United States of America - by Lincoln Middle School Students!

The middle schoolers over at Lincoln have been very busy!   They have created a Google Site with videos for each one of the 50 states!  Some states even have more than one video.  This would be great to share with students, as they learn about the 50 states, or even regions in 4th grade.  

Check out all of their hard work - as you may recognize some of them at Roosevelt Alumni.  Click here to visit their United States of America Videos!   Thanks to Amanda Walsh, ITC at Lincoln, and Tom Nasshan for sharing their students hard work with us!

Making New Friends

This past Wednesday, Mrs. Kulnig's class of 4th graders Skyped with their new “mates”.

Mrs. Kulnig arranged the opportunity through the family hosting her son who is playing soccer there.  The host family’s 9-year-old is in the equivalent grade as her Roosevelt fourth graders.  We Skyped through the classroom’s SmartBoard with their counterparts in teacher Gemma Taylor’s class at St. Katherine's Primary School on Canvey Island. The island sits in the River Thames’ estuary directly east of London along England’s southeast coast.

The 9-year-old students on both sides of “the pond” had been busily brainstorming topics to present to their new friends.   They both shared “big picture” information about Roosevelt School’s location and make-up, and what they study as fourth graders including art, music and gym.  They also decried the many ways they use technology in their learning, and wrap up with a topic of universal interest – homework, describing assignments and the school’s after school homework help club. We heard similar accounts from the St. Katherine’s students. 

Check out the quick highlight video below to see more - and hear some great accents!

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Pennies for Patients

I know I'm doing a little push for my student council this week, however, I feel like they have two strong fundraisers going on right now, and I want to make sure they receive a lot of support!

In addition to the Bernie's Book Drive, the Roosevelt Student Council is excited to be participating in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's School & Youth Programs. Last year, students in the Illinois area raised $981,000 to fight blood cancers like leukemia and provide services for patients and their families. This year, our school is committed to help raise even more, so we ask you to please assist our cause by making an online donation to help reach our school’s fundraising goal. It’s easy!

Did you know that in addition to bringing in change to school, you can also donate online?    Click here to visit Roosevelt's Online Fundraising page.   

Did you know- For every $25 online donation your school receives, LLS will educate two school employees on how to ease the transition back to school for students with cancer. Click the “Someday is Today” logo to learn more about LLS research.   

Are you looking for fun facts to motivate your teachers?   Click here for daily reminders and information for students to learn about the LLS.

To learn more, watch the video below or share with your class. 

The Peanut Gallery

Today I came across this awesome site that In the latest Chrome Experiment Peanut Gallery, you can add inter titles to old silent film clips just by speaking aloud to Google Chrome, and then easily share your work with others.  

Give it a try, and bring out the inner screenwriter in you: peanutgalleryfilms.com 

App of the Week: Creative Book Builder

Are you looking for a fresh way for your students to publish their work?  Wouldn't it be cool for them to write their own book?   If you think this is something that your students would be interested in, check out this app!

What is it?

Creative Book Builder is a fantastic app that allows students to create books in epub format, which can then be exported to iBooks and shared with others. There are a variety of instructional uses for this app, from using it as a publishing tool for project-based learning to a summative assessment at the end of a unit.  Students can embed images, audio files, video files, and write text.  The advantage of an epub document over a PDF document is that all of the media will be preserved and available for readers to interact with when the final product is published.  

Who is it for?
I can see this being used at all different grade levels, from a class book to students or groups of students creating their own books.   This can be use across subject areas as well - with an exciting way to share information.

One of other ITCs has also created a Google Folder with helpful how-tos on how to use Creative Book Builder in your classroom.  Click here to view her helpful tutorials.  Thanks to Amanda Pelsor for sharing!   I also found a very helpful slideshow in getting started with Creative Book Builder.  Check it out below.   Of course, if you want help, just ask!  I'm eager to try out this app with a class!

Check out How to Use Creative Book Builder by Penelope Doyle on Snapguide.

Harlem Shaking

Have you seen the Harlem Shake videos that are viral pretty much anywhere and everywhere on You Tube?   Here's a Harlem Shake video from Google.... basically one person starts dancing and then everyone else ends up joining in and doing their own thing... how fun!

  It looks like the Peanuts were shaking and doing there own thing well before the Harlem Shake was trending.   

What does this have to do with school?   This week I'm proctoring ISATs and my small group and I were talking about how cool it would be to have an ISAT Harlem Shake video... however, they decided it wouldn't be "legal" to post and share... so my group was over it.  I do enjoy the Peanuts version though... regardless... it's a great motor break for your kids taking their ISATs!

Flipping Out?

I know that ISATs, report cards, conferences, the big snow storm, committee meetings, trying to fit into your swim suit before spring break, among other things may have people flipping out!   But this is a different kind of flipped...

Created by Knewton and Column Five Media


There are many great resources to help you with flipping your classroom.  Like TedEd for example, which has videos, resources, and questions to assess students learning after watching the video.

TED-Ed is a great resource for teachers with instructional videos for students, like the one about water above, as well as great some great professional videos for teachers.

TED-Ed has amazing resources for teachers... especially if you are considering flipping your classroom.   I'd be happy to help you flip your classroom if you are interested, even if it's trying it for a lesson!   After the ICE Conference and some good researching, I feel that we can flip classrooms, even in elementary school!  Let me know if you are interested in trying out this concept with me!

ABCya

This is one of my very favorite educational game websites to be used on the computer.   I was reminded today working with a few teachers of why I think it's such a great resource.

ABCya.com is the leader in free educational kids computer games and activities for elementary students to learn on the web. All children's educational computer activities were created or approved by certified school teachers. All educational games are free and are modeled from primary grade lessons and enhanced to provide an interactive way for children to learn.

Grade level lessons incorporate areas such as math and language arts while introducing basic computer skills. Many of the kindergarten and first grade activities are equipped with sound to enhance understanding. Fun children's Holiday activities are available in grade level sections!  This could be something great to check out for Valentine's Day!

This site can only be used on the computer, laptops, or SMART Board.   The website does not currently work on the web browser on the iPads - however we do have some of their apps.   

Just an interesting thought...

I saw this on Pinterest and I thought this was both interesting as an educator and a parent about the importance of sleep.  

Apps of the Week: Brain Pop and Brain Pop Jr.

Apps of the Week: Brain Pop & Brain Pop Jr.

What is it?

Since our school has a subscription to both Brain Pop & Brain Pop Jr. this year (Thanks Dr. D), we also have access to all of Brain Pop's videos on our iPads.   If you aren't familiar with Brain Pop, it creates animated, curricular content that engages students, supports educators, and bolsters achievement.   After each short video clip there are activities to extend student learning as well as quizzes to assess understanding.    To use Brain Pop or Brain Pop Jr. on the iPads, simply press the log in button, log in, and get started with all of the content that is online.  

Who is it for?

Brain Pop Jr. is great for K-3 in whole class instruction, small group instruction, or for individual student learning, both on the laptops and the iPads.  Brain Pop is aimed at students in grades 3 and up and can be used in whole group instruction, small group instruction, or for individual student learning.  This is great for both math centers and literacy centers.    

CCSS

Brain Pop has been working to align their videos to the CCSS.  To check it out, click here.

World Education Games

Who doesn't love a competition?

The World Education Games is an annual global online challenge to get all students (4-18 years of age) excited about learning, and to give the top students in all schools an opportunity to see how they measure up against the best in the world. Last year, over 5 million students were a part of what is now the world’s largest online education event.

The World Education Games are completely free to register for and participate in.

Split over three days and focussing on literacy, mathematics and science, the World Education Games is a hugely exciting and engaging way to promote learning and education across the world. Our partners UNICEF and Samsung work with us to promote our key messages of education for all. 

If you are interested in having your class participate, let me know - I'd love to help out!   

Click here for more information or email me!

App of the Week: Sonic Pics

App of the Week: Sonic Pics

What is it?

SonicPics makes digital storytelling fun and easy! Turn your photographs or pictures of student drawings or work into narrated slideshow movies to share! 

• Add images from your photo library or snap new ones with your camera. 
• Arrange your photos however you would like. 
• Record a voiceover narrating your images as you swipe through them. 

Once you are finished, you have a movie with your images synchronized to your narration. You can share your recording with students and parents. 

What can it do?

• Create and narrate custom photo slideshows.
• Records your voice while you flip through your images. 
• Automatically synchronizes your images to the audio recording.
• Present your stories on the SMART Board or projector
• Make movies of your images and narrations from the iPad.
• Record up to 60 minutes per session! 
• Easy image selection and editing. 
• Give images unique names and descriptions that can optionally be shown during recording.
• Build slide shows with photos from photo albums, camera roll or built in camera (great for taking pictures of student work). 

Who is it Good For?
This app is good for all ages.   Students in primary can take pictures and reflect on their work or build slideshows multiple images (pictures taken or drawn).   This app can be used more complex in intermediate with inserting images from the internet, students own photos, or drawings.  If you are interested in trying this with your students, let me know!  I'm happy to help!

CCSS Connection
Click here to see the connection to CCSS for ELA.

ELA CCSS

Today I had the pleasure of presenting to the 2nd & 3rd grade teachers (as well as some support staff) about the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.   It was great to have the opportunity to present about ELA standards and give teachers some great examples of the shifts.   I know that the information can be overwhelming at first glance, but luckily, there are lots of great resources out there to help us as teachers absorb the information and figure out how we can make these shifts in our instruction.  Here are two to help you get started!

• District 64's Reading & Language Arts Page
• This site is maintained by Curriculum Specialist Meghan Keefer and has AMAZING resources on it.   Be sure to check out the links on the left hand side, especially the online resources.
• CoreStand 
• This great website for teachers to collaborate with all things common core. After creating a free account you'll have access to free resources, best practice videos, blogs, and more.   They also have a great weekly newsletter that has some great ready to use activities in it. Check out this week's newsletter and look at the great activity on page 2 (Elementary Template).
• You will notice that the activity has great kid friendly "I can" statements so students understand the standards as well. 

Doodle for Google

Did you know that Google has a yearly contest where students can draw a Google logo to be published and shared with people everywhere?  Google has just announced it's sixth Doodle for Google Contest. The theme for this year's contest is "My Best Day Ever..." The contest is open to K-12 students in the United States. The winner will receive a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school. Entries must be received by March 22, 2013. The complete contest rules can be found on the Doodle 4 Google contest page.

Google has made this easy for teachers to incorporate into a lesson as well.  Click here to be taken to the lesson plan resources Google has created for teachers to integrate this into their instruction. 

Here is a pamphlet that can be printed and distributed to students as well.If you would like me to come and and co teach this lesson with you, just ask!  I'd be happy to come on in!

I will be trying to set up a bulletin board somewhere on the first floor during open house to advertise this opportunity as well to all students and make the forms accessible to students.   Let me know if you would like any more information, and I'd be happy to help!