Novel Effect to Bring Classroom Read Alouds to a Whole Other Level!!!

OMG! I’m really excited about this new find! The app, which is available for iOS and Android, has a library full of books. It actually has a great range of newer books and classics. Once you have found the book you want to read, download it, grab your physical copy, push play and start to read. Novel effect follows along with your voice and adds background sound, music, and dialogue to your read aloud! Amazing!

One of my FAVORITE Chrome extensions is Talk and Comment. It allows you to insert audio comments into Google Docs and Slides. It is amazing to give audio feedback to students! Studies show feedback is least effective when written down. Imagine the personalization you can add by giving feedback orally!

If you are interested in more tools to help students to succeed, click on over here and check out my database!

Flip A Coin: Google Tools for Quick Game Play

Click below to watch a video!

Pomodoro Timer

Need a timer for your classroom that keeps your kiddos (and maybe yourself      on task?). Try a Pomodoro Timer! It is based on the Pomodoro Technique. A Pomodoro Timer allows you to set increments for time on task and then earned “free time”. It is great for kiddos with executive functioning struggles and adults like me how multitask too much!!! You can get them as a website, app for a phone or tablet, or a Chrome extension.

Closed Captioning in Google Slides

Click on the video above to see it in action!

Have You Used QR Codes?

An Introduction to Flipgrid!

I know I will talk about Flipgrid more on this blog, but here is a quick introduction.

Flipgrid is website/app that allows students to answer a teacher prompted questions with a video response. Pretty simple, eh?

Yes it is simple..... but POWERFUL!

I have seen teachers use Flipgrid for:

• student book reviews
• math accountable talk
• make a hypothesis before a science experiment
• explain their thinking
• take notes for investigative journalism
• memorize a poem and present
• reflect on learning

My favorite part, though, is it helps our English Learners practice their speaking in a non threatening environment. It is also great practice for the speaking section of the WIDA test.

I could talk about Flipgrid for hours, but I'll write some other posts about it later to keep this short and sweet. Trust me.... go check it out and head on over to Twitter and see how other teachers are using it by searching for #flipgridfever !

Live Webcams

One of my favorite ways to transform a classroom is to add a live webcam! Live webcams can immerse your students into content like nothing else.

Reading an informational text about the ocean or ocean animals? Have students put on their scientist hats and make some observations about this:






Learning about space? Have this on while the students do group work:


If you go to YouTube, you can literally search any topic and and the words "live feed" or "live cameras" to it and you may hit the jackpot!

My favorite website, for live cams, is Explore.org. The host cams of animals and habitats and there is always something new to explore.

Live cams are fabulous to:

• Create understanding on the setting of a novel
• Study the geography of an area
• Support informational text

Adding live webcams is such a low prep thing to do and really adds a sense of excitement to the class!

Epic! Books for Research

Want to make sure your kiddos are safe while they are conducting research?  Use Epic Books! Their informational texts are amazing!!!! Struggling readers can choose the “Read to Me” Books for more content knowledge.

Unsplash for Amazing Copyright Free Photos

Want your kiddos to have quality photos for the presentations but also understand they can’t just use any picture from  the internet? Try the Unsplash Photos Add On for Google Presentations for amazing and copyright free photos at your fingertips!