"Introducing BadgeStack: a fresh way to connect, engage & reward learners. BadgeStack is an innovative system with a game-like approach that assesses skills, recognizes learner achievement, sparks community, and excites learners of all ages."

"History by Era" is the Institute's innovative new approach to our shared national history. At its core it is a collection of fifty individual introductions written by some of the most distinguished scholars of our day. It thus speaks to the reader not in one voice, but in fifty different, unique voices as each of these scholars interprets the developments, movements, events, and ideas of a particular era. Each Era follows the same template so that readers can move easily from one to another. An introduction to the time period is followed by essays by leading scholars; primary sources with images, transcripts, and a historical introduction; multimedia presentations by historians and master teachers; interactive presentations; and lesson plans and other classroom resources. Read an Introduction to History by Era from our senior editor, Carol Berkin, for more detailed information.

The American Heritage® Dictionary invites you to create a self-portrait using your words. The words that tell the world who you are. That make you, you. It's easy to do, whether you decide to link to places like Facebook for words you've already written or write something new specifically for your portrait. Either way, you'll create a unique image that can be shared and saved and will remind everyone that You Are Your Words.

DoodleBuzz is a new way to read the news through an experimental interface that allows you to create typographic maps of current news stories.

Via http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/07/10-ways-to-create-videos-without.html

No need to learn the aesthetics of movie making or wade through a complicated user interface. Tracking shot will create a movie instantly and automatically by grouping photos into scenes and shots, creating transitions, synchronizing with the music, and more. All you need to do is upload your photos and music - it couldn't be easier. Photos & music... ...instant movies. via http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/07/quickly-create-music-video-on-tracking.html

via http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/06/vialogues-form-discussions-around.html

Here at Literacy Shed  we aim to provide exciting teaching ideas for the resources that we would love to use if only we had the time to find them.