Virginia

Having just returned from NECC (National Educational Computing Conference) in San Antonio, I thought I would share books that I hope to read in the near future that were mentioned over and over again.

The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki http://www.randomhouse.com/features/wisdomofcrowds/

Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky http://www.herecomeseverybody.org/   http://isbn.nu/978-1594201530

 

Brain Rules by John Medina http://www.brainrules.net/

And even though it is a couple years old and I have already read it, I still heard references to Wikinomics How Mass Collaboration Changes Everythying by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams http://www.wikinomics.com/book/ 

I hope to share more about NECC a little later.

 

I posted this on my personal blog but thought you all might be interested as well. Heather B. Blanton an Instructional Technology Resource Teacher from Wise County Public Schools, Virginia sent an email to the VSTE ITRT listserve asking the following question: “If you could pick only one website to share with teachers (preK-4) what would it be?” She was looking to compile the top 25 resources. In the end she ended up with 50 and shared them with us. Enjoy!

All Subjects:

• Starfall
  

• BrainPOP
  

• Brain POP Jr.
  

• BBC School
  

• Bite Sized Games
  

• Primary Games
  

• TopMarks
  

• Scholastic
  

• I Know That
  

• Sadlier Oxford Publisher

• Smarttech Education
  

• Kidport
  

• Gameaquarium
  

• PBSKids.org
  

• Learning Planet
  

• Apples 4 the Teacher
  

• Enchanted Learning
  

• Internet 4 Classrooms
  

• Room 108
  

• Kaboose Fun School
  

• The Kidz Page
  

• Teacher Vision
  

• Ed Helper
  

• ABC Teach
  

• Discoverystreaming (of course)
  

• Jefferson Co Teacher Tools
  

• Falquier Co. SOL Matrix
  

• Waukegan Resources
  

• Thinkfinity
  

Reading/Language Arts:

• READ WRITE THINK
  

• Seussville
  

• Game Goo
  

• Tumblebooks
  

• Storyline Online
  

• Dositey
  

Math:

• Rainforest Math
  

• Number Nut
  

• Harcourt Math
  

• Kids Know It

Science:

• Weather Wiz Kids
  

• Kinetic City
  

• Wonderville
  

• OLogy
  

Social Studies:

• Google Earth
  

• I Like 2 Learn
  

• Social Studies for Kids
  

• Virginiatrekkers
  

• Scott Foresman Social Studies
  

Preschool:

• Nick Jr.

• Chateau Meddybemps

 

The new Newseum has opened and they are offering a great deal for school field trips. FREE!!! This is a great opportunity if you qualify.

The Newseum — a 250,000-square-foot museum of news — offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits.

The Newseum is located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on America’s Main Street between the White House and the U.S. Capitol and adjacent to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. The exterior’s unique architectural features include a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment and an immense front wall of glass through which passers-by can watch the museum fulfilling its mission of providing a forum where the media and the public can gain a better understanding of each other.

The Newseum features seven levels of galleries, theaters, retail spaces and visitor services. It offers a unique environment that takes museum-goers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made.

To book a school field trip, please contact our Call Center at 888/NEWSEUM (888/639-7386).

Public and private school students in grades 1–12 in The Washington Post metropolitan market receive free, general admission through March 31, 2009. To qualify, schools must make group reservations in advance. The schools must be located in one of the jurisdictions listed below.

College and university student groups located in the same areas listed below also receive free admission through March 31, 2009. To qualify, colleges must make group reservations in advance.

Areas included in the free group-admission policy:

Washington, D.C.

Maryland
Anne Arundel County
Calvert County
Charles County
Frederick County
Howard County
Montgomery County
Prince George’s County
St. Mary’s County

Virginia
Arlington County
Fairfax County
Fauquier County
Loudoun County
Prince William County
Stafford County
City of Alexandria
City of Fairfax
City of Falls Church
City of Manassas
City of Manassas Park

 

The LIVE GREEN Teacher Grant program, a Discovery Education program presented by General Motors, challenges middle school teachers to develop innovative ideas for furthering environmental and energy sustainability. Teachers will identify an issue or problem, create a plan to address it, and integrate the topic into classroom teaching.

Earn a $1,000 LIVE GREEN grant - 40 grants will be awarded to teachers for the most forward-thinking ideas. In addition, the 40 recipients will be treated to an exciting online professional development program designed to help them reach their school’s specific green initiatives, including a free digital camera to document and share the experience!

Visit http://livegreen.discoveryeducation.com.

 

Happy New Year VA DEN!

I wanted to share a great resource that Obe Hostetter, ITRT for Rockingham County sent to the ITRT listserve. Using Google Custom Search, Obe created a Google Search feature for his website. A Google Custom Search allows you to choose what websites you want Google to search, think of all the possibilities. The first that comes to mind is a child friendly Google search. This would be great if your district doesn’t subscribe to online databases. How about a subject specific search? You find sites ahead of time and create a custom search. Students still learn valuable “surfing skills” but you know where they are going. Another great example is Obe’s own technology resource search. You can view it in action below.

Here is the link directly to Obe’s entire Web Google Custom Search:

With this link Obe added a search at the bottom of the page that searches the world (not limited at all) but you can easily refine it to find PowerPoint’s, ExamView, SMART Board, Word, Inspiration, Quia, Kidspiration, PortaPortals, etc. He also added a custom search to search Virginia Public Schools.

You can even view it on my school Technology Lesson Search page. I was able to embed it on my website by using the code below. Just copy and paste the HTML on your own webpage or blog.

<!– Google CSE Search Box Begins –>
<form action=”http://www.google.com/cse”
id=”searchbox_016810805021913517955:dmxqmbl5u0y”>
<input type=”hidden” name=”cx” value=”016810805021913517955:dmxqmbl5u0y”
/>
<input type=”text” name=”q” size=”25″ />
<input type=”submit” name=”sa” value=”Search” />
<img
src=”http://www.google.com/coop/images/google_custom_search_smnar.gif”
alt=”Google Custom Search” />
</form>
<script type=”text/javascript”
src=”http://www.google.com/coop/cse/brand?form=searchbox_016810805021913517955%3Admxqmbl5u0y〈=en”></script>
<!– Google CSE Search Box Ends –></td>

Hopefully, these resources can help you use technology more effectively and efficiently in your classroom or with your teachers. Thanks to Obe for all of his hard work.

Heather

Sorry I’ve been absent from the blog scene. I just got back from the VDOE Educational Technology Leadership Conference. I have some information that I will post next week. Since it is the holiday time I thought I would list some holiday resources that you might want to use with your students or for yourselves. If you have some sites or lessons that you use around this time, please feel free to post them in the comments section.

Clip Art

• Discovery Clipart – Holiday and Seasons
• My Free Clipart – Holiday

Discovery Streaming - Search Results (please note you need to sign in to D.E. Streaming first before clicking links)

• Christmas
• Hanukkah
• Kwanzaa
• Winter

Online Resources

• Holiday Resources
• Holiday Smart
• Gingerbread Goodies -Kidspiration Activity
  

SMART Board Lessons

• Christmas Activity for grades 1-3
• Christmas Math for grades 4-6
• Twas the Night Before Christmas – K-3
• Christmas Fun – K-3

Just for Fun

• Elf Yourself - Click here to see the Men of DEN