Give it a try – search everything!

Interested in how we create the above video?

Xtranormal.

Type in text and it will create a movie.  Super easy.

World Press Photos

Archive of over 10,000 images. “It includes photos that have become icons, by some of the leading names in the profession.”

Creating Characters

Slideshow providing how-to and links to create online characters (avatars)

Screenjelly – What’s on your screen?

Record your computer screen along with audio to upload to your website, email, or twitter.

100+ Google Tricks That Will Save You Time in School

TIME Magazine Archives

ONLINE GRAPHS AND CHARTS

iGoogle:  personalized home page with immediate access to your favorite resources

Ninth grade students in all social studies classes have set up iGoogle pages.  They can add:

Þ Teacher calendars (if RSS feed available)

Þ Resource widgets (search boxes to credible sources)

Þ Current Events

Þ Personalized themes and other gadgets

Þ Calendar

Þ Task/To-Do Widget

iGoogle is a great tool to organize and locate important information.  No longer are students interested in visiting a bunch of different websites to find one piece of information.  Students prefer technology customized to fit their needs.  iGoogle allows students to customize their needs and integrate teacher calendars, library resources, and other organizational tools.

To see a list of available widgets so far, click here for the libguide page.

Want to know how students can add your teacher calendar?

See Stacey’s Video:  How to set up your calendar so students can add to their iGoogle pages

How can students add the calendar?

As promised last month, let’s discuss how Twitter is being used by educators.  (Click here for “What is Twitter?”) 

Ideas from a variety of sources (see resources below).

1.  Use to summarize topic/content viewpoint,
2.  Tweet dialogue between characters of a novel or historical figures.
3.  Use twitterpoll to collect viewpoints.
4.  Share announcements to your students and parents.
5.  Communicate/follow experts.
6.  Monitor where students are in their learning by tweeting a question/answer.
7.  Combine with Google Earth to receive updates on various regions.
8.  Share resources – send hyperlinks.
9.  Twitter as storytelling.
10.  Professional Development – add to your network/followers creating a strong professional learning network.

For more information:
Laura Walker’s, Nine Great Reasons Teachers Should Use Twitter
21 Ways Teachers are using Twitter and Twitter Reading List

What would be the best way to start using Twitter? 
Begin by creating an account and follow someone in your content area or an educational organization. 
Examples of professional twitter accounts-
http://twitter.com/Britannica
http://twitter.com/voicethread
http://twitter.com/dwarlick
http://twitter.com/pbslearningnow
http://twitter.com/ASCD

How is the library using twitter?
Currently, the BVW library has a twitter account that connects to our web page.  As we update twitter, our web page will show the new post. It is a neat way to make announcements to classes or provide quick links to students while they are working in the library.

Shout’em

Want to quickly set up an online discussion with students?  Try Shout’em. Similar to Twitter or an online chat room, students can create online discussions monitored by you.   Jenny Johnson recently had her students use Shout’em as an online class discussion of thesis statements.  The following links show the discussion between her students in Block 1 and Block 3 classes.

http://bvwjohnson1.shoutem.com/

http://bvwjohnson3.shoutem.com/

For more information about Shout’Em – 15 Minute Guide to Microblogging in Education

Jenny Johnson collaborated with the Library Media Specialists for her HCA II classes to use a microblogging site – Shout’em! 

All students logged into the blog and a few students at a time entered their thesis statement.  Students used valuable communication and critical thinking skills as they collaborated with their peers to provide suggestions and input for how each student thesis could improve. 

Students were able to receive instant feedback from their peers and exchange ideas.  The interactive nature of the activity provided an engaging and relatable process for students to connect with the curriculum.

Attend conferences without leaving your classroom or home. 

Many conferences are developing virtually so participants can interact online at a specific time or view the archive at their convenience.  Great presentations can be forwarded or posted on a blog for others to enjoy.  Check out some of the following links. 

K12 Online Conference begins in October.  You can view the archives here from the past year to 2006.  Sessions can be downloaded to your iPod or to your computer including Student Creation of Digital Documentaries, Asking Bigger Questions about Assessment, and presentations by David Warlick.

Smithsonian Education Online Conference Series

7th Annual Online Conference Illinois Teaching & Learning

Below is an example of an online presentation (although lengthy) about effective use of Powerpoint.  (It was rated as one of the best visual presentations given – but you decide…)


How to Create a Great PowerPoint - Take 2.0 from Alvin Trusty on Vimeo.

Mixbooks is a new site that allows users to create an online book.  It is a fabulous digital storytelling site for educators.  Click here for the specific mixbook for educators information. 

Highlighted on the site is a social studies class project on Famous Americans.   See the mixbook.  Below is a quick example I created.  If you are interested in trying this with your students, let us know if we can help. 

| View Sample Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book

Want to incorporate Youtube videos into your classroom?  As of 2008, over 200,000 videos are published on Youtube – each day (Digital Ethnography).  Although Youtube is blocked in our school district, there are many ways to utilize appropriate content in our classrooms.

1.  Teachertube:  Similar to youtube, an online portal for educational type videos.  Teachers are posting their lessons and student work on Teachertube. 

How you can use?

àSearch for videos by content

àPost student work on Teachertube
(What a great way to engage students in the digital world!)

àPost lessons for students and others to access making yourself a part of the educational video dialogue that is occurring right now!

Teacher Tube released the Top 5 videos (see newsletter)

The #1 video viewed on Teachertube – click here.  It has been used to encourage teachers to use digital content in their classrooms.  The video was created by a teacher to show how students use technology daily.  

2.  Utilize Zamzar.com to convert your youtube videos to a windows media file that can be downloaded to your computer.  See the following link for a demonstration of how-to.  

3.  Unitedstreaming.com – Don’t forget the district subscribes to online content through Discovery Education.  If you do not have a log on, see Amanda or Becca for information.