Posted by cindy under
Announcements,
Blogging
I am shocked at how few posts I’ve written lately, but things are extremely busy around here at the moment. Between our new technology feeder pattern schools and gearing up for GOT TECH 2010 (MCS’s summer technology institute for students), I haven’t had much time on my hands.
One of our MCS teachers, Karen Vogelsang, has started a blog that should be of particular interest to first grade teachers in the Memphis City Schools system. I received this descriptive email from her today:
As you may or may not know, first grade students are assessed based on standards in all of the content areas. In the NE region we have met each quarter to discuss the challenges we face with this new way of assessing our students. Because the meetings have only happened once a quarter and A LOT of info is discussed and shared, I created a blog as a means for 1st grade teachers to talk about the things that are working (or not). Click here for the link.
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SMART Board
There are some great SMART Board training resources (for both PC and Mac platforms) available at SMART Board Revolution. Definitely worth a look if you are fortunate enough to have access to an interactive whiteboard in your classroom. And while I’m on the topic of SMART Boards, there are wonderful video tutorials at Teacher Online Training which can help you learn to make your own content and use this resource effectively. Not free – but worth it if you have an interest in this area.
Posted by cindy under
Announcements,
Conferences
Yesterday, I received the following information from Jason Bedell, a school librarian with the Clarksville Montgomery County Schools. Thought I would pass it along. If you’re in the area, you may want to check it out:
I would like to let you know about an exciting opportunity. I am planning, organizing, and hosting a TeachMeet Conference at the Nashville Public Library on April 1 and 2. If you’re not familiar with TeachMeet, see http://teachmeet.pbworks.com. It is focused on using technology to foster positive change. It’s a really cool idea where normal teachers host a conference for other teachers. Anyone can attend, anyone can present. It will be completely free of cost. I will be providing free lunch, some breakfast items, and refreshment throughout the day, as well as free ed tech giveaways. I would like to ask for the participation of teachers, librarians, and technology coaches in the conference. All school districts and libraries within driving distance are being invited with some people coming from as far away as Kansas City, Missouri, and Van Meter, Iowa. If you have time, feel free to take a look at the tentative schedule of events. All conference information is listed on our public wiki, http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com. Presentation consists of 3-4 15-minute presentations on a given topic in an hour, right after another. There will also be an interactive lesson planning workshop and more spontaneous round table discussions.
Posted by cindy under
SMART Board,
Science
If you love interactive whiteboards, you have to love James Hollis. I’ve learned more about SMART Boards from his Teachers Love SMART Boards site than from anywhere else. In fact I just signed up for the Teacher Online Training that he offers (you can get 50% off right now for the first month’s subscription). Mr. Hollis’s January 26 post about Biology Animations is great! Here are some sites he highlights in that post:
Image credit: http://www.stolaf.edu/people/giannini/cell.html
Posted by cindy under
Announcements
Who has not thrilled to the 2010 Winter Olympics? It’s incredible to see the fruition of so many years of dedication and hard work on the part of so many athletes, coaches, parents, and others. I especially love to witness the grace of the figure skaters. Your students may be interested in exploring the Ancient Olympics, a special exhibit of the Perseus Digital Library, as well. See what you think!
TES iboard is a great site for primary school kids! It’s full of eye-catching, interactive, educational activities ranging from math to science to literacy (and more!) The activities are great for use with a SMART Board or by students working alone (or in pairs) at a computer. Teachers of little ones, you don’t want to miss this!
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Photography
Need a quick and easy way to create slideshows for posting on the web? You may want to try
PhotoPeach. Really simple and attractive. You can add both music and text to your presentation AND it isn’t currently blocked in our school district. Instructions for adding text can be found
here under the topic
Spicing Up Your Posts.
Posted by cindy under
Math
Posted by cindy under
Math,
World Languages
I love this online clock showing both analog and digital time. Users have several options for the clock’s appearance (themes around the clock face are clickable). Also, if you click on the red fish in the bottom left corner, you will be taken to the site’s home page. Great for young kids learning French!
Posted by cindy under
Announcements,
Conferences
It’s almost conference time! Join us on December 9 & 10 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN for a wonderful time exploring technology integration topics and rubbing elbows with like-minded teachers! Keynote speakers include Hall Davidson, John Seely Brown, Bill Rust, and Alan November. There are 84 break-out sessions over the two days and it promises to be an exciting time. If you haven’t registered, click here. See you soon!
