Tackk

Tackk is a free web content creation tool that teachers will want to check out. Users can create flyers, presentations, projects, blogs, and lessons with this easy tool.

Tackk from Tackk on Vimeo.

To get started, create an account to save your tackks, then click the  button to select a template:

The Tackk editor walks users through the process of creating a personalized tackk.  Begin adding a visual with the ADD PHOTOS button.  Tackk searches the 500px site and inserts credit to adhere with copyright law.

A simple, yet effective, text tool can be used to insert content and multiple widgets including video, audio, buttons, selling and accepting donations, forms, RSVP submissions, and others can be embedded into a tackk.

Many other questions can be answered at the Tackk FAQ page.

Differentiation with Stick Pick

At first glance, the Stick Pick app (currently priced at $2.99) can simply be an electronic version of the popsicle sticks in the can idea.  In the past, teachers wrote each student's name on a stick and drew from the can.  This can easily be accomplished with the Stick Pick app, however, there are other features that can help with differentiation.  Teachers can utilize the Bloom's question stems to focus on students' various cognitive levels.

Create a Class

Simply tap the + at the top, right corner of the CLASSES window to create a class.  Enter in the class name and tap SAVE.

Select a Mode

While in a class, tap the + at the top, right corner to add students.  Right after entering a student's name, the teacher is prompted to select a mode.

Bloom's and Bloom's Revised are very useful in developing higher order thinking skills.  Both contain six levels of questions stems.  Bloom's includes the levels: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation.  Bloom's Revised contains the levels:  Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating.

Once a mode is selected, a level is selected for the individual student:

When all students are added to the class, the teacher can simply tap the can to select a student and utilize the provided question stems:

Tap the ASSESS button to document the student responses as correct, incorrect, or an opinion.

Brain Breaks with GoNoodle

Last Spring, I heard about GoNoodle, a free resource that provides brain breaks for students.  GoNoodle’s site states that their brain break activities are designed to be healthy for the body, engaging for the attention, and beneficial to the brain in specific ways.  Teachers can simply set up a class and select a champ, a fun character that acts as the class mascot.

The site tracks the minutes a class is engaged in brain break activity and offers levels and rewards. A teacher who teaches multiple sections can easily set up a different class for each group.  Teachers from Pre-K to High School are currently using GoNoodle.

The videos are separated into various categories.

A Note About YouTube

GoNoodle does pull some video content from YouTube.  They explain here that they offer a distraction-free player for the videos to play without the added links, images, etc., however they cannot claim a 100% add-free environment.  

GoNoodle Resources

• GoNoodle's Knowledge Base to read more.
• Read GoNoodle's blog, GoNoodle Inspiration, for more information on brain breaks.

Bingo Baker

Head on over to bingobaker.com to create printable or online Bingo cards.  The free resource allows users to enter in their vocabulary words/phrases into the Bingo card template and let the system generate randomized Bingo cards. When using the online cards, students can access these via a link on a mobile device.

The low cost of $9.95 will give teachers a lifetime membership allowing them to save and edit cards and print more than 8.

Six Google Search Tips

#1 - Search by Filetype

Add filetype: and the 3-letter file extension:

#2 - Ignore Words

Use the minus sign before the word you would like to exclude from your results:

#3 - Search by Location

Add a zip code after any search:

#4 - Search a Specific Site or Site Type

Begin with site: (for example, site:edu or site:grapevinefaith.com)

#5 - Use Country Codes

Use the above tip along with country codes to search websites from a specific country:

#6 - Advanced Image Search

Search images with a particular color, size, image type, etc. when using the ADVANCED SEARCH features:

Seeking a Challenge?

Check out A Google a Day for daily Google search challenges

Book Creator

Available in the App Store
Available on Google Play

Teachers have begun to use the Book Creator app to publish student work in an epub format.  This format allows readers to open an ebook in the ibooks app on an ipad or in the Readium Chrome desktop app.  This user-friendly app allows students to insert saved images and video, text, draw visuals, and record audio.  The full version ipad app is currently $4.99, but users can download the free version to try it.  The free version is limited to one published book.

Watch this 1.5 minute video to see how easy it can be:

Faith Christian School teachers can find this app loaded on the Elementary and Junior High ipad carts.  View an example of Bailey's e-book (select Open in iBooks on an iPad) or view the PDF version.

Find more information on the Book Creator app here.

Flipped Classroom Resources

When flipping the classroom, wouldn't it be nice to have students assess what they are learning while watching a YouTube video, a teacher-created video, etc.?  Two easy-to-use tools will allow teachers to embed formative assessment INTO the video experience.

EDpuzzle offers several features: open-ended questions, multiple choice questions, and comments.  In addition, teachers may want to add video notes to introduce the video to the students or add comments along the way.  The web-based tool provides straightforward pop-up help messages and tutorial videos for the teacher to quickly learn EDpuzzle.  The teacher can control whether the student can skip ahead in a video.  Students connect to the class videos with a unique code.   A scientific text editor is included for use with math and science.  Edpuzzle Analytics provides useful information for educators, such as percent correct per question and per student, whether students watched the video, and number of times a student watched a video position.  Edpuzzle help videos can be found on their blog as well as their YouTube channel.

eduCanon also converts passive viewing of content into active viewing with embedded objects, multiple choice questions, and check all that apply questions.  Open-ended questions are available with the premium version.  Videos from YouTube, Vimeo, and TeacherTube can be used.  Embedding the interactivity is as simple as pausing the video and clicking a Build Question button.  Teachers may want to add feedback text for each correct or incorrect answer choice.  eduCanon prevents students from forwarding past content not yet viewed. A real-time grading feature is provided to monitor student progress and data.  Watch and interact with this eduCanon video to learn more about this free resource. View their Knowledge Base for other questions.