A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet

Lockerbie Bomber Has Died: Do Your Students Know About Pan Am 103?

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:48:00 +0000

After reading the news that Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, (the only person convicted in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103) had passed away, I asked some of my students if they knew anything about the event. They shook their heads. This act of terrorism was the precursor of September 11. 2001 and took the lives of 270 people. If you teach world history, here are 11 resources on Pan Am 103 and how it affected the town of Lockerbie, Scotland and the world.

20th Century History- overview of the bombing of Pan Am 103 from About.com

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Death of Lockerbie Bomber al-Megrahi Doesn't Close the Book

Lockerbie Crash Timeline- from CNN

Lockerbie: Did Someone Else Bomb Pan Am 103?

Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc.- list of the victims, poetry by family of the victims, information about the investigation and trial

Washington Post- timeline

Here's What You Missed at EdCamp Philly

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Sun, 20 May 2012 03:03:00 +0000

Resources From Today's Sessions
Schedule for EdCamp Philly

SMACKDOWN EDCAMP PHILLY: SHARED RESOURCES
A 3x3 Links Speed-Dial Page- simple start page for your resources

360 Cities- panoramic photography from around the world

CAPspace- educational videoconferencing

Change By Us Philly- share ideas and make your community better

Class Dojo- "realtime behavior management"with great graphics and sound effects; very funny

Classroom Organizer- manage your classroom library

Collaboreyes- "A global project to help students see the world through a new lens"

Cybrary Man's Catalogue of Educational Websites

INCREDIBOX- you have try this one!!

Instagrok- visual search

Isle of Tune- kids can create musical journeys through street layouts

JellyCam- stop-motion maker

Let Me Google That For You- type in a question to search

My Live Signature- create your signature to use on websites, documents

NearPod- teacher and student app; teacher can control all iPads

Reflection- app for iPad or iPhone; sends the audio and image from your device to your Mac

Rubrics For Assessment- many to choose from

Scribble Maps- draw on Google Maps

Sign Now- sign documents anywhere

Smore- design flyers online with their templates; easy to use

The Secret Annex Online- interactive 3D tour of Anne Frank's hiding place

This is Sand- fun art

WeVideo- video collaboration

School Newspaper Advisers: 17 Websites For Student Photographers

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:28:00 +0000

It's tough to find really committed student photographers. I'm talking about the ones who are always there and ready for any assignment that comes their way. They also need a good camera, preferably a DSLR which they can use to capture sports, whether it is indoors or outdoors. I was fortunate this year to have an awesome photography editor, a young lady who manages to do well in all her classes, run on the track team AND keep after her staff of five photographers. If you are the newspaper adviser in your school, it is very important that your photographers know how to take pictures.

8 Tips For Taking Sports Photos Like a Pro - right to the point

21 Settings, Techniques and Rules All New Camera Owners Should Know

100 Ways to Use a Digital Camera

A Beginner's Guide to Digital Cameras- learn about pixels, aspect ratio, types of graphics formats, memory and digital/optical zooms.

CNET Reviews Point and Shoot Digital Cameras- all within the $100-$200 range

CNET Reviews Best Entry-Level DSLR Digital Cameras- here are the cameras with interchangeable lenses plus a lot more.

Digital Photography Tutorials

Glossary of Photographic Terms- from Kodak

How to Take Better Sports Photos- advice from freelance photographer

How to Take Great Group Photos- 12 excellent tips are listed here with a photo example for each one

How to Photograph Volleyball- video tips from a professional photographer

HP Learning Center- sign up for free and take all 16 classes if you like; great resource!

Photography Tutorials- from Tutorial9

Sports Photography

Sports Photography Techniques- excellent and complete site with step-by-step information on shooting sports. You can view many sample shots taken for a school newspaper.

Ten Tips for Great Pictures- from Kodak; excellent

It's Teacher Appreciation Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Treat yourself because you are special. Click the FREE tab at the top and see how many discounts you are entitled to because you are a teacher. Add your suggestions below and I'll put them on this LONG list!

Author and Illustrator Maurice Sendak Has Died

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:45:00 +0000

Having worked as a media specialist in an elementary school, I am familiar with the books of Maurice Sendak. I was saddened today to hear that he passed away this morning at age 83. Coming home this afternoon I heard an old interview with him on NPR. (National Public Radio) I learned many new things about the man I never knew before. It was a touching tribute to the man who entertained so many children.

"I have nothing now but praise for my life. I'm not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can't stop them. They leave me and I love them more. ... What I dread is the isolation. ... There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready." -Maurice Sendak

Adobe Creative Suite 6 Arrives Today: Teachers Can Save 80% !!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:21:00 +0000

I admit it. I love Photoshop. And Illustrator. And Dreamweaver. If you teach graphic design or just love Adobe products like I do, you'll be happy to hear that CS6 has shipped as of today. Best part of all? Teachers (and students) can purchase packages of the software for 80% off list price. EXAMPLE: The Design Standard package sells for $1,299.00. Cut to the educator price- $349.00. Just prove that you are a teacher and you get the price! Both versions have exactly the same software. For more information on the packages in CS6, click here. Adobe is not the only retailer with educator discounts; the Academic Superstore sells software for Windows and Macintosh computers, and currently is selling the same Design Standard package for $344.95. Photoshop Elements 10 (stripped-down version of Photoshop which is plenty for most people) is only $114.95 at the Academic Superstore and $119.00 at Adobe. Seems strange that the software costs more money from the people who make it, isn't it?

Ideas for the End of the School Year

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:10:00 +0000

It's that time of the year again! Is it just me, or are the years going by faster as we get older? Right now we are involved in AP testing for juniors and seniors, with biology testing this week as well. Then the concerts, class trips, fashion show, prom.....well, you know the drill. It is crazy here as I'm sure it is at your school. If you're looking for some great ideas on how to finish the school year, look no further. These 17 links have hundreds of ideas for you.

150+ End of the Year Activities- the Organized Classroom's blog has gathered this list from their Facebook page.

Certificates, Awards and Coupons- posting from this blog with templates to download

End of School Lessons and Teacher Resources- from HotChalk

End of School Theme Unit- from Edhelper

End of the School Year Ideas for Primary Grades

End of School Year Pinterest Board- ideas for younger children

End of the Year Technology Project Ideas- nice listing from the Port Washington School District

End of Year Activities, Printables, Lessons and Teaching Ideas- from A to Z Teacher Stuff

Five End-Of-Year Lessons- from Education World

Ideas For End of the Year Activities- from Bright Hub

Lesson Ideas and Reflection- from high school physics teacher David Andrade

School Memory Book- Enchanted Learning's activity for young children

Super Teacher Worksheets- teacher submitted ideas; covers all grades

TeacherVision's End of Year Resources- loads of resources here, including printables and slideshows

Terrific Ways to Motivate Kids at the End of the Year

Vicki Blackwell's End of the School Year- nice listing for elementary teachers

Wrap Up the School Year With a Strong Finish- Scholastic's K-6 offerings

Job Resources for Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:35:00 +0000

It's that time of the year again, where due to budget cuts, many teachers have not had their contracts renewed. This listing has recently been updated with the addition of 38 more sites and now has its own page. Just click the tab at the top of the blog.

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Follow me on Twitter.

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:36:00 +0000

Google has announced the winners of the state contests for the Doodle 4 Google contest. Students from grades K-12 participated, by drawing their answer to the question: "If I could travel in time, I'd visit…". The winner of the national contest (vote here for your favorites in each grade category) will see their design on Google's home page as well as on a Crayola 64 crayon box! Here's a listing of all the prizes which will be awarded to the various winners.

The Power of Music Therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:58:00 +0000

It's nap time for the kindergarten children. They are all rolling around and trying to close their eyes. Playing music to calm them down is a no-brainer. My recommendation: "Welcome to the World: A Musical Collection for the Nursey". This is my original music, and since most of my tracks are instrumental, the CD will work for 5 years olds as well as newborn babies. Give a free listen here. You can also sample or download tracks on iTunes. Just search "Julie Greller." Thank you for allowing me to be a tad self-serving.....

Geology for Kids: 44 Places to Find Information

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:04:00 +0000

Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery- the first Internet rock shop

Ask a Geologist

The Burke Museum in a Box- interactive

Cavern Geology Lesson Plan

Classifying Igneous Rocks- lab worksheet

Classifying Sedimentary Rocks- lab worksheet

The Dynamic Earth- from the Smithsonian

Earthforce

Earth's Timeline Worksheet

Fossils-Facts-and-Finds- everything fossils

Fossils, Rocks and Time- U.S. government site

Geologic Time

Geological Society of America

Geology for Kids- geared towards middle school

Geology Glossary- from Cengage Learning

Geology Rocks- tutorials and photographs

Geology, Rocks and Minerals- from Enchanted Learning (for younger kids)

Geology Science Fair Project Ideas

Government Sites for Geology

KidsGeo- for younger kids

The Image- picture galleries of rocks

Interactives: Rock Cycle

Johnston Geology Museum

Links for Mining

Links For Rocks and Minerals

Make Your Own Fossil

Metamorphic Rock Questions- worksheet

Middle School Geology Lesson Plans- also includes homework and quizzes

Mineral Identification Key

Mineral Information Institute- interactive site with a teacher and homework helper section

Minerology Database

Mr. Young's Bouncy "A" Geology Activities- kid-friendly page

OneGeology Kids

The Sugar Rock Cycle- lab worksheet

Rock Cycle Animation

Rock Cycle Diagram

Rock Cycle Interactive

Rock Cycle Lesson Plan- from Hot Chalk

Rock Hounds

Rocks and Minerals- research and information sites

Sedimentary Rock Questions Worksheet

Sinkholes- Florida's landscape

U.S. Map Collections for All 50 States- Relief, Elevation, Drainage, Political and Road Maps

What is Geology? What Does a Geologist Do?

If You Teach Current Events.....Try These 30 Websites for Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:13:00 +0000

The list below covers grades K-12. Some specify the grade and others can be adapted for your students.

The Awesome Library Current Events Links

BBC News Online

CNN- news clips, video clips; excellent site

The CNN Challenge- take an interactive quiz to see how much you know about current events

Current Events Printables- from TeacherVision; by grade level

FOX News- known to be more conservative

Frontline- PBS program

Google Directory- with 8 categories to search, including natural disasters, politics and breaking news

Google News Archive Search- search the world or by country

Guzzle- customize your page to receive hundreds of feeds

HeadlineSpot- comprehensive listing for all types of news

Issues and Causes- from the Yahoo! Directory; long list includes climate change, race and racism

Izzit.org- lesson plans for current events are updated daily

Mapeas- world news on a map

Morning Rush!- Top 5 morning show moments are updated daily

National Hurricane Center

News Currents- covers grades 4-12

News in Pictures- list of close to a hundred sites of news galleries, including ABC News, MSNBC and Reuters

Newseum- "814 front pages from 78 countries"

Newsmap- visual display of daily news shows larger type for more important stories; choose from 15 countries

NewspaperMap- choose your language from a world map; directly link to the website for that paper

Student News Daily- wonderful site

This Day in History- History Channel

The Week in Pictures Archive- from MSNBC

The Week in Rap from Flocabulary- at a cost of $5/month, students will love the connection to music

Do Your Students Know How to Cite a Tweet?

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:19:00 +0000

A student recently asked me if they could cite a tweet in their research paper. Sure, I said, and led them to the BibMe site. Much to my surprise, none of the websites for MLA citation explained how to cite a tweet. Even EasyBib, which boasts over 59 options for citations, did not list tweet. Yes, it's like quoting someone, but "tweeting" is synonymous with Twitter, and so one needs to somehow mention that in the bibliography. The correct way to cite a tweet is as follows:

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL TWEET:
Huffington Post (real name) @HuffingtonPost (user name )
Graphic photo from hospital reveals horrific results of bullying huff.to/Jq4RCR

The first thing you list is the author's real name, followed by the username in parentheses. If there is no real name, just use the user name. Next, add the full text of the tweet, (make sure you put quotation marks) followed by the date and time of the tweet, including the time zone. The last thing you add is the word Tweet.

HERE'S HOW THE CITED TWEET WOULD LOOK:
Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) "Graphic photo from hospital reveals horrific results of bullying huff.to/Jq4RCR" 25 April 2012, 2:57 p.m. EST. Tweet.

Anatomy Teachers: 36 Teaching Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:27:00 +0000

Most of the resources below are intended for high school students, with a few for middle and elementary levels.

RESOURCES
All Systems Go!- interactive game

Anatomy Arcade- loads of games, covering all eight systems of the body.

Anatomy Flash Cards- This is a HUGE list!

Anatomy of the Human Body- "The Bartleby.com edition of Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body features 1,247 vibrant engravings—many in color—from the classic 1918 publication, as well as a subject index with 13,000 entries ranging from the Antrum of Highmore to the Zonule of Zinn."

Blink.biz- flash animations on immunobiology

BioDigital Human-make sure your browser is up-to-date for this site

BodyQuest

Build a Body- drag and drop parts of the human body

Encyclopedia.com- results from several online sources

Get Body Smart- interactive site with tutorials

Gray's Anatomy- over 12,000 entries cover everything about the human anatomy

Healthline Body Maps-3D male and female models

Heart Anatomy- interior view; many self-tests on this page.

Human Blood-introduction to its components and types; also find flash cards and crossword puzzles on the topic.

Human Body Resources for Teachers- nice listing from TeacherVision

Image Search from Google- over 9 million results!

Infoplease Encyclopedia

Inner Body- choose from the 8 systems to navigate (many ads on this site)

Learn Physiology Using Flow-Diagram Models

Master Muscle List- listed in alphabetical order or by region.

Medical Animation Library- from Penn Medicine; (UPenn) over 200 video tutorials

MEDtropolis- "home of the virtual body"

Membrane Transport- animated explanation

Muscle Contraction Animation

Skull Anatomy Tutorial- includes all views and a slide show.

Think Anatomy- huge collection of all-things anatomy, including dissection videos, terminology, mnemonics, podcasts, study guides and lots more; smartphone app is available!

The Whole Brain Atlas

LESSON PLANS
Anatomy: Muscular System- covers grades 7-12; links to lesson plans

Anatomy of the Brain- several lesson plans

Anatomy and Physiology Lesson Plans- includes class outlines, quizzes, handouts, images

Awesome Library's Lesson Plans

Body Tissue Lab- lesson plan complete with handouts

Human Body Lesson Plans- each system listed

Physiology and Body Systems Lesson Plans- PowerPoint and Word file downloads

Teaching the Parts of the Brain- grades 3-5

TeAchnology's Anatomy Lesson Plans- covers many grade levels

This blog has been here since June 2011 and has over 900 subscribers! Thank you to everyone who follows us! Want to subscribe in a reader? Click here. You can also subscribe through E-mail (see top left of this page) or follow me on Twitter.

Google Drive Arrives Today

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:09:00 +0000

I've always loved Google Apps and have used the Google Docs with my colleagues and students. Storage space is limited to 2GB, so when I read about the new Google Drive which was introduced today, I was very happy. Here's some of its great features:

5GB storage (Free account)
Upload and share your files, which can include videos, photos, PDF's etc.
Google Docs are built into Google Drive, so accessing your files is easy
Share and collaborate with others
Google Drive can be installed on your PC or Mac at home
Download the app for your Android phone (iPhone app is in the works...)
Google drive is able to identify OCR, (optical character recognition) which means any scanned text can be recognized in a search. (You can't edit the text)
If you are looking for increased storage space, you can upgrade to 25GB/month, ($2.49) 100GB, ($4.99/month) or 1TB for $49.99/month.

Here's a video overview of Google Drive:

5 Things I Don't Like About My iPad

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:12:00 +0000

Don't get the wrong idea from the title of this post. I love my iPad2. But there are 5 things which have really bothered me since my purchase. Considering how expensive the iPad is, I was quite disappointed that it lacked certain features.

I have edited my original posting because of an error on my part. Apologies. Too much on my mind.

1. Speaker is too small and not enough volume at times.
The speaker should be able to handle the volume, and not sound too treble-like.

2. No Flash.
I remember reading the Steve Jobs hated Adobe Flash and therefore the iPad was never preloaded with the program. However, there are too many sites on the web which use Flash and anytime I want to view a video (or a site which depends on Flash) I am unable to see it.

3. No multitasking.
Amazing, but true, only one thing can happen at a time. One app at a time. Enough said?

4. No way to browse files.
I really would like a file browser, wouldn't you?

5. Safari needs improvement.
Going between open tabs on an iPad is not the same as browsing on a computer. I was watching a video and decided to open another web page while listening to the video. This does not work on the iPad. The second I went to the next tab, the audio ceased, and when I went back to that very tab, the video played from the beginning.

Is there anything YOU don't like about the iPad? Leave a comment below.

39 Sites: Test Preparation for Your Students

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:33:00 +0000

With the advent of ASK testing this week, I was reminded that our students always seem to have another test hurdle to make it over. My seniors are especially nervous about the SAT's and what the requirements are for each college. It's never too early to start studying, right? Here's a listing which covers four main types of high school tests.

AP Exams
AP Test Books- choose your subject area and you can purchase a book for that subject.

Bubbabrain- games assist students studying for the AP and SAT

Cliff Notes- read articles on all AP subject areas, (free) or purchase handbooks.

Collegeboard- practice tips; registration for the AP

Pearson Education- AP Test Workbooks ($$)

Peterson's- practice tests for the AP; $19.95 each

Spark Notes AP Test Center- register for free for the center's "quick reviews of specific subject areas, full course reviews for select subjects, and diagnostic testing with full explanations to help you determine your study needs."

HSPA
HSPA Practice- 6 pages long

Mathematics Assessment Tutorial- from the NJ Department of Education

New Jersey 2010 HSPA Student Preparation Booklet- 39 pages

PSAT
Barron's Test Prep

Brightstorm- free PSAT prep videos

Collegeboard- practice tips and practice tests

Peterson's Free Practice Test- full-"length test like the real thing"

PSAT Programs and Events- from Kaplan

Shmoop Online Test Prep- $$

Study Guide Zone- free practice tests, guide, PSAT flashcards

Test Prep Review- free online practice tests

SAT
5,000 Vocabulary Words and Definitions
Bubbabrain- games assist students studying for the AP and SAT
Collegeboard- SAT practice; you can also register to take the SAT on this site.

Edufire- flash cards for the SAT; forums, interactive tutoring online ($$)

Flashcard Flash- search for flashcards from flashcard sites

Easel iPad App- study vocab for Algebra and the SAT

eHow: How to Study for the SATs- 6 important tips
I Need a Pencil- free SAT prep

Kaplan SAT Quizbank- free study materials if you register

Khan Academy- although this YouTube site is blocked at school, you can connect outside the building; click on "test prep"

Official SAT Study Guide- from Collegboard; purchase price $21.99

PrepMe- SAT prep materials ($$)

The Princeton Review- tutoring, classes, study guides ($$)
SAT Vocabulary, Suffixes and Prefixes- free quizzes

Shmoop Online Test Prep- $$

Study Guide Zone- study guide, SAT practice questions; free

TestPrepPractice.net- 15 free practice tests

Test Prep Review- free online practice tests

VocabAhead- videos help students prepare for the ACT and SAT

VocabSushi- free site offers "the better way to build your vocabulary"; app also available

Words, Words, Words- Android app for vocabulary; use like flashcards or quiz yourself; help you pronounce

Designing Your Own READ Poster

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:45:00 +0000

I'm on a personal crusade to get my students to read more. As digital learners, today's kids have access to computers, smartphones, iPads, Wii, Xbox 360, 3D TVs and movies. They are in a very visual world, and it's a challenge to get many of them interested in reading of any kind. I've added graphic novels and Manga to the collection, added more magazine subscriptions and asked students what they like. My latest addition to the walls of the library are READ posters. I personally designed my own rather than purchase because I wanted our teaching staff to pose with a book. Maybe students would see their teacher with a specific book and want to check it out. Worth a try, right? And the female teachers especially appreciated the "digital plastic surgery" I did to their faces!! If you would like to download a fully editable PSD copy of the poster, you can click here.

New Guide: Smartphone Apps for Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:24:00 +0000

There are thousands of apps out there in many different subject areas, and in my new guide I have narrowed the list down to include just the basics for any teacher. (Subject areas to follow in the future) Caveat: the guide covers Android and iPhones.

Open publication - Free publishing - More education apps

The EBSCO Poster

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:49:00 +0000

I recently posted information students should know about EBSCO, and I received several requests to see what my finished poster looked like. You can view it here if you'd like to get some ideas.

Book Cover Designer Chip Kidd Talks About His Work

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Do your students judge a book by its cover? Do you? Book designer Chip Kidd's TED presentation is very funny and if you are a page-sniffer (that new book smell..) you'll really enjoy this talk. If you would like to see a sampling of Chip's artwork, TIME did a spread on The Book Jacket Art of Chip Kidd here.

“Much is to be gained by eBooks: ease, convenience, portability. But something is definitely lost: tradition, a sensual experience, the comfort of thingy-ness — a little bit of humanity" -Chip Kidd

Repairing Damaged Books: 15 Resources to Help You Do-it-Yourself (Plus One Free Workshop)

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 22:06:00 +0000

I don't know about you; when I earned my certification as a media specialist, I had never been required to take a course in book repair. My colleague Nancy just received an MLS from Rutgers University (well known for their library sciences program) and she also never learned how to deal with damaged books. How is this possible? Can't figure that one out. But, if you can't attend a training workshop locally, you can always benefit from those who have posted videos and information online. (When I first started my job, the Internet was just a little baby....)

There are certain supplies you should always have in your library. Once you read the list, you'll understand why school library offices should have sinks and counter space. Here is a listing of supplies provided by Amigo Book Repair Workshops. I will be adding this post to the Teacher-Librarians page on this blog.

FREE WORKSHOP ALERT: Kapco (makers of book protection supplies) will come to your library and present a free in-service workshop on book repair, using their supplies. Here is the info sheet and website for more information. Now for the other resources to do-it-yourself:

Beginners Guide to Book Binding- 14 videos from eHow

Book Repair Supplies Categories- from Gaylord

Bookcraft Book Repair Guide- 35-page pdf file written by Gaylord; excellent guide with pictures to guide you

Damage Control: Advice From a Professional Book Repairer- by Aaron Hierholzer

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Damaged Books and How Libraries Fix Them

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How to Repair a Book's Binding- step-by-step instructions with photos

How to Repair Your Old Damaged Books- no pictures, but in-depth instructions

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My 200th Post! Study Skills for Your Students: 57 Sites and Apps

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:29:00 +0000

It has been 10 months since this blog began in this new location and I am amazed at how far we have come. We now have 880+ subscribers, several awards and lots of positive feedback. Thank you everyone for your support and for utilizing all the information here. If you'd like to subscribe to this blog in a reader, just click here. You can also subscribe via email (see left column) or follow me on Twitter.

All students need help with their study skills. Are your students aware of how to properly take notes? Some think that writing down every word will help them. Others can take notes but don't seem to be able to manage their time.I've put together a listing which will work for our 21st Century digital learners, as it includes smartphone apps. There are thousands of apps out there and it is impossible to cover all of them, so if you have a suggestion, please add to the comments below.

SITES

Create a Good Environment for Studying at Home- from Edutopia

Easy Notecards- "Easy Notecards is a place for students and teachers to create, study, print and share interactive notecards (flashcards) for their textbooks."

Education Atlas-study skills guides for students, including general guides, test-taking guides and study skills by subject area

Effective Lecture Note-Taking Tips

Effective Study Skills- written by Dr. Bob Kizlik

Five Lessons for Note Taking Fun- from Education World; each is marked for the appropriate grade

Good Study Habits- from Lesson Tutor

High School Study Tips Videos- 12 videos cover reading, math, research

How to Improve Study Skills in Middle School- there are 7 tips on this site, as well as some helpful videos. The only annoying part is the ads which are visible (you can click "x" to close them) while you are trying to watch the videos.

How to Study.com- excellent site has loads of information, including SAT study tips, good listening in class, test anxiety and taking notes in class.

The Learning Toolbox- modules for students, teachers and parents; from James Madison University

Mastering Your Time- explains how to manage your time

Middle School Study Skills- a short video by private tutor Alexa Hale. Very helpful!

Mondofacto- geared towards secondary to college aged students, there is help with research, writing, testing

MyNoteit- online note taking tool for students; take, edit, share notes

Notetaking Paper- generates a pdf which you can print

Notetaking Skills

Note-taking Video- from Dartmouth University; runs 8.24 minutes.

Setting Useful Goals

Steps to Effective Textbook Reading

Study Guides and Strategies- very comprehensive listing includes Learning and Studying, Project and Time Management, Writing and Vocabulary, Thinking and Evaluation, Reading and Research and Math and Science.

Study Navigator- special search for research, including encyclopedias, thesauri, dictionaries and more

Study Skills Checklist

Study Skills for Students- from Education Corner; guides include Study Skills, Test-Taking and Resources By Subject.

Study Skills Guide- tips, strategies

Study Skills Help and Study Tips- this is a downloadable file

Study Skills Tips and Homework Help for Math

Study Tips- for secondary students; includes writing help, test-taking tips, learning information

Summarizing- information includes printable worksheets in English and Spanish

Teaching Elementary Students How to Study- from the National Committee for Research and Technology in Educational Communities

TeAchnology Resources- study skills activities, success packs and how to improve study skills

SMARTPHONE APPS

Android
Evernote- remember everything, from to-do list to websites; create documents

Remember the Milk- task manager

Spanish Droid Flashcards Free- "Spanish Droid FlashCards has a translation dictionary, in addition to an array of flash cards with commonly used phrases, verbs, adjectives, nouns, days, weeks, colors, months, and seasons."

StudyBlue Flash Cards- for Android

StudyDroid Free- "create flashcards on your Android device or online at StudyDroid's website, and then sync them."

Vocab Builder Lite- (also $$ version) Android app helps you build vocabulary

Blackberry
Evernote- remember everything, from to-do list to websites; create documents

Flash Cards- basic math problems

General English Assessment Quiz- 5,000+ multiple choice questions for GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, SAT.

Learn Spanish- ($) 256 audio lessons; also available for English, French, Italian

MathSP SAT and PSAT Math Prep

Moo Math Lite- for very young kids

NElements Free- periodic table of elements

Practice English Grammar

Solar System Q Fact Book

Student Buddy- ($) organize assignments etc.

Student Notes- for high school students; covers algebra, geometry, trigonometry, grammar, physics, biology, chemistry, etc.

iPhone
Biology Exambuster: Nerves

Dictionary.com iPhone App- free download gives you a dictionary at your fingertips.

EleMints: Periodic Table- ($)

Evernote- remember everything, from to-do list to websites; create documents

Flashcards Deluxe- this iPhone application costs $3.99 and lets you organize your flash cards into stacks. Studying was never this much fun!

Geometry Facts Flash Cards ($)

Gengo Audiocards: French

iSpeak Spanish

iThesaurus- a free iPhone application which offers a thesaurus with 140,000 words.

Math Quiz for all Ages- ($) from kindergarten to college

Remember the Milk- task manager

41 Great Blogs to Follow By Subject Area

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:21:00 +0000

There are hundreds of thousands of education blogs out there on the web. If you are not following anyone on Twitter in your subject area, how do you get your information? Are you registered on a wiki? Did you join any social networks like NING? Maybe some of you are even asking, "what's a wiki?" Here's a great place to start: read blogs in your area of study. Subscribe to them in a reader (RSS= really simple syndication) or via e-mail, whatever you find easier. This information should be available on the blog. Want to add any blogs to this list? Feel free to post a comment.

ART

Art of Apex High School

The Art Teacher's Guide to the Internet

The Teaching Palette

EARLY CHILDHOOD
A Place Called Kindergarten-teacher Jonelle Bell
Preschool Daze- preschool teacher and director Kristen Neufeld Epp
Teacher Tom

EDUCATION POLICY
Change Agency- Stephanie Sandifer blogs about education
Practical Theory- Chris Lehman, principal of the Science Leadership Academy

Schools Matter-explores issues in public education policy

ENGLISH

The Scholastic Scribe- journalism and AP English teacher

Shakespeare Teacher

SpeechTechie- interactive technologies you can use in language lessons and interventions.

ESL

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day- a treasure-trove of sites from this ESL/ELL teacher

Teacher Reboot Camp- Shelley Terrell's blog covers language education, training (she gives webinars) and something for every teacher

GUIDANCE COUNSELORS

School Counseling Matters: The Professional Weblog of Rick Scheibner

HISTORY

Teaching the Civil War with Technology

U.S. History Teachers' Blog

MATH

The Exponential Curve- written by math teacher Dan Wekselgreene, this blog seeks to "generate and share ideas for teaching high school math concepts to students whose skills are below grade level".

I Speak Math- shows how to integrate technology and mathematics; written by Julie Reulbach

Math in the Middle - written by a middle school algebra teacher

Math Teacher Mambo- Ms. Cookie posts ideas for the classroom, including lesson plans

The Number Warrior-written by Algebra I, College Algebra, and Pre-Calculus teacher Jason Dryer

SCIENCE
Action-Reaction- physics teacher Frank Noschese
Always Formative- middle school science teacher Jason Buell

Educational Technology Guy

Quantum Progress- 9th grade physics teacher's award-winning blog
Teaching Chemistry: Building a 21st Century Chemistry Classroom - high school chemistry teacher Ellena Bethea

TEACHER-LIBRARIANS

100 Best Blogs for School Librarians

AASL Blog- The American Association of School Librarians

Neverending Search- Joyce Valenza's blog for School Library Journal

Top 50 School Library Blogs

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION

Free Technology For Teachers - Richard Byrne's wonderful blog with technology resources

Kathy Schrock's Kaffeeklatsch- Kathy's resources can also be found on Discovery Education's

NCS-Tech- K-8 Ed-Tech resources

Thuman Resources- Lisa Thuman's "21st Century ideas to help facilitate good teaching and learning."

WORLD LANGUAGES

Blog Italiano- Italian

CT for Language Teachers

eTools for Language Teachers- written by a French teacher from Canada

French Teacher

Learn French

Los Bloguitos- Spanish

Spanish Plans- lessons and resources for Spanish teachers

7 Things My Students Should Know About EBSCO

noreply@blogger.com (Julie Greller) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 21:51:00 +0000

We are very fortunate to receive a free subscription to the databases of EBSCO from our state library. It's a resource that offers a long list of databases, and so few of my students know how wonderful it is. I decided to make a poster which explains the 7 most important things they should all know about EBSCO. Here's the information I covered on it:

1. You can trust the information you find on EBSCO.
Although too many students feel that all they need is Google, I have tried to explain to them that Google does a great job of searching, but it doesn't tell them which sites they can trust. EBSCO's databases can be trusted.

2. You can create an account and save articles to your folder "in the cloud".
Once a student is logged into our EBSCO site, they can create an account, which can then be accessed from any computer with an Internet connection. As articles are searched, favorite ones can be saved to the folder for the future.

3. Always choose "FULL TEXT" when searching for an article.
Not every article is available beyond the abstract. You MUST refine your search to include only full text articles. They are available as either HTML text (view in your browser) or PDF. Either format can be saved to your folder.

4. If the full text of an article is not available on our school's connection to EBSCO, they can try the public library's EBSCO just by entering their library card number.
Our school's package of databases is not the same as the public libraries or colleges. Although the specific database might claim to offer full text articles as far back as 1975, you might find that many are unavailable. I always explain to the student that as long as they have a library card, they can utilize the databases through the county library cooperative. Our county system offers ProQuest, EBSCO and Infotrac.

5. When you choose HTML text and view your article in the browser many of the articles will allow you to listen as someone reads it to you.
Choose from 3 accents and speeds if you like. This is a great feature for ESL or SPED students who could use assistance. The option is also available for downloading the MP3 file to the iPod or computer.

6. Points of View offers pros and cons on hundreds of topics.
From alternative energy to Zionism, this database will assist you when presenting both sides of your topic. Resources include newspapers, periodicals, books, radio/TV transcripts, primary source documents and images.

7. EBSCO has a mobile app.
The digital generation should be familiar with this, right? The app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Every time I share this with a student, they are surprised this app is available.