EduClipper

It's like Pintrest...

 Check out EduClipper

    The concept of a pinboard, like the ever-so popular Pintrest, has been spreading on the Internet. Personally, I love Pintrest and I have no idea how I lived without it! I'm not sure if I really need 467 ways to make my own candles, but I do love all of the educational related things I have pinned over the last year. A new pinning site has emerged and it is completely centered around education. No need to sift through the latest crock-pot recipes to find a great Common Core related lesson. Check out EduClipper! And, yes, it is just as addictive!   

Keeping Creativity in the Common Core

How do we keep creativity with the the new Common Core?

       

      After a year of working to implement the new Common Core Learning Targets in middle school, many teachers have struggled to find ways to incorporate the fun in learning. With many heavily text based targets and more content than the old Illinois State Standards, how do we bring these targets to life for our students? 

      

     The idea of making learning fun and engaging is nothing new. The bigger question becomes how to bring those hands-on, interactive, multimedia projects and learning experiences into the new curriculum. 

     Here are some excellent resources for integrating creative, engaging, and meaningful teaching into the Common Core...

Ways to develop creative thinking in the Common Core

The P21 Common Core Toolkit - Great for integrating 21st century skills in the Common Core targets.

Creativity in the Common Core - I love Pintrest, and this is a great PinBoard of educational ideas.

The Common Core is Not the Problem, Nor the Solution

     

Create your own textbooks with iBooks Author

iBooks Author

     When you can't find exactly what you're looking for, the best thing to do is to make your own! Now, you can make an amazing iBook using iBook Author. This app is available through the Apple store and is basically a drag and drop application that allows you to add movies, links, photo galleries and more. I have used this program to make theme based text books for various subject areas. 

    The interactive capabilities of an iBook increases student engagement and allows teachers to make the content more interesting. Did you find a great movie clip on YouTube? Add it right to the book! Do you have a great link for an extension of the content? Add it to the book! There are so many wonderful ways teachers can integrate technology with their content areas and iBooks pave the way for the blending of creativity and content. Check out this link for 5 Great Uses for iBooks in the Classroom.