The Virtual Thesaurus

We've obtained a 30-day free trial of the Virtual Thesaurus. The Virtual Thesaurus is an interactive distionary and thesaurus that creates word maps. What a great way to encourage your students to explore language and subsequently enlarge their vocabulary. Try the Word of the Day, Vocabgrabber and the Language Lounge. I personally found the Spelling Bee addictive - in a good way! Have you tried the monthly crossword puzzle yet? To access our free trial click here - no password needed! Remember it's accessible 24-7.

Create a Video with PhotoStory

Creating a video from photos couldn't be easier. Import your photos, add some special effects, text (if you want) and music. PhotoStory does the rest. Perfect for BOE presentations plus the video can be added to your website! Come to the 9/29 workshop to get started. Be sure to have photos available either in your network folder or on a flash drive.

Get Creative with wordle.net

Create a "word cloud" using the Web 2.0 tool wordle.net. To see what a "wordle" looks like check out the wordle created for the SmartBoards in Greenwich wiki. Use the online tools to personalize the font, colors and style. The resulting graphic can be used in printed documents or your web page. Some possibilities could be:

• Make a "wordle" containing the names of your students -print it out, laminate it and hang it on your classroom door.
• As a group activity have students suggest words that describe their summer or their feelings about the first day of school.
• Create a personal wordle with the names of your family members and turn it into a notecard.
• Create a weekly "wordle" activity sheet for vocabulary or spelling.
• Use an original poem or writing assignment to create a "wordle". You might be surprised at the result!

Come to the 10/6 workshop to learn more about wordle.net and get started on a fun activity!

Get Organized!

Do you have trouble finding the files you need? So many folders, even more files...egads, what a mess!! Join us at the 10/13 Get Organized workshop. You'll create a filing system that works for you. I think you'll be amazed at how a little "cleaning and organizing"of your network space will make your life easier!

Get Funky @ BeFunky.com

Add pizazz to your photo at befunky.com, then use the new graphic on your Facebook page, webpage or wherever you'd like. According to the site, you can "turn your photos into incredible artwork with one click." Hey, even I can do it! Some of the effects available are Inkify, Warholizer, Charcolizer, Scribbler, Charcola, Stenciler, Sunburst and Line Artopia. Don't forget to grab some goodies - text bubbles, accessories,frames, warps...you just have to play around to appreciate the possibilities. Come to the Get Funky with BeFunky.com workshop on 11/10 to learn more!

Create Your Own Avatar

Sometimes putting your own photograph on your webpage is not what you want to do. But you want to add a personal touch. Enter voki.com. Customize an image from their collection, then add your voice via cell phone, telephone, mic or text. Just be sure that you know what you want to say! In the classroom, have students write their "script" and have it checked by you for spelling, punctuation and content. Hook up the microphone and they're ready to go. Check out a sample on our SMARTBoard wiki. Sign up for the "Create your own Avatar" workshop on 10/27 to learn more and get started.

IE Links bar

Do you have certain sites that you go to frequently - schooltool, daily bulletin, BrainPOP, etc? If you use the Links bar that's built into Internet Explorer, these sites are only 1 click away. Come to our 11/3 workshop to learn how to use this handy feature. You'll be glad you did!

Google bookmarks...will travel

You can use Google Bookmarks to save your favorite sites (aka - Favorites) and have them available on any computer that has Internet access. These bookmarks are totally private and fully searchable. I use this tool often.

Adding cool color to your web page

Picking "just the right color" for background or text can be a challenge. A fun solution? Go to the Hues Hub. Here you'll find practically every color in the rainbow (plus tons more!). Just write down and save the 6-character code for as many colors you like.
To apply this color to your webpage, open FrontPage, click on File...Properties and then click on the formatting tab. Click the dropdown arrow by any component, then choose More Colors. In the next window put the 6 character code in the section named "Hex" making sure to maintain the naming convention. Click OK and OK again.