Using the web can feel like trying to drink from a fire hose, so I’ll try to share a few droplets here.
Take what is helpful for you and your teaching, ignore what isn’t!
TED: Technology, Entertainment, and Design
- What it is: ~20 minute videos on a variety of innovative topics from using games in education (how we will save the world) to David Brooks about emotion and logic (“people learn from people they love”) to William Kamkwamba harnessing the wind in Tanzania (“To all those struggling with your dreams … trust yourself, and believe”)
- How it could be used: begin a class discussion with students, have students analyze what makes a good presentation, have students MAKE THEIR OWN and post to YouTube (see the TEDxClassroomProject)
Rubistar: making rubrics made easy
- What it is: resource of customizable rubrics. You select the type of project (ex. science fair project) then the components you want (introduction, conclusion) and it AUTOFILLS the criteria.
- How it could be used: quickly build a rubric for any project
Google Maps: beyond just finding your house
- What it is: maps of anywhere in the world; zoomable and customizable (find your best bike route)
- How it could be used: have students create maps of battle sites or stories and share them with each other
- Extra resource: Use Richard Byrne’s free guide
Julie Kallio, PhD 