Christmas Websites and Promethean Activities

Hello Friends,

I wanted to write about and share a few (there are tons) holiday websites and resources you might be able to use over the next 4-5 school days before break.  For numerous more Christmas Promethean activities that deal with specific language arts, math, Christmas around the world things, etc.  please search on Promethean Planet.    Enjoy. :)


Christmas Websites:

http://www.northpole.com/  - Santa and the North Pole


http://www.noradsanta.org/ - Track Santa on Christmas Eve.   Also see what is going on at the North Pole.


Christmas Promethean Websites


http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/31505/christmas-jeopardy#.VJGGrRE3Ndg - Christmas Jeopardy Game


http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/35268/kindergarten-christmas-activities#.VJGG_hE3Ndg - Kindergarten and First Grade Christmas Flipchart.


http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/31351/christmas-songs-picture-game#.VJGHbBE3Ndg - Fun Game of guessing Christmas songs based on pictures



Polar Express Promethean and Websites.


http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/41442/the-polar-express#.VJGB3hE3Ndg  - Polar Express promethean activity for before and after book - 1-5


http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/41364/polar-express-kindergarten#.VJGEZBE3Ndg - Polar Express promethean activity for primary grades - K-1


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfd8uoaSZ2M - Digital Story of book read by Liam Neeson - NOTE MAKE FULL SCREEN, the author of the link to the book put a inappropriate comment as a description to the story.

Standardized Testing Resources - Repost

      As the second semester rolls around, PSSA’s begin to creep closer and closer.   Many of you have been preparing students with the skills and strategies that they will need to be successful on these state assessments.   Here are some online and technological resources that you may be able to use with your students to strengthen testing skills and strategies.   Take a look over them during Christmas Break and think about incorporating some of these resources and activities into weekly lessons, centers, small group instruction etc.  Remember,  many times for those “bubble” students the difference between a proficient and basic score is not how much content they know going into a standardized test but if they know how to take the test through the repetition and mastery of proper testing strategies.

K–5 - Testing Resources - http://www.internet4classrooms.com/assistance.htm - Please, Please, Please use this resource.   Provided from Internet4Classrooms.net, there are practice tests, test questions, timed tests, and more! 

3 -5 - Testing Resources - http://www.montroseareasd.k12.pa.us/pssa/ - Great resources with sample testing items for 3, 4, 5 grade reading and math.   Also 5^th grade writing.

3-5 Testing Resources -  http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_assessment_system/20965/pennsylvania_system_of_school_assessment_%28pssa%29/1190526 -  Believe it or not the PA Dept. of Ed. provides great resources to prepare students to take the PSSA.   Find sample tests and even a “Getting Ready for the 2014 State Assessments”  PowerPoint and webinar (online video).  

1-6 – Math Testing Resources - http://www.eduplace.com/kids/mhm/ - Great testing practice and testing strategy practice for Math.

K-5 - Elementary Language Arts Resources - http://www.internet4classrooms.com/lang_elem_index.htm - This one is a goldmine.   Internet4Classrooms.com provides hundreds of English Language Arts activities.  Choose from printables, computer resources, and online resources.    Provides resources organized by grade level toward the bottom.

K-5 - Elementary Mathematics Resources -http://www.internet4classrooms.com/math_elem_index.htm -  Same as above but with math.

3-5 Testing Strategies PowerPoint - http://www.woodland.k12.mo.us/faculty/professional%20development%20committee/Test-Taking%20Strategies-I%20really%20like%20this%20one!!.ppt – Great PowerPoint Presentation on strategies children need to use to be successful while testing. 

Graphite.Org - A TERRIFIC Way to Find Technology Resources for your Classroom! :

Hello Highlands,

I hope everyone survived their classroom Halloween celebrations and is getting ready for the weekend. :)     I wanted to write about a great resource that was brought to my attention by Shawn Bennis.   The website is Graphite.org.    www.graphite.org

The website offers an endless supply of interactive resources, information, and lesson plans that aims on getting teachers to incorporate technology in your classroom everyday.   There is so many resources and information that Graphite.org offers that I could write 20 blogs about it.    I have decided to focus on one portion of the site that I feel can be extremely helpful to you, and most importantly, your students.

The part of Graphite.org that I want to share with you deals with the Common Core Explorer, which aligns the Common Core curriculum to apps, websites, and lesson plans that utilize technology.  If you have any free time, hahahaha, please try to explore the other great features and resources this website offers.

First, however, sign up for the site if you would like.   Don't worry, it's free.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIGN UP THE SITE to access the Common Core Explorer which I will be explaining more about in detail below.

1.) Access www.graphite.org
2.) Click on "Sign Up" (blue circle)

If you don't want to sign up, remember you can still access the Common Core Explorer.  Here's how.

1.) Access the website www.graphite.org
2.) Click on the Common or Explorer Tab

3.) Select a subject area you would like to find EDTech for.  (math or language arts)

4.) Once you select a  subject area, you select a grade level.

5.) Select a objective strand you would like to find tech resources for.

 6.) Click  on a green arrow that is beside the standard you are focusing on to access tech resources.

Notice how you can find the type of resource (app, website), the grade level, price (free or paid), and teacher rating/learning rating.  

This website is a quick, easy, and great way to find websites, lesson plans, and apps to supplement your classroom instruction and student learning.    Hopefully you chose to use this website to help add technology to your classroom on a regular basis to increase student motivation, excitement, and achievement.  Explore and Enjoy!!

As always, please let me know if I can help you and your classroom in anyway.

Andrew

Go Noodle! A Fun Interactive Online Tool to Give Kids Brain Breaks :)

Hello Everyone,

Go Noodle is a GREAT website that shows interactive videos that gives kids "brain breaks" during class.   Go Noodle tracks the brain breaks that you take and the progress you make in them to allow you to set goals for your class to achieve.  I took this excerpt from the parent letter that you can send home with students once you create an account for your class because I think it explains what Go Noodle is all about very well. 


"Go Noodle uses short periods of physical activity –dancing, running, jumping, deep breathing,
and more – to help kids channel their abundant energy. Kids wiggle. Go Noodle gets the wiggles
out, so we can keep on learning! 

Go Noodle is great when: 

• we need to focus

•we’re transitioning from one subject to another

•we’re feeling stressed or anxious

• we’ve had a great day and need a reward"

Follow these steps to access Go Noodle, set up an account, and get started this week! :)

1. Go to www.gonoodle.com/
2. Watch the introductory video to find out more about what Go Noodle is all about.
3. Click on "Sign Up for Free"

4.  Choose to create a teacher account.
5. Fill in your profile information.
6. Search for your school to link to your account.
7.  Once your account is created, check out how Go Noodle works by playing around with the Demo Class.

 

8. Go Noodle breaks up the "Brain Break" activities into categories based on what best fits your class.  For example their is a K-2 category, a 3-5 category, calming activities, energizing activities, even math and ELA activities.

 

 



9.  Once you get a good feel for Go Noodle and how it works, create your own class.

 

9. Fill out information that pertains to your class and get started! :)

 

As always, if you need anything don't hesitate to email me so that I can help you.

 

 

Andrew

 



  

Compass Learning - Logging in and Adding Your Students to Classes

Hello Everyone,

This is my first blog post this school year.    I plan on trying to post a few times each month (I know Bill Heasley is really pumped.  Don't worry Billy, I will post something about effective basketball dribbling drills sometime before Christmas).   

Now that NWEA testing is mostly completed, many teachers have told me they want to get students started on their individual learning paths within the Compass program.   I think this is a great idea.   Compass allows students to complete educational activities leveled at their individual abilities and supplies you with more data to track student progress, as well as, create additional instruction and remediation.   GVE don't forget to check out the computer lab schedule in the mailroom for times to get your kids logged into compass.  GVE, Fawn, and Fairmount I know the tablets can be a pain at times (especially for the younger grades) but try to utilize them for Compass in the class at least once a week.  Don't let them sit. 

As I move from school to school I have heard numerous teachers asking about getting started on Compass.     The two questions I have heard asked the most concern gaining login info and adding children to your Compass class roster.  So, with that in mind, I have decided to hopefully help answer some of those questions through this post.

Login Info

Your login info should not have changed from last year.  The website to access Compass Learning is www.thelearningodyssey.com.   Jonathan has kindly and recently added an icon to the desktop screens on the laptops and tablets to give everyone easy access to Compass.  If you can't get into your account and your computer is at risk of being smashed, thrown out the window, or run over by a tank ;), please email me and I'll reset your account so that you can get in and started.

Username:  firstinitial.lastname   (ex. a.lynch)

Password:  changeme12  (if you changed this from last year and cannot remember what your password is click on the "Forget Password?" link located beside the green login button.  An email should be sent to your Highlands email.  If this doesn't work, please email me and I'll reset your account to help you.

School:  Grandview = HSD-16
               Fawn = HSD-14
               Fairmount = HSD-13


Adding Students to your Class Roster

First, after logging in, if you have not done so, you want to remove students from last year's class.  Click on "My Classes" and then your class name.

Then, "Select All" of your students by clicking the arrow in the tab shown below.

Next, in the "Action Tab" (shown below) choose "Remove Class"

Now that you have removed students from last year's class(es), you can begin adding students  to your class database.  Find the Search Box above the list of student names.

Next, type in a student from your class to search for their name in the student database.

Once your student is found, check the box beside their name and Click on the Actions tab.   Next, Click on

Next, Choose a class from the list of names provided. Continue process until all of your students are added to your class list.   (If a student receives help from a support teacher, it is a great idea to add that student to their class list as well.)

Hopefully, this blog will help some of you when logging in to your Compass account and adding students to your class list.  

Remember, if you are having trouble logging in or adding students to your class list, I am just an email away and I will be more than happy to help.   I can add new students to the Compass master list as well if you cannot find their name when compiling your class list.

As, always let me know how I can help you in anyway,

Andrew Lynch

Into the Book - A Great Reading Comprehension Technology Tool - Don't Miss This One! :)

" Into the Book"  is a  great online tool to help students master reading strategies to aid in furthering their reading comprehension levels.   There are eight different reading strategies for students to explore at the site.     Summarizing, Inferring, Making Connections, Synthesizing, Schema(Prior Knowledge), Making Connections, Evaluating, Questioning, and Visualizing.  

Each skill has a short explanatory video and then an activity that accompanies it.   I think that this website is age appropriate for K-5.   K, 1, and 2 teachers will have to complete some of the the reading strategy activities with the students using the projector or Promethean Board.   K-2 might be able to do some of the activities on their own,  for example Visualizing.     3-5 students should be able to do most, if not all, of these activities independently. 

I think this site would also be a great small group activity for students to use with the new computer tablets.       Below you will find the link to the student section.

http://reading.ecb.org/student/entry.html


There is also a teacher's section that is great.   Here is a link to the section. http://reading.ecb.org/teacher/index.html

You will find learning objectives, student and teacher videos, sample lessons, essential questions, printable charts and worksheets, and more for each reading strategy that I listed above!   You could plan multiple lessons around each reading strategy throughout the year.    


As always let me know if I can help you in anyway.  

Enjoy!

Free Digital StoryTelling Tools

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone's week went well and you are getting ready for a relaxing weekend.    A few teachers have commented to me about the online stories and programs I use in class to support digital storytelling.   I decided to search the web for some sites that you may be able to use in your classroom for projects, presentations, etc. in the upcoming months.     Thanks to Ross Crockett via Educatorstechnology.com, here is a list of free digital storytelling tools.  Enjoy! :)

Here is the list of some of the best free digital storytelling tools.

1- ZimmerTwins

It is all about creative storytelling. ZimmerTwins is a web2.0 tool that allows students to give vent to their imaginative powers and exercise their storytelling skills from early stages to advanced ones.

2- Digital Story Telling in The Classroom

This section provides resources and materials for teachers to use with their students in storytelling. It helps students personalize their learning and  perfom better. Students can use these materails to create a movie or interactive slideshow to tell their stories.

3- Story Bird

This is an awesome website that allows students and teachers to create short art inspired stories to read, share or print out.

4- Someries

Someries is a fantastic  storytelling site . It has  a continuous flow of new stories, read aloud by kids . The stories are all made by kids and for kids,  learners of English can benefit a lot from this site too . Some of the videos in Someries are subtitled so that kids can both read and listen to what they read .

5- PicLits

This is another awesome website where students can choose a picture and start drawing or writing a text on it to create a story.

6- Generator

This is a creative studio space where students explore the moving image and create their own digital stories to share with others.

7- Capzles

This is where you and your students can create rich multimedia stories with videos, photos, music, blogs and documents. It is really awesome.

8- Slidestory

This is a free digital story telling tool that students can use to combine sharing pictures and narration to create awesome presentations and stories to share with others.

9- Domo Animate

This is one of the best tools online for digital story telling. It allows students to create animated stories and provides them with a wide variety of background and characters to use.

10- Animoto

This is also a very popular tool but its paid versions offer much more than its free basic plan that only allows for creating 30 second videos. These videos can combine images, songs, and text.

11- Smilebox

This is a great website that provides hundreds of customizable designs for students and teachers to create their own stories that can comprise photos, videos, words and music.

12- Make Belief Comix

As its name suggests, this tool allows users to create stories out of comic strips and share them with others The process is very easy to use and above all student friendly

13- Creaza

Creaza has a nice tool called Cartoonist where students can create their own stories using cartoonic characters. Watch the video in there to learn how to use it.

14- Pixton

This is a tool that lets users create stories out of cartoons and provided characters. It is so much fun and students will definitely love it.

15- Voice Thread

This is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows users to navigate slides and create their own stories.

16- Comic master

This is a great website that allows users to create graphic novels and stories to share with others. It provides everything from templates to sharing tools, you just put in your ideas and creativity.

17- Picture Book Maker

As its name suggests, this tools lets you create your very own children’s book using a set of beautiful templates and pages.

18- Bubblr

This is a tool to help you create comic strips using photos from Flickr.com. Just search for the pictures you want and then add your bubbles.

19- Pinball

This is another great website for students and teachers to create digital stories. It has a set of tools to fire out ideas, mix them, and make quick decisions.

20- Mapskip

This website features several stories based on locations on  Google map. The purpose is to create a weave of stories about the places in our lives. Users can join in for free and start marking up places in Google Maps with their own stories and photos. They can also browse each others’ stories and can rate and discuss them.

21- ZooBurst

This is another great digital storytelling tool that lets anyone easily create his or her own 3D pop-up books. It has two plans one is basic and free and the other is paid and has more advanced features. 

Dr. Seuss Online Resources, Games, Printables, and Lessons

Hello Everyone,

With Dr. Seuss Week rapidly approaching, I wanted to post some online Dr. Seuss activities and games that you can use with your students.    Enjoy!

http://pbskids.org/catinthehat/index.html - PBS Kids has so many great games and activities.   This is another one about Dr. Seuss's famous book "The Cat in the Hat"

http://www.seussville.com/ -  A famous and great website.   Many fun games and activities.

http://gamequarium.com/seuss.html - Different fun games and activities from Gamequarium.

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/dr-seuss-birthday/games/index2.html - More games and activities.

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/unit/dr-seuss - Printables, lesson plans, mini units, games, activities and more from Scholastic.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/dr-seuss-apps - Apps that you can load on your iPhone or Android device.   Each app has a Dr. Seuss book or story.

Hopefully all of you can use at least one of these resources in next week for Dr. Seuss' birthday. :)

MORE PSSA RESOURCES - (Things for K-2 too. :)

Hello Everyone,

As the end of February approaches, we find ourselves knocking on the door of PSSA testing.   Here are some more resources, many from school districts, that you can use to help you reinforce strategies and skills that have taught students since the beginning of the year.  Some tests within these resources repeat but there are many different sample items .    Also, refer back to the January post for PSSA Jeopardy games, sample items, and other activities and the December post for even more resources!

Testing Resources

https://www.mcsdk12.org/pssa.htm - Sample Tests and Resources

http://www.chsd1.org/domain/71 - Tons of Reading and Math resources.   Sample Tests, Activities, Games, and more.

http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/schools/f/fitler/news--events/pssa-information - More Sample Tests. 

http://www.jabernethy.com/portfolio/PSSA.htm - This is a great resource that has all of the PSSA Reading anchors that students will encounter on the test.   K-2 can you use many of these games and activities too! :)

http://www.mca.k12.pa.us/elementary/pssaresources.html - Check out the "Online Study Resources" at the bottom of the page for neat online activities and games.

http://www.slsd.org/academics.cfm?subpage=273358 - Resources just for 3rd Grade.

Hopefully these resources will help everyone in the next few weeks before PSSA's.  Please let me know if I can help you in anyway.  Have a great week.

Math Resources - Geometry

Hello Everyone,

For the second half of the year, I thought some of you might be introducing or re-teaching geometry. 

Online Resources

www.math-play.com/Geometry-Math-Games.html - Great Geometry Resources, many games and activities.  Please use. :)

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/online/geometry.php - Tons and tons of geometry resources and games.  USE! :)

Promethean Activities – Remember many of you have the promethean software on your computers which will allow you to view these lessons and interact with them using your mouse.  You will just not be able to have students interact with the lesson by having them go to the white board but you can still use them. 

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/55839/perimeter-and-area#.UvA7qMKA0Yw - Perimeter and Area (3-5)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/81177/lines-of-symmetry#.UvA8nsKA0Yw - Line of Symmetry (1-3)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/26050/ordered-pairs#.UvA8xMKA0Yw - Ordered Pairs (2-4)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/25932/classifying-shapes#.UvA8_sKA0Yx - Classifying 2D shapes - polygons (2-4)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/67124/shapes#.UvA9MMKA0Yw - Classifying 2D Shapes (K)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/42315/solid-figures#.UvA-N8KA0Yw - Solid/ 3D Figures  (2-4)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/42077/geometric-solids#.UvA-fcKA0Yw -
Solid/ 3D Figures  (3-5)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/157550/angles#.UvA_esKA0Yw - Angles (3-5)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/31415/angles#.UvBArMKA0Yw - Angles (3-5)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/39503/angles-angles-angles#.UvBAycKA0Yw - Angles (3-5)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/81176/types-lines-angles#.UvBA8cKA0Yw - Lines and Angles (3-5)

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/105178/lines-and-angles#.UvBBJsKA0Yw - Lines and Angles (3-5)

 http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Resources/Item/32514/plane-and-solid-figures#.UvA9yMKA0Yw - A Little bit of everything, 2D shapes, 3D shapes, angles, etc. (2-5)
 

I hope that many of you can use at least some of these resources and activities.  As always, let me know if I can help you in anyway. :)

Great PSSA Testing Resource - Jeopardy Games *K-2 can use as well!*

Hey Everyone,

I found this really great PSSA Jeopardy Review Game website.   I think it will be a great tool to use over the next few months to help your students practice and strengthen their testing skills and strategies.     You do not need a Promethean Board to play these games, just a projector.

This is a link to the home site.   If you would like, you can create your own PSSA Jeopardy review game, or any subject area review/practice game that you would like really.   K-2, you can create or search for a Jeopardy review game too! :)  Sight word Jeopardy, etc.

https://jeopardylabs.com/

Here is links to a bunch of premade Jeopardy Games concerning the PSSA reading exam, the PSSA math exam, and on PSSA testing terms and strategies.    Split students into teams using whiteboards and markers or paper and pencil to show there work.  Have fun!

Reading Terms - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/pssa-reading-terms

More Reading Terms - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/pssa-reading-terms

3rd Grade Reading Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/grade-3-pssa-reading-challenge

3rd Grade Reading Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/3rd-grade-pssa-prep

3rd and 4th Grade Reading Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/3rd-grade-pssa-reading-jeopardy

4th Grade Reading Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/4th-grade-reading-pssa-skills

4th Grade Reading Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/4th-grade-pssa-reading-review-mrs-shawver

4th Grade Reading Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/4th-grade-pssa-reading-jeopardy2

4th and 5th Grade Reading Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/4th-grade-pssa-reading-jeopardy

5th Grade Reading Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/5th-grade-reading-review8

3rd Grade Math Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/pssa-math-review-game2

3rd Grade Math Review (North Carolina End of Grade Test but still relevant) - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/3rd-grade-math-eog-prep

4th Grade Math Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/pssa-math-review-grade-4

4th Grade Math Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/4th-grade10

5th Grade Math Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/5th-grade-pssa-math-review

More 5th Grade Math Review - https://jeopardylabs.com/play/5th-grade-pssa-math-2

I hope you find these Jeopardy Games helpful!  As always, let me know if I can help you in your classroom in any way. :)