My TeachMeet KY Presentation

From my previous post about Technology Alternatives for the Standard Homework Assignment I will be presenting the following presentation at TeachMeet KY in Bowling Green.  Thought I would share it with my readers.

Weekly Core Subjects Resources

This is my third edition of links/resources related to specific core curriculum.  I wasn't sure if I would be able to sustain this, but week after week I find something new that I can share with others.  Hope you find one useful.

Science
I have two this week for Science.  Scale of the Universe is an interesting interactive that allows you to see how big the universe is and how small we are.  I highly recommend sharing with students.  There is some background music, so you might want to have speakers on mute.  The second resource is Encyclopedia of Earth.  A great resource for geography and biology classes.  You can search for articles by subject and also find resources for educators as well.  If you are really motivated, you can become a contributor to the site as well.

Social Studies
The Supreme Court by PBS is an interactive website available for teachers to have a better understanding of the Supreme.  On the site you can find videos, games, time-lines, and lesson plans.  Another neat feature is that you can create a log-in and guess how the court will decide on this seasons cases.  This would be a great site for both Civics and U.S. History. 

English
Write for Ten is a website for free-writing.  The idea is to get people to just write for ten minutes and then share that on the web page.  The other idea is to help you work on a long document by writing on it for ten minutes at a time.  You will have to create an account to participate, but even if you don't, the concept of writing for ten minutes would be a great addition to the classroom.  This site might help foster some ideas.

Mathematics
The following is a site that has several Math Interactives that could be used with an Airliner or SMARTBoard.  "This multimedia resource includes interactive math activities, print activities, learning strategies, and videos that illustrate how math is used in everyday life. The resource addresses the following mathematics topics: Fractions; Integers; Percentages; Rate/Ratio/Proportion; Square Roots; Exponents; Patterns; Algebra; Linear Equations; Polynomials; Angles; Circles; Surface Area and Volume; Area and Perimeter; Triangles; Pythagoras; Trigonometry; Similarity and Congruence; Transformations; Shape Classification; Data Display and Graphs; Central Tendency and Distribution; and Probability."

OffiSync

There is a big push in education to use Google Docs.  There are also several school districts that use Microsoft, especially with the release of Live @EDU, Microsoft's free version of software to challenge Google.  OffiSync is a site that provides the ability to easier sync your Google Docs with Microsoft products (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).  OffiSync is a free download that integrates into the Office software.

OffiSync allows all the tools of Google Docs with Office, more specifically the sharing and collaboration aspect.  My school does not use Google Docs, but I am often viewing documents from Google Docs via Twitter, so this software would allow me to easily integrate them into my Office software.  To get a better understanding, you will probably be interested in the video below, that is also available for viewing on OffiSync's website.







For more information about OffiSync, and to compare the free and premium versions click here.

Artificial Intelligence Typing

A.I.type is a site dedicated to the typing suggestions that we are getting used to on our iPhones and other devices.  A.I.type though offers more then just a word.  It also offers sentences suggestions as well as word suggestions.  You can also get translation into your own language as you type as well.  This is a great tool for ESL students and teachers.  A.I.type is also a great tool for lower level students who need assistance with writing.  Part of me wonders though if a technology like this will remove the necessity to even know how to type.  This is the next best thing to voice recognition that will remove the necessity to know how to type.  A.I.type is a free download that works with several platforms that you can view in the image below.  You can see it in action on their home page.

Simple Diagrams..and I mean Simple

Simple Diagrams is a site dedicated to creating...well, simple diagrams.  Stick figures, word clouds, and arrows.  For students who can easily be distracted this seems like a great option.  It also puts the emphasis on the contact and not on all the bells and whistles a software can provide.  It uses simple drag and drop features.  It is a software that you download to your computer and not web based.  There are more features that are available for a paid version of the software.  More information on the Free Version and Paid Version (only $19) are available on the site.

Here is a screen-shot from their website of the Free Version.  If you decide to pay for the software you will receive access to some other libraries of images that you can use.  The Free version for us cash strapped educators seems to offer plenty for classroom use.  Maybe an educational library will be available in the future.

I am looking forward to how I might be able to use this for professional development.