Try Using Icebreaker Tags at New Staff Orientation
The new school year is almost here and that means there will be new staff orientation meetings are happening everywhere. Rather than using generic name tags or ID badges for that first meeting, try using Icebreaker Tags. IceBreaker Tags is a free tool for making your name tags that can help people break out of […]
A Short Guide to Getting Started With Google Drive
Six years ago I published a short PDF that contained directions for getting started using Google Drive. I still get requests for that document even though it is outdated. This evening I’m happy to share that I have put together an updated guide to getting started with Google Drive. This guide was developed for a […]
Join Me Tomorrow for 5 Ways to Blend Technology Into Outdoor Lessons
Tomorrow afternoon at 4pm Eastern Time I’m hosting a Practical Ed Tech webinar titled 5 Ways to Blend Technology Into Outdoor Lessons. I hosted this webinar back in the spring to close out the school year. It was well received then so I’m offering it again. In the webinar I’ll share activities, tools, and strategies […]
7 Ways to Make Animated GIFs
Whiteboard-style videos and Common Craft-style videos can be a great for helping students understand big concepts in short, easy-to-follow videos. But for smaller concepts, an animated GIF can do the trick. In the last few months I’ve come across a lot of free tools for making animated GIFs. Here’s a run down of some of the […]
GIFs, Whiteboards, and Slides – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where the heat, humidity, and rain combined to cancel our morning plans. Mason doesn’t even want to go outside. In the picture to the left he had just looked at me as if to say, “I’m not leaving the air conditioning?” Hopefully, we can all get outside to play a bit […]
150+ Tips for New Teachers
One of the best things about being a teacher is the support that you can often find from colleagues in your own building and, increasingly, through online professional groups. That collegiality can be a huge asset to teachers who are new to the profession. That’s why five years ago I started to collect and publish […]
How Does Air Conditioning Work? – A Lesson for the Dog Days of Summer
Here in northern New England we don’t handle hot and humid weather well. The first heat wave of the summer always sends people scrambling to buy the few air conditioners that are in stock at Home Depot or Walmart. In fact, I was one of those scramblers a couple of weeks ago. This leads me […]
Brush Ninja – Make Animated GIFs on Your Desktop or Mobile Device
Brush Ninja is a free tool for creating animated GIFs. Unlike some similar tools, Brush Ninja works equally well in the web browser on a Chromebook, Windows or Mac laptop, iPads, Android tablets, and iOS and Android phones. To make an animated GIF on Brush Ninja simply go to the website and start drawing on […]
Take a Look at TypingClub’s Unique Approach to Typing Practice
TypingClub is a site that offers an extensive set of typing lessons for students. On TypingClub you’ll find lessons that use a traditional approach to typing practice as well as lessons that use a rather novel approach to typing practice. That novel unique approach to typing practice is found in TypingClub’s story-based typing practice. This […]
Climate Kids’ Big Questions Teaches Students About Climate Change
NASA’s Climate Kids website has many excellent online and offline resources for teaching students about climate change. One of those resources is the Big Questions wheel. The Big Questions wheel guides students through the basic concepts and issues related to climate change. Seven big questions are featured in the wheel. Students select a question to […]
