FLIPSNACK

This is a great tool. Copy what you have created in PDF form to a Flip Book. This site also has easy tools for podcasts; banners; photos; videos; and quizzes.
Cool Stuff!

Science Videos and other stuff....

The Wild Classroom currently has a video that features Moab on its start page! This site is all about our wild world. It contains both short podcasts and longer videos: ecology-based biology and biodiversity videos and activities. Pretty Cool! http://www.thewildclassroom.com/

For those of you with an iPad or Touch here is an app with APPS ~KINDERTOWN: http://www.kindertown.com/ An app store for kinder parents or grandparents so you can find REALLY good apps to put on your device for the younger kids that are not just games. Touted to be all educational and reviewed by educators.

Simple Science Videos from Free Tech4 Teachers http://vimeo.com/user697789/videos short, kinda dorky, but memorable songs and videos for science

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TENMARKS: an online math supplement for your curriculum: http://www.tenmarks.com/tmother/teacher-index You do need to create an account but it is free. I haven’t checked for ads.

WIRED TO LEARN: http://challenge.appup.com/#Challenges This is a CONTEST to win $25,000 for our school. We would need one person to write a 500 word essay on why we need the technology and then get people to vote for our essay. Small schools have won these kinds of contests by utilizing their social network connections of every person in their schools and getting the local news involved… any takers????

SHARING

I would like to share this video on sharing with others that I got from Richard Byrne’s site (where I get a lot of sites and inspiration ~ Thanks Richard!). He got this from somewhere else, but that is the whole point of sharing…..

MATH

So this time I'm going to give you some math sites that have been rattling around in my bookmarks. ENJOY!

K-5 TEACHING RESOURCES for MATH: http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/index.html

WOW! This site is amazing. Much of the site is free downloads to enhance whatever it is you are currently teaching. I was looking for activities on Problems Solving and Math Journaling this weekend and hit the jackpot. They have a download for math journaling that looks incredible. I am getting it today. (It does cost $7.00 however). If you are interested in seeing it, let me know.
They also have a monthly newsletter that you can subscribe to.

http://mrsspruiellatschool.weebly.com/math-journal-resources.html This site has incredible amounts of information on “Guided Math”. This is like teaching with centers or rotations. Great Ideas and things to print and use.

MATH GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS FOR 4^th grade: http://www.sw-georgia.resa.k12.ga.us/MGO_Grade4_8_1.html

SOME Fact Games:
http://www.multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm

http://www.fun4thebrain.com/addition.html

http://www.fun4thebrain.com/subtraction.html

Happy Halloween

 So here's my gatherings for this weekend... Hope Halloween doesn't suck your enthusiasm out of you this week....

Some Veteran’s Day links:
http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate_americas_freedoms.asp
http://www.va.gov/kids/k-5/multicontent.asp?intPageId=3

READY-TO-GO: TeachersFirst’s ready-to-go, projectable classroom activities are designed for either whole class or student-centered use. (some really cool stuff here) http://www.teachersfirst.com/exclusives/ready-to-go.cfm

FEATURED SITES:
http://www.teachersfirst.com/feature-arch.cfm?id=288

For those of you who are thinking outside the box (or at least trying to) when it comes to math instruction… here’s an interesting TED TALK…
http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-to-help-stop-math-from-sucking.html

Lastly.... For those interested in how we might use ipads in the classroom…..
http://mediaspecialistsguide.blogspot.com/2011/10/38-sites-on-using-ipads-in-classroom.html#.Tqta02BveLG

Remind 101

This is an interesting tool that I am looking into using. REMIND 101 . It is a broadcast text messaging service. Phone numbers are NOT exchanged. Parents or students must sign up for the service. You can send out reminders to parents or students about upcoming class activities; field trips; tests; programs... anything that all of your class needs to know about.

Cool Cat Teacher Blog: 10 Ways to be a Terrible Teacher

Cool Cat Teacher Blog: 10 Ways to be a Terrible Teacher: Teaching is a noble calling. That is why when a teacher doesn't behave nobly it breaks trust and we get upset. I have to admit that I've h...

Random sites this week....

Globetracker's Mission is just one week from its official embarkation date. Read the preview episode now, then pack your bags. Plan to travel throughout North America via weekly episodes from October 23 until late April. Your students in grades 2-6 will learn standards-aligned geography, map skills, landforms, and more by following Geo and Meri's weekly blog. Vote to decide what the teens should do next. If you have Google Earth, trace the Mission with the Google Earth files offered with each episode. Find Globetracker's Mission any time from the TeachersFirst home page, under "Ready to Go."

http://www.abcya.com/ Computer Activities by grade level.

Mummy http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/MUS/ED/mummy.html
A site for virtual mummification… includes instructions! 

You might want to consider signing up for the newsletter from We Are Teachers…. Great information, ideas and leads on grants big and small… http://www.weareteachers.com/

Have a great week! 

Focus on Science

WOW.... I haven't posted for a while... :-) ... guess we've all been kinda busy. 

This week I thought I would search through my bookmarks for SCIENCE Resources for everyone.

BBC – those folks across the pond have some really incredible online resources for their teachers. This one called Science Clips is divided up by age groups so you will have to sift through them. You may find content for 7 year olds that fits into our 5^th or sixth grade curriculum. Pretty cool though….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml

And one more from the UK -- http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/

Our own UEN has science interactives also. Third and fourth are on top, scroll down to see fifth and sixth:  http://www.uen.org/3-6interactives/science.shtml 

[UEN does not have a K-2 SCIENCE section but has a list of interactives  here: http://www.uen.org/k-2interactives/index.shtml  ]

UEN also sponsors the new version of sci-ber text. Sci-ber text is an online textbook written by Utah Science teachers (quite a while ago). It has content area reading and activities: 3^rd – 9^th grades http://www.uen.org/core/science/sciber/sciber4/
For those who like the original Sciber Text, it is here: http://utahscience.oremjr.alpine.k12.ut.us/

Windows2universe: I just stumbled on to this one. Has lots of “hands-on” activities>
http://www.windows2universe.org/php/teacher_resources/activity.php

 

Baltimore County Schools- This site is organized by their grade level standards—a bit different from ours, but LOTS of ideas and resources—you will need some time for this unless you are looking for a specific topic: http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/curric/elem/Escience.html

 

Science Spot - I have used this site for years. Lots of really usable stuff. This is the main site: http://sciencespot.net/ which is directed at Middle School but has lots of good ideas. My favorite section is the KidZone: (which is not linked to the main page) http://sciencespot.net/Pages/kidzone.html

This site is a list of really old “hands on” activities that have been around for ages. So old, in fact, you can tell some were typed on a typewriter. Most are very solid and classic learning activities.
http://youth.net/cec/cecsci/sci-elem.html

Have fun and teach some "hands on" science this week! 

Some Stuff I Forgot

When I sent the last Blog in I forgot to add these items... someone asked me about The Hat... and someone else asked about a timer; so here you go...... 

5 Simple timers to use with your projector: count up or count down; some with sound effects.

The Hat: Randomly selects names that you put into the Hat. Will also do partners. 

Stuff You Gotta Try: a cornucopia of STUFF…. This site is amazing. Be sure to check out the Blue LINKS at the top of the page too.

GLOBETRACKER and other fun stuff

This is a website program that I have used intermittently over the last couple of years. It is an interactive story for kids in grades 2-6 that teaches geography skills. The story is different each year. During each weekly episode the two characters, Mary and Geo, report about their adventures of working for their Uncle GT. There are pictures, content reading, vocabulary, clues to consider, and maps. Google Maps applications are used but not required to learn and enjoy.Your class can even vote on which direction the story should take. It also has a Twitter account so kids can track it if they have accounts, or you can track it via your teacher account.

This year's storyline takes the kids through North America. The program runs from October through April, with a review in May. THIS link will take you to the informational page. The Preview Episode is HERE.

If you want to use this program and you think you may need some help, let me know. I will be glad to stop by and give you a hand. 
There are a couple of teacher sites that I use that I have passed along before to various folks. Check them out and see if they would help you:

  http://www.HaveFunTeaching.com this one is mostly for primary teachers. Lots of cool learning songs. Fourth and fifth graders may enjoy this too.

     http://www.survivingateacherssalary.com  Tips and deals, coupons and information on stuff for teachers.     www.freetech4teachers.com   Sometimes amazing ideas and online links for teachers trying to integrate technology.

Short Videos

This video is from a site I found this weekend called "The Kid Should See This". It is a collection of videos that kids should see... art, music, science, and just fun stuff. Great for those 'Gap Times'. Take a look and check back often.

Got Research????

Thanks Richard Byrne at Free Technology for Teachers for this terrific link. If you are teaching your kids to research this is a great resource for you and for them.
Interactive Research Map

Build Your Own with no ads

Here are some tested sites for educators:  click here

Wall Wisher

This is an easy tool for you to use on your UEN site for kids to answer questions- or to use in class or the lab...

WALL WISHER

WELCOME BACK!

Hope you are all having a great end-of-summer week. Technology in the building is still random. The labs are up and functioning and I was able to print a few things. Try to be kind to the “ink budget”.
Anyone interested in some re-fresher time, let me know. I’m sure the tech department will be around to tell us all how to log into our computers since all of our log-in and passwords will have been changed.

 If you are still “shopping” my Blogger-friend, Crystal, over at “Surviving a Teacher’s Salary”; http://www.survivingateacherssalary.com/ has posted all of the popular sale prices for cool teacher stuff. Great Give-aways too.

Then, Richard @ Free Technology For Teachers has a list of seven places to get free stuff and free money for teachers: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/08/7-places-to-get-free-supplies-or-money.html

And there is also the Pets-In-The-Classroom grant that I posted last year: http://www.petsintheclassroom.org/ - This one will help with direct costs of having a pet in the classroom. Not a bad deal, if you have an existing pet or want to get one.

See you all next week!

lg