Sunday, December 26, 2010

Another great list of educational apps

I love this web site- a treasure chest for educators and media/tech folks. Love the apps list they are working on. Link above!

Skyfire browser for ipad

So I just bought the Skyfire app for my iPad so I can see if it makes using the iPad a little easier w Flash. It doesn't solve all of my flash issues w e iPad, but it does have some nice features. Check it out at the link above.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Overwhelmed while shopping for Apps? Help is on the way...

Try these sites to help in your quest for new apps--

Switch between iphone/ ipad, fee/paid, top rated.  Make a wish list to save interesting apps, etc.

 http://www.tuaw.com/ "The Unofficial Apple Weblog" 
 
http://www.appolicious.com/  App Community for folks looking for Mac help/advice/info/reviews.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Sites that Win in 2010- my top 5 from GaETC!

Here is my list of the top 5 sites I learned about at GaETC this year! Note- this list changes daily in my mind- but here is what I love today:

5.  http://www.tuaw.com/ "The Unofficial Apple Weblog" and/or  http://www.appolicious.com/  App Community for folks looking for Mac help/advice/info/reviews.

4. www.schmoop.com "Cliff's Notes" for a new generation.

3. http://www.tagxedo.com/ Turns text into amazing images.

2.  http://museumbox.e2bn.org/ Museum Box is a unique presentation program.

1. http://edu.glogster.com/ Interactive Posters for student or teacher presentations.

Friday, November 5, 2010

From Animoto to Zamzar - freebies!

For classroom projects-

Animoto -Education account you get unlimited all access pass w approximate 100 logins. Create  generic student email accts to get logins.

Www.blabberize.com - record a sound and voice moves with audio. Www.blabberize.com
Can use cell phone to upload recording. Accounts are free but you cannot download projects.

Www.classtools.net. Great for activboards. Random name picker.
Language arts- essay graphic organizer. Cheeseburger graphic organizer. Diagram for science

Www.kerpoof.com. Allows students to make animated video and also has teacher account- make student accounts.

Www.edu.glogster.com Glog is an interactive poster.see "brown tree snake".
Can embed youbtube videos also.before nov 7 you can get 100 free student accounts.


Http://myths.e2bn.org/create/tool527-new--story-creator-2--beta.HTML. New stories myths and legends

Www.schmoop.com. Cliffs notes for new generation online.

Http://museum box.e2bn.org/ virtual box for presentations. Alternative to book report or power point.

Http://bighugelabs.com make movie posters, magazine covers, badges, billboards, etc. Awesome

Http://wiffiti.com make a screen and people can text answers to your screen using cell phones.
Click "make a screen, g messages".

Super hero factory. Http://cpbintegrated.com/theherofactory/
Makes little comic book kids can download. Even for just making cover for comic book.

Tut pup. Online games online /- compete w other kids for math and spelling across the world.
Www.tutpup.com. Australian site so kids need to understand aussie accent.

Www.readwritethink.org

Www.aviary.com photo editing, logos, webbtemplates

Twiducate. Like Twitter for educators. Like a blog. Students have own twiducate accounts.

Delicious. Everyone needs a social bookmark organizer. Www.delicious.com. Pamelapj to follow the presenter of this session

Www.polleverywhere.com. 30 responses free

Www.showmewhatswrong.com to troubleshoot other people's computers remotely. Send email to person needing help, they click link and click run, then click around on computer and screen recording is made. Audio is also recorded if microphone is attached.

Zamzar.com converts movies to other file extensions. Link will be emailed with new file.

Open source software
Www.gimp.org like free Photoshop
Http://scratch.mit.edu/
Http://audacity.source forge.net/
Http://winff.org/HTML. Will convert movies for use in windows movie maker or for blackberrybor cell phone


Great blogs to follow
Http://www.freetech4teachers.com Richard Byrne from Maine. Will also send email with updates daily.
Http://tammyworcester.com
Www.kidsnetsoft.com
Http://school.discovery education.com/schrockguide/

Digital Storytelling Across the curriculum. Jeremy Jackson

Personal narratives
Historical events
Inform or Instruct



Animation with tech4learning -can buy on tech4learning site

Thursday, November 4, 2010

What's New with GPB Digital Education and Discovery Education


Jennifer Dorman, Discovery Education 
Thursday 3:00 - 4:00 
Join us for an exploration of the latest updates to GPB Digital Education and Discovery Education. We'll take you behind the scenes as we show off the latest content, features, and resources to engage your 21st century learner.  
STRAND: Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment AUDIENCE: General Interest TYPE: Concurrent 

www.links.discoveryeducation.com/GaETC2011 for handouts
 Patrice Weaver- pweaver@gpb.org, 404-685-2563

Raising Readers- On GPB Site http://pbskids.org/island/
Mission US- Interactive Game http://www.mission-us.org/
ITUnes U- Type in Ga Public Broadcasting--Podcasts of prominent Ga Biographies- Free
GPB Also streams high school sporting events online
Education News-- Part of GPB now (gpb.org/education)
Will also come to school to do FTF streaming education classes-- Small groups during prep/planning periods
GPB on Facebook

Create a GPB account w/ passcode (See Sandi for Passcode) - bookmark your resources.  Shuffle the User if you move to a new building (5th Avenue).

GPB For Students- own account- teacher can assign content-- go to Teacher Center- upper left corner- Children's Online privacy protection act- module explains student access.  Upload students/ import multiple student accounts.  Sandi can send home parent letter- (also Spanish version).  Students will get assignments/ status of assignments/ writing prompts/ resources, etc.-- all assigned by teachers.

Downloading--
Set Stream Type to Flash
Download Type- Quick Time high, but download in Flash for activboard
Citations--
Related Materials-- Teacher Guides, Quizzes, etc.
"More to Explore"- things you may want to see that relate.  (3-10 things)

















Plugging In: Leveraging Technology for Student Engagement

Shelley Paul, Woodward Academy / AATE 
German 3-4 Thursday 1:45 - 2:45 Capacity: 88 
Engaged students demonstrate deeper understanding, better retention of content, and more successful transference of their learning to new contexts. Reviewing key engagement concepts from Phillip Schlechty's "Working on the Work," and touching on Dan Pink's "Drive," the presenter will share innovative examples and simple ways teachers can leverage technology to increase student engagement. Twitter summary of this presentation: "To engage students, let them create content that matters and contributes. Use digital tools to connect them constructively to the world."

Work that has wings- Marco Torres and Students http://21k12blog.net/2009/02/27/marco-antonio-torres-and-digital-publishing-of-student-work-outstanding-21st-c-education/

Developing Expert- Darren Kuropatwa http://expertvoices.blogspot.com/
Animoto - Spanish-- Ms. DeSantis' Blog http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/bsdbsd/2008/11/23/who-knew-animoto-spoke-spanish/
Contest- Be a Famous Writer http://teachingwithcontests.com/?p=2049http://teachingwithcontests.com/?p=2049
Our City- Podcast- Tony Vincent http://learninginhand.com/OurCity/
Google News- Search vocabulary words to see where it was used today http://news.google.com/
 







Photoshop - Fun with Text

Step by step handouts provided for editing text into interesting effects.
Monica Pierson - Calhoun City Schools
See also: http://www.photoshopcafe.com/tut_text.htm

Great i touch / i pad apps -- Leslie Fisher

 www.lesliefisher.com

Misc Tips—
Hold home button/ tap power to take screen shot- will be kept in photo library
Tap on “from”- scroll wheel will come up for all email addresses on your phone
Jewelers Loop- Bring up URL and tap and hold

Fun 4.0 things:
Re-size photos and emails now
Can put folder into dock- drag to dock
Game Center-  geek@lesliefisher.com -  online games
ipads-  Golden Master-  Just released  IOS4 for ipad soon
Lists in time order when apps have been released.  Can search for ipad or iphone,  education search, etc.  Supports RSS feed—Will get digest of items released that day.
www.Appolicious.com  App Community

Cool/Productive iphone/ touch apps
  • Built in Calendar- bad except on ipad
  • SaiSuke!  Plug in to Google calendar- make calendar private, then login to google calendar
  • Evernote- Note syncing – notes sync to  evernote.com
  • Ipad - SoundPaper—has record button at top of note paper
  • Tap in your notes, it will play back the audio portion where you tap
  • Twitter-

USTREAM-- viewer, recorder, broadcaster-- all free-- need account to post and stream.
Whistle Phone- Brings calls to your ipod
Line 2- gives your phone a second number-- can set up a phone tree -- even an 800 number.  9.99 per month if you want to keep using it.
Loopt- can ping someone and find their location http://www.loopt.com/
Foursquare- http://foursquare.com/
Gowalla http://gowalla.com/
Around Me- Mapping Applications--
Geocaching- Find Caches, etc.
i-Finder  -  helps people who get lost.  Breadcrumb trail to where you are so you can get back.
http://www.gpsnuts.com/Lowrance/iFinder.htm
Motionx GPS Drive -- 2.99

Just for Fun Apps
Shazam - free-- identifies any song that plays
Sportacular Pro - Up to minute scoring, fantasy football help, game reminders
Slapdown-  One app per week
Yelp-- Food/Food Service Reviews.  Tap nearby and it will show you restaurants and ratings nearby
Fast Food Premium- 
Viper Smart Start- For your car-- will lock / unlock and pop trunk/ start car
Deposit Mobile- for depositing checks
Red Laser- Scan barcodes and get pricing and comparison
Babelshot- Take a photo- item will be translated and it will also be read aloud
Jibbigo English Spanish- Speech Translator
Run Pee Mobile- Tells you which point in the movie is safe to run.  Even gives you text of dialogue you miss while gone
Ipad apps (games for fun) http://lesliefisher.com/index.php/blog/my-favorite-ipad-games

2screens presentation app
People Magazine App
USA Today
Time Magazine

Webers on the grill- recipes w/ video, cooking calculations/ timers, etc.
POI Viewer- Point OF Interest -- worldwide map.  Upload and view
Education Apps by
OCARINA- iphone is a pan flute
AUDIO BOO-
Baloonimals
ABC Animals
Writing Apps-- storykit for ipad-- make a story book, iwritewords

Iridium Flares
iMagnify
Mathboard K-6
Convert- Unit COnverter
Milly and Molly Q Books-- Variety of Languages- can read along
Flashcards Deluxe

iReward

































Leslie Fisher - Great Sites Gadgets and Tech Products For Everyone! 2010

Jonathan Coulton- technology singer- http://www.jonathancoulton.com/
Leslie Fisher- www.lesliefisher.com


Cool Web 2.0 Sites- 

  • www.eventbrite.com  Great way to sign up for an event online.  Can process credit cards and accept donations.  Manage Recurring Events.  Prints Name Badges and Administration.  Free for free events.  Also manages waiting lists, etc.
  • Google Voice- Sets up universal phone number-- Attach your number to it.  Delegate numbers you call to ring to multiple phones or go straight to voicemail.  Voicemail to do text transcription as well as SMS and email.  Integrated w/ GMAIL now!
  • www.tripit.com Send your travel iteneraries to plans@tripit.com from your signed up email account.  It will create an itinerary for you!  Share w/ friends or print itinerary.  
  • www.jott.com will send text to your "to do" web page-- $3.00 for 10 minutes 
  • www.evernote.com - grab notes w/ camera from cell phone, etc. and upload
  • www.ustream.tv  set up free account- broadcast video.  Great for absent students - they can watch your lessons.
  • www.mozy.com 2 free gigs online backup
  • Cisco Media Hub
  • Apple Time Capsule- paired with Time MAchine for hourly backups
  • Orbicle Undercover- http://www.orbicleundercover.com/undercover/ -- $49 -  will take pictures of person who has your Mac laptop if it is stolen.  Will turn volume up to MAX and yell "STOLEN"!
  • www.clipart.com  12.95 per month
  • Art Explosion- www.novadevelopment.com $199.00



Utilities- 
Digital Camera Fun-


Sound and Video and TV-

  • Cable drop- but no TV assigned to it--  use a USB Television Card http://www.pinnaclesys.com  Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick
  • EyeTV Hybrid-  
  • Sling Media- Now works with HD, Wireless, Most any configuration-- iphone app to watch shows via wifi on phone or Touch  $199-299
  • Netflix Streaming- Now on Roku box, PS3, Wii
  • HULU- www.hulu.com Commercial sponsored streaming of TV, Cable, Networks
  • Boxee-  like Face Book for media-- share media w/ friend list
  • Universal Remote-- $250 Logitech Harmony One or $499 for Harmony 1110 (touch screen)

Going Portable- Music-

  • 7 hour battery
  • several textbook publishers have announced they are going to the ipad
  • proloquo 2 go  - great for special ed app
  • star walk
  • istudiez pro
  • NewsRack-- 3000 RSS feeds
  • Instapaper
  • GoodReader
  • www.getaheadcase.com
  • ipad wireless microscope- www.bodelin.com  430.00
  • Document Cameras- IPEVO Point 2 View USB (1.5 pounds)  $70.00- great portable solution
  • Lumens Ladybug- $300.00 smaller red flexcam


Out there Geekyness-

  • Gowalla- allows users to create new locations 
  • www.solio.com-  solar powered charger
  • www.kensington.com- power charger
  • www.mophie.com/products/juice-pack
  • Just how old school are you? http://ion-audio.com  $134.00 makes MP3s out of old LPs or Cassettes
  • http://www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com
  • http://livescribe.com- pen w/ video camera/ audio recorder
  • www.keyspan.com-  great wireless remote./mouse
  • Think Geek.com-- great geeky T Shirts, etc...
  • www.sfbags.com  great computer bags
  • www.thinktankphoto.com


Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Patrick Crispen's Most Useful/Not So Useful Sites of 2010

 Speedtest.net

Duarte Blog

Tired of PowerPoint? Check out Prezi. This Flash-based online visualization, storytelling, and zooming presentation editor lets you quickly and easily create dynamic presentations. Prezi offers a free “Edu Enjoy” account to educators that lets you make your presentations private and removes the Prezi watermark from those presentations.
Prezi

The easiest and fastest way to share files between computers as well as to backup your files online, Dropbox is a free program that creates a new “dropbox” folder on your computer. Anything that you put in that folder is automatically backed up to dropbox.com and to the dropbox folder on any other computer on which you have installed the program. Dropbox runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and iPhone and the free, basic account gives you 2 GB of space.

DropBox




Xtra Normal

DropBox

Wolfram Alpha

Chan!

Know Your Meme

Krebs on Security
 Wired Magazine’s Feburary 2010 profile of Cheezburger Network at http://tinyurl.com/cbwired/

Created by the folks at Getty Images, Moodstream is a free site that combines images, video footage, and short snippets of audio clips to create a screensaver-type environment within your web browser. You can customize the experience by mood or click on the presets wheel.
Finding how-to videos on YouTube is often a hit-or-miss proposition. That’s where Howcast comes in. The site has over 100,000 semi-professional, high quality how-to videos on topics ranging from ‘how to connect your laptop to your television’ to ‘how to drive a stick shift.’ Warning: Some topics may not be safe for work. www.howcast.com

Cheezburger Network

TED

Cooking for Engineers

Moodstream

Howcast

GameTrailers- great for parents who are buying video games for their kids...

Hate the touch-tone labyrinth most 800 telephone numbers make you go through before you can speak to a real, live human being? This constantly updated website tells you which buttons to push and even what your estimated hold time will be.
GetHuman


By Dr. Patrick Crispen
This work is licensed by Patrick Crispen [webmaster@netsquirrel.com] to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution- ! NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 license. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://prezi.com/

Patrick Crispen- What's New and What's Next in Technology

The Cloud:
What is it?
Web 1.0- the old web pages that just gave information
Web 2.0- Interactive


How we interact w/ computers in classroom and at home- will change forever.  No need for keyboard, mouse, etc.


Technology that just might change your life!

  • Google TV
  • Apple TV
  • Drop Box- even works with ipad- FREE-  great for file back-up
  • Gaggle.net-- Create classroom sets of e-mail addresses
  • MS Office 365
  • Blackboard Course Sites
  • drop.io (like drop box- going out of business this month- move your files now if you use this site)
  • Kaltura-- Open Source
  • Project ROME

Fostering Creativity- Dr. Howie


Digital-Age Teaching & Learni9ng:
Creativity - Innovation-Problem Solving-Critical Thinking
Creative Thinking Skills for Life and Education
What is critical thinking? Why teach it? How can we teach it effectively? Thinking Skills and Problem solving in Education. How Can we teach creativity?
Teaching Creativity

Mindmaps Smarter.      http://www.thoughtrod.com/   

 Innovation Ideas
Facing The Blank Page
How often have you been slain with this situation: You sit down to craft killer copy for a client. Or need to pull from your mind some insight that really communicates your heart and mind at the moment…  And if you were driving, speaking into your iPhone recorder... or to a business partner or client, it might just flow.
Or might not.

Ninja Idea Machine...     ThoughtOffice v1.5.2

Solve Problems. Brainstorm. Speed Solutions. Get Smart. Up to 13,922 Questions 9,523,680 References
SPECIAL: Includes Evaluator + Solutions Modules, a $161 value, FREE!

The CEO's Secret Weapon         ThoughtOffice CEO

Includes: 16 Topic Modules 13,922 PhD+MBA Questions 9,523,680 References SPECIAL: Free RichContent PR Broadcast ($499 Value). 12-Month Free Upgrades

---------------------------

Creative Commons              http://creativecommons.org/

Creative Commons License Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
---------------------------------------------
One of the articles I included in this collection, “Sowing the Seeds of Creativity” by Mitchel Resnick, describes two tools that foster creative thinking in students. Resnick provides ideas for how to guide students and examples of the ways students have used the tools. (Read the article here at one of the two links below:
And students will need the ability to think creatively and critically in our fast-paced society. Whether you believe the purpose of education is to create citizens or workers, we could all agree that economic and societal realities require more than rote recall of dates, places, and names.
==================================================

40 Stunning and Creative Web Sites | Inspiration | PelFusion ...

So for your inspiration i have arranged really amazing and creative web sites. ... Tags: creative, Inspiration, sites, web 2.0, web site ...  http://pelfusion.com/inspiration/40-stunning-and-creative-web-sites/

>> Your Assignment: Try the assigned Whiteboard and be ready to report how you could use it.

 1.  TEST me Scriblink - Your Online Whiteboard  

(Quick fast way to get started-No sign up required)

Free online whiteboard that allows users to collaborate in real-time. No registration required. Built-in chat, image uploading, file sharing and more.
www.scriblink.com/ - Cached - Similar
Can you use MATH FUNCTIONS?  DRAW Functions ?

2. TEST me  skrbl: easy to share online whiteboard (Quick fast way to get started-No sign up required)

Simple and easy online multi user whiteboard, start skrbl, give out your URL & start working together. Sketch, text, share files, upload pictures all in one ...
www.skrbl.com/ - Cached - Similar -
Can you use MATH FUNCTIONS?  DRAW Functions ?

3. TEST me.  Online collaborative GE Whiteboard - Imagination At Work- FREE  - One of the coolest things I've seen recently. Not only does it allow you to write freely within your browser but you can have others join in and write ...      

4. TEST me  Whiteboard       http://writeboard.com/
 With this free web app, students can collaborate on documents from anywhere and view changes in a snap. Whiteboard allows users write, collaborate, and compare in real time without fear of losing information. A place to create shareable, web-based text documents. Write solo or collaborate with others.
Can you use MATH FUNCTIONS?  DRAW Functions ?
5.  TEST me  Dabbleboard Make whiteboard drawings and graphic organizers in an online space you can share with others. Since more than one computer can work on the whiteboard at a time, students in multiple locations can add to the board at the same time.
6.  TEST Me -   CoSketch    http://cosketch.com/
is another whiteboard that you can collaborate to visualize your ideas and share them as images. The good thing is that, you don’t have to register or install anything. It works in all browsers, it’s real time and you can get an embed code for your drawing after you finish.
--------------------------------------------
What is critical thinking? Why teach it?  How can we teach it effectively? Thinking Skills and Problem Solving in Education.  How Can we teach creativity?
Critical Thinking    Attributes of Critical Thinkers    The Logic of Critical Thinking
The Ethics of Critical Thinking

Problem-Solving Skills    Combining Creative and Critical    Multiple Intelligences / Styles
Methods in Design & Science
--------------------------------------------------------

Winston Detective Agency - Addition Game

TEST ME !!!   Practice your math facts to interview the suspects and solve the crime!   http://www.fun4thebrain.com/addition/adddetective.html

 FunBrain.com - The Internet's #1 Education Site for K-8 Kids and ...

FunBrain is the #1 site for online educational games for kids of all ages. (math, grammar, science, spelling, history)

Fun 4 The Brain - educational games for addition, subtraction ...     http://www.fun4thebrain.com/

  • Home                        Addition            Subtraction                        Multiplication                        Division
  • Science                        English                        Just for Fun                        Links                                    Contact Us
--------------------------------------------
10 Creative  Projects for Multimedia Projects
  Edheads brings you high quality, free educational activities for your classroom
Edheads helps students learn through educational games and activities designed to meet state and national standards. We partner with various school systems in the United States, which help us research, design and test our activities every step of the way!

Not only do teachers and students appreciate our free activities, Edheads has been recognized by almost every major award on the Web for our excellent educational content!    So dive into an activity to let the fun and learning begin!
--------------------------------------------


 Kerpoof   How to I use this in my content area??
Kerpoof is a site that provides a variety of creative tools for animation, drawing, and movie creation. Users can choose from a range of preset characters and environmental options, or they can create their own. The site offers drag-and-drop simplicity coupled with advanced animation and editing capabilities that, according to Lovely, open the platform up to a range of curricular applications.

For Teachers - Kerpoof Scholastics™     EDUCATOR VERSION

Teacher Accounts - Kerpoof offers educators the ability to register students and arrange them into classes. Students may chat with each other, ...
kerpoof.com/teach -
>>>>  Integration ideas for Kerpoof and lesson plans

Kerpoof-based Lesson Plans (in the following areas)

Learning to Use Kerpoof

These introductory lessons can be adapted to teach any class or audience how to use Kerpoof.
  • Introduction to Kerpoof's Make a Drawing (PDF)                         Introduction to Kerpoof's Make a Picture (PDF)
  • Introduction to Kerpoof's Make a Story (PDF)

Master Artist Series

Math and Science

Language Arts

Social Studies

-----------------------------------------------------
New Ideas To Check Out !!!!
Creativity and Innovation - Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students: 
Voki -  Voki is a free service that allows you to create personalized speaking avatars and use them on your blog, profile, and in email messages. ...  http://www.voki.com/
FanFiction  Creative Writing   http://www.fanfiction.net/     
HippoCampus    http://www.hippocampus.org     HippoCampus   Calculus (Spanish)

Johnnie’s Math Page Johnnie's Math Page - Fun Math for Kids and their Teachers

Math for kids and their teachers. Interactive math lessons, activities, math games, and free math worksheets for kindergarten through middle school ...    http://jmathpage.com
Shidonni  A virtual world for young children. They can create imaginary worlds and animals, play games and interact with each other.
 Go!Animate  Takes story telling using online cartoon strip makers a little bit further by allowing students to spark life into characters and create short animations. A super tool to foster creativity and engage students.

 

-------------------------------------



Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
Design , build and test.

Name Three Things That...


Critical Thinking Worksheets
Brain Teasers- A great way to stimulate thinking. They come complete with answer keys.
Compare and Contrast- Students examine differences and similarities in a variety situations.
Dictionary Practice Worksheets - Practice your dictionary skills.
Fact And Opinion- Students determine the validity of a body of work.
File Folder Games, Matching- This set of file folder games is geared for grades pre-K through 2.
How Many Are There?- Fun activities for examining patterns.
Internet Search Worksheets- Fun Internet searches for students.
Logic Puzzle- Each scenario is thought provoking. Lots of brain power needed here.
Making Predictions- A good warm-up for inferences.
Mazes- Your run-of-the-mill start and finish mazes.
Name Things That...- Good creative thinking exercises.
Secret Code- Students answer riddles through secret codes.
Study Skills Worksheets - Great for test preparation.
Sorting and Classifying - Great for meeting national standards.
What Do You Remember?- A visual memory activity.
Scratch  -  Download the software -  http://scratch.mit.edu/download

Creative Thinking-Critical Thinking - Problem Solving
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

MORE.....CRITICAL THINKING TO EXPLORE:
Games
  1. Peg Game (MathFactCafe.com)
Provides a peg board and the goal is to jump pegs until only one is left. 8-01
Lesson Plans
  1. Critical Thinking Strategies (Foundation for Critical Thinking)
Contains a description of 35 dimensions of critical thinking. 3-00
  1. Problem Solving (Awesome Library)
Problem Solving lesson plans are in "Multidisciplinary" in the "Lessons and Curricula" of the Awesome Library.
  1. Problem Solving Lessons (PBS TeacherSource)
Provides seven lessons, by topic. 3-01
  1. Questioning - Tools for Questioning (From Now On)
The Questioning Toolkit provides different kinds of questions, along with tools to answer those questions. It includes Essential Questions, Subsidiary Questions, Hypothetical Questions, Telling Questions, Planning Questions, Organizing Questions, Probing Questions, Sorting and Sifting Questions, Clarification Questions, Strategic Questions, Elaborating Questions, Unanswerable Questions, Inventive Questions, Provocative Questions, Irrelevant Questions, Divergent Questions, and Irreverent Questions. 5-01

  1. Self Development (Kent State University)
Provides lessons for students for different types of self development. 7-00

  1. Self-Esteem and Problem Solving (Kent State)
Provides lessons on self-esteem and problem solving. An Anglo-American perspective. 9-99

  1. Tactics that Encourage Active Learning (Foundation for Critical Thinking)
Provides 11 tactics to encourage active learning. 3-00

  1. Thinking Critically About Video Games That Play at War (Media Education Foundation)
"Many video games are based on the theme of war, a theme that has been a part of the video game industry from the beginning—and a part of traditional games for much longer. However, in a post-9/11 world and in a time when the United States is still engaged in the ‘War on Terrorism,’ it is important to think critically about the messages sent by these games and to ask questions about their cultural meanings and significance. In this activity, students will:

-think critically about the imagery and narratives of video games based on war,

-consider that video games can be used as a propaganda tool,

-become familiar with the debate about violent video games, and  -become aware of the connections between militarism and video games."

----------------------------------
Book Exercises:  "BRAIN STORMING" 
(sample from the book)
by Marty Fligor Published by Creative Publishing Mansfield Center, CT

Practice  1:            .Where in the world would you find a leaf or leaves?

Practice  2:            Name things made of wood.

Practice  3:            Name things that have holes in them.

Practice  4:            Give uses for velcro

Practice  5:            List uses for a balloon

Practice  6:            Give uses for a piece of toast

Practice  7:            Give uses for a windshield wiper

Practice  8:            Give ways to put out dragon's fire

Practice  9:            I promise I will ...........

Practice  10:            What would happen if there were no commercials

Practice  11:            In 1 minute name countries

Practice  12:            Compare and Complex - Name a manufactured item for each letter of the alphabet.  (example a-abacus                                     b-block c- car etc

Practice  13:            Your ship is sinking.  What will you do? ( really think outside to box on this one or throw the box away)
--------------------------------------------------
Wordle Turns any given text into a word cloud then picks out the most common words and give them prominence by increasing their size.  Behind this simple concept lies many possibilities for use in the classroom.  http://www.wordle.net/
Wordle LINK
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/tag_clouds_of_obamas_inaugural_speech_compared_to_bushs.php 
Wordle Turns any given text into a word cloud then picks out the most common words and give them prominence by increasing their size.  Behind this simple concept lies many possibilities for use in the classroom.  http://www.wordle.net/
Using Wordle for technology integration in education.

More Wordle in the Classroom Ideas

Yesterday, I wrote a post about Summer Vacation Wordles and a wiki called Guess the Wordle. Today, Clif Mims posted a Google Docs presentation created by Tom Barrett called Thirty-Eight Interesting Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom. The presentation is embedded below. Take a look through the presentation and you're bound to find an idea that you can use or adapt for your use. Make sure you also visit Tom's blog as he has created a number of presentations about technology integration in the same style as the one below. RSS readers may need to click through to view the presentation.
Top 20 Uses of Wordle:

Wordle Wordle is a free 'word art' tool that crunches any chunk of text in the production of a visual representation of the content. The resulting graphic emphasizes the most common words by amplifying their size based on frequency. Originally designed to give pleasure, Wordle is being used in interesting ways to provide compelling summaries of political speeches, blog posts,  twitter feeds, news articles and more, but there are additional educational uses worth considering.
A few ideas:

1] Convert a sonnet or Shakespearean play; or children's book (Dr. Seuss anyone?);

2] Paste the contents of an online discussion to coalesce the main ideas;

3] Combine student 'Who Are You?' introductions, or 'Superhero
Traits
' to develop a class composite;

4] Condense survey data by dumping content of questionnaire responses into the Wordle engine;

5] Combine news articles or RSS feeds on a given topic;

6] Turn an essay into a poster;

7] Combine blog posts over time into a simplified represetation or use it to compare the ideas of competing ideas;

8] Use font, colour and arrangement strategies to appropriately represent content;

9] Automate the creation of word poetry;

10] As an introduction to a unit or course, combine key words; themes; curriculum expectations to provide learners with a visual overview of content;

11] Convert nutritional content of one's weekly diet or of a group's menu preferences;

12] Condense a Wikipedia article into it's essence;

13] Paste the results of a Google search (Can you guess the keywords I used?);

14] Convert social bookmark tags;

15] Enter keywords from weekly weather reports to obtain a seasonal picture;

16] Distill song lyrics like "Stairway to Heaven";

17] Find out what you've been up to by summarizing To-Do lists;

18] Represent the results of a brainstorming session or the minutes of a meeting visually;

19] Show "Today in History" stories in a new way;

20] Convert past or current email messages into a composite of your correspondence;

I had my MBA students use Wordle as an ice breaker last week for the first day of class. They had had me for another class eight months previously. My question to them, was "What have you been doing since then?" Each student had to do a one minute presentation using Wordle as a visual aid with key words. They enjoyed and so did I!
>>>>Convert a sonnet or Shakespearean play; or children's book (Dr. Seuss anyone?);



>>>  ASSIGNMENT WORDLE SAMPLE TEXT TO TRY: (COPY the text below)
COPY STARTS BELOW:
What Ever Happened To The AV Club? by Dr. Howie DiBlasi

When I was in high school in the 60s, I was a proud member of the Audio Visual Club. This was before geeks and nerds — we were the pre- geeks and nerds. We would have a contest to see who could load the 16-mm film projector the fastest and our second contest was to see who splice a tape for the reel-to-reel tape recorders the fastest. I held the school record for replacing an overhead bulb in the projector.
None of our group ever imagined a CD, DVD, clickers, smart boards, Second Life, podcasting, video conferencing, the Internet and several other technologies that our schools use every day.

The common thread in comparing old and new technology is a vision for creating positive change.

Several new technologies are changing the shape of classrooms:
• Smart Boards – (a large – 4ft by 8 feet- white board that projects images on the board- teacher or students touch the screen/whiteboard and it is interactive. Used to display computer and or video images. The board is similar to a touch screen and you can cut/copy/paste/move images or type on it.

• LCD Projectors – (short description of what each is here) (a projection devise that you can connect a video camera, TV output or computer and project the image on a large screen up to 10 feet by 10 feet)

• Clickers – (Students can use the handheld device and click on a small keyboard to answers questions in the classroom. Allows the instructor to receive instant feedback and display the results on a computer)

• IVC – (Interactive Video Conference –camera and TV allows connections around the world. Can bring experts, museums, zoos and other content providers into the student’s classroom using IP video connection on the Internet)

• Document cameras – (a stationary camera mounted on a stand an pointed down to the stand, - that allows the instructor to display document, specimens, samples and any small object to display on a large screen. A zoom lens on the camera can maginify the object from 10 – 1000 percent.)

• Podcast Recorders –Podcasts are recorded by students about educational projects in the classroom. IE. book reports, digital stories, debates, class discussion, performances etc. (the old cassette recorder for the 21st Century Classroom. A small electronic recorder that fits in the palm of your hand. Can record up to 3 hours of content on a small media card. Card is removed and inserted into a computer and recordings are then edited to be placed on the Internet for educational listening

• Virtual Reality – (VR is a technology which allows a user to interact with a computer-simulated environment. It can be real or imagined one. Most of the current virtual reality environments are primarily a visual experience that displays on a computer screen or through special or stereo vision goggles)

Districts that make new technology work invested in staff development and train teachers with new tools such as blogs, wikis, podcasts and visual literacy.
They provide access to new equipment including clickers, smart boards and 1-1 computers for every student and also invest in technicians and a chief information officer to keep systems operating correctly.

Digital natives — young people who have spent their entire lives in the digital world — need new tools to expand their reach into the world to acquire and remember information. School districts should not be afraid of new technology that challenges old paradigms.

In most of our schools today, students have very little input in the structure and substance of their education. Teachers still do the proverbial classroom lecture every day. Research is beginning to tell us that kids are bored, especially when outside of school they are using YouTube and media-saturated, tech-driven products and applications.

I wonder what would happen if we were to seek input from our students?
We might learn that they prefer questions rather than answers. Maybe they would share their opinions, group projects, devise project for the classroom, communicate on real-world issues, and tell us how they can own their own learning.
Talk to your students — they have great ideas on how to integrate technology into the classroom — lead by listening.
Ask students: What experiences in school really engaged you?
How do you use technology in school as opposed to outside of school?
What would you do to make school more fun?
>>>>  (COPY STOPS HERE)

Wordle LINK   Presidents Speech:
 
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/tag_clouds_of_obamas_inaugural_speech_compared_to_bushs.php 
 
Here's the link to the teachertube voicethread teacher tutorial: http://www.teachertube.com/videoList.php?pg=uservideolist&user_id=158464
---------------------------------------

iNnOVATION - Why is it important ??
What is Innovation? – Innovation may be defined as exploiting new ideas leading to the creation of a new product, process or service. It is not just the invention of a new idea that is important, but it is actually “bringing it to market”, putting into practice and exploiting it in a manner that leads to new products, services or systems that add value or improve quality. It possibly involves technological transformation and management restructuring. Innovation also means exploiting new technology and employing out-of-the-box thinking to generate new value and to bring about significant changes in society.
Why Innovation is important?
Studies have confirmed that all businesses want to be more innovative. One survey identified that almost 90 per cent of businesses believe that innovation is a priority for them. The conclusion is that the importance of innovation is increasing, and increasing significantly. In the current day economic scenario, innovativeness has become a major factor in influencing strategic planning. It has been acknowledged that innovation leads to wealth creation. Even though efficiency is essential for business success, in the long run, it cannot sustain business growth.

Most often planned and measured combination of ideas, objects and people leads to innovation resulting in new business ideas and technological revolutions. In order to be termed valuable innovations, new products and services need to be strong enough to progress through rigorous commercialization processes and into the marketplace.
Management expert Peter Drucker said that if an established organization, which in this age necessitating innovation, is not able to innovate, it faces decline and extinction. Many organizations are adopting measures to strengthen their ability to innovate. Such companies are creating a dependable operating system for innovation, an important indicator of corporate sustainability.
Video on Innovation
>>>>   Watch this video first....

Xerox Historical Innovation Science Video: Joe Wilson

 >>> Then watch this video

BMW (South Africa). Defining innovation.

Video to watch when you have time
IBM  Innovation Man:

Russell Simmons on Innovation and Business

Guy Kawasaki Explains the Art of Innovation in 10 Steps


Jeff Bezos: After the gold rush, there's innovation ahead

Creating a Culture of Innovation

 Innovation at Google

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GtgSkmDnbQ

The Myths of Innovation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6gaj6huCp0

Kick Out the Ladder

http://www.youtube.com/honda#play/user/DC298A59DB8D11EF/7/wIjBHHAHwBE

Innovation in Education

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR6sjs-hLIA

Wiimote Whiteboards & iPod touches in Special Education - Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zn0kmE8tX8

Nokia: Go Play - 4th Screen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpeNk3E36YU&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fshots%2Esnap%2Ecom%2Fshot%2F%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww%2Eyoutube%2Ecom%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DXpeNk3E36YU%2526feature%253DPlayList%2526p%253D3641659F0E8970&feature=player_embedded#t=52


Web sites - Extra - Time to EXPLORE-COMPARE-SHARE

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills - ADS ????????

http://www.flashphysicsgames.com/

Try a game ON THE WEB PAGE


Creativity/Problem Solving/Critical Thinking
Lesson Plans and Resources
Web Site here:

educational resources and lesson plans, find thousands of lesson ...

Edmund Sass, Ed.D. Professor of Education · College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University. You can reach me at esass@csbsju.edu ...
www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/edres.htm

The sites listed below provide lesson plans and resources for promoting problem solving, creativity, and critical thinking. Click on a topic from the site index below to find the resources you need. For resources and lesson plans for gifted education, click here. To go to the Educational Resources and Lesson Plans main index, click here.
Site Index: problem solving lesson plans, problem solving resources, creativity lesson plans, creativity resources, critical thinking lesson plans, critical thinking resources

Problem Solving Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans for Problem Solving
This sequence of lesson plans for grades 3-4 and up is designed to help your students learn to solve problems logically in all mathematics subjects.

Problem Solving Lesson Plan Index
Fourteen lessons for a variety of subjects and grade levels.   

Problem Solving Using Tables
From BrainPOP.  See also Word Problems.

Improving Deductive Reasoning Skills
A lesson plan for grades 7-12.   

Problem Solving---A Part of Everyday Thinking
A lesson plan for grades 4-12 in which students learn and use the six basic steps to problem solving.

Working with Environmental Issues
A learning module from the Peace Corps' World wise Schools. in which students use problem-solving skills to address a real-world problem. It is intended for elementary and middle grade students.

You Don't Know What You've Got Until Its Gone
A  lesson plan for a secondary English or Social Studies from the Rock and Roll hall of Fame.

Engineering Problem Solving
A high school physics lesson plan.

Problem Solving Resources
21st Century Problem Solving
Problem-solving examples, strategies, and resources for students and teachers.

Request-Response-Result
A summary of the request-response-result process for problem solving.

Problem Solving: Definition, Terminology, and Patterns
A concise, informative essay. See also Problem Solving for another definition as well as terminology, cognitive factors, and facilitating transfer.

Big 6: An Information Problem-Solving Process

Information and online resources for using this strategy.

The Problem Site
Educational Games - Free math problems, puzzles, word games, brainteasers, and mystery hunts.

Creativity Lesson Plans
Assorted Creative Thinking Activities
Several activities for the elementary grades.

Creating Art Using Music and Feelings
A lesson plan for grades 1-4 promoting creativity through integration of music, art, and the emotions.

Mannequin
An activity for grades 1-5 that is designed to encourage creative thinking, cooperation, and help students get acquanted.

The Use of "Substitution" As A Creative Thinking Tool
A lesson plan for grades 1-6.

Creativity and Butterflies
A lesson plan for grades 2-5 integrating science, literature, and creativity.

Tests of Applied Creativity, Logic, and Reasoning
A lesson plan for grades 5 or 6 that can be used in a variety of subjects and contexts.

Squiggle Art
A lesson plan for grades 2-3 requiring flexible and creative thinking.

Creative Inventions
A 5th-grade lesson plan in which students
work individually or with a partner to design a new invention or idea for their community to solve the problem of people driving around lowered gates at a railroad crossing.
Pourquoi Stories: Creating Tales to Tell Why
A lesson plan for grades 3-5
dealing with stories or folk tales that explain how or why something exists (usually in nature).

Newspaper Creations
A n activity for grades 4-8 involving movement and creativity.

Create a New Ammendment
A middle grade or high school lesson plan from Education World in which
students demonstrate critical thinking and creative thinking skills in developing a new amendment to the Constitution.


Creating a More Humane and Environmentally Sound Future
A high school lesson plan in which students learn critical and creative thinking by creating a scenario of a more humane and environmentally sound future.

Writing Up a Spanish Storm: Using Creative Thinking for Creative Writing
Ideas for an advanced high school Spanish unit. The site also contains quite a bit of background information on creative thinking.

Creative Activities for the Sciences
Three activities related to the sciences and adaptable to a variety of grade levels
that provide opportunity for creative growth in students .

Creative Drama Lesson Plans
Many lesson plans sorted by age level.

Art Activities and Lesson Plans for Exploring Creativity
Twenty-five lesson plans.

Crayola Creativity Central
A searchable directory of lesson plans using Crayola products.   

Creativity Resources
The Creative Teaching Web Site
An excellent site with articles, ideas, and information for developing more creative teachers.

Rubric for Creative Thinking Skills Evaluation
Uses the Torrence model plus other criteria. See also Rubric for Divergent Thinking.

Defining Creativity
A bunch of definitions.

Creativity for Kids
Arts and crafts products.

Creative Thinking
Links to "handouts" with concise information on definitions, characteristics, traits, etc.

Creatology: A Science for the 21st Century
A paper describing the emerging dsicipline of creatology.


Critical Thinking Lesson Plans

Teacher Resources from the Center for Critical Thinking
This is the ultimate critical thinking lesson plan site. See their selection of "remodeled" lesson plans organized by grade level. For information on the Center's approach to critical thinking, see Our Concept of Critical Thinking or go to their homepage.  

Critical Thinking Strategies
A lesson plan adaptable to a variety of grade levels that is intended to help students develop and evaluate the critical thinking skills of comparing, contrasting, and analyzing similarities and differences.

Book Sorting: Using Observation and Comprehension to Categorize Books
A primary-grade lesson plan that
addresses critical-thinking skills, observation and categorization processes, as well as reading comprehension and writing skills, while at the same time providing teachers with a vast array of diagnostics through observation of student interaction and conversation.

Voyage Across the Ocean
An elementary physical education lesson plan designed to foster cooperation and critical thinking skills.

An Exploration of Simple Machines
An elementary lesson plan designed to promote the use of critical thinking and problem solving skills to help students understand how simple machines work.

Internet Investigations: Unsolved Mysteries
A language arts lesson plan for grades 4-5. See also Literature Units to Foster Critical Thinking.

Detective Fiction: Focus on Critical Thinking
A unit for grade 6.

Critical Thinking Skills
An 8th-grade lesson plan designed to teach students how to use critical thinking skills to solve everyday problems.

Fostering Critical Thinking Skills for Consumer Health Decisions
A high school lesson plan for a health class.

Introduction to Critical Thinking Using a Lateral Thinking Game
A lesson plan for an AP high school class.

Draft Letters: Improving Student Writing through Critical Thinking
A  high school lesson plan from Read-Write-Think in which students write reflective letters to the teacher, identifying their own thoughts on the piece that the teacher is about to read. See also Analyzing Character Development in Three Short Stories about Women and Lights, Camera, Action . . . Music: Critiquing Films Using Sight and Sound for other high school critical thinking lesson plans from Read-Write=Think.

Critical Thinking
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 designed to  to foster critical thinking over Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

Critical Thinking Resources

Mission Critical
A "virtual lab," capable of familiarizing users with the basic concepts of critical thinking in a self-paced, interactive environment.

Rubric for Assessing Critical Thinking
See also Higher-Order Thinking Rubric.

The Critical Thinking Community
Much information and many resources.       

Critical Thinking: What Is It?
Concise article written by Robert H. Ennis.

Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric
From Insight Assessment. See also Critical Thinking Competency Rubric.  

Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum Project - Glossary
A glossary of terms and concepts related to critical thinking from Longview Community College.  See their index page, Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum Project, for a great deal of information as well as resources for integrating critical thinking into college classes.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving in Art
A list of suggestions for building students' skills of critical thinking and problem solving in art. See also Aesthetics: Critical Thinking about Art.

E-mail me if you would like help in locating the resources you need. Also, please let me know if you find a link on this site that no longer functions.
My name is
Edmund J. Sass, Ed.D.     You can reach me at   esass@csbsju.edu
---------------------------------------------
Creative Projects for Multimedia
AR

 5 BEST Virtual Field Trips
Field trips can be amazing learning experiences.   They provide students with the opportunity to actively participate in education, offering learning possibilities that aren’t readily available in the classroom.  Unfortunately, it isn’t always practical or possible to take students on field trips.   Now students can explore the world with simulations that are so realistic, they will believe they have left the classroom.  Below are five of the best virtual field trips on the web: 

Virtual Field Trip #1:   Smithsonian Museum  

The Smithsonian Virtual Museum is truly remarkable.  Students can ‘step’ into the exhibits and take a tour through the entire museum in a 360 degree environment.  The virtual museum is made up of panoramic pictures of the actual exhibits inside the Smithsonian.  Using their mouse, students “walk” through the museum room by room. They can zoom in, look left and right, look up and down, and walk forward or backward.  Camera icons throughout the museum show students hot spots where they can get close to an exhibit panel.  As students explore the museum, they will see: the ocean hall, ancient seas, dinosaurs, early life, fossils, plants, mammals, African cultures, the Ice Age, Western cultures, reptiles, insects, butterflies, bones, geology, gems, and minerals.  

Virtual Field Trip #2:   UPM Forest Life

 A field trip to a forest is a wonderful way to learn about tree species, ecosystems, habitats, and animals.   The UPM Forest Life virtual field trip will have your students believing that they are actually in a forest smelling pine trees.
UPM Forest Life aims to teach about forest sustainability.  It does this by inviting students to take a virtual hike through a forest.  The forest is made up of panoramic pictures of an actual forest.  Students can zoom in, look up and down, left and right, and ‘walk’ through the forest with their mouse.  Students start their field trip with a virtual tour guide.  As students ‘hike’ through the forest, they will click on hot spots that reveal videos of forest life, pictures with information, and sounds.  

Virtual Field Trip #3:   Moon in Google Earth

 The moon is no longer off limits for field trips!  Students can visit the moon virtually using Moon view in Google Earth.  Google Earth makes for excellent virtual trips around the world; in Google Earth 5.0 you can also take your students to the moon.  

Virtual Field Trip #4:    Planet in Action  

Real field trips don’t allow for adventures like a helicopter ride above the Grand Canyon, an expedition to Mount St. Helens, or a helicopter tour of Manhattan or Disneyland Paris.  Planet in Action makes all of these possible with the help of Google Earth.

Virtual Field Trip #5:  AR Sights   

Most students probably won’t have the ability to travel to the pyramids or the Eiffel Tower for a field trip.  
Augmented Reality makes it possible to see these landmarks, and more, using Google Earth in 3-D.  
Augmented Reality requires a webcam, browser add-on, and a printout provided by the AR Sights website.  
After a simple graphic is printed out, it is held up to a webcam.  Students will see a landmark spring to life right before their eyes on the computer screen.  As the printout is tilted, twisted, and moved the landmark moves accordingly.  Students can view the famous landmark in 360-degrees, 3-D, and up close.  It is truly incredible!   
AR Sights makes it possible to view Google Earth right in a web browser and then zoom into places of interest, looking at them in 3-D with Augmented Reality.  Students can ‘fly’ around Google Earth, when they find a place of interest, they will hold the printout up to the camera and explore the landmark.  This is an amazing visual method for learning about geography and famous landmarks.  If you only have access to one webcam, use it with a computer connected to a projector or interactive whiteboard for whole class exploration.

Related Article: How to Create a Virtual Bookshelf

==============================
 Math Games
Math by Design  provides students the opportunity to learn geometry and measurement concepts in a virtual environment. As junior architects of a community park and environmental center, students are tasked with building a skateboard ramp, planning a picnic area and other fun interactive challenges. 

Lure of the Labyrinth Library

We know that the idea of using digital games to teach and learn math might be a new one for you. (It's new to us, too - in fact, it's pretty much new to everyone!) So we thought it would probably help to provide a little context - what educators sometimes call 'scaffolding' - around Lure of the Labyrinth. The Library is where you can learn more about the many issues surrounding games and learning and also go much deeper into Lure of the Labyrinth itself.

Games as a Part of Today's Culture talks about digital games and the ways they impact every day life.

What About Games Makes Them Good for Learning? looks at the inherent characteristics of games that mirror principles educators have found to make for a great learning experience.
 Lure of the Labyrinth is a digital game for middle-school pre-algebra students. It includes a wealth of intriguing math-based puzzles wrapped into an exciting narrative game in which students work to find their lost pet - and save the world from monsters! Linked to both national and state mathematics standards, the game gives students a chance to actually think like mathematicians.


.  Environmental conservation
Let your little ones into environmental conservation and learning about new cultures! Kids can travel the globe, learn more about environmental causes and new cultures by using their imagination and the click of the mouse. HabitatHeroes.com, the first online social networking site for young eco-warriors includes games that teach children about endangered species, the environment, healthy eating, and cultures around the world.
The ideal age group is 5 – 8 years old as tested by our daughters ages 9, 8 and 6 years old and discussed with other moms.     http://www.habitatheroes.com/

 

Excitement!

The following activities will help you learn some fun science facts.

Math by Design  provides students the opportunity to learn geometry and measurement concepts in a virtual environment. As junior architects of a community park and environmental center, students are tasked with building a skateboard ramp, planning a picnic area and other fun interactive challenges. 
=================================================
Amusement Park Physics
Explores how the laws of physics play a role in the design of amusement park rides. Design a roller coaster, determine the outcome of bumper car collisions, and more.
Ask Dr. Universe
How do chameleons change color? When was the light bulb invented? Why can't cats and dogs be friends? Want to know the answers to these and hundreds of other questions? Then just ask Dr. Universe, the world's most curious cat!
Beyond 2000
What will the next thousand years hold in store for us? See what futurists are predicting and give predictions of your own.
BrainPop
Brainpop is a really cool and unique site full of animated health and science movies, and fun quizzes.
Bill Nye the Science Guy
Learn about Bill Nye the Science Guy and his show, choose from 40 'Home Demos' you can try, watch video clips, and more.
Color Matters
Budding artists and anyone interested in color will want to see how color affects our mind and body, its use in design and art, plus lots more. Explains additive and subtractive color systems, how the eye sees colors, and how other cultures view and use colors.
Cool Science for Curious Kids
Includes five interactive activities for kids. From the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Dr. Bob's Interesting Science Stuff
Investigate interesting (hence the name) and unusual scientific topics. Includes 'Ask Dr. Bob' and 'Did You Know' sections.
Exploring Leonardo
Learn about Leonardo da Vinci, his futuristic inventions, and unique way of looking at the world at this attractive site.
Extreme Science
Where is the deepest spot in the ocean? Which creature is the strongest? Want to know what the fastest land animal is? Take a look at this site for answers to these and other scientific record-breakers!
FT Exploring
A fun-filled science site that explores energy and other basic scientific principles. Topics include sections on "super bugs", photosynthesis, marine science, and more. Know-it-all tortoise, Dr. Galapagos provides humorous and insightful answers to science questions.
Funology.com
At Funology, science is all about having fun! But that's not all. Besides fun facts and experiments you can perform, you'll also find crafts, recipes, magic tricks, jokes, and a whole lot more.
Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century
In 1900, life was a constant struggle. 100 years later, the world was a healthier, safer, and more productive place, due to the hard work of engineers and scientists. From electrification, to the automobile, to computers, learn how engineering has changed and improved our lives.
How Stuff Works
Curious about what makes things tick? How Stuff Works brings you hundreds of articles that cover a wide range of subjects like 3-D graphics, animals, video games, engines, roller coasters, toys, electricity, computers, and much more. (For a "huge list" of every article on the site, click here.)
Human Anatomy Online
Take a tour of the human body. This site offers a fun, interactive way to learn about skeletal, digestive, muscular, and other body systems.
Infrared Zoo
The Infrared Zoo shows what animals look like in a whole different light. See what birds, reptiles, and mammals look like in the infrared, and learn how animals use fur, blubber, and feathers to insulate themselves.
Planetpals Earthzone
Join Earthman, Sunnyray, Fluffy, and the rest of the Planetpals gang to learn all about our planet, weather, and ways you can recycle and conserve the earth's resources. You'll also find sections with crafts you can make, games, coloring pages, and lots of other fun stuff. Like the Planetpals say, "a friend for earth is a friend for life!"
Popular Science
You'll always find plenty of cool and interesting things to read at Popular Science Magazine's web site. Articles on science, space, the Internet, computers, and more are all here to help keep you informed of the latest advances in technology.
Questacon
Have fun with puzzles and activities, look at illusions, visit a dinosaur exhibit and StarLab. Sections for Grown-ups and Teachers too. Some sections require Shockwave and other plug-ins.
The Revolutionaries
Silicon Valley, (home of KidSites.com!), is a well-known oasis of technical innovation. This site interviews such famous 'overachievers' such as Steve Wozniak (Apple), Nolan Bushnell (Atari), and 16 others, to find out how they turned their budding ideas into reality, changing the world for the rest of us in the process.
Robot Constructor
Construct a virtual robot and use it to collect golden cubes scattered around a variety of hostile zones. Each zone requires a robot with different skills, so choose its power supply, sensors, material and mobile abilities carefully.
The Rudiments of Wisdom Encyclopedia
Includes thousands of cartoons covering almost anything you'd like to know! Originally drawn over a period of 14 years for the Observer newspaper, you'll find information on animals, art, entertainment, music, science, sports and 16 other subjects.
The Science Explorer
Using common household items, make a salt volcano, a roto-coptor, or one of over 25 other projects at this nice site.
Time for Kids
Do you have a nose for news? Time Magazine's site for kids has science, entertainment, and world news, along with research and homework help, places to explore, online games, and more!
Science Made Simple
Simple answers to common science questions, plus fun science projects, experiments, and science news.
The Science of Hockey
Join the Exploratorium and San Jose Sharks as they explain the science behind the equipment used in the game, how to slap a puck 100 miles per hour, how players stay in shape, and more.
ScienceMonster.com
Learn about our solar system, take a star tour, see how gravity and inertia work, play a fun lunar lander game, and more at this site by the makers of CoolMath.com.
Sea and Sky
Take your pick and explore the beauty of the sea, or the wonders of the universe. Sea and Sky is an incredible resource, providing extensive information on the mysteries of each in amazing detail.
Skateboard Science
See how skateboards are made and learn about the science behind how tricks like the ollie are done. Includes videos plus a skateboarding glossary.
Strange Science
Scientists didn't always get things quite right and this site shows some of the blunders they made in their quest for knowledge. Included is a timeline of significant historical and scientific events, biographies of noted scientists and artists, and resources you can use to learn more.
Triumph of the Nerds
Take a look at the history of computers and some of the "nerds" who contributed to their existence, play a game of "Guess the Computer" to see how much nerd potential you have, read the detailed transcripts from the TV program that this site is based on, and more.
Volcanoes
Learn how volcanoes form, see what happens when a volcano erupts, and find out what scientists are doing to better understand and predict when a volcano will erupt.
Volcano World
Lots of interesting information about volcanoes including those currently erupting, volcanoes on other planets, and volcano images and video clips.
Your Weight On Other Worlds
Did you know that a person who weighs 120 pounds on earth, would weigh just 8 pounds on Pluto? Enter your weight at this site and you'll be able to see how much you would weigh on 16 other planets, moons, or even stars!