Weebly Website

This week's Monday Media Minute is a double whammy!

I wanted to show you www.Weebly.com.  Named one of TIME's 50 Best Websites, Weebly gives everyone a surprisingly easy way to create a unique site for free.  The Simpson Media Center website was created using Weebly (FYI, Weebly works best with Google Chrome).  The tool is very user-friendly and offers many easy-to-use options that can really enhance your current site.  If you choose to use Weebly to create your website, you can simply link it to our school website.  Also, you can create a website for specific projects or events.  For example, I created a Book Fair website earlier this year and linked it to the media center site.

I also wanted to share another example with you...  I am currently working on a biography research project with 1st grade.  Students chose a person, researched them with books and PebbleGo, and now we are using Blabberize to present their findings.  I was looking for a good way to showcase their work for parents and each other to see.  So, I created a Weebly for the project.  Please click the link below to check out the Weebly.  This site is a work in progress as the students complete their projects.  Notice what a cute project the Blabberize is!!!  I have already shared Blabberize with you as a Monday Media Minute, but I thought you might want to see some projects from our own students!

http://1stgradeblabberize.weebly.com/

I would be thrilled to get to work with you and/or your class using Blabberize or Weebly.  Both are exciting tools that can really get your students motivated to learn and show off their learning!

Colonial Times Interactive Website

Did you know???

There is a neat interactive website (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/colonialhouse/history/) that focuses on Colonial times.  What was it like to live in 1628 Colonial America? To find out, go to this interactive site by PBS and discover the people, food, clothing, houses and ways of life for Colonists, indentured servants, and Native Americans. The site contains a variety of learning activities including audio, video, quizzes, maps, dress the colonist, and an interactive journey across the ocean. Colonial House is sure to make learning about colonial life more fun and engaging for your students.

Test Prep Help

Did you know???

There is a fun Web 2.0 tool that might come in handy during CRCT prep or any kind of review and practice you are doing in the classroom.  FlipQuiz (http://flipquiz.me/) is a FREE tool that was created to provide educators with a quick way to create gameshow-style boards for test reviews in the classroom. The tool is similar to Jeopardy, but I find it much easier to use than Jeopardy templates I have tried before.  Also, boards can easily be shared across grade levels!

Click here to see a demo of one of the gameboards: http://flipquiz.me/demo

Please let me know if I can help you with this or any other media/technology tool!

Seriously Amazing Website

Did you know???

Smithsonian has created an exciting website that spurs curiosity in children and adults!  At http://seriouslyamazing.si.edu/, they've created seven quirky characters to symbolize the questions the Smithsonian asks and answers every day:

• The Wild represents the diversity of the animal kingdom 
• The Green reflects the wonder of the natural landscape 
• The New is where technology and creativity collide
• The Masterpiece embodies artistic expression
• The Storyteller is about America, its people and the tales they tell
• The Discoverer explores our world and the universe

Seriously Amazing links the knowledge and resources of the Smithsonian Institution and sparks a spirit of inquiry for students in grades 3-12.

Tip: Challenge students to select one of the 6 areas of exploration and learn 5 new facts to share with the class.

If you need help with this or any other media/technology tool, please let me know!

Create a Graph!

Did you know???

There is a cool online tool created by the National Center for Education Statistics where students can create bar, line, area, pie, and XY graphs.  The tool is very user-friendly.  Students simply choose a type of graph.  They are then offered blank fields for titles and labels.  They can also choose colors and values.  Try it out at http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx.

If you need help with this or any other media/technology tool, please let me know!

Free Online Study Tool

Did you know???

There is an excellent online study tool available for free called Quizlet.  Quizlet is a free website that offers six different study modes:

Flashcards - Flip through to become familiar with material.
Learn - Track progress and review incorrect answers.
Scatter - Match words to their definitions.
Speller - Type what you hear (multiple languages).
Test - Take an automatically graded quiz.
Space Race - Type words before their definition disappears from the screen.

Users may find or create the material they need to learn.  Teachers can also create quizlets for their students.  You could even post a link to the quizlet on your website.

Click this link to see a sample quizlet on the Revolutionary War.  Be sure to try out all six modes!

If you need help with this or any other media/technology tool, please let me know!

Comic Strip Creation Tool

Did you know???

There are several free comic strip creation tools available online.  You can create your own comics to use in your classroom, or you can engage your students by giving them the opportunity to create their own comic strip on a content area topic.  The comic strip creation tool recommended on Gwinnett's Teacher Connection Technology Resource page is www.MakeBeliefsComix.com.  To try out the tool, I quickly created this silly comic strip.  Take a look: http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/?comix_id=6151390C1189537

If you need help with this or any other media/technology tool, please let me know!

Virtual Field Trips

Did you know???

You can take your students on virtual field trips to a variety of historic and educational destinations.  I have listed just a few below.  Enjoy your trip!

7 Wonders Panoramas – 360-degree views of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Arounder Virtual Tour of the Moon – 360-degree panoramic views of the moon, courtesy of the Apollo 11, 12 and 17 missions. (Many other Earth locations also available on arounder.com.)

Google Earth – Explore the geography of both land and sea (free download).

Louvre Virtual Tour – Virtual tour of the world-famous Louvre museum in Paris.


Mount St. Helens 360 – See how the volcano Mount St. Helens changed in the three-year span between 2003 and 2006 with these 360-degree panoramas.


Mount Vernon Virtual Mansion Tour – Virtual tour of George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon.

Smithsonian National Museum of National History Virtual Tour – Take a virtual walking tour of the entire Smithsonian National Museum of National History.


Smithsonian National Museum of National History Dinosaur Tour – A virtual tour of dinosaur fossils.


Smithsonian National Museum of National History Dinosaur Dig – An interactive virtual paleontological dig for dinosaur bones.


Supreme Court Tour – A 360-degree exploration of the U.S. Supreme Court building.


Tour of Colonial Williamsburg – A virtual tour of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.


US Capitol Virtual Tour – Virtual tour of the US Capitol, with clickable areas to learn more about the building’s history.


A Virtual Journey into the Universe – Explore our solar system with a variety of interactive tools.

Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society Life-Size Blue Whale – Feel what it’s like to swim alongside a blue whale.

Math Games Galore!

Did you know???

If you are searching for math based games then look no further than Hooda Games. They have dozens upon dozens of math games for kids of all ages. Their huge game collection can be searched by math topic or by grade level. The site also has a  nice selection of math tutorials from the site's You Tube channel.

If you need help with this or any other technology tool, please let me know!

Sing!

Did you know???

Sing About Science is a continually growing database of songs and videos related to science, math, social studies, and language arts.  Some of these songs and videos will cost money, but many of them are FREE! There is also a lesson plan section that offers plans for PreK through college graduate school.  I am new to this site, but so far I have found it filled with useful resources!

If you need help with this or any other media/technology tool, please let me know!

Differentiated Non-Fiction Reading

Did you know???

There is a great, free resource for informational reading on current events at Newsela.  Newsela is an innovative way for students to build reading comprehension with nonfiction that's always relevant: daily news. Newsela builds close reading and critical thinking skills. Give your students a new way to climb the staircase of nonfiction reading comprehension, from third grade to college-ready. Newsela automatically gives each student the version of an article that's just right for his or her reading ability, and an easier or harder version of each article is just a click away. Articles are accompanied by Common Core-aligned quizzes to provide quick and powerful feedback. You'll always know whether your students are on track and where they're falling short.

I am SO excited about this site.  I love that you can choose the same article, but get multiple versions of it to meet the individual needs of your students.  What a great tool for differentiation!

If you need help with this or any other media/technology, please let me know!

Read to Succeed!

Did you know???

Read to Succeed is an exciting program that encourages students in grades K through 6 to read for fun. Students who complete six hours of recreational reading earn a free ticket to Six Flags! The program is available to teachers and schools at no cost to participate, and it's a great way to motivate kids to read. The program deadline is March 3, 2014 at 5pm CST.

Registration is now available for the Six Flags Read to Succeed program.  Here is the website:

Read to Succeed Website

There are two parts to the program, the handwritten part and the online part. Both need to be completed to earn tickets.

1. The Student Reading Logs are handwritten by the students/parents as they log their minutes from reading. Students need to turn the logs into their teacher. Starting this year, teachers will NOT have to mail the Student Reading Logs in. However, we do ask that teachers save the completed Student Reading Logs for future reference. We may also conduct periodic reviews of Student Reading Logs, so please keep the Student Reading Logs in your files.

2. Educators will need to register online if they did not participate last year. Once you are registered, you will have an online account. You will need to enter your students’ names and total hours they have read in your online account.

Things to note:

• This is an optional program.  If you registered last year, you do not need to set up a new account. 
• Students can start logging their reading right away, so sign up as soon as you can.
• Once you register, you can download the reading log to copy for students.  (Linking the log to your website might also be helpful!) 

Reading Log

Parent Letter

• If you register at least 1 student and log their reading hours, you will receive one free teacher ticket to Six Flags.
• The deadline for entering your students' reading hours is March 3, 2014.  Any entries made after this deadline will NOT get their free Six Flags ticket.
• Students must complete 6 hours of recreational, NON-SCHOOL-RELATED reading.

Let me know if you have any questions or need help setting up your account.

Flocabulary!

Did you know???

Flocabulary is an online library of songs, videos and activities for grades K-12.

There's a Flocab for that.
Whether you're teaching elementary math or high school English, Flocabulary has hundreds of songs and videos to engage your students and bring your lessons to life.

Tackle the Common Core.
Flocabulary songs, videos and exercises will help you meet Common Core objectives in ELA and math. Their engaging material for social studies and science supports interdisciplinary literacy practice.

Customize your experience.
Flocabulary videos are designed to fit into your curriculum wherever you need them. With the digital subscription, all you have to do is log in and press play. Use the videos and lessons flexibly for introduction, enrichment, differentiated instruction and test prep. Then save videos to your favorites for easy access during class.

Flocabulary has some videos that are free. These free videos change periodically.  There is also a free 14 day trial.

If you would like help with this or any other media/technology tool, please let me know!

Virtual Board with Sticky Notes

Did You Know???

The same tool Leela is using on our staff website can also be used in the classroom with your students? Padlet (www.padlet.com) is a virtual board with sticky notes that can be easily moved, shared, and embedded. There are several views, including something that looks more like a scrollable blog, and it’s easy to personalize the experience and organize notes. The privacy and moderation settings make it easy for students to become members of a board where a teacher can post resources and encourage them to do the same. It’s a great way to quickly share resources with your kids and moderate what they post.  It's also a useful tool for activating prior knowledge, checking for understanding, and providing collaborative opportunities for students.

Check out this link to see a few examples of how a teacher is using Padlet in her elementary classroom:

http://www.techitikes.com/2013/06/sharing-information-with-padlet.html

Multimedia Reading Resource

Did You Know???

GCPS has added a resource to the Online Research Library called TeachingBooks.net.  I briefly introduced the parapros to this resource during our recent professional learning session, and I hope to use some upcoming PL time to work with our teachers using TeachingBooks.  In the meantime, here is some information about what this database has to offer.

TeachingBooks.net is an easy-to-use website that adds a multimedia dimension to the reading experiences of children's and young adult books. The online database is developed and maintained to include thousands of resources about fiction and nonfiction books used in the K–12 environment, with every resource selected to encourage the integration of multimedia author and book materials into reading and library activities.

Author resources include:
Meet the Author movies
Written interviews
Guest blog posts
Audio name pronunciations
Author interview

Book Resources include:
Book Apps
Book guides and lesson plans
Book readings
Book trailers
Book websites
Movie and TV adaptation websites

TeachingBooks.net can be found in the Online Research Library under Professional Resources.

Creating Lessons Around YouTube Videos

Did you know???

There is a cool tool called TED-Ed (http://ed.ted.com/lessons) that allows teachers to create and share lessons built around YouTube videos.  Within the growing TED-Ed video library, you will find carefully curated educational videos, many of which represent collaborations between talented educators and animators nominated through the TED-Ed platform. This platform also allows users to take any useful educational video, not just TED's, and easily create a customized lesson around the video. The lesson creator allows users to:

1) FIND video content through an integrated search panel
2) SELECT a video or lesson to be customized
3) FLIP a video by adding questions, notes, and content.

The TEDEd library is continually growing and is searchable and browsable by series and subject. Tip: The best lessons are curated by volunteer teachers and TEDEd and compiled under the Best Flips tab. If you're looking for teaching inspiration, look no further!

On a Quest for a Great WebQuest?

Did you know???

There is a free database that contains thousands of WebQuests on a variety of topics.  A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.  Visit www.zunal.com to access already created WebQuests or to create your own.  Free features include:

· Choose from 100 Templates
· Add Unlimited Files and Pictures
· Embed Videos from YouTube or other video websites.
· Embed Voki Presentations
· Embed Glogster Presentations
· Add Unlimited Pages
· Add Table / Rubric
· Create a Quiz
· Create an FAQ Page
· Add a Photo Gallery
· Google Map Activity
· Add a WebQuest Game: Hangman
· Add Pre-Test & Post-Test

Check out http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=4 to see an interesting WebQuest example on The Five Senses.

Love That Book!

Did you know???

GCPS offers some wonderful programming that you can use to enhance teaching and learning in your classroom.  One such program is called, "Love That Book!"  In this program, storyteller and author Carmen Deedy brings books to life on location.  Carmen tells viewers about her favorite books while she visits sites related to the theme of the stories.  For example, in a recent episode entitled, "Carmen at the Library," the author discusses Bats at the Library by Brian Lies, The Library by Sarah Stewart, and Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk.  She also visits and shares information about her public library.  There are several episodes of "Love That Book" available online at http://gwinnett.k12.ga.us/lovethatbook.  Check it out!

How Can We Reduce Garbage?

Did you know???

Garbology (http://www.naturebridge.org/garbology.php) is an exciting and interactive website that answers the question, "Where should my waste go?" It helps elementary-age students better understand how they can reduce trash and stop polluting. In addition to the interactive game, the “For Teachers” section includes nine lesson plans and five fact sheets.  The “For Students” section includes a waste assessment and seven useful handouts. The “For Families” section will inspire families to reduce and recycle.  You'll find lessons and activities to extend your Garbology experience, from how to pack a waste-less lunch to getting the dirt on composting. Plus, read the Trash Talk blog for stories of Garbology in practice.

Looking for High Interest Informational Text?

Did you know??? 

There is a child-centered website called Youngzine (http://www.youngzine.org/) that provides informational articles, images, and videos about world news, science and technology, society and arts, movies, and books. School-age children are encouraged to respond to the content and may submit articles, short stories, and book reviews. All content is reviewed by Youngzine’s editors and updated every two weeks. The site is geared toward students in grades K-8.

 Tip: Do you and your students discuss current events? Use Youngzine as a springboard for these weekly or daily discussions. Students can post comments and reflections in the comments section.