Technology+Resources

[|Integrating Technology into the classroom]

Integrating Technology into the classroom is a great place to start if you have no idea where to begin. They have a list of different ways to integrate the internet, webquest, digital cameras, pictures, and free downloads. One of my favortie links so far is the how to teach technology when technology fails. Great resource for a beginning.

[|Animoto: video presentation web stie]

Animoto brings a kick to the "old" power point presentations your students use. Here they can create a presentation using images, words, and music to create a fun video style presentation. You have to pay for the advance "pro" materials, however, the basic presentation are free and can be used for educational purposes. A fellow colleague uses Animoto and has a step by step instruction sheet on how to use the website and presentation creation. Also, talk with you department or media specialist they may have money in the budget to pay for the advance stuff. [|Animoto tips.docx]

Video Streaming:

You tube is a great place to find videos for the classroom. You can stream videos live but if your school is like mine it slows down the network. So our Technology Support Instructors gave us instructions on how to download videos from you tube called Kick You Tube. [|KickYou Tube.doc] [|You Tube] Do you know the difference between the Democrats and Republicans?? Check this video out! [|Political Party Rap!!] [|Positive ideas for You tube] Below I have posted a video on how to intorduce you tube into the classroom. If you ahve never used You tube it is fun! I use You Tube videos to help expalin complicated ideas or just for fun. Above I attached a link to a political party rap. It is silly but the kids learned. Students can also produce videos intructional or movie like and add them to You Tube. Teachers can create a rubric and evauate students knowledge of the topic. I must admit I have viewed many videos posted by students over the last two years and they are great. Give the students a little creative freedom and watch what happens. Students become engaged and they get a kick out of seeing their friends on Facebook. Make sure to set "appropriate" standards on the students as these could count as a project. media type="youtube" key="7O-1X9u_6Go" width="425" height="350"

[|Discovery Education Streaming] Discovery Education Streaming is a great source for educational based videos. Here you can stream video or download them to a file. The great aspect of Discovery Education Streaming is you can easily incorporate these videos into power point presentations. The videos can be downloaded in small segments or full movies. At discovery Education a new member must register. Please check with your department head as your county may already be a member and you will have access to the site.

[| Teacher Tube] TeacherTube is a website similar to YouTube, but where all of the videos are educational. The videos include lessons that were taught and uploaded by teachers, videos that are created for students to watch that elaborate on a variety of educational topics, or videos for teachers to view to help them get ideas for different ways of explaining concepts or using activities in the classroom. The website is free and does not require the user to sign up or subscribe. The videos do not have to be downloaded; rather they are streaming and can be used immediately.

ELMO machines The ELMO machine is a modern technology that is used in place of old overhead projectors. The ELMO is special in that it uses a digital recording camera to show real time images rather than using transparencies. For example, a teacher could put a worksheet or a textbook on the deck of the ELMO machine and it would project a color picture of the image. The ELMO is interactive and is a great tool for students doing presentations. Since the ELMO will project any image placed on its deck, a student could make a small poster and project it onto a screen rather than carrying large poster board. Similarly, teachers and students can use this machine to project images of realia as well, to give all students a perfect view of the materials being studied.

Who's First (quiz show style classroom game) Many teachers review before tests. Sometimes this involves a study guide, sometimes it involves students writing on the board. Now, review time can be even more engaging for students! This quiz show style game allows students to "buzz in" with answers. It can be used in small groups where each student gets a buzzer, or in large groups where students work on teams. When a student presses his or her colored buzzer, a corresponding light is illuminated on the central tower to show the teacher who buzzed in first. This way students are engaged, excited, interested, and most importantly, still learning!



Prezi is a website that allows teachers and students a chance to break out of the typical PowerPoint and branch into a new world of note taking and interactive teaching. Prezi may not have all of the transitions typically found in many of the PowerPoint features, but it has many unique features of it's own. With Prezi you are able to "slide" from place to place, zoom in on notes, expand, and with a slide of the mouse, you can go backwards or forwards while still leaving the previous notes up for some of the students still finishing the previous section. Prezi is a new way of teaching and a fun way of doing notes.

[|Google Earth] is a great tool that can bring Social Studies, World History and even lessons on topography and landscapes to a new level. Never again will we just have to refer to a map of the world or a old globe, we now have Google Earth were we can zoom from America to Turkey to China and back to Alaska. Google Earth allows students to step into what is being taught and can see first hand how that specific area appears.



Beyond Question is a great company that specializes in classroom response pads or clickers. This is a great opportunity that allows for real time responses and can allow the teacher to determine in just seconds if the class fully understands the material being covered. This is a great way to allow students to give responses in class without being called out and also can be a great resource for the teacher to give tests and quizzes and immediately grade and record in your gradebook.

 Smart Response (Benjamen Edwards)  I use this technology to save time, to see instant results of my students grades and standards they are meeting. Sometimes Smart Response is referred to as "clickers." Students love using it and it helps me a great deal by getting results immediately. Our school has 3 classroom sets to use throughout the school. Most teachers are not using them yet. My principal wants me to teach the other teachers how to use it. Once set up it is very user friendly. Students enjoy using something other than paper and pencil. I find that it motivates my students to learn and be actively engaged in learning. There are many workshops that can teach you how to utilize the clickers. I have attended two of them and keep learning more and more about the smart response that I do share with my colleagues.