Image created by Silvia Tolisano and licensed under Creative Commons and share alike

The DEC has  its blogging tool, blogED. It can be accessed in your portal from the Learning Tools tab once your principal has set it up. Many schools around the world have been using classroom blogs. So I have included a list of some of these blogs that I hope will  inspire you. They will show you the things that can be included in a classroom blog. There are more examples in the blogroll on the right. The possibilities are endless! Remember, some of these schools have been doing this for a while so start small and build your own classroom blog throughout the year.

Chorlton Park PS, UK

http://www.chorltonpark.manchester.sch.uk/

Brisbane, AUS

http://2mgems.blogspot.com/

Leopold Primary School, AUS

http://2cdblog.globalstudent.org.au/

http://2kjblog.globalstudent.org.au/

http://2kmblog.globalstudent.org.au/

Holmfirth J I and N School UK

http://nabbyear3.wordpress.com/

Heathfield CPS  Bolton, UK

http://y52010.heathfieldcps.net/

http://y62010.heathfieldcps.net/

Blogs from all over the world from Edublogs

http://theedublogger.com/check-out-these-class-blogs/#Primary

Do you find it hard to find a book that is “just right” for you? Here are some hints on choosing a “Good Fit” book.

An important part of becoming a successful independent reader is being able to choose “good fit” books. In the library we have started learning how to choose good fit books.  Read below to find out more about what a “good fit” book is and how to find one.

I PICK Good Fit Books

1. I choose a book

2. P urpose – Why do I want to read it?

3.  I nterest – Does it interest me?

4. C omprehend – Do I understand what I am reading?

5. K now – Do I know most of the words?

Another way to find a “good fit” book is to use the five finger test. Just use this very simple strategy to select a book that is just right for you.

http://primelib.pbworks.com

The final great ways to find a “Good Fit” book are to find an author you enjoy or to read the first book in a series. If you love them you have ready made reading for weeks (or months) to come as you continue on your reading adventure!

To help you here are some popular authors and series from our own school library.

Check them out. I’m sure you’ll find a “Good Fit” book here.

Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed and assume greater control over their own learning.

It is our responsibility as educators to not only teach our students the skills that enable them to locate, access, use and evaluate information but also encourage understanding of the social and legal responsibilities the use of technology has brought into the classroom.

There are many links below that will assist you and your students in becoming information literate, responsible digital citizens.

INTERNET RULES

Be proud of anything that you do on the internet.

• Only use first names – be a SAFE surfer!

• Make sure that you ask your teacher for permission if you want to post a photo of anyone…including yourself!

• Remember not to post any personal information such as your home phone number or home address!

• Don’t share your password with anyone.

• Tell your parents or teacher if you come across anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.

INTERNET SAFETY

Here are some sites to use with your class before they use the internet in the Technology Room. Sites and rules need to be revisited at regular intervals.

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

INFORMATION SKILLS – including copyright and plagiarism

Christmas Holiday Games

2012 is the National Year of Reading and there are a huge number of resources being produced. Here are just a few of the sites available.

http://www.love2read.org.au/ There is a link in the left sidebar as well

http://litworld.org/worldreadalouddayactivities/ Resources for World Read Aloud Day on March 7th

http://litworld.org/ LitWorld is a nonprofit organization working to cultivate literacy leaders worldwide through transformational literacy experiences that build connection, understanding, resilience and strength.

http://www.wegivebooks.org A continually growing online library. This is a fabulous resource that you can use on your IWB, for guided reading and individual reading with earphones. All this and the children are helping others all around the world. Please check out this aspect as it makes the reading of the books more meaningful.

We Give Books instantly increases your classroom library and puts high-quality books within reach for children everywhere. We Give Books makes an excellent companion to the interactive whiteboard or projector-connected classroom computer for a class read along. Pull up a story and read the book chorally, ask students to take turns reading, or simply follow along. Everyone can see the pictures and words! This is a great resource for practising reading strategies together as a class.
We Give Books makes a wonderful reading activity on classroom computers. Students can access wonderful stories any time through We Give Books. For those students who struggle with indpendent reading (or are emergent readers) there is a read-along option on some of the stories. Students can follow along with the reading building fluency, flow and vocabulary.

Students (and teachers) can create their own library where they keep the books they have read (or enjoy reading). To add a book to a library, you must be a member of We Give Books- no problem, it is quick and free to become a member!

This site has been added to the ebooks resources on the English page of apslibrary.

PLNs are Personal Learning Networks (PLNs). A PLN is created by using web tools such as blogs, wiki, twitter and facebook to create connects with others which extend our learning, increase our reflection while enabling us to learn together as part of a global community. PLNs increase our opportunities to ask questions and receive help compared to our normal daily face-to-face interactions. I love my Twitter and Yammer PLNs. I think of them as my Professional Learning Network. The members of my network share some fabulous ideas, resources, and encouragement that I am then able to share them with you. If you don’t have a PLN on Twitter, join mine by following the wonderful teachers, librarians and techies and their wealth of knowledge that enriches my lifelong learning.

What is Twitter? - Animated Explanations

Here are our new video cameras. We have two Kodaks and five Flip cameras. The Kodak will take still images as well as video. The Flip is a video camera only.

Flip cameras are small, pocket-sized video cameras (no still images) that record video in the touch of a button. Our Flip cameras hold 1 hour of video on their internal memories, so no tapes or extra memory cards are needed and they use AA batteries. The Flip camera has a USB “arm” built in the side of the camera so that it can be plugged DIRECTLY into the computer. That means there is no special CD or software to deal with, and also no cords. They will load straight into iPhoto.

The  cameras can be used in a variety of situations in the classroom. They also allow content to be easily uploaded to the Web.

Here are some suggested uses:

From Tom Barratt’s Interesting Ways series

Here it is in PDF format

44_Interesting_Ways_to_use_your_Pocket_Video_C

More uses:

• Teachers can record performances, projects, field trips, and presentations and upload them to their websites
• Students can take cameras out of the classroom (after permission and liability issues are worked out) to record special experiences such as interviews or trips
• Students can create booktalks that are then uploaded and broadcast in various locations inside the school or district; some digital frames can display uploaded video content. A digital frame can be purchased to “broadcast” booktalks in the library, school office, or classroom
• Students can use cameras to record data in science projects, experiments, or long-term monitoring of an outdoor location
• Flip cameras can be used by students to make commercials or advertisements, to record responses to books, projects, lessons, and units

http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/blended_learning/Blended%20Learning%202010.pdf

Here is a great resource to assist with ICT integration into classroom teaching. It hads been developed by the Country Areas Program.

“Blended Learning is a student centred, flexible, self-paced, multimodal approach to learning. It is the teaching practice that intersects traditional face-to-face teaching and online teaching. It is an increasingly popular instructional model that is helping schools and their communities address issues of student engagement, challenges of student achievement, access to staff professional learning and the expectations of 21st century learners. It requires all students to draw on their prior learning, acquire new knowledge and tap into their creativity to fashion new solutions to real world problems utilising a range of synchronous and asynchronous tools.

A blended learning approach allows teachers to blend Quality Teaching practices with the increasing availability of contemporary ICTs and appropriate technological hardware within the P-12 classroom environment.

The purpose of this resource is for teachers to develop understandings and strategies to facilitate learning in a blended environment. This resource will assist teachers in blending Quality Teaching practices with contemporary ICTs and appropriate hardware to maximise student educational outcomes”.

Found on the DET portal in My Applications =>  My Library => Links4Learning

A collection of K-12 Literacy, Information Skills and Research activities suitable for interactive whiteboards.

Also a Teachers’ Digital Toolkit with links to many Web 2.0 tools.