Blog Reviews

Larry Ferlazzo- I followed the TV show, ‘The Story of Us’ when it was first released, and kept thinking how amazing it would be to use the videos in class. It basically takes you through the entire development of America, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I was very surprised at the detail that these shows had in them and the stories they chose to tell. That’s why I was so excited to see that Ferlazzo chose the link to this site for his site of the day. It’s been probably around a year since the show was released, and since then I’ve forgotten how amazing they are. Thank s Larry for bringing back this cinematic great to the attention of teachers AND providing a link to view for free!

Free Technology for Teachers- For awhile now, I’ve wanted to check out Google Docs and how to use them in my classroom. (The only reason I haven’t done that yet is because of pure business.) So when I saw free technology for teachers had not only an article, but also a short video, I decided to check it out. They gave an update on all the new elements that Google has recently come out with, and make recommendations about which ones might be most beneficial in the classroom (Circles, is suggested). For me, it’s so much easier to have these things laid out in an article written by someone who I know is seeing these things the same way I need to, versus exploring them myself.

Free Technology for Teachers (again)- Has a small article on a game called ‘Turn-O-Phase’, and a link to play as well. So, of course, I had to try it out for myself. Byrne says this is a game that would benefit ELL students because it has them match colloquial phrases with pictures. However, I think that this game is great for any student because the further along it goes the tougher it gets. I wouldn’t have this as a lesson, but it would be neat to have as a type of individual center for word work. The only downside is that in order for you to play, you have to be signed up through FB or Twitter, which would make it impossible to use in the classroom. It does give you the option to create your own, which leaves me wondering, “Is this something that could be saved to the desktop?” If not, Byrnes suggests creating your own game using the same strategy with pictures cut out from magazines.

Library History Buff- This blog caught my eye this week because it had information about the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, which as Missourians, all know the importance. What’s neat about this article is that the author, Larry Nix, recently purchased an envelope addressed to a motel in St. Louis during that time period. Not thinking any correlation to libraries at the time, when he opened it he received quite the surprise. As it turns out the ALA was having their convention at that particular time in conjunction with the Fair. The letter inside contained information about the rooms, their construction, and even a few ‘famous’ guests including the all important Melvil Dewey.

Larry Ferlazzo (again)- Assessments are a necessary part of education, and there are an unlimitless possibilities to make sure that your students are ‘getting it’. Each school has their own way of assessing, which may include the old pencil to paper routine, or like our school we’ve invested in several technology based options. Currently my favorite assessment option on the computer is a program called Study Island; however, I know it’s expensive for the district. So what do you do when you don’t have that option or worse yet, you come to like and use it only to find out it’s going to be taken away? Look no further, turn to Larry Ferlazzo for the answer. On his blog he has an article that he’s written that gives you several different options for online test creating, and he updates it frequently to make sure the information is current. There are several different types of tests that are provided here, including matching, crosswords, maps, or closed question responses. You only have to figure out what type of assessment will be appropriate for your students.