Animation, Math, Mindmapping...Oh My!

Many of you, including us, have websites – classroom blogs, personal blogs, resource pages, etc…and if you’re anything like me, I stare so long at the computer that sometimes the easiest words get spelled incorrectly and it just slips right on by. This site, Spellr.us, allows you to just type in your website URL and it CHECKS THE SPELLING FOR YOU! How awesome is that! There is a free trial so definitely check that one out – hey, we’re all busy during the day...who wouldn’t want to make life a little bit easier? (Thanks, @ozge for this one!)

As technology continues to grow and expand, many of you are faced with technology challenges every day and have to ask yourself, “how can I engage my students today?” – Well, if you’ve got iPod Touches in your classroom, you definitely need to check out these resources from @edutechgeek. These resources talk about the benefits of the iPod Touch, why you should use it, and gives you ideas for use in the classroom! Awesome! Check them out here.

This next resource we found allows you to upload a picture and MAKE IT TALK! How many free sites do you know of that can make a picture talk? I surely don’t know any but Blabberize. You can add multiple pictures to your video and record and add different voices! Let’s see how creative you can get!

When I first saw the name of this next resource, I actually thought it had to do with math. But I was definitely wrong. @aaallian sent through to #web20wednesday is an animation software tool but it’s not just any type of animation. It’s traditional 2-D animation – hey, sometimes you don’t always need the flashy stuff. Check out Pencil here.

The next resource I found has a slogan of “If you can type, you can make movies.” Hmm…That sounds pretty easy to me, and I can surely type! You can drag and drop animations, automatically lip-sync, create unique stories, send personal messages, tell animated jokes, use sets, actors, and sounds. And guess what? It’s free! I definitely like that! If you get a chance to check out this goodie, I’d love to see what you made!

I am a huge, HUGE fan of mindmapping and concepts. I think it’s very beneficial to plan out and visualize things in order to find the best solution. @bwasson has recommended some great mindmapping/concept sites, so be sure to check out Text2MindMap, Visuwords, and Mindomo.

Math used to be my favorite subject when I was in school. But unfortunately, not everyone shares the same love for math as I do – well I know @msgregson does! This resource from @ctuckness makes math fun! It is a practice site with unlimited math questions in more than 1,000 topics, allowing students to improve their skills and maybe…dare I say it? … Maybe just ENJOY math! Check out IXL here.

We also got some great recommendations for lists and documents that have already been created by some other great people, so don’t forget to check out the following

• Web 2.0 Apps and How to Use Them – from @rmbyrne
• Web 2.0 and Google Docs in the Classroom – from @NMHS_Principal
• A Pout-Pourri of Cool Web 2.0 Tools – from @NMHS_Principal
• Web 2.0 by the Numbers – from @cybraryman1

Until next #web20wednesday, enjoy!