Box of Tricks

Each time I find a new site or read about a new idea for incorporating technology into the classroom, I think 'Wow! How cool is that?'

I also tend to think what could possibly be next!

Well, I have found the next thing: Box of Tricks

Check out this site for some fantastic ideas when you are planning your next lesson!

LibGuides

Need a place to organize everything?

Try setting up an account in LibGuides.

There is a fee, though, so you might give LiveBinders a try. It is a very similar organization tool and at this time it is free!

A great example and it also has lots of information that will help make your technology experience in the classroom so much better is here: Joyce Valenza LibGuides!

I am amazed at the amount of great information that can be found here!

Check it out!

Tweeting

Are you an avid 'tweeter?'

I need to utilize Twitter more than I am currently doing.

I ran across some information about a great site--Tweeted Times--through an awesome library blogger, The Unpretentious Librarian. What a great find! ...both the site and the information about Tweeted Times. To read more of her post, click here.

Essentially, this site is a real-time personal newspaper produced from tweets that are on your Twitter account. It is rebuilt every hour and is compiled with the most popular tweets within your account.

This would be great to use in the classroom with kids by setting up a classroom Twitter account and linking your students in. Of course, there would need to be guidelines set as to appropriate posts and keeping your tweets on task to the assignment, but what a fun way to share information or use as a review tool in your classroom in preparation for those upcoming benchmarks, end of course and semester exams!

I hope your holidays are merry and bright!

Shout out to Naomi Bates...an amazing techie librarian! I am not sure how she gets everything done that she does: book reviews, book trailers, tech advice, app information...and the list goes on!

She posted this on LinkedIn and I just needed to share it!

Integrating iPad Apps Into High School Content.

This is set up in LiveBinders and if you have never used them, they are a great way to organize your 'stuff!'

The apps are divided by subject content. Click away and enjoy!

I hope you will find ones that work for your area!

Oh, yes....Naomi can be found here: Naomi at ScoopIt, Naomi at Google+, Naomi's Blog and Naomi at LinkedIn.

eBooks

eBooks have recently become my passion. I honestly never thought that I would like reading books on a device. I wanted to 'feel' that paper when I turned each page...I wanted the weight of the book in my hands.

Well.......I have definitely changed my way of thinking about reading! I love borrowing books from The Tom Green Public Library out of San Angelo and from the Houston Public Library. If you want to know how to do this from central Texas, just let me know and I will be glad to send you the step-by-step instructions.

I also follow two websites, each of who send me a daily email on free and bargain ebooks of the day. They are BookBub and Digital Book Spot.

I just ran across this on Pinterest: http://www.livingfrugaltips.com/finance-and-tech/17-best-websites-to-download-free-ebooks/

I am definitely going to have to check it out!!!!

Great Library Blogs

I am always excited when I find great library blogs because libraries are my passion!

Here are some great blogs to follow:

Ms O Reads Books

Naomi Bates

Pamela Thompson

Redhead Resourceress

Top 25 Librarian Bloggers

Biblia, the Warrior Librarian

Mundie Moms 

The UnPretentious Librarian

If you find others, please share by commenting below!

Pinners to Follow

If you are interested in educational pins, the best way to get started is by following some trusted 'educational' pinners. Once your home feed starts populating educational feeds, it is easy to find other pinners with the same interests.

Listed below are some great pinners to start your educational pinning:

Deb Henkes - http://pinterest.com/dhenkes/

Indiana eLearning - http://pinterest.com/INelearn/

Theresa Cullen - http://pinterest.com/theresaacullen/

Jon Samuelson - http://pinterest.com/ipadsammy/

Eric Sheninger - http://pinterest.com/esheninger/

and, of course, me!! LOL!!

Pam McGhee -  http://pinterest.com/DigitalDiva201/

For all you librarians out there...I just found a great pinner:
Zelia Carson -  http://pinterest.com/zmcarlson/


Want to add even more great pinners? Who are the people above following? Click on their "Following" tab to see if you want to add those to your following list.

Have you found a really great board or pin or pinner? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Remember: You don't have to follow every board of each person you follow!

Happy Pinning!!

Pinterest for Teachers and Students

The more I explore Pinterest for educational purposes, the more I am fascinated by all of the amazing, creative material that I find...and so much of it is free!

You can collaborate with other teachers, share boards, share ideas, develop lesson plans and so much more!

Check out this website by Wendy Piersall. She developed the Classroom Jr website and has filled it with so many teaching resources--information, ideas, crafts, etc., all for the classroom teacher.

Wait! But what about your students? Visit The Woo! Jr and The Woo! Jr Pinterest boards to involve your students in that creative journey!

Student Created eBooks

I just read an awesome blog entry about students creating their own ebooks. 1st through 5th grade students authored their own ebooks!

Once the books met a specific criteria, the school librarian cataloged those books into the school's online catalog so that they were available for other student and teachers to read! How awesome is that?

Students used an app called Book Creator and had to research their information.

If this sounds like a project that you are interested in, visit this site for more detailed information:
part 1:
http://www.follettsoftware.com/LibraryConnections/archives.cfm/date/2013/7

part 2:
http://www.follettsoftware.com/LibraryConnections/archives.cfm/date/2013/8

Samples of 1st grade authored ebooks:
http://blog.springfield.k12.or.us/weslibrary/mrs-pattersons-ebooks-2/

Criteria for creating an ebook for the library collection:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_ysUQ7z-O38q87IFlqiNyZ5a-pUYiLEqzniZbKzLW9o/edit

QR Codes

QR codes are becoming increasingly popular in the classroom.

For an easily adaptable lesson to any subject matter, visit this site: Learning With iPads.

Use this with World Geography to study a specific country or countries, English to study poetry or specific authors, or even Foreign Language class to find translations or cultural information.

Don't overlook the power of QR Codes!

50 Really Useful iPad Tips and Tricks

I have not had a chance to really dig into this website, but so far everything I have read about the various tips and tricks with an iPad has been very useful!

I also notice a link on the site for 80 Free iPad Apps for 2013 and 70 Best Top iPad Games for 2013!

Be sure to visit this one for some great ideas!

Webinars for specific activities

I have been watching some pre-recorded webinars by Kathy Schrock. She is so good at showing you examples of how to incorporate specific apps into Bloom's Taxonomy and then using them in the classroom.

Be sure to check out her website here and also her updated Taxonomy Wheel that I included in an earlier post here.

Once on her website, scroll down until you see:

ONLINE TOOLS AND MOBILE APPS TO TARGET BLOOM'S TAXONOMY
EDWEB WEBINARS SUPPORT MATERIAL 2012-2013

She has some great ideas!!

Apps...apps everywhere!

I am constantly amazed by the number of apps that are available and how they can be adapted for the classroom! Just doing a general browse the other day on the Internet, I ran across this: 20 Amazing iPad apps for Educators.

This also has some excellent tips:  K-12 News, Lessons & Shared ResourcesBy Teachers, For Teachers.

Transportation, copyright, iBooks and more

What a great idea for a transportation unit for Kindergarten students:

http://langwitches.org/blog/2013/05/18/amplification-transportation-survey/

This site is filled with ideas for using technology in the classroom and also pulling in iPads and various apps: http://langwitches.org.

You can also subscribe to receive ideas and updates by email.

I have an iPad...now what?

I found a great site for step-by-step information when you are just starting out trying to incorporate iPads and apps into your classroom.

What do you do if you only have one iPad? How can you use it with a classroom of kids?

What can you do if you have a room full of kids and you are actually lucky enough to have a class set of iPads.

What are some great teacher apps? ...student apps?

What are some basic tips for the iPad?

This site has some great information that can help answer all those questions...from teacher apps, student apps, iPad 101 and more!

Be sure to visit IPAD 4 SCHOOLS.

Pinterest and Education...especially using apps and iPads

Are you a Pinterest aficionado? I admit...I am completely addicted. I have lost track of how many boards I have and how many people I am following!

If you want to find out what Pinterest has for apps and iPads, be sure to follow this user: http://pinterest.com/techchef4u/ipad-lessons/

These two ladies really have some great ideas!

I have added several iPad apps and how to use them in the classroom to my board: Awesome Apps.

I have a few more ideas in this board: Educate.

If you have not discovered all the great tips for education, technology and classroom ideas, check it out soon!!!!

QR Codes in the Classroom

There are so many things that you can do with QR Codes.

One suggestion is to have your students write a short book review (teaching summarizing) and then post the reviews on your website. Or perhaps, you can talk the librarian into posting them on her library website. The QR codes can be posted throughout the school and you can also attach the QR codes to the book in the library.

Another suggestion is to do a scavenger hunt around the school. Maybe your students have a spelling list, are going on a trip (geography), or some other type of activity.

For a great step-by-step guide to completing a QR Code activity, click here. For more great information using an iPad, go to iPad4Schools.

iPad Fluency

Have been reading through a great blog by Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano!

Her premise is that we need to help our students develop iPad fluency. "Using iPads in the classroom with your students is more than choosing and letting them use apps."

Visit Langwitches Blog to read in detail how we can help our students reach this goal!

What to post....where do I post it?

OK, so now we know that all these web 2.0 tools are great! ...and apps...well they are just plain fun. But...and it is a big one...how do we use them in the classroom and with our students? Here is a link to a chart that might help you answer that question.

Check out this link for great information on using iPads and other technology with your students.

Langwitches.org/blog

Bits, Bytes & Nibbles

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