tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92021570965379053012024-03-19T00:19:45.759-04:00The Techy TeacherEd Tech Help for Teachers| General Library Things | General Education IdeasJennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-2304899403539546592024-01-10T10:00:00.001-05:002024-01-10T10:00:29.986-05:00I'm back, but with some changes in place. <p> It has been nearly 7 years since I have posted. It sounds crazy, I know. I have had a lot of changes since 2018. In 2017, I was moved out of the library and into the classroom. I was asked to teach English, on an Emergency permit. It was a total whirlwind of change. In August of 2018, I accepted a new position teaching English Language Learners and English at the high school level. Now, here we are in 2024 and I am still doing English, but my primary content area is Advanced Speech and communication. Dual Credit! I had to go back to school, take extra classes, do more advanced work. But, I am done and now I send 50 or 60 students away at the end of the year with college credit for Speech, a class that many dread in college. </p><p>I know my focus has always been on technology in the classroom and such, and I would like to continue that but since my content has changed and I am not using as much technology in the classroom, I have some sites that are crucial to my teaching, but nothing like it used to be.</p><p>I would like to start implementing more of a strategy based blog, geared toward language learners since that is now my area of expertise. I am not an expert. I am not exceptional at it. It is a lot of hit and miss with this. Lots of lessons learned.</p><p>I started off with my first year absolutely clueless, but as I got training and experience, I have noticed success. Let's take a look at the first site I use a lot: <a href="https://breakingnewsenglish.com/" target="_blank">Breaking News English</a>. </p><p>Breaking News English is a great place to get quick readings activities with lessons. I love it because there are often obscure stories that the students remember. When I was teaching a resource class and having the kids do a reading activity each day, I would go here and build my lesson around the articles. I love the fact that you can adjust the levels from 1 to 5. There are beginner stories all the way to advanced and you can pick and choose the level you use. I often go with the beginner, because most of the students I see each day are newcomers or long term learners- students who have been here for a long time but have not mastered English. My job is to work with them to get their WIDA score up and get them tested out. This site is really helpful because there is actually academic language included within. </p><p>I suggest if you are working with Language Learners, you check this site out. I have really found it to be helpful when we are working on language building. </p><p><br /></p>Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-84847791986514608792017-02-10T10:05:00.000-05:002017-03-20T10:15:34.252-04:00Using ReCap for exit and entrance tickets<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lNyKcC3WJbgdlAiNujU23Jgz2UHYWR6uoRQgpMWnNQPdWxFhS32LvzUiVZSwKh1Q_C_GvMEqCvD9qoxSCO5JdvsSJpygBOFTyZLR0OqQPGWRPFVvIKOjSMdEehREyyWJ8WJKqR_9GuI/s1600/letsrecap.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lNyKcC3WJbgdlAiNujU23Jgz2UHYWR6uoRQgpMWnNQPdWxFhS32LvzUiVZSwKh1Q_C_GvMEqCvD9qoxSCO5JdvsSJpygBOFTyZLR0OqQPGWRPFVvIKOjSMdEehREyyWJ8WJKqR_9GuI/s400/letsrecap.PNG" width="400" /></a>Lately, my staff professional development has been focused on differentiated instruction and tools we can use in the classroom to check for understanding. There have been lists and lists of tools presented to the staff and being that I am quite a tech person, I decided to check a few of them out. One of them was incredibly interesting to me because of the method of submission. <a href="http://letsrecap.com/" target="_blank">Recap </a>allows kids to record their response instead of doing it written. It gives teachers a chance to see facial expressions, hear vocal reactions and get kids who struggle writing a chance to talk. It is simple to use as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Mxjx84cYOSI8n8RV5baZpmhtfmDcUGXnXRme0AP6SyUGOZAUIx4GcSVgA0BS8V-EaWlEJBjI_bjyyue_HXqa6nMQJoDt_MIlNK37WXMG0jEJ4-zXb6lhhG46OHCg64QCpZalJTKpqng/s1600/letsrecap2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Mxjx84cYOSI8n8RV5baZpmhtfmDcUGXnXRme0AP6SyUGOZAUIx4GcSVgA0BS8V-EaWlEJBjI_bjyyue_HXqa6nMQJoDt_MIlNK37WXMG0jEJ4-zXb6lhhG46OHCg64QCpZalJTKpqng/s400/letsrecap2.PNG" width="400" /></a>First, create an account and use Google+ as the method of logging in. Once in, create classes and then create recaps. They can be simple and quick. It doesn't take much time. After the recap is done, assign it to the class and let the kids do the rest. This is a fantastic idea for a foreign language teacher because kids can do a quick response for the teacher. Sometimes, kids are afraid to speak in public, but knowing that only the teacher will hear them can put them at ease for sure. <br />
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I like this program, a lot. It's free, which makes it even better. I highly recommend it as a tool for checks for understanding or even for a quick response in a foreign language. It's easy to get started.<br />
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<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-59302691474722639962017-01-27T08:03:00.000-05:002017-01-27T08:03:03.399-05:00Teaching the Value of a bookIt seems that each year, while I wait for budget money to come in, I have a few weeks to spend roaming the stacks and searching for some outdated and irrelevant books to weed. I decided this semester as I did my annual purge that I would spend a lot of time training my library media class how to evaluate titles and help determine if they should be weeded or kept.<br />
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We spent a long time talking about weeding and why we do it. I get a lot of criticism from our teachers each time I weed because "There are so many good books here" or "How can you be in a library and want to get rid of books" The fact of the matter is, a library has to be weeded. If it isn't the reputation of the library decreases rapidly. When patrons, no matter what the age, come to a library with 500 books about the same topic, it makes it difficult to locate that one book that is needed. When there are 25 books on a topic and 20 of them are old, musty and unappealing, the patron will just walk on by and not check it out. The ultimate goal of a school library (and any library) is to appeal to the reader and offer materials in which the reader has interest, in which the reader finds value. Materials need to be current, appealing and foster a love of reading. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxP6CO4Fed-RqKEFaB0o6OUSDMeKkvGq9PayBEK4ejhWrjDY8jDpmIw2a4rSTaQHtztF7xP-FKxUAQXHJ9CvRry9Au9wyLBHHz2IOR79PY3dCpdvaE74te6Uus9OFgD2tiOIXFf8tr7A/s1600/weeding+library+sketchnote.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxP6CO4Fed-RqKEFaB0o6OUSDMeKkvGq9PayBEK4ejhWrjDY8jDpmIw2a4rSTaQHtztF7xP-FKxUAQXHJ9CvRry9Au9wyLBHHz2IOR79PY3dCpdvaE74te6Uus9OFgD2tiOIXFf8tr7A/s400/weeding+library+sketchnote.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
I did a good bit of research before I had the kids start. I made a sketchnote (it was my first sketchnote attempt so it was a little messy.) about the things I found on the CREW site from Texas State Libraries. I felt their information met my needs best and the manual answered all of my questions. I shared this with the kids and we talked about the notes. I wanted them to stop and think before they recommended a title for weeding. I found after a few tries, they caught on and were quickly moving through the different sections we have. We talked about needs, a lot. Mostly because a past teacher required his students to have 5 books for his research paper so I held on to a large number of irrelevant and outdated books because they met the topics. It wasn't good for the collection, but it supported curriculum and that is a rationale that needs to be considered. <br />
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When this teacher left the profession, I decided to spend a lot of time evaluating the books he requested me to keep and determine how many really needed to stay. This is where the kids came in. I decided to do an epub with topics we have available to assist teachers and students with research papers. The kids were charged with sorting the books to the topics and generating lists which included title, author and copyright date. After they made these lists, I asked them to look at each book and decide if we had enough about the topic and if they were relevant for the current need. I also asked them to check online sources to see if there were items out there we could guide teachers and students to as well. I was so impressed by their involvement and the outcome. <br />
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I spoke to my students about several important aspects of a collection, I told them to ask questions about each book they handle. How is the appearance? How is the content? Is it used often/ has it circulated in awhile? Do we have more books that are newer about the same topic? Can you find the information in a database? For some things, I showed them how to check online for eBooks. We talked a great deal about public domain and The Gutenberg Project. We talked as well about age of the book and if the materials inside are still important today. It was one of the best discussions I have ever had in a class. The kids were engaged and excited. They were focused and had ownership in the library. I was very impressed by the thoughts they had about Health topics and Science topics. Before we even conversed about age, they were talking to me. "Mrs. Wells, this book is about history of diseases, so I think it is good because it is historical." "Mrs. Wells, this one is about AIDS but it was written about 10 years ago and I think the disease is different now." This was AMAZING! The kids were using some higher order thinking to come up with their conclusions. It was exciting.<br />
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One of my students is an avid nonfiction sports reader. He always hits the Biography section and chooses a book about someone famous who does sports. I knew, as soon as I saw him on my roster that he was the one to weed that section. And I was right! He and I met as he was weeding and he questioned a lot of things. He knows the clientele at our school. he knows what kids are interested in reading and he spent so much time thinking about the books. We ended up cleaning a lot of the books out because most of them were old, about topics that no one cared about anymore and many were too simple for them. (I work with grades 6-12 students and many of the books were 4-6 only.) This was a great lesson and the conversation between us was fantastic. We ended up weeding most of the books in the section, but, it let me know we needed to add more in that area about more current people. The student was then asked to generate a list of potential topics that kids would enjoy, since nonfiction sports is a hot commodity at the library. <br />
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*Please note, while I did have my students take part in the process, the ultimate decision was mine. I looked the books over, I checked them in the computer and evaluated them myself, but, I let them guide the process. I let them help with the process. I must admit, they were spot on with all of their decisions.<br />
<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-29658829941141709032017-01-13T08:40:00.000-05:002017-01-13T08:40:04.676-05:00Nearpod: Free interactive classroom<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8FnqzfrxlOQTI3CJ1Dv5f7CrvBmeA4aqspbrgQZANRt2ATSwiaMQB_1VWWGtbNIJKWIfTx6QdZWkFA5eIjJIvldOHRziYG9xdfARJp4a3ynKHbRk2wZBLiViN-lBDH0Hzl4nel69V98/s1600/nearpod1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8FnqzfrxlOQTI3CJ1Dv5f7CrvBmeA4aqspbrgQZANRt2ATSwiaMQB_1VWWGtbNIJKWIfTx6QdZWkFA5eIjJIvldOHRziYG9xdfARJp4a3ynKHbRk2wZBLiViN-lBDH0Hzl4nel69V98/s400/nearpod1.PNG" width="400" /></a>Are you looking for a way to change up your lessons a little? Do you use PowerPoint and maybe files that relate? Using a site like <a href="http://nearpod.com/" target="_blank">Nearpod </a>makes it very easy to upload a presentation and embed files within so students can follow along and complete the tasks at hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwr05d21Ymp55dTXvk8Rx3g3ACjcinEmCkQCBB3R5o91BVpVyJVS45GEjg6FwdL10Qc8dvDPeywUF5JgA4aXgzaPOdMVyQhUXDa6CICJHt3Ht2xx6xJEcBtVn2AciJojwDizwn3qyRCc/s1600/nearpod2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwr05d21Ymp55dTXvk8Rx3g3ACjcinEmCkQCBB3R5o91BVpVyJVS45GEjg6FwdL10Qc8dvDPeywUF5JgA4aXgzaPOdMVyQhUXDa6CICJHt3Ht2xx6xJEcBtVn2AciJojwDizwn3qyRCc/s400/nearpod2.PNG" width="400" /></a>Nearpod is free, but premium access gives you the capabilities of embedding links and websites. I was able to get a free month of Gold level so I spent some time building activities I know I would use during that time.<br />
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One of the things I like about the site is the capability of adding activities along the way. It's very cool to have a presentation and then stick a few questions in to check for understanding. It is easy to use and the adding content part is included with the free version. This is a fantastic add-in. I love the ability to do quick checks for understanding along the way. The outcome is placed into a report so you can review immediately to see what needs retaught or what is understood. This is a huge bang for the buck!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhay_IfR8ZttSJh0ffB2ixtbn5SpBlFuRV14pR4CVJ-d3hJA4FLIIpZjbbEOiuXpxYMiD1zLAA0-eBuAfkKAEY1pxa17EIiycMmZ5ImREuvTpPHIWqtOL5iMYp1jpYKO3XGIOjcqO-BLko/s1600/nearpod3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhay_IfR8ZttSJh0ffB2ixtbn5SpBlFuRV14pR4CVJ-d3hJA4FLIIpZjbbEOiuXpxYMiD1zLAA0-eBuAfkKAEY1pxa17EIiycMmZ5ImREuvTpPHIWqtOL5iMYp1jpYKO3XGIOjcqO-BLko/s400/nearpod3.PNG" width="400" /></a>I think this is a great tool to try for new instruction or if you are doing a flipped class. (A live code is offered if it is full class, or a student paced option is available if kids are doing a flipped lesson.) They can do the checks for understanding a long the way. It's fantastic and definitely worth looking at. <br />
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<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-46942530691550256852016-12-30T10:00:00.000-05:002016-12-30T10:00:12.625-05:00From the Archives: Diving into Technology<div class="MsoNormal">
As the winter break ends for many of us, it is time to get
back into the grind and start a second semester (or in come cases, trimesters).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of us are currently One to One, but some might have a district that is piloting for the second semester or are starting a program. I have been a part of a district that has one to one for five years now and the tips below are things to think about as you make that transition. </div>
<ol>
<li>Technology shouldn’t be used as a replacement
for instruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should merely be a
tool to help you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t plan lessons
around the technology, sometimes, you can get better results as a human leader
than as a tech leader. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kids love
technology, but there isn’t always a need to have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can teach a lesson the traditional way
do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because you have technology
doesn’t mean you have to use it all of the time.</li>
<li>
Spend some time using a tool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before you implement something, use it
yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t assume kids know how to
do something, you must teach them to use the tool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you know the tool, you can help the kids
use it better. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
<li>Don’t use a ton of tools, focus on a few that
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overwhelming kids with a dozen
tools for projects will make them despise using technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stick with a few that you know work for the
projects you are doing and use them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
tools can be used for many different things with great success.</li>
<li>Find sites that you can refer to for help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a lot of great blogs out there that
provide readers with hundreds of tips, tricks and sites that can be used for
education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spend a little time checking
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was told once by a very smart
edtech blogger to spend just a little time each day to check out stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t spend hours working on this, just a
little time is all you need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
<li> Get a twitter account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twitter is the best place to find technology
tools and tips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are thousands of
edtech specialists out there who can help you find what you need. Follow them,
they will all offer great things.</li>
</ol>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
All in all, jumping into a One to One environment can be
done very simply with preparation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-73752101178923388772016-12-16T16:00:00.000-05:002016-12-16T16:00:01.914-05:00Curating the web with Bag the Web<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDOwpsPHcFcaL8wVZ6Gpb6_OGU1IlIDiD2_3N552W6dCKhD25T0ep01BhXdltUk5hHJ1NQDveK_hZQ8GmYKIWuTjxr__68dXpJJ1CX3Yv2JOCGMN0R6vwdfW-suEUOvWNiPRkiN1y-r4/s1600/bagtheweb1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDOwpsPHcFcaL8wVZ6Gpb6_OGU1IlIDiD2_3N552W6dCKhD25T0ep01BhXdltUk5hHJ1NQDveK_hZQ8GmYKIWuTjxr__68dXpJJ1CX3Yv2JOCGMN0R6vwdfW-suEUOvWNiPRkiN1y-r4/s400/bagtheweb1.PNG" width="400" /></a>Through the years, I have spent a lot of time saving links and articles in various places to refer to at a later date. It always seems as if I am very busy and I fall behind and having these available gives me a chance to stop back later to check things out. I love curation sites. I took a webinar at the beginning of the school year and the presenter was raving about a site called Bag the Web. I, being an investigator, had to check it out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGAkOY-wAoQew0mbcmfL6f-qP7JwN9mZ2iFN_uHHbqKxFTr3AnCDvIv2RIVe6ypKsGq4bOWZoc8ViWzaJq5NpgcyF_CtIQv4DXSKDMD4jAobKwpSWojyE2ci7rKYT4pDHaZF_vNQRmEY/s1600/bagtheweb2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGAkOY-wAoQew0mbcmfL6f-qP7JwN9mZ2iFN_uHHbqKxFTr3AnCDvIv2RIVe6ypKsGq4bOWZoc8ViWzaJq5NpgcyF_CtIQv4DXSKDMD4jAobKwpSWojyE2ci7rKYT4pDHaZF_vNQRmEY/s400/bagtheweb2.PNG" width="400" /></a>I discovered a few things: First of all, it is very easy to follow. You don't have to have previous knowledge to use the site, you just create a bag and then add links or dividers to the bag. (A bag is your hub, per se, where you can store the links together that relate to a topic.) <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRlFmsoY_pd_egSN798w3ZBgL_ZwvnlVnJ4BFQRBOMhdYDrLkmp_TDIfuEKK_9JQ6jhUkRx5zmMfSHd0E7TSC6cxsWvLF7lIlS-C9olBr3afDpGiNSlShiKsuQt9b95tgbVWSER-qmWI/s1600/bagtheweb3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRlFmsoY_pd_egSN798w3ZBgL_ZwvnlVnJ4BFQRBOMhdYDrLkmp_TDIfuEKK_9JQ6jhUkRx5zmMfSHd0E7TSC6cxsWvLF7lIlS-C9olBr3afDpGiNSlShiKsuQt9b95tgbVWSER-qmWI/s400/bagtheweb3.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
I thought a lot about using this to put links about specific books for the library. Maybe make bags about genre. The problem, our school filter blocked the site for teachers as well as students and I had to have it unblocked. Make sure your school's filter lets it through.<br />
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This is a great tool to sort content specific links or to make lists for kids to use for projects and papers. It allows the teacher to have more control over what students are looking at. It's a great tool for the classroom. I think it will help kids not just google the sources, but use links and pages that the teacher has evaluated it. <br />
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<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-77343845894421092112016-12-02T08:58:00.000-05:002016-12-02T08:58:01.402-05:00Choosito for web searches and reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpf4cK35n9ljemEih2XKSxxkRQv3zRUvm5jUzxxbDhT4M2d4s_Y9cKnnB3JbuoRVRQ0TYcO9_rZOsiTajtlmbeIv9p31alqAhjsDweFOh9nqYKc6P2-2GVIQq7MhG9GcM9egUjOzF8LM/s1600/choosito2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpf4cK35n9ljemEih2XKSxxkRQv3zRUvm5jUzxxbDhT4M2d4s_Y9cKnnB3JbuoRVRQ0TYcO9_rZOsiTajtlmbeIv9p31alqAhjsDweFOh9nqYKc6P2-2GVIQq7MhG9GcM9egUjOzF8LM/s400/choosito2.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
If you are one who requires students to do research and find that kids spend more time just googling their topics and not actually doing hard core research or, they come across items that exceed their reading level, take a look at <a href="https://www.choosito.com/" target="_blank">Choosito</a>. While Choosito isn't 100% free, there are free components that can be used by anyone with an account.<br />
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I spent a little time investigating the site and was pleased with what I learned. I did a search for something generic and got a lot of results. I modified my searches for different reading levels and received a lot of different levels of results. It was exactly as anticipated.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9IrQwND39D-7ztc_EegWdZVEf-XEip6TmVdUBfhZhRbyxie29TGrTtXWMx_ALiyLUp-r1wTmTZpk7S2-OU2Q4KV1EryYsRXt3PchTKG6hnF4_4EkjMiY0C9VV66OddzypZ-GDxJ41I0/s1600/choosito.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9IrQwND39D-7ztc_EegWdZVEf-XEip6TmVdUBfhZhRbyxie29TGrTtXWMx_ALiyLUp-r1wTmTZpk7S2-OU2Q4KV1EryYsRXt3PchTKG6hnF4_4EkjMiY0C9VV66OddzypZ-GDxJ41I0/s400/choosito.PNG" width="400" /></a>I think this is a good source to refer students to use when they need research. It's got a better response than google as there were no advertising coming back in the searches, and with google, it seems that those results are the most common.<br />
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Because of the leveled results, I think the site will be helpful for kids of all levels when it comes to research, despite the age of the students. Sometimes in researching, students find materials that are so above their level that analyzing them and using them for a successful paper is often a challenge. This site helps alleviate that problem. <br />
<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-59180241565310058002016-11-18T11:54:00.000-05:002016-11-21T12:14:03.545-05:00Quick assessments using Plickers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLZk8MAehseihEIQXcJevwEWE6qoNQTbd7-IzCbSDoGoLXeN5We1SAAYfiX0kR1eCLjAoM8vKkY-ZlOurBGHcHyovQ_d7l1c8ubmmmBHY3qOU3qJ6eMtBRXzKQ__0BYJeuaWwS4wmm1I/s1600/plickers.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLZk8MAehseihEIQXcJevwEWE6qoNQTbd7-IzCbSDoGoLXeN5We1SAAYfiX0kR1eCLjAoM8vKkY-ZlOurBGHcHyovQ_d7l1c8ubmmmBHY3qOU3qJ6eMtBRXzKQ__0BYJeuaWwS4wmm1I/s400/plickers.PNG" width="400" /></a>Are you looking for a way to quickly assess students and get an idea if they comprehend a topic or not? Do you have a smartphone or tablet? There is a free app called plickers that is used on the computer and a portable device. Students have an assigned card with a graphic that is read by the device. It records responses immediately to do a check for understanding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-OqGTcHweP_GtoXdyiZF0YN37DIBJ7OiSDUWc3ClGSyYMdq2Yk1VO_lSaPNzvVev98p1My01swGPjj1rqVl6W25xtNZTVqfKUS2gCTxtX7hDVcBJjxRTFYSoSv-wDkO1A8K5Ct80xtE/s1600/plickers2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-OqGTcHweP_GtoXdyiZF0YN37DIBJ7OiSDUWc3ClGSyYMdq2Yk1VO_lSaPNzvVev98p1My01swGPjj1rqVl6W25xtNZTVqfKUS2gCTxtX7hDVcBJjxRTFYSoSv-wDkO1A8K5Ct80xtE/s400/plickers2.PNG" width="400" /></a>I really feel this is a simple and easy way to do a check for understanding in a class. The response is quick and immediate and the prep work isn't too intense. You start off making a question and determining the correct answer. Then you load the question into your plicker and share it with the students on the screen. Kids hold up a card that is assigned to them and the responses appear on your device and are stored on the web. I tested it with my class and it was so easy to use.<br />
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I can see this being used for not only a check for understanding or an exit ticket but also as a way to have kids to surveys. You can create 4 potential topics and ask the kids to vote. It's simple. I like how fast the responses come back to you and how easy it is to use. I would recommend giving it a shot. It's a great tool for the classroom. <br />
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<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-86959084624295744532016-11-04T14:25:00.000-04:002016-11-21T10:39:21.056-05:00Making digital worksheets with EduetoI have started to dabble a bit in digital worksheets as ways to assess my students. I have been trying to come up with some different ways to do things. I noticed on the AASL Best Websites of 2016, a link for a free digital worksheet site called <a href="https://www.edueto.com/" target="_blank">Edueto</a>. I checked it out to see if it was something I would use and I believe it is.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoH00BtL6sG_-5Gg7KgwUsUiBSrHMbOmgHbD6Bo1IaGZmsO4TTJppkFfWpqNhcrU025DJc8Pb8z88aV848fDuv1lKJk4TV3xUy3tL8BAk8ZZWW0U06m-stTHrfKiXRpEB3i17WRrkLMA/s1600/edueto1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoH00BtL6sG_-5Gg7KgwUsUiBSrHMbOmgHbD6Bo1IaGZmsO4TTJppkFfWpqNhcrU025DJc8Pb8z88aV848fDuv1lKJk4TV3xUy3tL8BAk8ZZWW0U06m-stTHrfKiXRpEB3i17WRrkLMA/s400/edueto1.PNG" width="400" /></a>The site has a library of publicly shared worksheets that are sorted by content, age, country and grade. If you find one you like, you can copy it to your personal worksheet collection. You can also make your own worksheets fairly easily. There are many options available for the worksheets you make, including math equations and fill in the blank. Even foreign language accents are available. There is a capability of making a class list and assigning work to the students and classes.<br />
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I felt this was a fairly easy site to use and I think it will make some of my daily work a little easier. <br />
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<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-37449977231314702492016-10-21T09:08:00.000-04:002016-11-14T10:38:32.030-05:00Using Wizer.me for Digital Worksheets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg031y9jmQLlvhczvKIJ4OoPXJ5G2jILeGT7eosBD1XcveK2T08oSZYcnX2wH9psr4fmbGNeGjXyU26fFS6eMbLuqOdx-lan6E2Az7FviSdlDStin-2EeJnv5BMvNfvALx5-Su7IJK5s4A/s1600/wizer.me.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg031y9jmQLlvhczvKIJ4OoPXJ5G2jILeGT7eosBD1XcveK2T08oSZYcnX2wH9psr4fmbGNeGjXyU26fFS6eMbLuqOdx-lan6E2Az7FviSdlDStin-2EeJnv5BMvNfvALx5-Su7IJK5s4A/s320/wizer.me.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
I work in a school corporation that uses Canvas by Instructure as our learning management system. I have been trying to find some different ways to create assignments that aren't the same ole same ole. I was told by a colleague about a free worksheet generator site called <a href="http://wizer.me./">Wizer.me.</a> I decided to investigate and see if it worked for me and my students. I would have to say, it is easy to use and meets my expectations. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyZlGcD0bmYbhvM1zKiEPRxJ2WJzxTKDwzYLHhWcrzevaNFlwePTpljmNXnLntiQbYU0-NzmWTX2lCGMGg8mc2RnaTpA8ZzuNwn0Oc5A2mJtqrSUHg7soiGAd2O3nKUl-g3MbG84muqU/s1600/wizer.me2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyZlGcD0bmYbhvM1zKiEPRxJ2WJzxTKDwzYLHhWcrzevaNFlwePTpljmNXnLntiQbYU0-NzmWTX2lCGMGg8mc2RnaTpA8ZzuNwn0Oc5A2mJtqrSUHg7soiGAd2O3nKUl-g3MbG84muqU/s320/wizer.me2.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
First of all, it was very easy to create a free account. I was able to use my google plus account to create it and link it directly to my school email. The kids can also do that since we are a google school so the platform is more private and only linked to their school email and not personal emails.<br />
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I found the format of the site very similar to Smore, which is a newsletter creation site. This site was set up very similar to Smore, just as easy to use. I noticed there is an autograde option as well. I love that. If you are doing a multiple choice, matching or true false test, you can select this option and it will auto grade for you as soon as the kids are done with the assignment. What a time saver! That alone makes it worth it for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglefv8ZJ2ZGwomJUj2Ie46kEbzsrViqKkBWhHoSE9PooihyphenhyphencKBYqFkglpV-ZhZGo9JGMk_CiHIjwvs8sisyxPPFwPHS3cJNSvi-JOZDgONUHZzY_v8R9lqtoasXZAy_ghfoYm03SO2104/s1600/wizer.me3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglefv8ZJ2ZGwomJUj2Ie46kEbzsrViqKkBWhHoSE9PooihyphenhyphencKBYqFkglpV-ZhZGo9JGMk_CiHIjwvs8sisyxPPFwPHS3cJNSvi-JOZDgONUHZzY_v8R9lqtoasXZAy_ghfoYm03SO2104/s320/wizer.me3.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The program does offer several tutorials to explain how to use it. I found it very simple. You can embed the worksheet into your LMS and the kids can do everything right there, directly in the LMS and not on an external site. I love that capability. When the kids go there the first time, they do have to link their account to their gmail, or make a personal account. We are a google school so they linked via Google+ and it took them right to the worksheet.<br />
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I think this is a very easy site to use and once a worksheet is made, it can save a lot of time later. Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-13734981658269594422016-10-07T14:36:00.000-04:002016-10-07T14:36:01.307-04:00Using Aviary for class<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIu6FJZMYmcGDNSssccN8OJWmTpVczjClhMrRAGqWL3o6OOoN6LL-B3Oh_S794MYMUmc3LsDCiiJba85nBgaQ2e7SPDbktWKnur5B0A0RrX9ail63uCkw6T39TkzObTA1K96RFE-F0Mw/s1600/aviary.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIu6FJZMYmcGDNSssccN8OJWmTpVczjClhMrRAGqWL3o6OOoN6LL-B3Oh_S794MYMUmc3LsDCiiJba85nBgaQ2e7SPDbktWKnur5B0A0RrX9ail63uCkw6T39TkzObTA1K96RFE-F0Mw/s400/aviary.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
There are so many times in our teaching where we need to work with photos. Sometimes, we need to edit those photos to make them meet our purpose. Aviary is a great way to do that without spending money on expensive photo editing software.<br />
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Aviary allows the user to upload an image and pull it into a graphic window to do all sorts of different things, such as filters, fades, specific focal points, and even memes. It's very easy to use.<br />
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Being a foreign language teacher, I envision using Aviary as a tool in my classroom. I can see students writing memes in the target language and submitting them as an assignment or an exit slip. It's a different way to present something learned to the teacher or even to classmates.<br />
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I think it could help with prompting as well. Wouldn't it be interesting to have a photo edited in Aviary available in black and white and ask the kids to write a description about the colors and what the image would look like in color? Aviary allows for that to happen with the numerous filters.<br />
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I found this site to be very simple to use and I was able to get around it without a lot of need for help. I understood what I was doing.<br />
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It's worth a shot, and since it's free, it's even a little better. <br />
<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-72961887777217537572016-09-23T11:00:00.000-04:002016-09-23T11:00:10.077-04:00Free online teleprompter tool<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrVgUmYwOLKWpDtPauMzME_hoPeoD78ZrN-1Pe7C-c8_L1zDhjpvU28ykaMxlzv-oz1O3BS72T7BWyxA0bH8eRCwljJaguJudNT03uj88YlEvrW6YY370eR4CGN03idcb_6NhaKXE_xE/s1600/cueprompter.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrVgUmYwOLKWpDtPauMzME_hoPeoD78ZrN-1Pe7C-c8_L1zDhjpvU28ykaMxlzv-oz1O3BS72T7BWyxA0bH8eRCwljJaguJudNT03uj88YlEvrW6YY370eR4CGN03idcb_6NhaKXE_xE/s320/cueprompter.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
Being a former foreign language teacher and a current media teacher, I have often had my students do projects where they record themselves. Usually, it is difficult for them to do their recordings and have a paper in front of them as a cue or a prompt. While sometimes, we want them to be impromptu, often, a script is a component we want them to use. I found a free site that allows you to insert your script and it converts it to a teleprompter so students can be more natural when they present. It could also be used as a cue for teachers when they do a lesson or a training as well.<br />
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The site is called <a href="http://cueprompter.com/" target="_blank">Cueprompter</a> and it's a simple, free way to make your video have a more natural presentation.<br />
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Once you embed your document into the white box, you press start prompt. It opens a new window or tab with a black screen (of course, one can choose the background/ text color). It also has the option of adjusting speed. Press forward as soon as you are ready to play and it will start your teleprompt!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlK9m3cYge4ujJHE6LNyiUxmMygRL0SXLjei0v0D5jJSzZLUWK0Q__etsP04OndLrmEtjgEilxRRsy___66l4iN8SWyY9C4VpDBAAlf3ZljLSWCKHjtXTkR-UcQbgtOy6K4kE6NlAgiI/s1600/cueprompter2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="32" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlK9m3cYge4ujJHE6LNyiUxmMygRL0SXLjei0v0D5jJSzZLUWK0Q__etsP04OndLrmEtjgEilxRRsy___66l4iN8SWyY9C4VpDBAAlf3ZljLSWCKHjtXTkR-UcQbgtOy6K4kE6NlAgiI/s640/cueprompter2.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
I think I will encourage my students to use it for their book talk recordings as well as maybe a lesson they will do for digital citizenship. I think it will make their presentations more natural and we will be able to see their face and not the top of the head that one gets when they look down at a paper over and over for reference.<br />
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<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-89716406104097388192016-09-09T16:23:00.000-04:002016-09-09T16:23:00.151-04:00Access to free videos for all content areas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCy03ryKN8fxxRU-Md7pRCXwrFRk2QKyZB9FHszbF0PwWoJfFxXW5TwV1LNVcZsC3SYwz_QQbUHlPVqOpZwSX1ZVFW3TnFHGagLJsPpHHDK2_LnJr2PhyuK0aWhQBDra0Kn3xFBvpDOuc/s1600/freewatchlearn.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCy03ryKN8fxxRU-Md7pRCXwrFRk2QKyZB9FHszbF0PwWoJfFxXW5TwV1LNVcZsC3SYwz_QQbUHlPVqOpZwSX1ZVFW3TnFHGagLJsPpHHDK2_LnJr2PhyuK0aWhQBDra0Kn3xFBvpDOuc/s400/freewatchlearn.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
I was spending some time on Twitter recently, looking for some ideas for my posts. I came across a link for a site with free education videos for all content areas. I was very intrigued and had to check it out. What I found was <a href="http://watchknowlearn.org/" target="_blank">WatchKnowLearn</a>. This site is amazing. It features close to or more than fifty thousand videos about every topic imaginable. The creators of the site list is a free domain to categorize and rate K-12 educational videos.<br />
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It reminds me a little of scoop.it or pinterest for video links. It provides teachers the capability of adding links to videos about topics. After adding the links, a team from WatchKnowLearn sifts through the videos and determines if they are right for the site, they are added to a large database where anyone can access them.<br />
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I love, love, love how this site it checked and maintained and evaluated for good sources. There are many opportunities. Teachers can actually set up a classroom on the site and assign videos to classes and students. There is a step by step instruction sheet as well as a video about creating the account and the classroom. What's even better, all of it is free! One tip, someone has to be an administrator so talk to people at your school and see who that would be. Enjoy! It's a great toolJennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-62726313722196683862016-08-26T12:17:00.000-04:002016-08-26T12:17:00.236-04:00Primary Access: Projects with Primary Sources<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5bkrG96hg5gUrBhodykGdEJTotn300bjp1lbAHar-1-DyVRQK5ePwuX4jp98oMuHikNmRNpPCEjtwlnz25seeMRHwPEhi0xVCEYQauO1EiTM2LQE26hyb3SDNKThREZVmjB_wGfSJ8s/s1600/primary+access.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5bkrG96hg5gUrBhodykGdEJTotn300bjp1lbAHar-1-DyVRQK5ePwuX4jp98oMuHikNmRNpPCEjtwlnz25seeMRHwPEhi0xVCEYQauO1EiTM2LQE26hyb3SDNKThREZVmjB_wGfSJ8s/s1600/primary+access.PNG" /></a></div>
The University of Virginia has established a free site for teachers to use where students can create movies and storyboards with primary sources. It's called <a href="http://www.primaryaccess.org/teacher/" target="_blank">Primary Access. </a><br />
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One of the reasons I really like this site is the fact that a teacher can create classes and assign students activities to do with the plethora of primary sources available on the site. After students make their assignment, the teacher can view it on the primary access site. Everything is in one place. It's so easy to do.<br />
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When one creates an account, the directions for adding classes and students are simplified and detailed. Making assignments are also easy to do.<br />
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I can see this being used in a large variety of courses. Social Studies, Language Arts, Science and Foreign Language definitely, but even some other courses could find value with this site.<br />
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I decided that this is going to be one of the tip sheets I share with colleagues this school year because many of them can use this in their classroom. I think it will be a great PBL tool.Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-9674788663055247172016-08-12T11:37:00.000-04:002016-08-12T11:37:00.259-04:00Send your class a video email<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gnPKe1I0mQUSogwfmZyHIA_q5OJnvUMw76UQBVwgtYkT3SYEVMHxQQ4clTElcsgke-P0A-9VJqBv6R8d50w1amQxEIlKfT880bNJODbc7OA48UWdLDBwtOvjr5lDB8FVTVU_DdVo_gE/s1600/eyejot1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gnPKe1I0mQUSogwfmZyHIA_q5OJnvUMw76UQBVwgtYkT3SYEVMHxQQ4clTElcsgke-P0A-9VJqBv6R8d50w1amQxEIlKfT880bNJODbc7OA48UWdLDBwtOvjr5lDB8FVTVU_DdVo_gE/s320/eyejot1.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Have you gone to a special conference and met someone you wish you could share with your students? What about a trip that you took somewhere during Spring Break that was a great content related journey you think students need to see? There is a site you there called <a href="http://corp.eyejot.com/" target="_blank">eyejot</a> where you can record video and email it directly to your students.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMyTT00x-9K7l5IZ0K-EsEQfiDNVP-Vmaavr33TEyIlGtPtSE1g1yOSD-UnLYbrOEQ_5ku_peqL-s2Ln9Dae-t_mp3ysXKWrVzIYFTEnSnXGGv2Dt70HLFM13J256OOcOUGnWD8zdL6Q/s1600/eyejot2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMyTT00x-9K7l5IZ0K-EsEQfiDNVP-Vmaavr33TEyIlGtPtSE1g1yOSD-UnLYbrOEQ_5ku_peqL-s2Ln9Dae-t_mp3ysXKWrVzIYFTEnSnXGGv2Dt70HLFM13J256OOcOUGnWD8zdL6Q/s320/eyejot2.PNG" width="320" /></a>Eyejot has several options for use, the free version lets you send 50 emails of a 5 minute video. That means you can share an experience with 50 students! You have an unlimited number of messages sent as well. <br />
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Due to the limited number of emails you can send, you may have to get creative if you teach a lot of sections of the same class, but, with unlimited messages, you can record different segments of the video to share with students.<br />
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There is an app you can use on iOS as well.<br />
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<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-70091265846219368672016-07-22T10:57:00.000-04:002016-07-22T10:57:02.374-04:00FlipSnack: Homemade Learning materialsHave you come across a need to make a small collection of materials for your class, maybe a booklet or a perhaps your students wrote a poetry collection you wish to publish- FlipSnack is a potential way to do that. FlipSnack is an online flipbook site that users can use to upload materials and publish them for a certain about of uses. And the amount of uses is high.<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKorbE0flqQayHsZVH0B_d7Skzyo5qwNKaxOSMHWb784YhE-JR63dgKISH4CODVvj8dtKhtOIH0Eac3ikAwBR8PaOun1Q7iP8sX3rhdt3W_wqb3K79WU-9U3sFOU9FzVjyQy4PqXUhs3o/s1600/flipsnack1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKorbE0flqQayHsZVH0B_d7Skzyo5qwNKaxOSMHWb784YhE-JR63dgKISH4CODVvj8dtKhtOIH0Eac3ikAwBR8PaOun1Q7iP8sX3rhdt3W_wqb3K79WU-9U3sFOU9FzVjyQy4PqXUhs3o/s320/flipsnack1.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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While <a href="http://www.flipsnack.com/" target="_blank">FlipSnack</a> has a paid version, there is also a free version with limited access. It isn't something you could use for a long time, but it could be used for short-term.</div>
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It's easy too. Just upload PDFs or JPGs to the site and click publish. With the free version, you have 1GB of storage, three 15 page books that can be opened 10,000 times a day. The booklet can be embedded but it does have a watermark, but who cares, it's free. </div>
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I think if someone is doing a unit and has a small collection of materials, this would be a great way to present it. There is also a paid version that allows for more things to be uploaded to your flipbook. </div>
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What an interesting tool, right? It is definitely worth checking out.</div>
Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-47267718189472735082016-06-24T10:22:00.000-04:002016-06-24T10:22:00.144-04:00Vocaroo: Voice Recording quick and easy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been looking for some options for presentations because some of my students are very hesitant to talk about things in front of the class. While I require them to do some sort of book talk or presentation, I decided to allow them to do it in a different way so I looked around for some tools online that can be used for that purpose.<br />
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<a href="http://vocaroo.com/" target="_blank">Vocaroo</a> is an easy tool to use for just the purpose I wanted, quick oral presentations. I think because of ease of use and the method of delivery any class could use it. Social Studies, English and Foreign languages. I love the fact that it doesn't save everything on a site, you just receive a link with the final product and embed that into your page.<br />
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I could see a recording from this site embedded into a blog or a website with some sort of oral description. A foreign language teacher could very easily use this for an oral prompt for an assignment or a test as well.<br />
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I love that the result can be emailed directly so if you are assigning students an oral presentation, they can complete it and email it. The link can be embedded as well. It is so easy! I think it can be a real benefit to reach those students who fear public speaking.Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-31011127251951772992016-05-27T10:06:00.000-04:002016-06-22T11:05:15.335-04:00Blabberize: Quick mini oral presentations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Being that I am originally a foreign language teacher, I often have that side of my brain running when I look at a website. How could this be used in a foreign language class? I found a fun one today called <a href="http://blabberize.com/" target="_blank">Blabberize</a>. It's free and it is quick, but it could be very beneficial in a foreign language class or even some other classes where a quick presentation could take place.<br />
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Here is how it works: You find a photo or a picture and upload it to their site. Then, you record a clip of information one of three ways, microphone, telephone or upload. Then, the site merges the audio together with the image and you have a talking photo.<br />
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I see this being very useful for a quick response in foreign language. It appears that only one person can speak so no conversations but maybe students can answer a quick question or something.<br />
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I wouldn't use this often in my classroom, maybe from time to time as a change in pace. It's definitely worth looking into.Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-18105587484576270072016-04-29T10:00:00.000-04:002016-04-29T10:00:08.291-04:00Educaplay Learning Resources toolNot long ago, a tweet passed through my feed from SimpleK12, and as you probably have seen, I am a big fan of SimpleK12. They offer so many wonderful things to educators. The feed was a blog post with 50+ free tech tools for your classroom. I was hooked. I started checking them out and decided I am going to do several posts about some of them. We are starting today with a post about <a href="http://en.educaplay.com/" target="_blank">EDUCAPLAY </a>which is a multimedia resource tool.<br />
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Educaplay is a site that allows users to create multimedia games and tools to use as a review tool. You can create a free account to use and also search a directory of other people's files. This site reminded me a little of Quia, which I used to use when I was teaching as a review tool. As my followers know, I am too cheap to buy tools, and this one is a freebie.<br />
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Creating an account was easy, so was making an activity. I noticed you can select your country and then see specific grade levels and specific content to cover in the activity. There are also tutorial videos available for each activity you use. When you make the activities, you can alternate the method of presenting the materials- visual, text or audio. (Awesome tool for a foreign language teacher!)<br />
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I think this is a pretty good tool for the classroom teacher of all levels. Because there are many methods of presenting information, it will benefit many. I think, too, it could be embedded into some LMS as well. <br />
<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-62445846949464950062016-04-15T08:57:00.002-04:002016-04-21T10:41:59.639-04:00A New form of book reports: TrailersWith students today being so much more tech savvy than they were ten, or even five years ago, the need to change out methods of instruction is vastly growing. But, what about our way of collecting information and assessing students?<br />
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This semester I was given two sections of a course called Library Media. In Indiana, this is a course that is designed to focus on research as well as the ongoings of a school library. Students are to focus on digital citizenship, reading and recommendations. One of the assignments I decided to do was to replace the traditional book report with a book trailer. I felt letting kids do a more technology based presentation/ recommendation would be more exciting and let them use a little more creativity than simply writing a report.<br />
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The students used one of two online platform called Powtoon or Animoto. Both of them allow users to create fast presentations that come out as a video. Many of the kids chose Powtoon because it let them modify the fonts and change the size of text. They are also able to do transitions, which they liked.<br />
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The outcome was really a great one. I was pleased with the results and it made the assignment so much more fun.<br />
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Anyone who requires students to read a novel or even a book excerpt can require students to do a book trailer in place of the traditional report.Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-13703645243573062462016-02-23T06:50:00.000-05:002016-04-21T10:42:55.883-04:00Symbaloo is still awesome<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlIRwqYzsQzhXwRLv8777z_pspRj-CdP4VR5ldOTR2_abstPIynaGEtX5AccBUz04xy1pAAj5UX1uA6yMXqSaOcosg4POjCsE-btZIBmJl7S_5-q_GB-c-Z9Kr9890ATN7M900gEUW9w/s1600/symbaloo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlIRwqYzsQzhXwRLv8777z_pspRj-CdP4VR5ldOTR2_abstPIynaGEtX5AccBUz04xy1pAAj5UX1uA6yMXqSaOcosg4POjCsE-btZIBmJl7S_5-q_GB-c-Z9Kr9890ATN7M900gEUW9w/s400/symbaloo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I know in the past I have written about Symbaloo and how I have used it for various things but I again want to rave on it a little.<br />
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I have been using Symbaloo as an embedded part of my library website as a tool for my students to access. I have found it offers them so much information in a little space and it has been so helpful to the kids. I love the fact that I can make color coded categories and that I can link to other Symbaloo . It's wonderful to not have to re-invent the wheel if you need to do some additions. You just make a box and link it to another Symbaloo you already have done.<br />
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I think having access to it makes the library page a little more user friendly. Kids just remember what color you told them to look at and they go to that section to get their information. It has helped make research a breeze for the students. I think my teacher appreciate it as well since they can direct the kids to the section they want.<br />
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Teachers are also finding ease of use with Symbaloo. Many of them are picking the sites they want students to access and creating a Symbaloo they use for that component of class. It works wonderfully.<br />
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Again, Symbaloo is so user friendly and easy to work with, it is definitely worth looking into for any content area.Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-79666623237356304692016-01-22T08:37:00.000-05:002016-01-22T08:38:21.975-05:00It's been awhile: Digital Citizenship Lessons for Free<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosqtk9eH8R_xAgK55Dg7XIR3s0AgqdoDf6QMydnQz_W1JS9XGYv66DroT-tQMRKhefA7hTD01znCP6zh5xfYeMaTvz0ZX_xIbVMOCVSvMbIfFFmHXkO9bjFsCQZZcTq9uiuWkkcJ5Ogw/s1600/commonsense.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosqtk9eH8R_xAgK55Dg7XIR3s0AgqdoDf6QMydnQz_W1JS9XGYv66DroT-tQMRKhefA7hTD01znCP6zh5xfYeMaTvz0ZX_xIbVMOCVSvMbIfFFmHXkO9bjFsCQZZcTq9uiuWkkcJ5Ogw/s400/commonsense.JPG" width="400" /></a>I just realized as I was doing my new releases post for the library that I haven't posted on my blog for ages, about 4 months! Time sure does fly! I think this is the perfect time to talk about a program I discovered and have been using for my Library Media class: A free digital citizenship program from <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/scope-and-sequence" target="_blank">Common Sense Media</a>.<br />
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I was assigned two Library Media classes this semester and was looking for an engaging program to use with the kids to make them appreciate copyright and ownership of things. I also wanted them to acknowledge internet safety. My students are mostly Sophomores and older, but they still are in a "That won't happen to me" mindset. I wanted them to think before they post and focus on their digital footprint.<br />
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The Common Sense program is very customizable. You can do the entire scope and sequence or just pick and choose lessons. Most of the lessons last a day so we can cover a lot, but there is a good deal of reinforcement and recall because many of the lessons recycle vocabulary. I am finding the kids are engaged, despite who they are. The sequences have a short video clip (typically no more than 3 minutes.) The program has led to a lot of discussion and it has been flexible enough that I can add or subtract parts on my own.<br />
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I am very impressed by the ease of use and the flexibility of the program and I am going to continue using it for my classes.Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-86057820148679719952015-10-16T08:52:00.000-04:002015-10-16T08:52:10.665-04:00Formative: Collecting info in a different way<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWG27T69lCl1rQpOBYjuuNRQV2-pPxlujFTlZ_A-htRPGbrG5EoOYDEBTFBT_gLNm7gQ5Hfs5bfsL1bJTCXIqG8UaOCvg6xeDhvdXsITDUMoiKXEM0wUAy7LpUCgqY3SROZQ44UmmgVk/s1600/formative.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWG27T69lCl1rQpOBYjuuNRQV2-pPxlujFTlZ_A-htRPGbrG5EoOYDEBTFBT_gLNm7gQ5Hfs5bfsL1bJTCXIqG8UaOCvg6xeDhvdXsITDUMoiKXEM0wUAy7LpUCgqY3SROZQ44UmmgVk/s400/formative.JPG" width="400" /></a>For many of us in education, we are often in search of new and fun ways to assess kids to see if the material we covered that day stuck. There are several web 2.0 tools out there to do this, poll everywhere, todaysmeet, kahoot, but, I found another site that also can be used to collect data and information but, it is done a little bit differently than the other sites, as it allows interaction and doodling. It's called <a href="http://goformative.com/" target="_blank">Formative</a>.<br />
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Formative is set up a little like Kahoot, where the teacher creates a panel of questions (or even just one question) and sends the kids a link to a question, survey, short answer response, etc. It saves all of the questions within the site so you can reuse them year after year. The site also establishes a data summary so you can check and see understanding.<br />
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One of the components I appreciated was the capability of making classes within the site. I feel that is an awesome aspect of the site. It can help aggregate data even better by comparing classes to each other, gauging needs of different levels. I can help a teacher do differentiation.<br />
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I decided to try the site out with my yearbook staff. I added a photo of a student at the fair and ask the students to caption the photo. They received 5 points for doing so. I think I am going to start doing this for a daily starter. There are hundreds of yearbook photos out there. If they caption them together, we can get several done with good captions!<br />
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<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-78560813531649546582015-10-09T12:52:00.003-04:002015-10-09T12:52:52.760-04:00Interactive Lessons with AurasmaA few years back, I attended a conference where one of the speakers shared a program on her iPad called Aurasma. It takes a specific trigger image and makes it interactive. I was intrigued but didn't think much about it again.<br />
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Not long ago, my yearbook representative stopped in and showed me something a school district in Indiana is doing with Aurasma and it blew me away! The kids are shooting photos for the pages, but also short video clips as well. They used images on the pages to trigger the video clips. (For example, at the championship Volleyball match, they did a few short video clips of a serve, a spike, etc... and had one of the images tagged to trigger the video clip.) It is AWESOME.<br />
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That got me thinking, what can classroom teachers do with this program to make their lessons interactive? Even teachers of secondary students could use this app to make class different and exciting.<br />
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Picture a social studies class. Place clips of images around the classroom and find a short video clip or audio piece that links to it. (I have discovered about 30 seconds max for the clips) Have kids download the aurasma app and take a tour of the room. The same could be done in an Art class, a math class, or even in English. <br />
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The whole concept is a great way to incorporate technology but also make class different for the kids.<br />
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To use it, one has to have a login and an account create and the app has to be downloaded to the device (tablet, smartphone) so it works. You can create the actual triggers (or aura) on the computer and merely use the device to make it work. It really doesn't take that long to make things happen either.<br />
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My yearbook staff decided quick to make the book interactive and have video clips of things that happen. I can't wait to see how it comes out.<br />
<br />Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9202157096537905301.post-78537398594328763652015-10-02T08:56:00.000-04:002015-10-07T08:57:13.344-04:00Using Newsela to Differentiate a Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the expectations of every classroom teacher is to differentiate the classroom and create lessons that fit to the needs of each student. Many teachers who incorporate reading into the classroom are probably finding difficulty managing this concept and struggle to get good, quality articles. I have come across a way: <a href="https://newsela.com/" target="_blank">Newsela </a><br />
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Newsela is a collection of nonfiction articles that cover an array of topics. It is free to use, just create an account. The exciting part about this website is the ease of differentiation. Every article has options to choose the lexile level of the text. What does this mean? You can print the same article but have different versions so the lower reader can read the same information with simpler text.</div>
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The site allows you to establish classes so you can store content relevant stories for later use. These are saved in binders. What is awesome about this, it also creates reading comprehension questions for each article as well.</div>
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I created a student account and a teacher account so I could see how it worked. It was very easy to establish a class and find articles. There is even a progress check which identifies student needs.</div>
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This is definitely a site to look at and play around with. Every content area can benefit from the articles and it helps pull that nonfiction need into the classroom. </div>
Jennifer Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01514677335267810074noreply@blogger.com0