Answerables

Answerables the innovative educational tool that combines the best features of game based learning w/ a learning management system has just released their free iPad app.  Answerables is being used by educators in a variety of ways from collaborating w/ other classes, to browsing the web, all in a secure 3D virtual environment.

Answerables is used as a:

• Virtual classroom 
• Lesson planner
• Learning manager 
• Quest creator
• Resource manager 
• Web browser (managed)
• Social Network
• Student portfolio
• Presentation space

Features include:

• Multiplayer game environment
• Learning management system
• Quests and badges
• Assessment tools
• Analytics
• Resource/Content management system
• Web browser
• Secure audio/video streaming

I highly recommend checking out Answerables by clicking here!!!

*Answerables is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Sketch Nation

Sketch Nation the amazing free web tool or mobile app (iOS/Android) has just released their latest update to bring new exciting features to game creation.  Students can now create a multiplayer "platform" game in their new "Arena".  Also, users now have the ability to upload their own sound effects or music to add into a game,

Here are more details regarding Version 4.2...

* Side Running, Arena and Platformer now have double jump as an option. * All genres now have a powerup duration slider for changing the player. * New Background scrolling, Zero gravity, Always moving, and Player firing direction on Arena and Platformer. This lets you create RACING and ROLE PLAYING type games! * Hold down the shoot button to fire. * Match 3 can now generate a powerup when matching 3, 4 or 5 tiles at the same time. * Lots of bug fixes. Also, new tutorials (i.e. storytelling, multi-level games) and Lesson ideas for teachers can be found here. I highly recommend checking out Sketch Nation by clicking here!!! *Sketch Nation is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

MathScienceMusic.org

MathScienceMusic.org is a innovative site that I just found out about from renowned educator, Shelly Terrell.  This is a fantastic site for educators looking to teach STEM concepts such as: Coding, Math, and More, all through the use of music and other resources.  This is done by watching videos to see how these concepts are taught and what resources are being used w/ them (i.e. Scratch).  This site was designed for grade K-12.

I highly recommend checking out MathScienceMusic.org by clicking here!!!

Storyboard That Illustrated Guides

Storyboard That the amazing site that educators are using for creating timelines, graphic organizers, digital stories, storyboards, project based learning, and much much more, just released their
Illustrated Guides.  These one cell storyboards are great for teaching any number of subjects such as: Mythology, Literature, History, and more.

I highly recommend checking out Storyboard That's Illustrated Guides by clicking here!!!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Storyboard That is the perfect tool to create a wide variety of projects, such as: Thanksgiving Cards, Stories, I am Thankful for..., etc etc.

I highly recommend checking out Storyboard That's Thanksgiving lesson plans by clicking here!!!

*Storyboard That is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Gimlet

Gimlet is a excellent new site for creating quiz style games that I just found out about from Larry Ferlazzo's great blog.  Gimlet reminds me a lot of Kahoot where a teacher creates a quiz (or converts a Quizlet), has students join on their device via unique code and then take the quiz.  A teacher can see all student's results in real-time and then differentiate instruction.  Best of all are the detailed reports that make it easy for teachers to track a students progress and see how their whole class is doing.
 
I highly recommend checking out Gimlet by clicking here!!!

EDpuzzle Curriculum

EDpuzzle is the amazing learning tool that educators everywhere are using to flip their classroom, assess student learning, differentiate instruction, and much much more.  This is done by adding questions to a video and modifying it to make it work for YOU.

Best of all, are the wide range of lessons and resources that are available for students and educators.  A user can search through subject and grade level to see how best EDpuzzle can work for them.

Finally, EDpuzzle is available as a browser plugin and free mobile app for Android and iOS.

I highly recommend checking out EDpuzzle by clicking here!!!

*EDpuzzle is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Kid Heroes Verbs

Kid Heroes Verbs is the new educational game from RoomReccess.  This is an innovative strategy game that has students selecting the correct verb (i.e. past, present, past participle) to place a hero in front of their king to protect from him from enemies/monsters.  As w/ all RoomRecess games, Kid Heroes Verbs has lots of replay value and requires lots of strategy on deciding where to place your heroes (i.e. warrior, archer, healer).  This is a great learning tool and excellent way to integrate Game Based Learning into the classroom.

I highly recommend checking out Kid Heroes Verbs by clicking here!!!

Night Zookeeper

Night Zoopkeeper is a new free site for students to help their Writing skills through fun interactive lessons.  Best of all, the educational portal allows educators to: assign lessons, track student progress, and assess their work in real-time.  This makes it easy for teachers to differentiate instruction and implement project based learning in their classroom.

Below is a brief demo...

Night Zookeeper in 80 seconds from Night Zookeeper on Vimeo.

I highly recommend checking out Night Zookeeper by clicking here!!!

Finally, the people at Night Zookeeper have released a free learning tool that easily creates Writing Prompts for students.  All a user has to do is select their writing style, age, and then time on how long they want to write and Writing Sparks creates the challenges/prompts for the students.  As w/ Zookeeper, Writing Sparks will assess students in real-time to help teachers assess student's learning.

For more information on Writing Sparks click here!!!

BoomWriter PRO

BoomWriter PRO

BoomWriter is a terrific site that I’ve written about many times because it lets elementary, middle, and high school teachers conduct non-fiction, fiction, and vocabulary development group-writing activities in almost any subject area. 

Now they’ve added BoomWriter PRO, which is a paid version of their product, and any teacher whose work with students involves writing should definitely consider this upgrade (only $2.99 a month) for the following reasons:

• Standards-based Rubrics! Boomwriter has made Argument/Opinion, Information/Explanatory, and Personal Narrative rubrics that will resonate with and prove useful to any teacher regardless of the state or region they may teach in.

• Makes Grading Easy!!  BoomWriter has done a very clever job of overlaying the rubrics and grading feature atop the individual student’s submission.  This allows the teacher to look at the work and the performance descriptor simultaneously before then applying the grade/score with a single click. 

• Capture Student Writing Data!!!  If the first two reasons were not convincing enough, this one should seal the deal.  Are you frustrated by having to wait until the following school year when the standardized testing results arrive to learn how your students’ writing is progressed?  Not particularly helpful, is it?  BoomWriter PRO lets teachers capture whole class and individual student writing data in real time before then presenting it to the teacher in a highly visual and easy to interpret manner.  This allows you to identify any potential writing instruction ‘blindspots’ that you may need to address with your class, as well as the ability to consistently assess and monitor the progress of each individual student in your class in all areas of writing throughout the entire school year.   

BoomWriter is a free site that keeps finding new and better ways to support teachers through technology.  If you join, be sure to opt for the PRO upgrade.

I highly recommend checking out BoomWriter Pro by clicking here!!!

*BoomWriter is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.