CDW-G and Discovery, Hall Davidson and Steve Dembo; team up to help you make sense of the web, computers, and all it has to offer you and your students. Conquer your fears and learn just as much as your students by utilizing Hall and Steve’s lesson plans, activities, links and resources, and videos to help make Web 2.0 fit seamlessly into your classroom. There is even a 16 page PDF document for you to keep with you for reference at all times. Visit http://cdwg.discoveryeducation.com/web2.0/index.cfm and star it in your favorites. This is a resource you’ll use over and over.
Here’s a blog full of websites, tips, and tools for you to peruse for ideas for using the SMART Board in your class. Be sure to click on and read through some of the older posts as well. There are still some great resources hiding on previous posts.
Website: http://mrscoggin.edublogs.org/
The NCES Kids’ Zone provides information to help you learn about schools; decide on a college; find a public library; engage in several games, quizzes and skill building about math, probability, graphing, and mathematicians; and to learn many interesting facts about education. There might be something you could use in your classroom at http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/index.asp.
Here’s a short and sweet list of just 10 ways you can easily begin to incorporate 21st Century Technology Skills in your classes. Check it out at http://techlearning.com/PrintableArticle.aspx?id=22558
Check out this jam-packed list of FREE webinars offered by Discovery Educator Network. Get ready for back to school with a visit to one , a few or all of the sessions listed below.
All sessions begin at 11 AM ET. Register Here. It’s free and easy.
Digital Storytelling Week
8/3/09
Thinking Outside the Slide: Creating non-linear PowerPoint presentations and learning centers with Discovery Education Media
8/4/09
Digital Storytelling Made Easy: Using Discovery Education Content with Animoto and PhotoStory
8/5/09
Director’s Cut: Discovery Education Media and MovieMaker (PC)
8/6/09
Director’s Cut: Discovery Education Media and iMovie (Mac)
Leadership Week
8/10/09
The Information Society is HERE: Are our schools up to the task? with Dr. Scott McLeod
8/11/09
Policies, Safety and Social Networking
8/12/09
Web 2.0 for Administrators and Others: Schools, Tools, and the 21st Century
8/13/09
Data Driven Decisions with Discovery Education Assessment
Science Week
8/17/09
Myth Busted: Easy Ways to Integrate Digital Media into Your Science Classroom
8/18/09
Getting Your Hands Dirty with Discovery Education Science
8/19/09
Differentiating Instruction with the Discovery Education Science Assessment Manager
8/20/09
More and Muir Tech Tips for Going Green
Web 2.0 Week
8/24/09
Get Your Glog On! The DE streaming Builders and Glogster
8/25/09
The Thread that Ties it All Together: Discovery Education Content and Voicethread
8/26/09
Two Roundtrip Tickets to Anywhere in the World: Designing Virtual Field Trips with Discovery Education Media and Google Earth
8/27/09
Learning Through the Funnies: Mixing Discovery Education Content with Free Comic Tools
Enroll today.
Posted on August 3, 2009 in
Tools and More,
Leadership,
On the Web,
Classroom Ideas,
Digital Citizenship,
DEstreaming,
Professional Development,
DEN,
Webinars,
Web 2.0 by Tracy
Digital Storytelling week begins at Discovery on Aug. 3. Sign up today to learn many ways to incorporate Digital Storytelling in your classroom.
Aug. 3 Thinking Outside the Slide
Aug. 4 Digital Storytelling made easy with Discovery Education Content, Animoto and PhotoStory
Aug. 5 Discovery Education Media and Windows Movie Maker
Aug. 6 Discovery Education Media and Windows iMovie
All webinars start at 11:00am ET. Click here for a complete list of webinars and registration information.
There sure is. Over at The Apple .com there are 10 great technology enhanced ideas for getting kids juiced about the dreaded book report. Why not try one of these in your classroom:
1. Let students create a cartoon version of the book they have just finished.
2. Let students create a short video clip about the book.
3. Create a virtual poster advertising the book.
4. Encourage students to create their own virtual bookshelves with Shelfari or GoodReads.
5. Book Adventure is an online reading motivation program.
6. Bookcasting is a recorded audio podcast about a book.
7. Allow students to create a timeline of events in the story they just read in an online timeline.
8. Wikis are an excellent place for students to share book reviews.
9. Excite and motivate students to read with Book Wink .
10. Voice Thread is an amazing site that allows students to create web 2.0 slide shows that become interactive and collaborative.
Read full article at http://www.theapple.com/benefits/articles/8529-10-technology-enhanced-alternatives-to-book-reports
30 Twitter Tips for Teachers
Our district had the fantastic opportunity to host Will Richardson for his presentation of A Web of Connections. During an informal chat session for about 40 educators before his presentation, Will mentioned and showed a little about Twitter. The mention of this tool sparked quite a bit of interest in this group of teachers. Many of them set up accounts and are busy tweeting with each other and have found others around the country to tweet with. I know a couple have found some interesting people to collaborate with professionally about the content area in which they teach. Some even have some interesting ideas of how Twitter can be used as a classroom tool by their students.
The problem is it is blocked in our district(surprise, surprise). Twittering by our professionals has to take place after school hours away from our district network. In time, I think Twitter might be something that teachers might eventually have access to. In the meantime, for those teacher who wish to begin using it, here is an article I learned about that might help some beginners get started: 30 Twitter Tips for Teachers
To find teachers using Twitter who teach in the same content area as you, check out: Twitter4Teacher Wiki
In the Teacher Tools section of DEstreaming you can find themes to fit just about any topic. Each theme includes video segments, lesson plans, discussion guides, related resources and student activities for each grade level.
* Before clicking on the link below, open a new window and log in to your DEstreaming account.
This weeks theme is:
Early American History
From the roadblocks faced by the Constitution’s framers to the three-dimensional personalities of our country’s founders, give students a well-rounded look at early American history.
Meredith Bernadt, the newest Schenectady City Schools STAR, has been working on a special project with her 4th grade students: Podcasts.
After participating in the Northeast Regional Event in Troy, NY; Meredith will 
never be the same. She’s off and running with some great ways to integrate technology in her classroom. nr=1&&s=144961871
Look for more from Meredith at the Howe International Magnet School.
Website: Howe 10 Podcast - http://www.gcast.com/user/MsBernadt/podcast/main?
In the Teacher Tools section of DEstreaming you can find themes to fit just about any topic. Each theme includes video segments, lesson plans, discussion guides, related resources and student activities for each grade level.
* Before clicking on the link below, open a new window and log in to your DEstreaming account.
This weeks theme is:
Writing Skills
Knowledge of form and function is as important to writing as it is to the visual arts. Examine the structural conventions of a range of genre, from contemporary songwriting and screenwriting to classic satire and horror.
Get a jump start on your classroom lesson plans for next week. Include DEstreaming video content and make history come alive for your students. Visit the Calendar within the Teacher Center of DEstreaming for more videos of history during this week.**Note - Before clicking on the links below, sign in to your DEstreaming account
Science - Nov. 27 1867- Patent for refrigerated railroad car
Math -Nov.28-1866-Birthdate of Henry Bacon, engineer and architect
Social Studies - Nov. 28 - 1520- Magellan eyes the great peaceful water
Art & Humanities - Nov. 27 -1924- First Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade
Language Arts -Nov. 24 - 1947- John Steinbeck’s The Pearl published
Health & Guidance - Nov 29 - 1975- New law guarantees children’s right to education
Famous People -Nov.26-1922- Charles Schulz, cartoonist
Nov. 27 - Thanksgiving
The image above is the first frame from the editable video: Animated Hero Classics: William Bradford:The First Thanksgiving. NEST. 1992.Discovery Education. 11 November 2008
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>
In the Teacher Tools section of DEstreaming you can find themes to fit just about any topic. Each theme includes video segments, lesson plans, discussion guides, related resources and student activities for each grade level.
* Before clicking on the link below, open a new window and log in to your DEstreaming account.
This weeks theme is:
Historic Speeches
Seasonal change is an ever-present part of life in most parts of the world. How are humans affecting the changing seasons? Explore seasonal change and the impact of global warming on future seasons.
In the Teacher Tools section of DEstreaming you can find themes to fit just about any topic. Each theme includes video segments, lesson plans, discussion guides, related resources and student activities for each grade level.
* Before clicking on the link below, open a new window and log in to your DEstreaming account.
This weeks theme is: American Democracy
What are the origins of American Democracy? What is the basis for the United States system of government? How did a government ‘for the people and by the people’ originate? Investigate the foundation of the U.S. system of government - with featured video clips, lesson plans, discussion guide, and activities.
