Technology Tuesday - Edmodo & Mimio

I'm back again today bringing you two technology tips.  

1} Edmodo

Funny name, but really cool website.  It is almost exactly like Facebook, but is meant for education.  I learned about this last week in a technology training.  We are using it to communicate to each other about our training for the technology grant our district received.  However, I have set up my own classroom and I can communicate with parents through this about so much.  You can post assignments, quizzes, polls, etc.  This will be a great communication tool this year especially for field trips and assignment due dates.  Plus, the kids will think it is so cool that they can join and be friends with me.

2}Mimio

Our school currently only has 2 Promethean boards and 2-3 Smartboards.  I really, really, really wanted one, so I chose to write a DonorsChoose grant.  I had heard about a Mimio and knew that would be perfect!  It is a small piece that unfolds and sticks on your board.  you connect it to a laptop and projector and !BAM!  you now have an interactive whiteboard.  there is a mouse pointer that you use with it and you have to calibrate it each time you turn on the Mimio.  My students are always engaged and actively involved in learning with it.  So, if you are looking for an alternative this would definitely benefit you.  The price is around $500....not a bad deal at all!  Just make sure you have a projector and a computer to hook up to it.

You can read more about it HERE!

Thanks for stopping by and becoming a blog follower!  Hop on over to Blog Hoppin' for some more great technology tips!

 

Blog Hoppin' Must Haves

Happy Monday Friends!  

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' to share some of my teacher must-haves.

1} Mr. Sketch Markers....Not only are they the most awesome markers, but they have a yummy smell too!  I use them on all of my charts.  Nothing.Else.Comes.Close!

2} Stickin' with the smell good things....I love, love, love smelly stickers or as they are sometimes called "stinky stickers".  My 2nd grade teacher had them back in the 80s and we used to try our hardest to get one and then we compared the different ones we got.  They were called Scratch 'n Sniff Stickers back then.  Now, I use them as rewards for my students.  They are inexpensive and sugar-free!  Ha!

3} PowerPoint!!!  Everything I create is created in PowerPoint!  Many times I tried to create cute frames and designs in Word and well...it is so much harder for me.  If you have any tips, I would love to hear them.  But, for me, PowerPoint is my go-to program for EVERYTHING!  Look at the latest packet I am creating using PowerPoint.

What are your must-haves???  

Link up with Blog Hoppin' & Share!!!

iPad Training (STEM GRANT)

It's only 1 week until we meet our new students for "Meet the Teacher" night and I am going crazy!  I was able to get into my classroom Tuesday and Wednesday, but I'm in training for the next 2 days.  Why?  Our school along with a few other schools in the county received a very generous grant to improve technology in our school system through the Department of Defense.  We are so blessed to be the recipient of this grant.  I'm sure our students will be beyond thrilled when they find out!!!

 Each classroom will be enhanced with this...

iPad 3

And this...

Apple TV

And this...

70" flat screen

Today we "created" (USING BLOOM'S, of course) any type of technology driven project to introduce our group to the rest of the teachers at this training.  We created a slide show about our group.  Here's a pic of my group showing our crazy faces since we are just "CRAZY" about our new technology!

{Love these women!!!}

Back to training again tomorrow and (fingers crossed) finishing up my classroom.

I Just Can't Get Enough!

I started out this morning with a BIG cup o' coffee.  Then, I was off to Staples for the Teacher Appreciation Sale.  It started at 9, but I was running behind...okay, so I couldn't get out of bed.  I need to start practicing since we return back to work August 20th.  Anyway, I arrive at 10 and I managed to get packs of notebook paper for 1 penny each and my favorite gel pens in a 2 pack for 25 cents each.  Of course, the "I MUST HAVE" supplies were not on sale.  I picked up a poster board tri-fold and some cute star border while I was there so I could make this cute writing center created by A Cupcake for the Teacher.  You can get the printables HERE.

My "New"  Writing Center! :o)

Don't forget!  The TPT sale starts tomorrow.  Lots of awesome stuff from some amazing teachers, you don't won't to miss this!  Click below to go right to my store!!!

Have a WONDERFUL Saturday friends!

Classroom Organization Continued

I've been in a crafting mood lately.  I just have no clue what has gotten into me.  Considering the first month of summer I had no motivation, I think I am trying to play "catch up".  Oh dear friends, time is running out.  Teachers in our district start back August 20th, so I am trying to squeeze in some last minute things.  I created 3 different things in the last few weeks, but I'm waiting to share 2 of them until I can get them on the walls in my classroom.  So, I will share with you my newest organizer (yes, I'm still on an organizing kick!) that I crafted together.

In these, I will put the printables and activities that I have planned for each day of the week.  Before, I would just stack them on a shelf and then I would have to search through many papers to find the ones I wanted to use.  This will clean up my papers quite a bit!

I bought this pack of scrapbook paper from Wal-Mart for $5.  For scrapbook paper you just can't beat that price.  I cut and trimmed to the size of the drawers and taped them down.  I only put scrapbook paper on the front of the drawers, but this pack would be enough to cover the entire space of each drawer. 

{If you see the trend, you can see that I love primary colors!}

Then, I made these to create my labels.I printed them on white card stock and glued them to the scrapbook paper.  You can get them for free HERE!

More cute, organizational stuff will be posted as soon as I can get into my classroom!