Internet Media Specials

[ Had he been alive today, Dr. Seuss would have turned 109 on March 2nd.]

READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY
(Dr. Seuss' Birthday-March 2nd)
A to Z Teacher Stuff
The Art of Dr. Seuss
Just for KindergartenersMeeting and Reading Dr. Seuss- lesson plans for Dr. Seuss week
Teacher Planet- lessons and printablesTeaching Phonograms Through "The Sneeches" by Dr. Seuss- for first grade

I recently was informed about an image conversion program called IMVERTER. This wonderful program allows you to convert your image to one of 14 different image formats, including TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PSD, PDF, EPS, PNG, BMP, FAX, PCX, PGM, PICT, PPM and TGA. Thanks to Diane for the suggestion. Here are  more programs to add to the list. (You can also find this listing under Web 2.0 Tools I-P)

Convert My Image- supports the following:

• PNG - Portable Network Graphic
• JPG or JPEG
• GIF - Graphics Interchange Format
• TIF or TIFF - Tagged Image File Format
• BMP - Bitmap
• RPG
• XPM - X Pixmap
• PIC - PICtor
• PDF - Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format)
• EPS - Encapsulated PostScript
• PS - Adobe Photoshop

YouConvertIt- the list is too long to put here, but this site offers file conversions of all types; web-based program allows up to 300MB file.

Zamzar- another very long list of file conversions available (files up to 100MB)

I am currently involved in book inventory, with weeding taking place simultaneously. Currently in the biography section, I came across Lance Armstrong's book entitled "It's Not About the Bike", which details his battle with cancer. Thinking about Mr. Armstrong's recent fall from grace involving steroid use, (and his decision not to cooperate with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's investigation of performance-enhancing drug use in cycling) I am trying to decide whether or not to pull his book from the shelf.  I found these opinions on the web:

Australian Library Puts Lance Armstrong Books in the Fiction Section

Lance, Lies, and the Library

Manly Public Library's Solution

What are you going to do in your school library? I am interested in your opinion!

I am continuing to add subject areas to my resources. The next page will be for World Language teachers, and today's entry will assist Spanish teachers. As usual, please add any suggestions at the end of this post.


RESOURCES 
Casa Notes- teachers can create typical notes which are given to students or sent home to parents; templates allow for customization

EspañOlé!- "THE On-line Resource for Students and Teachers of Spanish!"

Internet Activities for Foreign Language Classes

Royalty-Free Clip Art Collection for Foreign Language Instruction
 
Spanish Artists- from Artcyclopedia

Spanish Flash Cards

Yahoo! Espana

Yahoo! Mexico

GAMES
17 Fun Games to Play in Spanish Class

Free Printables and Games for the Spanish Classroom-  for grades 2-6
 
Free Spanish Language Games- from Don Quixote

Games and Activities for Spanish Class- Pinterest board

Games to Learn Spanish- hangman, word search, memory

Spanish Class Games- nice Pinterest board

Word Play- Spanish vocabulary game

Yamada Language Guides- this site covers 140 languages and 112 fonts for 40 languages; this is one of the very best guides to language teaching resources on the Web!

LESSON PLANS 
Grades 6-12- from Bright Hub Education

Hello-World- lessons, activities, games

iMendi- language flash cards

The Internet Picture Dictionary

More Spanish- lesson plans and technology for the Spanish classroom

Spanish4Teachers-includes worksheets and fifteen categories, including alphabet, vocabulary, grammar

Spanish Irregular Verbs Quiz 

Spanish is Your Amigo- beginner video lessons

Spanish Lesson Plans- Pinterest board filled with resources

Spanish Regular Verbs Quiz

The Spanish Teachers- covers Spanish I,II,III,IV

Spanish Templates- games, quizzes

Spanish Verb Drills

Spanish Vocabulary Quizzes

TeAchnology- many lessons and activities here

Verbs Online- Spanish verb conjugation trainer

Free is always good, and what better way to receive PD credits than to attend a webinar!  You can sit in the comfort of your own home and communicate with teachers all over the world. NOTE: This listing has been added the the "FREE" tab at the top.

ASCD

Atomic Learning- webinar archive

BrainPOP Webinars- How Do You Feel? Exploring Social Emotional Learning, From Alaska and the Iditarod Trail … To You!; there is also a webinar archive

Discovery Education- in addition to current calendar listing, you can view the archived webinars here.

 
edtechteacher- Explain Everything: iPad Screencasting and More

Emerging Tech- sponsored by Follett Software; for librarians and media specialists

Free Friday Webinars by Shelly Terrell and American TESOL

The Future of Education- track what's available on your Google calendar

Green Teacher Webinar Series- Using Insects to Motivate Students, Food Systems and Sustainability

Math Solutions- Supporting English Language Learners, Professional Learning Communities

PBS Teachers LIVE!

Scientific Learning- sample webinars include Guided Reading for Every Student Every Day, The Hidden Reason Your Child Struggles to Read

SimpleK12- many are free; some require full access $$

Webinars for the New Animoto Video Creation Process

Webinars for Teacher-Librarians- from the TLCafe; Student Collaboration, Research Skills and Tech Integration, Be the Change You Want to See in your Library Media Center.

Wolfram Alpha- nice list of courses by subject area

This past Friday night, my father passed away after a long illness. Although he had lived with Alzheimer's for the last 12 years, it wasn't until the last five when it really reared its ugly head. Throughout it all, my father's kind, gentle, loving personality never faltered; the aides, nurses, social workers etc. at the home where he resided found him a pleasure and loads of fun.

Dad always saw the good in people and was so honest that when a waitress gave him an incorrect check in his favor, he brought it to her attention because he didn't want her to have to pay out of her own pocket for the mistake. It is this type of behavior that I have tried to follow; this kindness and unconditional love I will always remember about him.

This disease needs to be stopped. There is currently no cure and the number of Alzheimer's patients is rising.  I have posted a brief video about the statistics. Thanks for letting me veer off topic today to grieve.

When my students train for the Library-Media Council, I have them play a great shelving game called Order in the Library. In the last several months, it just disappeared from the University of Texas' site, apparently taken down by its creator. BUT.....those of you who know me are well aware that I don't give up that easily. I went to the Wayback Machine, which is part of the Internet Archive site. Since 1996, they have stored 240 billion URLs!  All you have to do is search your deleted site as seen below:

As for Order in the Library, my students are able to play the shelving game here thanks to the Wayback Machine. Remember: your students may "think" they deleted something, but it's still there......

I don't understand it. People disobeying the law every day, talking and texting on their cellphones. One guy gave me the finger the other day and I was just staring at him, hoping that he realized what he was doing was wrong. I have my own theory why student drivers continue to text and drive; adults all around them are breaking the law every day. I pass adult drivers talking on the phone (some think that holding the phone with the speakerphone on is hands free) every single day to and from work and my commute is 25 minutes max. Here's the reality: if you text and drive, one day you will die in a car accident. The distraction of talking on the phone while driving (I have a Bluetooth hands-free device and try not to use it) is dangerous, plain and simple. Do you teach driver's education? Although I have previously posted resources , many of the one I haves below are extremely graphic. Trying to get through to your students? Some will be sickened by the images, others will laugh it off thinking they are immortal. At any rate, it is necessary to keep trying to get the message through---do not use your cellphone while driving. Although it is a very old movie,  Signal 30 tells it like it really is and shows actual accidents and dead bodies. It has been shown in countless driver's ed classes.



This video was produced by the Gwent Police in the UK.


Very Graphic Photos- accident shows body cut in half

I am trying to complete the page I have set up for science, so today I am adding biology resources. You can access all science topics by using the tab at the top. Did I miss something? Please let me know.


SITES
Biological Animations- from St. Olaf College

Biology Animation Library- from DNA Learning Center; about 15 listed

Biology Animations- currently 50 listed

The Biology Corner- worksheets, quizzes

Biology for Life- Skyline High School's excellent site

The Biology Project- from the University of Arizona; site is constantly updating

Biology Simulations- from the University of Colorado at Boulder; list of 23 simulations

Biology Questions- over 1,800!

Bozeman Biology- YouTube channel of videos

Cell Biology Websites

Cells Alive!

DNA From the Beginning- 75 animated experiments

Explore Biology- AP Biology assignments, lecture notes, presentations and more from Ms. Foglia

Hippocampus Biology- free help with biology homework; simulations, presentations from Khan Academy and NROCC

Interactive Biology- videos, quizzes (high school, college)

Meiosis Tutorial- from University of Arizona

National Association of Biology Teachers- general biology resource links

Principles of Biology- NING developed by Benton High School and MWSU

Rader's Biology 4 Kids

Teachervision Biology Resources

Thingdom- interactive game "Thingdom challenges students to select and breed 'Things' to bring out particular characteristics through inheritance."

LESSON PLANS
Awesome Library- nice listing here of lesson plans

Biology 4 Teachers- lesson plans, PowerPoints and activities

The Biology Corner Lesson Plans- includes worksheets by topic, covers AP Bio as well

Biology Lesson Plans- from the Science Spot; includes Internet-based lessons

Free Biology Lesson Plans- for younger grades K-5

Free High School Biology Worksheets- PDF file downloads

Genetic Lesson Plan Ideas

High School Biology/Life Science Lessons- from Better Lesson

Share My Lesson- covers grades 9-12 biology classes

Teachervision Biology Lesson Plans- sort by grade level

TeAchnology Lesson Plans

The teachers I remember most from high school were those who made class enjoyable. It was the boring ones whom turned me off to the subject matter; those who themselves weren't excited about the information they were sharing with their students. When I taught library skills for grades K-5, I was always trying to find ways to get my kids involved in the learning process, including allowing the kids to rap and break-dance while reciting the Dewey Decimal categories. Science teacher Tyler DeWitt shows how easy it is to get creative when teaching what could be a very boring lesson.

The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education- assists teachers in fair use doctrine; from the Center for Social Media

Copyright Advisory Network- "a way for librarians to learn about copyright and seek feedback and advice from fellow librarians and copyright specialists"

Copyright Basics- from Copyright Kids!

Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers- PDF document

Creative Commons- various sharing methods explained

Cyberbee- cute interactive for grades 4-9

Fair Use Evaluator- "understand how to determine the "fairness" of a use under the U.S. Copyright Code."

Fair Use Wiki- the fair use clause explained

Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright- from the Library of Congress; interactive for kids in grades 4-8

Teaching Copyright- Five 60-minute lessons

TeachersFirst Copyright and Fair Use Resources

United States Copyright Office- search records, register works


What is Copyright?- wiki managed by by teacher Mary Beth Hertz