teacher_tools

=Teacher Tools=

Class Pickers
Same kids always raising their hands? Want to make the selection fair and equitable? Here are some free software tools for you. These would work especially well in conjunction with a SmartBoard or projector. [|The Hat] Windows PC only. Import or type in class names. Can print list, save. [|Random Name Picker] - Flash-based slot machine-like tool. [|Random Name Generator] - Flash based. Enter names using list tool. No repeats until all chosen. Team Generator - quickly generate class teams with desired # groups, theme

General
Super Teacher Tools- Flash-based tools includes game templates (Jeopardy & Millionaire along with class tools such as seating chart, group maker, random student selector. [|Poll Everywhere] - Quickly and easily poll your student responses with this free online tool. KwikSurveys is another great survey tool that can be embedded into a blog/website. No signup needed, ability to email survey. Google Docs Forms - Create online self-grading quizzes - video tutorial Collecta - Real-time search tool for tweets, news update streams, and blogs to locate up-to-date information as it's posted. Cool Tools for Schools - Links to online tools that you can use on your wiki or in general, categorized (audio, presentation, polling, organization, etc.) ClassTools.net - Create games an online educational activities easily & quickly. Save & embed on your blog, etc. - handout featuring DropBox, Evernote, and Primary Wall
 * Fruit Machine - random student picker, practice vocabulary
 * Wordshoot - practice grammar or vocabulary that has two forms (i.e. go/went, feminine/masculine, past/present)
 * Dustbin - sort items into categories
 * Post-it - create word/picture matching activities
 * Brainy Box - rotating cube onto which you can place text, movies, images. Can embed into your blog, wiki, etc. media type="custom" key="22125610"

Timers
Cool Timer - Free downloadable timer - great with SmartBoard or projector. Countdown Timer - Free online "egg" timer - drag to add minutes. E.gg Timerallows you to designate the exact time by entering that amount at the end of the URL - i.e. []. Timer Pop allows you to set and reuse countdown times. A large number of different timer types can be found at Online Stopwatch. ClassTools Countdown Timer - set the exact amount or select an included song for timer amount. Online Egg Timer - Use the up/down arrows to set the desired times. Displays 3 timers to manage several activities at once. Timer Tab - Free Chrome app - includes count-down timer, an alarm clock, and a stopwatch. Choose YouTube video for alarm, can choose image URL for background Smilebox Teacher's Toolbox - create cool newsletters, share photos & videos, etc. Registration required. First Day of School - Ideas, activities and templates for the various content areas

My Avatar Editor - Create your own avatar for use on the internet - can be exported and saved.

Classroom Visit Rubric - used to determine technology use and integration within the classroom during an observation EducaPlay - Create interactive activities such as different word activities, picture/word match, quizzes, dialogue, dictations, etc.

- Jeopardy and other game templates - online, for PowerPoint, SmartBoard Notebook. FlipQuiz - Free tool to create and display Jeopardy-style review games. Text-only = free, image = premium Kahoot - Free quiz (including images), survey and polling tool, deliverable on any internet-capable device. QuizBreak! Jeopardy - Create online flash-based Jeopardy games that incorporate audio, videos, and images.

Screencasting
Screencasts are essentially short video tutorials that incorporate both audio and visual components.

Uses

 * Focused "how to's" for software or web tools
 * Record and demonstrate directions for doing a computer-based project- viewer can watch as often as needed
 * Great for step-by-step directions
 * Give feedback on students' documents, pointing out in the document along with audio
 * Students record themselves solving a math problem
 * Students record themselves researching and presenting their ideas

**Jing** @http://www.jingproject.com/

 * Free version - adequate for most. Recordings up to 5 minutes. 2GB free storage on screencast.com. Can also take screen (still image) captures.
 * Paid version allows for saving as mp4 (great for uploading to YouTube), higher quality recording, and direct recording from a webcams


 * Online tool in which participants can post virtual sticky notes for sharing, brainstorming, collaborating, etc.
 * Use at the beginning of a unit to illicit student prior knowledge, interests on a topic, brainstorm ideas
 * Students share something they've learned at the end of the day, unit
 * Class posts facts they've found about a topic or questions they have
 * Generate as many words that have a specific ending, synonym, or how many ways one can add to get 20
 * Review at the end of class questions students have posted during instruction
 * Read questions students have posted about homework when coming in the following morning
 * No login or signup needed. To invite student participants, share the generated URL
 * Sticky notes can be rearranged for sorting and are searchable by keyword

Another "backchannel" collaborative site is **Today's Meet**. This allows you to create a temporary room.

Evernote
Evernote is a free software program available for Mac, PC, and iOS.

Uses in Education A middle school teacher's use

iPads in Education
iPads in Schools Livebinder - collection of websites and resources

Educational Twitter Chats - calendar listing of upcoming educational-related Twitter chats, organized by date.