AASL Digital Tools I chose two tools from the AASL Best Digital Tools Archive List. Quizlet was part of the AASL Best Digital Tools in 2019. Quizlet is a digital learning and flashcard tool. You can search from public flashcards or make your own. Quizlet then takes the flashcards that you created and essentially, creates games to play to help… Read more →
Hour of Code
Completing the Hour of Code was more fun than I thought it would be. It had the feel of a game. I liked the way the programs taught you how to complete different lines of code. However, a couple times I made a few mistakes and it took a little trial and error to get the lines of code correct… Read more →
Library Websites
Creating a visually appealing website for a school library is important. It is a resource that can help students, parents, and teachers. MMHS Janice M. Mills Library Learning Commons The first thing that I noticed about this school library website is the name: “Learning Commons.” This phrases, to me, helps build unity within the school. I also like that this… Read more →
Virtual Tours
At this site: http://www.ilovelibraries.org/article/take-virtual-tours-these-stunning-libraries you can take virtual tours of several different libraries around the world. The site has videos that you can watch to explore each library. The videos are narrated and explain different aspects of each library. At this site: https://poly.google.com/view/7QgB8A2nwf9 you can tour the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. This site is a different virtual tour than first… Read more →
QR Codes & Remote Learning
I have been using QR Codes for a while in my history classroom. I use them in several different ways. One way I use them is to send students on a timeline hunt. They have a list of events on their handout and they have to scan the QR codes around the room to find the date, then put the… Read more →
Video Tools During Remote Learning
Now that many public school districts are starting to announce their plans for the fall (my own included), remote learning seems to be inevitable because of the current pandemic. Now that we know remote learning is a definite, how do we switch the majority of our content to be remote learning friendly? Loom Let’s face it, if you are a… Read more →
Presentation Tools Reflection
I chose to create a 3 slide presentation on a topic that I teach to my seventh graders. One of the first units we cover is geography. Because I teach middle schoolers, I review the basics of map skills and cover parts of a map. I used Haiku Deck to create this presentation. While it’s visually appealing and fairly simple… Read more →
Podcast Review
The Wonder of Parenting is a podcast hosted by Michael Gurian and Tim Wright. These two men offer parenting advice and field questions from listeners on a weekly basis. However, this is not just another parenting podcast. You won’t be overwhelmed with “Am I parenting my kid right?” And you won’t have to worry about being judged for your parenting… Read more →
Audio Tools in the Classroom or Library
Using audio tools on a classroom blog or library website is a welcoming touch, especially in this extremely connected 21st century world. Audio tools can be used in a variety of ways. Below I took a look at several audio tools to use to create podcasts. Podcasts are a growing format to receive information or entertainment. There are many popular… Read more →
Infographics
Infographics are an appealing way to display information. In the classroom and library, infographics are a wonderful option to reach all students when you are attempting to teach students about a particular topic. I will be teaching a section of 8th grade Civics next academic year. In Civics we cover the three branches of government. Because this is an 8th… Read more →