Group items tagged

An easier way to grade quizzes administered through Google Docs. "Flubaroo is a free script that you can use grade the quizzes that you administer through Google Docs. Flubaroo provides great step-by-step directions for using the script. I'll give an quick overview of how it works. First, create your multiple choice quiz using Forms in Google Docs. Then take the quiz yourself and have students take the quiz (you can embed it in a webpage or direct students to the URL for your form). Now instead of trying to grade the spreadsheet cells you will insert the Flubaroo script by selecting it from the "insert" menu in your spreadsheet. Once the Flubaroo script is inserted just select it and it will grade the quiz for you. Applications for EducationWhile multiple choice quizzes definitely don't fall into the category of authentic assessment they are still used by teachers for a variety of purposes. If you use multiple choice quizzes for any purpose, giving that quiz through Google Docs and grading it with Flubaroo could save you a lot of time that you can put to better use on other tasks."

Common Sense Media has just released a fantastic new tool for integrating digital citizenship into your curriculum. The Interactive Scope and Sequence lays out simple lessons organized by grade level and divided into topics such as Digital Footprint and Reputation, Creative Credit and Copyright, Cyberbullying, and more.

Purpose of the Teachers' Lounge The purpose of the Professor Garfield Teachers' Lounge Section is to provide free, user-friendly, and standards-based learning materials for the classroom teacher, parent, tutor, or mentor. These materials are intended to support and supplement the ongoing work of the classroom teacher by providing leveled materials (plans, activities, downloadables, and printables) that are retrievable by grade level, subject, and/or national standard. Every effort is being made to provide pre- and post-assessment tools where appropriate and useable.

This website has been forwarded to me from the Science Consultant Jane Diner:Here is a wonderful website focusing on resources to support the nature of science at all grades. I hope it can help you in your planning:

Grade 2/3s create water cycle Common Craft-style videos to show their learning! Way cool!

A site created by Lissa and Kelly with tutorials and information on 7 Web 2.0 tools to use in the classroom. 

"When working with K-2nd grades, it's often the case that students are able to verbally communicate their ideas, but typing those out is another matter.  Using Present.me, we solved this issue for a second grade class that was creating slideshow presentations.Present.me is a web service that lets you create effective presentations through your PowerPoint files.  What makes this site unique, is it lets you add a narrative to the presentation. Once you upload your PowerPoint, you can record a narrative through your webcam and microphone as if you were presenting the slideshow. The final presentation then appears with your webcam recording on the right and slides on the left. A filmstrip view of the slides is also given on the bottom of the presentation. The elementary school I was working with used Google Docs, then converted the presentation to a .PPT file, which Present.Me only accepts.  After the presentation is uploaded, it is queued for the students to record their own words to describe each slide, and time when they want each slide to advance. Once they are finished recording, they have the option to record the presentation again if not satisfied with what they did.  Otherwise, you can then publish the presentation, giving it a unique URL that can be shared with anyone. The free plan of Present.me only lets you publish up to 10 recordings per month; each of these presentations can be 15 minutes long. Having the students work in groups allowed the class to stay under the ten recordings limit. " Richard Byrne

How to integrate MinyanLand into the classroom: MinyanLand is such a fun way to work toward financial literacy in the classroom.  It offers students a virtual economy where they can practice real-world skills of buying, earning, investing, and giving.  I love the way that MinyanLand ties the real world to the virtual by allowing students to earn virtual MinyanMoney for real chores and jobs.Registering is free and easy enough for young students to register themselves.  A parent or teacher email address is optional for registration.  If students include a parent or teacher email address, they can earn MinyanMoney for chores or jobs that you assign.MinyanLand is one of those sites that would be great as a year-long project.  Students can visit MinyanLand throughout the year in the classroom (and at home) to learn about money, investing, spending, earning, and the economy.  It is a natural fit in the math classroom where students are already working with money and numbers.  MinyanLand would be best in a lab setting where each student has access to a computer.  If you don't have a lab for students, use classroom computers as a learning center.  Students can visit the center throughout the week to interact in MinyanLand.

Planet Pals: An environmental site for students: Nature themes, foodchain, habitat, seasons and more. 

Black Gold's Grade 3 social site...

"Turf Mutt is a nice free resource from Discovery Education. Turf Mutt features ten free environmental science lesson plans for K-5 teachers. The lesson plans have clearly defined objectives and detailed directions for carrying out each lesson plan. The majority of the lesson plans span several days. The lesson plans use a combination of hands-on activities, see Discovering Dirt, and reading/ research activities. Although not directly connected to the lesson plans, Turf Mutt has some videos to help students learn about topics in Environmental Science."  Richard Byrne

A site with links for many literacy sites for kids 

An outline of lessons for 6th grade to design tutorials to teach others. 

Great Site for interactive activities for Math, Science and Social Studies