Best of 2011

Here is the best teacher links of 2011 suggested through
many blogs. There is a lot to explore so take your time. I
hope you can find something that will enhance your teaching.

1. 2011 Told through Twitter feeds.

2. The best digital books of 2011– This links will take you to a blog where
the author gives their opinion of the best digital books of 2011.

3. Edutopia- Best of 2011 Educational Resources and articles. Lots of reading
here.

4. Top 12 video writing prompts of 2011-From Teach Hub.com. This is a
great resource for out of the ordinary writing prompts. Inspire your students.

5. TeachHub.com also posted the Top 10 Educational videos of 2011.

6. Bonus: Project 365-Some people have a blog where they blog a picture
everyday. Some pictures are of the blog author, some of the same topic,
and some are of what ever they find interesting. My favorite is the Everything
burger blog.

I hope you can find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do,
please make a comment.

Christmas Links Part Two

Christmas is once again the focus of our clicks. These links not only are for you to use with your class but with your children, or grandchildren, during the holidays. Have fun exploring.

1. History of the Christmas tree. This infograph shows the history of the Christmas tree.

2. Santafilbricks for kids– This is a matching game. You must match the bricks before the row gets ot the bottom. Once it gets to the bottom the game is over.

3. 12ways to e learning-This is a livebinder with many professional development opportunities that you can do online at any time. I might wait until spring break of summer vacation.

4. SantaTracker– Here’s something we didn’t have when I was a kid. Not only does it track Santa but there is a new game each day.

5. UniqueGingerbreadcookies-Tired of the regular gingerbread cookies. Here are some unique ideas from a blog called “Cute food for Kids.”

6. Bonus: Interactive Advent Calendar-Here is an advent calendar with many, many activities to explore.

I hope you can find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

Christmas Links Part One

With Christmas fast approaching I thought it would be nice to have some Christmas links not only to do with your class but with your children during the holidays. Have fun exploring.
1. How stuff works from TLC has some Christmas Carols games.

2. TeachHub has the top 10 Holiday Activities.

3. Kirigami for kids-Origami is folding paper but Kirigami is cutting paper. Hoe fun making snowflakes and many other things.

4. Digital snowflakes This site has music you can play while creating. It may be good for smart board or mimeo. It would go well with the biography Snowflake Bentley and we have a copy in the library.

5. 12 Days of Christmas– There are only 5 links for the 12 days of Christmas. The 5th is the Ultimate Winter Resources for teachers. I believe they have redeemed themselves with this one.

6.Bonus: Northpole.com– Many, many activities here to include writing personalized stories. May be fun for your class party on Friday.
I hope you can find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

Electronic Book Reports-Setting the stage

We will continue this week with our electronic book reports with a focus on setting this time.

1. Museum Box – Students can build a collection of things that represent a character, a setting, and/or plot. Very fun and interactive. You can use the things that are on the site already or upload your photos. It does require a user name and password.

2. Magazine Cover: Big huge labs has several great digital projects for students. This link will take you to the page to create a magazine cover. Students should have a template before going to this site as you cannot save to the site. Upload a picture and then add in the text. Font size and color can be change. These can be printed out but not saved.

3. Photo Time Lines – There are three photo timelines that you could use for history projects or projects for a book report. Photos can be uploaded and put into a time line. It reminds me of Animoto but it is linear. Those three sites are: VuVox, Tiki-Toki, and Capzules. Use the one that is most useful to you. All three sites do require you to create a user name and password since you will be uploading pictures to their site.

4. The Newspaper Generator: The link will take you to a site that will help you create a newspaper article. There is a caution to not use real newspaper titles. The image can be downloaded and then put on a website or printed out.

I hope you can find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

Electronic Book Reports-Meet the Cast

Late in October I went to a workshop at Region 12 with a focus on electronic book reports. These next few Clicks will be from that workshop. These are clicks that I found more useful and more fun for kids.

1. Scholastic ’ s Character Scrapbook – This great part of Scholastic ’ s site will allow students to create an avatar of the character and tell you a lot about the character. It can be printed out but can not be saved so a template should be created for the student to use as a prewriting tool.

2. Bio-Cube – This is from Read-Write-Think and comes with a planning sheet. It is designed for a biography type project and can be printed out. It can be hard to change sides of the cube. Check it out before assigning to your students.

3. My Fake Wall – Here is a site that you can create a fake Facebook page. There is a page already made and you must make the changes. Here is a link for a template for this activity.

4. Fake Tweet Builder- This site is where students can create a conversation between characters or interview a character from a book or from history.

5. Talking Characters: There are several sites where students can create an avatar or use a picture and record a voice to make the picture or avatar talk. Those sites are:
Voki – create an avatar and then record your voice.
Blabberize- Use photos to create a talking photo.
Fotobabble – Use photos to create a talking photo.

6. Bonus: Voicethread- Students can create a voice thread and others can comment on it. Good for biography reports or report on a book. Can be put on line or viewed digitally. Can also be used for digital storytelling.

I hope you can find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

Language Arts-Writing

This week ’ s click are focused around language arts. The clicks I have looked at this week an be used as writing tools. They go from teaching the skills to actually using and creating things. I hope you and your students have fun with these things. If you or your students create something make sure you share it on your website or through email.

1. LittleBirdTales- Students can create a story using this online activity. You need to create a free account and there is an option to create a school account. Students can upload pictures for their pages and then type and/or narrate the story. This could be used as a writing activity or for a narrated report. You can save contacts so you can email the finished project to a grandparent or parent.

2. Fake iPhone Text – Students can type in conversations between two characters in a novel, two people in history, or could do an interview of a character in a book or history. You type in a conversation between two people and then you click create it takes out who the people are. You could create a conversation between two characters in a novel you are reading and based on the conversation the students could infer who are the speakers. You can use it from the link or download on to your computer.

3. Skillswise-English- This site, from the BBC, is designed for adults to work on basic language skills, but could be useful in an elementary classroom or if you know of an adult who needs to and wants to work on their language skills. There are simple games and short videos that will bring home the point in minimal of time. Topics include Reading, Writing, Spelling ( caution here the English spell things differently at times ) Word and sentence grammar, and speaking and listening. The videos could be useful as an anticipatory set or in providing purpose as to why we teach these skills. The videos are of adults using the skills in real life.

4. Toondoo- This is a cartoon developer. Students can write and illustrate their own cartoons. Could be used in may different subject areas. This could be used as a Rockin Reader project. You do need a user name and password to create, but access is instant. Have fun!

5. ZooBurst – First you need to create a login. Once logged in you can create a profile. While the basic account is free, if you want more features there is a monthly fee. You must write something on the page before the pictures will move to the page. Colors can be changed and pictures can be uploaded.

I hope you can find something you can use. If you do, please make a comment.

Math-Facts and Problem Solving Two

This week ’ s clicks, once again, are all about Math. I found too much good stuff in my search to hit you all at once. These can be used for instruction with the mimeo, an independent activity or put on your web site. If you find something in your search for sources, please let me know so that the resource can be shared with others. I hope you are able to find something in here you can use in your classrooms.

1. Fuelthebrain.com – Here is a great game to challenge students. There are One Hundred Boxes numbering from 1 to 100. Addition and Subtraction problems are given one at a time with one of the boxes as the answer. The home page for Fuel the Brain.com has some downloadable games and printables such as Pumpkin Concentration with versions that cover number dots, multiplication facts for 2s and 3s or addition.

2. IXLLearning – Search for activities by grade level and/or state standard.

3. Mathopolis- This site has a Question of the Day and Math Quizzes. It starts at Year 3 and goes to Years 9-12 which indicated this site is from Canada or England as they use Year instead of Grade. This site is sponsored by Math is Fun.

4. MathChimp – This site is free but you need to create a login. They have games organized by grade level and common core standards. Might be good for a center or to put on you web site.

5. Brainbashers.com – Here is a site that is great for a rainy Saturday or a holiday when you have nothing to do. There is a potpourri of wonderful activities and interesting stuff. This might be a good site to have to give those kids who are done with everything and tell them to “ E xplore this site and let me know what you found. ”

Math-Facts and Problem Solving

This week ’ s clicks are all about Math. If you find something in your search for resources, please let me know so that the resource can be shared with others. I hope you are able to find something in here you can use in your classrooms.

1. NOYCE Foundation – This site focuses on Math and Science. The link will take you to a long list of activities at many different levels. The main focus is Problem Solving. Some are simple questions that could be used as warm-ups and others could be used as questions to provide more practice for students. You might also want to make some of these a “ Problem of the Week ” and award a prize for all those students who get it correct.


2. Arcademicskillbuilders.com – Here is a great site to practice basic math facts and have fun.

3. Crickweb.co.uk – This site has many different Math activities with topics like money, geometry, and basic facts. It also is organized by grade levels.

4. E-Learningforkids.org – This site is good for Smartboard or mimeo activities and is divided into subjects and grade levels. The link will take you to the math portion of the site but many other subjects are available.

5. Thinking Blocks.com – This site has instructional videos and independent practice that can be tracked. Certificates can also be printed for levels that have been completed. It was designed for homeschooling or classroom use. The main topics it covers is addition, multiplication, fractions, and ratios. There is a modeling tool that students can use to model problems from their homework.

6. BONUS: Mathplayground.com– Here is a site that is great for a rainy Saturday or a holiday when you need something to do. There is a potpourri of wonderful activities and interesting stuff but the link takes you to the problem solving page. This might be a good site to have to give those kids who are done with everything and tell them to “ Explore this site and let me know what you found.”

I hope you can find something you can use. If you do, please make a comment.

Science

This week’s clicks are all about Science. I hope you are able to find something in here you can use in your classrooms.

1. Webelements– Here is an entire website devoted to the periodic table of elements. If you need a chart of the elements, there is one here along with other periodic table items that you can purchase. You can click on each of the elements on the table and it connects you to a page all about the element.

2. Mr. Wylie’s Educational Game Site– This site is divided into the four different types of science to sort the activities. Students can spend hours here learning and having fun at the same time.

3. Nobelprize.org– Educational games centered around science.

4. Science Kids– This site claims to bring science and technology together. There are experiments, games, facts, quizzes and projects as well as lessons, videos, and images.

5. NASA’s Space place– Neat site with a focus on Space.

6. Bonus– How to smile.org– Create a user account (free) and subscribe to this site. Its like a Facebook type site where you can contribute to resources or comment on activities posted. It is searchable and is supported financially by the National Science Foundation. Enjoy!

I hope you can find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

Reading, Writing and ebooks

This week ’ s clicks are all about Reading, Writing, and ebooks. I hope you are able to find something in here you can use in your classrooms.

1. Storybird is a site where students can read books written or write their own stories. This link takes you to a tour of Storybird that only takes a few minutes and tells you everything you need to know to get started. It was brought to my attention by a student last year so you know it has to be good if she took the time to tell an adult.

2. Children ’ s Books Forever is where you can find ebooks for your students to read.

3. Lulu is a site where you can create and publish your own books. They can be ebooks, poetry, cookbooks, calendars etc. If you are wanting to read the ebooks I believe there maybe a charge. You could create your own ebook and then set up a price and charge for it.

4. DigitalStorytelling. No newsletter about reading and writing would be complete without a link to some digital storytelling sites. Here is a link from Richard Byrne who has a great blog titled Free Technology For Teachers. He is a great source as I get great stuff from him quite frequently. The Digital Storytelling link is from a presentation he did at the Washington Library Media Association convention. It may be a little overwhelming. Just explore one link at a time.

5. Readworks.org- Here is a link that has reading skills and lesson plans on teaching the skills. Great resource.

6. Bonus: The Tell Tale Heart – Here is a Halloween story by Edgar Allen Poe. It ’ s one of my favorites. You might want to preview it before showing it to students.

I hope you can find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

Columbus Day- a Week of Exploration

This week’s clicks are all about Christopher Columbus. If you have a subscription to BrainPop. There is a video there and some activities like a quiz, a page that would be good for note taking during the video and a vocabulary page.I hope you area able to find something in here you can use in your classrooms.

1. Teacher Planet has some coloring pages, a song, and some arts and crafts activities. More coloring pages here from another source.


2. The Mariners Museum in Newport News Va., has an Age of Exploration free curriculum guide with lesson plans, videos, and activities. (They also have a great distance learning program for $125 that would be like a field trip. They also send activities and lessons to do with your students before and after the program. There are many programs.)

3. West with Columbus :Here is a board game. There are two pages. Students will learn north, south, east and west.

4. The Holiday Zone has a reading comprehension passage, vocabulary sheet and may more activities.


5. Powerpoints from Phillip Martin


6. Bonus Link from Kids Connect. There are many additional links for your exploration. Some are better than others. All are free so watch out for those pesky adds.


I hope you find something useful. If you do please make a comment.

Math-Place Value

This week’s clicks are all about place value. The focus of my searches will be to find activities that you can do with your students on the mimeo or set up as a learning center that will reinforce the low SEs of not only the district but of our campus as well. I hope you area able to find something in here you can use in your classrooms.

1. Place value from Toon University. Students need to change words to numbers and visa-versa. Three different levels. Very challenging and entertaining.

2. Here is another game from Funbrain where students click on the place value. There are several levels that go from easy to super brain which includes decimals. Find the level that is right for your students.

3. Here is a fun one from LearningBox where students build the number using place value rods. If you don’t have place value rods you can use this activity.

4. This website, called Base 10 block, will replace the base 10 blocks you check out of the library. You can give students the problems and they can create it. Great for the mimeo or Smartboard.

5. Math Play.com has several different place value games for various skills. Choose the one that is right for your students.

6. Bonus Click: Hardcourt School Publishers has interactive games that go with their textbooks. Here is the link for Math.

I hope you find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

Poetry Part Two

In my search for poetry sites, I found too many good ones to be contained in one issue. So here is another issue made up of poetry links and things to think about. Choose your favorites and share on the blog. Enjoy.

1. Fizzy Funny Fuzzy Poetry– All kinds of poems can be found here. There is even a section where you can listen to the poems instead of reading them.

2. From PBS an interview with Nikki Grimes on how her childhood influences her work.

3. Poetry Archive-Included in this wonderful site are a variety of poets, lesson plans and a glossary of poetic terms. You may create a user name and password to log in. The site is from the UK.

4. This link, titled The Poetry Place, is from Mifflin County School District in PA.

5. Books can be written in Poetry format such as Love That Dog or Hate That Cat both by Sharon Creech and Where I live by Eileen Spinelli. Love That Dog and Where I live were both on the Bluebonnet list at one point in time. Both are very easy to read and bring home the point that poetry need not rhyme.

6. Bonus link: Something to think about. Music as Poetry lesson plan. Step-by-Step directions.

I hope you find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

Poetry

Poetry is often left out of the elementary classroom or just tucked in during Poetry month in April or after “The Test.” Here are some sites for you to use through out the year. Choose your favorites and share on the blog.

1. Definitions of Different types of poetry are found here. It is totally free so watch out for ads.

2. Need a thesaurus? No All you need is Rhyme Zone. While not all poetry needs to rhyme, this site will help you find words and phrases that will rhyme. It’s free so watch for ads.

3. Poetry4kids is a neat site. There are videos and games geared towards poetry. There is a social part of it too as you can create an account and have them email you weekly funny poems. Create an account and you have access to contests, forums, journal and create your own journal. There is a page that will link you to may authors of poetry.

4. Funny poetry for children is a site by Meadowbrook press which publishes a lot of poetry books for children. There is poetry theater here along with some great poetry. Watch for sales on this site.

5. Poem Creator There is an Acrostic and shape poem creator as well as others. Watch for links that want you to pay.

6. Bonus: Haiku maker. I did this as an activity with 4th and 5th grade last year. You can print out their creations too! Kids seemed to enjoy it.

I hope you find something you can use. If you do, please make a comment.

Traditional Literature

One of the genres that is studied this six weeks is Traditional Literature. I wanted to give you some clicks that would help you when you do get to Traditional Literature should it not be this six weeks.

1. Learning to Give is a website with many folktales and myths for you to use. The stories are used to build character in the listeners. Some just give a summary. Some are the entire story. Watch for the links that want you to purchase something.

2. American Folklore Great site with lots of choices for stories. Folk tales to tall tales.

3. RickWalton Many stores to choose from. Stories are in alphabetical order.

4. Scholastic has a great site for writing and for telling stories. Includes myths, folk tales and fairy tales.

5. Grimm’s Fairy Tales has more than 200 stories.

6. Bonus: Classic Fairy Tales are found on this site which also has teachers unit lesson plans.

I hope you find something you can use. If you do, please make a comment .

Constitution Day-September 17th.

This week’s clicks are all about Constitution Day on Sept 17. I wanted to give you enough time to explore these links and incorporate them into your lessons. There are more activities and ideas on the library website.

1. Architect’s Virtual Capitol Really cool videos and tours of our nation’s capitol.

2. DocsTeach From the National Archives, this source gives you ideas on how to teach history using documents. Documents may also be photographs or videos. Looks interesting.

3. Constitution Day Great site. Has an easy to read version of the constitution and biographies of the Founding Fathers.

4. Ben’s Guide for kids Has some great information and activities for kids to do at all grade levels.

5. Constitution Day Lesson Plans Lesson plans and activities.

I hope you find something you can use in this newsletter. If you do, please make a comment.

September 11

This week’s clicks are all about America and the events that occur here. With the 10th anniversary of September 11th, I wanted to give you enough time to explore these links and incorporate them into your lessons. Make sure you preview all materials BEFORE showing to your class.

1. Reading A to Z They have 3 books about Sept 11 and 2 on Constitution day, one which is poetry and fits in perfectly with the curriculum. Don’t forget to check out the state standards and what’s new when searching in this great resource.

2. Brain Pop There are videos for Constitution Day and Sept 11. Some are free if you don't have a subscription.

3. Ten years after 9/11 Watch the attacks unfold. There is a before and after photos of the events as well as photos of

the events unfolding.

4. Portraits of Grief On this link you will be able to read about many of those who lost their life that day. There is also a

section where you can find out how the families have coped.

5. History.com Video of the events as they unfolded. About 5 min.

6. Bonus link Inside 9/11 Might be too high for elementary students but I thought you might want to see this. Video and interviews from many people involved in the investigation and events of 9/11.