4+Easy+Ways

 

Easy Ways to Implement Technology into Your Classroom Tomorrow Metacrawler.VideoGames.WebQuests.Thinkfinity. Puzzlemaking.Rubistar.Wordle.PowerPoint.Word. Close Caption.

1. Play "Are You More a...??" (10)

2. Tips for searching and using technology (5)
 * Use a meta search engine like Metacrawler instead of Google for serious searches
 * Don't be afraid to explore and press buttons.
 * Take notes and save your work, your research, and your favorite websites on some sort of electronic document.
 * e-mail them to yourself at the end of the class

3. __Video__ (30) Ridiculously easy and amazingly versatile. Great for transitions: beginning class, switching topics, or reviewing. Lengths can range from one minute to many hours.

//Activity:// Find a few videos that would work in your content area or in your homeroom/advisory next year.

a. YouTube/TeacherTube b. MySpaceTV c. Hotchalk – sign up for free; excellent clips d. Thinkfinity – make sure to check the “video” box e. About.Com: “Free Educational Videos on the Web” f. BrainPop (District 67 subscription) g. YourTeacher - MATH ONLY


 * Consider using the Close Captioning feature (if available) to even further utilize technology. It improves reading fluency.

__4. Thinkfinity (K-12)__ (20) Awesome search feature – grade level, theme, resource type. Find lesson plans, Interactive tools, Video, professional development.

media type="youtube" key="1ozY4AFlDnQ" height="385" width="480" align="center"

//Activity//: Search it, find a lesson plan, an interactive tool, more...

5. __Create your own puzzles, flashcards, games__ (30) Teachers or students can create and exchange puzzles or you can find pre-made puzzles.

//Activity// - Look at and try a few different puzzle making activities.You can make something that you can use in your class and think about how the students can use it (ex.Pre-teaching vocabulary).

a. Discovery Education b.The Teacher's Corner c. Flashcards - kitzkikz d. Bingo Cards e. Scholastic - students can make their own flashcards and test themselves (or print) f. Study Stack

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6. Rubistar (15) Make an excellent rubric in two - five minutes. Variety of projects. Variety of content areas.

//Activity// - Make a rubric. Hopefully one you can use. Save it or print it if you like it

7. Wordle (15) Make Word Clouds for poetry, topics, themes. Use as posters or even gifts! media type="custom" key="6485265" //Activity//: Copy and paste all the text from a website about your content area and make a poster for you classroom door

8. __Games__ (30) Use for repetition and review

//Activity//: Find and play a few games that seem like they would work for reinforcing your material.

a. Free Rice (6 – 12) ..i. Art – famous paintings ..ii. Chemistry symbols – basic and whole list ..iii. English – vocab and grammar ..iv. Geography – countries and world capitals ..v. Language – French, German, Italian, Spanish ..vi. Math – Pre-algebra and multiplication table b. FunBrain(k – 8) c. Education World - Learning Games Archive(k – 12) d. Study Stack - vocabulary for many content areas d. Do your own metacrawler search for your content area

__8b. For those interested, or if your content area games are not really available, try a **Webquest.**__ Many teachers share the Webquests they design on the Internet. This is a bit more complicated than video or games because it is important to go over how a WebQuest works and what the expectations are. But they are already created for you.

1. [|BestWebQuest] 2. [|Quest Garden Search]

9. PowerPoint It's easy to just create slides and text.
 * Directions
 * Rules
 * CHAMPS expectations
 * Questions for a discussion

//Activity -// Make a slide or two with directions for something your students do on a normal basis or steps the students use often – How to solve a math problem, expectations for a certain activity, directions for a game, beginning of the year information (curriculum overview), rules.

Final Activity and Review 1. Click "post a sticky" on my wall below ( Wallwisher ) 2. Briefly write down one or two things that you will use from today and why

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