Looking for robot challenges? Be sure to check out our robot site for fun and engaging challenges for Cubelets, Dash and Dot, and LEGO WeDo 2.0! If you would like tutorials and additional resources for the robots check out this site!
As summer approaches I hope we are all able to relax and take time to rejuvenate. If you are looking to find some FREE tech PD the amazing Paul West posted some great options here. I've already signed up for one! Enjoy your summer and see you soon in our amazing buildings!
Many of us have started a blended learning journey! To learn more about Blended Learning from Marcia Kish go here.
As we continue on this path of Blended Learning, taking stock of our many teacher tools is inevitable. As I was scrolling through sites last night I came across this article posted in Cult of Pedagogy. I encourage you to read through to the end of this article and try some of her suggestions for refining your repertoire! Click here to read the article by Jennifer Gonzalez. If this doesn't apply to you...I promise they have something that does! Check out the Cult of Pedagogy blog here. Feel free to email me one you enjoyed as well!
Are you ready to begin the new year? I've always loved how January comes along at about the midway point of the school year..... and it allows us to refresh our classrooms! It's a great time to look at our goals and see what we've accomplished and also what we'd like to accomplish by the end of the school year. What are you goals for the rest of the year? My goals include finding more ways to help classroom teachers as well as students integrate technology! Here are some resources for January that you might find helpful. If you have something you're working on and would like digital resources or ideas of how you could integrate technology I'd love to help!
Here are some fun holiday projects!
Have you heard of the Hour of Code? We will be celebrating the Hour of Code throughout December. If you’ve never heard of the Hour of Code, not a problem! I have pulled resources for you that I think may apply to your grade levels and specialty areas (yes, specials, there are even resources for you!). You’re of course welcome to use ones you already have or resources you’ve found as well! My hope is that you’re able to complete one of the activities during the month of December.
http://bit.ly/hourofcode2017 slideshow of resources
http://bit.ly/codetutorial17 tutorial/explanation of resources
http://bit.ly/hocchallenge Challenge Form to fill out when you’ve completed an activity with your students (bonus entries for pictures of your students coding sent to me!)
Thanksgiving is upon us and if you are looking for digital resources you've come to the right place! The grade levels are just guesstimates! Feel free to send me other resources you've found! Many of these resources would work well to assign in Google Classroom as "each student will get a copy." If you need help adding assignments in google classroom watch this short tutorial here.
Thanksgiving Flipgrid (students record themselves saying what they're thankful for and post to this collaborative wall). Go here for a quick screencast of creating a video. Use this link https://flipgrid.com/d2daae to share this activity with students in Google Classroom.
Transportation Long Ago and Today Hyperdoc (2nd-4th)
Gratitude HyperDoc (5th-6th)
Fall Fun Student Digital Craftivity (2nd-6th)
Disguise a Digital Turkey (2nd-6th)
Build A Digital Turkey (2nd-6th)
Thanksgiving Kahoot (K-3)
Thanksgiving Quiz on Kahoot (3rd-6th)
-create a class padlet with students sharing what they are thankful for
-send the link to a padlet home and have families share a Thanksgiving tradition
-create a grade level padlet and have each class add ideas together (great for K-1)
Thanksgiving logic/math (3rd-6th) Using guests preferences, place them in the appropriate spots at the dinner table.
Turkey Touchdown (4th-6th)
Online Wordsearch (1st-3rd)
Plimoth Plantation Virtual Tour
Thanksgiving Videos (K-1st)
Discovery Education (K-6) Use your school log in and click on Thanksgiving Resources to find a plethora of resources!
ReadWorks (K-6) You'll need an account for these resources. You can search by topic or reading level. This site is able to read the text to students. These articles include questions that are both knowledge based and higher order and includes extended response.
One of the great features in google is Voice Typing. This feature is availabe in Google Docs (but it could be easily copied and pasted into any other Google App). What I love about Voice Typing is that it can help all ages...including adults! Watch the screencast to learn how easy it is to use!
Click here to view ChatterPix on iTunes
PowToon is an awesome site for visual learners. You can use it for differentiation, offering choices for student projects, or for creating your own content! Click on the link below for a free edu account. Even if you already have the free general account I would upgrade to this edu account! The edu account has lots of other options and runs about $90 a year typically! You won't enter any payment info so no need to worry about putting in credit card info and having to remember to delete it later!
Because Powtoon loves teachers who use technology in their classrooms they are giving away free accounts! PowToon sent me a special link for us to use!
Enjoy! Let me know if you sign up!
*Not sure when this will run out! Get it while you can : )
Teachers are so excited about the eclipse we'll see on August 21st... and rightly so! Here are some resources you might find helpful for your students.
I love the free lesson Mystery Science has created for this special event. Click here for the resources. The videos included explain the eclipse in an engaging and fun way! Activities and links to reading passages are also included.
Go here to find fun activities to create excitement with your students. This site includes games, crafts, art projects, snack ideas, and stem activities.
NASA will be live streaming the event here and of course has tons of info and videos to help all ages understand this amazing event!
This Washington Post site here allows viewers to plug in their age and see how many eclipses they might see in their lifetime.
Below is a video from Mr. DiMaio. Your students may love his videos!
Kindergarten Smorgasboard has a free beginning reader about the eclipse you can find here.
Have any great ideas for the eclipse? I've love to hear about them in the comments below!
