Interact Cafe

A fusion of curriculum and technology

It’s Decorah Eagle Time!

Mar 21

Posted by Paul Wagner in Technology Integration | No Comments

 

In belated celebration of the first day of spring, we wanted to share the Decorah Eagle Cam with you again this year!

This year our mama eagle laid her first egg on Feb 17th.  Eggs should be hatching on or around March 25th.    

 

CLICK HERE and push Play to view live streaming video of the Decorah Eagles.

It’s also a great idea to CLICK HERE to subscribe to email alerts of “exciting eagle events.”

This is the perfect way for students…and teachers…to view these beautiful animals in their natural environment.  Amazing conversations can be had over life cycles, endangered species, the food chain (if you tuned in last year they had a rabbit to eat in the nest!)…the list can go on.  Take a few minutes each day to tune in.  Pull this up during transition time in your classroom, or just wait for your email alerts to tune in.  Either way, take advantage of this incredible opportunity.

Do you have an iOS device?   UStream has an app that can be installed as well!  Use it as a center for the students to write about what they are observing or create a time line.  It would be fun to see if a pattern is developed for what they do each day.

Happy Spring!

For One School, a $50,000 Tech Makeover

Mar 19

Posted by rhrivnatz in Technology Integration | No Comments

Lenovo will award one K-8 school a technology makeover valued at $50,000 in its 2012 Dream to Do contest. The contest calls on students in kindergarten through eighth grade to submit drawings that illustrate what they want to do when they grow up, along with a short sentence explaining what he or she wants to do. Submissions will undergo judging and a public vote.

The contest runs until April 16. Learn more at www.lenovodreamtodo.com/technologymakeover

 

Discover the Possibilities with Discovery Education!

Mar 1

Posted by Paul Wagner in Technology Integration, Tips and Tricks | No Comments

An amazing resource our district has access to is Discovery Education, formerly known as United Streaming.  Many teachers already know of and use the thousands of videos that are available to help enhance instruction in their classroom.  Starting a new topic?  Do a quick search and find a great introductory video to start off your lesson.  This has been done for years.  As a teacher, is that all you use Discovery Education for?  If your answer is yes then you are just scratching the surface for what this site can do for you and your students!

Discovery Education is not just for videos.  Many media resources are at your disposal.  Choose from a number of images, audio files, editable clips, encyclopedia entries, writing prompts, and quizzes.  Visit the Teacher Center for lesson plans, thematic units, interactive maps, and calendar options.  Set your students up with accounts through the Classroom Manager, and assign activities for them right through the website.

Sound overwhelming?  It can be!  There are so many options at your fingertips you may not know which one to try first.  Find a focus and start from there.  Ask your CITS to help set up a plan of action with you to let your students access this incredible tool.

To access Discovery Education, visit www.discoveryeducation.com.  Sign in with the username and password assigned to you by the district for Discovery Education.  If you do not know your username and password ask your librarian.  She should be able to help you.

Are you ready to set your students up with accounts?  Visit the “Classroom Manager” tab on the website.  You can use this DE- Classroom Manager cheat sheet to help you get started.

Make Discovery Education your one-stop shop for all your media resources.

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Skype with an Author for World Read Aloud Day

Feb 29

Posted by Jennifer Mitchell in Distance Learning, Events, Technology Integration | No Comments

Next Wednesday, March 7th is World Read Aloud Day.  In honor of the day, many authors have offered to connect with classrooms around the world – read aloud for a few minutes and answer student questions.  If you would like to participate, here is what you need:

  1.  Access to a working webcam (ask your CITS if you need help…most district laptops or netbooks have webcams)
  2. Skype installed on the computer connected to the webcam.  CLICK HERE to download Skype
  3. A free Skype Account (once you download the program, skype will walk you through logging in, or creating an account)
  4. An author …or even another classroom to connect to!

Not sure how to connect with a published author? No problem!  Author, Kate Messner, has provided a great list of authors who are willing to connect.  Just CLICK HERE to check out her list.  Want to know more about World Read Aloud Day, or find lists of additional authors?  Check out Kate’s post on The Digital Shift

Keep in mind, your campus CITS is here to support you – and will happily help you get this project rolling!

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Here’s What’s “App”ening- February 24th

Feb 24

Posted by Jennifer Mitchell in Technology Integration | No Comments

Looking to add a few apps to your repertoire?  Check out some of our favorite classroom apps!!  Do you have a favorite?  Please share it in our comments.

Rover

  • FREE
  • Designed for iPad
  • Stream educational content created in Flash to your iPad
  • AWESOME with Discovery Education Videos
  • CIPA compliant
  • Click Here to find out more

 
edmodo

  • Free  (new features!!)
  • Connect to edmodo – the social networking tool developed especially for teachers and students
  • What’s new?  Take photos or video with your iPad/iPod Touch and upload to edmodo…then share with your teacher/students or to a group
  • New to edmodo?  Check out the Cheat sheet
  • Great way to practice spelling words, illustrate stories, or share what students have learned nonlinguistically.
  • Click Here to find out more

 
SmartFind Express

  • FREE!
  • Review or report absences from work to LCISD’s Webcenter
  • Click Here to find out more

Getting Started:

  1. Enter https://webcenter.lcisd.org as your Server URL
  2. Enter your Webcenter username and password (this is NOT the same as your email user name and password)
  3. Click  “Sign In”

**Important Note – When reporting an absence, be sure to click “edit schedule” and enter the times you will be absent.  If you do not do this, HR will call you to determine how many hours you missed, as the app default is 0.
Falcon Download Manager

  • $2.99
  • Designed for iPad
  • Download video, music, and documents in a variety of formats and view them offline later.
  • Example – Use this app to download videos from Discovery Education and have students watch them later, even without an internet connection.
  • Click Here to find out more.

 

 

 Show Me

  • Free
  • Designed for the iPad
  • Students can create “screen casts” explaining what they have learned.
  • Show Me will record what students write or say as they are explaining.
  • Share screencasts via free Show Me account
  • Good way to gain access into what students are thinking about a concept or skill
  • Great tool to provide data for authentic assessment!
  • Click Here to find out more

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5 Quick Internet Explorer Tips

Feb 21

Posted by Holly Dornak in Microsoft Office, Tips and Tricks | 1 Comment

As our network changes, so do the settings in Internet Explorer – and these changes can sometimes be very frustrating!!  Here are a couple of quick tech tips to help keep you from going nuts!

 

 

Tip #1 – Solve 90% of computer related tech issues

Did you know that the vast majority of computer related tech issues can be solved by shutting your computer down regularly each night and restarting when you get to school in the morning?  I know, I know, it’s a pain, and sometimes you forget, or sometimes there is just not time to close everything out and shut down…but then…computer issues are a pain too right?  My suggestion??  Make “computer booter” one of the jobs on your weekly job chart.  Instruct students on how to properly shut down computers and laptops each afternoon before they go home and that will lessen some stress on you!

If you’re having computer related tech issues, be sure to report them promptly by calling extension 0220 on your district phone.  What can’t be solved by restarting your computer, can often be solved over the phone!  The help-desk team is here to help, and can often help you solve the issue through remote access to your computer, or a little simple trouble-shooting.  If the help-desk doesn’t know you’re having a problem, then they can’t help to fix it.  So…report those issues!!!

 

Tip #2 – Where did my Favorites Bar go?

Tip #3 – How can I reset my homepage to the LCISD homepage?

Often the text and images that pop up on the MSN homepage are less than student friendly.  To change your homepage:

  1. CLICK HERE to view LCISD’s homepage
  2. Click the small drop down arrow, next to the home icon on your Internet Explorer menu bar
  3. Select Add or change home page
  4. Select Use this webpage as your only home page
  5. Select Yes

**I suggest training a team of 3-4 students in your classroom to make these changes.  Students love to be “Techsperts”!

 

Tip #4 – Opening a new tab

Like many other browsers, Internet Explorer allows you to have multiple webpage tabs open within 1 window.  Simply click the “new tab” icon, next to your web page’s current tab to open.  (or press Control + T on your keyboard)

Tip #5 – Where on earth is the search box?

Internet Explorer 9 now only has 1 “box” at the top.  Users can now use the same “box” to enter either a URL (internet address) or a search term.

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INTERACT 2012 Application!

Jan 5

Posted by Chad Jones in Best Teaching Practices, Technology Integration | No Comments

Are you ready? Excited? Can hardly contain your enthusiasm?! Well…neither can we! It’s time to open up the INTERACT 2012 Application! YAY!

Here are the basics that you should know before you fill out the application:

What is INTERACT?

For the fifth time Lamar CISD is gearing up for a staff development like no other. INTERACT is designed to provide attendees with research based teaching strategies paired with outstanding examples of technology integration. In fact that is what INTERACT stands for, INtegrating TEchnology Realistically Among Classroom Teachers. Our goal is to pair fantastic teaching with amazing technology and make it feel second nature to you. We recognize that for a teacher to feel comfortable with the technology they need to have regular access to it rather than simply checking it out once a semester. That goal, along with a firm belief that only you, the teacher, can best decide which of the many technologies best suit your style and meet your student’s needs, compels us to follow up the training with the chance for you to outfit your classroom with some cutting edge technology.

Who can apply?

You apply as a team and each campus has one team…except High Schools, which can now have two!

  • Teams must contain 2-4 members
  • Teams must represent at least two grade levels for Elementary or two subject areas for Secondary
  • Teams may contain one specialist (Facilitator, Special Ed, etc.) per team

How do you apply?

There are a few steps you will need to follow in order to apply for INTERACT 2012:

STEP 1: Complete the “Intent to Apply” – ALL teams that hope to attend INTERACT 2012 MUST complete the “Intent to Apply” by Feb. 1, 2012! You don’t have to be ready to fill out your application by Feb. 1st, you just have to have let us know that you are

STEP 2: Complete the “INTERACT Individual Application” – This is a quick three question form that helps us know who you are as a teacher and professional. Be honest and show off how great you are!

STEP 3: Create the a fun and creative video with your team answering the following prompt:

“Why do you NEED to attend INTERACT?”

We will be evaluating each video on its creativity, vision on education, and demonstration that all of your team members had a role in creating it! The video should be no less than two minutes long and no more than four! After you are done, your team will upload the video to YouTube and share it with us via the “INTERACT 2012 Team Application“.

When does all this need to be done?!

Here are your deadlines and important dates, so write these down NOW!

What if this all sounds too intimidating or I don’t know where to start or I just have additional questions?!?!?!?

Easy! Contact your CITS! They would love to help you find a great team, let you know when video trainings are available, or simply tell you how great INTERACT is.

We are so excited about this year’s INTERACT…it’s going to be the best one yet! And we hope you’ll be a part of it!

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Happy Holidays from the iCafe Team!

Dec 13

Posted by Chad Jones in Tips and Tricks | No Comments

I’m pretty sure that I’m not alone in saying that this is by far my favorite time of year! Christmas is coming, a New Year is around the bend, letting me not worry about how much weight I gained over Thanksgiving, and we all get TWO WEEKS OFF FROM SCHOOL! YAY!!!

Well, to help you out with the holiday cheer, the iCafe team wanted to share some of our favorite festive tech-y treats that may help you be a bit more jolly!

Digital Ginger Bread House

One of my favorite things to do around this time of year was creating a ginger bread house with my grandma! It was always so much fun…and I got to eat lots of candy! Sadly, I probably won’t get to see grandma this year, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make a ginger bread house! Thanks to Highlights Kids, you and your favorite little kiddo can sit next to the warm glow of your computer screen and build your very own digital ginger bread house, complete with candy pieces, “stuff”, and icing! When you are done, print it out and save it for much longer than you could save the real thing! …I just wouldn’t recommend eating this one…

Highlights Kids Build Your Own Ginger Bread House

Highlights Kids Build Your Own Ginger Bread House

A Message from Santa

Want to make a little boy or girl the happiest little kid on earth? Have Santa send them a personalized video message!

The folks at Portable North Pole allow you to do just that and it takes just a few minutes to set up the message. A video is then created where Santa talks to your kiddo, calls them by name, and let’s them know if they have made it on to the “NICE” list! This is a super fun thing to do for your kids…my daughter is still talking about her message from Santa!

Portable North Pole

Portable North Pole

Keeping Tabs on Santa

Are you ready for Christmas Eve? Wonder if Santa is on his way? Thanks to the folks at NORAD, we can keep tabs on where Santa is all Christmas Eve through noradsanta.org. This is a lot of fun to sit down with kiddos and talk about where he is, discuss what Christmas is like around the world…and also make sure they get to bed on time, because he’s on the way!

This year, NORAD Santa even has an app for your iPhone and Android devices, so you can keep tabs on Jolly Ole’ Saint Nick even if you happen to be traveling!

THANK YOU!

From the bottom of each of our hearts, we would like to say thank you from the iCafe team! We are honored to be able to work with all of the wonderful teachers in LCISD and around the globe! We hope you have an incredibly relaxing break and look forward to working with you again in 2012! Happy Holidays!

…and don’t forget to elf yourself…

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Upcoming Training from the iCafe Team!

Dec 6

Posted by Chad Jones in Staff Development, Staff Development Plan | No Comments

Looking to integrate a few new technology tools into your classroom? Check out the upcoming Professional Learning opportunities from the iCafe team in the Spring of 2012!

Jan 17th iPads for Beginners Training Section #54133
Jan 24th Windows Live Movie Maker – *INTERACT APPLICANTS ONLY* Section #54135
Jan 26th iTeach ELA and Social Studies with iPads Section #54158
Jan 31st iTeach Math and Science with iPads Section #54156
Feb 2nd Intermediate SMART Notebook Training Section #54141
Feb 15th INTERACT Video Assistance Open Lab – *INTERACT APPLICANTS ONLY* Section #54140
Feb 16th Promethean ActivInspire Intermediate Training Section #54132
Feb 21st Discover the Possibilities with Discovery Education Section #54154
Feb 23rd INTERACT Video Assistance Open Lab – *INTERACT APPLICANTS ONLY* Section #54136
March 1st Liven Up Student Presentations Section #54134
March 20th Exploring the World Beyond your Classroom Walls Section #54160
April 12th Introduction to Google Earth Section #54139
April 17th Discover the Possibilities with Discovery Education Section #54155

All sessions are available in ASCEND and last from 4:15pm – 5:45pm. Be sure to register to save your spot!

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It’s coming…INTERACT 2012

Dec 2

Posted by Chad Jones in Technology Integration | 11 Comments

It’s coming…are you ready?

INTERACT 2012 is on it’s WAY!!

INTERACT Logo

INTERACT is a week long learning experience for teachers across our district in which you explore some of the best research proven teaching strategies while being immersed in the all of the amazing technology resources available here in LCISD! This week is one of the most amazing, fun, fulfilling, and meaningful learning sessions we get to be a part of…and we want you to be a part of it too!

Here are some important dates to remember as you plan to be a part of INTERACT 2012:

SAVE THE DATE: INTERACT 2012 will be held June 4 – 8; 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

APPLICATION:

  • Application window is open from Jan. 4 – March 1
  • Intent to apply MUST be submitted by Feb. 1
  • The application will be video based – more details to come!

WHO CAN APPLY:

  • Teams must contain 2-4 members
  • Teams must represent at least two grade levels for Elementary or two subject areas for Secondary
  • Teams may contain one specialist (Facilitator, Special Ed, etc.) per team

Oh yeah…and after attending, you get to outfit your team with the technology tools that best suit you and your students!

So start planning now! Get those teams together, start brainstorming some possible ideas on how you want to apply, and check back with the iCafe blog soon for more details!

READY TO APPLY?!

Be sure to follow this link and complete the Intent to Apply Form by Feb 1st!

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