Free Technology for Teachers: 17 Free eBooks for Teachers and Parents

Free Technology for Teachers: 17 Free eBooks for Teachers and Parents


Over the last eighteen months I've created and offered seven free ebooks for teachers. In those ebooks I've covered Google tools, web search, video creation, blogging, and other resources of interest to educators. All seven of those ebooks are available in the right hand column of Free Technology for Teachers. This morning I'd like to highlight some other free ebooks created by others for teachers and parents. Click to Read More

Pocket Change App

Pocket Change

Pennies, Nickels, Dimes, Quarters and Half Dollars are having fun adding up change in
“Pocket Change”.

Pocket Change is an excellent tool for learning how to count change with sound.

You will be amazed how fast your child will learn how much money they have in their pocket with this exciting game. This game was created by a seasoned elementary math teacher.

The voice tells children when they have selected or not selected the correct answer and how much change they have counted.

Basic Flash Cards: Multiplication

 Basic Flash Cards: Multiplication  (currently .99)

Basic Flash Card: Addition

Basic Flash Card: Addition (currently .99 - prices change)

Basic Flash Card: Addition - memorizing addition facts

Close to 20, 100, 1000 - Math Game

 
These Math games are based on the popular games from the Elementary Math program Investigations in Number, Data, and Space. These three games focus on helping children become better at understanding...

Pad Math (ipad only)

Long division and multi-digit multiplication, addition and subtraction math questions - make learning and practicing fun and easy with Pad Math - the most flexible and interactive problem solving engine on the iPad!!

Elementary Math Free

Learn basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with Elementary Math!! Elementary Math provides the student with a vast array of learning and practicing tools in one package!!!

View in iTunes

Number Line App

Number Line: This award winning app will help your students learn about fractions, decimals, percentages and their equivalents. The game features several levels where the object is to drag objects onto a number line in the correct numerical order. Points are awarded for the correct placement of the numbers, as well as for completing the level in a quick time. Points are subtracted for placing numbers in the wrong place. Great fun.

iFormulas

iFormulas: This useful app contains over 330 formulas, definitions, laws and properties and would be a great quick reference guide for secondary level Math classes. Algebra, Geometry, Calculus and Trigonometry are all covered by iFormulas. It won't tell you the answers, but it will provide you with the formulas you need to calculate the answer.

Math Tutor Lite

Math Tutor Lite: This app is for practicing basic math skills. Math Tutor Lite is the free version of Math Tutor, but it has more than enough content to make it a worthwhile download.So, whether you want your students to brush up on addition, multiplication, subtraction or division, you will find that all skills are covered here. There are six levels of difficulty for each skill, and students are given instant feedback on how well they have done. The games can be played with a timer for an extra challenge, or without.

Upcoming Free Videoconferencing Programs

December 1
Little Things Can Mean a Lot: String, Peas and Snowflakes with Author/Illustrator Keith Baker
Target Audience: Grades K-2     Cost: Free   Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.Description: Books can be about many things, big and small.  Let's take a look at three of Keith Baker’s books that look at small things--string, peas and snowflakes.  Is a string just a string, or can it be many other things?  What if there were 'p's' and 'peas' in the alphabet?  What would all those little peas do for the other letters?  Are there ever two snowflakes that are alike?  Join Keith for arts, crafts and a book chat. He’ll talk about writing, show your students how to make a six-sided snowflake and share a little trick for drawing faces that will make their characters come to life.

December 2America's Signs and Symbols
Target Audience: Grades 6- 8    Cost: Free  Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.Description: Artists use familiar American icons – the Statue of Liberty, the bald eagle, the flag –
to communicate their personal ideas and to encourage probing thoughts about our
society. By introducing America’s Signs & Symbols with a pre-visit looking
activity, completing your videoconference, and cementing concepts with an
in-class post lesson, your students will be better able to: (1)Understand the historical context and symbolic meanings of American icons; (2)Understand the role of symbols in the expression of a national identity, personal ideas and social commentary; (3) Use visual vocabulary to articulate observations and interpretations of artworks.

December 9Animal Quest
Target Audience: Grades 3-4    Cost: Free  Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.Description: Based on the ever-popular MysteryQuest developed by Berrien County RESA in Michigan, this project is designed for 3rd and 4th grade students studying animals. Through video conference technology, students are able to meet other students in from MAGPI member schools while learning about the habitats, habits and structure of various animals. Prior to the video conference each classroom will create a presentation with clues about a mystery animal. The other classrooms, using the Internet, textbooks, prior knowledge and other resources, try to discover the identity of the mystery animal

December 14Cookies With Santa
Target Audience: Grades K-3    Cost: Free  Time: 10:00 - 10:45, OR 11:00 - 11:45, OR 1:00 - 1:45Description: Join us for an interactive adventure to Santa's workshop in the North Pole! Our special guest, Kris Kringle (aka Santa Claus) will be joining students via videoconference to share stories of the North Pole, read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, answer students' questions and munch on cookies.

December 15Cookies With Santa
Target Audience: Grades K-3    Cost: Free  Time: 10:00 - 10:45, OR 11:00 - 11:45, OR 1:00 - 1:45Description: Join us for an interactive adventure to Santa's workshop in the North Pole! Our special guest, Kris Kringle (aka Santa Claus) will be joining students via videoconference to share stories of the North Pole, read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, answer students' questions and munch on cookies.

December 14Cookies With Santa
Target Audience: Grades K-3    Cost: Free  Time: 10:00 - 10:45, OR 11:00 - 11:45, OR 1:00 - 1:45Description: Join us for an interactive adventure to Santa's workshop in the North Pole! Our special guest, Kris Kringle (aka Santa Claus) will be joining students via videoconference to share stories of the North Pole, read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, answer students' questions and munch on cookies.

For all of these listed programs, schools must arrange for the IVC equipment and IP address to be set up for their school at least 2 weeks before the program.  This should be done BEFORE registering for the program through the links listed above.  Please email me to arrange for this.  Thanks! Jamie

eCYBERMISSION Competition

Promoting STEM education, The U.S. Army’s Research, Development, and Engineering Command, has announced that registration is now open for its eCYBERMISSION competition. Students in 6th - 9th grades must utilize innovation, creativity, and interest in STEM education in the free, web-based, STEM competition. Throughout the competition year, students and educators will be connected to volunteers, or CyberGuides, who interact with contest participants through various outlets, including online discussion forums, team chat rooms, and interactive webinars. Registration for teams closes December 17, 2010.

eGFI – For Teachers » eGFI Contest – Win an Amazon Gift Card

eGFI – For Teachers » eGFI Contest – Win an Amazon Gift Card

Frome the website above:
Innovative Ways to Use eGFI Engineering Cards in Classrooms

eGFI has come out with packs of 16 colorful cards explaining the engineering disciplines, including a teacher guide with ways to use the cards in the classroom. We know that there have got to be more ways to use them, though, so we want to hear from you.

Take a look at the front and back of one of the cards we’ve provided (click images to enlarge). How would YOU use them in a classroom activity? What could be done to further engage students? What games could be constructed?

Propose your original ideas, and we’ll pick the most creative and well-thought-out one. The winner will receive a $50 gift card from Amazon.com via email, and have his or her name posted (optional) on our website and social networking outlets, along with the winning idea! The contest runs Nov. 2 – Nov. 16, 2010.

Email your ideas, along with any questions, to: Jaimie Schock at j.schock@asee.org.

Scholastic Virtual Fieldtrip and Thanksgiving Resources

The First Thanksgiving Student Activities for Grades PreK-12 Scholastic.com

Scholastic will host a live virtual fieldtrip to Plimoth Plantation on November 16. Follow the link to sign up and for lots of other resources on Thanksgiving!

Teacher's Assistant App for iPad/iPod

Visit the website to learn more: http://lanschool.com/ipad

This FREE app can be paired with the Teacher Console and allows teachers to send students messages, permit student voting/answering, blank student screens, block websites/applications, and monitor all student screens at once.

Educational iPad Apps

These two articles tell about many great apps:

*40 Amazingly Educational iPad Apps for Kids Online Classes.org: Find the Right Online Class Match

*An Overview of the Best Educational iPad Apps



In addition to the apps mentioned in this article, I would like to add the following ones:

SpellBoard - excellent for spelling word practice

Word Slam - fun two-player word game


Some great apps for iPad or iPod:

Oregon Trail

Number Line - decimals, percents, fractions - place in order on number line

NASA

iCell - explore plant and animal cells

BrainQuest - this link is for 3rd grade...but all grade levels are great...multi-subject

and so many more...I'll try to add more soon :)

Tony Vincent's Learning in Hand - Blog - iPod touch in Canby School District

Tony Vincent's Learning in Hand - Blog - iPod touch in Canby School District

The 10 iPad Book Apps: Using the iPad for Reading Books at School

The 10 iPad Book Apps: Using the iPad for Reading Books at School

October Webinars from BrainPOP

Twitter in the Classroom

Wednesday, October 13
6:30 PM EDT
Duration: 1 Hour Join special guest and tweeting teacher Dorie Glynn to explore the limitless ways Twitter can be used in the classroom. Find out how how you can connect parents, students, and classrooms globally and engage students through the use of social networking tools.

RSVP: http://bptweet.eventbrite.com

Navigating BrainPOP Educators: Free Tips, Tools, and Resources

Wednesday, October 20

4:30 PM EDT

Duration: 1 Hour

We're thrilled to announce the launch of a new and improved BrainPOP Educators, our free professional community more than 110,000 members strong. Learn about all of the free tips, tools, and resources it offers to help you maximize your BrainPOP subscriptions. You'll walk away with plenty of ideas and materials to get you through the school year, including lesson plans, graphic organizers, and much more.

RSVP: http://e2ma.net/go/8685616664/3138734/99136865/12954/b64/aHR0cDovL2JwZW5hdi5ldmVudGJyaXRlLmNvbQ==

Teaching and Learning English With BrainPOP ESL 

Wednesday, October 27

4:30 PM EDT
Duration: 1 Hour

Tour BrainPOP ESL and get acquainted with its various components. Eight interactive features support each movie and reinforce lessons through practice in all four language skills. In addition, there are lively interactive games, quizzes, and lesson plans. Join us and explore the ways that BrainPOP ESL brings English-learning to life in the classroom.

RSVP: http://brainpopesl1.eventbrite.com

BING - "Our School Needs..." Contest

Win up to $100,000 for your school.  Let Bing know what your school needs.  Learn more  

United Streaming Archived Streamathon 2010

Watch the Archived presentations:

Back-to-School with DE streaming
Porter Palmer View / Download
Brad Fountain View / Download
Whitney Mihoulides View / Download

25 Free things in 45 minutes or less
Lance Rougeux View / Download
Matt Monjan View / Download
Kyle Schutt View / Download

DE streaming Spotlight: Teacher Center and the Builders
Jennifer Dorman View / Download
Steve Dembo View / Download

The Student Experience with DE streaming
Michael Bryant View / Download
Karen Goldman View / Download

STEM

Imagebase - FREE stock pictures for projects

Professional photographer David Niblack has created a website, Imagebase, full of high quality photos that may be used for free.  These photos are perfect for students to use in creating multi-media projects.  His website states "treat as public domain." 

Vote for Digital Wish and WIN prizes for your classroom

Digital Wish is in competition to win $250, 000 from the Pepsi Refresh project & if they win, they will "make technology wishes come true for over 500 classrooms.  To register your classroom and participate, click here: http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/register (find your school and add yourself as a teacher).  Then, Invite your students and parents to vote from your Digital Wish profile and raise your rank, earn a grant, and help Digital Wish win!  (Provide them with the link to your donation page and ask them to click the image:

Teachers and their networks are encouraged to vote every day throughout the month of September.

Free Webinar: Google Sketchup

Discovery Education is offering the following free webinar: Get Ready for 3D Learning: More with Google Sketchup with Brent Jacobsen, MLA Date: Tuesday, 9/28/10 Time: 7pm Length: 1 hour Description from Discovery Education: "Brent Jacobsen tackled the basics of Google SketchUp in the “Start Thinking in 3D: Google SketchUp” webinar. Now learn more about how to use Google SketchUp in the classroom. Get students excited about modeling, and watch their creativity come to life. In this webinar, Brent will briefly review the basics of Google SketchUp and delve a little deeper into some of the more advanced tools and features of the program. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of all the ways Google SketchUp can be used in the classroom to engage and excite students about STEM." Click to Register

Free Webinar - "Rewired: Understanding the iGeneration and the Way They Learn, featuring Dr. Larry Rosen"

Date: Wednesday, 9/15/10
Time: 7pm
Length: 1 hour

Description from Discovery Education:

"Rewired: Understanding the iGeneration and the Way They Learn
From iPods to smartphones to Facebook, today's youth are more plugged in than ever before, and it's becoming increasingly clear that they do not respond to traditional teaching methods - textbooks and lectures - in the same way as previous generations. What should parents and educators expect, socially and academically, from their wired children and adolescents? Attendees will learn how to effectively incorporate this new generation's radically different learning style into a twenty-first century education."

Click to Register

Discovery Education - Head Rush Science Trivia Tournaments for classes

From Discovery Education:

Head Rush -  Challenge rival classes to win the title of Tournament Champion.

"Head Rush is the ultimate online science trivia tournament game. Physics. Math. Biology. Get your students excited about science!  Every couple of weeks, a new tournament will begin. Some will have themes like math, dinosaurs, insects, or space." Visit the Head Rush site and get your class started.

·         Now through 9/26, Head Rush is all about Mother Nature's Fury - everything from wild weather to natural disasters.

·         Starting on 9/27, we'll be challenging you to explore the world of undersea science in our Ocean Life tournament.

BrainPOP Webinar

Project Based Learning and Universal Design for Learning: What Is It and How Can BrainPOP Help?


Wednesday, September 15
6:30 EDT
Duration: 1 Hour

In a project-based learning classroom, children learn to work cooperatively, collaboratively, independently, and enthusiastically. A Universal Design for Learning approach assures that all of your students can be successful in this classroom. Come learn how to set up a "PBL" assignment, following UDL guidelines, and see how BrainPOP fits right in.

RSVP: http://projectbased.eventbrite.com/

SMART Notebook Interactive Viewer - FREE

SMART Notebook Interactive Viewer:

With this free program, your students will be able to interact with your SMART Notebook presentations from home.  This would also be great to install on every student computer in the classroom and computer lab! 

Click here to download:
http://www.smarttech.com/us/Support/Browse+Support/Download+Software/Software/SMART+Notebook+Intractive+Viewer/SMART+Notebook+Intractive+Viewer/SMART+Notebook+Interactive+Viewer+for+Windows

9/17 Constitution Day Resources

Thinkfinity has some great resources for Constitution Day! Here are a few:

• Constitutional Convention (6-8)
• First Amendment (3-5)
• Constitution Costs (6-12)
• Charting the Constitution
• The Preamble to the Constitution: How Do You Make a More Perfect Union? (3–5)
• The Constitution of the United States of America (K–12)
• The Constitutional Convention: Four Founding Fathers You May Never Have Met (6–8)
• James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President (9–12)

Free Apps this Weekend 9/11-9/12

Mom's With Apps has arranged for several apps to be free for this weekend:

• Long Multiplication
• Just Fractions
• Kid Math Fun - Kindergarten (this one is always free)
• Kid Math Fun - First Grade
• Kid Math Fun - Second Grade
• Kid Math Fun - Third Grade
• Kid Math Fun - Fourth Grade
• Kid Math Fun - Fifth Grade 

Wolfram Alpha

This application lets students find information on virtually any subject fast.  It will compute mathematical equations (yes, even calculus) AND it will show the steps for solving.  Students could also search for a famous person, find information about their surname, etc.

Recommended for all grades K-12+

View Description

View Developer Website

View Demo Video on YouTube

View in iTunes

From Wolfram Alpha: "Wolfram Alpha's long-term goal is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone. We aim to collect and curate all objective data; implement every known model, method, and algorithm; and make it possible to compute whatever can be computed about anything. Our goal is to build on the achievements of science and other systematizations of knowledge to provide a single source that can be relied on by everyone for definitive answers to factual queries."  View the entire "about" section of their website.

Toddler Counting

Although this app says "toddler" it is great for any Pre-K - K student learning one-to-one correspondence.  The app counts aloud and places the numeral over objects as the student touches them.  Students should be encouraged to count aloud with the application.  Will also help with numeral recognition.

Recommended for Pre-K - K, remediation

Current Price: $0.99

View Description

View in iTunes

First Words Sampler

This app is a free sampler that includes several words.  Students drag the letters to the appropriate box to spell the word.  Letters are named as they are clicked and again to spell the word before reading it.  Cute animation when correct.  There is a full version that can be bought.

Current Price: FREE

View Description

View in iTunes

Farm Flip Memory Game

This app is a cute memory game where students match animals - includes animal sounds.

Primarily Recommended for Pre-K - K

Current Price: FREE

View Description

View in iTunes

Alphabet Tracing

This app demonstrates the proper way to form letters using an animated train.  Students trace the dots to write the letters.  Manuscript.

Recommended for Pre-K - K

Current Price: FREE

View YouTube Demo Video

View Description

View in iTunes

ABCs and Me - 5 Pumpkins

This app has talking flashcards students can scroll through.  Flashcards for the alphabet include letter name, sound, and word.  Flashcards for numbers show the numeral and a pictoral representation.  The app also includes flashcards for colors, shapes, and foods.

Recommended for Pre-K and K

Current Price: FREE

View Description

View in iTunes

BrainPOP Featured Movie app

My kids LOVE this! They can access more than the one featured movie each day and being able to touch the screen to answer the quiz is a big hit. Turning the iPad sideways makes the movie screen much larger. I would suggest it for all elementary grades.


From BrainPOP:
"The BrainPOP Featured Movie app delivers fresh, animated movies every day, with content relevant to significant historical and current events such as Earth Awareness and Financial Literacy topics in April. After watching the Featured Movie, students can test their new knowledge with the accompanying interactive quiz. We think the app is a whole lot of fun, with a beautiful design. "
Read the whole press release

 


Current Price: FREE

View Description

View in iTunes (opens your iTunes)