Vocabulary can be a tricky subject. If you are not familar with technological terms, you could find yourself at a disadvantage before you even begin. Here is a seek and find that helps students learn technology terms. http://www.abcya.com/computer_vocabulary.htm
Curious about the 57th Inauguration? Ever wonder what happens when it falls on a Sunday? Get answers to your Inauguration questions on the senate website http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/. There is also video footage of the actual events.
I just recently learned about a picture book maker that is free and has no login required. So, I tested it out and while it makes a short book (a front cover, 3 full page spreads and a back cover), it is perfect to not overwhelm a child. Culture Street is funded by the Arts Council England and their main site has additional activities for kids.
http://www.culturestreet.org.uk/activities/picturebookmaker/
This weekend I attended the Edscape conference at Mount Vernon High School. It was a fun way to spend a Saturday even though it was a beautiful day in NJ. I ran into another educator,Barbara De Santis, and I got a chance to tell her how much I love her blog! She really has great recommendations and you can find her here http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/bsdbsd/.
I am excited to use Evernote more, start classroom blogs with www.kidblog.org/ClintonLibrary and other teacher pages as well as include gaming techniques in lessons. My notes are filled with great ideas and now the challenge is to pick 3 to focus on. Let the book blogging begin!
I love to make word clouds with students in elementary school, but many times there are so many buttons and options for students. Well, another choice is ABCya.com. This website offers a word cloud generator that is much easier to use.
Here is an example of a spring “cloud”.
If you are looking for another way to visualize tectonic plates and volcano creation, then check out the Discovery Channel’s Volcano Explorer. This virtual volcano is pretty cool and a lot less messy than creating one in your home!
As our 4th grade students read The Diary of Anne Frank, I am compelled to share the Anne Frank timeline and website. http://www.annefrank.org/en/
There is an interactive timeline with plenty of primary sources and connections between Anne’s letters and what was happening in the world. Additionally, you can take a 3D tour of Anne’s house that is recreated from actual photos.
On Friday January 13th, the Clinton Elementary School 3rd grade hosted Maplewood’s own Alidis Vicente. Mrs. Vicente is a 2001 Columbia High School graduate and author who resides in Maplewood. Her 2010 picture book, The Coqui and the Iguana tells the tale of a young girl’s trip to Puerto Rico and her discovery of the bioluminescent bays. The audience was introduced to the native coqui, or tiny tree frog, and the iguana, an animal that was brought to Puerto Rico many years ago.
3rd grade students were not only treated to a reading, but also invited to share in lessons of multiculturalism and environmentalism. They learned that many of the bioluminescent bays in the world are at risk due to the pollution from boats. Students were asked to consider how we could still enjoy the rare “glowing” waters in Puerto Rico without further damaging them.
Mrs. Vicente’s own story of growing up in a Spanish-speaking household and spending time with family in Puerto Rico connected with many in the room as students acknowledged their own international families and friendships at Clinton. Encouraging all students to write about what they know and what they are passionate about, she reminded them that age should not be a factor in writing as she herself is much younger than many authors today. Students are looking forward to her next book.
Click to see a clip of the author visit on youtube.
— Jennifer Latimer, Clinton Elementary School Library
This article can also be found on the Clinton Elementary School PTA website. http://www.clintonelementary.org/2012/01/19/local-authors-bioluminescent-story-shines/
Attending the New Jersey School Librarians conference opened my eyes to even more interesting websites. www.Symbaloo.com combines web page bookmarking with icons to assist our most visual learners.
Symbaloo allows you to take bookmarked web pages and create your own icons. You can make collections for home, school, work etc. After you are finished, you can embed the information into another page or share the sites wth others.