will have time to play and explore the sites during the workshop. (RSVP to Beth by Nov. 19)
2. January 15th, 3:00 to 4:00 pm, G W Carver Computer lab – this workshop will focus on using the Smartboard in your classroom. I have activities/ideas/games for k-5. You will get hands on experience with the smartboard. Many of the activities are templates that you can customize to your level of students. The focus of this workshop will be on math vocabulary and the SOLs in the number and number sense strand. (RSVP to Beth by Jan. 4)
She plans to schedule 3 more workshops to focus on other Math strands. Recertification points will be given for attending all 5.
I’ve had a chance to see a “sneak peak” at what she will be sharing, and I think you will walk away with things you can use in your classroom right away! I’ve had people asking for ideas to use in remediation time and things to do with the Smartboard, and these workshops will give you ideas for both! Hope you will be able to join us.
I KNOW we have some scuba divers out there! Even if you are not, here’s a chance to participate in a really fun “underwater” project from area ITRT, Meg Swecker. Meg is an ITRT for Roanoke County, and an avid scuba diver. She is embarking on a trip to Mexico next Thursday (Nov. 15) to go scuba diving, and is taking students with her “virtually” using Voice Thread! (If you haven’t seen Voice Thread yet, it’s the same website used to create the Galapagos Islands Show I posted about earlier.) Right now her Voice Thread is private, but if you let me know you want to participate (or at least take a look), I will add you to the list to receive an invite to the project. Then you and your students can ask questions about the underwater habitat, and she will do her best to answer through digital pictures and her voice. If this sounds like fun to you, let me know! It is very easy to do…and great for any grade level…even Kindergarten ;) !!
In an effort to share things across schools in the division, we have created a folder called “Common” on the K drive. It contains files pre-made templates that have been tried and tested in lesson with teachers. Both Pam Elgin and I have added some great Kidspiration activities lately. Here are a few titles…see if any interest you!
1st Grade
Past and Present
U.S. Symbols
Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia
2nd Grade
Word Sort (ou, ow)
Word Sort (ice, ace)
Communities
Native Americans
3rd Grade
Essential Knowledge Cards for Science
4th Grade
Plural Nouns
Regions of Virginia
Measurement
5th Grade
Native Americans (First Americans)
Library
Dewey Decimal System
There are also templates already built into Kidspiration, including Life Cycles, Wants and Needs, and many more. I can also create ones for you if you can’t find what you need!