Thanks to my colleague Chris for sending me the link to this terrific spreadsheet entitled "Technology Resources". The spreadsheet currently has 437 entries and anyone can add to the list by going to the spreadsheet view. This extensive list categorizes each resource, i.e. animated GIF, avatar creator, conversion tool, curation etc.and links to the person who can offer help. (Website also listed)
Monday, December 22, 2014
Friday, December 19, 2014
PowerPoint Presentations Need a Boost? Here's Some Great Advice
We have all seen it; the teacher who sits with their textbook next to the computer, marking bullets in their PowerPoint presentations. They all look the same. The teacher reads from the screen during presentation. Do the students stay awake? If I was a teenager, I'm not sure I would. I have posted before about ways to make presentations more interesting, and today I would like to add Seth Godin's to the post. Seth mentions how presentations have not really changed over the last few decades. He offers advice that all presenters need to heed. The second one you might have seen here before: "You Suck at PowerPoint!" Both presentations are terrific.
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You Can Now Export Your Citations From EBSCO to EasyBib!
If your school is fortunate enough to have access the EBSCO databases, students can now export their citations directly into EasyBib. Schools with an EasyBib Pro account have the ability to save their bibliographies and come back at another date to finish their work. The following tutorial is based on a school with EBSCO and an EasyBib Pro account. (For a pro account, make sure you or your student is logged into EasyBib BEFORE the steps below.) The bibliography we are making is based on MLA format. If you want another format, you must tell EBSCO under "preferences".
2. Choose which database you wish to use
3. After you search for a specific topic and choose an article,
your screen should look like this one. Choose EXPORT
your screen should look like this one. Choose EXPORT
from the right side of the screen.
4. You will then see the EXPORT MANAGER. Choose DIRECT EXPORT TO EASYBIB.
5. You will be brought to EasyBib and see this screen above. Arrows indicate what you should pick.
6. Presto! Your bibliographic entry is listed.
Problems? Your EBSCO account might not have the export manager activated. Call EBSCO's customer service for help.
Labels:
bibliography,
citations,
cite,
EasyBib,
EasyBib Pro,
EBSCO,
EBSCOHost,
MLA format
The Edublog Awards Process Needs to Change
Let me say up front that my post has nothing to do with the fact that I did not win this year's Best Library/Librarian. When I won last year, I posted my concerns about using Listly for the voting process. This year, I felt compelled to post about changing the entire voting process, and why I feel this way. Of course I am interested in how you all feel, so please post in comments below...
1. The Nomination Process
Things changed a bit this year, and people were not required to post their nominations on their blogs. There was either a form to be submitted or an optional blog posting. Problem #1- Anyone can fill out the form. You can ask a friend, relative, a colleague.
2. The Voting Process
Can you say "popularity contest"? That is really what the voting process is all about. You hustle to get the vote and the one with the most votes wins. Problem #2- Listly. I have already mentioned publicly that this program should not be used for voting. It did not work with iPads or Internet Explorer. And as a nominee, I certainly did not want to know who voted for me, because that also told me who didn't vote for me. ( I'm a sensitive person, and it hurt that I didn't get support from certain people. ) The voting process should be private.
3. How I Would Change The Edublog Awards
It is an honor to be awarded for the work we do as educators. The Edublog Awards would be much more prestigious if a committee was formed (educators*) and those people nominated and chose the winners. If the everything remains the same next year, I will probably withdraw from the competition. Don't take this as a threat. I'm just frustrated. I'll be fine. Congratulations to all the winners. (Though it would have been nicer if the winners blogs were linked right there as they were last year....just sayin')
*I would be more than happy to help out in any way I could with the process....
#eddies2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
43 Free iPad Apps for Geography, History, Civics & Social Studies Teachers
It's becoming a little harder to find free iPad apps, but they are out there. The dwindling school budgets make it difficult to afford the purchase of iPad carts AND apps for each device. When I posted this today, the apps listed below were free. Hope it stays that way. Have a suggestion? Please comment below.
CIVICS
Civic Quotes- "notable quotations from a variety of U.S. government leaders over the years "
Constitution for iPad- a copy of the Constitution on your iPad
Constitution and Federalist Papers- full text of the Constitution, 85 of the Federalist papers and more
My Congress- information on all U.S. Congressional officials
Pocket Law Firm- game
The Presidency- for elementary and middle school students
GEOGRAPHY
3D National Parks Lite- 2 national parks on this version; 28 on the full version
Atlas for iPad
Earth Viewer- "EarthViewer is like a time machine for exploring Earth’s deep history. Based on the latest scientific research, it lets you scroll through the last 4.5 billion years with your fingertips."
Geo Photo Explorer- "an easy way to explore, organize, manage photo galleries and share photos from Google Panoramio and Flick."
Google Earth
History: Maps of the World- interactive maps
Historypin- "reveals photos near your current location and allows you to view them layered over the modern scene in front of you. You can also explore Collections of some of the best old photos from around the world, wherever you are."
Sphere 360º Photography- "See Paris from a hot air balloon, feel the energy from the American ldol stage, and hold onto your raft as you approach Hubbard Glacier."
Stack the States Lite- "learn state capitals, shapes, geographic locations, flags and more"
StrataLogica- much more than a geography reference tool
American Revolution Interactive Timeline for iPad- developed by the Museum of the American Revolution
Beyond Textbooks 2010: American History Games- from Pearson Education
Civil War Lite: History Challenge
Clever Crazes You the Time Traveler- for grades K-8
Discovery Education Techbook- if your school has Discovery Education Social Studies Techbook services
Early Jamestown- interactive textbook tells the story of Jamestown
History Line- "History Line is a collaborative learning game for the iPad focusing on US History. The game can be played by 1-6 players."
iAmerica: The Pocket Guide to United States History and the Presidency
Infinity Ring: Revenge of the Redcoats- "Revenge of the Redcoats is set in Washington, DC, during the War of 1812. Dak, Sera, and fellow HystorianRiq have to convince Dolley Madison to leave the White House—before the SQ burns it to the ground!"
James Madison's Montpelier- "makes history come alive at Montpelier, the historic home and grounds of President James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, and his vivacious wife Dolley. See the Madisons’ works of art and fine china, explore the latest archaeological excavations, and even discover the hiking trails of the Landmark Forest, all in stunning detail with interactive maps and image galleries."
Mapping Revolutionary Boston- interactive map of Boston during 1760s and 1770s
Mission U.S.: Think Fast! About the Pasta- "fast-paced trivia game that introduces hundreds of fascinating facts about different eras of American history."
National Archives Docs Teach- choose from various activities to teach about historic events
The Revolution: Interactive Guide- for high school students
Social Studies Friendzy- for grades K-8
TED Talks- inspiring, motivational talks on various subjects
To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis- photographs, documents, and recording from the National Archives come to life in this app
Today in History Lite- over 100k historical events
U.S. History Timeline
WORLD HISTORY
AP World History- 8,000 BCE to the present
BBC History Magazine- from Romans to Henry VIII to Winston Churchill
Classical World Lite: History Challenge- ancient Greece and Rome
Cold War Lite: History Challenge
European Exploration: The Age of Discovery
Napoleon: History Challenge Lite
World History Games- Middle school; "More than 100 different games cover dozens of topics, such as Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity, The Muslim World, Spread of Civilizations in East Asia, Kingdoms and Trading States of Africa, The Industrial Revolution, World War II and its Aftermath, and more."
WWI Lite: History Challenge
WWII Lite: History Challenge
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Tuesday, December 16, 2014
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...
I know we are close to the holiday break, but if you were looking for any resources, I'm sure you're aware of the giant listing of all holidays I have on the the right side of the blog. This list has many new sites added, and I update What a Listing of Holidays on a regular basis. Happy Holidays!!
10 Christmas Science Activities
A to Z Teacher Stuff- sort resources by age level
Christmas K-3 Theme Page- from Enchanted Learning
Christmas Teacher Resources- from TeacherVision
Christmas Webquest- for younger children
Christmas Worksheets and Printables- from Education.com
Easy Christmas Crafts- from DLTK
K-12 Teacher Resources- nice listing includes lesson plans, worksheets, interactive online activitiesChristmas Webquest- for younger children
Christmas Worksheets and Printables- from Education.com
Easy Christmas Crafts- from DLTK
Puzzles and Word Searches
Super Teacher Worksheets- includes puzzles and Christmas math worksheets
Teacher's Guide to Christmas Holidays- from TeAchnology
Super Teacher Worksheets- includes puzzles and Christmas math worksheets
Teacher's Guide to Christmas Holidays- from TeAchnology
The Teacher's Corner-how Christmas is celebrated around the world
Winter Holidays Around the World- from the Lesson Plans page
Winter Holidays Around the World- from the Lesson Plans page
Monday, December 15, 2014
Collaborating With Reluctant Teachers
Are you a school librarian who is trying to collaborate with a reluctant teacher? I personally have found it difficult to get my teachers engaged on the high school level. With all the new SGO requirements, and PARCC Testing on the horizon, my teachers are more overwhelmed than ever. And overwhelmed teachers do not have any extra room in their schedules. So when I received a request on Twitter about this topic, I thought about the ways that I have attempted to get reluctant teachers involved in a collaboration.
Being the tech-geek that I am, I approached my teachers at the beginning of the school year with an email which listed all the great things I had to offer as the school's media specialist. Keep reminding teachers how collaboration will help them in their classrooms, and how their students will benefit as well. Two teachers are better than one. Here are a few sites I pulled up on the subject......
10 Ways to Change the Minds of Tech-Reluctant Staff
Collaboration and the Learning Community
Increasing Technology Integration Through Collaboration
Between Media Specialists and Teachers
School Library Media Collaborations: Benefits and Barriers
The Teacher's Take: The Instructional Role of the School Librarian
Sign I made for teachers and students
to see how approachable I am.
(modified after I saw this on the Internet-
|
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Celebrating Kwanzaa: 17 Helpful Resources
The African-American holiday Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26th -January 1st. Created in 1965 by Maulana Karenga, it is a celebration of family and culture. The word "Kwanzaa" means "fruits of the harvest."
The African American Holiday Kwanzaa- from the Orange County Register
Apples 4 the Teacher- coloring pages
Kids' Domain- coloring pages
Kwanzaa Celebrations Across the Country- slideshow from the Washington Post
Kwanzaa Free Worksheets- Google search
Kwanzaa Lesson- from EL Civics (ESL)
Kwanzaa Lesson Plans- from TeAchnology
Kwanzaa Videos- from WatchKnowLearn
Kwanzaa Celebrations Across the Country- slideshow from the Washington Post
Kwanzaa Free Worksheets- Google search
Kwanzaa Lesson- from EL Civics (ESL)
Kwanzaa Lesson Plans- from TeAchnology
Kwanzaa Videos- from WatchKnowLearn
Amazing! 74 Infographics for Teacher-Librarians (L.A. Teachers Too!)
When your budget is low on dollars, you need to become creative when it comes to everything in your school library. Since we have a computer lab in our library-media center, (and lots of wall space...) I have decorated the lab with posters and infographics. You might have seen some of my original work, including 7 Things to Know About EBSCO, and the READ poster. There are also many posters which help students format their research paper, search for Google images, and understanding search results. When I began this search I never expected to find so many infographics for school librarians! If you are a language arts teacher, you will also find many related to grammar and reading below.
SCHOOL LIBRARIANS
27 Things Your Teacher-Librarian Does
29 Ways to Stay Creative
ABCs of Information Literacy
All Digital Citizens
27 Things Your Teacher-Librarian Does
29 Ways to Stay Creative
ABCs of Information Literacy
All Digital Citizens
Anatomy of a Librarian
The Aroma of Books
At-A-Glance Comic Tutorials- from the wonderful Daring Librarian
The Benefits of Reading Books
The Aroma of Books
At-A-Glance Comic Tutorials- from the wonderful Daring Librarian
The Benefits of Reading Books
Books VS eBooks
Books Make a Difference in Kids' Lives: The Haves and the Have Nots
Bookworms
Bye-Bye Textbooks: How Digital Devices Are Reshaping Education
Classification Chart: Readers
Components of a 21st Century Classroom
Creative Commons Infographic
Books Make a Difference in Kids' Lives: The Haves and the Have Nots
Bookworms
Bye-Bye Textbooks: How Digital Devices Are Reshaping Education
Classification Chart: Readers
Components of a 21st Century Classroom
Creative Commons Infographic
The Evolution of Typography
Finding Online Images
Formatting Your Research Paper
A General Guide to Understanding Plagiarism- EASYBIB
Google Search Genius
Guide for Your Research Paper
The History of e-Mail
Finding Online Images
Formatting Your Research Paper
A General Guide to Understanding Plagiarism- EASYBIB
Google Search Genius
Guide for Your Research Paper
The History of e-Mail
How Google Works
How to Easily Archive and Embed Tweets Using Search Hash & Google Drive- Daring Librarian
How to Easily Archive and Embed Tweets Using Search Hash & Google Drive- Daring Librarian
A Librarian's Worth Around the World
Library of Congress By Numbers
The Literary Crisis and Kids in America
Library of Congress By Numbers
The Literary Crisis and Kids in America
Most Targeted Books
Myth #4: Librarians Have a Lot of Time to Read
On the Road to Reading
Plagiarism: A Visual Guide
The Power of Reading to Your Children
The Power of Stories and Reading to Spark Children's Potential
Myth #4: Librarians Have a Lot of Time to Read
On the Road to Reading
Plagiarism: A Visual Guide
The Power of Reading to Your Children
The Power of Stories and Reading to Spark Children's Potential
Publishing in the Digital Era
Questions a Critical Thinker Asks
Reading Like a Sleuth
The Rise of eReading
Students Like Social Media
Three Types of Copyright
Questions a Critical Thinker Asks
Reading Like a Sleuth
The Rise of eReading
Students Like Social Media
Three Types of Copyright
LANGUAGE ARTS
10 Do's and Don'ts for Effective Vocabulary Instruction
10 Hyphenation Tips
10 Step Book Report
11 Rules: How and When to Use a Period
12 Most Misunderstood Words in English
15 Most Useful Phrasal Verbs
The 15 Punctuation Marks
21 Rules: How and When to Use a Comma
40 Years of E-books
Apostrophes: The Importance of Good Grammar
The Most Annoying Writing Mistakes
Passive and Non-Aggressive Voices
Past Tense 101
Prepositions
The Top 10 List of Mark Twain's Popular Quotes
Troublesome Words
You Should Read This Before You Write That
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LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?
Follow me on RebelMouse or Twitter, Like me on Facebook or Subscribe to this blog. AND.....Vote for my blog to receive an Edublog Award HERE.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
The Value of Primary Sources
Several summers ago, I took a wonderful course through the University of Wisconsin Stout on teaching with primary sources. (My post on primary sources is HERE.) Over the years, I have kept in touch with the course's professor, Mary Alice Anderson, who has been a terrific source herself. Recently, Mary Alice contributed to the new publication, Interacting with History: Teaching with Primary Sources Edited by Katharine Lehman. Her chapter is entitled, "Discovering Local History Resources in Your Own Backyard." I not only recommend the book, but if you are a media specialist looking for graduate credits, take an online class with Mary Alice!
Monday, December 1, 2014
Linking You to 26 Sites About Hanukkah
December has arrived, and with it three holidays to celebrate. The first one on the calendar is Hanukkah, which has so many different spellings it is bound to confuse most kids. Joe Maller's site lists sixteen different spellings:
Hanukkah : 8,470,000 hits.
Chanukah : 3,390,000 hits.
Hanukah : 862,000 hits.
Hannukah : 677,000 hits.
Chanuka : 335,000 hits.
Chanukkah : 274,000 hits.
Hanuka : 192,000 hits.
Channukah : 128,000 hits.
Chanukka : 116,000 hits.*
Hanukka : 86,300 hits.
Hannuka : 51,400 hits.
Hannukkah : 37,300 hits.
Channuka : 33,600 hits.
Xanuka : 992 hits.
Hannukka : 686 hits.
Channukkah : 508 hits.
Channukka : 489 hits.
Chanuqa : 25 hits.
Here are 26 different sites with wonderful resources for Hanukkah:
AtoZ Teacher Stuff- coloring pages and crafts; sorted by grade level
Class Brain- coloring pages
ESL Holiday Lessons- has a few quizzes and fill in the blanks
Hanukkah- from History.com; information and video
Hanukkah Activities, Projects, and Lesson Plans- The Teacher's Corner
Hanukkah Celebrations Around the World- slideshow
Hanukkah Word Puzzles, Printables
Hanukkah Worksheets- some sheets are for members only; some are free
Hanukkah Worksheets- from SuperTeacherWorksheets
ESL Holiday Lessons- has a few quizzes and fill in the blanks
Hanukkah- from History.com; information and video
Hanukkah Activities, Projects, and Lesson Plans- The Teacher's Corner
Hanukkah Celebrations Around the World- slideshow
Hanukkah Word Puzzles, Printables
Hanukkah Worksheets- some sheets are for members only; some are free
Hanukkah Worksheets- from SuperTeacherWorksheets
Kids' Domain- coloring pages
Menorah Lighting Slideshow
The Story of Hanukkah- from 13 edOnline's Teaching Heritage page
The Story of Hanukkah- printable worksheet fro grades 3-5
Menorah Lighting Slideshow
The Story of Hanukkah- from 13 edOnline's Teaching Heritage page
The Story of Hanukkah- printable worksheet fro grades 3-5
Teacher Planet- lessons and worksheets
TeacherVision's List of Hanukkah Resources- lesson plans, printables, quizzes, slideshows
TeacherVision's List of Hanukkah Resources- lesson plans, printables, quizzes, slideshows
Yahoo! Kids- cards, recipes, history, stories, poems, games
Sunday, November 30, 2014
31 Free iPad Apps for Science Teachers
This year, our science department was lucky enough to receive an iPad cart for their department, so of course I have been on the lookout for any free apps they could use in the classroom. Hope you find some you too can use. Free is always good.
3D Cell
3D Sun
Bill Nye the Science Guy- you watched him as a kid
Dinosaurs 360
Essential Skeleton- covers the anatomy of the skeleton
Explorium-Oceans for Kids
Explorium-Space for Kids- information on the solar system, including games, encyclopedia
Frog Dissection- virtual lab
goREACT- be a virtual chemist with this app
Happy Little Farmer Lite
iCelsius
KidQuest- interactive crafts, experiments, games
LeafSnap- identify tree species
MarcoPolo Weather
Max and Ruby! Science Educational Games for Kids in Preschool and Kindergarten
Molecules
Moon Atlas- 3D globe of the moon
National Parks by National Geographic
Peterson Backyard Birds: A Field Guide to Birds of North America
Quick Periodic Table of Elements
Science 360- news and images from the National Science Foundation
Science Bear- basic concepts of middle school science
Science Glossary
Science Heroes: Digestive System for Kids
SkyORB- " 3D star map, 3D planetarium, ephemeris with notifications, search engine, sun clock, point to sky, weather"
Smithsonian Channel
Solve the Outbreak- students are the "disease detectives"
Thinkrolls
VideoScience- 80 hands-on science lessons
Virtual Heart- real-time views of the human heart
WWF Together- World Wildlife Fund
3D Cell
3D Sun
Bill Nye the Science Guy- you watched him as a kid
Dinosaurs 360
Essential Skeleton- covers the anatomy of the skeleton
Explorium-Oceans for Kids
Explorium-Space for Kids- information on the solar system, including games, encyclopedia
Frog Dissection- virtual lab
goREACT- be a virtual chemist with this app
Happy Little Farmer Lite
iCelsius
KidQuest- interactive crafts, experiments, games
LeafSnap- identify tree species
MarcoPolo Weather
Max and Ruby! Science Educational Games for Kids in Preschool and Kindergarten
Molecules
Moon Atlas- 3D globe of the moon
National Parks by National Geographic
Peterson Backyard Birds: A Field Guide to Birds of North America
Quick Periodic Table of Elements
Science 360- news and images from the National Science Foundation
Science Bear- basic concepts of middle school science
Science Glossary
Science Heroes: Digestive System for Kids
SkyORB- " 3D star map, 3D planetarium, ephemeris with notifications, search engine, sun clock, point to sky, weather"
Smithsonian Channel
Solve the Outbreak- students are the "disease detectives"
Thinkrolls
VideoScience- 80 hands-on science lessons
Virtual Heart- real-time views of the human heart
WWF Together- World Wildlife Fund
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Nominations Now Open for the 2014 Edublog Awards
It's that time of the year, folks. The 11th annual Edublog Awards are accepting nominations from now until November 24, 2014. To make a nomination, simply fill out the form HERE. You may not nominate yourself, but you are free to nominate others in as many categories as you like. This year it is optional if you want to post your nominations on your blog, but feel free to share on Twitter, ( #eddies14 ) Facebook, Google+ and email. Last year's winners are posted HERE. Good luck, everyone!!
Here are the categories:
- Best individual blog
- Best group blog
- Best new blog
- Best class blog
- Best student blog
- Best ed tech / resource sharing blog
- Best teacher blog
- Best library / librarian blog
- Best administrator blog
- Most influential blog post of the year
- Best individual tweeter
- Best twitter hashtag or chat
- Best free web tool
- Best educational use of media (audio / video / visual / podcast)
- Best educational wiki
- Best open PD / unconference / webinar series
- Best educational use of a social network
- Best mobile app
- Lifetime achievement
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