Why can't I turn down the pages?

If you find something you like on a page in a book, what do you do?Turn down page corners ...Underline ...Highlight ...Jot in the margins ...Circle ..Draw stars ...Use sticky notes ...So what do you do when you find a webpage that you like?It can be kinda hard to do the same things ...But some of the Diigo tools can help!Here are some other resources that might help with Diigo too:Diigo in the ClassroomGetting Started with Diigo Educator AccountAn...

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School News: Drum Up Some Business

Let’s see, equipment… check, location… check, now that you have these things setup what’s next?  Hmm… oh yeah I need some backing to make sure that the School News is a success.Me, I’m always one to get permission first rather than ask for forgiveness later.  So I would first talk to your school Principal about this new opportunity at the school to help students with literacy, vocabulary, reading, digital-citizenship, self-confidence and...

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The Instructional Technology Wife Swap

Educators seem to draw inspiration from the funniest areas.  Sometimes lessons evolve from an incredible experience at a teaching conference, and other times teachers just sprinkle clips from “The Simpsons” through a Language Arts presentation to make things a little more engaging.Well, get ready, folks - this epiphany comes to you courtesy of ‘Wife Swap.’In case you’re not familiar with the show, ‘Wife Swap’ takes two diametrically different...

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Symbaloo!!!!!!

When I met with Kindergarten teachers yesterday, one of the teachers said she had seen someone using Symbaloo and would like to learn more about it ...I use Symbaloo EDU many times each day so I was glad to share!We started by looking at one I had created with the sites that I visit often. I explained that having all these sites in one place was a time saver for me! And the fact that I could make it look pretty and colorful only made it better!Then...

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What’s in a name….BYOD, MLC, BYOT?

I have taken a journey over the past 6 months or so regarding my own personal learning as it pertains to the bring your own philosophy in schools.  I have been hearing, seeing, reading and talking about it and never really knew what the big idea was.  It seemed to me to be a good idea but when I would ask people how they were using the devices most of the time I would receive a blank stare or a half-hearted “because they are great for kids...

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Do You Have a PLN?

The last couple of weeks I have had some technology issues that I had either forgotten about or had never heard of before. I started to think of what my resources were to try and find the answers to these issues. My first issue was with flash items no longer working on a SMART Board. In the past, I would call SMART tech support and I could be on hold for a long time. So, I just kept thinking about how I could find out how to fix this problem. Then...

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An Inside Look at School News

Your Principal comes to you and asks you to start up a news broadcast at your school.  What do you do?  Where do you start? Well, it seems like I have been living this dream for a couple of months straight now and want to share some tips and tricks with you on what I have done as I talk with schools. Now this is just what I have done and by no means is the end all be all of setup processes but maybe you can pick up something along the way. ...

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Collaboration in the Digital Classroom

Want to learn more about collaborating in a digital classroom? I am going to offer an online facilitated professional development course called Collaboration in the Digital Classroom. This is from Intel® Teach Elements. Below is a QR code that links to a flyer and video explaining more about the course. Here is a description from Intel® on Collaboration in the Digital Classroom: "Provides an in-depth look at collaboration with a focus...

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Inspiring Curiosity with Cloud Shapes

Several weeks ago on Twitter someone posted a TED Talk. This TED Talk was by Gavin Pretor-Pinney: Cloudy with a Chance of Joy. Now why would I blog about that? Watch the TED Talk below and see what comes to your mind! A couple of things that I really liked was when Gavin was talking about unplugging from everything and just laying back and watching the clouds. He talked about several cloud formations and that got me to thinking about different science standards and how they have to do with cloud shapes. Wouldn't showing this video be a good...

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Rockin' In My School Shoes ....

What was the last song you had stuck in your head?Well, I know what the next song stuck in your head will be ...While visiting Smith Farm Elementary School media center on the first day, I overheard a read-aloud and the song to go with it!You probably guessed that it was a Pete the Cat book!I have had "rockin' in my school shoes" stuck in my head for three days!(Wonderopolis today calls things that get stuck in your head Earworms!)My coworkers smiled...

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Nonfiction LIteracy and Current Events

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STEM: Strategies That Engage Minds

When you hear or think about STEM, what comes to mind?Is it just Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math?Or is it something more?What are the connections between those topics?Is there anything that you do that does not involve one of those areas?I heard a new meaning for the letters in STEM yesterday from Cindy Moss:Strategies That Engage MindsHere are 5 STEM Resources to explore:Engineering is ElementaryConnect A Million MindsEdible Schoolyard...

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Wonderopolis has a new look!

And new features ...You can search by Common Core Standards ...There are even some questions to go along with the text passage ... ...

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Let's Celebrate Children's Book Week!

Did you know it is Children's Book Week?In celebration of Children's Book Week, Here is a list of 10 sites which offer children's books online )most of the offer a read aloud option too):Online Storytime from Barnes and NobleOnline ReadAlouds for KindergartenRead To MeSpeakaboosOnline Picture Books Read AloudBetween the Lions from PBS KidsSillyBooksMighty BookOnline Read Aloud StoriesMem Reads Al...

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Chat With A Future Astronaut

What do you want to be when you grow up?I talked to someone today who has set a goal and is working towards it! As a result of my NASA Launch Adventure, I have become much more interested in things related to NASA, space, and astronauts. That interest led me to Astronaut Abby ... Have You Heard About AstronautAbby?I had such a great chat with her about her dream and the steps she is taking to get there!We recorded the chat so you can watch it below!What is your favorite thing she shared?Did you learn something?I know I did!Abby and I...

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The Good, Bad and Ugly on Ladibug 2.0 Software

2.0 or not 2.0 that will be the question that is answered hopefully at the end of this Blog post.Recently the Lumens company has updated its software for its famous Ladibug brand document cameras (Doc Cam).  When Lumens decided to update from the earlier Queue to Ladibug software it was a huge transition for users to get accustomed to, but was also leaps ahead in the features that it offered.  Now recently, the Ladibug software has gone...

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This Little Teacher Went to the App Store

This little teacher went to the Apple Store.  This little teacher stayed in her classroom.  This little used lots of technology.  This little teacher used none.  This little teacher went wah wah wah all the way home.photo by edenpictures Which little teacher are you?  Which little teacher do you want to be?  These aren’t all the little teachers out there, just the number of toes on one foot!  There are many many...

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Mastery Learning...One teacher's experience!

I was recently at Kennedy Learning Center and observed Yvette Thiel trying mastery learning with her students.  I was blown away by the research, preparation, implementation and reflection that she had done.  I asked her to share her experiences as a guest blogger.  Below is her experiences."I have been experimenting with technology in my 8th grade math class and am able to have one-to-one with students and computers.  Along with this, I have also been experimenting with mastery learning.  There...

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