WebQuests

I came to a realization today that I have posted no resources for making, or finding, WebQuests to use in the classroom.  I know that WebQuests are nothing new but very few teachers I have talked with use them or know how to make one.  Below are some links to help you get started.  Even if you don't have a computer for every student you can still use a web quest.  They could be an active during your center/rotation time or even a full class activity on your interactive white board.


http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech011.shtml WebQuest.org 
WebQuest Design Process 
Creating a WebQuest It's Easier Then You Think
Best Places to Create (and Find) Internet Scavenger Hunts and WebQuests - Larry Ferlazzo

YouTube WebQuest 101
     Part 1
     Part 2
     Part 3
     Part 4

Winter Holidays

With many teachers looking for new ways to talk about the winter holidays in their classrooms I thought about some resources from Scholastic that I enjoy.  These are not "new" but they are fun to use and are good conversation starters. The links below take you to interactive scrapbook pages that work well on interactive white boards or on computers for students to explore. 

Christmas Scrapbook

Hanukkah Scrapbook

Kwanzaa Scrapbook

 

Royal Info

With the Royal Wedding on the way there is a lot of neat stuff about monarchies, Westminster Abby, and anything royal you could think of.  Even if you are like me and only have a mild interest in the wedding some of the info is kind of cool.   

Interactive Family Tree

Where Monarchies Still Exist

The Official Website of the British Monarchy 

Westminster’s Wedding March

Inside Westminster Abbey

Holocaust Remembrance

National Holocaust Remembrance Day is this Sunday, May 1.  Please remember to preview everything BEFORE sharing them with students due to the graphic content that some pages may have.


United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 

The Paper Clip Project

The Holocaust - lots of links!

Holocaust Websites - lots of links!

Interactive Map of Auschwitz

Holocaust Interactive Timeline

ABCya

If you have not checked out ABCya.com now is the time.  I use this page quite a bit with some of my IEP students to work on basic skills and simply using the computer. It has grade level activities for grades K-5.  The kindergarten games have sound too! Several of the activities work well with an interactive white board.

More Hashtags 4 Ed

Here are some more hashtags:

#kinderchat
#ipad
#k12
#education
#langchat
#mathchat
#scichat
#edsocialmedia
#medialiteracy
#elearning
#edapp
# artsed
#smartboard
#IWB (interactive white board)

Looking for some good teachers to follow try these:

@cindidannerkuhn
@kylepace
@kevinhoneycutt
@rmbyrne
@thetechspec

Poetry Month

Remember that April is Poetry month! Her are some pages that you can use with your classes. 


Poetry Idea Engine -Scholastic - Interactive white board 

Celebrate National Poetry Month - Scholastic 

Poets.org

National Poetry Month - Crayola 

Education World

Reading Rockets

Online Magnetic Poetry Kits - Like what you would use on the refrigerator at home.  Would work well with an interactive white board.

SMART Exchange Poetry Lessons

Promethean Planet Poetry Lessons

Free Webinar for Interactive White Boards

Here is the link to another free webinar from Simple K12. The topic this time is Getting The Most Out Of Your Interactive White Board

The information below is taken form the Getting The Most Out Of Your Interactive White Board page.

What: Live online webinar - "Integrating Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom PLUS What's New in the EdTech UNconference"

When: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern Time, USA

Who: All are welcome, but space is limited!

Cost: Free!

Register for the webinar and receive the ideas and tools you need in order to get the most out of your interactive whiteboard.

(and we're sharing these secrets with you for FREE!)

**SPECIAL BONUS: All webinar attendees will receive a FREE copy of SimpleK12's Interactive Whiteboard Workbook … so sign uptoday!

This new workbook contains many real-life examples about using interactive whiteboards...examples titled:

1. “Explore Tectonics and Volcanoes Using Animation and Video”
2. “Create a Collaborative Play”
3. “Exploring the Lives of Literary Greats”

As well as 20+ more great ideas to start using in your classroom today! 

iPad as an interactive white board

This is a repost of a blog by Sam Gliksman from the iPads in Education webpage.  He talks about a program you can use to let your iPad replace your SMART Board...or any interactive white board. I have not use the program to know how well it works but it would be something to look into.

Can Your iPad Replace Your SmartBoard?

So SMART

If you have a SMART Board you have been to the SMART Technologies webpage.  My question is how much do you use the SMART webpage?  There is a lot more there then just SMART Notebook lesson plans. Some of the things are just for SMART Board users but there are things that would be helpful to any interactive white board user.

Want to know more about your SMART Board and how to use it?  Would you like more information on how to use SMART Notebook?  You can do that and more online when you want with the SMART Learning Space.  After making a free account you have access to free and fee based classes.  There is more to this program then what is listed here.  Check it out and see what you can learn.

There are four SMART Publications that you can get by email based on your needs. There are publications for teachers, IT, and administrators.

SMART Exchange is the part of the webpage that most educators know well.  You can post lessons you have made and download lessons that other teachers have made.  This is a HUGE time saver!  If you are new to SMART it is a good place to start.  If you have not been to the SMART Exchange in the last month you may get a bit of a shock.  You now have to make an account to use SMART Exchange.

The Webinars page is one I have used a lot and feel that I have learned the most from.  There are several recorded webinars posted that cover several topics.

Don't forget to make SMART part of your PLN. SMART is on your favorite Social Media.  You can see what SMART has to say on Face Book and Twitter.  You should also check out their YouTube Chanel.

Space

Space is something that kids love to learn about.  Here are several webpages that have wonderful photos and fun interactive resources for you to use with your students. Several of these webpages would work well with an interactive white board.

Kids Astronomy

NASA Space Place

Amazing Space

NASA Kids Club

Learning to read with Startfall

Starfall has four different sections and several other activities to use with your students with using phonics. This page would work well with an interactive white board for full class instruction or with students on individual computers with head phones.  It could be uesed as part of your centers rotation. I find this page easy to use for teachers and students. My 5 year old pre-schooler has no trouble using this webpage with no help from mom or dad.

The ABC's section helps students get ready to read.  There is an activity for each letter.

Learning To Read has 15 book and activity groupings based letter combinations, sight words, and vowels. There are even some short videos.

The It's Fun To Read section is fun!  There are several different activities that the students can use.

I'm Reading has several eBooks for the students to explore.

There are several other activities that would be fun to do with you class for several holidays as well.  There is also an interactive calendar that is fun to use as well. It works well with an interactive white board and your calendar helper would love it!

Free Scholastic Resources

Every time I go to the Scholastic webpage I find something new to use in the classroom.  Along with lesson plans there are interactive white board activities, computer lab favorites, and much more. There are also several student activities. There are activities for all of the core subjects.  Below is a list of some of my favorites!

FREE online resources for all of the Scholastic publications - Power Points, digital issues, videos, printables, and more that support the Scholastic Publications. The best part is, you can use them even if you do not subscribe to the publications.

Weather Watch - This is a fun interactive white board activity to help students learn about weather. 

The First Thanksgiving - This is a wonderful activity for Thanksgiving.  It is like taking your kids on a field trip to the 1600s.  This would be a good recourse for any lesson covering that time in American History.

All the Social Studies interactive white board activities - I could have spent all night playing the white board games!  The are fun and you learn a lot.