I love to collect these free resources on the web that allow teachers to save time and money. The Teacher List sent by Pete McKay every school day listed a new one today. It is for downloading and printing borders for your bulletin boards. It can be found Here. As you will notice among the many borders to choose form, there will be a few that are specifically applicable to British schools as the United Kingdom is the source for these borders. There are many that would brighten any United States classroom also. I found by just setting my printer to "landscape" allowed these borders to be printed on 6 sheets of paper. Using cardstock would really help enhance their longevity. The colors are bright and even considering the use of colored ink, I would say that they would be cost-saving.
Hope you enjoy them!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Story Cove-A World Full of Stories
I feel like I very often do nothing more than post right from Kelly Tenkely's blog I Learn Technology, but so often she leads me right to the type of websites that I know that my readers are looking for for their classrooms.
When I list websites that allow students to listen to or watch animated stories, I do so for the purpose of giving them one more opportunity to appreciate the idea of the "story". I want them to realize that stories provide interesting characters, settings, conflicts, and resolutions. They will become "hooked" on reading when read to often, and I encourage that to be done by all of the adults who care for them. However, adding more occasions for developing that love of "story" will lead to an ever increasing love of reading. That's why I love the online stories that are available - especially the free ones. Thus when Kelly wrote about Story Cove-A World of Stories I had to check it out. Well into my fifth story that I watched and several others that I listened to, I was hooked!
You must be 13 to register for the website. It is designed to have parents register their own children and then the child has a sign in and password. You will have to decide how you will open this to your students. Not only can students watch the animated story, but they can also listen to it in order to develop visual imagery on their own. The books are also available for purchase and are quite inexpensive. There are lesson plans to download and activities for the students to engage in after watching or listening to the stories. There is an awful lot to gain from this website. Enjoy!!
When I list websites that allow students to listen to or watch animated stories, I do so for the purpose of giving them one more opportunity to appreciate the idea of the "story". I want them to realize that stories provide interesting characters, settings, conflicts, and resolutions. They will become "hooked" on reading when read to often, and I encourage that to be done by all of the adults who care for them. However, adding more occasions for developing that love of "story" will lead to an ever increasing love of reading. That's why I love the online stories that are available - especially the free ones. Thus when Kelly wrote about Story Cove-A World of Stories I had to check it out. Well into my fifth story that I watched and several others that I listened to, I was hooked!
You must be 13 to register for the website. It is designed to have parents register their own children and then the child has a sign in and password. You will have to decide how you will open this to your students. Not only can students watch the animated story, but they can also listen to it in order to develop visual imagery on their own. The books are also available for purchase and are quite inexpensive. There are lesson plans to download and activities for the students to engage in after watching or listening to the stories. There is an awful lot to gain from this website. Enjoy!!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Math In the Real World
I can always depend on ILearn Technology to let me in on the newest discovery in the field of websites. It seems the sites are always just the thing we are looking for for use in the classrooms or the labs. This one appeals to the lower primary grades, but students who do not grasp the idea of math in the real world will gain new understandings, no matter what grade level they are in. The website that is shown today is Math Apprentice , a flash site that shows kids how math is used in the real world, with real world jobs. Students can explore math through games that feature bicycle designers, biologists, artists, mechanics, inventors, doctors, engineers, astronomers, game designers, programmers, chefs, veterinarians, sportscasters, and meteorologists. Students can explore the math of these jobs as a math apprentice by selecting a character and cruising around a virtual world where they can visit places of business where math happens. The character describes how they use math and provides a fun interactive activity that gives students a chance to practice using the math.
For students who often ask “where will I use this?” of math, this site answers those questions through a fun virtual world. Kids can explore first hand how math is used and then act as an apprentice and solve problems.
Tip: To begin playing the Math Apprentice games, you have to click on “Explore the Math” button on the bottom of the homepage.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Take Your Students On A Field Trip - Target May Pay For It!
Reading in Free Technology For Teachers tonight, I learned about grants for Field Trips that were being offered by Target. They will be awarding 5,000 $800 grants for school field trips. Applications for the grants are due by November 3, 2009. You can find all of the grant details and applications here.
This is also very cool about these grants:
On the grant application page you can find a Field Trip Idea Generator. To find an idea, enter your state, city, and subject area. The Field Trip Idea Generator will give you ideas based on what past grant recipients in your area have done with the grant money.
Give it a try - What have you got to lose?
Monday, August 31, 2009
Map Skills? Geography? Landforms? Ocean? Rivers? Teach Any of These?
What a great way to deliver geography concepts to your class and have them eagerly awaiting the next installment of the lesson. The Globetrackers' Mission is an online "blog" written by fictional teens who are traveling to different places on the globe. It is sponsored by Teacher's First and to me would be an ideal way to builkd student awareness about their world.
Globetracker’s Mission is a unique, engaging way for students in grades 2-6 to learn geography, map skills, and landforms through an episodic story. Each week, a new episode, in the format of a blog post, appears on the Globetracker’s Mission site. The “blog” is written by fictional teenagers Geo and Meri as they travel on a secret “mission” for an unnamed government agency.
All the registration and participation information will be up in mid-September, but as you are planning out your year now, I thought I would alert you to this great resource.
Globetracker’s Mission is a unique, engaging way for students in grades 2-6 to learn geography, map skills, and landforms through an episodic story. Each week, a new episode, in the format of a blog post, appears on the Globetracker’s Mission site. The “blog” is written by fictional teenagers Geo and Meri as they travel on a secret “mission” for an unnamed government agency.
All the registration and participation information will be up in mid-September, but as you are planning out your year now, I thought I would alert you to this great resource.
Monday, August 24, 2009
More Places to Get Free Things For your Classroom
I have written before about signing up for Donors Choose as a way to let the world community know about projects you would do with your class if you only had some extra money for supplies or equipment. People who would like to support schools go to the Donors Choose Website and very often choose a project and fund it. Easy for teachers and lucky for the class that benefits. I knew about Donors Choose but today in Free Technology For Teachers, I learned about some other opportunities for getting things for your class without dipping into your own pocket or without having to "beg" for what you need. I have taken these directly from Mr. Byrne's blog Free Technology For Teachers - What a Great Resource!!!
Goldstar Registry is a free service for teachers to use to get school supplies. The idea behind Goldstar Registry is the same as bridal registry services. Teachers visit the Goldstar website and register for classroom materials that they would like to receive. Then if a parent or grandparent asks if you would like anything for your classroom, you can have them look at your online registry.
Classwish is a service through which teachers can find people willing to help purchase supplies for their classrooms. Classwish operates in a very similar manner to Donors Choose. On Classwish, teachers can create a wish list of supplies that they need for classrooms that aren't provided in their school budgets. People looking to help teachers can purchase products on a teacher's list and receive a tax deduction for their purchase.
iLove Schools is a non profit organization that aims to provide teachers with classroom supplies that their schools don't provide. iLove Schools operates in a manner similar to that of Donors Choose and Class Wish. To get classroom supplies teachers register on iLove Schools and create a list of items that they would like to have for their classrooms. Donors can visit iLove School to choose a classroom to which they would like to donate supplies.
If you love free stuff as much as I love free stuff, check out Go To Freebie. On Go To Freebie you can find free samples of everything from bath and beauty supplies to toys and school supplies. Go To Freebie has forums and feedback to share experiences and tips about the freebies. Go To Freebie could be a good resource for teachers that are looking for simple "prizes" to give away to students as recognition for levels of achievement. Something that I do with free samples at the beginning of each school year is give out free notebooks, pencils, and other school supplies as prizes in ice-breaking activities.
As you start your year off, maybe you can not only wish you had what you needed or wanted , but actually get some of these things! Good Luck!
Goldstar Registry is a free service for teachers to use to get school supplies. The idea behind Goldstar Registry is the same as bridal registry services. Teachers visit the Goldstar website and register for classroom materials that they would like to receive. Then if a parent or grandparent asks if you would like anything for your classroom, you can have them look at your online registry.
Classwish is a service through which teachers can find people willing to help purchase supplies for their classrooms. Classwish operates in a very similar manner to Donors Choose. On Classwish, teachers can create a wish list of supplies that they need for classrooms that aren't provided in their school budgets. People looking to help teachers can purchase products on a teacher's list and receive a tax deduction for their purchase.
iLove Schools is a non profit organization that aims to provide teachers with classroom supplies that their schools don't provide. iLove Schools operates in a manner similar to that of Donors Choose and Class Wish. To get classroom supplies teachers register on iLove Schools and create a list of items that they would like to have for their classrooms. Donors can visit iLove School to choose a classroom to which they would like to donate supplies.
If you love free stuff as much as I love free stuff, check out Go To Freebie. On Go To Freebie you can find free samples of everything from bath and beauty supplies to toys and school supplies. Go To Freebie has forums and feedback to share experiences and tips about the freebies. Go To Freebie could be a good resource for teachers that are looking for simple "prizes" to give away to students as recognition for levels of achievement. Something that I do with free samples at the beginning of each school year is give out free notebooks, pencils, and other school supplies as prizes in ice-breaking activities.
As you start your year off, maybe you can not only wish you had what you needed or wanted , but actually get some of these things! Good Luck!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Get an Acer Netbook for Preview/or Great Price
Hi Everyone,
I hope many of you are enjoying this weekend and not sitting inside planning for the upcoming school year....but, if I know teachers - many of you are, if not actually planning, you are thinking about planning.
It is time to get in on a wonderful program for teachers from Acer, the company that makes those very reliable, very small laptops that are really easily portable and convenient.
There is a program that goes like this: You, as a teacher apply (deadline is August 30, 2009) and they send you this computer with no cost to you. You are then obligated to listen to 2 conference sales calls. After 30 days, you then decide if you want to keep the netbook for $199.00 -(most prices I saw were over $325.00) or whether you want to send it back in the box they provide postage-free. With your application also comes a chance to be one of three classes outfitted with a class set of these netbooks.
This is something I really wanted to be a part of. However, I was told that I did not qualify since I was not connected to a school. Boy, I would have loved one of those for travel for under $200.00. So, the next best thing is to pass this offer on to all of you! Good Luck!
Acer Seed Unit Program
I hope many of you are enjoying this weekend and not sitting inside planning for the upcoming school year....but, if I know teachers - many of you are, if not actually planning, you are thinking about planning.
It is time to get in on a wonderful program for teachers from Acer, the company that makes those very reliable, very small laptops that are really easily portable and convenient.
There is a program that goes like this: You, as a teacher apply (deadline is August 30, 2009) and they send you this computer with no cost to you. You are then obligated to listen to 2 conference sales calls. After 30 days, you then decide if you want to keep the netbook for $199.00 -(most prices I saw were over $325.00) or whether you want to send it back in the box they provide postage-free. With your application also comes a chance to be one of three classes outfitted with a class set of these netbooks.
This is something I really wanted to be a part of. However, I was told that I did not qualify since I was not connected to a school. Boy, I would have loved one of those for travel for under $200.00. So, the next best thing is to pass this offer on to all of you! Good Luck!
Acer Seed Unit Program
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