Mrs. Flory's Technology Resource Page for Teachers
Web Tools, Sites, etc...
So many choices, so little time...
On this site you can enter your students (or, like I did, have your T.A. do it for you) and you will automatically have access to a seating chart maker, a random name generator (for calling on students to read, etc.), and a grouping tool (to put students into groups of any number that you choose). It is easy and fun, and the students like seeing their names on the board to be called!
Here are some timers that you can download for free to use when you just need to set a time for a transition or a block of activity. They are fun, and again they can be projected onto your screen or whiteboard so that the students will know the answer to the question that never gets old..."how much time do we have left?"
3. Voki
Here is the Voki website that I used to create my "mini me" avatar on this page. The avatar creation itself is free, and there are some other free capabilities included, I signed up for a Classroom Voki account ($29.95/year) because I wanted to play with it and to offer it to some of my students this year as we learn about potential uses for Voki in the classroom.
4. Quizlet
I have used this site to make studying vocabulary more fun and interactive. Students can study vocabulary using their cell phones anywhere they go (as we know, their phones are with them everywhere they go, so there is almost always a chance for them to access quizlet). Whether it is waiting in the orthodontist's office, or riding a bus to a football game, studying vocab is a lot easier with this tool.
5. Pinterest
I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THIS SITE! You might think of Pinterest as a "girly" pinning site where recipes are gathered, fashion is dreamed about, and husband's "honey do" lists are created from the various DIY pins...but did you know that there is an entire teaching community as addicted to Pinterest as I am? This site boasts a wealth of resources for ALL GRADE LEVELS! Many common core connections found here. Become a "Pinner" - you will be so hooked.
6. Delicious
You know the end of the year when you hear horror stories about "lost bookmarks" and you are told to be sure to back up everything? Have no fear - with this site you can save your bookmarks online and can also access them from any computer...anywhere! Very cool, especially if you are like me and you plan from about three different computers!
Wow - this is the site that keeps on giving! Your virtual colleagues "share" their tried-and-true lessons and resources with you AT ANY TIME! Sometimes things are free, and sometimes there is a fee. Nonetheless, you will be sure to save HOURS and HOURS of scouring, creating, begging, borrowing, and stealing! Registration is free for the basic membership, but if you feel like sharing and like making a little cash on the side for something that you do already, you can upgrade to a seller's membership. I LOVE THIS SITE- it is a true lifesaver!!
Who has the binder for that??? If you are intrigued by the thought of a virtual binder organizing tool, look no further! Not only can you organize your units, web tools, etc., online, you can "borrow" binders from other colleagues! Collections and collections of useful information and practical resources for busy folks! And, no more heavy binders back and forth from school to home on planning days! Free registration!
Want to try out a BYOD discussion in your classroom? So cool because students love pulling out their cellphones! Additionally, there is no problem setting up a scenario for students to share devices. Students can "chat" away and can respond to class topics, discussion, questions, brainstorms, etc. and their responses will appear on the board. Student names can be required to address class management and accountability (participation points) concerns. Prep students ahead of time and lay out the expectations for an engaging and interactive day of teaching and learning in the classroom.
10. present me
This is the coolest site ever! There are a few account options, but I signed up for the "free" account. This site allows you to produce a split-screen presentation of yourself teaching/guiding your audience through a powerpoint, prezi, etc. You can then embed the presentation into your website or blog and share it with your students. Good tool for students who are absent and who miss a lesson, for a sub plan, for a flipped lesson, etc.
Completely FREE!! NO LOGIN REQUIRED - NO ACCOUNT CREATION! Have you ever said to yourself, "That would be a great poster for my classroom!" Well, this site will create those great posters for you from images or documents on your computer. So easy to create classroom posters, large family or pet photos (x mas gifts:)), or to have students create and display their poster projects in a professional-looking manner without having to pay money at Kinkos or elsewhere. I highly encourage you to check this one out!
A site with hundreds of educational videos for the classroom and more. All subject areas are covered (as well as big topics such as Common Core). A fantastic site for resources to enhance lessons and to deepen the level of content and student learning.
This guy is great. He has a lot of information condensed into the basics. Quick videos to get you started on things such as Prezi, present me, edmoto, etc. When you really want to try something but don't know where to start and don't have time to teach yourself through trial and error...really worth a look!!
14. Remind 101
This is the coolest tool for teachers, coaches, etc. to communicate with students and parents through free text messaging! My students and their parents thank me all the time for using this. It is easy to set up, and the fact that you and your students will never know each other's cell numbers is nice. The best part though is that you can send texts, but you cannot receive texts back:)
15. symbaloo
Another type of bookmarking site. Bookmark "tiles" of your favorites and make a tile board for free. This particular link will open up one member's tileboard with links to many, many more technology tools for educators! Have fun browsing, but create an account of your own...it's FREE - THE BEST:)
16. FlipSnack
FlipSnack edu is another type of presentation tool for teachers and students. I only have the free account, so I do not know what else the upgraded account would allow or add. This makes "books" and can easily be used by students of ALL ages and abilities. Possibilities for use in a classroom are many...
