2 Tools to Integrate in 5 Minutes or Less

Wonderopolis

Wonderopolis is a great tool to engage students with high interest nonfiction text.  Each day a new "wonder" is added.  Each post will include a video, 3 questions, and information to answer each of the questions.  I know this tool may not be a new one, but I wanted to include some ideas for integration.

Integration ideas:

• This site provides a great way to practice reading with the question in mind.  This is a great tool to use as a shared reading piece where you model/practice using the 3 questions to focus your reading.  Some of the "wonders" can be at a high reading level so keep that in mind as you integrate it.  
• Use it as a station where students can read about the different wonders answering the questions they provide. 
• This site provides high interest reading material and will encourage your students to read nonfiction.  Now this list is not be exhaustive, so please leave a comment sharing a way you are using this tool in your classroom.  

Primary Wall

Primary wall provides a space to collaborate, share, and work together in real time using sticky notes.  This is an easy program to use and students can all be engaged in the discussion and you can view their ideas on your SMART Board.  You can also lock this site and students can access it from home.  Each wall comes with an embed code which allows you to post on your blogs or websites.

Integration ideas:

• Exit slip-students can reflect on class and post it to the wall.  This can be used the following day for discussion or reteaching. One technique is the 3-2-1 summarizing technique.  This technique was designed by Rick Wormeli.
• Brainstorming-students can post questions, things they have learned, research around a topic.  The cool paret is then you can sort their thinking on the SMART Board after you have collected it.

Harmony-Online Drawing Site

I came across this tool via Teachers love SMART Boards.  James Hollis provides many resources for all disciplines that can be used with the SMART Board.  Harmony is a website that allows you to draw on a blank template using various colors and brushes.  This was easy for me to use and I am far from artistic. 

Classroom integration:
I see this site as something that could be used to model techniques within an art classroom.  Teachers or students could create an example and then use the screen capture toolbar within SMART Notebook to save their work.  This tool could also provide a great tool for students to share visualizations of their reading, science inquiries, and more.

This tool is very simple, but has many integration possibilities.

6 Traits Writing Lessons

In our classrooms we use 6 Traits Writing.  This is a good resource which uses mentor texts to teach various aspects of the writing process.  One website that has many good ideas is Writing Fix.  This site has many lessons, interactive writing prompts, and much more.  As I was browsing this site I came across a NING network dedicated to the sharing of these lessons.  There are almost 20,000 educators signed up for this network.  When you sign up for this NING you will have access to all of these resources.  You will also receive an email with the "Writing lesson of the month."  Please sign up  to access all these great resources.

Sign up Page

Writing Lesson of the Month NING Page

STEM Resources-Lesson Plans, Activities, and More

I came across this site last year and thought it would be helpful in the implementation of STEM in some of our buildings.  This site provides lesson plans, resources, and activities to use in your classroom.  There are some great ideas for any grade level and I hope this site can be helpful in your planning.

 

eGFI-Dream Up the Future

 

 

 

Kidblog in the Reading Classroom

Kidblog is a very simple blogging tool which is made by a teacher for teachers.  I used this tool last year to facilitate discussion and interaction within my reading group time.  My book club groups would post questions they had while they were reading.  Then members of their group would view their questions and respond within the comments section.  Students then would have the opportunity to reply back to their comments as they are posted.  This created great reflection and discussion between the members of each group.  It reinforced higher level questioning, and challenged student's to support their answers with text support.

This slide show and videos are a great introduction to Kidblog:



Here are a couple other ways you could implement Kidblog in your classroom:

1. Use it as a portfolio to collect student learning.
2. Reading Station:
1. Have them answer the questions listed on each "Wonder of the Day" on Wonderopolis.
2. Personal blog to share things they are learning while inquiring about a topic. 
3. Commenting on other students work
3. Digital Notebook for a subject area or a leadership notebook

I know there are tons of different ways to use this resource, and please share any of your ideas in the comment area below.

SMART Document Cameras

Here is a quick intro to SMART document cameras.  These are very easy to use, but hopefully this video and document will make it even easier to get started.  Please post ideas of how you are using them in the classroom in the comments section below.



SMART Document Camera Setup and Use Instructions

Math Resources for SMART Board and Secondary Math

I was asked some questions about math resources for the secondary level.  They specifically were looking for things they could use with their SMART Board to enhance their instruction.  I have put together a list of some helpful tools that will come in handy for teaching math at the secondary level.

Websites with great math instruction tools:

 Illuminations NCTM - This site has many activities that are prepared for you and can be used on your SMART Board or projector.

Interactive Math Activities - Huge list of interactive math activities

Cool Math - Fun math lesson explanations, review, and games.

Chart Gen - Online chart generator

Chart Go - Online chart generator

Interactive Mathematics Classroom - Interactive math lessons that can be used on SMART Board or projector

Interactive Calculus - Interactive resources for calculus on the web

EMath - Math explanations followed by practice problems

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives - Tons of virtual manipulatives to use with your SMART Board or projector

Longwood School District - SMART Notebook files (towards the bottom of the page) there are a few SMART Notebook lessons created on various topics

Online Calculators

Scientific Calculator

Scientific Calculator 2

Graphing Calculator