Bits and Bytes

November 2008
We are so thankful to work with
such an awesome group of educators!!!!





How May We Help You?
    Gail and I had a ball during our first round of Wonderful Web Wednesdays.  We showed many great tools.  This newsletter will review the tools you were exposed to.  Feel free to call on us if you want to plan a lesson together using these tools.  We would love to work with you!
   
     My email address is mlewis@amherst.k12.va.us. and Gail can be reached at gmoore@amherst.k12.va.us.

We want to support you in all your instructional needs, please don't hesitate to call  us!
Melanie and Gail


Next WWW
We are looking forward to the next round of Wednesday Workshops.  We will be showing off the new web cams and how to use them.  You will also get to work with programs such as Skype, OOVOO, and Ustream. 

If you have other camera questions, please feel free to bring them with you. 

NOTE:  Due to budget restraints this year, professional developments held after school will be limited.  If you are interested in professional development ideas, please attend the Wonderful Web Wednesday sessions that we hold in your buildings.



Internet Safety Portal
    From Amherst County Home Page – Select Popular Links – Select Internet Safety http://guest.portaportal.com/internet.safety
  • Contains lesson plans, ideas, interactives, printables, games, posters, etc
    • Scroll to bottom of page to locate Rubric and Elementary Framework


   River Deep

        Teacher username: first initial last name EX: jdoe  password:  teacher

    Student username:  student ID #

                   password:  first name (legal name, not nick name)

      If you would like a copy of the RiverDeep “cheat sheet”. We can get
you a copy or you can refer to the Tutorial Guides notebook in the
Library.



      Servers

Can only be accessed from school
Teacher folders – Each of you should have a folder to store items and student work (Remember not to put anything confidential in your folder)
  • Technology Resources folder – Technology resources that are placed onto the
    server – including Powerpoints, Inspiration templates, printable, Interactive
    web sites, UnitedStreaming video clips, SMARTBoard lessons, etc.
  • Elementary servers:
    • Amelon -- \\bashful        Amherst -- \\sleepy    Central -- \\sneezy         
    Elon --     \\happy     MHES --  \\doc     PVES --  \\grumpy    
    TES --     \\dopey


        
    Wikis 
    http://www.wikispaces.com/ or http://www.pbwiki.com
  • Wikis let you create simple FREE web pages that groups, students, and colleagues can edit together.
    • Great online collaboration tool to post homework activities and have students log onto and respond, use as a digital publication of student work, digital or electronic portfolio of student work or your own professional development; the only limit is your imagination.

  • Voice Thread
    http://voicethread.com/
  • A tool that allows group collaboration around media whether they are pictures, documents, video, and/or presentation.
  • Another great way to publish student work ·Examples: publish student’s writing, fluency, create an interactive timeline, create an informational resource for a SOL, etc.


    •  Teachers Love SMART Boards

    http://smartboards.typepad.com/smartboard/ This site has challenges that help you learn some of the great tools available in the new 10.0 version of SMART Board software


    BRPTV – TTI lessons



    From the Amherst County Public School’s Homepage >> Scroll to bottom
    of page and click on Select  

           http://www.wbra.org/

    From the Scroll the bottom >> Select
       
    Choose your grade level

         These are scripted technology integrated SOL lessons – AWESOME
    resource.



          

    		Inspiration
    • Graphic organizer software
    • If you would like a copy of the Inspiration “cheat sheet”, we can get you a copy or you can refer to the Tutorial Guides notebook in the Library.
      •  
    Kid Pix
    • Paint type program only available in the computer lab
    • We have a notebook full of KidPix lessons and ideas – check it out.
    • Links for KidPix technology integration ideas

    http://www.lttechno.com/links/kidpix.html   http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jmresources/kidpix/kidpix.html


     Inside

    Can only be accessed from school
  • Human Resources: Forms
    • ITRT: Schedules, Teacher Show Case, Staff Development Resources


    You Tube http://www.youtube.com/ You must be logged in as yourself, NOT a a student (you may have to restart your computer if you are blocked)


      Teacher Tube http://teachertube.com/ You must be logged in as yourself, NOT as a student (you may have to restart your computer if you are blocked)


      Discovery Learning (Formerly United Streaming)
    • Type in the passcode assigned to your school. , click GO and follow the directions to create your own account.  You can get a passcode from Melanie or Gail.
    • Remember to download video clips and not stream them directly from the web site
    • Once you have located the video clip you want to download >> Right click on Select “Save Target As…..” >> Name the video clip >>> Choose where you want to save the file >> Click SAVE.
    Once you have located the video clip you want to download >> Right click on Select “Save Target As…..” >> Name the video clip >>> Choose where you want to save the file >> Click SAVE. If you would like a copy of the Discovery Education Streaming “cheat sheet”, we can get you a copy or you can refer to the Tutorial Guides notebook in the Library.
      Thinkfinity
    From the Amherst County Public School’s Homepage >> Scroll to bottom of page and click on  >> Click on Thinkfinity
  • http://www.marcopolo-education.org/home.aspx
  • ·Free educational resources for everyone – Web resources, Technology integrated lessons, Interactive activities
    • Content partners include


    the Arts Economics Humanities
         



    Math Literacy Language Arts
      


    Science History Geography