Horray for Technology!

Today from 12-3 we had a technology workshop. I attended a session on digital storytelling and learned a lot that I will put to use right away in the classroom!

Starting this week I will be using VoiceThread to monitor my students' reading fluency throughout the year!!! This way, parents can actually hear their child reading each week rather than just seeing the score. See the technology links for more information on VoiceThread.

Today I also learned about Animoto which I plan to use to create a video of each child throughout the year set to music. I thought this would be a great way to get an IEP off to a great, positive start!

Horray for technology :)

Online Resources for Educators

Let's get one thing straight- I LOVE the internet. I love being able to have any question I have answered, at any time, almost instantly. However, it is overwhelming for some people. There is so much information out there! I've sorted through some of it and made a list of all my favorite resources for teachers. Please let me know your favorites as I continue to learn more and add to this list.

Online Resources for Educators

Curriculum-Based Measurementhttp://www.aimsweb.com/
A commercial website for CBM. It is very similar to DIBELS, but includes more academic areas.

http://www.precisionteachingresource.net/
This site provides instruction, tools, and performance standards for improving academic and social behaviors using an instructional measurement practice called Precision Teaching.

http://www.studentprogress.org/
This site is sponsored by the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs. Provides information on monitoring progress.

http://www.progressmonitoring.net/
University of Minnesota sponsored website for the Research Institute on Progress Monitoring.

PBIS
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports

Teaching Strategies

Annenburg Media

Council for Exceptional Children

Doing What Works

Dr. Whitten
Website for Dr. Elizabeth Whitten- click on “Strategy Bibliography” for strategies

Florida Center for Reading Research

International Mind, Brain, Education Society

Intervention Central

The IRIS Center

LD Online

National Center on Response to Intervention

New Horizons
New Horizons research-based strategies along with a list of recommended reading
 
Reading Rockets
News and research based strategies regarding reading.
 
What Works Clearinghouse

Differentiation 

http://www.renzullilearning.com/

So many learning activities for increasing student engagement, using technology, and making sure instruction is universally designed for all learners.

National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials

Note-taking

Diigo.com
Highlight and put sticky notes on websites. Access your highlighting from any computer!

http://www.eleven21.com/notetaker/
Print off sheets to take notes on for class.

http://www.webspirationpro.com/user?destination=go%2F462925
Design graphic organizers online.


Assistive Tech

 http://tinyurl.com/

Makes a long website shorter.  It makes it much easier for students to type in.

Digital Storytelling
http://animoto.com/
Create a digital story set to music by uploading photos.

http://www.digitales.us/
Introduction and resources for digital storytelling.

http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/storyboarding.html
Introduction and resources for storyboarding.

http://search.creativecommons.org
A way to copyright your photos and information that you put online.

http://teachmemoretech.wikispaces.com/Images+%26+Music+for+the+Classroom
Images and music for digital storytelling.

http://voicethread.com/#home
VoiceTread. Comment on documents, photos, etc. This is an alternative to class discussion. This is a great way to share student work and have parents, family members, teachers, etc. comment on the work.

http://www.xtranormal.com/
Turn text into movies.

http://www.glogster.com/
Create your own posters to tell a story. You can include embedded videos and several images. It looks really cool- like a collage.

http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/
Students can add in their own subtitles to Indian dances and movie clips.

http://www.timetoast.com/
Create your own timeline online. 

http://prezi.com/
Create Power Point 2.0 essentially.

http://www.toondoo.com/
Cartoon Maker

Phonicshttp://www.fitbrains.com/play_game/super_word_scrapers?v=2.1
Build words as you build skyscrapers.

Hooda Word
Fun reading games!

Reading Fluency

Hooda Word

Fun reading games!

http://en.childrenslibrary.org/
Children’s books to read online

http://www.storylineonline.net/index2.html
Books read aloud by famous actors. Subtitles are included if students want to follow along with the words.

http://librivox.org/
Listen to books online for free.

http://www.starfall.com/
Read easy reader books online. Allows readers to click on words they don’t know. There are also games.

http://ebooks.mlcnet.org/B5A65E3D-87A6-4085-B26F-D104244F5DC5/10/230/en/Default.htm
Free online audio books for individuals to check out through their public library account for two weeks. Great for students to have a hard copy of a book along with an audio copy to follow along with!

http://www.bookshare.org/
Online books for students with disabilities.

Reading Comprehension

Hooda Word

Fun reading games!

http://www.googlelittrips.org/
Using Google Earth, students discover where in the world the greatest road trip stories of all time took place... and so much more!

https://hosted30.renlearn.com/176197/
Accelerated Reader

http://tuneintoreading.elpcorp.com/windows_index.html
Tune In To Reading

Vocabulary

Hooda Word

Fun reading games!

http://www.verbalearn.com/
Makes MP3s of your vocabulary words.

http://www.visuwords.com/
This site is amazing!!! It’s a graphic dictionary. Type in a word and it links it to other words in a sort of web.

http://quizlet.com/
Make flashcards to help you study.

Typing

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/
A fun game from the BBC to practice typing.

http://todaysmeet.com/
Chat room for kids.  Great for bell work.

Writing
Hooda Word
Fun reading games! http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/index.php?lang=uk
Add subtitles to a Bollywood video. Great for teaching "voice" in the 6 Traits.

http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp
Create a story and make it look like a newspaper clipping!

http://www.piclits.com/compose_dragdrop.aspx
Add words to a photograph that you find captivating.

http://www.favoritepoem.org/
Favorite Poem Project

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/
Create your own comic strip.

http://easybib.com/
Automatic citation maker.

http://www.buzzword.com/#o
Internet-based word processing. Documents are saved online in your account.

https://www.pdfonline.com/convert_pdf.asp
Convert Word files to PDF via email.

501 Writing Prompts
Writing prompt book for teachers to pull from.

Kid Blog
Allows kids to have a blog!


Science

Hooda Sci

Fun science games!!!

Social Studieshttp://www.capzles.com/
Create virtual time capsule slideshows set to music.

http://animoto.com/
Slideshows set to music.


Mathematics

Hooda Math

Fun math games!!!

 http://www.math.harvard.edu/~knill/mathmovies/index.html
Find clips from movies dealing with math.

http://www.mrnussbaum.com/mathgames.htm
Great math games that actually are very fun!

http://www.kidsnumbers.com/
More math games

http://www.worksheetworks.com/
Great worksheets for homework.

http://www.math-drills.com/
Great worksheets for homework.

http://www.kidsnumbers.com/
Math games for students.


Survey Creatorhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/
Create your own survey and see the data on this free website.

http://www.zoomerang.com/
Create your own survey.

http://doodle.com/
AWESOME for scheduling SPED meetings :)







 
Photoshttp://www.photl.com/en/
Free high-quality photos online.

http://www.picnik.com/app#/home/welcome
Design Scrapbooks and Edit Pictures Online


http://www.picaboo.com/
Design Scrapbooks and Edit Pictures Online


Gameshttp://www.fitbrains.com/
Fun games to flex your brain muscles.

http://www.mrnussbaum.com/mathgames.htm
Great math games that actually are very fun!

http://www.kidsknowit.com/
Lots of games and activities in a variety of stubjects.

http://www.funbrain.com/
Many activities for children to do on their own.

http://www.primarygames.com/
Games for students to play during free time.

http://www.studyisland.com/
Games the correspond to state standards.

Communication/Networking

http://twitter.com/
Let friends and family know what you are up to.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php
Stay in touch with friends and create events.

http://editurepd.com/

Facebook for teachers.

Technology Informationhttp://www.teachingmatters.org/index.asp
A website for using technology to improve teaching.

http://www.sc.edu/scatp/ATclassroom.htm
Assistive Technology Resources

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/
Technology Ideas for Teachers

http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/fave/
Video Field Trips

http://exchange.smarttech.com/#tab=0
Smart Board Lessons

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/
Promethean Board Lessons


Virtual Instruction

http://www.hippocampus.org/

Has instructional videos on a variety of topics for middle and high school students.

http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

Virtual college classes for free.

http://www.brainpop.com/
Brain Pop.  Short videos on a variety of topics. 

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/
United Streaming.  Videos on many topics of various lengths.

Michigan Teachershttp://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753---,00.html
Curriculum and Standards

http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753_33232---,00.html
GLCE

Teachers Everywhere!

http://www.corestandards.org/

Common core standards.

http://login.clihome.com/

Curriculum Mapper.

Blogs for Educators

http://www.techsavvyed.net/
A blog on integrating technology in the classroom.

http://planetesme.blogspot.com/
A blog on only the best children's lit from the official expert in readiology!


Activities to Teach Kids About Disabilities (Middle School)
Inequity Quiz

Design a Cell Phone that is Universally Designed

Virtual Field Trip Back in Time to Look at Life Before Universal Design in Architecture

Learning about Difficulties with Auditory Directions

Step in the Shoes of Someone with Attention Difficulties

Autism Article with Audio Option

Article on Deaf Culture

Disability Social History Project

LD Article with Reading Support

Article About a Man Who Designs Unique Wheelchairs

Horse Leads the Blind Article

NPR Story Written a Read by a Student with Asperger's