Inovative+Web+Tools+for+the+Classroom

=Innovative Classroom Ideas with Web Tools=
 * 1) Find 2 new technologies which have not been discussed previously in this class. You can use technologies listed in the resources below, but you should also consider doing your own research.
 * 2) Post to this wiki page with the following:
 * 3) The web address of the technology
 * 4) A short description of this technology.
 * 5) How you think this technology could affect teaching and learning.
 * 6) Optional: A picture or graphic of the technology (or explaining the technology) would be helpful. You can provide a link if you find an image but do not have permission to republish it.
 * Note - You cannot use a technology already posted to this page.
 * Remember - Only one person at a time can edit a wiki page.

Resources: [] [] [] http://60in60.wikispaces.com/Web+2.0+Feb+2010

Google SketchUp : []. Google SketchUp,a program available for download from Google, allows students to create models and sketches in 3D. Students can use it to create buildings, parks, rooms, etc. You can use this tool alone or with another program like Google Earth. In addition, Google SketchUp can be easily integrated into any curriculum area. If you do not want your students to create their own model, then you can have them browse the models already saved in Google SketchUp. After exploring all what this tool has to offer, I can see teachers using it in many different ways. Teachers can use it to explain volume and area or have their students design a new playground. Using Google Earth, the students can then explore where the park should be located. Google SketchUp allows students the opportunity to apply their skills and become active participants in their learning. (Ashley Chalich)

Picasa: [] Picasa is a free software download from Google. This technology allows students to locate, edit, and share pictures that are on the computers. It also has Web Albums which uploads photos to the Internet for sharing with others. Once the program is downloaded, it automatically finds pictures on your computer and sorts them by dates. You can easily copy and paste photos from different folders and arrange them in one album. Picasa has numerous uses in the classroom. With pictures in one place, students can easily search the albums and create slideshows on a topic, like American hereos. They can also learn how to edit and add effects to photos taken with a digital camera. In addition, students can create their own web albums which allows them to share their learning with others. (Ashley Chalich)

BrainPop: [|www.brainpop.com]

BrainPop is an educational website that provides animated videos that engage students. BrainPop provides videos relating to science, social studies, English, math, arts/music, health, and technology. It also provides follow up quizzes and activities after each video. A subscription is necessary in order to obtain all of the videos available on BrainPop, but there are also free videos to choose from as well. You can also sign up for a free trial to see if it is something that you would like to use in your classroom. Our school has a subscription to BrainPop and I often use these videos when introducing a new lesson. As I said earlier, the videos are very animated and the students find them to be very funny. It’s an easy way to motivate and engage your students. (Dana Kordwitz)

IXL: []

I found a great math website that provides activities for pre-k through sixth grade, and in September, 7th and 8th grade math is coming to the site. If you click on your specific grade level it provides all of the skills that are taught in that grade along with practice problems for those specific skills. I did not sign up to become a member and was still able to utilize the website. What I really liked about this website is that it provides an explanation for why a student got a problem wrong, which helps them to learn from their mistakes. This would be a great way to differentiate instruction. For example, if you have students in your classroom that work far below or above grade level you could have them go to those grade levels to meet their specific needs. I would use this website to reinforce and practice math skills that have been taught in my classroom. Students that are earlier finishers with their classwork could utilize this site to build on their math skills. (Dana Kordwitz)

Mint: http://www.mint.com

The "Mint" website claims to be the best free way to manage your money online. This is quite a big claim, but from what I have found/researched, this seems to be true! The set-up takes only five minutes to start, and in that short time Mint.com can calculate a user's average spending in any category, and can turn it into a budget with one-click. This would be a website to be implemented with senior high students... I am thinking more towards 11th/12th grade. Itwould be wonderful to implement in any math or economics class. What a great application that can carry over to the "real-world!" (Megan Nedimyer)

Scrapblog: @http://www.scrapblog.com/

"Scrapblog" is a free online scrapbook creator. After your "scrapblog" is created, you can publish it online so others can see, print it on a home computer, or pay to have it professionally printed. This is such a neat application that I am quite excited about using for my own personal use. In addition to this, it has educational benefits, as well. I have my students create a "scrapblog" page by hand introducing themselves to the rest of the class... it would be neat to see how this could be accomplished by using this application. It would also be nice to upload pictures of class activities and turn it into a "scrapblog" page that parents can check online, as well. (Megan Nedimyer)

Google Book Search: []
====Google Book Search allows students to search for full text from Google’s large index of books. Students can browse available pages, complete further searches, find books online or in local libraries. Some books are even available in full text, allowing students to read entire books online. This would be a great tool for students because it can help students by reducing the amount of time it takes to complete research as well as allowing students to gain access to materials not necessarily available in their school’s library. (Justin Genovese) ====

Kids Konnect: []
====Kids Konnect is a great site I’ve been using since student teaching. It provides an alphabetized list of resources for a variety of content areas for students and teachers. It’s a completely free site that is safe for students to navigate. It not only covers curriculum but is actually fun for everyone. From Afghanistan to Zebras, this site has it all. I think this site is great for students to use in class for research and general information. It can definitely be used to supplement the information found in our antiquated textbooks. (Justin Genovese) UStream:[| www.ustream.com] Ustream is a site that allows you to stream video and audio like a broadcast. The neat thing about it is it allows many users to be invited to watch the broadcast. Those users can interact via an instant message text box to the left of the video screen. This could be incorporated into the classroom much like skype could be. Only this way students could all be invited into the chat and could interact and ask questions as the broadcast is being played. (Brittney Tyler) ====

WorkSheetLibrary: [|www.worksheetlibrary.com]
This site offers a variety of different free worksheets and and graphics for teachers of any grade level. When you sign up for an account everything on the site is free to the users. This could be very helpful for teachers because it saves them the time of having to format and create graphic organizers and worksheets for their students. You can search what the site has by subject and grade level. (Brittney Tyler)

4Teachers.org : [] //4Teachers.org// works to help you integrate technology into your classroom by offering online tools and resources. This site helps teachers locate and create ready-to-use Web lessons, quizzes, rubrics and classroom calendars. There are also tools for student use. Professional development resources are made available through this site as well. As a teacher, this site can save you alot of time and energy by utilizing these FREE tools! (Missy Kifer)

Voice Thread : [] //Voicethread// can take your Powerpoint, video, still pictures, or any other media you can convert to video or image and turn it into a collaborative presentation. It seems to be very user-friendly. Once you have created a Voicethread, you have the option of allowing other people to comment on it using voice, text, or webcam. Students who are nervous about standing in front of the class making a presentation can add their own voice to the presentation at home, recording it over and over until it is right, then let the Voicethread do the talking. They are still standing in front of the class, but they know the information they wanted to provide will be right. Voicethread is free with limitations and there is a Voicethread for educators that costs $60.00/year and includes all the functions of a Pro account. (Missy Kifer)

National Geographic Interactive Eudcational Website: [] This is a website I use a lot to integrate technology into my classroom. It comes filled with lessons/activities, and all sorts of multimedia for students to use in their learning. I use this site for the Salem Witch Trials and the students love it. There are interactive and informative stories, which are historically accurate, and eye appealing with images. The students actually go through a witch hunt tutorial and learn all about the witch trials in my classroom from this site. There are a ton of rescoures at hand for teachers like: maps, photos, news, audio/visual aides, and many others. This site can help you integrate technology and keep students interested in the lesson. Witch Trials example: [] (Bron Clouser)

Current Event Website with Articles and Questions: []

This website offers educational DVDs and articles, which help students think critically about current events. This is a free website, and if you sign up, Izzit will email you a current event daily, along with questions ranging from all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. The current events even come with lesson plans. This helps students realize what is going on in the world around them and other countries. We even have had debates about certain articles. These are actually interesting as well, some discussed cryogenics, brain transplants, local pizza ads, and other interesting topics. I use this site at least once a week, and read an article to the students and have them respond in writing to the current event. My students have even used an article in a persuasive essay as evidence to support their opinions. (Bron Clouser)

Discovery streaming: [|http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com]

This is a great website for teachers from all disciplines. It contains thousands of video segments that you can integrate into your daily lessons. There are full videos that you can show as well. In addition to videos, this site contains an abundance of pictures and articles that prove to be very useful. This is a great website for grades K-12. The one drawback is that your school would have to purchase a license in order to take advantage of it. (Denny Marshall)

Mr. Nussbaum: []

This website has proven to be a very helpful resource in my classroom. It is very user friendly and the students respond really well to it. It contains a lot of useful tools that you can use in all disciplines. There are games and other interactive activities that the students can use to review and to further their knowledge. I have taken advantage of the interactive maps to supplement the text and other resources. (Denny Marshall)