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iPhone iPod Touch version - math game for kids that is free. Why not download this for the car and let them play it a bit to help them with math. For elementary age children.

Flipping a classroom is not a teaching technique, it is more in line with a philosophy or way of teaching. It involves using technology as a tool, not the main focus, for helping students increase their understanding of science or math concepts.

Adobe has their new Digital School Collection which really makes some very powerful tools affordable to schools. (Goes live December 1st) - here are some great tutorials and presentations on the TES website about photoshop and graphic design. Sometimes for these tough programs it helps to use things that other teachers have already used.

A lesson plan to help children investigate snow through investigation.

I'm embarrassed to admit, but two weeks ago I didn't even know anything about  Angry Birds. It looks like this addicting little game has been around for a while. I know … Where have I been? I guess I've been spending time with a less angry little bird … I'm really not the angry type! I guess I see Twitter as better use of my time and professional collaborative learning than shooting birds out of a slingshot. A casual conversations with my hairdresser a few weeks ago about the game led to a quick demonstration on her phone. Another reference came last Friday while attending a session on Instructional Coaching for principals. Some areas that Instructional Coaches can assist schools with are referred to as the Big Four: Classroom Management, Content, Instruction, and Formative Assessment. While the presenters facilitated dialogue around the topic of formative assessment the analogy was made to video gaming; and specifically Angry Birds. This piqued my curiosity.

One of my favorite youtube channels for teachers and educators is from Jarrod Robinson "Mr. Robbo the PE Geek" from down under. He is helpful, loves kids, and has a unique understanding of engaging bodily kinesthetic learners in all subjects and a passion for mobile learning.

I helped test this app and liked the capability it had to put the presentation on the screen of my students on the iPads. Everyone could see. It is worth testing if you are in a 1:1 iPad situation. Great tool.

I was rereading this old post for some writing I'm doing about filtering and it struck me that although this post was written in 2008 it reads like it was written this morning. I think there are some very valid arguments to share as you discuss content filtering in your school. When asked about how to help kids with allergies, researchers have made the bold statement , "Let them eat dirt! " As I read these articles, I was struck with the parallel to the content filtration debate that rages in education today.

It is unfortunate that controversy is surrounding autism and yet it is something misunderstood by many. Here is an article on Liz Ditz's blog going back to an issue that arose in December when she quoted a person's Facebook who then denied the posting and accused Liz of hacking the account and writing the comments herself. I am not on the inside of this but am watching as the outcome has implications for my own thoughts of digital citizenship. I am just saddened any time a person is taken of a mission to help others because of flame wars and it doesn't look like this one is going to stop soon. All I know is I have been reading Liz's blog for quite some time and although I don't know her personally, I find the charges leveled against her doubtful from what I do know.

This helpful page from the British Council explains the differences between the UK and US educational systems. They have had a national curriculum since 1992.

Extensive resources about reflection in education and using it with students in everything from portfolios to digital portfolios and artifacts. Great tools here to help students think about their learning.

A great set of science and engineering animations to help you explain difficult concepts visually. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Science

Get your class to help with real micro biology science by playing this fun folding game. Download the programme and follow the on-screen instructions to get playing in no time. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Science

This is a mapping site which shows the quickest or least polluted routes around lots of UK towns and cities. Help your children keep safe and healthy. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/PSHE%2C+RE%2C+Citizenship%2C+Geography+%26+Environmental

Lots of talk in technology circles about 6th grader Thomas Suarez an iphone programmer.His best selling app is Bustin Jieber a Justin Beiber "Whack a Mole." He shares how he learned how to program an app. How he taught himself the iPhone Software Development kit.  He started an "app club" at school where any kid at school can come and learn how to design an app. He is part of an ipad pilot program. The students are asking teachers to help them design apps for education and the money is going into local education foundation. 

What if we applied the psychology of what makes technology attractive to students...to our face-2-face practices in the classroom? Using this idea, instead of using more technology in the classroom, why not design the traditional human / face-to-face classroom experience to be more like what makes technology so engrossing to modern students? Do these principles sound familiar... Deliver information in bite sized chunks, Create mental models, Use short stories to help process information, Learning happens and is remembered through repetition, People are motivated by Progress and Mastery, Sustained attention lasts 10 minutes, and the use of Progressive Disclosure. Progressive Disclosure an interaction design technique often used in human computer interaction to help maintain the focus of a user's attention by reducing clutter, confusion, and cognitive workload. This improves usability by presenting only the minimum data required for the task at hand. Here are 100 little articles that could have big implications in the classroom.

Since I've been exploring the @TESConnect site as part of the work I'm doing highlighting the best resources of TES that apply to US teachers, I've been drawn to some of the World War 2 footage from the site. This video is Children in World War 2 and I think it is especially helpful to pull video footage from other countries when talking about wars, etc. to gain multiple perspectives. What about drilling down to look at other wars as well?

Great hooks that will help you grab attention in any classroom, any age! 

This section is full of great ideas to help YOU become a better facilitator. The articles here are written and shared by the staff at Training Wheels. Some of the articles are written by Michelle Cummings, the Big Wheel and Founder of Training Wheels, and some are written by Linda Williams, the Spare Tire and Lead Facilitator at Training Wheels.