Search Results for “Interactive Whiteboard”

Teacher Led Interactive Whiteboard

April 15, 2009Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment2488 views

What it is: Teacher Led IWB is a collection of resources for use with an interactive whiteboard. This is an outstanding collection of 46 math tools and games, 3 geography maps and map makers, 6 English tools and games, and two multipurpose games. The collection is visually appealing and helps teach key concepts visually in each content area. There are too many great resources to go in depth here, I recommend heading over to Teacher Led IWB and taking a look right now!

How to integrate Teacher Led IWB into the classroom: This collection is VERY impressive. The tools and games are perfect for whole class instruction and practice in math, geography, language arts, and creating custom activities for other subjects. Most of the tools are designed for the elementary classroom but there are some that can be used in middle school as well.

Tips: If you have an interactive whiteboard, go to Teacher Led now and check out these awesome resources!

Leave a comment and tell us which of the Teacher Led resources you have used in your classroom.

$45 Interactive Whiteboard

April 14, 2008Kelly Tenkely3 Comments1447 views

Did that grab your attention? Thank goodness for people who are much, much smarter than me who can figure this out! If you haven’t heard there really is a way to get an interactive whiteboard for $45…you will have to brave the DIY but it is pretty simple. All you need is a Wiimote (you know the Wii, that thing your students talk about all the time), a projector, a computer, and a infared pen that you make yourself (or buy). That is it! I am SO excited about this today because I found out how to get the Wiimote to work on a Mac this weekend! It has been available for the PC for some time. I have to say, I have seen the PC version in use and it is a little buggy…it still works great it just requires a very specific bluetooth. Since my MacBook has built in bluetooth it was no problem at all. I will post my step by step process tomorrow with any luck, it is my non stop teaching day so we will see if I can fit it all in.

512 Paths to the White House Interactive Infographic for the Election #election2012

November 5, 2012Kelly Tenkely2 Comments3054 views

What it is: Tomorrow is Election day! I couldn’t be more excited to see an end to the obnoxious political ads. Living in a swing state means that EVERY commercial I see is a political ad. At this point, all I have been convinced of is that the world may in fact be ending…the choices here are dire. One thing I am now passionate about: campaign reform. I digress.

512 Paths to the White House is a super cool interactive feature on the New York Times website. Students can test out selecting a winner for the swing states and see the paths to victory available to either candidate. Students can also mouse over the infographic and see what happens in the breakdown of each option. According to the infographic, there are 5 paths to a tie.

How to integrate 512 Paths to the White House into the classroom: This really is a cool infographic to explore before the election. Students can explore this infographic on classroom computers as an Election Day discovery center, as a class on an interactive whiteboard or projector-connected computer, or individually on computers.

This site makes a wonderful opening to discussion about the electoral college, the election process for the US, and why the swing states determine the outcome of the election. At the bottom of the page, there are some specific scenarios for students to explore. These scenarios also open up great conversations about economies in different states, beliefs of each party, political advertising, liberal vs. conservative states, etc.

In the secondary math class, students can explore probability, statistics and unpack the data offered here. It is pretty interesting to see the paths each candidate has to winning based on who wins each battleground state.

Tips: Follow up on Wednesday, November 7th with how accurate the 512 Paths to the White House was. Students can use this tool as they watch the election to predict who the winner will be.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using 512 Paths to the White House in your classroom.

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Be the Beat: Interactive heart and virtual CPR simulation

April 18, 2012April 18, 2012Kelly Tenkely2 Comments6764 views

What it is: The American Heart Association has a new set of heart interactives on their site, Be the Beat. On Be the Beat, students can explore the heart, view a healthy vs unhealthy heart and perform virtual CPR during a cardiac arrest. The interactives have extremely life-like graphics and can be manipulated to view the heart under a variety of circumstances. Students can speed up heart rate or adjust layers of the heart. The CPR simulation is excellent. It leads students through a scenario where a friend collapses. It is up to students to decide how to administer CPR and use an AED to help the friend.

How to integrate Be the Beat into the classroom: Be the Beat is very well done. I’m impressed with the level of information, the interactive graphics and the ability to manipulate how the heart is reacting. Be the Beat would be a great site for students to visit when learning about the heart. This could be as part of a science class, health or PE class.

On the interactive whiteboard or projector-connected computer, students can take turns adjusting and manipulating what is happening to the heart. As they take their turn, they can play “scientist” and describe what is happening to the rest of the class with the help of the captions on Be the Beat. The CPR interactive would be a great whole-class activity. As a class, students can make decisions about what to do to help their friend who has gone into cardiac arrest. They can take turns calling for help, administering CPR and using the AED.

Be the Beat would make a fantastic hands-on center on classroom computers as students are learning about the heart. Students can stop by the center and explore the different areas of the heart. Assign each student to study a different area of the heart so that they can take turns explaining the functions to each other.

Tips: The American Heart Association has a whole new program where students can learn to save a life in the School Challenge. Learn more about it here.

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Be the Beat in your classroom!

TimeMaps- History of World 3500BC to 2005AD in interactive maps

April 5, 2012Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment22150 views

What it is: TimeMaps is a fantastic site I learned about from an email I received today. TimeMaps lets students look at every nation, empire and civilization as one story through maps. This is the history of the world from 3500BC to 2005AD! There are pinpoints on the Atlas that let students drill down into specific areas, nations and civilizations. Students get a story about what is happening in this portion of the world, as well as opportunities to explore even further. Below the map, students can change the date on an interactive timeline.

I really like TimeMap as a way to explore history. As I have mentioned in the past, history was not my subject in school. I made good grades, but was never interested by it. It wasn’t until I was adult, that I began to appreciate history. In school, history was always just presented as a collection of facts. I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around how they were all related or why I should take up valuable brain space memorizing them. As an adult, I came to realize that history is really all about stories. I love stories! TimeMap’s brilliance is in the way it unfolds the stories in history with the visual of the map. Not only are students getting a good understanding of how civilizations shaped the world, they are also learning geography.

How to integrate Time Maps into the classroom: The best way for students to interact with this site is to just give them the freedom to explore. I know for most, this isn’t always an option. There are certain time periods and portions of the world that you are responsible teaching in your grade level. For those that fall into that category, let students go to those specific places within TimeMap.

If you have an interactive whiteboard or projector-connected computer, you can explore as a whole class, reading the stories together. The nice thing about this option, is that you can pull in other videos, music and resources for the whole class to experience. How great would it be to combine this site with History for Music Lovers on YouTube? TimeMap will give students context for other exploration.

TimeMap can be set up on classroom computers for students to visit as a supplement to the other work they are doing. It can act as a research center for students to visit as they are working and learning.

If you teach World History, students could use TimeMap as a place to gather information. Each student could select a different civilization from one time period or explore the same place and the change throughout time. Students can create trading cards, videos, comics, non-fiction, a song, etc. to present their findings to the class. It would be fun to have a movie premier night or a read-in comic day to view all of the students projects.

Tips: I’m really impressed by the comprehensiveness of this site. The only thing that would make it better are images and video embedded with the map!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using TimeMap in your classroom!

How to Do Research Interactive Graphic

March 29, 2012Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment3534 views

What it is: The research process can be a hard one for kids to master. As a student, I remember thinking that it was a long process of random steps that were supposed to somehow come together as a completed project. I was constantly convinced that I would forget one of those steps and the whole thing would come crashing down around me. I’ve seen this same behavior in our students at Anastasis. We mention the word research, and we are met instantly with groans. Kids don’t really dislike research though, they do it all the time voluntarily. Kids want to know how to be masters at parkour and they immediately search YouTube and Google for videos, tips, blogs, etc. to learn all about it. Kids hear someone talk about dub step and will go through videos and connect with others who know about dub step. They didn’t believe me when I told them this is research. The Kentucky virtual library has a great interactive that leads kids through the research process step-by-step and lets them dig deeper into the portions that they don’t understand. It has a fun game board-like interface so that it isn’t intimidating for kids to go through. Every step of the process is covered from initial planning, to searching for information, to taking notes, to using the information, reporting and evaluating. I’m not a stickler for this process happening exactly as it is described, but I appreciate that the site gives students a starting point so they aren’t so overwhelmed with the “research beast.”

How to integrate How to do Research Interactive Graphic into the classroom: The How to do Research Interactive Graphic is a great site to keep bookmarked and available for easy access for students throughout the school year. Any time they are faced with the daunting task of performing a research project, they can access the interactive graphic. Whenever your students are working on research, set up your classroom computers as a “research station” where students can perform searches online and access this graphic. The interactive graphic will keep your students moving when they are feeling overwhelmed and stumped and provide a great foundation for conducting research.

The graphic is also a great way to introduce students to the research process. Using an interactive whiteboard, or projector-connected computer, you can lead students through the process, explaining specific areas of focus for the project or your classroom. I like that this site doesn’t just focus on the research paper, but shows students that research can have a variety of outcomes.

Tips: Within the graphic, there are pages that you can print out for your students. Check out the notes section for an example of this.

Please leave a comment and share how you are using How to do Research Interactive Graphic in your classroom!

ABC Mouse: math, reading, geography, and science curriculum (interactives/games/books)

October 27, 2011Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment2664 views

What it is: ABC Mouse is a complete online curriculum for pre-k and kindergarten students that provides a step-by-step learning path. There are six academic levels that include curriculum that includes over 350 interactive lessons and more than 2000 learning activities. As a student completes one activity successfully, they are guided to the next. The interactive lessons include online picture books, puzzles, games, songs, art, activities and printable activities that relate to different topics and disciplines. Each lesson offers different ways to learn to meet the needs of a variety of students. The reading curriculum in ABC Mouse helps students recognize letters and sounds of the alphabet and sight words. There are hundreds of books build in including fables, fairy tales and non-fiction. In addition to sight words, students can learn phonics, sound recognition and rhyming words/word families. The math curriculum teaches students numbers, shapes, patterns and measurement. Students will play games and activities that help them to recognize and count numbers 1-100, identify and draw shapes, and the meaning of addition and subtraction. ABC Mouse’s World Around Us is an introduction to science, social studies and health curriculum. In the World Around Us, students will learn about the body and health, sports, plants and animals, weather and seasons, and earth/moon/sun/stars.

The lesson builder, lets you choose the content and activities for students to interact with based on their needs and interests. Progress tracking makes it easy to see the number of learning activities that have been completed. There are a lot of fun goodies tucked away including a virtual zoo, farm, aquarium and the ability to record a book in your own voice.

This is a comprehensive, well put together site that is FREE to public schools in the United States and Canada. It is a wonderful addition to the kindergarten classroom!

How to integrate ABC Mouse into the classroom: ABC Mouse is a fun website. Activities in ABC Mouse are fantastic for center use in a one-two computer classroom (or more). The activities and games are short enough for a center activity that students can cycle through.

For kindergarten students in a computer lab, this is a great site to get their feet wet with the technology at the beginning of the year. I often started my students on fun academic sites like Starfall.com where students could practice clicking, navigating, dragging/dropping, etc. These type of sites build students computer confidence, improve their fine motor skills and provide them with content area learning at the same time. I wish this site had existed when I was teaching kindergarten computer!

If you don’t have access to computers for the students but have an interactive whiteboard or projector-connected computer, students can take turns interacting with the ABC mouse activities. The books make great class read along stories on the big screen!

ABC Mouse is a fun way to introduce new concepts/skills, as a place for students to practice concepts/skills, or for review.

Tips: If you aren’t at a public school, sign up for the sample content…the private school dollar amount is reasonable!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using ABC Mouse in your classroom!

NASA Eyes on the Solar System: 3D interactive solar system

September 28, 2011October 31, 2011Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment3452 views

What it is: It is no secret that I am a big fan of NASA…I may, in fact, be a space nerd. It is all so fascinating, mysterious and beautiful. Whenever I do a space unit with students, I find that I have many kindred spirits. Space seems to have that effect on all kids. Recently I learned about a new 3D interactive solar system that NASA has introduced thanks to @rmbyrne and his ever-full-of-useful-ideas-blog, Free Technology for Teachers. Eyes on the Solar System is a 3D environment students can explore that has actual NASA mission data included inside. Students can ride along with the Juno mission to Jupiter. The Juno mission seeks to understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter and our solar system. In the Explore Juno mission, students will learn more about the science, the spacecraft, and the mission with a 3D interactive. Students can also explore the solar system on their own.

How to integrate Eyes on the Solar System into the classroom: Eyes on the Solar System is a super awesome way for students to explore our solar system. Students can choose to join the Juno mission or explore the universe on their own. This is a GREAT site to share with the whole class on a big screen (projector-connected computer or interactive whiteboard).

With young students, explore the universe together on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students prepare for their space mission and do a launch count down as a class. Students can take turns being mission astronauts by interacting with the 3D solar system. Other astronauts can take “official” mission notes and observations at their seats as they wait for their turn as mission first in command.

Eyes on the Solar System makes a great center activity on classroom computers. During a center rotation, students can each explore a planet or feature of our solar system and then report back to Mission Control (the rest of the class) with their findings. Assign (or let students each choose) a different feature to study. When the students come back together as a group, the whole solar system will be represented. I have had students create “baseball cards” of everything from composers to planets. Eyes on the Solar System would be a great place for students to start their exploration and research to gather “stats” about a planet. Students can take a screen shot (on a Mac command+shift +4) of their planet for the front of the card and add the stats to the back of the card using a word processing or publishing program. Print out a class set of each card and let students trade and collect all of the planets (and special features) of the solar system.

Turn student exploration of the solar system into a creative writing project. Students can go through the Juno Mission to Jupiter and write a fictional story from Juno’s point of view. Do you have hesitant writers? What about having students create a graphic novel or comic book about Juno’s adventures through the solar system?

Tips: Be sure to check back to Eyes on the Solar System periodically, new features, tours and news are being added. “Just like the universe, ‘Eyes on the Solar System’ is expanding.” 🙂

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Eyes on the Solar System in your classroom!

Fraboom Online Children’s Museum: Online classes, videos, interactive book, games, oh my!

May 4, 2011Kelly Tenkely2 Comments7847 views

What it is: Oh. My. Word. I have just stumbled on gold my friends, gold! Fraboom is an online children’s museum packed full of games, interactive books, creativity, learning and-are you ready for this-LIVE online teachers! On Fraboom students can learn about US presidents while they play games, watch Fraboom TV cartoons to learn vocabulary, read interactive books that encourage creativity and join live online classes with real flesh and blood teachers! Fraboom TV has a variety of cartoons that will teach students content area vocabulary words. Each cartoon on Fabroom TV lists all associated vocabulary words so teachers can quickly find a video that will support learning. Cartoons can be searched by keyword or category. The very best part of Fraboom (in my humble opinion) is the live online teachers. Drawing classes start every hour on the hour. Students can drop into a class and learn how to draw cartoons. There is a new challenge every day so content is always fresh! Students can interact with teachers through the chat feature; students type a message and the teacher responds to them by name. Fraboom cartoon characters introduce the activity for the day and the teachers interact with the cartoon on the screen- very fun! Students learn how to draw step by step guided by the teacher and follow along on their own whiteboard space. When students are finished, they can share their pictures with the class. After drawing, the class completes a mad lib together. The teacher explains a part of speech and requests words for that part of speech from the class. Students can contribute words to the story by typing them into the chat area. Throughout the class, the teacher shares submitted pictures with the whole class. I attended two live classes and was really impressed with the teachers in both sessions. They are upbeat, engaging and fun. Fraboom was created for students six to twelve years old. Content is being added regularly and fresh challenges in the live classes every day. Plenty to keep kids creating and learning!

How to integrate Fraboom Online Children’s Museum into the classroom: With widespread budget cuts and art programs being cut regularly, Fraboom is a welcome new addition to the education landscape. Being able to connect every student in your class with another teacher is amazing. Fraboom could be used on classroom computers as a creativity/art/grammar center that kids can visit throughout the week. Students can get one-on-one attention from a virtual teacher freeing you up to work in small reading or writing groups knowing that all of your students are engaged in learning. Connect to a Fraboom online session as a class using a projector-connected computer or interactive whiteboard. Students can follow along with the drawing instructions and take turns engaging in the chat as a whole class. Students can take turns creating the class picture on the projector or interactive whiteboard while students at their seats create their own masterpiece. This would be a great activity for students to do while you hold one-on-one student conferences in your classroom.

Fraboom TV is full of fun cartoon videos that help students learn a variety of content area vocabulary. Use these videos to introduce a new unit so that students are familiar with vocabulary before engaging in new learning.

The interactive stories on Fraboom can be shared with your class using an interactive whiteboard or projector-connected computer. Read through the story as a class and practice comprehension strategies together.

Tips: Be sure to share Fraboom with parents, this would be a great opportunity for learning at home too!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Fraboom in your classroom!

WICKED Science Interactives

April 6, 2011Kelly Tenkely1 Comment2712 views

What it is: I found WICKED Science interactive through a tweet from my friend @kathleen_morris. WICKED Science interactives help students understand the earth- what it looks like, what it is made of, and how it works. Students can explore the earth’s surface, examine features of the earth’s crust, explore the rock cycle, discover what the earth is made of in a lab, learn about heat and pressure, and look at different descriptions of the earth.

How to integrate the WICKED Science Interactives into the classroom: I like that these interactives invite students to explore and question. They don’t offer all of the answers and lead students mindlessly through a predetermined solution, but instead give students just enough information to ask more questions. Students observe and interact with the activities and have opportunities to think and problem solve their way to learning. For this reason, WICKED interactives would make a great introductory learning activity. Students can begin inquiring about the earth during the interactive and follow-up by digging into the concepts deeper elsewhere. These interactives would be great for whole class use on a projector-connected computer or interactive whiteboard or for small-group/partner use on classroom computers. Each interactive gives students more information about the earth and invites further investigation.

Tips: WICKED Science Interactives requires the Shockwave plugin to view the interactives. The plugin can be downloaded from the site if needed.

Please leave a comment and share how you are using the WICKED Science Interactives in your classroom!