Online Word Searches

 Looking for word searches that you can use on your Interactive Whiteboard?  Here's a couple:

Online Word Search has a few hundred pre-made word searches that you can complete online.  Choose from different categories to match what you are doing in your curriculum.  I like how the words are sometimes a little challenging...making for a great vocabulary-expanding teachable moment.

Freeology offers a Make Your Own Word Search tool that creates a simple word search, perfect for use on your Interactive Board.  Simply list the words you would like to include and then use the tabs above the gadget to customize further, if so desired.  Once you create a puzzle, it appears in a new window or tab and you use the cross hairs to locate and highlight words.  Once found, the question mark by the word in the list disappears.  The only downfall is that the puzzles cannot be saved.  So, make sure you print them out if you would like to keep them before you reload the page or close your browser. 

Happy searching!

Scale of the Universe - Wow. Just wow.

Do you ever get the feeling that you're like a speck of dust compared to all that's out there?  Maybe you get the feeling that you're a giant walking among all the tiny bits of existence?  Either way, the website for today will amaze you!  You're both, really!  Check out The Scale of the Universe to give you and your students a look at how small and how large we really are.

I can't help but love the mystical sounding music that comes with the site too.  I think it really sets the atmosphere for "scientific wonderment".


NOTE:  As long as you don't scroll down the page, you should be alright, but just so you all know, there are comments below the Scale and not all are exactly appropriate.  Again though, they will not be visible unless you scroll down.

Project Gutenberg - Free eBooks and audio books online

I would like to share the Project Gutenberg site today.  This is a site where you can download thousands of free eBooks, and some audiobooks.  While the site does not house the most recent, NY Times bestsellers, there are thousands of classics for your perusal. 

Some examples of the content that I found on the site are:
The works of authors such as; William Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, Dostoevsky, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and Mark Twain.  There are also such classics as; The Odyssey, The Scarlet Letter, Turn of the Screw, The Bible, Wuthering Heights, Heart of Darkness, The Sherlock Holmes tales, Beowulf, Frankenstein, Jane Eyre,and hundreds more.

Project Gutenberg is also available to download the books to your PC, iPad, Kindle, Sony Reader, iPhone, Android, iPod, or other portable device!  Read them at home or on the go!  I'll be starting Jane Eyre soon!

Youngzine - News for kids

 

Looking for a current events site for kids?  Check out Youngzine.  Using this site, students are able to read current events articles, comment on those articles, and even submit some of their own writing  to the site.  The comments are moderated by the staff at the site, as are any submitted articles.  If you sign up as a teacher, you are even able to create a "classroom" where students use a unique code to join your class.  Once the students are associated with you, you are able to see what they commented on and all their site activity.

A unique defining feature of Youngzine is the students' ability to earn points as they use the site.  As they read articles, comment, rate, and take quizzes (yes there are even pre-made quizzes!) they earn points that go towards earning them a spot on the Hall of Fame!

The news is split up into World News, Science and Tech, Our Earth, Society and Arts, and Sports.  There is also a games section where users can read comic strips and play games (to be used if a student has finished their work). So, check out this kid-friendly, Slide-approved current events site!

Snag Films: Documentaries To-Go

Hello everyone.  A while ago I posted about a site where you could find documentaries online (freedocumentaries.org).  Today I wanted to share with you another one I have come across: Snag Films.  This site also hosts a bunch of documentaries that you can search through and play online.

In the words of the site creators themselves,
"SnagFilms.com is a website where you can watch full-length documentary films for free, but we’re also a platform that lets you “snag” a film and put it anywhere on the web. With a library of over 1500 films, and rapidly growing, you’re bound to find films that resonate with your interests. We make it easy for you to find a film that shines a light on a cause you care about. You can then open a virtual movie theater on any web site, so any one can watch your favorite SnagFilms for free."

I think documentaries are a great way to spark discussion in the classroom and raise awareness of topics that may or may not be covered in the typical "nightly newscasts".  Plus, you are able to embed previews of the movies from the site on your blog or website (but you must be on the actual site to watch it in it's entirety).  You can also save your spot to come back to later (without an account!) if you run out of time watching the movie...most of them are an hour at least so you will need to do this!

Here's one I found:

Watch more free documentaries

Check it out and see what you can find. :)

Dropbox

Ever get sick of carrying around jump drives?  How about when you constantly have to email things to yourself?   I can get tedious!  Believe me, I know!  I have found a solution though!  Dropbox is a free online resource and download-able program that allows you to keep your files on the web where you can get to them whenever you want...even without an Internet connection.  To use Dropbox, simply go to the site, and create an account.  There are several videos and documents that will help you get adjusted to using Dropbox right there for you.  You can then download the Dropbox folder to keep on your desktop.  This feature allows you to access your files without Internet (once the files have synced).

Why would you want to do this again?  What's so bad about a jump drive you ask?  Let me give you a scenario:

You have your computer at school and your computer at home.  To be able to work on documents on both, you have to carry them back and forth on a jump drive, or email them to yourself.  Well, since jump drives are such small devices, who knows what can happen to them!  Washing machine, car tires, Rover, garbage disposal, static electricity, you name it!  When using Dropbox, you can upload a file online at school.  Then, you travel home (where you have downloaded the desktop version of Dropbox).  Your files will be there waiting for you!  Edit them at home, save them, and when you go back to school the next morning, there are your finished files, either online or in the desktop version you have downloaded on your school computer.

For an even better explanation, check out the Dropbox Tour Video

Basically, it's an online storage area.  You can even share files that you want with other Dropbox users!  You get 2GB for free, with room for more space free if you convince a friend (or 12) to sign up! Check it out and you will instantly love this life-saver!

Learning about Tsunamis

**UPDATED 3/16** (see below)

A terrible tragedy has struck Japan.  As we hope and pray for the people dealing with this disaster, done justice in the video below (seems to work best in Firefox), we can learn about the science behind the tsunami.

Here are some sites that I have found to provide information on tsunamis, earthquakes, and dealing with natural disasters:

• Tsunamis explained, 9-12
• http://www.livescience.com/13187-japan-earthquake-tsunami-science-faq.html
• Lesson ideas, information, and more, K-12
• http://www.thinkfinity.org/tsunami
• Tsunamis explained, 3-8
• http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-tsunami/ 
• Also, be sure to check out the "Let's Make Waves" activity to learn more about how waves work:  
• http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/gen_act/ocean/wave.html
• Interactive map of affected areas  
• http://www.nytimes.com/packages/flash/newsgraphics/2011/0311-japan-earthquake-map/index.html 

**NEW***
A teacher I work with shared this site from ABC Australia that is a shocking Before & After glimpse of Japan's devastation.

 

Want to help?  Donate to the Red Cross.

Happy Pi Day!

Hello all! Math geeks, rejoice, it is Pi Day.  Want to know more about this day based upon 3.14?  Check out piday.org to learn all about that famous, mysterious, infinite number that we all love so dearly.

PS. This post was posted at exactly 1:59 pm, according to my computer ;)

3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679821480865132823066470938446095505822317253594081284811174502841027019385211055596446229489549303819644288109756659334461284756482337867831652712019091456485669234603486104543266482133936072602491412737245870066063155881748815209209628292540917153643678925903600113305305488204665213841469519415116094330572703657595919530921861173819326117931051185480744623799627495673518857527248912279381830119491298336733624406566430860213949463952247371907021798609437027705392171762931767523846748184676694051320005681271452635608277857713427577896091736371787214684409012249534301465495853710507922796892589235420199561121290219608640344181598136297747713099605187072113499999983729780499510597317328160963185950244594553469083026425223082533446850352619311881710100031378387528865875332083814206171776691473035982534904287554687311595628638823537875937519577818577805321712268066130019278766111959092164201989380952572010654858632788659361533818279682303019520353018529689957736225994138912497217752834791315155748572424541506959508295331168617278558890750983817546374649393...