I have a couple links I want to share today, they are just fun things, helpful sites that might make teaching a learning a bit easier.

The first one I just love, the whole idea is so helpful.  It is called Bouncy Balls and it monitors classroom noise levels.  You do need to have a microphone and I understand from the Teacher's First blog it was a little difficult to get that going but once you do the balls let your students know what their noise level is.  Just a little thing but it is such a nice visual.  I think you would initially have to let the kids make the balls bounce, get the fun of the thing out of the way but if you used it regularly I think it might be helpful.

Bouncy Balls

The next one is Just Flip a Coin and that is just what it does, great fun but also great for probabilities!

Just flip a coin

I know there are a huge number of classroom timers out there but this seems so easy I thought I would share it.  Google as a classroom timer, you simply type Set timer in the search bar and you get a timer.  You set your time and then you can go whole screen, it is nice a big so it can be projected for the whole class.  What a great thing and so easy.  I love easy!  Again, a tip from Free Technology for Teachers.

I found a really great history site this  morning, it has a Visual History of the Last 100 Years.  I got it from the blog Free Technology for Teachers, and I admit I get some of my best resources from this blog.  I loved this, it quickly explains the events with graphics to support the text.  There are timelines, and infographics.  Teens get so bored with dry explanations, this seems a nice way to bring a little more interest into this topicl

iPad Apps

I am finding it harder and harder to keep track of all things technology but I keep trying.  It has been quite awhile since I posted here because I kept getting blocked by our school filter, that is another story!  I think we are good now so I am going to try and give you a few links to some good  iPad apps I found today.

Today most of the apps are coming from Technology Tidbits, a really great blog offering a lot of good resources for technology in the classroom.

1. Level it Books - an app that helps parents and teachers track their students reading level.
2. 30hands - a free Digital Storytelling app.
3. Door24 - Math app for grades 4 - 8.
4. Water Cycle HD - Nice science app with videos, animations and photos to help students learn about the water cycle.

Great infographic on Digital Manners from Langwiches

Knowthenet presents Manners Matter the online Netiquette Do's and Don'ts infographic.

Is your district buying iPads?  Have your teachers been trained?  Often the answers are yes and then no.  Hopefully this is not your issue, teacher training in the use of any new technology is crucial to its effective use.  Here is a great blog from Free Technology for Teachers with resources to help guide your teachers and your district in the use of your iPads.  There is a link to an article detailing What the iPad is and what it isn't!  In addition there are a number of links to presentations helping teachers figure out what their best practices might be.
Now That Your Students Have iPads... Great Advice from Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano

Been a long time

The internet filter in our school district blocks the dashboard for blogger, I have stopped blogging because of it.  And that is a flimsy excuse, it can be bypassed it just takes a tiny bit of effort on my part.  So I decided to get back here and continue putting out the great sites and ideas I find for using technology.

Here is another one from Free Technology for Teachers (if you teach and don't follow this blog shame on you!!).  If you use Google Chrome this is an app you can download into the browser.  It is called Task Timer and it lets you set times for short term and long term projects and activities.  Here is a link:

A Task Timer to Use Offline or Online