Professional+Development+2011-12

=Web 2.0 Things=

Edmodo
A cool social networking site especially for middle school students and above

A how to guide is found here.

Interrobang
This is an interactive site for use with middle and high school students.

Blogs
[|Blogmeister]--You would have to contact the site owner, David Warlick to request your code. It is a controlled environment. [|Wordpress]--This site will house your blog as well. It is usually very easy to use [|Blogger]--Another site that will house your blog. Teacher Blogs that are excellent: Sherri Middleton [|Twitter] --Microblogging An excellent link about Twitter can be found [|here as written by Bernie Dodge]. He posted it to twitter and I have gotten his permission to use it.

Wikis
Wikispaces--This site allows you to create a webpage that students can write on. The link goes to the McKenzie High School page on wikispaces because sometimes, it is blocked. If you tell the wikispaces people in your profile that the site is being used for educational purposes, then--no advertising! [|PB Wiki]--This is the same thing--just a different locale

Podcasting
Podcasting is a way to record something and have it available for download. [|Audacity]--This is a free program that you download to your computer that will convert your digital audio to mp3 for downloading.

RSS Readers
An RSS reader is a way to read multiple blogs and news articles from one site. [|Bloglines]--Easy to use [|Google Reader]--This one is based on your gmail account but still gives you articles to read in one place.

Virtual Field Trips
[|Google Earth]--used to pinpoint exact places on the earth [|Gigipan]--pictures that are from around the world

Presentations
If your students do not have Microsoft Office, they can use Zoho [|Zoho Show]--there are many tools that are found at this site [|Animoto]--Allows the students to upload pictures and add music and make a video [|CamStudio]--Allows the user to record what the computer is doing and add voice. Prezi--A different kind of presentation.

Polls, Surveys and Online Test
[|Survey Monkey]--Free surveys [|PollDaddy]--Free surveys and polls for your classroom [|That Quiz]--Free quiz maker Poll Everywhere--Allows the teacher to have students text or use a computer to respond to a poll on the teacher's powerpoint.

Facebook and MySpace
I recommend that parents have a facebook or myspace page. This [|Facebook for Parents site] will help them to do this. It is important for parents to keep an eye on their children's activities. When the children know that the parents are watching their page, they are less likely to have information on the page that is unsavory.

Google
[|Google Stuff] --Google gives students and teachers access to many items that we used to have to pay for. There are many items found at google that will make your job easier. There is a [|book search] that will look inside many books for you. The [|calendar] feature now allows you to sync to your blackberry or smart phone if you are not using outlook.[|Picasa] allows you to edit and email pictures to your friends. [|iGoogle] allows you to set up your own homepage with things that are useful to you and/or your students. [|Google scholar] allows you to search peer reviewed articles that are open source. [|Google alerts] allows you to receive an email every day that will tell you what has been published about any specific topic. Google allows you to have a task list open on your gmail and you can see what needs to be done. My calendar is viewed on this screen as well. Google Forms--Using a spreadsheet in Google docs, you can send a survey out to any number of people and as they reply, Google docs will tally it for you.

Google Earth
Google Earth--Go here to download Google Earth Why use Google Earth?--Go here for basic instructions about Google Earth Resources for Google Earth--This is a list of links for help with Google Earth Math lessons using Google Earth--This is a site with great lessons using math and Google Earth [|Google Lit Trips]--Using Google Earth with Reading for all ages. Sunken ships in Google Earth--Look at the Titanic with this application [|Buildings in Google Earth]--Find the building and take tours.

Whiteboard Games and Activities
[|Clock Talk] Teaching children to tell time [|Cobo Flash Cards] Students can make flashcards that can be printed. [|Virtual Math Manipulatives] There are games to play with Math [|Match the hair] Using three laboratory tests and their powers of deduction, they must identify the hair with the correct band member [|Pyramid Builder] This is very similar to Oregon Trail that we used to play except that they must understand or learn about Egyptian Culture [|I know that]Online games for all levels [|Kitchen Chemistry] Online games to teach science concepts [|More Whiteboard Activities] Activities rated by grade level for your whiteboard [|More Whiteboard Resources] Resources to help with your whiteboard [|Math Projects for Whiteboards]This site uses flash to show math concepts [|Teacher's Domain] a wiki of lesson plans for K-12 divided by subject area (Has PBS origins) [|InterWrite Lessons] Already made lessons for the Whiteboard from eInstruction

Cloud Storage
Dropbox--free 2.0 GB of storage (like having a jump drive with your wherever you can see the Internet) Sugar Sync--free 5.0 that allows you to see what is saved on one computer when you are at another computer Google docs--allows you to use a word processor, spreadsheet maker, or a presentation and they are saved on the Internet. A gmail account is required.

Other Cool Items that are FREE
[|Evernote] --Remember cool stuff that you read [|BitBomb] --Send yourself a text message to remember important things to do Horizon Report --The Horizon Report lists the technologies to watch and how it will change the ways that we teach. Ipads in Education This is a list of the most used apps for the ipad in education. Wallwisher--This allows you to create a blank wall where students or teachers can paste sticky notes Furly--This site allows you to make a create a group of websites for students to visit. Printliminator --This bookmarklet will allow you to only print what you want out of a website. Yolink--This is an addon that allows you to limit your searches. Fill any PDF--Have you ever wanted to type on a pdf. You can with this website. You upload you pdf and type on it and then print it. Wolfram Alpha--A search engine that works on Math problems. Live Binders--A way to store things in a binder on the Internet rather than on your shelves Stickies--Making sticky notes on your Win XP computer Top 20 tools for Teachers--This blog gives a list of the tools that will benefit you and your teachers. Cool Tools for School--This wiki gives you tons of web 2.0 activities to try. Powerpoints--This site allows you to use their pre-made powerpoints! More PowerPoints--Another site with PowerPoints. Free Math or Science Textbooks You decide what you want to study and build your book chapter by chapter for FREE Shmoop--Free teacher resources that are easy to use and fun! Mostly for grades 6-12. Some parts are free and some parts are available with a small cost. ACT prep is a paid service. Sophia--Brand new site. You join and you are able to search for packets (lessons) on many topics. They are rated by teachers so you know which ones are the best. They incorporate video as well as presentations.

Did you know??
You can save printer ink by using the right font! **Century Gothic** uses the least amount of ink of any font. To change your default font in Office (version 2003, 2007 and 2010 are all listed) go here. Other fonts that are cost effective include ecofont, Times new Roman, or Calibri. According to Government Technology, The University of Wisconsin, Green Bay saved $10,000 a year by switching to this font!!!