Sketch Nation

Sketch Nation the simple to use mobile (iOS/Android) app/site for creating games recently updated their lesson plan ideas page.  This is a great place for educators to go to find ways on how to integrate Sketch Nation into their classroom.  These lesson ideas focus on a wide variety of subjects such as: Coding, History, Math, and more.  Sketch Nation makes it a seamless way to introduce STEM into their classroom in a fun and engaging way.

I highly recommend checking out Sketch Nation Lesson Plans by clicking here!!!

Below is a brief demo...

*Sketch Nation is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

CodeCombat

CodeCombat is a fantastic way for educators to teach coding/programming in their classroom.  Code Combat is an easy-to-use learning tool that lets teachers integrate STEM and project based learning by playing through their innovative game.  This is done by typing code (not drag-n-drop blocks) to learn, html, CSS, and more.

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

Below is a brief demo...

How CodeCombat is transforming the way people learn computer science from CodeCombat on Vimeo.

For a more detailed review check out Edshelf by clicking here!!!

15 Sites/Apps for Creating Flashcards

"A flashcard or flash card is a set of cards bearing information, as words or numbers, on either or both sides, used in classroom drills or in private study. One writes a question on a card and an answer overleaf. Flashcards can bear vocabulary, historical dates, formulas or any subject matter that can be learned via a question and answer format. Flashcards are widely used as a learning drill to aid memorization by way of spaced repetition. (wikipedia)"  Flashcards are used by students and educators everyday and are one of the most popular ways to learn a subject/topic. The internet makes this learning tool even easier through the use of dedicated websites that allow for flashcard creation, collaboration, and more.

*This list is in alphabetical order.
15 Sites/Apps for Creating Flashcards

1. Braineos - A fun site for students to create flashcards to play educational games on a wide variety of subjects.
2. Brainscape - An innovative site/app that uses "smart" flashcard to help students learn and differentiate instruction.
3. Classmint - A great site for creating flashcards w/ images that can be annotated.
4. CoboCards - A nice site and mobile app for creating and sharing flashcards.  Also, a great way to collaborate w/ others.
5. Cram - Cram is a nice site and search engine for creating and finding flashcards.
6. Flashcard Flash - A innovative search engine designed for finding publicly shared flashcards. 
7. Flashcards by NKO - An excellent free iOS app that combines Game Based Learning w/ flashcards.
8. Flippity - A cool way to turn a Google Spreadsheet into a set of online flashcards.
9. GoConqr - Formerly know as ExamTime, GoConqr is a great site/app for creating flashcards, quizzes, and more.
10. Quizlet - A neat little site for creating flashcards which is ideal for studying vocabulary, languages, or more.  Also, a nice site for playing studying games.
11. Studium - A fantastic iOS app for creating multimedia style flashcards that can be used to study in a variety of ways.
12. Study Blue - A great site for creating flashcards from photos, audio, or notes and then sharing w/ others.  Also, a SB has a wonderful mobile app for studying on the go.
13. Study Stack - A nice all in one solution for creating and studying flashcards.  Also, there are lots of educational "stacks" to browse through.
14. Tinycards - A fun iOS app for creating flashcards or learning by completing lessons/games.
15. VocApp - A great mobile app for creating flashcards or taking already created courses for learning vocabulary/languages through already created decks.

Buncee Classroom

Buncee is the award winning learning tool that provides a digital canvas for students to create amazing projects, presentations, and much much more.  Educators have been using Buncee in a wide variety of ways through their educational portal "Buncee Classroom" to create virtual classrooms for students to complete assignments, take quizzes, etc.  Best of all, Buncee Classroom lets educators track students, assign quizzes, and even differentiate/assess instruction.  Finally, w/ the vast amount resources, lesson plans, templates, and tutorials, teachers can easily integrate Buncee into any
subject/curriculum.

More features include:

• Stitching Slides
• Google Classroom Integration
• State of the art/custom animations, clipart, and backgrounds
• COPPA compliant
• Complete Multimedia integration w/ voice recording
• Quiz/assignment creation (multiple choice/free answer)
• iPad app
• Buncee Boards
• much much more...

Below is a brief demo...



***For more exciting news from Buncee such as: ISTE, Buncee Chat on Twitter, and more, check out their blog by clicking here!!!

*Buncee is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

hyperPad

hyperPad is an excellent iOS app for educators to use to introduce students to programming/coding.  This is done in the familiar to use drag-n-drop interface where students can easily create games, presentations, banners, and more.  hyperPad also has an educational kit which is ideal for integrating STEM into the classroom.

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

Storyboard That Update

Storyboard That the innovative educational tool that teachers everywhere are using in a variety of ways (i.e. digital storytelling, project based learning, graphic organizers, etc) just released a bunch of new clip art for their storyboards.  Users can now find new characters, scenes, items, and more by clicking here.

Also, Storyboard That released a bunch of new activities and resources for educators in subjects such as: Science, ESL, Social Studies, and more.  Check out their lesson plans and educational resources by clicking here.

I highly recommend checking out Storyboard That by clicking here!!!

*Storyboard That is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Grasshopper

Grasshopper is the new free mobile app (iOS/Android) that Google just released to introduce students how to code.  Grasshopper teaches users how to code in Javascript by playing through fun games and puzzles.

Here are more details...

* Visual puzzles develop your problem-solving skills and solidify coding concepts
* Use industry-standard JavaScript with just a few taps on your phone
* Real-time feedback guides you like a teacher
* Collect achievements as you learn new skills

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

For a more detailed review check out Richard Byrnes blog or click here for Engadget's review.

Projector Screen Store

Projector Screen Store is a great site for educators or parents looking to find screens, projectors, cables, and more for home or their classroom.  Also, this is an ideal place to find good deals and other resources such as: how to build a home theater or how a green screen works.

I highly recommend checking out Projector Screen Store by clicking here!!!

For an interesting read on the evolution of the green screen click here.

*Projector Screen Store is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Motion Comics

Motion Comics is a nice site for digital storytelling that I just found out about from Larry Ferlazzo's blog.  Motion Comics lets users upload images and audio files to create a stunning digital comic.  Best of all, a user can publish a finished comic via link or generate an embed code making it ideal for education.  While still early, Motion Comics looks to be a good tool for digital storytelling.

I highly recommend checking out Motion Comics by clicking here!!!

Pixorize

Pixorize is a nice site for US History students that I just learned about from Larry Ferlazzo's excellent blog.  Pixorize is an innovative that uses pictures to remember facts (i.e. similar to ThingLink).  This is done by linking images together w/ facts in a comprehensive visual flow.

Below is a brief demo video...



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

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!!!

Below is a brief demo...


For another detailed review check out Monica Burn's excellent blog by clicking here!!!

*Answerables is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Night Zookeeper Star Writing Challenge 2

Night Zoopkeeper is an excellent new site for students to help them w/ their Writing skills through fun interactive lessons/competition.  Also, it has an educational portal that 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.

Recently Night Zookeeper announced they are running two different Star Writing Challenges in April, where students will have the chance(s) to get their writing published in the third Night Zookeeper book, The Penguins of Igloo City!

The first challenge is: "Write a story set in Igloo City"

As the maximum word allowance is 500 words, students of all ages can take part. These fun, short challenges with great prizes are a great way to excite students and motivate them to write!

More info...

• The second challenge starts on the 15th April to April 29th.
• Students just have to visit the Star Writing page and click 'accept this mission' to start writing.
• All teachers have to do is publish and nominate their students' writing to their Night Zookeeper class blog by 4pm GMT 29th April.
• Maximum 500 words
• You can learn how to publish and nominate student writing by watching this 20 second tutorial video.
• The winners will be revealed in an exciting live storytelling event on Facebook at the end of April!

Click here for more info about Star Writing!!!

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

Studium

Studium is a excellent iOS app for making flashcards.  Studium is a great learning tool to create engaging flashcards that helps a student study by including: images, audio, drawing, and more.  Best of all are the numbers of ways a user can use Studium to create quizzes to study their topic, such as: multiple choice, fill in the blank, T/F, and much much more.

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

Super Teacher Worksheets for Earth Day

*Be Sure to check out the educational activities on Earth Day.

Super Teacher Worksheets is one of the best sites around for finding educational resources on a wide range of subjects.  Educators can find, worksheets, printables, puzzle generators and more.  Also, they are constantly updating their site w/ more resources all the time and recently released new crossword puzzle worksheet generator.

I highly recommend checking out Super Teacher Worksheets by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Educational Resources click here.

*Super Teacher Worksheets is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

Typing Agent

Typing Agent is an excellent web based Typing/Keyboarding for students grades K-12.  Also, Typing Agent has lots of innovative features such as: multi-player games (i.e. K2 Mountain), aligned to Common Core Standards, certificates, type to code, and much more.  Best of all, is the educational portal that allows parents and teachers to track/monitor student progress and generate detailed
reports.

Below is a brief demo video...



I highly recommend checking out Typing Agent by clicking here!!!

Math Rescue

Math Rescue is a fun iOS game for grades 3rd-5th learning the concepts of Rounding/Estimation.  This is done by running around a forest and putting out fires to save the trees and bridge while rounding to the nearest number.

More info here...

Skills covered

• Rounding to nearest 10
• Rounding up, rounding down 
• Rounding 2 digit numbers to nearest 10
• Rounding 3 digit numbers to nearest 10
• Rounding numbers with 5 in the units place

• Rounding to nearest 100
• Rounding up, rounding down
• Rounding 3 digit numbers to the nearest 100

• Estimating sums using rounding
• Estimating the sum of two 1-digit numbers
• Estimating the sum of one 2-digit and one single digit number
• Estimating the sum of two 2-digit numbers
• Estimating the sum of one 2 digit and one 3 digit number
• Estimating the sum of two 3 digit numbers

I highly recommend checking out Math Rescue by clicking here!!!

Owl Eyes

Owl Eyes is an innovative site that lets teachers create "classrooms" where their students can read and interact w/ texts.  Student's are able to select through a wide variety of literature and then annotate the text.  This is helpful as they can take notes and pickup right where they left off when reading.  Best of all, the teacher tools allows educators to create quizzes to assess how students are doing and they can even track/manage their student accounts.  Educators are using Owl Eyes in a number of different ways such as: differentiating instruction or flipping a classroom.

I highly recommend checking out Owl Eyes by clicking here!!!

Below is a brief demo...



*Owl Eyes is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.

25 Social Networks/Media Sites for Education

"A social network is a social structure made up of individuals (or organizations) called "nodes," which are tied (connected) by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige. (Wikipedia)" Since I last posted on Social Networks over a year ago, a number of new ones have been introduced that can be a huge benefit to education. With that being said, I decided to list my favorite networks for education that targets technology literacy.

*This list is in alphabetical order.

25 Social Networks/Media Sites for Education 

1. 30hands Learning - The 30hands Learning Community is an excellent cloud based solution for educators looking to collaborate w/ others, track/manage students, schedule events, and more.
2. Brainly - A fun social network where students post questions and other students from around the world post answers.
3. ClassHook - a great place to find educational videos/clips that can "skip" inappropriate content.
4. Classloom - A fun social network where students and educators can share resources and view resources that works on any mobile device.
5. Classroom 2.0 - Created by Steve Hargadon and used by thousands of educators on a daily basis. This site alone changed the way I viewed education and ignited my passion for Ed Tech and Web 2.0.
6. Edmodo - One of the most popular social media sites/communities around that educators are using to connect find resources and connect w/ peers, students, parents, and more in a safe educational environment.
7. Educator's PLN - Built by Thomas Whitby, this social network is one of the most popular around for educational discussions and forums.
8. EducatorsCONNECT - A nice social network for educators to share resources, teaching practices, for friendships, and more.
9. Edudemic - Is an online community, magazine, and social network that has lots of information on technology, education, and integration.
10. Edutopia - A very popular organization created by the George Lucas foundation.
11. edWeb - A great place to connect and share ideas as well as for professional development.
12. Facebook -nuff said!!
13. Google Plus - Is the highly publicized social network by Google. While it is still in its early release there are a lot of features that make this an attractive option for education such as: hangouts - the impressive group video chat and circles - the way to control posts w/ privacy settings.
14. Gooru - A wonderful online learning platform that allows educators and students to connect share resources, activities, and track/monitor students activity.
15. ISTE Community - International Society for Technology & Education is a great place for educators to come together and collaborate on technology issues and build their Personal Learning Network.
16. IT Peer Network Education - A nice online community designed to facilitate online collaboration and increase teachers technology literacy.
17. Otus - Brings the entire school community (i.e. parents, teachers, students) together in a common technology platform, while providing actionable insight to school leaders.
18. Plurk - A social network similar to Twitter (micro-blogging) w/ a timeline view and fun karma based platform.
19. Skooville - A excellent network for kids learning about cyber safety.
20. Skype in the Classroom - One of the best ways around to bring real-time video collaboration to the classroom through: virtual field trips, "mystery' guests, and more.
21. Teamie - An excellent collaborative learning platform w/ mobile apps that easily supports "flipped" learning.
22. TED-Ed - The best place around to find educational videos and lessons.
23. Twiducate - A safe site where educators can create online communities/classes.
24. Twitter - Far and away one of the most popular social networks around. This micro-tweeting platform is used worldwide and especially in education (search hash tags #edchat , #edtech, #flipclass, etc). Plus, w/ the soon to come parental controls Twitter becomes a more viable option for educators everyday.
25. WhoTeaches - Is a network designed to bring students, parents, and educators together. This is done through collaboration w/ the ability to share documents and create groups. Also, this site offers high level education for online learners looking for tutors or to study.

Dystopia 2153

Dystopia 2153 is an innovative new site for coding/programming that I just found out about from Monica Burns.  Dystopia is a fresh take on teaching STEM skills by helping kids learn how to code through a digital graphic novel w/ over 40 different coding games.  Also, for those that like "traditional" graphic novel a print version can be ordered.

I highly recommend checking out Dystopia 2153 by clicking here!!!

Below is a brief demo...

NameCoach

NameCoach is a wonderful web service that educators are using to learn student's names and pronounce them correctly.  This is especially useful w/ commencement/graduation ceremonies on the horizon.  The way this works is simple as a teacher creates a name/web page and then has the student's speak their names.  The audio gets embedded into a page and a user can access them all on one page at anytime.  Also, NameCoach makes it very easy to share recordings and keep track of student's name/email.  It's easy, accurate, and 100% safe for schools to use.

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

Below is a brief demo...



*NameCoach is an advertiser of Technology Tidbits.educational resources

Spin Spell

Spin Spell is a fun iOS game for Spelling that reminds me a lot of Marble Madness.  This game has users trying to spelling words while controlling a ball to roll over the correct letters.  Spin Spell has over 25 levels and over 30 spelling lists for students to play through.  Best of all, educators can import their own spelling lists to help students practice their words from class.

I highly recommend checking out Spin Spell by clicking here!!!

30 Sites/Apps for Learning how to Program or Code

In today's classroom STEM is a vital topic covered universally.  With that being said, more and more students are being introduce to coding and programming earlier then ever before.  Best of all, new technology and apps makes it easier and easier for students to learn these useful skills.  Below is a list of some of the best resources for students and educators looking to learn how to program and code.

*This list is in alphabetical order.

30 Sites/Apps for Learning how to Program or Code

1. Boogie Bot - A super fun iOS app that teaches kids how to program/code.  This is done by dragging and dropping code to make your robot dance.
2. Code Avengers - A great site for teachers wanting their students to learn how to code games, websites, apps, or more.
3. Code Blast - An interesting iOS app for introducing young kids to the concepts of coding by guiding a rocket through an obstacle course.
4. Code Kingdoms - An excellent site for students to learn how to code games like Minecraft and Roblox through a drag-n-drop interface.  Best of all is the educator portal which allows teachers to track and monitor student progress.
5. Code Monster - A fantastic very user friendly site that has students learn how to program Javascript by practicing in a side-by-side window and watching what happens as they type in commands.
6. Codecademy - A interactive site that helps students learn how to program in Javascript,  PHP, Ruby, or Python by step by step instructions.
7. CodeCampKidz - A great way for students to learn live (i.e. Microsoft stores) or online to program in html, CSS, JS, and more.
8. Codemoji - An innovative new site that lets students learn how to code through the use of emojis as well as track student progress through the educational dashboard.  This is ideal for assessing students and differentiating instruction.
9. CodePlayer - A nice site to learn HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript through video walkthroughs.
10. codeSpark Academy - A fun way for kids 4-9 yrs old to learn how to code through activities, puzzles, projects and more by interacting w/ the Foos.
11. Daisy the Dinosaur - A fun iPad app that teaches kids how to program and animate by dragging blocks together and watching Daisy preform the action.
12. Dystopia - An innovative site that teaches students how to code through a digital graphic novel.
13. Gamefroot - Is an excellent resource for teachers looking to learn how to code or teach it in their classroom.  Also, the easy-to-follow tutorials and professional development help educators integrate Gamefroot and STEM into their classrooms.
14. Gamestar Mechanic - A nice site for teachers wanting to teach their students how to program games.  This is done by reinforcing skills such as, problem solving, writing, storytelling, and more.
15. Hopscotch - A wonderful iOS app that teaches kids how to program and create animations by dragging-n-dropping blocks together.
16. hyperPad - Formerly known as GamePress, allows students to create games, apps, interactive books and more.  This iOS app is ideal for learning the basics of programming w/ lots of resources and activities for educators.
17. Kids'n'Code - A nice iPad app for younger students learning the basics fo coding as they control robots to solve simple puzzles.
18. Kodable - A fun iPad app designed for younger kids that has them controlling fuzzballs to complete each level.  Each level deals w/ a simple concept of programming and gets more advanced as they get higher.
19. MIT App Inventor - A wonderful site filled w/ lots of educational resources for teaching students how to program mobile apps.
20. Osmo - An award winning education game system for the iPad that lets students learn how to code through three different games (i.e. Awbie, Jam, and Duo).
21. Pixel - A free new mobile app (iOS/Android) to learn how to code by programming robot's emotions and speech.
22. Pixel Press Floors - An amazing app that lets students create games by drawing them.
23. Programmr - A nice way to learn programming by solving coding exercises.
24. Quest - An innovative site/app for creating text based games that will show/hide the programming language while it is being worked on.
25. Scratch (jr) - Probably the most popular site on the list as 1000's of students have created online games through their very easy to use web interface.
26. ScreenPlay - A fun game that introduces the basics of programming by solving puzzles through a variety of worlds.
27. Sketch Nation - A fantastic easy-to-use mobile (iOS/Android) app for students learning how to create games.  Also, there are lots of lesson plans for educators to help integrate STEM into the classroom.
28. Stencyl - A wonderful site for creating iOS or Flash based games by putting blocks together (i.e. Scratch).
29. Swift Playgrounds - A free iPad app that lets students learn how to program in Swift.  This is a fun and easy-to-use app that has users take on different challenges and even integrates w/ iTunes U.
30. Tynker - A great site for students 4th-8th grade learning how to program.

ThinkFluency

ThinkFluency is an innovative new iOS app that lets teachers assess a student's Reading fluency in real-time.  All a educator has to do after creating a account, is add students/classes, select a Reading passage or create your own, and then begin the assessment.  ThinkFluency makes it super easy for the teacher to track errors by tapping a button on the screen while the student is reading. Once this is done ThinkFluency will generate a detailed report and develop a individualized instruction that can be shared w/ others.  This is a great app that saves teachers time as well as helping them differentiate instruction.

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

EDpuzzle

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.

Preposition Builder Master

Preposition Builder Master is a unique game for Language Arts/ESL students learning about
prepositions.  PBM is a easy to play game where a user tries to put the correct preposition into a sentence in as fast as time possible.  This game can be played online for multi-player and there are 4 different levels to choose from.

I highly recommend checking out Preposition Builder Master by clicking here!!!