Monday, November 11, 2013

PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia has compiled and categorized thousands of digital media tools to spice up your lessons.  Find video segments from how caves are made to solids, liquids and gases to interviews with famous authors.  They have interactive activities to create stories or compare fractions!  You can filter your search by grade level, subject or Common Core Standards.






Thursday, November 7, 2013

iOS 7

Now that you've got the go ahead to update your iPad to ios7, here are a few tips...

  1. Log in to your laptop as yourself.
  2. Open the iTunes program on your computer.
    1. If a message appears declaring that there is a newer version of iTunes, download and install the new version.
    2. You may need to put your apple id/password in.
    3. Wait until the  update is downloaded and installed.
  3. Plug your iPad into your computer.
  4. A message will appear declaring that there is an ios software update available.Click download and install.
  5. If a message appears about there being content on your iPad that hasn’t been transferred, ignore it and click continue.
  6. Click Continue and Agree.

Your iPad will begin to back up and update.  This may take a while.


Here's how to respond on each page of the setup. (Page order may be different than listed below or you may not see every page depending on how your iPad is set up.)


  • Update Complete -Click Continue
  • WiFi- Choose RTSD26-D. ( If asked, use your school username/password)
  • Location Services - Click Enable Location Services
  • Apple ID - Click Sign in with Your Apple ID and then enter your apple id and password
  • Terms and Conditions - Click Agree (2ce)
  • iCloud- Click Use iCloud
  • Find My iPad- Click Use Find My iPad
  • iMessage and FaceTime- Colick Continue/Next
  • iCloud Keychain- Click Set up Later
  • Create a 4 digit passcode- type in a passcode
  • Click Get Started


One last step...
Go to the App Store on your iPad
Click Updates
Click update all




Speakaboos

Speakaboos



This cool site for PK-2 has online books, videos, games songs more!  There are fairy tales, folk tales,  fables, holiday stories, Arthur books, nursery rhymes and more!   Some of the ebooks are narrated by celebrities like Kevin Bacon or Kelly Rippa.   There is even a Speakaboo App!




Monday, November 4, 2013

Pop-Up Blockers

Many Pop-Ups can be annoying.. However, some Pop-Ups are essential  parts of certain programs we use, like Reading Streets.  You can set your browser to always allow Pop-Ups from trusted websites so you don't have to go through the hassle of clicking allow each time you use the site.  Below are directions to set it and forget it for Chrome and IE!



Chrome
Go to Settings



















Click Advanced Settings








Under Privacy, Choose Manage Exceptions








Type the address of the website you want to always allow Pop-Ups on.




Internet Explorer
Go to Settings




Click Internet Options

















Under the Privacy Tab, Click Settings next to Turn on Pop-Up Blocker






























Type the address of the website you want to always allow Pop-Ups on

Friday, November 1, 2013

Public Schools NOT Broken

Please watch this two part interview from the Daily Show on 10-30-13.  Diane Ravitch discusses the influence poverty, the common core, standardized assessments and teacher evaluations are having on education today. I was impressed.  She makes sense.


Part 1


Part 2