Thing 13

Thing 13-- Below is part of my test that I made through ZOHO.  This site is great for teachers.  You can make tests with multiple choice, true or false, fill in the blank and open ended questions.  It even grades it for you!  This could be especially helpful for students who are missing a day at school.

Section 1

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• 1. The lady's dress was very ________ for the opera.
• Question Type : Fill up the blanks

• Points: 10
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Answers

• Elegant

Answer key / Comments :No comments available

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• 2. The lion's _______roar scared the children.
• Question Type : Fill up the blanks

• Points: 10
• 

Answers

• Fierce

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I checked out Google Docs too.  While I tremendously like ZOHO, I am more apt to say that GoogleDocs is more usable.  It creates so many different things.  They are both very helpful in the classroom.  In ZOHO, I didn't have to download anything, it was there and ready for me to use, although I did have to sign up.  In Google Docs I had to download an app but I didn't have to put in any personal information.  I also noticed that ZOHO charges for some of their apps.  So, for my classroom I would choose Google Docs because of it's access after downloading and it's completely free!  Students could work together on their own computers or together to learn in and outside of the classroom.  They could create artwork, do assignments, and make spreadsheet presentations.  Not only could they make them, but they could easily be read by anyone that has downloaded the app, unlike using a PC and trying to read it on a MAC!  

Thing 10

Thing Ten

RSS is a fabulous way for teachers to keep up to date on what they are interested in.  By having all of this information in one place, it saves class time by not having to go to each site individually and having to sign in and use your password.  Everything is already signed in by using your Google account!  What's even more amazing is that you can email these to other teachers to keep them up to date too!  All that extra time in the classroom means more learning!!  Not only can this help teachers at school, but also at home.  You can keep track of all of your stuff at once, which also means, more family time!  This could be a very important tool for any teacher or educator!

Thing 12

I have always use Google, just as Wikipedia announced, even as a verb.  I say it quite commonly that I will google that!  How funny because this term "google" didn't exist in my vocabulary 20 years ago.  Oh how easy those high school reports would have been!  Little did I know that Google Alerts or Google Translate existed!  I tried them both out and couldn't believe the information you can get from these sites!!  Google Translate would be a great tool to communicate with students and their parents that did not speak English!  So much goes unspoken between teacher and ELL students because of the wall between their languages.  Google Alerts is also amazing!  You can keep up to date on anything that is important to you through an email whenever Google acquires additional or new information on the subject.  Talk about a way to teach Civics class!!  Even as we are in class, history is being made all around us.  What we knew going in to class that day, might change throughout your day, and with Google Alerts you can get notified immediately!  Check these tools out as they can be a wonderful tool for your classroom too! www.googletranslate.com and www.googlealerts.com

Thing 3

I have officially registered by blog for the 5th time!!  Had a little bit of trouble for a while, but I am confident this is done right this time!  I would use a blog in my classroom to help keep the students, parents, and other teachers in a position to communicate with each other.  I would post the week's activities for the class and homework that will be assigned, along with any announcements, as I know well from my own children, they don't always bring home the notes from class!  Parents and students alike could post homework problems that they need help with, suggestions or even praise for the students.  It is a wonderful way to keep everyone up to date on all the things of the classroom.

Thing 16

iGoogle

I chose iGoogle as my homepages and I love it!  This homepage had so much to offer.  It was very easy to use and didn't take a lot of downloading time.  I definitely made this my homepage!

This is by far my favorite Thing yet!  I am a very organized person.  Having all of my information and webpages in one place is amazing.  My new laptop did not come with a downloaded calendar, which I deeply depended on with my old computer to remind me of important events.  Since I have signed up for Google Calendar, I now have that luxury back.  It sends me notices by email and by showing up on my iGoogle page.  I also added the app Sticky Notes.  My screen is covered in yellow sticky notes, so having an online system for these is much easier!  I also added the app for the To Do List.  I am the worlds most meticulous lister!  Everything NEEDS a list!  This app was apparently made especially for me.  A few more apps that I chose are Dictionary, Thesaurus, Breaking News, and This Day in History.  These and many more could be very beneficial to our students.  It's a daily learning process, which would be great for morning work and to discuss things special about that day.  I can't tell you which apps I would recommend, because I loved them all!  I had to stop looking at additional ones, because my page was going to be too full!  iGoogle is definitely something I would recommend!

                                               

Thing 6

Thing Six:  Discovering Web 2.0 tools.

I chose Stardoll.com to learn more about.  My daughter uses this as often as I will allow her online.  Just watching it you think that they are playing and not learning, but not true in the least sense.  After reading what this site is about, you realize that they are not just playing, but learning in a new exciting way.  Today, many of our Arts programs are being cut due to budget lows.  Using stardoll, students can use their own imagination in creative arts by creating costumes and such with this Web 2.0 tool.  It allows the student to learn about colors, techonology, art and just plain fun using this electronic "dress up dolls" web- based learning.  It can also be used in the classroom as a sort of incentive to good behavior.  Not only are the students trying hard to earn the reward, but as they use Stardoll they are also learning and it is not wasted time.  Technology today can be used in so many ways, that students don't realize they are getting an education through play.

Thing 7

Picture owned by swimbackdanman via Flick   rhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/19827415@N06/2364774081/

Wow, I am completely blown away at the information you can get from www.flickr.com. This site allows you to go to places you will probably never go.  This site is great for visual information.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.  This site has unlimited infinite "words" in visual form.  Using this website, you can get ideas for events such as weddings or parties.  It allows you to see how the rest of the world's culture does things.  You aren't just limited to the traditions we have grown up with.  Flickr also allows you to "be" somewhere across the world, as in my picture of the great blue hole.  I am terrified of the ocean, so this is not a place I would ever be scuba diving.  I still want to learn about that amazing blue hole and see for myself the awe that others have seen when going there.  It gives everyone the same opportunites to see God's amazing handicrafted world.  30 years ago, we relied on what other people told us these things looked like.  Now, we can see first hand!!