Thinkfinity Widget

I just discovered a Thinkfinity widget that will be useful to teachers as they look for electronic resources that align to their curriculum.  I just added it to the column on the right.  Try it out!

WatchKnow

 

 

 

Teachers:  Are you on the hunt for YouTube-like videos that you can use for instructional purposes in your classroom?  Do you want to have your students create projects and view videos that will help them learn academic content?   As you know, there are many educational videos on YouTube (and other sites), but these sites also have inappropriate videos... those you do NOT want your students to access.  WatchKnow may be the answer for you.  It is a new wiki portal that categorizes short videos by topic.  There is also an age filter; search for only those that are appropriate for the age in years of your students!

This is a community where users make it better by contributing, so be sure to register for an account and add videos as you find those that are useful for your classroom.  Sources could be YouTube, TeacherTube, GoogleVideo, National Geographic, HowCast, SlideBoom, SchoolTube, Graspr, 5 Minute LifeVideopedia, InternetArchive, and eHow.  

The advisory panel includes experienced teachers and experts in educational media and library science.   This group reviews media and moderates the online community. 

Enjoy!

Dr. Martin Luther King

A half-century ago, when African Americans were denied the right to vote, sat at the back of the bus, drank from "colored only" water fountains and sent their children to substandard, segregated schools, brave Americans dreamed of a better nation. They were beaten and water-hosed and thrown into jail. Many were killed. Today is a national holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr., and the eve of the swearing in of the first African American president.  Excitement is in the air.  Below are some great lessons and activities that are available:

• The New York Times educational division publishes daily lesson plans that are archived.  They are well done, with many extentions and options so that teachers can fit them to their unique classroom needs.  Check out the bank of lesson ideas here. 


• Did you know that Google image search now includes a collection of Life Magazine images?  Click here to see the collection of MLK images.   I was going to include one with this blog post, but the copyright license is for personal use only. 


• Several major news web sites will offer live streaming video and audio of the inauguration ceremony:

C-SPAN main streaming page.

CBS News

CNN Live page.

Fox News

NBC News through MSNBC

New York Times will be streaming the inauguration live.

• Discovery Education has a wide variety of excellent videos, audio, and images. 

Image  by Peter Prehn, Creative Commons license. 

Edublog Award Nominations

Here are some blogs that I'd like to nominate for the yearly Edublog Awards:

Best individual blog: Cliotech
http://cliotech.blogspot.com/

Best group blog: Digital Learning Environment Blogs
http://www.guide2digitallearning.com/blog

Best resource sharing blog: Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/

Best teacher blog: Langwitches
http://langwitches.org/blog/

Best educational tech support blog: Teach42
http://www.teach42.com/

Best educational use of audio: Parents as Partners
http://www.ourschool.ca/

Best educational use of a social networking service: MACUL Space
http://maculspace.ning.com/

Best educational use of a virtual world: DEN in Second Life
http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/secondlife/