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There are many new tools or web sites to use with great success in the classroom. Last month, Laura provided her ten favorites; here are 10 more to use easily in the classroom.
Floor Planner. (6-12)
This site allows the user to create 2-D or 3-D models of a variety of floor plans. This site is easy to learn and can be used in the classroom as a teaching tool or as a planning tool. Your floor plans can be shared interactively. Using point-and-click, drag-and-drop tools, you can make a floor plan in minutes, and rearrange it as often as you want. Then you can save, send, and print your designs to share them or place them on your own website.
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FreezeRay (6-12)
http://freezeray.com/index.html
This site offers a growing bank of imaginative, highly visual teaching-aids developed for use with interactive whiteboards in Schools. The resources are designed to be used as rich sources of visually stimulating material, making use of both animations and drag and drop interactivity. Categories include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Scientific Literacy, Technology VnR modeling as well as a Teacher Guide category.
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BigUniverse (K-8)
This site has curriculum and tools for learning, assessment, reading and writing development, using a vast library of online books. The site has a three-pronged approach: reading, creating and sharing online children's books.
Another Early Reader Treasure Trove
http://www.ncs-tech.org/?p=1308
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Estimate (K-12)
http://oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/Estimate/estimate.html
This site from the Oswego School District in NY state allows for estimation of numbers and fractions on a number with 7 different levels of difficulty. This site can be used with a Smart Board.
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TypeDrawing (K-12)
http://storyabout.net/typedrawing/typedrawing.php?requestedID=%20image
This drawing site allows students to draw pictures with words. The faster you draw the larger the letters are. Once finished you can watch a screenplay of your drawing, or email it to a friend. This unique drawing tool allows student to combine favorite words with drawings. This site can be used with a SmartBoard and/or a Tablet.
TypeDrawing at Writer Response Theory
http://writerresponsetheory.org/wordpress/2005/04/30/typedrawing
KineticCity (3-8)
This site has a great collection of science experiments, games, science based activities and challenges. This is very engaging and educational site. It is interactive in nature and has a space themed animated look and feel.
Consumer Guide to AfterSchool Science Resources
http://www.sedl.org/cgi-bin/mysql/afterschool/science.cgi?resource=11
Design Your Coat of Arms. (3-12)
http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/british_galleries/designa/coat_of_arms/coat_of_arms.swf
This site allows students to design their own coat of arms. This would be a great website to use with Social Studies or Language classes. The completed coat of arms can be printed out or e-mailed.
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PBSKids SmartBoard Games (K-6)
This site has a collection of educational interactive games for educators. Students will enjoy participating in these collaborative and engaging experiences, while exploring curriculum from trusted programs such as Curious George, Super Why and Arthur. These educational games can be used with a SmartBoard.Subject areas include Arts, Language Arts, Math and Social Studies.
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SecretBuilders (K-9)
SecretBuilders is a virtual world for children 5 to 14 years. Students will explore virtual lands, undertake quests, play games, maintain a home, nurture a pet, and interact with their friends. Three features which form the backdrop for SecretBuilders distinguish it from other online worlds: Children learn through immersing themselves in the stories, themes, and concepts from the best in literature, arts and humanities. Children can publish their works – writings, art, videos – making SecretBuilders their own personal store of creativity.
Secret Builders Information from iLearn Technology
http://ilearntechnology.com/?p=683
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GapMinder (6-12)
This very unique site allows viewers to see statistical data at a country wide level. See countries change in ways that challenge old myths The Trendalyzer software is used to view the beauty of statistical time series by converting boring numbers into enjoyable, animated and interactive graphics.. Country-wide data can be viewed via an interactive time line that can be stopped and started. Data can also be uploaded and created using a Google Gadget called Motion Chart. It allows anyone to create a Gapminder-like bubble graph that can be published on a web-page or blog. This is a great teaching tool to allow students to experience statistics in a new and engaging manner.
How to Use GapMinder as a Teaching Tool
http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movabletype/archives/2006/07/gapminder_how_t.html
Some Teaching Ideas from Digital Geography
http://www.digitalgeography.co.uk/archives/2007/01/gapminder-some-teaching-ideas
How to Videos on GapMinder
http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4GGIH_enUS267US268&q=GapMinders+how+to+use&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=3H70SsC6FpXWNf2R_OgF&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=10&ved=0CCMQqwQwCQ
Laura Turner is a Computer Technology Instructor at the College of Education at
Black Hills State University.
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