Tool 5

I have used Wordle many times in my classroom. I think it's a great tool and the students love it! It can be used as a way to introduce a lesson and also as a way to close a unit. I am having some trouble getting my Wordle into my blog. Here is (hopefully) a Wordle about Matter.

Another tool that I tried was Animoto. The students will love to use these videos to close up a unit. I can see these being very useful for science and social studies. Here is my animoto...

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Tool 4

I think using Google Docs will be so helpful next year when planning with my team. I think it's really cool that I can create documents that my students can edit and respond to without using pen and paper! The students can use Google Apps next year on the Ipod Touches. They can use Picasa to find images to use in different projects. They will love the visuals! It was interesting learning about the "cloud." However, it does make me a little nervous...what if I can't find it?

Tool 3

I am so frustrated! I use video and songs in my classroom ALL the time. I never have trouble downloading and uploading them...until NOW! I have used Discovery Education in my classroom many times. I also really find you tube and teacher tube extremely helpful. I love teaching through video and song. I feel like the students learn better with these visuals. One video/song I would like to share is about insects. I found this video on You Tube. Unfortunately it's not letting me upload videos so I will have to use a hotlink. Icky, Icky Insects
The other video I found is from Discovery Education. It's a video about plants. A First Look: Plants

Here is an image I found from Picasa. Students can use Picasa in the classroom to find pictures for flipcharts and projects.

Tool 2

Tool 2 took me a little longer then I thought it would! I've enjoyed looking and commenting on other co-workers blogs and seeing how they did some of their tools. I think it will be helpful to participate in a PLN, but I'm a little nervous because I'm not as comfortable with sharing my thoughts. I found a great blog called Diary of a First Grade Teacher. I'm excited to follow this blog and learn more about integrating technology into my first grade classroom.