Kleinspiration

Why I Love @TenMarks Education | Reverse Summer Math Learning Loss Grades 1-10

2013-05-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Looking for Summer Math Support?

- try TenMarks... with an early bird discount -

Summer is right around the corner, and like many other parents, I've been spending a lot of time figuring out vacation schedules, camps, sports, and many other fun activities for the kiddies this summer. While I'm planning the fun stuff, I'm also looking for programs that will help prevent my children from falling victim to summer learning loss, while also being engaging and fun for them.

Luckily our friends at TenMarks have a great summer math program that is proven to help prevent summer learning loss in math, while still being engaging and interactive for students. It's individualized for every student, based on a diagnostic assessment and is proven to work - 82% of students who used the program showed an “increase” in scores, vs. the expected decline.

In order to prevent summer learning loss, TenMarks is proposing a simple schedule of 3 days per week, 20 minutes per day. Sounds a lot like working out, and the results are very similar. Just like working out, if you stick to a plan and actually do it, you'll see results. Here is a pretty incredible stat I recently learned. A whopping 96% of families that used the summer program last year would recommend it to a friend. 96%! That's amazing!

Share the Brochure With Parents

Please forward or print the PDF brochure today, in time for parents to take advantage of the 20% early-bird discount.

TenMarks is used by 1.5 million students in over 70,000 classrooms in all 50 states! Impressive. I started using TenMarks about a year ago. My husband actually found the site by searching for support for our daughter, Riley. I also noticed a few other respected bloggers featuring the site during this same time. After checking the site out and using it for a while, I began sharing the advantages of this tool with my readers. TenMarks and I have since become partners to spread the word of their product. I'm so happy to have them help to sponsor Kleinspiration. As I've stated numerous times before, I don't allow companies to become sponsors of this site until I've used their product and determined that it fits with my teaching style and what I believe my readers may enjoy.

Most of all, I really appreciate how easy the site is to navigate. I know there are many great sites out there to use, but if they are too challenging, I don't have time to figure them out. I need the user interface to be simple and aesthetically pleasing - especially if my students will be using the resource. Thankfully, TenMarks excels in both areas!

There are so many opportunities available on this site - I believe many parents will be happy they tried it out. It doesn't take long to sign up, it's really easy to use, and the price to commit for the summer is far less than many families will spend on extra-curricular summer activities, sports, and other activities.

When do you have time to use TenMarks?

I'm often asked by parents what more they can do at home to support their child. I always recommend TenMarks. The feedback I receive from parents is always positive. They love that they can track their child's progress and see how they're doing. Students love it because it's easy to use and doesn't take too long to complete. You set the pace and the number of problems.

In class, I have TenMarks available if a child finishes early. They like to play on the computer and do the math problems. It's fun to try and get them all correct. They enjoy the automatic feedback.

When I'm working with small groups, I can also have individuals or partnerships working with the computer while I'm with other learners. I don't worry too much about the reports and data. I just believe in exposing the kids to different ways to tackle concepts. If they work collaboratively, I don't get bothered by reports in the student data section. I'm more concerned with the learning than the data. As long as they're immersed in math, I'm happy. I'll be able to tell by daily formative assessments whether they're understanding the material. However, when I know students are working independently on TenMarks, I do glance at their reports occasionally.

My students also have a multi-media class. They visit the lab for digital studies about once a week. In addition to this time, I take them to the computer lab about once a week to work on various sites. Though we work on the computer in class and on the iPads, it's nice to have a 1:1 environment where we are all working on devices at the same time. We've been working on a few different sites like Biblionasium and ABCyaGames, and have recently introduced TenMarks to several students.

Sign Up for TenMarks Summer Program!

Do you believe that every student can become proficient in math? At TenMarks, we believe! And we've made it our mission (and passion) to create an engaging and nurturing learning environment to ensure that every student is on the track to success.

{click here to learn more about TenMarks Summer Program}

and

{click here to print or send the PDF brochure}

Make sure to sign up by June 1 to enjoy the early bird discount!

Giveaway: @itooch Giving Away a Full Set of Common Core Apps Created By Teachers!

2013-05-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

There is an app for that...

In January of this year we featured a fantastic app developer named iTooch Elementary. You can view the full review here and also see some excerpts below. iTooch was one of our most viewed posts this year and I have heard nothing but outstanding comments on their work since first being introduced to the product. Now, our friends at iTooch are back, with an exciting giveaway offer for a set of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade set of apps.
iTooch Elementary is an app covering the official Maths, Science and Language Arts curriculum for grades 3-5. Each title contains 40-50 chapters and includes 1000-2000 activities. The apps created by iTooch are currently being used by more than 300,000 students and have been created by teachers to make sure they comply with the U.S. National Common Core Standards. You can click here to see the teachers behind the development of iTooch.

View the original review in its entirety here

The giveaway is open until May 26th and is very easy to enter.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Custom Forms from @123contactform - As Easy as 1-2-3

2013-05-06T19:51:00.001-07:00

Looking to create an awesome web form for your class? Forms are easy as 1-2-3 with 123ContactForm

123ContactForm

I've been an avid user of web-sharing documents and web forms and surveys since I began teaching. Whether creating a form for my students, or sharing work with colleagues, I've found that transmitting over the web is just much more simple than traditional methods of gathering information. Recently, I was contacted by a company called 123ContactForm, which claims to help teachers and administrators create custom forms that ease and organize day to day tasks. My initial response was: Yes, I've seen this before, with Google forms. But I decided to give 123ContactFrom a try anyway and found some interesting features worth sharing. Please check out these education forms.

123ContactForm allows for easy design customization.

Things you cannot achieve with Google Forms without significant difficulty or at all, such as using custom color combos and images within forms, are possible with 123 Contact Form and moreover - really simple to add.

Great for Quizzes.

123ContactForm web forms are great to use as classroom quizzes, since you can assign them a grading system and then view the results individually or as a whole within custom graphical reports

Event Registration and Payment through secure channels.

As I registered my daughter for summer camp today, I noticed how many different versions of payments the camp owner needed to offer. Mail a check within 10 days, send credit card information via email, receive a callback for credit card info, etc. It was all very confusing. With 123ContactForm, you can link your registration form and payment information together using favorite payment platforms such as PayPal and Google Checkout.

Multiple publishing platforms.

With 123ContactForm, you can build a quiz for your class, maintain a volunteer registration list for the parents, and host a giveaway form for your blog; all on the same platform!

Educator Discount.

Teachers and trainers receive a 35% discount on premium services for life with 123ContactForm

{click here for Education Forms}

The Bottom Line

123ContactForm addresses a lot of concerns in one easy to use package. With convenient drag and drop action and a user friendly interface, this product can help make one's job as an educator easier. However as a "freemium" service I would strongly recommend trying this before buying this. The free version allows you to utilize many of the product's features without full commitment. If after trying the free version you've decided that you love this product and want to buy it, go with the platinum version. The additional storage and removal of form limits is absolutely worth the additional costs over gold service. Teachers and trainers receive a lifetime 35% off premium services with 123ContactForm, just reach out to

Signup for the free or paid versions here

View educator services here

Web 2.0 Mind Mapping and Brainstorming Tools: A Quick Guide

2013-05-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Web 2.0 Tools in Education Series

Mindmapping and Brainstorming Tools: A Quick Guide

A mind map is a visual representation in which a person or group is able to share, store, and reference their thinking. In education, we typically begin teaching mind-mapping at a very young age. My daughter Riley, who is in 3rd grade, made a wonderful mind map on sketch paper this year to help her get organized for a class project. She spent hours drawing it out and getting it balanced and correct.

While we're still drawing up maps in many grade levels, it is great to know that there are many wonderful open educational resources available that will help us create mind maps electronically. But which one to use, and more importantly, how do I use it?

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a resource that explained, in detail, everything you needed to know about mindmapping and brainstorming tools: what tools were available, how to sign up, getting started, etc.? No need to panic - I've got my trusty Web 2.0 quick guide, which can help me sort out the new tool in a snap.

Sharing Tools

click here to download the free e-book

Dr. Mohamed Amin Embi (a brilliant mind) has been developing an educational series of web 2.0 tools. Now, we can all get more comfortable with the language of the collaboration tools we may have been avoiding. One of his most recent collections in his series is: Mindmapping and Brainstorming Tools. This e-book is available for free through Scribd. You can view it online for free, download it for a cost, and even print a copy to organize in a binder (Scribd members). The resource is organized into ten chapters.

Each chapter thoroughly explains what the tool is, advantages of using the tool, ways to incorporate it into education, detailed pictures guiding you through getting started, and references.

The detailed pictures really support understanding the tool:

Once you are on the Scribd site to view this resource, I encourage you to share it with others so that we can all benefit from these tools. You can download the document or embed it onto another platform. If you have the following networks: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+, please be sure to click the buttons you will see to the left of the document and share this resource.

Find this book and more on Scoop.it

Web 2.0 Mindmapping & Brainstorming Tools: A Quick Guide by ProfDrAmin

He has also made it really easy to access this resource along with many others on his Scoop.it page. I'm already a follower. If you'd like quick access to his Web 2.0 Series, click here to bookmark this page. Be sure to click 'follow.'

{click here to follow Web 2.0 OER on Scoop.it}

Disclaimer: Web 2.0 OER is a sponsor of this site

My favorite iPad case for kids!

2013-05-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

Durable. Portable. Colorful. Gripcase

I recently had the pleasure of being a featured presenter at our state technology conference, MACUL. With over four thousand in attendance, you could image the cool gadgets, wonderful ideas, and inspiration being shared throughout the week.

One item I kept seeing everyone walk around with were these really cool iPad cases. Sadly, I only made it to the exhibit hall once during the conference. I had a book signing there and had to stop by to see my dear friends at IXL (see more here). I had four sessions this year at MACUL: two featured presentations, a hands-on session, and a panel presentation. During each of my sessions, I saw these cases but they were in different colors. Each person I asked mentioned GripCase. Though they had a booth in the exhibit hall, I was hoping I'd be able to reach out to them via Twitter.

Yay for Twitter! The great team at GripCase was very personal over social media and sent over my choice of color to try out. Of course, I had to pick purple for Miss Riley.

What I love most is the unexpected way the case can easily be carried. Riley just grabs the handle and brings it everywhere. The case is light weight, comfortable, and keeps the iPad safe - which is KEY for little ones (like Jacob)! He doesn't mind the purple case. :-)

GripCase comes in a variety of FUN colors

red, purple, green, blue, and black

Yes... they have cases for iPad minis, too! You can click here to see the variety of colors for full and mini sizes.

Another amazing feature that GripCase has to offer is the portable stand they sell. This way, the kids can stand their iPad up when working. It's an amazing feature! They're only $19.99 (click here to see more about these stands). I was surprised when I opened my GripCase package to see a complimentary stand, too. What a treat! I haven't used it much standing up to have the kids work, but the stand does come in handy when viewing a video or project! This makes it very nice.

Want to read another review? My great buddy, Nick, recently posted about GripCase, too. His cute son, Leo, uses it at home. Please click here to see The Nerdy Teacher's review.

For me, one of the best forms of advertisement is simply seeing others using the product. Hands down - GripCase rocks!

Get your own GripCase!

Ready for some super awesome news... GripCase is offering a free case (your color choice) to one of Kleinspiration's readers. Way to share the love ~ thanks GripCase! Simply follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win! But first, CLICK HERE to watch their demo video on their site and see all of the amazing accessories and products they offer. They even have charging carts that allow you to keep your iPads safe in their cases without having to remove them each time.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I've been nominated for A Bammy Award for Elementary Teacher of the Year. I would appreciate your support by clicking here to leave a comment as your vote for of support. Thank you all so much for being readers of this site and friends that I enjoy connecting with throughout the year!

Stories Displayed on Maps by @MyHistro !

2013-04-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Create a Dynamic Map Mash-up with MyHistro or Just View Free, Interactive Timelines!

MyHistro has been used on the web by many. Now, they have an Extended version. I recently chatted with their team, and they answered some popular questions from their users.

- Why'd you make this app in the first place?
To widen the possibilities myHistro offers. And introduce teachers to a tool
that enables creating easy and interesting content whilst integrating
technology into curriculum.

- What makes it better than other apps out there?
Its comprehensive digital archive with stories created by historians.
An unique way of generating tests. Hassle free and easy grading system and
evaluation of students’ answers.

- Who's it for?
Teachers. First and foremost History, Social Studies and Geography teachers.
And for everyone else, who are looking for innovative ways teaching their
subjects through dynamic storytelling.

- What is the coolest feature?
Generating tests with a few clicks. Removing the location, time, description
or/and the title from all the public stories, and forming it into tests.

Per their Press Release:

A geo-located timeline generator myHistro has launched an unique app for teachers. The app is
called myHistro Extended and it enables teachers to create dynamic online tests with just a few
clicks!

The new myHistro app for the Edmodo is versatile, easy to use and equipped with an innovative
framework. Teachers will have access to a comprehensive archive with thousands of stories
created by historians. This web-based assessment platform for educational tests provides
an excellent way to assess students’ knowledge of an important event or a period in history
through tests and quizzes.

myHistro is a widely used resource amongst History, Geography and Social Science teachers,
and now a platform for generating tests. Today over 5000 schools in the world have integrated
myHistro into their classrooms curriculum/activities. Whether it’s for individual or collaborative
projects, this visually phenomenonal tool is seen as an ideal tool for PBL (project based
learning).

Teachers have a choice to either use timelines from myHistro site, or create a brand new one,
and convert it into a test with just a few simple steps!

Some of the key features we’re excited to highlight:

- Devise groundwork for tests by removing data from titles to event descriptions.

- Access to a comprehensive archive collection of timelines written by historians.

- Analyse results, add comments and compare with the original test on a summary chart view.

Create a test with fill in answers and make it easily accessible for a selected group of students.
Once students have filled in the gaps they can submit the test in just a few steps. For teachers,
all the submitted tests line up on a summary chart view ready for grading. The original test
appears on the top for teachers providing overall analysis and feedback.

With multiple answers available this innovative platform for assessments enhances functional
learning opportunities. myHistro mapping tool provides an innovative approach into testing
students’ knowledge of contextualized events.

Twitter Tips & Resources for Teachers

2013-04-28T15:45:00.000-07:00

My Thoughts on Social Media
- How I stay 'in the know' -

I was excited to wake up the other day and see that my Twitter video had been posted by my buddy, Jeff, on Edudemic. This made my day! If you've searched any topic relating to education and technology, I'm sure you've landed on his amazing site. I've been fortunate enough to have guest blogged for him a few times and been featured in his very first iPad magazine. I continue to be amazed by the quality and quantity of content he pushes out through his site.

click here to see this video on Edudemic

I made this Twitter video a while ago, so I was surprised and pleased to see it resurface recently. Thanks, Jeff! He also put together The Ultimate Twitter Guidebook for Teachers, and you can click here to connect to that fabulous resource. I also have a Pinterest board on social media that provides many fabulous resources, including one of my favorite pins that shares 10 Twitter Tutorials (some of which are very entertaining). I would love for you to connect with me on Pinterest - click here to follow.

The Bedley Brothers invited me on their show last week to speak about social media. I'm happy to share our chat with you. They are so entertaining and thoughtful. I was honored to be a guest on their show.

click here to see this post on the Bedley Brothers

Being Connected Matters

I feel as though Twitter has allowed me to stay connected to not only the top resources for education but also to new information coming out. I also receive all of my news from Twitter. I usually always hear it first... on Twitter.

I remember laying in bed one evening scrolling through Tweets and instantly telling my husband to grab the remote and turn on the television. This was the night the news reported finding Osama Bin Laden. My husband and I had a long conversation the next day about major events that have happened in our lifetime. We both discussed the tragic event of September 11. I remember being in my car, on the way to a doctor appointment. The radio news was my only outlet to the breaking story. Upon arriving at the doctor's office, I hesitated leaving my car wanting to hear the details. When I entered the office, everyone was gathered around the one television in the waiting area. I was not able to connect to my family until after I returned home that afternoon. Being connected has certainly changed the way I take in and discuss the news.

The students I teach will always be connected to information. This has not always been the case.

Recently, I was contacted by MSN to connect and share with their news content. Since, I'm already a reader, I thought this would be a great fit. I agreed to participate in their event #MSNKnowNow

How you Can Stay Connected & In the Know

Terry also shares wonderful information on his site, Teach Thought. One post by Kimberly Tyson caught my attention for a chart she put together.

click here to see this post on Teach Thought

Revision to this post:

Upon posting this live, I realized it immediately received several ReTweets and Tweets. However, I would love for these Twitter resources to move beyond the audience already on Twitter. In effort for all of us to grow, I encourage you to please share this post via email with at least one colleague. If each of us share it with one friend, imagine the positive growth of our PLN.

I think it is important for us to continue to connect, grow, and share so that our students can receive the benefits from wonderful teachers sharing incredible ideas. If you have a great idea, share it! You can share by blogging about it, pinning it, mentioning it on Facebook, telling about it at a conference, putting it in your school's newsletter, etc. There are many ways to share. I love the great ideas I've gathered from all of you... thank you!

Expand your Network:
Get started on Twitter by following these fine educators: click here

Here are some of my Michigan teaching friends to connect with and learn from : click here

Disclaimer: a portion of this post was sponsored by MSN. Please click here to read more.

The new MSN delivers unparalleled speed and coverage in an easy-to-use, touch-enabled format on Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10, iPhone and Android.

I'd love to connect with you on Twitter - click here!

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Using @Padlet in the Classroom to Collaborate & Create Interactive Sticky Notes!

2013-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Created with Padlet

Add your Content to the Web,
Collaborate, and Share your Favorites

Padlet, formerly WallWisher, is a web space where you can add files, links, videos, and more. You can create various walls to add your favorite content. I developed the above wall to collect and share a few of my favorite technology resources. People can also collaborate to continue adding to the same wall space. Imagine the potential for classroom discussions!

How is Padlet different that other Web Tools?

Imagine having kids go up to a wall and sticking stuff to it. Well, that is Padlet - but virtually! While students can collaborate on Google Docs, Padlet tends to be a bit more visual in terms of a collaborative space. Glogster has a similar look, but lacks the real time collaborative features that Padlet offers.

What's New about Padlet that WallWisher didn't Have?

There are a few feature changes with the new change. It's still the same company with the same two designers. However, they are not gearing their focus more towards their audience. After chatting with the team, I found out that WallWisher originally started as a space for people to wish each other Happy Birthday on a virtual wall. Hence, the name WallWisher. Now, with the name change, they've added levels of privacy, access by email, and the streams layout. They are updating their platform to soon include groups for building classes, too. Cool, right?

Creative Uses for Padlet in the Classroom...

Teachers could use the tool or have their students use the tool. There are so many ideas one could use Padlet for in education. I've created a Lesson Plan example to share how you could plan out your resources for the week and have them all in one nice place!

Lesson Planning:

Created with Padlet

Imagine having a group of second graders collaborating on a topic together. They could take 10 minutes to add content to a geography board for places they've visited.

Geography Map:

Created with Padlet

As a reading and writing workshop teacher, I often take "A Status of my Class" before sending them off to work. A quick way to do this would be to use Padlet. After my mini-lesson, I could put a QR code of the Padlet link up on the SMART Board, have the students scan it, and be taken directly to the Wall. Then, they could post where they were with their process.

As the teacher, after the students have posted to the space, I could drag their comments around to organize them by stages. Stated differently, I can pull all of the kids that need a conference together. Those that are revising can be grouped together by simply touching their comment and dragging to closer to the other students who are revision and so on.

Status of the Class:

Created with Padlet

You could also have a student post their project on Padlet. Whether they completed a multimedia project with a video or a link or even a document with a file, they can post the item on Padlet. Then, peers can collaborate to offer feedback in a shared space.

Padlet can be Private or Public

If you want a space where your students work can be public, Padlet is the place for you! There are so many sharing features and options as seen below. However, there are also several privacy features that allow you to set your setting just the way you'd like.

You can set your privacy settings in various ways. You can even select to moderate the posts so that you have to approve everything before it goes live for the class to see. Nifty feature!

Your student's work can be secure and you can even invite specific people to collaborate by email instead of having the wall open to the public to collaborate.

Here is a great tutorial that Steve, @mrfigurelli, put together - click here to see how Padlet works!

{click here to try Padlet out}

So Many Sharing Features & Options

There are so many ways you could integrate this tool in your classroom. Have you used Padlet? Please share your ideas in a comment below on this post. Thanks!

Beyond Compliance: Classroom Management that Fosters Responsibility... by @stevereifman

2013-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

National Board Certified elementary teacher Steve Reifman is excited to announce the launch of his first professional development course for educators on Udemy.com, a terrific website that offers resources people can access at their convenience. The course is called “Beyond Compliance: Classroom Management that Fosters Responsibility, Nurtures Intrinsic Motivation, and Brings Out the Best in Students.”

Course Description

Traditional classroom management approaches tend to focus on getting students to comply with rules through the use of extrinsic rewards and punishments. These coercive approaches produce, at best, short-term obedience and have the potential to thwart the development of many positive student behaviors and dispositions that we promote in our classrooms.

Designed for both new and experienced teachers, this workshop presents an alternative, progressive classroom management approach rooted in intrinsic motivation and designed to create a learning environment in which children work hard, work together, and work with purpose.

In the videos that comprise this course, Steve presents a series of classroom-tested ideas, strategies, activities, and resources that help teachers:

encourage students to invest their hearts and minds in the class mission
establish a strong sense of purpose in their classrooms so that students find meaning in their work, experience joy, and understand the many reasons why pursuing an education matters so much for their futures
empower students with lasting habits of mind and habits of character
establish the routines, procedures, and expectations necessary to create a classroom environment in which students consistently behave well and produce quality work
build strong, trusting relationships with students and parents
seek opportunities to engage and inspire students
incorporate meaningful goal-setting, reflection, and self-evaluation into their classroom practice to enable children to improve their work and behavior
understand the problems associated with the use of extrinsic motivation
learn how to nurture the intrinsic motivation to learn and grow that all students possess

As a special introductory offer, Steve is giving a $25 discount on the course.
Simply use this link: https://www.udemy.com/beyondcompliance/?couponCode=reifman2&ccManual=

Bio

Steve Reifman is a National Board Certified elementary school teacher, author, and speaker in Santa Monica, CA. He has written several books for educators and parents, including Changing Kids’ Lives One Quote at a Time, Eight Essentials for Empowered Teaching and Learning, K-8, and Rock Your Students’ World. Steve is also the creator of the award-winning Chase Manning Mystery Series for kids 8-12. For Teaching Tips, articles, and other valuable resources and strategies on teaching the whole child, visit www.stevereifman.com. Follow Steve on Twitter (@stevereifman), subscribe to his “Teaching Kids” YouTube channel, and check out over a dozen of his classroom-tested resources at www.teacherspayteachers.com.

Enhance Young Learner's English Vocabulary with @MindSnacks & Teach Foreign Languages!

2013-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Mindsnacks: Vocabulary Building and Language Development

MindSnacks is a mobile educational gaming company that develops popular apps that teach foreign languages and test preparation subjects. Recently, MindSnacks released a brand new app called Kids' Vocab -- it's a comprehensive learning tool that teaches essential vocabulary for students ages 7-12. Kids' Vocab features 9 unique mini-games that cover 25 lessons and approximately 350 indispensable vocabulary words. The app has also been designed to support the Common Core Learning Standards. The games challenge students to use context clues, clarify the meaning of words, think in terms of domain-specific groupings, spell correctly and more!

Students will learn much more than simple memorization when they use Kids' Vocab. The app teaches definitions, spelling, pronunciation, contextual usage and parts of speech, making it perfect for use both in and out of the classroom. As students review the different lessons, they will find each vocabulary word is packed with example sentences, usage guidelines, and fun factoids about homophones, word parts, etymology and figurative language.

Mindsnacks allows kids to practice in more than just memorizing meaning. Learners practice with vocabulary, spelling, rapid recall, and proper usage. The vocabulary is presented in a visual manner that is easy for learners to connect with and learn in a more meaningful way.

The FREE education browser for your iPad via @TheRoverApp to view Flash Content!

2013-04-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Can't access flash on your iPad?

Rover is the free to download education app that streams educational Flash content to your iPad!

What is Rover?

Rover is an education app and the only education browser for your iPad designed for teachers and students of all ages.

Rover is targeted towards enhancing the K-12 education experience, bringing the best online learning content to your iPad- including access to content ordinarily available on the Apple tablet (e.g. Flash content).

We have partnered with major education brands, including Discovery Education, to make sure you have access to leading educational content on the iPad. Rover can transform your classroom into a fun, easy to use, and exciting learning lab!

Rover is powered by the iSwifter platform (the world’s first cloud-based Flash streaming platform for mobile devices). We have specifically designed Rover based on feedback from teachers, IT directors and administrators from schools across the country.

A Word from the Rover Team...

With iPads becoming increasingly more present in schools around the U.S.—and Apple even giving accreditation to teachers who have mastered their approved teaching methods—iPad technology is making inroads into the classroom in all sorts of ways. Education iPad browser Rover has just passed one million downloads; showing that technology in the classroom is becoming increasingly valuable to teachers and students alike.

One of the shortcomings of using an iPad in the classroom has been is its inability to play the plugin Flash, a key component of many videos and activities offered online. Rover is a free application for iPad that helps get around this problem. It’s a browser for edtech topics, allowing teachers and students to access flash based educational content, covering topics all the way from beginning phonics to teen driving, and all the core curriculum necessities in-between.

Rover works well as a browser for schools because it is specifically made to fit with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The Act (COPPA) is the national standard for protecting children online and offers easy content filtering and privacy settings, features that make life easier on the IT department, and help ensure kids stay safe online. Rover also helps teachers follow the Common Core State Standards, allowing them to use technology to access a variety of educational content and organize the resources they need to meet the Standards, all in one place.

These features have been essential to Rover reaching a million downloads and gaining a presence on an estimated quarter of iPads in K-12 schools.

In terms of partners, Discovery, IXL Learning, Alfiesoft and Math Playground have joined up to with Rover to provide top quality content for free to schools. Rover’s business model has been consistently geared to ensure free access for teachers and students alike. - Creighton Vance

A Free Search Engine (@Gooru) for Learning! Try it...

2013-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

A Safe, Refined Search Engine for Education

The theme of 'organization' seems to be popular in my posts lately. I find myself gravitating towards resources that are easy to use. With so many available options, I don't have the time to learn the ins and outs of every resource.

After seeing someone share Gooru on Twitter, I decided to check it out. I believe it was my friend, Joan Young (@flourishingkids), who shared the resource. Sometimes I come across a resource that inspires me to blog about it. Gooru is one such resource. I wanted to share it with my readers because I for the simple reason that I think it's really cool!

What is Gooru?

Gooru is a search engine designed for education. As you can see in the screen shot above, I typed in 'fractions' into the search bar. Then, many resources began to populate on my screen. In an instant, I had fraction resources in the following forms:

- videos

- interactives

- exams

- textbooks

- handouts

- lessons

- slides

Why it Rocks:

Gooru allows you to refine your search by categories. Then, once you've found fantastic goodies, you can save them in your collections to keep safe for next time.

I just recommend you give it a try... think of a topic, enter it in the search bar, and see what is available. You can click here to try classic Gooru or click here to try their new interface.

Want to Smile? Watch this Video (1 minute and 24 seconds)

Get Your Poetry On! - Publish Student's Poems - How special (& easy!):

2013-04-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

Are your students begging for more writing prompts? One of the most amazing things since launching the Write About This app is hearing from teachers about how much writing their students do after they’ve selected (or created) a photo prompt! It’s why we started the whole thing in the first place.. because we believe kids are inspired to write when interesting visuals are combined with their natural imagination. This is especially true for poetry... as often a curious image can be a spark for Haiku, Limerick or any number of poetic forms.

So as educators and students are recognizing Poetry Month with tons of awesome lessons, we thought it would be fun to celebrate by sharing student writing and giving away something that could be put back into the classrooms. Enter the Get Your Poetry On! celebration! (Thanks to my wife & amazing 1st Grade teacher @heatherOwilson for the name)

What: Drawing for $25 iTunes Gift Cards and recognition of student work published using Write About This

When: Now through April 30th, 2013

How: Publish student poetry from the app (Free or Full version) to your class blog, website or Twitter. Each piece of writing will add an entry into the drawing for your class.

Send out the Tweets with @WriteAboutThis or email the writing to us!

Full details on WriteAboutApp.com

As a bonus for the Kleinspiration audience, here’s another way to boost your odds while empowering your students: We believe kids should be encouraged to inspire each other to write, which is why the Custom Prompt creation tool in the app is so important. Have your students take pictures for a poetry prompt and post it on Twitter or send it to us...each student-generated prompt will be considered a DOUBLE entry into the giveaway.

What will your students Write About?

Have Fun with @ABCyaGames Counting Money App (set up for your whole class!)

2013-04-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

My Favorite App for Counting Money

ABCyaGames makes some of my absolute favorite interactive games for students. The best part is - my kids just love their games, too! Though ABCya is a sponsor of my site, I continue to be surprised by the games I find.

I recently ran across their Counting Money App for $1.99 in iTunes. I did not receive this app for free. I paid for it and can honestly tell you that I love it!

Like all of ABCya Games and Activities, this app is easy to use, effective, engaging, and addicting! I'd like to show you more about why I can't wait to show this app to my students on Monday.

There are 3 important modes:

1. Practice (practice counting money)

- Read and Make

- Listen and Make

- Count and Write

2. Play Bingo (try your skills)

3. Fish Tank (rewards)

Step 1: Download the app - click here

Step 2: Launch the App & Set it up

Enter your name and select your gender.

Design your avatar in 3 steps: top, middle, bottom.

With 30 profiles, you can set up your whole class.

Step 3: Practice your Counting Skills

Select between: Bingo, Practice, and Fish Tank

Practice

Directions pop up and are read aloud for practice play.

Make the amount shown up top in the center.

Drag the coins/bills to the blank canvas.

*upper left: you can set it to different levels*

Differentiate your Practice Levels:

- count to $1.00

- count to $10.00

- count to $100.00

- count to $1000.00

Practice decimals in a calculator

Set up your practice to add the decimal notation into the calculator.

Step 4: Play BINGO and try our your Skills

Select your playing grid: easy, medium, difficult.

Colorful fish mark your BINGO spot as you answer correctly.

Use your blank canvas to rearrange the coins to count them.

Use the drawing tool to add the coins together on the canvas.

The more you play, the more your win for your fish tank!

Step 5: Fill your Fish Tank

Kids love collecting items for their fish tank.

Download it Today!

The object of Counting Money is to learn US currency and to count, add and subtract with it.

Counting Money utilizes US currency as virtual manipulatives to introduce money and apply it to mathematics. Three dynamic practice modes, fun BINGO games, and a customizable fish tank encourage children to add and subtract money in a variety of ways including word problems. Counting money has never been this fun and educational!

See More Apps by ABCyaGames

click here

Get the @Remind101 Widget for your Site!

2013-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Communicate with your Class & Stay Connected!

Remind101 is a tool that I've grown quite reliant on over the past couple of years. I use it this year more than ever. At Open House, I have my parents subscribe to our class Remind101 account. I also have print outs of the PDF available that the Remind101 site provides. This way, my parents can have a step by step guide as they sign up. Plus, I'm there to answer any questions if they get stuck.

What type of messages do I send to 2nd grade parents?

There seems to be a gap in dates. That is because we were on Spring Break. Otherwise, I use Remind101 weekly. I use it to directly text new spelling words, my contact number for when we are on field trips, links to apps we used in class that day, websites to reinforce class lessons, videos created to showcase student work, updates about homework, news regarding special dates, and general reminders.

I schedule most reminders to be sent at 2:40. That is our dismissal time. I schedule some reminders for 6:00pm if they need to remember to pack something for school the next day.

Parents seems to really enjoy getting the messages delivered directly to their smart phones. I also subscribe to my class account to make sure I'm not overloading their messages with too many reminders. It's so tempting to send updates because it's fun!

Now there is a Remind101 Widget

You can preview your widget prior to generating the code to embed on your class site or blog. What a handy feature! The Remind101 Blog features a beautiful, visual step by step guide showing exactly how to grab the code for your personal widget. Please click here to see that post.

See how to get your Remind101 Widget - click here!

I almost forgot to mention that I have the Remind101 app, too (click here). This means that I can do all of my messaging and scheduling from my phone! Super nice! It's also available on Android (click here).

Why use Texting in your Classroom?

- click the graphic below -

Join the @MasteryConnect Community and Connect with A World of Common Core!

2013-04-07T11:28:00.003-07:00

Mastery Connect = Your Home for Common Core

Mastery Connect was putting together resources for the Common Core before the Common Core was even adopted by many of the states. They truly are the leader in all things Common Core!

Grab the Free Common Core App!

- available for iOS & Android -

click here

When you Sign Up for Free - You Join a Whole Community!

Mastery Connect makes it super simple to connect with teachers around the country that teach the same content you do. Being a part of the community allows you to share lesson resources and assessments - for free!

Connecting with Teachers is Easy!

Start building your network and connect with your grade level or content area. You can easily start to follow teachers who are part of the Common Core Mastery Connect community and begin sharing resources to use in your classroom!

Getting & Sharing Resources is Simple!

As soon as you're a part of the community, you can start uploading to share your resources. You can also start to search for content to use yourself. There is so much to offer... all for FREE!

Assessing student progress by specific standard has never been easier. You will love the easy of the site, the relationship you'll make by connecting with other great teachers, and the amazing finds you'll be able to access and use right away.

See All of the Fantastic Features:

- click here -

Learn More About Mastery Connect:

Free Group Webinars...

click here to sign up

Teachers LOVE Mastery Connect!

Mastery Connect is a Sponsor of Kleinspiration

Teachers: @GeorgiaPacific is Hosting an #EarthDay Lesson Plan Contest!

2013-04-01T17:16:00.001-07:00

#Earthday Lesson Plan Contest

*this post is copied from Lisa Dabbs*

In celebration of Earth Day this Month of April, Georgia-Pacific will host their first lesson plan contest on my blog and they want YOU to participate! Join me in this great opportunity to celebrate Earth Day with your students and showcase your great lesson plans!

A Bit of Background

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22. It’s an annual event held worldwide to demonstrate support for ecological awareness. The April 22 date was designated as International Mother Earth Day by a consensus resolution adopted by the United Nations in 2009. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 192 countries every year!

Earth Day is a good time to talk about conservation, particularly with students, which is why Georgia-Pacificis partnering with me to launch a lesson plan contest to celebrate how educators support the topic of Earth Day.

Georgia-Pacific has practiced conservation throughout their history. As a forest products company they use a renewable resource, fiber from trees, to make most of their products, which makes it essential to their business to sustain these resources and be a good environmental steward. To support this action, they created a resource – Educational in Nature® – an environmental education program developed more than ten years ago. The program provides activities and lesson plans for 4^th and 5^thgrade students and teachers about energy, products from tress, paper recycling and chemistry. Teachers can get these resources for free here.

In April, Earth Day becomes an even more relevant topic to all of us including, Georgia-Pacific. As Earth Day approaches, one of the best ways educators can use to spread the word with students is to teach a lesson in your classroom.

Please click here for the full contest details

on Lisa's site: Teaching With Soul!

Interactive Math Practice with @IXLLearning that is Common Core Aligned!

2013-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Online Support for Pre-K - 8th

Plus Algebra & Geometry

- click here to try IXL -

I've been using IXL for the past several months with my own two children, Jacob (4) and Riley (8). As a parent, I love how organized the site is to use. I do not have time to teach myself how to navigate a site prior to signing up. That is the reason I decided to go with IXL. I knew from using it in the past, the testimonials from others, and from several of my teaching colleagues that the site would be beneficial, but I needed to know, as a parent, that it would be easy to use. You can click here to see how great it is!

When IXL contacted me about being a sponsor, I couldn't be more excited. I had used their site in the past as a teacher and loved it. Because I believed in their product, I agreed to partner with them. I receive several emails a day for sponsor requests, but I have to be very selective with who I decide to partner with for Kleinspiration. I must stay true to my readers and only share quality resources that I stand behind. Though I share many resources on my blog, I only honor long-standing partnerships with companies that I feel great about. I believe that is why my long-standing partnerships continue to grow into trusting relationships. Because I hand-pick my sponsors, I fully support them in the fullest. I've met with most of them in person, had dinner with them, traveled across the country to visit them, used them with my own children and in my classroom, and I continue chat with them all of the time. My sponsors truly are my friends. I only endorse companies I firmly believe in for education.

Even Pre-Readers can Practice Independently!

Besides having each skill and standard organized, IXL offers meaningful practice for both of my children. It's hard to find interactive practice that Jacob, my 4 year old, can use independently. Though there are a few wonderful apps and websites that he loves to play on, I wanted a site where I could track how long he practiced and what his areas of strength and weakness were.

My Kids Love to Practice & Earn Virtual Awards

Riley is more interested in tracking her progress, but she does enjoy collecting tokens of pride as she completes her tasks. Jacob, however, is all about the prizes. He's driven by advancing levels. For him, this math practice is more like active game play.

As my children practice more, they receive more treasures to discover in IXL. You should see Jacob's face light up when he's earned a new award. Though I am a firm believer in intrinsic motivation, there is something that my kids enjoy about these virtual awards. They view them as goodies within their 'game.' It reminds me of when they go to the Mushroom House on Mario to gain items for their characters. They go crazy over these little treasures.

I Can See Exactly What My Kids Need

Signing into my parent account allows me to see a number of items related specifically to my child. I can see how long they've practiced, where they excel, and where they need additional support. The reports are beautiful, easy to read, and offer so much insight into my child's learning.

Know What you Need & Master the Skills

Because IXL identifies the "Trouble Spots" in your child's learning, you can target those areas so your child can grow. I love that I can look in my kids' reports and determine what areas they should continue working on in the program. The best part is that I don't have to determine this by myself. The reports automatically identify the skills my children need. This way, we can click on those specific target areas and allow for more practice. I've found that my kids do not mind the additional practice because the more they work on a specific skill, the easier the questions become. Initially, they were frustrated but that is because the questions were challenging - hence why they needed the additional support. Plus, the more they have success with the program, the more virtual awards they earn. They love this part!

As a Teacher, I Love Knowing my Kids are

Mastering the Standards they're Taught in School

If Riley or Jacob needs support on a specific standard, I can go directly into IXL to work on that topic with them. For example, if Riley's teacher says that she needs support with adding three digit numbers, we can find that strand and work specifically on that skill. She likes working at her own pace, from the comfort of home, and getting immediate feedback. Additionally, we can work on skills she's mastering so that she can advance to higher levels of learning.

I'm able to differentiate my children's learning. If Riley or Jacob is excelling above grade level, I can challenge them on higher grade levels. On the same note, if they're struggling in an area, I can work at a lower grade level to support their understanding.

See for Yourself & Connect with IXL

Please click here and get started exploring IXL

You can click here to follow IXL on Twitter, too.

iFake Text - Having fun with Dialogue!

2013-03-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

Create a Fake Screenshot of Text Dialogue between Characters

I ran across this fun web tool last night on Pinterest. I linked the resource back to Tammy's site where she shares wonderful technology resources for the classroom. You can click here to see more examples of using this fake texting feature in your classroom from visiting Tammy's site. Tammy also walks you through how to use this web tool. It's very simple.

I created the above text screenshot in a matter of minutes. It was easy to do and you have the option to email your image once it's completed. You can also share it via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc. Users have the option to embed the HTML code, too.

Users do not need a smart phone to create the images. The tool works directly from a computer. It just looks like it was developed from an iPhone. I imagine there are several creative uses for such tool for all grade levels and content areas. I think this could serve as a quick exit slip or an activity for someone to do if they finish early. I know my students would enjoy creating conversations between fictional characters, historical figures, and famous people we study.

One really interesting idea I'd like to explore with this tool is the idea of developing character voice. Having students develop dialogue in the voice of their character would be powerful for their writing. I believe this activity would encourage learners to chose specific vocabulary to fit the time period, select strong verbs to convey precise action, and to develop mood to elicit proper tone between the characters.

{click here to try your own text message}

Computer Coding for Kids!

2013-03-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

Coding is Cool!

A parent stopped me during a recent social at our school to tell me how excited her son was to program an app. While we aren't programming apps in class, I'd sure like to learn how! A friend of mine and I have been discussing the idea about creating a Coding Club at our school. We will not start out on iOS development but rather coding for computer programming. I'm not sure if we will start with Ruby, Java, C+, HTML, etc... I have a few friends who are fluent in several languages. I'm counting on their advice and guidance. I know this will happen, soon (if we believe it will happen - it will), and I'm very excited about the potential this will have for students.

I shared a series of inspiring videos in class prior to our trip to The Henry Ford Museum. The students enjoyed our morning of investigating inventions. This 'lesson' was not planned. In fact, it was student driven based on the spontaneous conversations the students generated. As the class began to discuss certain topics, I was inspired to facilitate their chats by sharing brief ideas I've learned through my PLN on Twitter.

The children loved the videos we shared throughout the day. They asked that I email their parents and share the videos so they could watch them at home, too. Thus, I shared this email with my students' parents:

Dear Parents,

In preparation for our day of learning tomorrow at Henry Ford, we discussed inventions today in class. We also discussed how these inventions helped to change our lives through the decades.

Because we will visit the Your Place in Time section of the museum, I wanted to give the children a brief background of social culture during the recent decades. We watched brief (2-4 minute clips) of Leave it to Beaver, The Brady Bunch, Saved by the Bell, and Good Luck Charlie. We found common themes connecting each of the popular television shows. We also discussed the differences in styles of furniture and clothing.

The children especially enjoyed when we began discussing modern inventions. We traveled back in time to see what it would be like during the early 1900’s. They class enjoyed seeing a brief segment of Henry Ford’s PBS show: http://youtu.be/Vcr3YQK0eEY. They loved seeing the horseless carriage drive down Grand River! During the segment, Ford stressed his desire to make a car that would be affordable for the general population. We connected this to Job’s and Wozniak’s idea of building a computer for the average household. We pulled up a few images of the original Apple computer. Then, they viewed the first few minutes of Job’s iPhone Presentation in 2007: http://youtu.be/c_m2F_ph_uU. If you haven’t seen this, it’s quite interesting. The children thought it was neat hearing the audience’s reaction to the iPhone features. These were mind blowing features in 2007 and helped shape what we know as the smart phone today. They thought this was so cool.

So, of course, I had to inspire them to think what the future could hold for technology. There are a few videos that I always enjoy sharing with friends and family. If you haven’t seen these, I encourage you to take a brief moment to see the potential they offer.

a. http://youtu.be/oWu9TFJjHaM (you can pre-order this technology for $149)

b. http://youtu.be/jZkHpNnXLB0 (second version) - amazing!

I asked the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. Most stated that they were not sure what they wanted to do when they got older. I assured them this was alright and that the jobs they have may not even exist yet. Someone put this video together that shares information regarding social trends today: http://youtu.be/YmwwrGV_aiE. It’s a 4 minute clip that contains several interesting statistics (embedded below). The kids also enjoyed seeing the possibility of being able to create such apps and sites: http://youtu.be/To9S-iunY0c (video just released).

Have a fantastic evening,

Erin Klein

I decided to share the email with you since the resources (videos) are some of my favorites. After our trip to the museum, the children were so inspired to get started creating and sharing their ideas.

I know that integrating new literacies, such as coding, is important. However, I'm not sure how others are integrating this into their practice. That's why I'm asking - YOU. Personally, as a mom, I'd love for my son and daughter to have the exposure to learn how to code, especially at the elementary level. As a teacher, this area is foreign to me. I may as well teach German. However, I'm 100% willing to learn. In fact, I think this may be a benefit to my second graders. We could learn together. I'm curious how many of my friends (readers) are doing such exciting things in their schools or classrooms. I'm hoping you share your ideas so they can benefit everyone. Even if you've ran across a blog post or resource, please share your finds in a comment. Thanks!!

A Push for Coding for Kids

Cargo-Bot: an App

At the state technology conference this past weekend, I learned of Cargo-Bot during @AdamBellow's session, AppAttack. It's free in iTunes: click here.

Description

Presenting Cargo-Bot. The first game programmed entirely on iPad® using Codea™

Cargo-Bot is a puzzle game where you teach a robot how to move crates. Sounds simple, right? Try it out!

★ Beautiful retina graphics

★ Fiendish puzzles

★ A game about programming, programmed entirely on iPad

★ Record your solutions and share them on YouTube

★ Learn more about how it was made by searching for Codea on the App Store

Scratch

There is also Scratch, a site developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab.

About Scratch: (from the website)

Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art -- and share your creations on the web.

As young people create and share Scratch projects, they learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.

Additional Resources:
http://surfscore.com
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/daisy-the-dinosaur/id490514278?mt=8

Get Posts Delivered Directly to your Inbox

- simply enter your email below -

Do your kids program? What tools are you using?

Please share your ideas in a comment!

Use @MentorMob for your Technology Centers!

2013-03-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I’m Kate Peila and I blog about technology integration for student engagement and teacher sanity over on my blog, Purely Paperless. I have been a long-time reader and lurker over here at Kleinspiration. Erin always has amazing ideas and resources for classroom teachers. I am thrilled and honored to be sharing with you today.

As a primary teacher, I find that center time can be a bit overwhelming. While I am trying to provide a small group of students with individualized reading instruction, the rest of my little darlings are engaging in independent work time activities. My greatest struggle during this block of time is ensuring that my center time activities relate to the standards that I am addressing in my classroom and provide my students with meaningful learning experiences.

In no center is this challenge greater than in my technology center. I have two separate computers in my classroom that students utilize during their center rotations, so the challenge of finding, curating, and managing resources for my students to utilize can be overwhelming when there are so many other things on my plate. If I am being totally honest, which I always am, this was always one of the first centers that I would let slide if things got crazy.

Enter MentorMob….

With MentorMob, I can create customized learning playlists to embed into my classroom website or blog. I can embed links, videos, PDF documents, challenge questions, and written prompts directly into a playlist. Since I am able to handpick all of the resources and activities in each playlist, I know that my students are engaging in activities that pertain to the standard at hand and are developmentally appropriate.

Create your own Playlist on MentorMob!

So, I want to share with you a few ways that I have used MentorMob to liven up my classroom literacy center planning.

When I plan my centers, I always sit down at with my pacing guide and lesson plan book to look at which specific skills and standards I will be addressing in my instruction for the week. I try to switch my playlists out weekly- though it is sometimes only twice a month- to align with whatever skill we are working on in our reading or content area block. When I am looking for activities for my playlists, I always check the following resources:

1. Online Learning Games from our Curriculum

2. Youtube

3. Pinterest

4. Technology Rocks, Seriously blog

5. Kleinspiration

6. The Google

I try to select a wide variety of resources to include in my playlist. For instance, I like to start with a video or lesson tutorial to reinforce my classroom instruction, followed by a game or two, a virtual learning experience, and a writing prompt.

A quick hint: If you choose to embed a Youtube video into your playlist, be sure to select the “sharing” link from the Youtube site instead of the general URL. If you choose the sharing link, you won’t see any of the comments- just the actual embedded video. PERFECT!

Another great source for activities is to utilize existing playlists within MentorMob. Directly within their website, you can search for playlists that have already been created that address similar skills. MentorMob’s tagging system makes it very easy to find similar or connected resources. This can be a huge timesaver. I don’t always use the entire playlist, but I can often find one or two new resources to use in my own playlists.

Once, I have completed a playlist, I simply embed the playlist into a page on my classroom blog.

Here is where the beauty of MentorMob really lies- easy differentiation!

Up to this point, as a general management tool, I have always color-coded center activities so that my students know which activities to complete. In this situation, with the option to customize the color of the playlist frame as seen below, you can easily differentiate learning activities. Now, I simply assign each child a specific color each quarter -at this point, either green or gray- and students know which playlist to choose.

A final bonus to utilizing MentorMob for during center times is that any playlists that you create are always stored in your MentorMob account for future use. No more frantically searching through your bookmarks or saving Word documents with links.

For more tips on utilizing technology in the classroom to maximize student engagement and increase your productivity, please be sure to visit my blog, Purely Paperless.

Thanks!

Free Results Driven Gameplay from @MrNussbaum: Learning + Fun

2013-03-22T06:31:00.001-07:00

"What apps do you recommend for the classroom?" I am often presented with this question and have difficulty replying with a simple answer. My view has always been that apps and games should be leveraged to enhance one's learning, thus there isn't a one size fits all answer. If a colleague were to ask the similar question "What board games do you recommend" most teachers wouldn't simply blurt out Monopoly or Yahtzee, they'd ask questions surrounding what the colleague's expected outcomes were. In the apps/computer gaming market, the same question should be asked: "What is the desired outcome?"

Greg Nussbaum, a teacher in Virginia is one of those who takes a good look at the desired outcomes before providing an answer. Looking backwards from the expected results, he has created games and apps on his site Mr. Nussbaum, many of which were originally driven by projects his own students have done. Take a look below to view a game created around his class' project on the United States.

Featuring K-7 content in a variety of learning categories, Mr. N uses player interaction and culturally significant themes to bring the student into the learning experience. Animal Idol, featured below, provides a unique spin on learning the finer details of the animal kingdom. Be careful not to cross the judges, or "Simon Cow" may have some strong advice for you.

While Mr. Nussbaum additionally features some paid/premium products, the vast majority of his offerings are free for students to utilize. Mr. Nussbaum free site and adds includes access to gameplay on math, science, history, geography, language arts, and many other subjects. Each subject has many sub-categories in which the user can choose from for more specific learning needs.

Click here to try the free site

In addition to featuring a great free site, Mr. Nussbaum also offers a customizable premium service. The premium upgrade allows a teacher to view all students results and supports assessment and communication with students. Teachers can use templates to create games based upon their own class curriculum, or choose from existing games.

Click here to try the premium site
While Mr. Nussbaum features some paid/premium products, the vast majority of his offerings are free for students.

Click here to try the free site

Follow Mr. Nussbaum

Facebook

Twitter

Edmodo

Awesome Apps for EDU:

2013-03-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

Search for Apps easily with Google

I enjoy searching for new apps to play around with and use with my two children and my students. Of course, the iPad is far more beneficial than just simply playing with apps. However, just like with reading, sometimes it's fun to just indulge.

Recently, I saw on a great iPad blog that you can search for apps using Google. I actually had to first click 'more.' Then I could scroll down to click 'applications.' After that, I was able to just type in 'math' or 'phonics' to get a list of choices to populate. You could certainly still use the App Store search feature, too.

Learning in Hand

If you're looking for a great mobile learning blog, I highly recommend stopping by Tony Vincent's site: Learning in Hand (click here). He's the real deal. My district brought Tony in for a day of learning a few years ago. I think that is where I really started falling in love with technology. He showed how you could naturally integrate the tools to seamlessly compliment and enhance your current pedagogy. I LOVE his work!

Scroll through the list below for a few of my Favorite Apps for Education

- please leave a comment with some of your favorites, too -

20 Terrific Presentation Tech Tools for Kids!

2013-03-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

I recently submitted a piece to my friend, Laura Candler, for inclusion of her new eBook: 20 Terriffic Presentation Tech Tools for Kids. I'm honored to be included among such fantastic contributing authors. Even more so, I'm looking forward to trying out a few of these tools with my own students.

What I really like about this collection of resources is that they include the teacher's voice of how the tool can be used within the classroom. Often I hear of amazing tools, but I'm left with trying to figure out how the tool fits with the learning. That's why I enjoy networking with fellow teachers so much. I get such creative prespective from fellow colleagues. That is exactly what Laura has created with this resource. Best part - it's free! That's right... no strings attached, so download away - click here.

Product Overview:

This freebie consists of two documents.

One is a 10-page ebook compilation of 20 recommendations by educators for online and mobile device tech tools to use with upper elementary or middle school students.

The other is a short editable Word file of the same list of tech tools that you can give to your students. They will love these novel methods of using technology to present information and reports.

These tools work well in all subject areas, especially science and social studies.

If you like this freebie, please take time to rate it and leave feedback. Thanks! ~ Laura Candler

Here are the 20 tech tools included:

1. Blabberize
2. Educreations
3. Glogster EDU
4. Google Drive Presentations
5. Haiku Deck
6. Instagram
7. Pearltrees
8. Popplet
9. Prezi
10. Screenr
11. ShowMe
12. Sliderocket
13. Storybird
14. TimeGlider
15. Toontastic
16. Videolicious
17. Voice Thread
18. Voki
19. Weebly
20. Xtranormal

Ready for some fun? How about a Twitter Party & a Pinterest Party with @MariaDismondy - Mark your Calendars!

2013-03-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite people in the world, Maria Dismondy, has 2 AMAZING events coming up for YOU to be a part of and join the fun! I met Maria through this blog. She is a Michigan children's author and asked that I post about her new books. I fell in love with her stories and so did my students. They were perfect for my class! If you ever need a warm book for anti-bullying, friendship, or character education, Maria is the author for you. I told my school about how awesome she was, and they brought her to visit our second graders. She was a rock star! Maria's energy is infectious. The kids were so engaged, hanging on her every word. To check out her work, please click here to see a few of her books.

It's a Twitter Party

In celebration of March is Reading Month, Children's book author, Maria Dismondy, will host her first Twitter Party and she wants YOU to participate! Join Maria as she explores the world of children's literature. There will be topics for participants to respond to and Maria will answer questions you may have about the career of a children's book author.

How to Join?

Login to Twitter at 8pm EST. Search the hashtag #ReadingMonth and follow the discussion. To add your own comments/Tweets, just type your message and include the "stamp" hashtag #ReadingMonth to deliver your message to the live chat. By participating, you could win gift cards and autographed books for your class! If you've never done a Twitter chat, I strongly encourage you to mark your calendar for March 21st. They are so much fun, and it will be the fastest hour of your life.

We all know what you want to know, are there door prizes? Absolutely! $25 Starbucks gift card, $25 Etsy gift card, $25 Barnes and Noble gift card and 5 autographed copies of Maria's newest book, The Potato Chip Champ.

It's a Pinterest Party

Maria is also giving away a KINDLE as the prize of her Pin-It-To-Win-It contest on Pinterest. It's easy to enter with minimal requirements.

In the meantime, you can find out more about Maria and her award-winning book on her blog, website, Twitter, Facebook or on Pinterest.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mariadismondy

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mariadismondy

Website: http://www.mariadismondy.com

Blog: http://www.mariadismondy.com/blog

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mariadismondy