Christina Smith's Tech Talk

New Great Resources

2012-01-18T12:18:00.001-08:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More education

Google Tools

2010-11-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

Click on this great publication in order to learn some of the great things that are included in Google. Enjoy!

Open publication - Free publishing

Ocoee Middle School - Keep Reading!

2010-05-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

Elementary Teacher Resources

2010-05-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

Elementary Teacher Resources

Best of History Web Sites

2010-02-02T07:07:00.000-08:00

"Best of History Web Sites is an award-winning portal that contains annotated links to over 1200 history web sites as well as links to hundreds of quality K-12 history lesson plans, history teacher guides, history activities, history games, history quizzes, and more."

This is a great collection of educational resources for students and teachers.....check it out!!

Acadamy of Achievement Website

2010-02-02T06:46:00.000-08:00

"The Academy of Achievement brings students face-to-face with the extraordinary leaders, the visionaries, and the pioneers who have helped shape our world"

This is set up like a virtual museum, where you can walk through the halls and learn about these incredible people. It is definitely worth taking a look at.....check it out

Google Earth

2010-01-31T18:00:00.000-08:00

Google Earth has to be one of the coolest free tools out there. Some teachers have used it to show far away lands, found places from books etc....This is a great guide for those teachers interested in creating their own Google Earth trip. If you don't already have this in your classroom, download it @ earth.google.com .

Google Earth Across the Curriculum -

PBS Interactive Whiteboard Activities

2010-01-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

This is a great website for young kids from PreK-2. There are some activities for upper elementary grades as well.

Interactive Whiteboard Resources

2010-01-21T16:06:00.000-08:00

Smartmeasurement

This is a wiki set up for teachers to teach math units. It has some great resources on measurement, weight, volume, money, parameter & area, temperature and angles. The wiki breaks the links into grade levels as well.

National Library of Virtual Maniputlatives

2010-01-20T09:55:00.000-08:00

Tia is one of the best site to find great interactive math online. this is appropriate for k-12 grade levels.

Interactivate Math

2010-01-20T09:43:00.000-08:00

There are many interactive lessons for Number and Operations, Geometry, Algebra, Probability, statistics and modeling.

This would be nice to use with the interactive whiteboard.....

HippoCampus

2010-01-20T06:59:00.000-08:00

HippoCampus offers multimedia lessons to help with the above subjects. Teachers can create custom pages for their classes. Great resource...check it out!!

Do you have a digital wish?

2009-06-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

Digital Wish

"Every teacher has the power to earn funding at Digital Wish. Like a wedding registry, teachers make their technology wishes public and tell their story, so that anyone can make a donation to their classroom's cart. Registered teachers will automatically qualify for 43 new technology grants from Olympus and Tool Factory, including a Mobile Digital Camera Lab. Grants are then awarded to the teachers with the best all-around class profile and lesson plans. Regardless of whether teachers win a grant,their story will be available for any potential donor to read, and later contribute to. The Digital Wish web site also features a library of grant links and fund raising resources to help educators find additional funding for technology. There is also an extensive library of lesson plans so that educators can find ideas for digital projects." (e-School News.com)

For teachers that have great ideas, but know that funding issues will stand in the way.....

Classroom Resources about Germs and Disease

2009-05-07T05:22:00.000-07:00

Thinkfinity.com was kind enough to send me this link of games, lessons and resources to teach kids about the spread of germs and disease. This is a great way for teachers and school personnel to keep kids safe and have fun learning about it!

Classroom Resources about Germs and Disease

Online Resources for Teachers

2009-04-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

Today we are looking a online resources for Teachers in the classroom. It is an expansive concept to cover in a three hour session, however I am going to try to explain....What is web 2.0, How can we use some of these tools for personal use as well as with our students, and give you a base to get excited about new technologies:-)

Follow the link to our Syllabus

Elementary

Middle School

High School

Saxon Math Online Activities

2009-04-08T05:38:00.000-07:00

Knowing that many of our Elementary teachers are using the Saxon Math series with their students, I did some research to find resources to accompany this series. Most of these lessons are interactive, so they would work beautifully with the interactive whiteboard. I have had many teachers ask for these. Here is what I have found....have fun!

http://saxonpublishers.harcourtachieve.com/HA/Resources/Saxon/MathLandingPage.aspx This is a List of Saxon Books that are available. Click on your book in order to find interactive lesson coinciding with your text lessons.
http://saxonpublishers.harcourtachieve.com/HA/Resources/ResourceCenter/RCSearch.aspx Teacher resources for Saxon. Including searchable lesson plans, interactives, teacher notes and much more.....

Mind Mapping

2009-03-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

bubble.us Create Mind Maps for free.

Gliffy Sign-up and save your mind maps.

Mindmeister Share and create mind maps for free.

Text 2 Mind Map Create an outline and have it create a map.

Mind42

Streaming Video in Education

2009-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

What did we ever do before Streaming Video?

Here are some places to explore.....

www.PowerMediaPlus.com - abundance of videos for education (free for educators...see your librarian for the passcode_

SLLBoces Learning Resource Center

TeacherTube - Teachers post videos for other teachers

SchoolTube - Students and teachers can use this as a safe and free place to share media with the world

SchoolsTube - Another resource for teachers to share and create streaming video. Safe and free.

Snagfilms.com - You can find worlds best documentaries and brings them to you.

YouTube - Allows anyone to upload and share video. (blocked in most districts)

Freedocumentaries.org - Stream or download free documentaries

EduBlog.TV - Educational Videos

Libraries Created for Educators

Springfield High School Library_Streaming Videos - a link that will bring you to hundreds of streaming video resources broken into subject area.

SCCHS Library_Streaming Videos - Many links to other Streaming Resources for Teachers

100 Awesome Classoorm Videos - for teachers to learn more by watching videos

Video converters for FREE

www.zamzar.com - free online converter. Place the URL in the converter and it will convert it to WMP, MOV and many others

Utube download and convert

Thirty-Eight Interesting Way to use your Interactive Whiteboard

2009-03-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

Google Earth 5 - New 3D Ocean

2009-03-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

This video shows how the new Google Earth has added the oceans to the application. It is a great tool to show students what lays beneath the ocean. Check it out.......

2009-02-07T10:28:00.000-08:00

this is a list of many useful Social Studies links for teachers. This is a wiki that will help you find things that you can use within the classroom.

Freetecg4teachers

Big Universe: A World of Online Children's Books

2009-02-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

This is a great resource for teachers using the Interactive Whiteboard. You can read and edit books right on your board. Kids can also create and share their own books with the class as well. Share your books within the big universe community.

National Geogaphic Does it Again!

2009-02-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

National Geographic has created this website for students to have a better understanding of biomes and different animal species. There are facts about the animals as well as videos to go along with each segment. Dinosaurs are also included! Within the website there are also other games and interactive lessons you can share with your students

This would be a great resource to use with the interactive whiteboard to bring the curriculum to life.

Online Safety

2009-02-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

There are many web sites that allow teachers, parents and students learn about the hazards of being part of the www. These are links that will help you teach these subjects to the younger generation.

Keepsafe Videos, tutorials, family activities. there are also games and printables for kids.

NetSmartz Great information and lesson plans for teaching online safety.

NetSmartz Kids Games that teach internet safety for kids

NetSmartz Teens Comics and videos geared toward teens.

Cyber smart K-8 curriculum to teach computer ethics and safety

isafe Full curriculum online. Includes: Video training, lessons, webcasts and much more

My Space Safety Teach kids how to protect themselves using My Space.

First Research-Based Cyber Bullying Awareness Curriculum Launched in Partnership with Leading Education Organizations

2009-02-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

FIRST RESEARCH-BASED CYBER BULLYING AWARENESS CURRICULUM LAUNCHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADING EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS

Internet Safety & Copyright

2009-02-03T07:35:00.000-08:00

I recently read an article in the District Administration magazine that referenced the 2008 National Cyber Ethics, Cyber Safety, Cyber Security (C3) Baseline Study conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Educational Technology, Policy Research and Outreach (ETPRO). I went to the ETPRO website and found some really useful resources for educators. http://www.edtechpolicy.org/C3Institute/cyberethics.html#online

Here's a good one to use when teaching students about copyright.

Copyright for Kids

Cyber Nation

2009-02-03T06:52:00.000-08:00

This is an online nation simulation for students. Students can create and manage their own nations anywhere in the world. Give the nation a name and capital; choose the type of government, religion, ethnicity, tax rate and currency type. Practice your economics, government and sociology skills by building your nation into a thriving environment for your citizens by purchasing infrastructure, land, technology, and military. Develop national improvements to build your nation, develop your own foreign policy and trade agreements, and rule your people according to your choosing and see how your nation progresses among other nations.

Resource: Excel Lesson Plans

2009-02-03T06:28:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of resources available on the Internet for Microsoft Excel Lesson Plans.

1. Microsoft web site lesson plans - All grade levels are represented

2. Excel in the Classroom - List of resources for teachers....tutorials, web sites etc...

3. Let's Go Shopping! - Great introductory lesson for kids to make a connection to the use of Excel.

4. Computer Lesson Plans and Links - Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint lesson plans.

Coming Full Circle

2009-01-26T15:56:00.000-08:00

Video from Edutopia.com

This is an example of a school that uses technology to connect students to relevant, engaged learning.

Make Comics Online

2009-01-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

There are so many online Web 2.0 tools to utilize. One type is the online comic creators. Here are just a few that are available online and are completely FREE.

This is a great online comic creator website. I have used this in order to do political cartooning with high school students. The kids really had to use higher order thinking in order to create their comics.

Make Beliefs, like other comic strip creation tools, provides teachers with a way to get students to write in a manner that doesn't feel like a traditional writing assignment. The option to create comic strips in seven different languages makes Make Beliefs useful for foreign language teachers as well as ESL/EFL teacher.

See the following lesson plan created with this tool . The Lesson is for a 4th grade Social Studies activity incorporating the SMART board.

Childopia

2009-01-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

A wonderful resource of interactive games for music, memory, language, math, skills, creativity and observation. lessons work well with the interactive whiteboard.

Worth looking at!

Elementary Math Manipulatives for SMART Notebook

2009-01-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

Jeopardy Template for Teachers

2009-01-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

Jeopardy is a great way to review covered materials in an exciting way. This works well with the interactive whiteboard as well.

Interactive Art Sites for All!

2009-01-24T13:13:00.000-08:00

This web site was created by a k12 school in Virginia. It is comprised of links to many interactive art web sites for both elementary and Middle school students. There is much to explore...enjoy!

http://www.rcs.k12.va.us/art/links2.htm

Making Change Made Fun

2009-01-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

This is a fun game the works with students learning to make change. This is a difficult concept for children. Why not make it fun!

Science Up Close - Interactive Science Lessons Grades K-6

2009-01-22T07:31:00.001-08:00

Science Up Close is a great resource for teachers Grade 1-6. These can be used with any Interactive Whiteboard (SMARTboard, Promethean etc.....). Let's engage our students with this fun interactive science website.

Worth taking a look!

Befunkey With Your Pictures

2009-01-22T06:47:00.000-08:00

Befunkey is a fun way to take pictures and generate new digital mediums. This is just a FREE fun way to incorporate technology into art!

This is my art that I created in Picassa, and transformed in befunkey.

Super Math World

2009-01-22T06:03:00.000-08:00

Super Math World is a website for Math teachers. It is focused on upper elementary level to lower high school level. The interactive aspect of this website makes a great SMARTboard lessons to share with the kids. Currently there is a free trial until January that you could take advantage of. However, they offer three free activities for each section without a subscription. To take advantage of the free subscription, use the login "janfree" (without the quotations). For subscription information, you can go to their About page.

Worth taking a look!

Astronomy Simulations

2009-01-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::800::600::/sites/dl/free/0072482621/78778/Lunar_Nav.swf::Lunar%20Phases%20Interactive

This interactive by McGraw Hill helps illustrate the concept of seasons by providing users with a series of tools to manipulate and observe this cycle. Change the Earth's inclination, the speed in which it travels, and how seasons would both feel and appear if our inclination was set to that of other planets. There's also great background information available here as well.

Mark Hannah, Tech & Learning, April 15th, 2008

More Great interactive simulations can be found at Astronomy Interactives.

Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement

2009-01-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

Wonderful resource that give timelines and additional links to great information.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/special/mlk/

Using the SMART Board to Create Art

2009-01-14T05:53:00.000-08:00

I currently saw a very creative way to utilize technology in art. The lesson was a wonderful example if technology Integration. Tim Brown, Brasher Falls Central School used the SMART Board as a canvas to replicate works done by renowned artist Jackson Pollack. He used a video camera to capture the experience. The end result was fantastic! He said that the kids truly loved the experience.

Tim will be showcasing this lesson at the Technology Fair hosted by Brasher Falls Central School on March 20th (Regional Staff Day)

As a follow-up to this lesson it was suggested that you could use the video capure feature in the SMART notebook software to capture each stroke that the kids made.

Classroom 2.0

2009-01-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

Classroom 2.0

This is a collaborative Blog that allows teachers from all over the world to share and collaborate about technology integration. Teachers can enhance students learning, by exploring how technologies have been used by other teachers around the globe. Teachers reach out for teachers to do classroom to classroom projects from around the globe.

This is a great example of creating a community using the new paradigm called web.2.0!

Downloading PDF Add-in for Microsoft Word 2007

2009-01-13T07:26:00.000-08:00

There have been many calls and emails about how to convert a MS Word 2007 document into a PDF file. Well, I am going to bring you through the process to see if you have the PDF add-in has been downloaded onto your computer.

1. Finding if the add-in is actually installed...... watch video

2. If not How do you install it? Lets download it from Microsoft (free download) Click on Download and the process will begin. When this is downloaded onto your computer the Save as - PDF or XPS file should be working:-)

Web 2.0 - What are you talking about?

2009-01-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

Many teachers see the words Web 2.0 and they have no idea what it means or how it would apply to their teaching. I wanted to show a quick video which will help clarify of its importance in today's classrooms.

After watching this it puts the future of our students into prospective. We need to teach them how to think in a world that is in constant change. Which means that we need to be constantly trying new ways of teaching. Web 2.0 provides a great collaborative atmosphere for teachers, students, parents and the entire world!!!! It gives our students a worldwide audience for their work. That is the most motivating factor there is.....a purpose.

I will be sharing with you a plethora of Web 2.0 resources that I have found during my explorations and experiences in k-12 education. Sharing what students and teachers from all over the world have accomplished in their classrooms using these FREE tools.

Lets begin our journey.........................