I am really excited about some of the websites we explored for Thing 14 discovery. Most of what I discovered I’m excited about using personally, but there are some benefits for classroom use as well. http://www.jigzone.com/ is so much fun. I love puzzles and am really excited about getting my 7 years old into this at home. Jigsaw puzzles can be a very valuable learning tool. Barbara White has a terrific article about the educational value of jigsaw puzzles.
I am also really excited about using the products from letterpop.com. The templates and themes can be a huge time saver for a busy teacher or mom like myself. The only down side I see is that you only get 10 projects/year free. If you want more you have to pay.
I can’t wait to create a book for my parents with the pictures from their 40th Anniversary party for a Christmas present. mixbook.com has some really great graphics. They will also arrange all the photographs for you. I still have to play around with it to figure out how to get my photos on the site though. I like that you can download straight from flickr, photoBucket, and Picasa. I currently do not put my photos on any of these, so this gives me more incentive to join these sites. The social aspect of this website was very evident. Viewers are allowed to comment on books.
quizlet.com is the most valuable teaching tool I will use immediately in the classroom. I still have many students without basic multiplication facts recall. There are several quizzes on this website that will help track their speed and progress. I was also impressed with many of the pre-algebra vocabulary presentations. It will be something I can add to edline for additional practice at home.
