New- Portfoliogen Allows You to Create and Download Your Portfolios in PDF Format

3:28 PM    

October, 2014
Portfoliogen is a great web tool  for teachers. It  allows teachers to create their own customized portfolio webpage. This means that you have a user friendly platform designed specifically to host and organize all your materials into one place. You can also share your portfolio with your colleagues and peers using the generated URL.




Some of features of Portfoliogen
Here is a list of the main features that Portfoliogen offers to its users :
  • It is free
  • It is easy and simple to use
  • It lets users create Portfolio online
  • It generates a personal URL for each portfolio created
  • It lets users post information, certifications, work related photos and many more
  • It allows users to upload documents and add work related links to use useful websites
  • Users can customize the design and layout of their webpage
Today, Portfoliogen.com has launched a new feature allowing members to download their content and show their artifacts locally in a variety of formats including PDF, PowerPoint, and Flash. Click on this link to see a sample PDF download . Here is a sample portfolio website.

Read More

A Good Way to Create and Save Mind Maps to Google Drive

2:52 PM    

October 25, 2014
MindMup is an excellent web tool that allows you to create beautiful mind maps. Mindmup does not require registration and is very simple to use. It is also integrated with Google Drive so you can save your mind maps straight to your Drive account. MindMup also provide a set of good extensions to enhance your mind mapping. Some examples include:



Realtime collaboration:
This is a good feature to use with students in class. Realtime collaboration allows multiple users to collaborate synchronously work on a mind map. All changes are visible to collaborators.

Progress
Progress allows you to manage hierarchies of tasks faster by propagating statuses to parent nodes. For example, when all sub-tasks are completed, the parent task is marked as completed automatically.

Straight lines
This extension converts funky curve connectors into straight lines, which makes it clearer to see what connects to what on large maps.


When you are done working on your mind maps you can then save them to your Dropbox or Google Drive. Alternatively, you can share them  via email, embed link, or through social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook,and Google Plus. You also have the option to export them  in PDF or PNG format.

 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

Read More

The Best Dr Seuss Reading Apps for Your Kids

10:48 PM    

October, 2014
Theodor Seuss Geisel  ( known by his pen names Dr.Seuss and Theo LeSieg  ) was one of the authors who had profusely contributed to the advancement of kid's literature. During his lifetime ( 1904- 1991 ) Dr Seuss published 46 children's books the most popular among which include : Green Eggs and Ham ,  The Cat in the Hat,  One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish ,  Horton Hatches the Egg,  Horton Hears A Who!,  How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,and  /Horton Hears a Who and many more familiar to millions of parents and children. . Some of his works were adapted into the world of television and cinema.



We have featured several of Dr Seuss visuals and posters to use in class. However, today we are sharing with you this excellent list created by  Katherine Page Burdick  where she compiled 19 iPad Dr Seuss reading apps organized by reading level. We invite you to check out and share with us what you think of it. Enjoy.

Courtesy of Teachthought.

 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

Read More

PBS Kids Video App Provides Tons of Educational Videos for Your Kids

10:18 PM    

October 25, 2014
PBS Kids Video is one the best free iPad apps where kids can have access to educational videos and TV shows designed specifically for a young audience.The app provides a safe, child-friendly viewing experience for all ages. Kids can easily browse and watch videos. What's more, every week, the app will introduce your child to a new “Weekly Pick,” a set of fun educational videos that will engage him or her in reading, science, math and more.



“PBS KIDS Video” features thousands of videos from top PBS KIDS television series, including Curious George, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhoods, Wild Kratts, Peg + Cat, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, Dinosaur Train, SUPER WHY!, Sesame Street and Wild Kratts. Unfortunately, The PBS KIDS videos may only be viewed from within the United States. This is due to restrictions on PBS's license to offer this service.


 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

Read More

A Treasure Trove of Free Printable Graphic Organizers to Use in Class

10:07 PM    

October, 2014
Here is a good resource of free printable graphic organizers I uncovered today from my bookmarks. This page from the popular website TeacherVision features a plethora of graphic organizers designed to help students and young learners develop analytical thinking, classify ideas and communicate more effectively. These graphic organizers cover different topic areas and grade levels from PreK to grade 12.


There are also specific graphic organizers to help students with subject areas such as Math and science and ones for enhancing literacy skills ( writing and reading) and needless to mention Venn Diagrams, concept maps, and Timeline graphics. All of these materials are available for free download in PDF format.

The purpose of these graphic organizers, according to TeacherVision, is to facilitate understanding of key concepts by allowing students to visually identify key points and ideas. They further stated that: By using graphic organizers across all subject areas, you will be empowering your students to master subject-matter faster and more efficiently. We have graphic organizers for reading, science, writing, math, and for general use. You'll also find blank printable templates like graph paper, dot arrays, and other useful tools. Give it a try and see what you can find.


 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

Read More

A Great Free Tool for Creating Venn Diagrams

9:45 AM    

October 24, 2014
Venn Diagram is an excellent free interactive tool  from the popular Read Write Think that students can use to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles. This tool is also available for both iOS and Android. The iPad app is particularly designed for use in the school setting providing students with a simple profile system where multiple users can create their own Venn diagrams on the same device.



Students can use Venn diagram to record concepts and organize information in a systematic and logical way. They can pick from several circle colours, and both the circles and item font size can be altered to better align with the users' needs for each project. Students may view and edit their draft diagrams, then print the finished diagrams for reference. In some cases, the Venn diagram tool has been customized to complement a specific lesson or activity.The finished Venn diagram can be shared with others through email.

Read More

TED-Ed New Interactive Periodic Table With Video Lessons for Every Element

10:33 PM    

October, 2014
Today, TED-Ed launched a clickable periodic table with videos on every element. This work is a fruit of a partnership between TED-Ed and Brady Haran, the creator of the popular YouTube channel Numberphile. The purpose behind this period table is to provide students with both a refresher and a study aid to help them better understand the different chemical elements and their properties.



This periodic videos contains facts on almost all elements, from Hydrogen to Ununennium and beyond. And for each element, a video lesson is accorded. So students will be able to watch the video and use the TED Ed platform to engage with its content. All the lessons are customizable, a feature which teachers can draw on to create and share new lessons based on the same video.

Here is a sample of a video lesson on Ted-Ed periodic table.


 Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest .

Read More