The “iGeneration” in the Classroom and Beyond

January 24, 2011 by  
Filed under Favorites

Free Hot Technologies

(these are courtesy of a handout prepared by the tech coordinator at my school!)

~ Jotform.com . . . Website for creating electronic forms.  Best of all, data can be collected and imported to Excel.  This site allows you to be much more paperless and “green.”

~ Qik.com . . . Website that allows you to share live video.  (Teachers, if you assign your class a project that requires them to interview people, they can use their phones to record and then use qik.com to store and playback the interviews for their project almost immediately.)

~ Wolframalpha.com . . . Computational knowledge engine  [Example given:  3x + 2, enter your birth date, enter your name, Burger King Whopper, AAPL Stock Look-UP.]  Also does data comparison.

~ Xtranormal.com . . . You are able to animate movies by typing text, picking characters and camera angles.

~ Toondoo.com . . . Easily make comic strips about a variety of topics.  Cartoon characters are easy to edit and the gallery has a vast amount of pictures and backgrounds to choose from.

~ Glympse.com . . . Geographic location sharing with your smart phone.  Useful for parents!!!  (New York Times rated it as one of the top 10 must have iPhone applications!)

~ Posterous.com . . . From any email address (Gmail has largest capacity to send attachments), send Posterous PowerPoint attachments, Word docs, music, etc, and it will create a free webpage with all your content.

~ Live.com . . . Can open any version of Word, PowerPoint, etc.  Has a sky drive (25 GB free) to save per account and internet TV useful for showing clips.

See my previous free technology site recommendations here:  Technology Tools to Try

Technology Tools to Try

October 9, 2010 by  
Filed under Favorites

This week, I attended a workshop on practical ways to incorporate my school’s new net books into our Title 1 classes.  Besides training on the net books, my colleagues conducting this shared some great online tools they use in the classroom.  Here are the new tools I’d like to try in all of my classes – Title 1, accelerated, and college-bound.  

To my followers who are not educators, these sites offer great resources for you as well.  Create a Photostory with your family photos, utilize BrainFlips to help your child memorize terms, turn to Diigo if you’re taking college courses and want to bookmark and organize your online research, peruse TedTalks when you’re looking for videos from credible speakers, etc.

Diigo – a great way for students (and teachers) to organize, store and share research.  This can be a convenient method to move toward paperless research that can be available on-the-go.   I would like to try this with my senior expository writing class.

Photostory – I’ve heard so much about how much the most reluctant reader enjoys this.  I watched some powerful examples from students who normally never turn in homework (I was told).  I’m definitely using this VERY SOON with my reading students!   It’s a user-friendly way for students to create slide shows that go beyond the average PowerPoint with voice narration, fun effects, etc.

Brain Flips – I may try these with both my reading students and my accelerated freshmen.  Another method for internalizing vocabulary is always welcome.

Voice Thread – This could be an interesting motivator as a personable way to comment on blogs, videos, artwork, etc.  Besides the usual typed comments, one can leave voice messages. Perhaps I’ll use this with online book talks.

Ted Talks – Use these video resources here to supplement discussions and units of study.  More organized and less commercial than YouTube, these credible, educational speakers and presentations are categorized by theme.

TeacherTube – I’ve already been using this, but I felt the need to add it here.  You will find videos specifically recorded for classroom use.    (Search for “Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration” for a ‘rocking’ take on the Declaration of Independence.  I never thought I’d see Ben Franklin play the electric guitar! 🙂 )

Edmodo – this social network for teachers & students looks like Facebook once you log in.  I’m not sure what I’ll use this for.  I’m having my students each create their own blogs (via WordPress) and the discussion threads on those blogs should be sufficient for sharing comments.  We’ll see . . . there’s so much great stuff out there!!

Foods I’m Eating and You’re Not (But Should Be)

September 13, 2010 by  
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I recently added these 3 foods into my diet.  Not only are they very surprisingly palatable, they pack quite the healthful punch.  Grading Girl recommends these for EVERYONE!!  Try them once . . . you just may be glad you did.

Chia Seeds

Chia Seeds - Prized More Highly Than Gold by the Aztecs!

Talk about super food, chia is a high fiber seed that is the richest known vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids.  It has three times the antioxidants of blueberries, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach and is a better protein source than beans or soy!!!!!!  I mix them in fat free cottage cheese, yogurt, oatmeal, and I even sneakily sprinkle them in my baked goodies.  2 tablespoons a day is all it takes.  Buy this – your body will thank you!  I bought my 1lb container at Whole Foods for $19.99.  Check it out!!!

Pitted Prunes

Don't roll your eyes and laugh - these REALLY are sweet and satisfying!

My favorite is Trader Joe’s Dried Fruit Pitted Prunes.  With only 12 grams of sugar per serving, it holds less sugar than most dried fruit . . . and less sugar ultimately means less belly fat.  Don’t underestimate the power of prune – it is a rich source of potassium, Vitamin A and iron.  This will give you energy and boost your immune system.  Pop a couple of these prunes when your sweet tooth is nagging at you.

Baby Beets

You can eat these hot or cold!

Tired of a side of potatoes?!  These are normally messy to prepare but Trader Joe’s Steamed & Peeled Baby Beets are ready to eat hot or cold.  I was hesitant to place these in my cart one day, but they were something new and different . . . and I’m constantly looking for unique food to try or cook.  (ask me about my new chicken burger recipe!!)  B is for beet – they are a good source of Vitamin B, an essential folate that helps our tissue grow and prevent cancerous diseases.

Bon Chic Bon Genre

May 22, 2010 by  
Filed under Favorites, Reviews

My Favorite Designer!!

No, GG has not gone French!  While I’ve studied 7 1/2 years of French, my site would not be complete without me raving about my very favorite fashion line.  I can’t say enough about this line!!  BCBG’s Max Azria has been my favorite designer for six years . . . and counting.  It all started with a little red velvet halter dress I purchased for a wedding in 2003.  This dress fit like a glove without hugging too tightly; moreover, it was comfortable and spawned many a compliment.  Since that first fateful find, I’ve purchased (and received gifts of ) many BCBG dresses, shirts, sweaters, pants, shoes, and handbags.  I wear BCBG pieces, on average, three times a week.  BCBG is my go-to apparel when I’m pressed for time and don’t have a chance to answer the infamous “What Shall I Wear” question  – I know that if I grab a BCBG piece, I’ll look polished and refined.   I even attribute BCBG to one of the bonds between my sister-in-law and me.  I became very excited when I discovered we shared BCBG as a fave; today, scavenging a local BCBG boutique is a staple activity we share whenever I’m in town to visit.

BCBG is an acronym for the french phrase bon chic, bon genre—or good style, good attitude. This illustrates the vibe of the line.  Designed by Max Azria under the close supervision of wife Lubova, the label hosts legions of celebrity clients, 475 retail boutiques worldwide, inclusions in major department stores such as Nordstrom and Macy’s, and a slew of offshoots – including the more casual BCBGeneration (which my daughter enjoys!), the more upscale Max Azria Collection, and BCBGirls footwear.   Dresses and mix-and-match separates are the brand’s bread and butter: youthful but not cutesy, easy-to-wear, and with a bit of an edge.   Clients include Paris Hilton, Angelina Jolie, and Sarah Martineau.  I personally have had the surprise pleasure of spotting two specific pieces that I own on television celebrities:  Misha Barton sported the same matte-jersey pink mini dress on “The O.C.;” Eva Longoria sported my blue wrap top on “Desperate Housewives.”  It’s fun to spot your own clothes on celebs!  With all this famous following, you’d think the clothing would cost an arm and a leg to purchase.  Not so – this is the one upscale clothing line with the midscale price tags.  In fact, I can almost always scoop up a stellar piece (or two or three!) in the surprisingly stocked sales racks.  Purchasing BCBG is a win-win!

On GG’s Wish List for this Season!!

Every season, I “doggy-ear” my catalog’s favorites before I head for the boutique.  Here are the dresses I just bought this weekend.  I’m very happy and proud to say I purchased each at Macy’s or Lord & Taylor’s @ 30 – 50% each!!!

Admittedly, this is cuter on than in the picture - I won't wear the clunky dark shoes with it. My shrunken jean jacket goes perfectly!!

Matte jersey is my favorite dress material. This lays perfectly in all the right places. It's more coral than red - a good color for me!

The dress I have on order!!!!! So fabulous - I just might have to post a picture of me in it . . . maybe.

Grading Girl gives BCBG an A+ for timeless class and elegant, easy-to-wear style.  In fact, I wore a black cotton BCBG dress when I shopped for these . . . the third time this week that I donned BCBG.  I see myself continuing to be faithful to this line for a long time to come.  Thank you, Mr. Azria!

A Fortunate Favorite

April 17, 2009 by  
Filed under Favorites

Love, love, love this movie. I’m blogging on another subject, but had to take a detour to share a favorite as my daughter and her friend play this in the background. Serendipity is definitely my second favorite movie of all time.  The title is such a happy word!  This movie embodies those little fortunate accidents that we never expect or plan for but can completely change our lives.  They happen every day if we take the time to notice them.

One of my favorite scenes

One of my favorite scenes

If you are an unfortunate soul who has not yet seen this romantic comedy, Jonathon Tragger (John Cusack) meets Sara Thomas (Kate Beckinsale) by chance.  Both are in relationships so when Jonathon asks for her number, Sara decides to write it in a book, sell it to a bookshop, and have Jonathon try to find it; she has him, in turn, place his name on a five dollar bill and gives it to a newspaperman. She states that if destiny wants them together, Jonathan will get that book back or she will receive that bill again. This marks the beginning of a “chase” as they both realize their current relationships aren’t their soul mates.  Has anyone ever tried something like this in “real life?!”

With co-stars such as Jeremy Piven and Molly Shannon, this movie is written with memorable, quirky lines and approachable characters in which viewers can easily find pieces of themselves.  The soundtrack hails tunes that raise spirits, from David Grey’s peaceful “January Rain,” (a GG fave!) to John Mayer’s “83” to Louis Armstrong’s “Cool Yule.”  I’ve seen this movie probably 10 times within the past few years, and it tickles my heart each time.  Granted, this is coming from someone who saw the movie, Grease, 12 times when it was released in the theatre years ago (GG’s #1 fave movie), but I give this grade with a guarantee.  GG dares anyone who views this to dislike it – it’s impossible.  A+

During my daughter’s first trip to New York, we paid a visit to the Serendipity3 cafe where Jonathan and Sara infamously share a frozen hot chocolate.  While we didn’t spot anyone famous at this notoriously star-laden spot, GG gives this cozy coffee boutique an A for both food and atmosphere.  The menu offers unique choices such as my order, the Summer Bries (smoked turkey,apple and brie cheese on raisin pumpernickel bread, yum) and, of course the frozen hot chocolate.  The frozen hot chocolate is as boastful as hot hot chocolate and as creamy as a milkshake. With its Tiffany lampshaded 19th century decor, the cafe has been drawing people by the lines outside since opening in 1954.  We experienced an hour wait, but it was completely worth it.  One can browse through the sweet shop boutique and score a take-home frozen hot chocolate kit or Serendipity ice cream bowls. Andy Warhol once claimed this sweet shop as his favorite! Grading Girl shares the claim. Oh . . . and it looks exactly like it does in the movie.

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