I Must Share..Technology Goodies

Wednesday, May 21, 2014 No comments
Here are a few goodies you should really get while you can!!

 Stage Pro: Interactive Whiteboard and Document Camera for iPad is FREE until 5/31; normally $4.99: ly.tcea.org/wimro

 FREE Word Lens - See the world in your language: instantly translate printed words #edtech http://ow.ly/x6CWc

 Create your own scavenger hunt, interactive story, or choose your own adventure mobile game with http://www.edventurebuilder.com

 Assign pre-made writing worksheets to students and have them graded for you by Quill
http://www.quill.org

 Amazing Countries - World Geography Educational Learning Games for Kids, Parents and Teachers
http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Countries-Geography-Educational-Learning/dp/B00JA6LNQ0/ref=dp_olp_1

 Animal Preschool! Circus
http://www.amazon.com/Avocado-Mobile-Inc-Animal-Preschool/dp/B00FQD67DA/ref=dp_olp_1

Paperless PD Tips and Tricks

Friday, May 16, 2014 No comments
Today on Twitter I can across this great post on Paperless PD Tips & Tricks. It has great ideas, tips, tools, links to SAMR, and more. I love the topics and how visually appealing it is. The QuickGuide includes 18 suggestions for enhancing PD through the use of technology. I hope you enjoy this new technology resource as much as I do. Have a great day!!

 Click on the image below to get this wonderful resource and make sure to add it to your Technology Toolbox!!

Brain Based Learning Strategies with an Activity

Hello and happy Friday. I have been conducting professional development sessions recently on Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites and they have been going really well. I was introduced to the author Marcia Tate my first year of teaching. We began a book study and she came to the campus I was teaching at on a Saturday. We had the best Professional Learning I have ever been to. In the last 11 years I have had the opportunity to go to four of her training's. She is phenomenal and the best presenter I have ever had.




Even after 11 years I continue to use her Brain Based Learning strategies and activities with my students and teachers. I have had wonderful success with raising student achievement and motivation with the 20 strategies she presents in her book. Mrs. Tate has grown since I met her ten years ago and now she has quite a few books out now. They are all equally wonderful!

When I present the Professional Learning, I break it up into parts because trying to deliver 20 strategies in one or two hours is not a good idea and no one leaves with any valuable information...just a headache = )
In each session I like to go over no more than three 3 strategies because with focusing on just 3, teachers are able to get an understanding of the strategies, what they look like, how to implement them, and how to modify if needed.

When doing an activity, you will quickly learn that one activity could have multiple strategies in one...WINNER!

Today I am going to focus on the brain based learning strategy "Movement".

When the body is engaged during learning, the information can be put in one of the strongest memory systems - procedural or muscle memory. That is why people tend not to forget how to drive a car, ride a bike, or play the piano, even if they have not done so in a while. Rather than having students sit while their teachers do all the work, having them up and actively engaged in the content not only goes a long way toward ensuring that they pass any tests but that they will remember the information long after the test is over. Tate, M. L. (2003).

The Activity
Each person gets a paper which includes statements taught in the classroom setting. Each statement will be blank. Each participant will need to find someone who can answer the statement and initial. Each person must find 12 different people to answer and initial. 

Below you will find the activity and template that provides more in depth directions.

What I like to do when I present this strategy and activity is to do a, "What could be modified?" part in the PL to see what we could do to make it better.

It is suggested that if a student comes across someone who does not know the answer, they should just not move on to someone else. They should make that person their "Learning Buddy" and search for someone who knows the answer. The purpose of the activity is for everyone to gain knowledge and work together.

Another suggestion is that a person cannot sign more that one of the same square. We want each student to branch out = )

Here is the activity that I do with the teachers: People Search
Here is the template that you can use with your students: People Search Template
(Input your own content in the squares)

If you are a professional development/learning trainer, you will love her book Sit and Get Won't Grow Dendrites. This book is top notch and I use it frequently as a professional development trainings.

I hope you enjoy the strategy and the activity.

Please let me know if you have any questions at all.

PicLits...Better Writers here we go!!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014 1 comment
I wanted to blog on a site that I recently learned about called PicLits. I can't believe I didn't find this site sooner. As an educator we are always working hard to increase our students' vocabulary and help them become better writers. I love this site and what it has to offer a learner. This site is great for elementary, middle, high school, and post secondary.


PicLits is a creative writing site which provides images and word banks to generate sentences about the picture. The vision of PicLits is to provide learners with a combination of words placed on a photograph to capture the essence, story and meaning of the picture. 

Image what your students can do with this and where they can take their writing. Far away places? To the sea? On a boat? In the sky?

Your students have the option to choose words from the word bank by dragging and dropping them into the photo. There is also a "freestyle" option as well.


As the words are dragged and dropped onto the picture, the website allows the option for capitalization, punctuation, and various tenses of the word.  I love that they didn't forget about grammar and punctuation.


Here are some wonderful Classroom Applications courtesy of http://techie-bytes.blogspot.com/: 

Brain Breaks...Go Noodle, Energizing Brain Breaks, Kagan and More

Monday, May 5, 2014 No comments


Who doesn't love a good brain break? I love them and so have my students and teachers. We all need a little down time to clear our mind and readjust.

 Brain Breaks are proven to increase student learning and motivation. Just a 5-10 minute Brain Break can make all the difference in the classroom environment.

 Some great sites for Brain Breaks are:

 GoNoodle: There’s a short brain break activity for every part of the day. Calm the classroom or energize your students depending on the time of day.

 Energizing Brain Breaks: Brain breaks are refreshing to students and teachers alike. They do take some time out of class, but the efficiency of our students goes up when we incorporate them.

 TelevisionTunes: Name that Theme Song Game. This is a great way to engergize students and introduce them to many different tv theme shows from the past and present.
Cooperative/Kagan & Brain Breaks
Kagan Publishing has great ideas for brain breaks. What's This Got To Do With Anything and Silly Sports and Goofy Games. I used these books a lot and my students loved it!

                                               
                           Don't miss this FREEBIE: 

Miss Rachael's Brain Break Cards - 60+ ideas!
Need a brain break right now?

 Check this one out:
Four Corners:  I have my room labeled with North, South, East, West signs at all times.  I select a song and have the students walk, dance, whatever they please, around the room.  When I stop the music, the kids must report to a “corner of the Earth”.  Next, I use my Kagan Selector Tools to select North, South, East, West (or use popsicle sticks).  Whoever is in that corner is out!  Very simple adaptation to four corners which can be altered to accommodate your content. http://teachinginstyle.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/tips-and-tricks-fun-brain-breaks/

 Adaptation that I love: Have the students stand up and play R.E.M. - Stand. When a certain direction is said have the student turn in that direction.
This is also great for a lesson on "Cardinal Directions". My students love this!
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