This document provides information and resources for teachers to use technology tools like blogs, Wordle, Answer Garden, Image Chef, and Big Huge Labs to enhance student learning. It discusses how these tools can be used to increase higher-level thinking, creativity, and student-driven learning while preparing students for a technology-based society. Specific examples are given for how each tool can be incorporated into the classroom for subjects like language arts, math, science, and across unit studies.

1. Your students,
Their teachers,
Working together to educate!

2. I am an educator,
I am a mom,
I am a friend,
I am a co-worker,
I am a student,
I am a learner,
I am an educator!

6. Higher level thinking
Increased creativity
Student driven
Teacher guidance

7. Tools for Teachers to
enhance learning and
to continue to
prepare students for
a technology based
society.

8. Then
 Newsletters
 Book Reports,
Dioramas
 Posters, Collages
Now
 Blogs
 Wordle, Answer
Garden
 Image Chef, Big
Huge Labs

9. Keeping parents and students current in the classroom.
Blogs can include:
 9 week plans for students and parents
 Unit studies that are coming up – Williamsburg/Colonial Time
 Additional help – “if you are having trouble with Author’s
Purpose, checkout the websites below!”
 Weekly assignments
Welcome to 4th Grade! This year we will be studying the
regions of Virginia! Can you name the regions? First one to
email me your answer gets a “homework pass”.

11. Here is a third grade class blog.
 http://blogs.goaj.org/mrshamman/
 Think about how this can be incorporated
into you classroom!

12.  Here is a different approach to blogging.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTToERn
TKB4

13.  Creative way to show what you know!
 Book reports, math concepts, science vocabulary
 www.wordle.net/

16.  AnswerGarden is a minimalistic feedback tool.
Use it in the classroom as an educational tool or
at work as a creative brainstorming tool. Post it
in a tweet or you can embed it on your website or
blog to use it as a poll or guestbook.
 How does AnswerGarden work?
 You create an AnswerGarden by entering a topic
on the Create New AnswerGarden-page.
http://answergarden.ch/

17. Can be used :
 For getting feedback from a small group or entire class.
 to determine the knowledge level of students on a given topic.
 before and after content knowledge.
More specifically:
 Math teachers can get feedback on graphs or charts.
 For Language Arts, students can use it to describe characteristics
of a story character or setting.
 It can be used to activate prior knowledge before a lesson
 A group "exit-ticket" to determine the level of understanding
following a lesson.

19.  Adds “color” to any project!
 Allows students to create!
 Use with any unit study
 Math concepts
 Book Responses
www.imagechef.com/

21. Students can use this site with class photos
 After a field trip
 Reporting on an assembly
 Content area sequencing
Big Huge Labs helps you to use digital images in
your classroom. You can create posters for any
unit of study, trading cards of famous people in
history, mosaics, and magazine covers on any book
you read!
www.bighugelabs.com/

25. “Traditional thinking is all about ‘what is’. Future
thinking will also need to be about what ‘can be’.”
-By Edward de Bono

26. Try a Tool!
 Wordle – www.wordle.net/
 Answer Garden - http://answergarden.ch/
 Image Chef - www.imagechef.com/
 Big Huge Labs – www.bighugelabs.com/
Create a Blog!
 Blogger https://www.blogger.com/
 WordPress www.wordpress.com