Source: www.prezi.com

Description: “Prezi is a virtual whiteboard that transforms presentations from monologues into conversations: enabling people to see, understand, and remember ideas” (Quoted from prezi.com) Have you ever heard of or used powerpoint? Well if so, Prezi is just a bit more fancy than powerpoint! Prezi lets you create visual stories where you can use images and words to present a lesson or topic of discussion.

Educational Uses: I could use Prezi to create presentation when I am introducing a new topic to the class. By using Prezi, I can create more interactive and engaging presentations for my students.

Content Standards: Prezi could be used for any content standard. You as the teacher create presentations and can base them off of any content standard you are covering.

Assessment: I personally would not use Prezi as an assessment for my students. If I were to use Prezi in the classroom, I would not have the students use it only because it is a bit difficult. (Middle childhood ages could use this) Because I am an. early childhood major, I would be the one to use it to introduce new topics or to create a review if they had a test coming up.

Value of Prezi: Prezi is great for creating presentations. Personally, I like powerpoint better only because it is more easier to navigate around. Prezi can be a bit more complicated but it all depends on your personal preference. Definitely check it out in case it is something you would like to use in your future classroom

Picture retrieved from:

http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/challenging-the-presentation-paradigm-prezi/22646

Source: www.storyboardthat.com

Description: Storyboard That is an online storyboarding tool that teachers and students can use to create simple stories. This site provides several templates you could choose from to create your short story. This site also provides a range of characters, scenes, and images that can be used. 🙂

Educational Uses: You can use this is your classroom by having students create a story based on a book you’ve read to them and have them retell the main events. You could also use it for sequencing of a story. For example, what happened first, second, third, etc. You could use Storyboard That as a whole class or have students create their own at some point.

Content Standards: This source relates to a few standards. For example there is a standard that requires students to place events in order (sequencing). This source would be great for that and the kids would love creating the story which will keep them engaged!

Assessment: If I were to use this site and I was teaching about the main events in a story, I would first read a book aloud to the students and have a discussion on what the main events were in the story. Then, together as a class we could use Storyboard That to retell the main events and put them in order that the events happened. I could assess the students as a whole by listening to their responses. Another way I would assess my students is by assessing them individually. The following day I could read another story aloud to the students and then have students create their own story board and assess their stories!

Value of Storyboard That: Storyboard That provides several lesson plans using story boards for a variety of grade levels and subjects from kindergarten to 12th grade. This source is definitely a way to get students engaged with the content you are teaching!

Here is an example of a story board that has been created:

Pictures retrieved from:

www.storyboardthat.com

http://www.storyboardthat.com/userboards/examples/students-love-storyboard-that

Source: http://exchange.smarttech.com/

Description: Smart Exchange provides teachers with access to all of Smart’s learning resources and the opportunity to preview all SMART notebook files before choosing to download it. SMART Exchange is a great tool that easily connects to your smartboard. Whether you are looking for lesson activities or templates, this is the source for you!

Educational Uses: If I have a smart board in my classroom this will definitely come in handy. I plan to be a member (which is free) and use the sources they have available. I would find templates that I would use or review files of a certain topic that we are covering in class. You can preview the material and then decide if it best fits your students needs. If it does, you can download it and you then have smartboard activity to use with your students!

Content Standards: This source can be used for any content standard. For example, if the standard you are teaching is about comparing and contrasting, you simply just type “compare and contrast template” into the search box and several appear. You then can choose one that best fits you and download it for your educational purposes. 🙂

Assessment: The way you assess your students using this source is up to you. Because they are activities for the smartboard, I would simply assess my students through student responses or the way they participate at the smartboard if an activity requires students to participate at the smartboard.

Value of Smart Exchange: I love this resource! Many teachers I have worked with use this and say it’s really easy to use and is extremely helpful. A lot of resources on SMART Exchange are free however, there are some that cost. As a teacher, you’ll have to determine if the sources that cost are worth paying for. SMART Exchange has a lot of free resources if you would like to save your money!

Here is a preview of the site! I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you love using the smartboard!

Pictures Retrieved from:

http://www.gboe.org/school%206/

http://exchange.smarttech.com/

Source: www.classdojo.com

Description: Class Dojo is an online behavioral management for the classroom. It allows parents and students to access their behavior points from home. This site allows teachers to create categories that the students are rewarded for such as returning their homework, raising their hand, etc. They can also create categories for when they need to be buzzed. Examples include: talking out, being off task, etc. This source can be used throughout the day to help students stay on task.

Educational Uses: The way I would use it in the classroom is by having Class Dojo on my smart board (if available) and throughout the day, I would add points or remove points from students. By doing this, students can see where they are throughout the day.  It’s a great way to keep students on task. If they see their name get buzzed, they will know they need to get back on task.

Content Standards: No content standards fit this source because it’s strictly a behavioral management tool

Assessment: This source simply assesses your students strictly on their behavior. As a future teacher, I would use this site and keep my students behavior logged that way I can see growth with my students with their behavior.

Value of Class Dojo: Class Dojo is very easy to navigate through. In my opinion I think it’s great for teachers to use to help keep their students on task. It’s also great that parents can access their behavioral online. Parents get to see what their students are struggling with and what they’re excelling with. I definitely recommend this source!

Here’s an example of students with their points they have!

Pictures retrieved from:

http://fourthgradeflipper.blogspot.com/2013/04/tried-it-tuesday-class-dojo.html

http://learninginhand.com/blog/build-positive-behavior-with-classdojo-website-or-app.html

Source: www.funbrain.com

Description: Funbrain is an educational site for students that consists of free educational games, online books, and comics. Funbrain was created for ages pre-school through grade 8. This site offers more than 100 fun, interactive games that develop skills in math, reading, and literacy! Teachers encourage students to use Funbrain during their free time in class to help build on what they have learned in class and gain new skills.

Educational Uses: This site will definitely be used in my future classroom. How it can be used in a classroom setting is during centers especially when you’re working with guided reading groups. During center time, students can access this site and continue building on their skills.

Content Standards: On Funbrain there are games for pre-school to 8th grade. Like stated before, there are games that help develop skills in math, reading and literacy. Depending on the content standard you are teaching, you can find a game that best fits the standard or find games that hit the standards you’ve already covered for review.

Assessment: Within my classroom, this would not be a way I would assess my students because there is not a way to see students scores on the site. This site would simply be used for reviewing content area that has been covered.

Value of Funbrain: It is very educational. During my student teaching, my students used this site during centers and loved playing the games. On the site, you can choose games based on the appropriate grade level and what subject area you want. It’s very easy to navigate!

Here’s a peek at the fun interactive site!

Pictures retrieved from:

http://ces.pasco.k12.fl.us/?page_id=268

www.funbrain.com

Source: http://animoto.com

Description: Animoto is a video creation service that makes it easy to share videos using pictures, video clips, words and music. Animoto can be used for just about anything. Animoto can be used for just about anything. For instance, special occasions, greetings, everyday moments or even events in your classroom to show parents and students.

Educational Uses: A way Animoto could be used within the classroom is by creating a welcoming video introducing yourself for when parents and their child comes to open house to meet you. Another way it could be used is to have students create introduction videos at the beginning of the year. (This depends if students have computers at home) Animoto could also be used to put videos together of the class during different times of the school year and it could be put on the class website. There are several creative ways to use this amazing source within your classroom.

Content Standards: The way I would use in my classroom wouldn’t cover any of the content standards because I would mainly just create introduction videos of myself for the beginning of the year and create videos of my students at different points in the year.

Assessment: To assess your students using Animoto, it all depends on how it’s used within your classroom. If you are the one creating the videos, no assessment can be made. However, if students create videos, there can be an assessment.

Value of Animoto: I think Animoto is a great source to use in the classroom. It’s simple to use and allows you to have the chance to be creative within your classroom along with creating an introduction video of yourself for open house along with videos of the class throughout the year for parents to see.

Pictures retrieved from:

http://www.kaylamoylan.info/tag/reflection/

http://www.web2teachingtools.com/animoto.html

A Place where educators buy, sell, and share original teaching resources

When you’re teaching  or are stuck on ideas for lesson plans, worksheets , activities etc, do you ever get overwhelmed? If so, it’s time to become stress free! Teachers Pay Teachers is a website where you can join for FREE to help get resources for your classroom! It is the world’s first largest open marketplace for educators to buy, sell, and share their original resources. This site helps teachers to be able to teach at their  best and helps them succeed!

This resource is wonderful! Do you want to know why? Okay, since I love to share my findings, I’ll be happy to share! This resource is wonderful because it can be used for ALL age levels. Whether you are an elementary, middle school, or high school teacher, this is the site for you!

Now we all know the common core standards is a BIG thing we must follow as we teach. This site actually can fit any content standard you are needing to meet. It all just depends on what you are stuck with/ looking for! Another thing that is great about this site is that some of the resources are absolutely FREE! In my opinion, it can’t get much better than that! However, there are some resources that do cost money but if it will help your students succeed, it’s totally worth it! Depending what you are looking for, will determine how you assess your students. For example, if you are just looking for a handout for a certain area you are covering, you might assess them on how well they are understanding the information.

From my personal experiences I have a cousin who is a teacher and she said a lot of her paychecks goes to resources from this site. She’s in love with it and she’s the one who introduced me to this wonderful resource! I have used it in my student teaching and loved it which is why I chose to share this with all of my wonderful classmates. I want everyone to succeed and make a difference in each child’s lives!

To give you a little idea of how this website works, I want to show you how to get onto to this site, and what you can do from there. To access this website, please go to www.teacherspayteachers.com

If you want to sign up (again, it’s FREE), simply go to the top right hand corner of this page and click “Join for Free”. It will then ask you for some basic information but I promise, it doesn’t take long! Once you’re signed up, you then can explore for anything you’d like. Example: Basic addition facts. You can type that into the search box and see if any of the resources available pertain to you! If you do not want to sign up, that is okay too. You can still search for ideas in the search box, you just will not have complete access as if you would if you signed up. It is highly recommended that you sign up 🙂 I promise, it’s a great tool!