Flickr

Flickr is a site dedicated to sharing photos.  This is a great tool for displaying students' work or projects to their parents, between classes or even abroad.

Flickr and other similar photo sharing sites connect people.  Putting a human face to education is important.  It reminds us in the field why we are doing what we are doing.  This is a venue to share and relish in our successes.

The various privacy settings and invitation levels creates a safe environment for this sharing to happen.

Google Earth

Google earth is one of the most fun google apps I have ever played with.  As a learning tool, it is a great way to explore various ecosystems, navigation tools and geometry skills.

To take things a step future, there are also tools to explore the planets, the moon and more!  Zooming through the galaxies is fun with Google Earth.  The 3D models bring distant planets into the classroom.  I bet more kids than ever want to grow up to be astronauts.

Even history teachers can use Google Earth in their lessons.  The historical imagery is great.

If you want to download Google Earth check out this link.

Waiting for a train....?

See if this can help you

 I can't check it cause I have a flip phone so please let me know if it isn't working.

Delicious

Delicious is a fun website that collects links from similar sites into one page.  If you want to find the best presentation tools, you just find the page linked by that topic and explore each option.  You may have to dig around a bit to find what you're looking for but once you do it's a gold mine.

QR Code

Explore with the QR code for my favorite food of all time!

Hint: I scream, you scream, we all scream for ...

Keyboard Shortcuts...great for those using JAWS

1. Ctrl + b = Bold font
2. Ctrl + i = Italics font
3. Ctrl + u = Underlined font
4. Ctrl + z = undo
5. Ctrl + a = highlight all
6. Ctrl + s = Save
7. Ctrl + Esc = start up menu
8. Ctrl + n = new document or tab
9. Ctrl + p = print
10. Ctrl + c = copy
11. Ctrl + v = paste
12. Ctrl + o = Open
13. Ctrl + "+" = zoom in
14. Ctrl + "-" = zoom out
15. Ctrl + 0 = zoom to 100%
16. Ctrl + h = history page in many internet browsers
17. Alt + F4 = close current window (thought this would help when my computer crashed...it didn't)
18. Ctrl + Tab = move to the next page of a program
19. F2 = rename a selected item
20. F3 = find OR Ctrl + f
21. F5 = update current window
22. Shift + right arrow = highlight all items to the right of the cursor
23. Shift + left arrow = highlight all items to the left of the cursor

Storybird

Storybird is an inspiration for the written word.  This cheerful site is loaded with illustrations, stories and life lessons.  As a teaching tool, Storybird is a motivation for creativity.  The different tools, settings and designs allow personalities an opportunity to shine.  Teachers have their own section to create assignments, view work and even grade projects.  Parents can easily be involved in the learning process by viewing work online and even creating fundraisers.

I have never seen this website before but I have already spent way too much time exploring it.  I need to do some other homework now…more later.

Quizlet

Quizlet is a great study resource! There are flashcards and sample quizzes for everything!  I didn't do very well on the world country and capital matching game.  Looks like I need to buff up my geography trivia.

I love how this website is free!  It not only helps the teachers but also the students.  Why recreate the wheel when it's already available?  Students can access it from anywhere and teachers can share links and resources with the class.  The variety and umbrella themes covered on this website is impressive: math, science, you name it.

I see myself using this website often with my classes.  I already passed the word along to a friend of mine who plans to take the GRE that this is a great study resource.  I almost wish I needed to study for something so I could use this site myself.

Blog Reflection

For some reason or another, I have never blogged before.  Maybe because the only time I have ever felt like I had something note worthy to say all blog sites were blocked (cough, abroad, cough).  Well, now it's the assignment and I find it fun. There is something empowering about being able to share thoughts and information so easily.

There is more then the sense of fun and enjoyment to blogging. I can see how a blog could be a great classroom tool.  A way to share with parents what is going on in the classroom or as a way to bring the assignments home for the students.  Administrators can follow class activities, teachers can use it to collaborate and linking resources is fun for everyone.

Ho hum, bloggings fun.  Google, you never fail to impress me with your fun gadgets and overwhelming amounts of options.  

Welcome

Greetings!  Hope you are enjoying your day.  I certainly am.  I learned how to blog today.  Good times ahead with my technology class and blogging.