A new school year

School is getting close to starting if it hasn't already. School supplies, school clothes for the kids and for the teachers, it's time to think about this year's lessons, students and all the myriad of details that goes into a school day.

If you haven't already incorporated new technologies into your lessons, now is the time to start. Review my Website at http://sites.google.com/site/bevseducationalwebsite/ and take a look at my book Using Web 2.0 Tools in the K-12 Classroom at the Neal-Schuman Website http://www.neal-schuman.com/bdetail.php?isbn=9781555706531.

Check the blog and Website often for new ideas for using technology in science, social studies, language arts and with second language students.

Good luck in the new school year!

Google Drawing Tools

Have you wanted to add your drawings to a story you are writing? Google drawing editor makes it easy. A handy guide provides information to get you started. Use this tool in your writing classes to have students illustrate stories they write. You can Insert drawings into Google documents, spreadsheets, or presentations using the web clipboard, then edit them inline. You can also get drawing templates from the template gallery, especially when you want to express your ideas using diagrams.

Getting Started with Video

Despite that many Web sites require paid subscriptions, these sites may also have numerous free information to help teachers and librarians set up their own projects. To get started with a video classroom project, Atomic Learning contains a series of very short videos explaining how to set up basic camera shots and visual composition rules. In addition, a free Video Storytelling Guide reviews important concepts to think about when beginning the project like creating a storyboard. You can download the storyboard for free and learn how to add new shots to the storyboard and new links, to name some.

Learn about using video in your classroom so you can start a new project when the new 2010 school year begins!

American Library Association

The American Library Association conference is taking place in Washington, D.C. If you are there (6/23-30), stop by the Neal-Schuman booth 2401 or online at www.neal-schuman.com for a 20% discount! Use coupon code ALA10A. They have copies of my book "Using Web 2.0 Tools in the K-12 Classroom."

Reviews of the book appear on the Neal-Schuman Web site. I'm thrilled that folks are using it and like it.

Training sessions on Web 2.0

CMLEA, California Media and Library Educational Association, has created a number of training tools to teach you more about Web 2.0 tools. Of course, my book Using Web 2.0 in the K-12 Classroom provides many suggestions and ideas for lessons. You can then go to one of the sites below and actually create your own blogs or wikis or use tools described in my book. The combination of the suggestions in the book on how to use these tools in the curriculum and the actual practice of using them is a "Win-Win" combination.

If you are a teacher or librarian--try one of these now!
Classroom Learning 2.0
School Library Learning 2.0

Classroom Learning 2.0

T.H.E. Journal most often focuses on teachers in their monthly articles. However, May is different. Take a look at the article entitled Classroom Learning 2.0 to see how librarians or TLs (Teaching Librarians) are handling the responsibilities of teaching about Web 2.0. The author interviewed a number of teachers and librarians, including me(!) to get our take on what was currently happening in the library and how the library and classroom related and promoted Web 2.0 tools together.

Read this article to learn more.

Math Video Lessons

Do you teach math? Need new methods for getting concepts across to your students? Then check out the resource site--TeacherZone--containing thousands of math video lessons for grade 3-10. Most videos are 3-5 minutes long and can be used in your classes, embedded as homework help, and shared with parents and students.

A list of concepts covered from addition to geometry to measurement and much more displays on the Home page. You can view three sample videos to see what you think before signing up on the site. Try them out and let me know what you think!