Tune into Technology and Throwback Thursday

I've missed being a part of Tune into Technology the past few weeks. Unfortunately, I have no experience

with iPads or Integrating Technology and Math... not my choice, mind you. I'd give my eye teeth to have an iPad (I enter every contest and giveaway) or to be able to teach math. Alas, neither is happening in the near future. However, this week's topic of classroom websites... I'm in!!!!!

I've had a class website of some sort since 1996 where I could post announcements, homework, pictures, etc. to help keep my families informed. Originally housed at a local ISP and built via raw HTML my class website is now part of the Google Tools offered for its users. It's the site to which my blog description above refers.

Similar in design to Blogger, Google Sites is easy to setup and maintain and it is free!!!! You begin by selecting a pre-made template. Customization is possible, although I have not explored this avenue as yet. To the template add your own details and within a matter of a few minutes your website is ready to go. Teachers have the ability to post homework, even uploading the actual worksheets and study guides. A class calendar can be setup to indicate upcoming projects and special events. Photos and videos can be embedded.,, and more! Easy, peasy! And FREE!

Check out my class website by clicking HERE or on the graphic below. It hasn't been updated since the end of the school year, but it will soon be getting its back to school tune-up!

And now for one of my favorite weekly linky parties, Throwback Thursday with The First Grade Parade!

This week I'm throwing back to a post wherein I introduced one of my favorite classroom activities of all time. I originally posted this entry on March 17, 2013, only three weeks after opening my blog. I talk about remembering an idea, but what I didn't mention is that I took that idea and created a BRAND NEW product for my TpT Store out of it... chalk it up to being a newbie!

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I Found Something Else...

while cleaning out my desk on Saturday! Another forgotten idea! This one was actually lost. I've moved buildings four times in all the years that I've been teaching. Each move has caused me to stream-line the materials that I take with me. This last time especially caused a huge down-sizing as my newest room as NO storage space. I've tons of things packed in boxes all over my house. This activity is packed in a box with many of my learning center items.

But I diverge! What I found, or remembered,  was one of my favorite activities of all time: Peanutty Fun!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Peanutty-Fun-Writing-Activities

Peanutty Fun is a packet of 12 writing activities for the intermediate aged student. It can be utilized as a writing center or a whole group activity. The individual topics include a wide variety of activities: writing scripts for plays, developing dialog, brainstorming lists, asking questions, and doing research.


Grab a clean coffee can, some scissors and glue, obtain this packet and you've got a great writing center for your intermediate classroom. BTW, I reworked the original activities so that they align with the Common Core State Standards, Anchor Standards for Writing 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10.

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At the time of the above Throwback post I hadn't learned how to place a link within a graphic... I knew how to do it with raw HTML, but I hadn't figured out how to get to the HTML yet... LOL! I've learned a lot since then.

Happy Thursday,

Happy Teaching,

Angela

The Teacher's Desk 6