Mr. B-G's English Class Resources

Blogger, Weebly, and Drupal Gardens

2011-11-08T13:36:00.000-05:00

Welcome!

Introductions - Please tell us who are, why you signed up for this workshop, and what you hope to learn today

Gmail sign up - If you have a personal Gmail account, I recommend using that to create your Blogger blog.

Blogging sites to check out
a. My blog
b. Science teacher's blog
c. Math teacher's blog
d. History teacher's blog
e. English teacher's blog
f. Middle school teacher's blog
g. Principal's blog
f. Assistant Principal's blog

Using Photo Story 3

2011-11-08T11:54:00.003-05:00

Welcome!

Introductions - Please tell us who are, why you signed up for this workshop, and what you hope to learn today

MicrosoftPhoto Story

ExamplePhoto Story

LessonPlan Using Photo Story to Create Vignettes

Mr. B-G’sVocabulary Video YouTube page

Using Twitter and Dropbox

2011-11-08T07:48:00.003-05:00

Welcome!

Introductions - Please tell us who are, why you signed up for this workshop, and what you hope to learn today

Dropbox sign up - Please send me an e-mail to bgvocab@gmail.com if you did not receive an invitation to join Dropbox. I will send you one.

Dropbox installation and basic use

Creating Internet links with Dropbox

Twitter account sign ups - multiple accounts?

Twitter for homework

Twitter for professional development

Time to explore, play, and figure out ways to use this technology

Digital Tools in the 21st-Century English Classroom - NEATE presentation

2011-10-27T22:14:00.001-05:00

Agenda:

1) Introduction (5 minutes)

2) Complete Google Form Survey and share results (10 minutes)

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

3) Brief introductions to Web 2.0 and tech tools (10-15 minutes)
   a. Intro on Google Docs

   b. Blogging and networking

   c.Blogging with students

   d. Twitter as professional development

   e. Twitter for posting homework

   f. Dropbox 101

   g. Photo Story 3 - Vocabulary Video examples

4) In pairs or small groups, explore the links, resources, and tool(s) of your choice (30 minutes)

5) Post a blog comment to this page explaining three things you learned or discovered during this activity. Were you able to generate any insights in terms of how you could apply one or more of these tools to your classroom? Did you find a website, blog, or different technology tool that we should know about? The content of your comments is up to you. (10 minutes)

6) Final questions, thoughts, or epiphanies (5 minutes)

Thanks for attending! I hope this was meaningful and beneficial. Feel free to contact me with questions or comments: bgvocab (at) gmail (dot) com.

Below are links relevant to today's workshop:

I.An Argument for the Use ofTechnology in Schools

II. Using Google Documents in the Classroom
        a.Sharing a document
        b.Google Presentation as an alternative to PowerPoint.
        c.Student Example of Google Presentation Saved as PDF

    Google Docs Tutorial: http://www.google.com/educators/p_docs.html
    YouTube Video on using Google Docs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA

III. Blogging
a. My blog
b. Science teacher's blog
c. Math teacher's blog
d. History teacher's blog
e. English teacher's blog
f. Middle school teacher's blog
g. Principal's blog
f. Assistant Principal's blog

IV.Dropbox - Sync your files between computers & create Internet links

V. Twitter

a. Mr. B-G's Twitter Page
b. BG Assignments Twitter Page

VI. Grou.ps- Create a social network for your classroom!

VII. Feedlyfor Firefox - Share and keep track of websites & blogs

VIII. Ad block plus for Firefox

IX. MicrosoftPhoto Story
a. ExamplePhoto Story

b. LessonPlan Using Photo Story to Create Vignettes

c. Mr. B-G’sVocabulary Video YouTube page

X. Animoto - The End of Slideshows
a. Example

Hang tight... these links will eventually work again

2011-07-31T20:38:00.001-05:00

As any of you know who have tried to download the materials located in the right column of this blog, it's been a while since these links worked. For reasons unbeknownst to me, my file hosting site, Ripway.com, keeps saying I've exceed my daily bandwidth, even on days when this page has received very few visits.

I have since switched to Dropbox as a means to share my files on the Internet, but it will be a little while until all of the links are functioning again.

Thanks for your patience.

Fisherman's Lifestyle Links

2010-02-05T08:48:00.000-05:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/01/stefan-glinski-fisherman

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5660278

http://www.latest-science-news.com/news/lifesaving-outfit-for-fishermen-4450.htm

http://www.grantontrawlers.com/Life%20and%20Times%20of%20a%20newhaven%20fisherman/Life%20&%20Times%20of%20a%20Newhaven%20Fisherman.htm

http://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia21/en/feature/feature04.html

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/nov/01/life-stone-crab-fisherman-part-two/

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apprendre-learn/prof/sub/jpn/stories/page11gr5_e.asp

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/flm/

Vocabulary Poster Review Project Links

2009-10-19T15:30:00.001-05:00

Here are some nifty websites I've discovered that might help you with your vocabulary posters:

Shahi - A visual dictionary that searches Flickr, Yahoo, & Google for images

Visuwords - A graphical dictionary that shows how words and their meanings are linked together

Brainyflix - A website with words and videos of common SAT words. Great fun!

Wordle - Create a cool word cloud from your blog or any piece of writing

FreeRice - Addictive SAT word quiz website. Get correct answers and win rice for people in need.

Flocabulary - SAT words put to hip-hop

Poetry Anthology Easel Instructions

2009-04-30T09:50:00.004-05:00

Wordle Word Cloud

2008-11-16T20:41:00.002-05:00

This site's Wordle image:

Siddhartha in the 21st Century

2008-01-17T14:22:00.000-05:00

Each year I read Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha with my World Literature 12th grade students. While a few of them are quick to understand the concepts and deeper insights into how one should go about living life, most need the themes and ideas driven home through curriculum supplements.

This year I utilized readings from The Way of Chaung Tzu by Thomas Merton to help elucidate key concepts. I also called on YouTube for a visual assist, and found a great three-part Siddhartha series created by high school students.

Today we watched videos one and two. Tomorrow we'll watch the finale before beginning work on the culminating activity for the unit, an essay entitled Siddhartha Comes to America!

Below are the three student-produced Siddhartha videos. I hope you enjoy them as much as my students and I did.

Ripway is up

2007-11-15T19:50:00.000-05:00

The Ripway server is now working again. The website said they were experiencing a "denial of attack," tech jargon for computer hackery. I wish the folks at Ripway well. I don't want to upload all my files again... nor do I want to change all the hyperlinks in my prior blog posts!

Ripway file server is down

2007-11-15T19:41:00.000-05:00

I discovered today that the Ripway file hosting site I used to upload all my handouts and assignments is down. I don't know if this is a temporary or permanent situation. I have e-mailed the folks at Ripway inquiring as to what is going on.

If it turns out the site is dead, I will need to upload all of my files again to a new server. I don't know when everything will be back up, as if your lives are like mine, it seems that on some days I barely have enough time to eat three square meals.

Ah the joys of teaching... and technology!

If anyone knows of a free and reliable file hosting site that allows direct links, please let me know.

Oedipus... with vegetables!

2007-10-11T18:04:00.001-05:00

Creativity and quality production combine to make this animation a winner.

Lord of the Flies masks

2007-05-12T16:06:00.000-05:00

Below are some of the masks my 12th graders created during our Lord of the Flies unit. Consult the link list to the right for the assignment instructions.

Halo Macbeth

2007-03-30T21:01:00.000-05:00

Who said Shakespeare was boring?

All hail Macbeth!

2007-02-05T20:11:00.000-05:00

I've added a Macbeth character poster activity I did last week with my seniors. There's also a handout on citing correctly from plays. There's a lot more I'd like to add to this page, but alas, there is only so much time.

As for the image above, I had students do a five minute freewrite. They were free to describe what they thought was going on, write about any connections they made between the image and their world, write about how the characters were feeling, etc. It sparked some creative responses, and even my more reluctant students were able to chime in.

New additions

2007-01-21T13:08:00.000-05:00

I've just added a number of links and downloads to a variety of materials, lessons, and websites. Take a look and let me know what you find useful!

Stay tuned

2007-01-15T17:32:00.000-05:00

This page will eventually become an online English teacher resource. I hope to consolidate and sort a number of valuable teacher websites that contain handouts, lesson plans, and ideas.

I'll also upload some of my assignment sheets and lessons for other teachers to peruse. This site could become valuable to my students too, as my more common handouts will be available for download.