DIY Textbooks Online!

I have been thinking about "compiling" my own textbook for my classes so things are more user-friendly for both my students and myself. I found this website that I plan to do more looking into - some of you might find it interesting as well...

http://www.academicpub.com/

I haven't done a lot of research on it yet, but some comments say this site allows you to build a custom textbook using your own material and/or publisher content. It is free for faculty and the student can get the finished book in print or eBook format

Some other places that were mentioned along with this site were:

The Learning Mag (www.thelearningmag.com)
Gooru (www.goorulearning.org)
My Big Campus  www.mybigcampus.com
Iversity www.iversity.org

Not sure how many of the above links are free -- but what a great place to start compiling your own information to a textbook that is created for your class!

Beyond Edmodo - Great Discussion Platform that is User-friendly

Discussion platform for classroom use…free website that has been a “gateway” technology for some teachers...

http://www.collaborizeclassroom.com

Google Forms - including templates!

Google forms templates -- something to definitely check out - especially since it was a focus of one PD session…

https://sites.google.com/site/kernkelley/forms

For Writing Teachers

Writing prompt site that uses pictures - interesting spin on an old classic…

http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/post/32343377489/the-180-prompts-i-actually-use

Persuasive writing versus argumentative writing...a teaching approach

http://catlintucker.com/2012/10/common-core-standards-teaching-argument-writing/

Writing Tools - continued!

I just found out about this website - what a great editing tool to let students see at what level they are writing, and to encourage them to increase their levels!

I like the creative writing ideas provided on this site as well - check it out!

Questioning Toolkit

I am constantly struggling with getting my students to engage in class and ask good questions about what they are reading and discussing -- maybe implementing something like this district-wide (or smaller scale in my classroom) would encourage students to know how to ask questions...

A Questioning Toolkit

Each district should create a Questioning Toolkit which contains several dozen kinds of questions and questioning tools. This Questioning Toolkit should be printed in large type on posters which reside on classroom walls close by networked, information-rich computers.

Portions of the Questioning Toolkit should be introduced as early as Kindergarten so that students can bring powerful questioning technologies and techniques with them as they arrive in high school.

To Flip, or Not to Flip -- That is the Question...

I have an ongoing struggle within myself about whether or not I should try flipping my class again, and how that would look, and if it would be successful. This article includes some of the biggest hurdles in flipping the classroom - and also provides a lot of other links giving information about flipping -- I think that it will help me to make a more informed decision -- maybe it will be helpful to you too!

Backwards Design

Sometimes, lately, I have become overwhelmed by all of the "new" "cutting edge" ways of doing things, that I have lost sight of some of the "classics" that need to be at the base of what I do. I was really inspired by the idea of backwards design (UbD) when I last wrote curriculum -- however, I have not really used it since. This is a great interview, along with other links, that brings me back to what UbD is and how to apply it more usefully in my classroom!

Creative Writing

Looking for some suggestions for students to write creatively in your classroom? Here are some really cute suggestions from Pixar...really userfriendly!

http://adventuresinpd.edublogs.org/2013/11/27/make-a-powerful-point-pixars-22-rules-to-phenomenal-storytelling/

More Twitter gems!

Ok - I am totally addicted to reading Twitter -- but I am not sure how many of you follow it, or me, so I have been just adding some of my favorite articles here -- hopefully some of them are interesting, inspiring, or just what you need!

Those of you who are thinking about eliminating (or at least minimizing) homework - here is the 11-step plan.

My own personal passion here -- look at how the common core has destroyed the love and passion behind reading -- it is a rant, but one I think is worth reading!

I have been reading A LOT about Evernote on Twitter -- it is supposed to be a great way to get your classroom (and your life) organized. If you are like me, you could use some tips in that department! Check out Evernote and see if it is right for you - it seems pretty easy and painless!

Google Docs allows you to be in contact with your students 24/7! Ok, that might not be a great thing, but there are some features here that you maybe didn't know were possible with Google Docs - things like revision history and commenting features for going paperless - might be worth a view if you are still unsure how to use these features.

Looking for a "fail safe" homework collection policy for your class? This guy has apparently solved the problem - he details his system here -- pretty exciting stuff!

Please keep this article in mind as you are planning technology integration in your classrooms - Technology is a Tool, not a Learning Outcome! This article reminds us what the technology is really for, and what it shouldn't be for...

We have talked about EdModo before in Appy Hour - if you want a refresher about how to get started with it and use it, this is a great article.

Want to use projects, but don't want it to be "just another project"? This article talks about inquiry based projects and how to set them up so the students extend learning - not just create a pretty poster!


Hope something strikes a cord with you!

Happy Reading!

Welcome Back

It is good to be back at school and getting started learning with our new digital devices! Here are some great Twitter gems I have found about engagement and learning in the classroom that might be worth a read!

The first is about using digital exit cards:

Hit the Mark with Digital Media Exit Cards

This one was great for me - I am having a hard time learning how to properly participate in a Twitter chat - there is great advice and instructions here for:

Twitter Beginners

and 

People wanting to learn to participate in a Twitter chat

This next article talked about building classroom community and not losing a personal connection while still using the machines. Among the fascinating quotes from this one, "Understanding what the qualities of a strong community are -- beyond the technology -- is where all teachers should begin. The technology will come and eventually foster established relationships." - 

Please take the time to read this one - it is worth it!

Need a place to go to develop a rubric, or get ideas for one - Check out this article with links to three good ones! I have used Rubristar before - but the other ones look great too!

Goal setting is an important "beginning of school" activity that would help bring relevancy and connection to school - this article outlines a process that you might use to work on goal setting with your students (or athletes).

Hope these give you something to think about as the year begins - feel free to comment and add your own -- look forward to an Appy Hour soon -- we might try a Google Hangout format this year!

Text Complexity - What is it? All you probably ever need to know...

Common Core uses the term "text complexity" freely throughout. If you need a more clear definition about what that is - check this out!

Article about what is text complexity and how is it measured.

And here is a rubric that you can use to determine if your text is, in fact, complex.

Great resource on some suggestions for supporting students reading complex text in the classroom. (It is attached below - but is kind of hard to read without a magnifying glass!)

Project-Based Learning - what's the scoop?

If you have been wondering - like me - what the difference between projects and project-based-learning is - this checklist might be helpful. When thinking about a project, consider using a rubric like this to assess whether or not you are working harder than your students!

There is an article below the image that explains it more fully...definitely consider reading this!

Click here for the full article.

Google Information

Site about Google information - click here. This tells you about a lot of the features that will be available to us next year through our google accounts! Click on the links to learn about some of the things we will be able to do with google in our classrooms -- there is also information about some apps for education as well...

Google forms information - click here. Today Mrs. Maynard showed us how to use GoogleForms to create (and grade) formative assessments! However, in such a short time, she had to go pretty fast - if you need step by step instructions - go here. The instructions are here along with some videos about how to do what she did in Appy Hour today.

References from the Iowa 1:1 Conference - click here. Mrs. Maynard and I learned a lot of the things that we have been talking about at Appy Hour at the Iowa 1:1 Conference that we went to. If you want to see what sessions we went to and the resources for those sessions (especially if there is one on the schedule that appeals to your subject area) go ahead and click here - you can learn A TON from what has been posted here!

References from the Iowa 1:1 Conference: flexbooks - making your own textbooks - click here. There is a lot of push nation-wide for teachers to create textbooks - or at least collect the references they use in a common place - if you are thinking this is something you might be interested in trying - start here...

Google Form

http://tinyurl.com/cc57jyn

Next Appy Hour and topics...

Our next Appy Hour will be April 18th at 7:45 am.

A few of us went to the Iowa 1:1 conference in Des Moines on April 4th and have a few things we are looking forward to sharing with you all!

First on the list -- Google Forms -- I know that we discussed GoogleForms earlier this year, but there have been some exciting changes since we discussed it last - included creating tests/quizzes that can automatically graded!

Also, if we have time - would love to discuss the difference between Project Based Learning and Projects - see the graphic below and the article that goes with it -- attached here.

Feedly Follow-up

At our Appy Hour meeting we discussed Feedly as an option for the phased out GoogleReader. However, while it does connect directly to the GoogleReader and moves things over pretty seamlessly - there have been some questions about adding new feeds to it and organizing and such things. I ran across this article today giving instructions about how to use Feedly more effectively...I will go ahead and attach it here - hopefully it is helpful to you!

Have a great day!

Welcome to Appy Hour!

Thanks for those of you who joined today! For those of you who could not attend "Appy Hour," but are interested in what we discussed, here is a summary:

1. We discussed the website freerice.com. This website has a lot of practice capabilities at varying levels for students. I like to use the English vocabulary subject because there are 60 levels and it allows students to practice words at their level. It allows them several practice opportunities with the same word and provides them with the answer. The thing that is cool about this site is that, with every correct answer provided, 10 grains of rice are donated to the World Food Program - a worthy cause. There are a few other capabilities that are pretty neat as well. First - you can create a class and monitor what the class is doing as far as levels and grains of rice donated. Second - you can give students practice in many different subjects. There is art, science, math, SAT, foreign language, etc. So they have many opportunities to practice what they are learning and be charitable at the same time! Have I mentioned it is a bit addicting?!
2. We discussed the fact that GoogleReader is going away. For those of us that use it, that was a bit of a bummer. We looked at the site Feedly as a way to move the information from our GoogleReader to a new site that, according to Twitter, is pretty good. What was nice about this site is that it syncs with GoogleReader, so the conversion is as simple as logging in to your Google account. It doesn't get any easier than that!
3. We created this blog because we want to encourage a collaborative environment where teachers can share things they have found and things that they use in the classroom with others across the buildings and across the district. If you are reading this blog, and have a google account, you can comment on anything you see here. If you want to be an author, which I encourage you to do, please contact Heather Spetman with your email address and you will get an invitation to be an author - it is that simple! Please join us...the more the merrier!

Be watching the blog and your email for an invitation to the next "Appy Hour"!

Thanks Mrs. Spetman for hosting our first ever Appy Hour.  Informative and Fun.