Middle/High School – Page 49 – iLearn Technology

The Carbon Cycle Game

September 12, 2009September 12, 2009Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment1881 views

What it is: The Carbon Cycle Game is a free online game that teaches students about how carbon cycles through the Earth system. It is appropriate for 4th-9th grade students learning about the carbon cycle. As students play the game, they will learn that carbon cycles naturally through living and non-living parts of the Earth system in a complex, non-linear way, that burning fossil fuels adds carbon to the cycle, the impact of additional carbon dioxide on global warming, and that carbon is essential for living things. Students will travel around the game as a little carbon atom. They will stop at key places on the game board and get a pop-up of information about the carbon cycle. At any point students can click on key words in the pop-up and will be directed to a page with additional information. Students will also land on question marks that pop-up questions testing students about what they have learned so far. When students answer questions correctly they earn game points.

How to integrate The Carbon Cycle Game into the classroom: The Carbon Cycle Game would be best played individually in the computer lab setting or on classroom computers in groups of two. The site says that this game is appropriate for grades 4th-9th but I found the vocabulary and reading to be a little advanced for fourth grade students. If using the site with younger students, I would recommend visiting it in pairs of students or as a whole class using an interactive whiteboard. If you play the Carbon Cycle Game as a whole class, split your students into two teams so that each team can take turns answering the questions in the game. The Carbon Cycle Game is a good way for students to learn about the Carbon Cycle and the questions ensure that students are understanding the reading.

Tips: Check out the teacher section for some great lesson plan ideas using the Carbon Cycle Game.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using The Carbon Cycle Game in your classroom.

Storybird

September 8, 2009Kelly Tenkely5 Comments20180 views

What it is: Storybird is a fun new collaborative storytelling website. Storybird makes it easy to create and tell stories digitally. Students and teachers can create stories together by combining imaginative artwork and text. The final product can be printed, watched on screen, played with like a toy, or shared in an online library with the world. “Storybird promotes imagination, literacy, and self-confidence.” Creating, sharing, and reading Storybird stories is free.

How to integrate Storybird into the classroom: Storybird is an excellent way to get your students enthusiastically writing. The imaginative artwork will have your students creating stories in no time. Storybird stories are meant to be collaborative. Students can work together in teams to create stories. This type of learning through play reminds me of the “lets pretend” stories that students create on the playground. Students will feed off of each others ideas, creating more creative stories and learning together. Storybird is also a fantastic place to create a classroom story, each student can contribute pages to the story. The final product can be easily shared with families and friends in the online library. Storybird can be used by teachers to make ‘special’ stories for students. They can include students as characters, emphasize classroom themes or curriculum, and be created for specific reading levels. Encourage your students to create and share their stories on Storybird, open up your classroom computer during DEAR time for students to read stories their classmates have created.

Tips: Storybird is currently in an open Beta version. Right now all features on Storybird are free. Storybird plans to keep story creation, reading, and sharing as free features. Premium (pay-for) features will be added.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using Storybird in your classroom.

Math Mania Back to School Challenge

September 1, 2009September 9, 2009Kelly Tenkely1 Comment2206 views

What it is: Math Mania Back to School Challenge is a FREE 48 hour math competition hosted by Voyager. Voyager also holds the World Math Day competition each year, Math Mania is a similar competition. Students compete against other students in real time using the Vmath Live math program. This challenge is limited to 2nd through 8th grade students in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas who are registered by September 14th. Other Math Mania challenges will follow (different dates depending on US state) so if your school isn’t in a state listed above, check out the Math Mania website to find out when your challenge will take place. Although the official competition is September 15-16, students can begin practicing on VmathLive as soon as they are registered. Prizes include student and school trophies and plaques, on-site pizza parties, visits from Vbot, and a champion hall banner awarded to the top overall performing school. Awards will be given to the top 10 students overall, the top 5 classes, and the top 3 schools.

How to integrate Math Mania Back to School Challenge into the classroom: You have never seen students so excited to practice math facts! Students face off with other students from around the world practicing their math facts. The live competition with students from around the world is highly motivating and has students asking “can I play this at home?” When have you ever had students ask to practice their math facts?! Reserve a computer lab for September 15th and 16th so that your students can take part in the competition. In the mean time, students can be practicing for the competition by playing on VmathLive in a computer lab setting or as a center activity on classroom computers.

Tips: If your state is not listed above, be sure to visit the VmathLive site to find out when your Math Mania challenge will be held. Print out the fliers from the VmathLive and post around your school to raise interest and excitement about the competition.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using Math Mania Back to School Challenge in your classroom.

My English Images

August 26, 2009August 30, 2009Kelly Tenkely2 Comments3351 views

What it is: My English images is a great site that I learned about from @larryferlazzo. This site was designed for English teachers and English teachers working with ESL and EFL students but it is a great site for any literacy classroom. The site has images and worksheets that are available for download that can be used to catch student’s attention, spice up lessons, and illustrate difficult language concepts. My English Images provides pictures that illustrate conversation, grammar, basic English, pronunciation, and vocabulary concepts. New content is added to the collection monthly.

How to integrate My English Images into the classroom: This site is ideal for the ESL/EFL classroom. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and that is definitely the case with this site. Students will be able to look at the pictures and understand the language concepts with the help of visuals. The pictures can be downloaded and used in PowerPoint presentations, interactive whiteboard lessons, and any lesson that you are teaching that would benefit from visuals. Visuals are the first thing that people associate with a concept. They help students recall more quickly, and the concepts get stored in permanent memory because students have an easier time making connections with things they already know. My English Images has some fantastic offline games that can be played with English language learners. You can download and print rules and a certificate of excellence as students complete the games. Grammar concepts are often difficult for any student learning them for the first time. My English Images makes it easier for students to understand how the English language works. This site should be used in any English speaking/learning literacy classroom!

Tips: Take a little time to explore My English images, it is a treasure trove of resources! My English Images was created by English language teacher F. Michael Kloran based on what he uses with his students.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using My English Images in your classroom.

Sign App Now

August 23, 2009Kelly Tenkely1 Comment1704 views

What it is: Sign App Now is an amazing, simple way to create online sign up sheets. This website is SO simple to use, you don’t even have to register to use it! Create a sign up sheet by filling in the name of the sign up sheet, your email address, and your name. Sign App Now creates a unique link (URL) that can be emailed to everyone that you would like to sign up. Those who sign up just enter their name (no need for them to register either). An email adding them to your sign up sheet is sent back to you. That is it!

How to integrate Sign App Now into the classroom: Sign App Now is a great way to help you go paperless in your classroom. Create sign up sheets for field trips, classroom volunteers, and in school duties or committees. Sign App Now makes it simple to keep track of volunteers.

Tips: I love that Sign App Now requires NO registration from the creator of the sign up sheet and no registration for those who use it to sign up. It is extremelly quick and easy to use.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using Sign App Now in your classroom.

WDCS Life Size Whale

August 9, 2009Kelly Tenkely1 Comment2591 views

What it is: WDCS Life Size Whale is a really neat concept for a website. The site displays a life size whale on the computer screen, bit-by-bit and helps students gain an understanding of just how BIG a whale is. In the upper right corner of the screen is the entire whale with a red box showing which portion of the whale students are looking at.

How to integrate WDCS Life Size Whale into the classroom: This site is really best on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Students can get an up close view of a whale. Use this site as an introduction to an ocean or whale unit. Allow students to move around the whale to view the different parts up close and personal.

Tips: Learn more about the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) by clicking on the link in the bottom right hand corner.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using WDC Life Size Whale in your classroom.

Dr. Arbor Talks Trees

August 9, 2009Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment1711 views

What it is: Dr. Arbor Talks Trees focuses on tree anatomy and physiology. Students will learn some of the basic inner workings of trees, how trees grow and develop, the many uses of trees and their bi-products, and some basic chemical principles. The website is designed for 6th through 8th grade students (although I think it is appropriate for 4th grade).

How to integrate Dr. Arbor Talks Trees into the classroom: Dr. Arbor is the guide through this interactive website. Students learn all about trees and their inner workings through a series of activities. This is a great site to use for Arbor day, but the topic is appropriate year-round as part of the science curriculum. The website could be used with the whole class on an interactive whiteboard or projector, or navigated by students individually in the computer lab setting.

Tips: There are great free resources on this site, be sure to check them out!

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using Dr. Arbor Talks Trees in your classroom.

The Prince’s Rainforest Project for Schools

August 9, 2009Kelly TenkelyLeave a Comment2103 views

What it is: The Prince’s Rainforest Project for Schools is part of a campaign to help combat climate change by addressing rainforest destruction. Schools can take part by signing up and learning more about rainforests. The site features lesson plans, videos, fact sheets, a live webcam of the rainforest, photos, sounds, games, and assembly ideas. The idea is to spread awareness about rainforest destruction.

How to integrate The Prince’s Rainforest Project for Schools into the classroom: Support the rainforest by signing up your school and taking part in the Prince’s Rainforest Project for Schools. If you are teaching about the rainforest, make this site part of your teaching. The sounds, videos, and photos are excellent. Students can play games and complete activities that will help them learn more about animals in the rainforest. As students complete activities they can earn awards at each level.

Tips: There are great free resources on this site, be sure to check them out!

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using The Prince’s Rainforest Project for Schools in your classroom.

Skype an Author Network

August 9, 2009Kelly Tenkely2 Comments3294 views

What it is: The Skype an Author Network is doing what technology should do, connecting students to the world. The Skype an Author Network provides a way for teachers or librarians k-12 to connect authors, young readers, and books through virtual visits. Students can video chat with authors while they are reading books written by the author. There are two types of visits. The first is free and is a 10-15 minute meet the author session. The second option is an in depth visit. The length and fee of visit are determined by the author. There is a growing list of authors joining the network. Connect your students today!

How to integrate Skype an Author Network into the classroom: Set up a virtual visit in your library or classroom today. Before the visit, encourage your students to come up with well thought out questions before the visit. It would also be a good idea to test Skype on your school network prior to setting up a visit.

Tips: Check back often, the list of authors is constantly growing.

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using Skype an Author Network in your classroom.

Live Binders

August 9, 2009Kelly Tenkely6 Comments7096 views

What it is: Live Binders is a website that allows you to view links like pages in a book instead of URLs on a page. PDF’s and Word Documents can be combined with links within a binder. Links and documents can be organized into tabs and subtabs. Live Binders are easy to share from the Live Binder website, on desktops, or embedded on blogs or other websites.

How to integrate Live Binders into the classroom: Live Binders can be used as online digital portfolios for students. Any Word or PDF documents that they create can be added to a binder along with any web content that they create. The binders are easy to keep track of and share. Each tab can represent a year in school and each subtab can represent a subject within the school year. The Live Binder can easily be used from year to year creating a digital portfolio. Live Binders can be placed on desktops so that students don’t have to type in long URL’s to access a website. Everything can be organized and easily updated in a Live Binder for students to access the web through. This is a great time saver for the computer lab or classroom computers. Create your own ‘textbooks’ for students to access as a Live Binder. You can easily add content to it and students can access the materials from any Internet connected computer. Create an assignment Live Binder with all worksheets and classroom materials. Students can access any classroom materials from home, no more lost papers! Students can create Live Binders to keep themselves organized as they complete research projects. Students could turn in a final project as a Live Binder that includes all of their web research, notes, and final written work. Live Binders would be a great way to go paperless at your school. Create a binder with important school information, meeting notes, calendars, etc. for school staff to access.

Tips: I learned about Live Binders from @McTeach on Twitter, she uses Live Binders to keep recipes organized, thanks Karen! Karen is one of my favorite educators to follow, she is always tweeting great edu tips and ideas!

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using Live Binders in your classroom.