Merry Christmas from Tracy's Techy Tidbits!

Well, we are down to the last day before Christmas Break! What a difference a year makes. Last year, I would have been making breakfast for my 6th grade class as part of their present! I would have been trying to complete all the grades and grade cards so I wouldn't have to worry over the break! This year, I have been around to all the buildings to deliver information about Tech PD offerings for 2012. Much calmer and relaxing for sure!

I have truly enjoyed my new position in the district and hope to provide some really great technology professional development opportunities in 2012! As I came around today to all the buildings, I hope you know how much I have enjoyed the first part of the year. And as I always say in the Staff Communicator, if you need resources, lessons found or modeled, or even an extra set of hands for a technology project, please don't hesitate to call me or email me! I would LOVE to help!! I hope that you take me up on that offer.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a safe New Year! See you in 2012!
Tracy

Really Fun Rudolph Games

Just in case you needed a few more games to get you through to the holidays! I just couldn't leave out Rudolph. Hope you enjoy!

The Rain Deer Orchestra

Rudolph is Missing! (good inference questions located here)

Where's Rudolph?

Christmas Games Galore

Christmas Tree Light Up

The Christmas Tree Maze

Santa's Sleigh

Christmas Memory

Virtual Tree Decorating

Tree Decorating Page from Santaclaus.net

Decorate a Tree with MuseArt

Decorate a Tree allows you to choose from many different trees!

The National Christmas Tree

YouTube Launches Education Section Just for Schools

Although there are lots of educational videos on YouTube, there are also many videos that aren’t appropriate for students. To solve this problem, YouTube has created a special section for schools, filled with age-appropriate educational content.

YouTube for Schools gives users access to the hundreds of thousands of educational videos onYouTube EDU. This includes short lessons from top teachers around the world, full courses from the world’s best universities, professional development from fellow educators, and inspiring videos from thought leaders. YouTube also has created a page for teachers, YouTube.com/Teachers, to help them learn to use the site as a powerful educational tool.

Spectacular Christmas Trees Around the World

With only eight days of classes before Christmas break, everyones' minds are on the season! As I was looking through the news on my computer this morning, I saw a link that I just had to check out, "Spectacular Trees Around the World." If you check it out, you just may see one close to home!! Check out these beauties:

Rio de Janiero

London, England.
This tree is actually made out of Lego's!

Germany

Great Christmas SMART lessons and More on the Tech Page!

I am not quite sure you knows and you doesn't know that on the Technology Services Page, if you click on HOMEPAGE under my name, there are additional resources for the classroom. I just added a few new SMART lessons and freebies from some blogs I follow for Christmas. If you see items that you need, please leave a comment and I will be happy to find them for you!

Visuwords: an Online Graphing Dictionary and Thesaurus

Visuwords is a visual way to look up words to find their meanings and associations with other words and concepts. Produce diagrams reminiscent of a neural net. Learn how words associate.
Enter words into the search box to look them up or double-click a node to expand the tree. Click and drag the background to pan around and use the mouse wheel to zoom. Hover over nodes to see the definition and click and drag individual nodes to move them around to help clarify connections.

What a great way to see connections of words and truly understand their meanings. And NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED! Just plug in the word and go!

Tech Academy Level 1 for December

Snacktools (hosts a variety of tools on one site! Possibilities os making banners, quizzes, slideshows, playlists and more)





Slidebomb Academy

Make a Flake

My Holiday Sweater

Tech in 20 Elementary Edition

Read Works

It's Winter in the Northern Hemisphere

Polar Express Lesson Plans and Interactive Read Aloud

ABC Ya Christmas Lights Math

Norad Santa Fun and Games

Super Teacher Christmas Extras

Jan Brett

Christmas at Funschool

Tech in 20 Elementary Edition December

Word Wall Freebies for 1st and 2nd Grade

If you are looking for some games to enhance your "Working with Words" lessons, here is a great freebie for the 1st and 2nd grade classroom. Click here to access the document.

Tech in 20 Intermediate Edition

Read Works

Print Friendly

The Wild Classroom

Popplet

Make a Flake

My Holiday Sweater

Polar Express Lesson Plan and Book Read Aloud

Tech in 20 Intermediate Edition December