TechChef4u

  Have I got a fabulous app for you!  Maybe you've already heard about this little gem, but I was just told about this one today!  This is TechChef4u and this is a FREE database of over 500 apps for educators!  The best part is the search feature!  You can search by grade level and subject! 
I went through and started using the search feature and it was very easy to use!  Every app suggested for me was FREE also!  Happy Dance!  There is not much content there for Pre-K yet, but it's in development according to iTunes.  Some of the apps suggested here will be the lite versions, but it gives you a chance to really try the app and determine whether or not its worth it to purchase the full version!  Take a moment and download this fantastic app for your iPhone, iPod, or iPad.  You won't regret it!

By the way.....Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! 

Chevrolet SXSW Adopt-A-Classroom

Super fantastic news! I have been selected for Adopt A Classroom! Woohoo! Cannot believe it! We are going to be featured on their blog and hopefully we can have funds raised to purchase great and exciting new items for our classroom!
Now I've got some ideas brewing but I'm curious....what would you ask for?

ClassDojo

This classroom management tool is a free resource for teachers K-12.  Personally, I think it's much more appropriate for the elementary grades, but maybe junior high students could have some fun with this site as well.  It's a free site and takes mere minutes to customize your class.  Students are assigned a monster avatar and teachers can customize the positive and negative points.
For my second grade students, I award three positive points:  Listening, Helping Others, Working Hard.  The negative points are:  Talking, Disrespect, and Wasting Time.  As I watch my class, I can assign points to individual students or to the entire class.  You can also customize the display so that only positive points are shown to the group. 

My favorite part of this site is that I can control the site from IWB, my iPad, and my iPhone!  The points I add from any device are uploaded to the site and kept current.  So we're walking down the hallway and I can give my "Mystery Walker" a point for the class or for himself!  I also left my iPad with our rotation teachers so the Librarian and Computer Lab teachers could add or deduct points!  
I would definitely recommend looking into the site.  I don't know about you, but I needed a "boost" to my behavior management.  This time of year can be stressful!  I'm not sure if I will always use ClassDojo, but it's a nice change of pace and it kept my students very engaged today.  Check it out!

Fun with Voki!

Isn't this cool!  I absolutely cannot wait to use Voki in my classroom.  With the new ActivInspire update, I can embed Voki directly into my flipcharts!  I can see endless possibilities with this feature!  Sure, the kids love to "tune out" in the afternoons, but just imagine the sleepy, eager little faces listening intently as my Voki gives the directions!  Beat them at their own game!  Head to Voki and set up your free account today!

FaNtAsTiC Finds from TCEA 2012!!!!

First of all....let me say.....WoW!  I had a wonderful time at TCEA 2012 (and I'm secretly plotting my return trip next year)!  Don't tell my district yet!  It's a secret!  I met some fabulous people and gathered awesome ideas for my classroom. 
I have to brag though....the Pinterest QR Code shirts for our Curriculum Tools Pinterest page were a huge hit!  We're now averaging around 600 followers a board!!!!  Wow-wee!  Is that how you spell that?  Hmm...where's my online Hillbilly Dictionary?  Maybe that will be my new app! 
Did I mention that I attended a session on app building that requires no programming???  I did!  If you're interested...visit www.appmakr.com and get started today!  The app building process seems fairly straight forward (read "I'm still playing with it myself") but I heard that the fees to upload the app to iTunes can be a bit high.  I'll be calling on my Super Duper Tech Team for help when I get to that place! 
I will be posting apps and websites all this week so stay tuned!  Make sure to blog about my blog, steal my button, and follow my Pinterest boards (both mine and Curriculum Tools)!   Let's make the internet start working for educators!  Share the love!
 

Remember....keep your head, heels, and standards high!

Famous!

Sitting in our first session at TCEA 2012 and J2 training presented our Commerce Curriculum Tools Pinboard!!!! Thanks Janet & Joan!

TCEA 2012

I'm ready to head out to Austin for the TCEA 2012 conference! I've got my shirt and my bags are packed! If you're going to be there, please say "hello"!
I'm sure I will learn a lot of wonderful new tricks and you know I'll share with you!

Easy CBM

  Are you looking for a quick and no hassle way to find math and literacy fluency measures?  Look no further than Easy CBM!  This site is free for teachers and literally has done all of the legwork for you.  All you need to do is create a free account, choose your grade level, and print the measures you like.
You can enter data online and the site will help you track your students progress and you can also move up or down grade (K-8) to differentiate the activities for your students.  There are HFW fluency measures, reading passages, comprehension activities, math fact fluency drills and much more!!!
Well worth the thirty seconds it takes to set up an account.  My advice would be to look the site over and brainstorm how you will organize the materials before launching off onto print mode.  Since everything has been done for you (scoring sheets included), this literally is a 60 second progress monitoring.  I know, we've heard that line before!  :) 
Take a moment and check out the site!  It is well worth it! 

ActivInspire, You Just Keep Getting Better and Better!

Just wanted to pass along a message I received a few minutes ago via ProComputing....make sure to update your ActivInspire software for your Promethean!  The newest version of software allows for direct embedding of HTML code.  This will support YouTube, Prezi, Glogster, Voki, Blabberize, and many other fabulous programs.
Remember, your Promethean Board is only as interactive as you make it!  Get out there and design!  I'm going to link to an article which will give you more information about how to make the best use of this update to your ActivInspire software.

12 On How to Use Promethean's Embed Option

Also, is anyone else going to the TCEA Conference in Austin this year?  If you are, make sure to look for my Instructional Technology Team from Commerce! 

Math On The iPads

This week my class is beginning their discovery of multiplication. Our goal or "big idea" has been to discover the relationship between repeated addition and multiplication.
Some of my students are strong visual learners and have benefited from an app MathTappers: Multiples. Here are some action shots!

Pinterest for Education

Have you jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon yet?  I hope so!  There are so many teachers out there "pinning" wonderful ideas for you and your classroom.  I am proud to say that I belong to a progressive district that has begun "pinning" educational and technology resources for use in your classroom.  Interested in seeing more?  Excellent!  Follow Curriculum Tools on Pinterest to stay in the loop and look for us at the TCEA 2012 conference in Austin, Texas! 

Make sure to tell us "Cari sent me!"  :)