I have a Google Alert for myself, which sounds quite egotistical, but it really serves me much more than it serves my ego. What it does is send me an email when my name is mentioned on the web. I also get emails when other Judi Wolf's names are mentioned.
Today, I got something written by Peggy George (a wonderful guru in this field who has been helpful to me for many years). It took me to this wiki from a WEB 2.0 Workshop that Peggy had conducted This is absolutely full of ideas and further links that just kept me engaged for way too long - but, while hooked on it, I gathered many new ideas and knowledge on the workings of some new tools. The sections on Voicethread. Remember to go to the K-12 portion of Voicethread and when you go to the "Buy" it will show you the free version, Ed.VoiceThread, which is practically Free - I think a one time $10.00 fee. Anyway, I digress......
Two excellent things I got from this Wiki, among many others was the VoiceThread done by someone named Sue, invited people from all over to add to it and to use the pen (shows up when you are recording) to show your location. I am hoping some of you will use this opportunity to practice using Voicethread by adding a comment on Sue's VoiceThread. Find it here. I also liked this very extensive list of ideas for using VoiceThread. It is from Ned's \Keeper Blog. It is called 36 Ways to Use VoiceThread.
Now, to review this posting as I know I have gone from one thing to another. Take a look at the Wiki from Peggy George
Look at and possibly add to Sue's VoiceThread
Check out Ned's 36 Uses For VoiceThread
I hope all of you are enjoying your Winter Break, which must seem to be speeding by. I wish all of you a very Happy and Healthy New Year!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
A New Online Story Site
I hope that many of you are enjoying some well deserved rest and that checking in on my blog is one of the only "school-related" work that you are doing this week. Many of you, I realize will have put school on the "back burner" and will not check this blog until well after the holidays. However, when you do have a few moments, I would like you to take a look at this new website for online stories and much more. It is called Speakaboos and it is so darn cute that you will want to take some time to "play" and listen. There are plenty of stories to listen to, a free one to download, and others available ready to be put on an IPod for $.99. But this is so much more than just a "listen to" website. It is also a place where students and adults can record a story. What a wonderful way for a child to practice reading and to strive for fluency. What a wonderful place for adults to read stories to faraway grandchildren! Older students can read stories for their younger Reading Buddies.
I learned about Speakaboos and some of the ways to use it from one of my favorite blogs, I Learn Technology . This blog also points out that there are free story guides complete with themes to reinforce the story message and has comprehension questions. There are also printables that you can use with Speakaboos.
If you have little ones at home or visiting over the holidays, you will want to bring them along as you explore this site.
I also want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very, very Happy Holiday. However you might celebrate the holidays that come at this time of year, my hope for you is that it finds you surrounded with family and good friends. I will be bringing the sunshine so badly needed in snowy Seattle.
Judi
I learned about Speakaboos and some of the ways to use it from one of my favorite blogs, I Learn Technology . This blog also points out that there are free story guides complete with themes to reinforce the story message and has comprehension questions. There are also printables that you can use with Speakaboos.
If you have little ones at home or visiting over the holidays, you will want to bring them along as you explore this site.
I also want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very, very Happy Holiday. However you might celebrate the holidays that come at this time of year, my hope for you is that it finds you surrounded with family and good friends. I will be bringing the sunshine so badly needed in snowy Seattle.
Judi
Friday, December 12, 2008
Another Great, Free Teacher Tool
I know I had not blogged for awhile, as I hadn't really seen anything earth-shaking. So, today, two things came to my attention, thus the second blog of the day.
This is a simple teacher tool used to make word searches, crossword puzzles, and word scrambles, with pre-selected words around a theme, or from your own words. Although it looks very simple and nothing fancy, the printed worksheet resulting from a few clicks is a really nice looking worksheet. Some word searches I have seen in the past are printed out very small and not the best for the younger students. This looks very readable.
Check it out at The Lesson Corner. Make your life easier!
This is a simple teacher tool used to make word searches, crossword puzzles, and word scrambles, with pre-selected words around a theme, or from your own words. Although it looks very simple and nothing fancy, the printed worksheet resulting from a few clicks is a really nice looking worksheet. Some word searches I have seen in the past are printed out very small and not the best for the younger students. This looks very readable.
Check it out at The Lesson Corner. Make your life easier!
Christmas In The Classroom
I know that for many of you, the website I am going to share with you will not be one that you choose to use in the classroom. For some, you might want to share this with parents, and for others it may become a part of your week before the holidays. I say this, because the diversity of your population will probably dictate whether you are able to do one particular holiday with religious significance. However, I know that I have had many participants in my workshops from private church-based schools and Christmas is very much a part of the curriculum this month. Although I am an advocate of the separation of church and state for all public schools, I could not really see the harm in sharing this delightful adventure for the "Santa Believers" in all of us.
Google is helping to keep our eyes on the sky in search of a jingling sleigh led by reindeer and carrying scads of presents, and a man in a big, red suit. They are making it easier for you to find Jolly Ole St. Nick by once again partnering with NORAD on the 2008 NORAD Tracks Santa website. From now until Christmas eve, you can read about the history of the Santa Tracker, see a countdown to take-off, view updates from Santa's Village, and play holiday-themed games – a new one released each day – at the Kids Countdown link. The fun really begins on December 24th when at 3am PST, Santa lifts off into the northern sky to begin his trek around the globe. NORAD tracks his progress in real time, marking his stops and his current location in Google Maps, Google Earth, and Google Maps for Mobile. In addition, strategically-placed Santa Cams feed videos of his flight to YouTube and to the NORAD Tracks Santa video page.
Take a look at the Kids Countdown Link and I guarantee a smile on your face!
Google is helping to keep our eyes on the sky in search of a jingling sleigh led by reindeer and carrying scads of presents, and a man in a big, red suit. They are making it easier for you to find Jolly Ole St. Nick by once again partnering with NORAD on the 2008 NORAD Tracks Santa website. From now until Christmas eve, you can read about the history of the Santa Tracker, see a countdown to take-off, view updates from Santa's Village, and play holiday-themed games – a new one released each day – at the Kids Countdown link. The fun really begins on December 24th when at 3am PST, Santa lifts off into the northern sky to begin his trek around the globe. NORAD tracks his progress in real time, marking his stops and his current location in Google Maps, Google Earth, and Google Maps for Mobile. In addition, strategically-placed Santa Cams feed videos of his flight to YouTube and to the NORAD Tracks Santa video page.
Take a look at the Kids Countdown Link and I guarantee a smile on your face!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Family Internet Safety
I have always been convinced that most parents would like to be involved when it comes to teaching their children to use the Internet in a safe manner. They want their children to utilize all the benefits of the Internet, but worry with a sense of foreboding that there could be an element of "danger" lurking online. They often warn their kids about not providing too much information online, but they really do not feel equipped to actually plan out a strategy for keeping their children totally safe online. I would bet that they would be grateful for a little help with this issue!
Clicky Live will be an online program scheduled for Wednesday December 10th at 5:00 and 7:00 PM (EST). Parents and children can log on together and learn about Internet Safety during this live broadcast. Parents can think of this as a great way to "start the conversation" about how their children can keep themselves safe while enjoying the benefits of the Internet. The instructions on joining this online program from the website are:
1 RSVP– Go to Clicky Live to register yourself or your group! Clicky will be giving special shout-outs to kids and groups who register!
2 Download the Activities– For more fun before and after the show, download
and print copies of the NetSmartz activity pages.
3 Log on– Go to www.NetSmartzKids.org/ClickyLive at the scheduled show time.
If you’re watching with a group, you can use one computer with Internet access connected to
an LCD projector or a computer lab where each child has a personal computer.
4 Ask Clicky Questions– During the show, Clicky will read your questions and answer
them live! You can ask Clicky just about anything—from what his favorite color is, to how to deal with cyberbullies. And get ready because Clicky will also ask you questions and read your responses live!
By e-mail- Send in your questions before or during the show to Clicky@NetSmartzKids.org.
By phone- Call (703) 837-6238 during the show to ask Clicky your question. You can also call
and leave a message for Clicky before the show— he may play it back live on the air! If the line is busy, don’t give up; Clicky has a lot of questions to answer! Remember to get permission from your trusted adult before you call!
By IM- Instant message Clicky during the show using any one of the following applications.
The applications may be downloaded for free from the Internet.
5 Tell us what you thought!– The folks at NetSmartz want to know. We’ll be sending out
a short survey via e-mail. If you liked the show, then let us know so we can schedule more!
One more, maybe crazy idea at this time of year, would be to invite parents to school and show the broadcast on a large screen to the parents and students, following it up with a discussion of online safety!
Clicky Live will be an online program scheduled for Wednesday December 10th at 5:00 and 7:00 PM (EST). Parents and children can log on together and learn about Internet Safety during this live broadcast. Parents can think of this as a great way to "start the conversation" about how their children can keep themselves safe while enjoying the benefits of the Internet. The instructions on joining this online program from the website are:
1 RSVP– Go to Clicky Live to register yourself or your group! Clicky will be giving special shout-outs to kids and groups who register!
2 Download the Activities– For more fun before and after the show, download
and print copies of the NetSmartz activity pages.
3 Log on– Go to www.NetSmartzKids.org/ClickyLive at the scheduled show time.
If you’re watching with a group, you can use one computer with Internet access connected to
an LCD projector or a computer lab where each child has a personal computer.
4 Ask Clicky Questions– During the show, Clicky will read your questions and answer
them live! You can ask Clicky just about anything—from what his favorite color is, to how to deal with cyberbullies. And get ready because Clicky will also ask you questions and read your responses live!
By e-mail- Send in your questions before or during the show to Clicky@NetSmartzKids.org.
By phone- Call (703) 837-6238 during the show to ask Clicky your question. You can also call
and leave a message for Clicky before the show— he may play it back live on the air! If the line is busy, don’t give up; Clicky has a lot of questions to answer! Remember to get permission from your trusted adult before you call!
By IM- Instant message Clicky during the show using any one of the following applications.
The applications may be downloaded for free from the Internet.
5 Tell us what you thought!– The folks at NetSmartz want to know. We’ll be sending out
a short survey via e-mail. If you liked the show, then let us know so we can schedule more!
One more, maybe crazy idea at this time of year, would be to invite parents to school and show the broadcast on a large screen to the parents and students, following it up with a discussion of online safety!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Non-Fiction Reading for the Younger Students
I have been unable to link to one of my favorite blogs lately and I have once again found his blog - not quite figuring out yet why he is not appearing on my RSS Feeds. I will figure that out in time, but tonight I had a chance to read of some of his latest posts that I had missed. He never disappoints me in finding good websites that work well with students who may be using English as a second language or just need some extra help with reading and writing. His name is Larry Ferlazzo and he is a leader in the field of ESL.
What I found interesting on his site tonight is something that is a part of the Scholastic Network and I had not noticed how its content had grown. Larry posted it like this:
What I found interesting on his site tonight is something that is a part of the Scholastic Network and I had not noticed how its content had grown. Larry posted it like this:
Scholastic has been publishing excellent “Listen and Read” nonfiction stories (with audio support for the text) for several years on their website. They’re accessible to Beginning English Language Learners. It’s not easy to find expository text that’s accessible to Beginning ELL’s.
The problem has been that each story hasn’t had a permanent url address — they’ve kept changing it as they’ve published the stories in their monthly online newsletters. It’s been pretty frustrating.
However, now they’ve compiled permanent links to all of them on one page. Explore all fifty of them now at Listen and Read.
I think Listen and Read will allow your students to have much practice using non-fiction material, hearing it in order to promote understanding.
I am in Toronto, CA tonight after presenting in my home town of Cleveland today. We got to the airport and waited for a delayed plane, then puddle-jumped in a prop plane over Lake Erie. I felt like I could have made it faster by swimming across. Tomorrow ends the week and although my participants will not be looking forward to Thanksgiving here in Canada, BER is off for the rest of the week. I look forward to Thanksgiving with friends and a weekend hop to Vegas. What could be bad?
I hope that all of you will be surrounded with family and good friends and enjoy this wonderful day of too much food and football! Enjoy!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
A New Online Story Site - A Really Fun One
I believe that all of the online story sites that I have recommended are not meant to be in any way a replacement for parents and/or teachers reading to students, but an additional opportunity for children to fall in love with the idea of "story". The excitement of the characters, the different settings the "trouble"that erupts, and resolutions hold the children spellbound, especially when enhanced with beautiful pictures and an animated storyteller. Enter Mrs. P., the storyteller on the website Mrs. P. Com.
Actress Kathy Kinney tells delightful intro stories and expertly reads the books. On the homepage, click on the various items around the warm room to find intriguing, sometimes outlandish, stories about Mrs. P. The book on the stand is a fully loaded dictionary. The Title game as an amusing way to listen to one-liners about the stories at this site. And… the reason your students will want to stay in Mrs. P’s library is the book stacks themselves. Click on the stack to find a healthy assortment of stories to listen and view. When you choose a book, click on ‘options’ to turn on or off ‘show the words.’
The one thing that I did notice when listening to Little Red Riding Hood in its original version from the Grimm Brothers was that Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother are both eaten by the wolf. I wasn't certain how appropriate this was for young children, however, the woodcutter who finds the wolf is able to cut him open and release Red Riding Hood and Grandma from his stomach. So, we still have "happily ever after".
You just have to browse around this site - it is really done well.
I found out about this website through my subscription to Teachers' First. If you would like to get these featured sites every Sunday, go to Teachers' First Subscription Page to join.
Actress Kathy Kinney tells delightful intro stories and expertly reads the books. On the homepage, click on the various items around the warm room to find intriguing, sometimes outlandish, stories about Mrs. P. The book on the stand is a fully loaded dictionary. The Title game as an amusing way to listen to one-liners about the stories at this site. And… the reason your students will want to stay in Mrs. P’s library is the book stacks themselves. Click on the stack to find a healthy assortment of stories to listen and view. When you choose a book, click on ‘options’ to turn on or off ‘show the words.’
The one thing that I did notice when listening to Little Red Riding Hood in its original version from the Grimm Brothers was that Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother are both eaten by the wolf. I wasn't certain how appropriate this was for young children, however, the woodcutter who finds the wolf is able to cut him open and release Red Riding Hood and Grandma from his stomach. So, we still have "happily ever after".
You just have to browse around this site - it is really done well.
I found out about this website through my subscription to Teachers' First. If you would like to get these featured sites every Sunday, go to Teachers' First Subscription Page to join.
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