Tag Archives: moutain lion

A fun Smart Phone App for Bird Lovers

If you have a smart phone check out Cornell University’s “Merlin Bird ID”.  If you see a bird you are not familiar with, answer five questions.  Where? When? What size? Color? Was the bird…?

When you have answered the questions, the app searches its database and creates a list of pictures for all of the possible matches.  It also provides information on the bird, a location map, and  recordings of the bird’s songs and calls.  “Merlin Bird ID” is available from the “Google App Store” and from “Google Play”.  Try playing the recordings and see how  nearby birds react.

My Latest Scoop It links

Pinterest

Bloom’s Taxonomy According to Seinfeld by Derek Rouch

This made my day.  Bloom’s Taxonomy According to Seinfeld

Levels of Technology Integration into the Curriculum – Florida Center for Instructional Technology

Levels of Technology Integration into the Curriculum This provides guidelines for  levels of  technology Integration from “Entry level” to “Transformation Level”.  The matrix was created by the Florida Center for  Instructional Technology.

Two Thoughtful articles about education in the USA

Why the United States Is Destroying Its Education System by Chris Hedges

Education in Obama’s Second Term:What Lies Ahead  by Gerald Coles

 

From Smart Blog on Education-12 Questions for 21st Education by David Penberg

These seem like the kind of questions that we as educators should be asking ourselves.

Slick Ways To Do Research in Google Apps (Docs) Driveo

These are great ways to track research information and images in Google Drive.  Works cited and photo credit links are autmatically tracked.

Research

Images

Midyear Reflection

As part of my staff development learning plan, I need to submit a midyear reflection on my goal of integrating technology into all curriculum areas.  This is what I submitted.

The 2012-2013 school year is the first full school year after the introduction of Google Apps.  Certainly more and more teachers are beginning to recognize how useful sharing, collaboration and working in the “cloud” can be.  The availability of Google has been a definite help in promoting technology integration throughout the district.  Blizzard Bags in turn have also helped promote an increased acceptance of Google.  I have been encouraged by the apparent assimilation of the technology guidelines throughout the building. For example, I find that most of our staff has begun to take the proper  attribution of  “free use” and “creative commons” material seriously.  Students have readily accepted the copyright guidelines and I have also noted an increased sense of engagement among those students who have been exposed regularly to Google Apps.  There is still work to be done to get all staff members on board. I still feel that we need to have a device that is available for all students at all times. Technology should not be something that we decide to do.  It should be available when it will enhance learning and it should be put aside when something else will accomplish that purpose more effectively. The issue is no longer technology per se, it is what we do with it.  It can modify or augment what we are already doing.   More importantly, it can redefine what we do in the classroom in a way that truly engages students and also enhances powerful learning.  I hope we are getting beyond “Oh look I’m using technology” to understanding that we now have the ability to do things that couldn’t be done before and that our students need to became productive and happy citizens of the 21st Century not the 19th.

A Good Way to Look at Common Core by Roz Linder

A positive perspective on Common Core. 

10 Excellent Sites for English Educators-Go Ed

These are great sites for teaching English: 10 Excellent Sites for English Educators

Google Apps Training