Quizlet: Interactive Vocabulary Flash Cards

Quizlet is a free website that allows students to make their own interactive vocabulary flash cards, or choose from millions of flash cards sets created by others. But that’s just the beginning – once you’ve got flashcards, you can use several study modes including multiple choice tests and study games. You can add images and listen to audio, and even study on the go with the Quizlet mobile app. The Quizlet Features page provides an in-depth view of the site. Click here to learn how to create a class account. Below is an example of Geometry vocabulary.

October Themed Lessons

(If you are viewing this post from within NEISD, make sure to override Lightspeed so you can see the above video from YouTube)

It’s my FAVORITE time of year again, and I must begin with the best Google Doodle of all time. Kids love to see time-lapse video in action, especially if it contains a spooky ending. I’ve started a collection of several October themed lessons to get your kiddos excited about fall. This list (embedded below) includes a combination of free iPad apps and websites you can use in the computer lab. One lesson I think everyone should check out is the Goosebumps Make Your Own Graphix site on scholastic.com. Students can create their own short graphic novel (comic book) with 10 different layouts to choose from. Be sure to include specific language arts skills you would like your students to include; such as descriptive vocabulary, dialogue, cause and effect, or inferencing. Here is an example they have posted on their site:

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A Russian Nesting Doll Lesson

Kacie Germadnik, GT teacher at Bulverde Creek, is my personal go-to person for new technology ideas. She has a plethora of tools in her arsenal and uses them every week. One that caught my eye was the way she used Blendspace (formerly Edcanvas) to showcase a student collection of biographies made with Smore. It reminds me of those Russian nesting dolls… a tool, within a tool, within a tool. Here is Kacie’s description of the lesson: “Push PLAY to journey through the awesome Smore Fliers created by 5th grade Gifted and Talented kids.  These fliers were created to showcase the personal philosophies of these students through their development of I Believe statements, creating a Dream Team to inspire them to reach their goals, a Mandala that showcases their personal values and ideals, and a biography about how they might impact the world in the future.”

So, let’s review: Step 1- Students create biographies using Smore. Step 2-Teacher compiles all flyers using Blendspace. Step 3- Teacher shares student products with the world by embedding the Blendspace on her blog. See the Russian nesting doll????

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Classroom Management Apps for the iPad

There are several free apps available to teachers that make classroom management fun and easier than ever. Below you will find a list that contains a brief description, links to tutorials, and pros/cons to help you determine if the app is right for you. For NEISD teachers: Place a colored sticker on the back of one of your 3 student iPads to indicate which one has your management app accounts and your TPRI account.

While searching for resources to support these apps, I stumbled upon a great website called AppCrawlr. It’s an app discovery search engine that lets you sort by specific criteria. It comes in handy if you are searching for only free apps.