Website of the Week # 7-Bitstrips (Make Your Own Comics)

http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/ (30 day free trial for a classroom)
http://www.bitstrips.com/ (free individual accounts, no classroom)

Basics: This is a way to create comics.  You can create comics that explain something or the students can create comics to show understanding of a concept.  You can create a template for an assignment as well.  The student can create their own avatar.

Why Bitstrips? (Quality of video may not be great, but you can hear what they have to say)


Bitstrips for Schools from Bitstrips on Vimeo.

Example:



Test Kitchen: I used my Bitstrips 30 free trial for the classroom today for the first time.  I didn't have the students make a comic today.  Today I just had them read the comic that I made and then leave a comment after they were done.  I had a lot of positive feedback on the program and everything ran smoothly.  Many students were itching to actually create their own comic.  We will be doing that some time during the next 30 days.  I learned that I may want to make my comics a little bit more basic and have less writing per frame.  Everyone was engaged and read the comic though.  That is a lot different than when it is just text.

Tip: Since the free trial only includes one classroom and 40 accounts I just set-up one account per computer and named them number 1, number 2, number 3, etc.  That way up to 5 student (one per class) is using the same account.  It isn't ideal but it seemed to work out great today.  The accounts were very easy to set-up and we have unlimited access for the next 30 days.

Classroom Applications:

This could be used in any subject area for a variety of activities.

Math: Have them create a story that practices vocabulary words in a real context.

Science: Explain a scientific process frame by frame.

Social Studies: Tell a story about a historical figure from a different point of view.

Language Arts: Adapt an essay.  Condense it into comic book form.

Additional Related Sites:

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/index.html 
(Recommended by Mindy Sanders)

Website of the Week # 6 BrainFlips

http://www.brainflips.com/


Basics: This is a website where students can study virtual flashcards.  You can make your own flashcards or search their bank.

Examples: (to see the cards clickthe link then click GO FLIP and then choose one the 3 modes)

These are the flashcards I created for poetry terms-

http://www.brainflips.com/GroupProfile/463

Spanish Numbers:

http://www.brainflips.com/study-flashcards/287/Numbers-in-Spanish.html

Math Facts (multiplication and division):

http://www.brainflips.com/study-flashcards/851/John-s-math-facts.html

Presidents of the U.S. (Example of adding pictures to cards)

http://www.brainflips.com/study-flashcards/44/BrainFlips-United-States-Presidents.html

There is a wide variety of cards that have already been created by other teachers.  All you have to do is search for whatever you are looking for and copy and paste the link where students can access it.

Test Kitchen:

I used poetry terms flashcards with my students this week.  They studied these cards after they finished a quiz and then I told them they would be using these words for a game the last few minutes of class.  Students enjoyed them a lot.  One of the great features is that you don't lose them like paper flashcards.  Also, you can tier the flashcards for a variety of learners.  I took a few mintues to explain how they work and then linked the cards to my learning platform and all the students could work at their own pace.  This one is an easy win for technology.  There is intial set-up of the cards but, them you have them forever.

Classroom Applications:

This can be used in any class that teaches any kind of vocabulary or facts.  Pretty much any class.

Tips and features of Brain Flips:

• You sign-up for an account.
• Students don't have to have an account but, if you want them to they need to be older than 13 and have a valid e-mail address.
• Search website for cards that others have created or create your flashcards.
• You can create groups.
• To see the flashcards click on the button that says "GO FLIP".
• You can edit other people's cards.
• You can add pictures to the cards.
• There are three modes, one that introduces the words, one that is like regular flashcards, and one mode where you type in a response.

Enjoy!

Website of the Week # 5- aMap

In this site you can create a basic web for a persuasive argument. 

http://www.amap.org.uk/

Basics: You pose a question, take a postion on the question, and then you add your three reasons for your postion with support and evidence.  After it is finished others can respond to your question.  Great for any time you want students to support an opinion.

Examples:

These are actual student examples.  They were given the choice to start their own argument about anything and these are some of the topics they chose.  You can try this app really easily.  Just click reply at the bottom of one of them and then click reply again and it will walk you through the process.







Test Kitchen: I used this to introduce persuasive writing to my students.  I first created some templates for them that already had the argument started and had sentence starters.  They were given the choice of which argument to respond to.  We also discussed some of the tips for persuasive writing and how to be more persuasive.  It's weird because this is just like a regular graphic organizer on a piece of paper but, the students were so excited to do this.  Some of the little things like being about to choose the color and being about to create their own makes them more motivated.  It was very successful.

Tips: When students sign-up they do not have to use their reall information.  I had them write their hour with me and their name as their name, ccjh as their city, 11111 as their zip code, and rmangum@goaj.org as their e-mail address. 

Classroom Applications:

Language Arts:  This is a great way to do brainstorming for a persuasive essay or just to give students the opportunity to practice creating arguments for a specific position.

Science: This could be used as a mindset when you want students to take a stance on a contraversial topic.  It gives them the chance to back up their arguments.

Social Studies: You could have students explain what they think would have happened in history if something would have been different and then they would have to support their idea with evidence.

Art:  They could defend why they believe an artisit was the most influential in their period.

Extension:  Student could all embed their arguments into one blog or wiki and then they would have the opportunity to respond to eachother's arguments. 

Websites from Free Tech 4 Teachers

I subscribe (it’s free) to an educational technology website called www.freetech4teachers.com .  For the new year the writer of this blog had a blog post each day this week dedicated to a different subject area and included 11 websites to use in 2011 for 5 different subject areas.  You might just want to took a look.  Some of them are more relevant than others but, there are a lot of great resources there.  The links can be found below.

11 Websites for Art and Music

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/01/11-art-music-resources-to-try-in-2011.html

11 Websites for Math

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/01/11-mathematics-resources-to-try-in-2011.html

11 Websites for Social Studies

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/01/11-social-studies-resources-to-try-in.html

11 Websites for Language Arts

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/01/11-language-arts-resources-to-try-in.html

11 Websites for Science

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2011/01/11-science-resources-to-try-in-2011.html

Website of the Week #4 ed.voicethread.com

https://ed.voicethread.com/

Basics: Choose a presentation or set of pictures that you would like to narrate.  Upload said presentation or group of pictures.  Narrate each slide or add a written message to each slide.  Share link or embed voicethread into a website.



Test Kitchen: I have used voicethread in many different ways in my classroom.  It is a way to record a piece of text.  This has been very useful for students who need directions or any text read to them.  When I used this with short stories there were some interesting benefits.  Every student could read it at their own pace.  If they didn't want to have it read to them they had that as an option as well. 

Classroom Applications:

Science-You could have a diagram or a series of diagrams and you could narrate an explanation with doodling feature.  This is great for students who may need to see it more than once.

Math-You could create mini lessons as a voicethread.  You can narrate the steps of a process and use the doodling feature to underline or highlight key parts.

Social Studies-You could use this a narrated timeline of events for a specific topic that you are teaching. 

Language Arts-This an excellent way to read any passage aloud to students.  You read and record it one time and then any student can access it at anytime to listen and read along.

Techy Tip-Voicethread, like most web applications, can be embedded into your googleapps website, blog, wiki, or moodle. 

Note: If you want to have students create with voicethread they have to have their own account.  Classroom accounts cost money.