Brownwood

=__ Jen's Presentation for August 2012 to PreK-3 Teachers __=

(Located at the bottom of the page)
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__Globalizing the Curriculum Ideas__

 * Connecting**
 * [|Skype] - Download Skype from this site.
 * Introducing Skype in the Classroom
 * [|Skype in the Classroom] - Find other classes to connect with via Skype, Skype projects or experts.
 * Why? Kathy Cassidy's Blog Entry
 * Skype tutorial
 * [|Meeting Planner] - Find the best time to connect with other time zones.
 * [|Skype an Author] - Some of these authors will do a free call for 10 - 15 minutes.
 * [|Around the World in 80 Schools] - Find other classrooms who want to Skype
 * Global Classroom Project
 * [|Projects by Jen]

**Blogs** **–** Below are options for blog hosts and classroom examples.
 * [|Kidblog] - classroom [|example 1], [|example 2] and [|example 3]
 * [|Edublogs] - classroom [|example 1], [|example 2] and [|example 3]
 * [|Blogspot] - classroom [|example 1] and [|example 2] example 3
 * [|Classblogmeister] - classroom [|example 1] and [|example 2]
 * Posterous - Easy to just get started for the whole class or post assignments from you (This is a grade 2 example)

There are other options as well. If you are comparing blogging tools, [|this page] may help you to choose.


 * Blogs as Primary Digital Portfolios**
 * [|Why Digital Portfolios for Young Children?]
 * [|Example of First Grade Digital Portfolio]
 * Wiki of Resources for Primary Portfolios

__Finding Meaning in the Masses: Maximizing Your Professional Learning Community__

 * [|Twitter] and Twitter aggregators: ([|HootSuite],[|Tweetdeck], etc.) Allows you to create feeds for specific hashtags or users.


 * [|Twitter Checklist] - A list of steps to help you learn how to make the most of Twitter.


 * [|Twitter FAQ] - Intro to what Twitter is and what it’s about.


 * [|Tweetdoc.org] Service for saving twitter hash tag searches. Good for camps, conferences, etc. Can specify date range. Limited to 500(?) tweets, so for larger events, might want to run tweetdoc daily.


 * [|Bitly] : URL shortener, able to create custom URL’s. Another good URL shortener is google URL shortener - if signed in you are able to see number of times accessed as well as a qr code that is automatically generated


 * [|Popular Education Hashtags on Twitter] - This list will help to get you started finding others of like minds and similar interests.


 * [|Twitter Chat Schedule] - Many of these are not education related, but may be something you are interested in pursuing.


 * Some fabulous people to follow!

__Web Literacy for Elementary Students__
Searching by Reading Level Enter your search word-->Choose More Search Tools-->Choose Reading Level-->Choose Basic

Creating Custom Searches [|Google Custom Search]- You choose the sites for your students to search. Use the embed code that is provided to put your custom search on to any web space. Example

__Search Engines to use with young children:__
 * [|Boolify]
 * [|Sweet Search]

__Searching for Images Legally__


 * Any image automatically has a copyright.


 * The[|Creative Commons]was set up to make it easier to share photos.


 * [|The Educator’s Guide to Copyright, Fair Use and Creative Commons]


 * [|Compfight] - Search Flickr for Creative Commons images.


 * [|Search.Creativecomons.org]

__Websites - Some websites to show when teaching kids about the inaccuracies of the web:__


 * [|The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus]
 * [|The special penguins]
 * [|Velcro Crop]

Jen’s Critical Thinking website
 * Focus on the Validating Information section - The R.E.A.L Strategy
 * R - Remember to look at the extensions
 * E - Examine the content on the site itself
 * A - Who is the author of the site? Are they a reliable resource for this information?
 * L - What does this site link to and what sites link to this one
 * [|Gleanwhois] is a great resource
 * What aspects of this can we use with small children to prepare them?

__Apps to Start Your Shift to Digital__

 * [|Audioboo] - (free) Audio recording tool that allows sharing through embeds.


 * [|Sock Puppets] (free) or[|Puppet Pals]– (free or 2.99) Make a puppet show and upload it to Youtube.


 * [|Educreations] - (free) Draw, annotate and record your voice on a whiteboard then grab the embed code right in the app. (Also ScreenChomp and ShowMe)


 * [|Book Creator]- ($4.99) Add photos or drawings and text to make a digital book.


 * [|Draw Free]- (free) A good starter drawing tool.


 * [|TCEA’s List]of iPad apps. Search by subject and level. (Including primary!) Many of them are free.

__Other Helpful Tools__
ClassDojo - (free) Fantastic for keeping track of of both positive and negative behaviors. Fabulous for showing immediate feedback to students.

Diigo/Delicious - (free) Social bookmarking tool that keeps track of all your favorites online and allows you to share and follow others.

[|Evernote]- (free or paid version) Keep track of student progress using text. The paid version also saves audio and images.

__Fabulous Early childhood and Elementary Teachers' websites:__
Kathy Cassidy - Grade 1/2 teacher in Canada Lachlan Hull - Kindergarten teacher in Australia Maria Knee - Kindergarten teacher in Maine Ms. VonWahlde - International School of Prague - Third grade students in Prague Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano - 21st Century Learning specialist - grades 1-5 Linda Yollis - Third Grade teacher

__Wikis Together!__
 * Reader's Theater
 * What else could you do with the new friends you meet?

__Levels of Technology Integration__


Some Things to Think About/Remember: The crossing the street analogy

Kids needs time to reflect

When you give kids purpose, an audience and/or choice they become much more engaged in their learning

Make it personal whenever you can