AnwarsblogLis568

I found hippocampus  to be a great technology tool in my social studies classroom.  It features high quality video on subjects such as the US Civil War that I can use to complement my lessons and expand my network of visual resources.  It keeps my students entertained with history, rather than thinking that history is boring. School librarians can utilize this technology tool in the library by creating a video multimedia tool in one part of the library.  Then having students watch relevant videos based on their classroom subject.  If students want to continue watching Hippo, they can or instead follow up with a book.  But at least Hippocampus can create interest in a particular topic, rather than students looking at book covers and pictures to spark up interest.  Don't judge a Hippo by its cover!

I found edpuzzle .com to be a lifesaver when taking my videos that I use in class to the next level.  In my classroom I can make the video edits such as narrations and audio comments to clips of any part.  So I can make a video more personal for the classroom. School librarians can utilize edpuzzle by taking any global studies video for example, and adding the librarian comments such as follow-up textbooks that complement the search category.  Librarians can make audio comments to videos that students may watch in the library - without the librarian actually being present! Now that is cool or is it a puzzle?

I teach high school Social Studies and do a lot of map work so that students can do well on the regents.  There are always map questions on regents.  Plus I want them to see the world in many ways - Chartsbin  is a great technology education tool for the classroom because it gives the teacher the power to create maps from scratch.  Just choose the type of map you would like and it is tailor made for your classroom. School librarians would love Chartsbin because what library does not have a world of information in it?  Just set up a computer terminal and use chartsbin as a main page and pick what maps you want to introduce your students to - and vary the maps such as topographical, employment and even wildlife.

There was a movie in the 1980s called the "blob" perhaps a rerun but it scared me! No this is not that blob, its kidblog . And there is no need to be scared of writing either, with kidblog teachers can get their junior high students and above writing and posting for class topics. And teachers can make real time comments on their students writing as well. School librarians can have students blog their visit and likes/dislikes about the library selection also. Kidblog gets students involved in literacy and thats is no blob movie to be scared of! Just remember to have students write - not run hysterically!

Warning to all teachers and librarians: the enyclopedia has become a werewolf! It is wolfram apha. This is an online enyclopedia that is online and helps students research any particular subject topic. No more volumes of books. Its all in one convenient spot.  Teachers can have students in social studies research significant individuals from world war 2 and create biographies. School librarians can have students access important subjects without having to keep large volumes of text available - and tech savy digital natives will appreciate this source for searching during library visits.

Livebinders  is an education technology tool that I use as the new student portfolio.  In my high school social studies  class students must have a traditional print portfolio.  With livebinders, the portfolio is upgraded!!! Livebinders helps put student work online into a digitally organized fashion. Simple to use, yet it creates a flashy portrait of how students work can shine online! Librarians can utilize livebinders to document student research and interests while visiting during classes.  So that upon next visit, students can refer back to their last visit and connect and reflect upon their time spent.