2/23/12
WEI Workshop Notes compiled by Bob Slane
Technology in the Classroom with Emphasis on Math and Literacy
-Lisa Reas – Presenter from Learning Exchange (Further information available by sharing Lisa’s Diigo
site.) Email: lreas@lex-wi.com
Classroom Management
 www.ClassDOJO.com – free site. Create class. Load with pos and neg behaviors. Keep site up
and give students feedback during class. Can have individual and/or group goals.
Math
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www.mathplayground.com – Has many resources on it. Manipulatives, videos, games, practice
www.mysavingsquest.com – Game for learning about money – savings. Pick job, decide what
you want to save for. Set savings goal. Creates graphs and charts of how money was spent.
www.99polls.com – On-line polling site
www.algebasics.com – Walks students through process of solving problems. Gives short videos
for this. Find example of equation similar to theirs. Shows what to do.
www.mathtv.com - Pick math topic. Students think how to solve and then watch video of how
to solve. ($$ - not free)
www.voicethread.com – Think and talk through problem solving. Platform for students to talk
together. Record (or type) own information to share with others (different ways to solve
problems).
www.mangahigh.com – Video game based learning. Challenge (and compete with) other
schools. Can differentiate for different needs by assigning problems from other grade levels.
Kids won’t know what grade level or if their activities are different from others. Highly
motivating to kids.
www.classtools.net/QR/ - QR codes generator treasure hunt – Prints out QR code for treasure
hunt. Post around school. Have problems that they solve as they go from area to area.
www.3dvinci.net/ccp0-display/modelmetricks.html - Modelmetricks – Using Google SketchUp.
Free – Gr. 3-9. Printed books $50 a series or ebooks $25 a series. Design individually or as a
group.
The Flipped Classroom (search on youtube or teacher tube for this) – Students watch lectures
(video) at home at own pace, communicating with peers and teachers via online discussions.
Concept engagement takes place in the classroom with the help of the instructor. They discover
material with your guidance. (Especially good for math)
Language Arts
 www.starfall.com - Starfall – a free public service to teach children to read with phonics
 Audacity – record books on tape, make own books on tape, record spelling lists for students
with special needs (make mp3 files – buy cheap mp3 player – give to kids individually), read
texts aloud for students with reading disabilities
 www.hoodaword.com Grammar Ninja – game create by high schoolers to identify parts of
speech. GT – create games
 www.todaysmeet.com Todaysmeet – create “back channel” chat room for those you invite
(your students talk and make comments without disrupting class). Lots of brainstorming,
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discussing about content that is before them. Being engaged during discussion. Can use for
jeopardy (first person to respond with correct answer).
www.dogonews.com - DOGO news – News articles (and video) about every day news created
every day. Kids read and complete assignments (leave in comments section).
Word Clouds (www.wordle.com , www.worditout.com , www.abcya.com , www.tagxedo.com ) –
The bigger the word, the more frequently it was used in text. Have students copy and paste
their story and see which words are used most so they can check for overuse (word choice is
important). Tagxedo allows you to put into specific shapes.
www.storybird.com - Storybird – Students can share stories. Can put online and have audience
(who you allow to see site) make comments, suggestions.
www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/readwritethink-printingpress-30036.html Readwritethink Printing Press – Publish without using software on computer.
Maybe for a school newspaper?
www.animote.com - Animoto – Educators can apply for free account. Creating videos and
presentations. Like a slideshow and movie combined. (Don’t need to worry about transitions,
etc) Text amount is limited (like twitter) so limits rambling. Great for novel reviews. Narrations
for test review. Music is included – no worry about copyright.
www.vuvox.com - Vuvox – Slideshow/presentation site. Spotlight text in a movie format.
Instead of making a poster, have them use this. Free educator account. Site allows you to share
what you have created and use others’ projects.
www.glogster.com - Glogster – Creating interactive poster – free educator account - Can create
hyperlinks within the poster. Use instead of “book report”. Explain the theme of the story.
www.edmodo.com - Edmodo – social networking site for educational use. Can create separate
groups within (example: book studies). Like and educational “facebook” that is closed to outside
world. Keeps different “book groups” organized for you.
www.bubbl.us.com - Bubbl.us – Free graphic organizer/ word mapping site.
www.pixton.com - Pixton – Creating graphic novel/cartoons/comics – Use cartoons to
understand different literary elements and then create on own. Drag and drop cartoon
characters – put in bubbles with text. Can move elbows, choose backgrounds, etc. Use as a prewrite. Costs money, but free account for schools.
Book Publishing (www.tikatok.com , www.zooburst.com , www.blurb.com , www.lulu.com )
Note: Walgreens does this too.
Wikis – www.wikispaces.com , www.pbworks.com , www.wetpaint.com - Collaboration tool.
Use as student portfolio (can move up to next grade). Create a resource site as a class project
(example: Folk Fair). Multiple people can be on site at the same time adding info.
Blogs – (www.blogger.com , www.tumblr.com , www.edublogs.com , www.kidblog.org ,
www.wordpress.com )On line journal or diary. Meant for one person to continue writing their
own thoughts. Ongoing diary of books kids were reading.
Resources
 www.diigo.com – Diigo – social bookmarking site. Can join groups or create a group.