Great video that details 500 years of Canadian exploration

Northwest Passage from Dennis Sisterson on Vimeo.

iPods

The iPods have arrived!!  Thanks Dan and the Terry Fox PAC for purchasing iPods for our school.  Here is a quick video about some of the features of the iPods Terry Fox just received.  I am so excited about them and everything that our students and staff will be able to do in our classrooms with them.  I believe strongly in the benefits of this tool in the classroom.  There are so many ways to use the iPods and I plan to dedicate the next few posts to the iPod and different ideas for using them.  So stay tuned!!

In the mean time, I encourage you to charge up the iPods and bring them into your classroom.  My guess is that even if you don't know how to use them, some of your students will...yes even in Kindergarten...and you can spend time playing and learning about the features and capabilities together.  This particular iPod is called the iPod nano 5th generation (just in case you want to watch 'how to' videos on YouTube) and has been out for a year, so some of your students will definitely have one at home.  Have fun playing...

Drop Box

Dropbox is a great way to store your data online so that you can access if from anywhere.  Put your files into your Dropbox on one computer, and they'll be instantly available on any of your other computers that also have Dropbox installed.  You can also access them from any computer or mobile device using the Dropbox website because copies are stored on Dropbox's secure servers.  Dropbox provides users with 2GB of online storage for free, with up to 100GB available to paying customers.

Tips for integrating Dropbox into the classroom:  Dropbox is the perfect internet accessory for teachers.  Because we use computers in the classroom, computer lab and a home, accessing the same files in all of these places without trying to keep track of a flashdrive, is incredibly convenient.  In addition, you could Dropbox with your students by starting up a class account and saving documents, photos, videos, etc. that you want all of your students or students' parents to access.

Note: Send me an email to request a personal invitation to Dropbox and we will both receive an additional 250MB of storage space.

Tagxedo

Since many enjoyed learning about and playing with Wordle, I thought I would share another word cloud site with you that I recently learned about from a LTT friend  (Thanks Jill!).  Tagxedo is a word cloud site with style...and a lot of options.  In addition to typing or copy and pasting your text to make a cloud, you can also use a URL, twitter ID, Del.icio.us ID, RSS feed, search term or news article to create a cloud.  Once you have your text, choose your font and theme and then choose a shape or upload an image of your own.    I chose an apple and used the URL from this website to make the word cloud above.  Watch the video below for step by step instructions on how to create a Tagxedo of your own.




Tips for integrating Tagxedo into the classroom:  Use Tagxedo this Thanksgiving holiday and have students make a list of the things they are thankful for.  Then have the students create a word cloud with the list in an image of their choice and share it with friends and family.  Have fun Tagxedo-ing!

Google Wonder Wheel

Today I am sharing with you one of my favourite Google treasures, the Google Wonder Wheel.  I love the Wonder Wheel because it helps make Google searches less stressful and more valuable - hurray!  With today's searches producing results upwards of 100,000,000 or more the Google Wonder Wheel really is good news!  By definition, the GWW is a wheel display of search terms related to the current searched inquiry. Essentially, it makes searching visual and helps students break down broad concepts into more manageable search terms.



Tips for integrating Google Wonder Wheel into the classroom: For both you and your students, the Google Wonder Wheel is relevant and enables the user to navigate the internet more easily. When doing research, students often start with a very general search term and then struggle to find the specific information they are looking for. With Google Wonder Wheel, students can narrow their search quickly and easily by clicking on the search term or resource that is the most relevant to their inquiry and most likely to be of value.

Here are the steps:
1. Type in your search topic and press search.

2. Scroll down and find Wonder Wheel from the Standard View menu on the left-hand side of your screen.

3. Click on one of the related search terms to narrow your search.

4. Give it a try!

Blabberize

Blabberize is a fun and crazy website that allows you to make your pictures talk.  I mean really talk!  It is quick and easy to use, with instructions that are easy to follow.  I made the blabberize above in about 3 minutes.  Just select and upload a picture, crop it if you wish, place the mouth, record the sound and watch the magic happen.

Tips for integrating Blabberize into the classroom:  Blabberize will immediately captures student interest.  Have students create a Blabberize to demonstrate knowledge and share research information with others in class or on a class website.  Just have the animal, building or map do the talking!  When you are finished, you are given the option to save and make your Blabberize private or public.  Once saved, you can copy the link or embed the code into a website (like I have).  You also have the option of converting your Blabberize to video.  This is a great option if you would like to download the projects onto your computer or copy them to DVD for distribution or sharing. Check out this Blabberize I made on hippopotamuses!

Note:  Users need to log in and create a password.  Another option would be for the teacher to create a log in and have all of the students sign in on one account.

Don't forget to let me know how you are using Blabberize in your classroom by commenting below!