Teachers will appreciate the many ideas and resources that Mind/Shift offers on their Website. Broad educational topics about how we will learn consist of Teacher Stories, Growth Mind/Shift, Teaching Strategies, Big Ideas, and Games and Learning. An example from the Teacher Stories Category is Alice Hunker and 'Scary Close': A Vulnerable Path to Content Teaching. All sorts of motivational suggestions are presented under the Growth Mind/Shift topic. Teaching strategies includes Five Ways Design and Making Can Help Science Education Come Alive, How To Ensure Students Are Actively Engaged and Not Just Compliant, and What Neuroscience Can Tell Us About Making Fractions Stick. Big Ideas explores the latest findings for future learning. A comprehensive collection of digital and classroom games are also included. In addition, teachers can subscribe to the Stories Teachers Share podcast. This site is worth a visit.

Anyybody Can Code

For December 15, 2013: Solve Angry Bird and Zombie puzzles with drag and drop programming with the help of Code.org, a non-profit dedicated to expanding participation in computer science education. There are 20 tutorials on the website that help students learn repeat-loops, conditionals, and basic algorithms. Technology gurus like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates introduce each new concept in an easy-to-understand way. Several additional pathways are available for learning more advanced coding once students complete the tutorials. Code.org is available in over 20 languages! This is a great tool for teaching problem solving and encouraging students to think. Kudos for Code.

Artists Toolkit: Visual elements and Principles

Discover the tools of the trade like line, color, and balance to build works of art. As you explore the toolkit you can watch as art is created, find the same elements in other works of art, and design your own work using an interactive palette along with the elements and principles that were demonstrated. Videos show artists in action and the processes they use for producing art. Rounding out the site is an encyclopedia that includes definitions and visual demonstrations of the artistic concepts.

Math is Fun

Math concepts are presented with colorful illustrations in an easy to understand fashion. They are followed with several types of activities from folding geometric shapes to interactive practice games and worksheets. Topics include algebra, numbers, puzzles, geometry, calculus, data, money, measurement, and physics. In addition, there is a teachers page with lots of suggestions to inspire learners. This site has received great reviews from teachers so be sure and visit Math is Fun.

Made with Code

Code your own festive emoji for the holiday! Using the Blockly web-based graphical programming tool, students will learn how to position objects by changing the x and y values on a grid. After completing the emoji project, they can select from a variety of more advanced projects such as designing a custom beat sequencer, dance visualizer, and garden robot. Made with Code is a great site to use when teaching students how to program.

Live: Air Action

For teachers who create news broadcasts for their schools, here is an app that has many features. Live:Air Action is an iOS video switcher application that turns your live stream into a complete multi-camera production with custom graphics, transitions, animations, and more. This app is for advanced users who have had some experience with live streaming. It is free from the app store.

Powtoon

Create animated videos and presentations with Powtoon HTML5. The company is poised to launch its latest product and will provide educators with a free account. Their mission is to make the tools available to foster and expand creativity to every teacher and student in the world. Just share this Website to obtain your account.

Green Screen by Do Ink

Want to create movies with a flare? Try using a green screen to add another dimension to your point and shoot film.. Green screens are used in the movies to make it look as though the actors are situated in different locations like a castle or planet .They are also used on TV to make it look like your local news announcer is standing in front of an animated weather map. Green Screen by Do Ink will get you started by allowing you to easily combine two sources of images into one. The Website offers extensive documentation, tutorials, tips and facts for using the app on your iPad. It is available for $2.99 at the App Store.

CK-12

Students can join in the fun of learning about math and science through a variety of simulations. Build their skills with daily practice in Brain Flex Summer. Explore key concepts through challenging interactive games. Or read a sturdy guide to enhance their knowledge. A dashboard will keep track of their progress. In addition there is a separate site designed for teachers that contains standards and the ability to interact with other educators. Apps are also available for download through the App Store and Google Play.

PhET

Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder creates free interactive math and science simulations. PhET sims are based on extensive education research and engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery. By converting the simulations to HTML5, it makes theme seamlessly available on all devices. These simulations provide teachers with great problem solving tools in the classroom.

Creek Connections

 As spring and summer approach, it's time to think about studying the water quality and habitats of creeks. Creek Connections is a partnership between Allegheny College and regional K-12 schools and uses the local waterways as outdoor laboratories. Data collected from the studies is available to the public. Classroom resources are an outstanding feature at this site. Water chemistry, aquatic insect fact sheets, testing tips, and studying waterways are some of the materials available for downloading and printing. In addition, there are original word searches, Creek Geek Knowledge, and matching games. This is a great site for teachers and students.

Unite for Literacy

 At Unite for Literacy, young readers will find loads of appealing non-fiction picture books to hone their reading skills. The books feature predictable, rhythmic language; images with clear, familiar subjects; and text that ranges from one word up to a few sentences per page. Stories can be narrated in up to 27 languages. This is a great site for families and elementary teachers.