Spirit Week 2009

Podcasts in the Classroom

Many people don't realize that podcasts offer a wealth of information on the go in audio and video. Using your free version of iTunes (www.apple.com/itunes), you can search for a Podcast and download it to use in your classroom. There's entire news shows, lectures on all sorts of subjects and lessons, and so on, and most Podcasts are free. What's great about podcasts is that you can subscribe using iTunes, so when the next podcast is released, you get it automatically. I used this in my Spanish class to show a news show from Spain. While I didn't do it everyday, the days that I did use it, I had the latest news because it had downloaded automatically. Even if you don't have an iPod, you can still use iTunes, and simply play your podcasts from your computer. You can also have your students subscribe to a podcast to get extra help in whatever subject you're teaching.
Check out this site for more info on subscribing to podcasts: http://www.askdavetaylor.com/how_do_i_subscribe_to_podcasts_with_itunes.html

Google Earth - Take Field Trips

There's nothing that makes a place come alive more than being there. Unfortunately, we can't take our classes to concentration camps, the Holy Land, or on a journey down Rt. 66. However, we can show it to them. Google Earth (http://earth.google.com/) is a free program that you need to download, and you can just put in a place and go look at it. There's all sorts of options to view, including some buildings which are in 3-D. So, next time you mention a place, take them there with Google Earth.

Skype

Thanks to Voice Over IP (VOIP), Skype (www.skype.com) allows you to call anywhere around the world for free, as long as you're calling another computer using Skype. Skype even offers video chatting and conference calling. Think about the endless possibilities: foreign language languages can converse with other students around the world, teachers can let their class converse with experts in any field who can't make it to their classroom. And best of all, it's free. You can download it and set up your account for free at www.skype.com, and if you have a webcam, you can even try it out.

Wikis - a very simple explanation

Check out this very good explanation of what a Wiki is and how it works. Remember, you can set up Wikis using your SharePoint website.

RSS Feeds - an awesome video explanation

Check out this video explanation of RSS feeds and how to use them. Note, Microsoft Outlook acts as a Reader as well, so you don't need to subscribe to a reader like Google Reader.

VoiceThread - Neat Collaboration Tools

Voicethread (Voicethread.com) is a free web 2.0 application that allows for some pretty neat collaborative projects. It combines picture, audio recording, and even live editing marks and creates a video for people to see. Some useful applications of this might include the following - Foreign Language: divide class up into groups and give each group a picture of a hispanic family, each person assumes one of the characters, and records themself as if they were that particular person. Science: give a class an enviornmental problem to solve along with a picture of the problem, each person will then record themselves as they talk about how they will solve that problem. Art: divide class into pairs or groups, have them post a picture or picture of artist, and each person can talk about that picture or artist. In the end, you have a video of the main object that you're talking about, along with a recording of each collaborator.

My Webspiration/Inspiration

Organization goes hand and hand with writing and research. Many students have trouble organizing their ideas and so their projects and papers are disheveled with poor flow. Help them organize their ideas using the Inspiration software installed on student laptops. Or, you can use the free web based program called mywebspiration (http://www.mywebspiration.com/). It allows students to graphically draw their ideas, and when they're done, they can put it in outline form.

Read Write Think - Great Lesson Plans for English Teachers

English Teachers, take a look at Readwritethink.org. It has a wealth of lesson plans to get students... well... reading, writing, and thinking. It includes detailed lesson plans on a variety of themes, including links to resources, assessment tools, and follow-ups.

Quizlet - Awesome Free Vocab Site

Whether it's vocabulary for Science, English, Foreign Language, or SAT prep, Quizlet (http://www.quizlet.com/) has it all... for free. You can search a number of pre-made vocab lists, and chances are you'll find what you're looking for. Or, you can import your own list. Students can print out vocab lists, play interactive games with the vocab, do flashcards, and they can even post them to their Facebook walls.

Quia

With a subscription to Quia (http://www.quia.com/), teachers get their own personal website and access to a number of activities. Quia allows teachers to import vocabulary so students can play a number of interactive games such as flashcards, hangman, etc. Teachers can also import other activities already made by other teachers. One of the most useful features are self-graded online assessments that teachers can set up. There's a 30 day free trial. After that, it costs $50 for a year.

Learn 360 - Streaming Video

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has set us up with Learn 360 (http://www.learn360.com/) - streaming video for the classroom. Consider using this to enhance your class lesson. With videos on topics spanning all subjects, you may find this service extremely useful. Check your email for the registration number so you can login.

Find PowerPoint/SMART Board lessons

In our survey last week, the majority of teachers found that using PowerPoint improved students' note-taking and attention. However, instead of making powerpoints and smartboard lessons from scratch, consider using some that other teachers have posted online. You can do this by searching in google. Be specific as to what you're looking for (example: Pythagorean theorem Powerpoint). You'll instantly find some hits. You can usually download these powerpoints, edit them, and even post them on your SharePoint sites. However, be sure to get permission from the teacher if you are planning to post these to your site. Also, check with the bundle of stuff that comes with your class' textbook. Many times they include a website or powerpoint/smartboard lessons that goes right along with what you're teaching.

Turnitin - Don't let students get away with plaigerism

A Rutgers University study reports that more than 40% of the 18,000 college students it surveyed across 23 campuses plaigerize from the internet. The growing ease of research in the information age has increased the temptation to be lazy and steal. Turnitin.com offers a revolutionary research service to hold students accountable for their papers. Using search tools, Turnitin finds probable and exact matched across the web and alerts teachers to possible plaigerism. Archbishop Spalding has a subscription to Turnitin.com, which costs the school over $2000/year. Each teacher has their own account. So, no matter what subject you're teaching, if you're assigning a paper or research paper, use Turnitin.com. It's easy to use and offers comprehensive video tutorials to help you navigate through.

Jeopardy Powerpoint

For those wishing to play a fun, interactive review game, consider PowerPoint Jeopardy. Click here to download a version of PowerPoint Jeopardy (Jeeparty).