1. Google Chrome is faster: Speed tests have proven that Google Chrome is faster than Mozilla Firefox. In fact many tests have claimed Chrome is the fastest overall browser out there (see Lifehackers Speed Tests and overall winners).
2. Google Chrome’s Omnibar: While this is a simple feature, it is one I love. The omnibar in Chrome is essentially the address bar and search bar combined. Chrome, much like Firefox, can search through browser bookmarks and history as you type in the address bar, but the one thing Firefox cannot do is provide search results in that same bar. Also, searching has always been what Google does best. What if you prefer Bing? Believe it or not, Chrome will let you change your default search engine from Google, even to its rival engine Bing.
3. Adobe Flash is built into Chrome: Again, Flash built into the latest Chrome builds is a simple feature, but it’s one that makes life so much easier. Flash is updated by itself. It does not have to be installed, and if it crashes, only the page fails, not the entire browser. One of the pet peeves I always had with Firefox was the fact installing Flash to work with the browser. With Chrome it’s a non-issue since it is built in.
4. Chrome handles extensions better: Firefox’s biggest strength is its wide variety of extensions. This allows Firefox users to customize the browser however they want. If they are a social butterfly, they can install loads of Facebook & Twitter extensions. If they are a college professor, there are plenty of research tools available as add-ons. Chrome realized this from the start, and very early on in their development, welcomed the extension community. In fact, Chrome has some extensions that are far better than the Firefox versions (take the Google Voice extension for example). However, for the most part many extensions Firefox version is stronger than its Chrome cousins since the development has been in place longer. So why does Chrome handle extensions better? Because if one extension doesn’t work, then the one extension can be disabled instead of crippling and slowing down the browser. In fact, you can install, disable, and remove extensions in Chrome without restarting the browser. This makes life far easier to explore and experiment with add-ons you may not mess with on Firefox.
5. Chrome has many builds and versions for the brave souls to the safety users: Chrome comes in 4 versions: 1) Stable which is not updated often but the most reliable. 2) The beta which is updated monthly but not as reliable. 3) The dev channel which is updated at least once a week, but is not reliable and contains bugs. 4) The Canary build which is updated almost daily, but with lots of bugs. This means if you just can’t wait for the rumored new features out there, and you’re willing to deal with bugs, just change your version (or what Chrome calls channels) to the Dev or Canary build. If you want to see detailed differences of the versions, or install a specific version, you can visit here.
6. Chrome’s Experimental Web Apps and impending Web App Store: In the latest Dev Channel version of Chrome there is a hidden feature enabling three experimental web apps (which Read Write Web details here). Currently the only three apps you can install are Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs. While this too is a simple change (and in fact in the Firefox 4 beta, Mozilla has added the app tabs feature), there is something comforting having three tools I use often in small tabs on the left side. This saves a lot of valueable tab real estate, and saves me from opening and closing those tabs over and over. Chrome’s web app store offers even more of these possibilities. Apps is one of the reason why iPhone’s and Andriod has taken over the smart phone market. With Chrome creating its own version of Apple’s App Store, Firefox’s extensions may no longer be the status quo.
7. Chrome has Extension Sync: Extension sync is still in its infancy in Chrome. Currently all versions have extension sync except the stable channel. However, Google itself admits the extension sync is far from perfect. Extension sync does not sync uninstalled or disabled extesnions, only if you add a new one. Also, sometimes I have had instances of only half of my extensions syncing. The reason this is a strength in my opinion is because Chrome is at leasting making an attempt and offering it to users. Firefox has yet to do this, even though it has been requested since extensions were introduced.
8. Chrome has a cleaner design: The simplicity of Chrome’s design helps put the focus of the browser where it should be: on the internet content. While I love Firefox’s themes, it can be distracting. There is just something comforting knowing all my tools and needs are right in the open, in only one tab menu. For those who have seen Firefox 4 beta, it is beginning to shift to a Chrome like design, but there are still bugs in it.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

The best place I have found for literacy center resources (for all of elementary) is the Florida Center for Reading Research. The resources are broken into K-1, 2-3, and 4-5., and then by topic: Fluency & Phonics vs Vocabulary & Comprehension. When reviewing the 4-5 resources, the Vocabulary & Comprehension section alone totaled near 500 pages of resources. The material is available through pdf downloads for easy viewing and printing. Most games and activities have the materials premade as well as templates for adjustment.

Classroom Use

After choosing the activities I felt met my students need, I printed out the corresponding pages and created a Literacy Center Binder. Within the binder, I took the directions of each task, glued it to construction paper, and then laminated it,. Behind each set of directions is the remaining documentation and a folder containing any necessary pieces for the center. Each day in preparation for class, I pull out the directions and pieces for the centers of that day, and set them out for the kids to use. Although the students have been trained how each center works at the beginning of the school year, the directions serve as a reminder of what is expected in each area.

Image via Wikipedia

Classroom Use

Donors Choose makes it painless to seek funds for classroom projects. From class book sets for novel studies, to digital cameras for video and podcasting, many different projects find funding. They have integration with both Facebook and Twitter for easy social sharing, as well as a teacher page hosted on Donors Choose (find mine here). Also, students get involved and take ownership when they write the thank you packets and work in the photos of the project taking place.

Read It Later is not the only service of its kind. Instapaper is another similar service, however I found the services available, as well as the asthetics of Read It Later make it a much more user friendly service. Read It Later integrates with Facebook and Twitter, as well as email. It has both iPhone & iPad versions, which integrate with the same services as well. While Instapaper has similar integration tools, the one feature Read It Later has that sets it apart is called Digest (which is available for a one time $5 upgrade fee). Digest is a feature which groups your articles in categories, and then allows users to quickly browse through saved articles. Photos and videos are shown in thumbnail view, which makes it much easier to find that specific article. If you have many articles in a specific categories, you can jump to the category tab in order to view all articles for the given section.

Classroom Use

I find that I use Read It Later as a PLN (personal learning network) manager of sorts. I find that I subscribe to many RSS feeds, many teachers on Twitter who share wonderful sites, and recieve many websites from colleagues via email. This is where Read It Later comes in handy. Whenever I see something I want to look at deeper, I instantly save it to Read It Later. It is very useful in cases, such at school, where I don’t have the time to really sit down and read an article. Read It Later has a bookmarklet for easy article saving, both a Chrome and Firefox plugin, and an easy send it to plugin for Google Reader.

Your part is simple. Just go to LimeadesForLearning.com to vote for my project. SONIC is donating more than half a million dollars to the projects that receive the most votes. But I need your help to make sure one’s mine!

Here’s the project I submitted:

I am requesting 2 digital video cameras, 2 digital cameras, and one tripod in order to create multimedia projects with my students. Through the use of this materials I plan to create video book reports, video research projects, video podcasts, and photo stories with my students. Students already have access to editing software such as Windows Movie Maker and Windows PhotoStory which are free for PC owners, but the amount of equipment is limited.

Digital Media is a fast growing area. Schools do not have the funding to keep up with the fast pace the industry is growing. Nearly every business will be highly involved with digital media in some way by the time these students graduate. That’s why it is so important to expose them to it now.

Go to LimeadesForLearning.com to learn more about it. And don’t forget to make your vote count. Thanks for your help!

Posted from Diigo. The rest of Tech Tips 4 Teachers group favorite links are here.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of Tech Tips 4 Teachers group favorite links are here.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of Room 403 Version 2.0 group favorite links are here.

In steps Weebly. Weebly is the mix between the two. Weebly offers free website design and hosting (it does not offer domain names, but that is the cheapest part of the equation, and Weebly has its own walkthrough so it can be linked to your account if you purchase one). Weebly is also very user friendly. Everything is simply drag and drop. There are many designs to choose from that look professional, and not as empty as many of the designs from Google Sites.

Classroom Uses

Weebly provides a free alternative for teachers to set up class websites. There is no advertisement, so it is safe from outside links. It is easy to setup with drag and drop features, and also looks much more professional than Google Sites. Weebly also offers 30 student accounts for free (with a 2 page limit). This provides an opportunity for teachers to create student pages in which they could display ePortfolios or other work done in classroom. Having student work displayed online is a good way to link home and school, and gets students excited about the work they have completed.

For an example of what a Weebly page could look like, feel free to check out my class page at www.themrsmith.com !