Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Make Belief Comic Strips

makebeliefscomix.com
http://makebeliefscomix.com/

  • This Web site is basically an on-line tool for making comic strips.
  • Students choose from a variety of characters, moods, arrangements, and labels to create their own comic strip stories.
  • Making up stories and characters is a fun way to get students who normally do not enjoy writing an opportunity to be creative and expressive.
  • The site provides an assortment of writing prompts, or as a class exercise students could retell classroom stories and lessons to demonstrate comprehension.
  • It's an excellent resource for inspiring creativity and helps students to organize their story telling in a logical and methodical manner.

National Heart and Lung Institute

National Heart Lung & Blood Institute

  • The NHLBI is a hub for national programs involved in research, education, prevention, and management of heart, lung, and blood diseases as well as sleep disorders.
  • In 1997, the NHLBI also took administrative responsibility for the Woman's Health Initiative, NIH.
  • The website has a wealth of information for patients, professionals, and researchers.
  • It provides information geared to everyone from children to professionals on subjects ranging from healthy lifestyle choices to clinical trials.
  • This site would be a valuable resource in any classroom for topics relating to health, medical research, lifestyle, obesity, recipes, and diet information.

Ease History

Ease History
http://www.easehistory.org/index2.htm

  • Ease History is an on-line resource for many aspects of U.S. History from the early 1900s to the present.
  • It's full of videos, images, and text focusing on political campaigns, historical events, and core American values.
  • There are campaign ads and information on all the presidential administrations from 1952 to 2004.
  • Social movements, science and technology, protests, wars, and legal decisions are all examined with regard to their effect on shaping the American experience.
  • This site would be a great resource for teaching history, sociology, and civics.

Food and Nutrition Center

Website- http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal display/index.php? level1&info_ center=4

Purpose:
This site provides users with information on food, nutrition, and health. It also provides information on careers in the nutrition field.

Cool/Helpful Features:
  • Has health and nutrition information for all age groups (from preschool to adult)
  • Links to Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
  • Provides food safety information
  • Provides information on food labeling
Possible Classroom Uses:
  • Resource for health or science projects and papers
  • Resource for career technology projects

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

What teacher doesn't need "Sites For Teachers?"

I was assigned this site last week and the members of my group can tell you that I accidentally typed in "site for teachers" rather than http://www.sitesforteachers.com/, sites with a "S." Wasn't funny (at least not to me) at the time, but it is now because I now see how much this site has to offer as opposed to the website I stumbled upon!



This is an educational website rated by popularity. EVERY teacher needs this website at his or her disposal. From songs, state reports, free worksheets/activities, study tools-- to lesson plans and neat clip art for you power point, this educational website has got it all!



The section that I noticed is the "Resources for Special Education Teachers and Students", this caught my eye and I know that having this to view will definitely be beneficial to me in the future. Upon further searching of this website I discovered the NASEA or National Association of Special Education Teachers link. I will always need to refer to this in my future days as a Special Education teacher.

Chomp Chomp---Wonder what this website is about?

The link www.chompchomp.com/menu.htm is an interesting name for a website, huh? Ah, it's about Grammar, who would've ever guessed? Everyone needs to know how to use effective grammar, right teachers? Sandra, our very own grammar teacher grabbed this one!

This website is helpful in that teachers and students can quickly and easily find detailed definitions of common grammar terms, download fun interactive exercises, copy and download helpful handouts, retrieve important tips and helpful rules, and also provides presentations on the website in which you can teach!

Information about the author and her reasons for bringing the website into existence is available, as well as a feedback section, and one of a kind merchandise for sale. Check it out!

How Stuff Works...Everybody needs this website!

OK, this website is "way cool!" www.howstuffworks.com is a website for everyone! Meredith was assigned this website during class last week and we had fun checking it out.

From "How to keep your skin looking healthy" to "How to learn how to play an Acoustic Guitar like John Mayer," this is the website that will show you how! Teachers can use this website to answer those crazy, off the wall, where did he/she come up with that type of questions. Sure, you can inform your students of the website, or you can keep it to yourself and have your students in awe because their teacher seems to know it all! There is really not any topic that I could think of that this website does not know! So you want to know how to repair a toilet seat or take apart a heating element to your dryer? This website has got you covered my friends!

Be sure to insert this website among your favorites!

Love American History? This website is for you!

This website-http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html, is a fantastic site for those interested in American History. Thomas was assigned this website in class.

American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, record historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning.

The original formats include manuscripts, prints, photographs, posters, maps, sound recordings, motion pictures, books, pamphlets, and sheet music. Each online collection is accompanied by a set of explanations and is designed to make the materials easy to find, use, and understand. Collections may be browsed individually, searched individually, or searched across multiple collections.

Alabama Virtual Library- Enhance Your Student's Learning...

I have often heard teachers and students refer to this Alabama Virtual Library, but I had no idea exactly what folks were talking about. Our FNDS 4703 class had the opportunity to learn a little about it from Mrs Farrow (AUM Librarian), and I found out that the AVL is more than just a website about books!


I learned that evening that the AVL is easily accesible and contains the Britannica Online School Edition which is a helpful tool found within the AVL. With the Britannica Online School Edition teachers are provided with an easy access to all curriculum standards, cool links to support encyclopedia articles, and other interesting learning matariels. I think the most imprtant function of the AVL/Britannica School Edition is the information concerning grade levels, subject areas, and state standards that correlate to a specefic article that you have selected.


Now you can be confident that you have chosen matariels that support your state's standards! I really enjoyed tinkering with all the fun activities, games, and animations that Mrs. Farrow demonstrated in class. You and your students can explore these fun activities and reinforce basic fundamental skills for ALL subjects with the Alabama Virtual Library!

Thursday, November 6, 2008