The Global Forest Change Explorer is a new Google Maps product that provides visualizations of patterns in global deforestation. The Global Forest Change Explorer was developed in conjunction with Science in the Classroom and Dr. Matt Hansen of the University of Maryland.

On the Global Forest Change Explorer you can view patterns in deforestation and explore causes of deforestation. The map has three basic sections that you can explore. Those sections are countries, ecosystems, and hotspots. The hotspots section includes questions for students to investigate to discover the cause of deforestation in that location.

Applications for Education
The Global Forest Change Explorer offers a set of basic research questions for students to investigate. That question sheet can be downloaded as a PDF.

The Global Forest Change Explorer is a good example of the type of data that can be visualized in Google Maps. Students can use Google's My Maps in Google Drive to create their own visualizations of other data sets for things like erosion patterns, drought patterns, or changes in availability animal habitat. My playlist of Google Maps tutorials is embedded below.

It's the end of the month and as I do every month I have compiled a list of the most frequently read posts of the last 31 days. May seemed to zip along quickly. This list offers an easy way to quickly see interesting and useful posts that you might have missed.

Here are the most popular posts from May, 2016:
1. 10 Sites and Apps for Vocabulary and Spelling Practice
2. Create an Interactive Video Summary of the School Year
3. A Fun Tool for Making Word Clouds in Fun Shapes
4. 12 Tools for Creating End-of-Year Review Activities
5. Great Tools for Creating Screencasts - A PDF Handout
6. 7 Tools for Creating Flowcharts, Mind Maps, and Diagrams
7. More Than 100 Sets of Primary Source Documents for Students
8. How to Blend Images in Google Slides
9. 10 Ways to Use Adobe Spark in School
10. 4 Google Apps Updates You Might Have Missed Last Week

Spring and Summer PD Opportunities With Me
Would you like to have me speak at your school or conference?
Click here to learn about my professional development services. 

Please visit the official advertisers that help keep this blog going.
Practical Ed Tech is the brand through which I offer PD webinars.
BoomWriter provides a fantastic tool for creating writing lessons. 
Storyboard That is my go-to tool for creating storyboards and cartoon stories.
Discovery Education & Wilkes University offer online courses for earning Master's degrees in Instructional Media.
PrepFactory offers a great place for students to prepare for SAT and ACT tests.
FrontRow offers adaptive online ELA and Math practice activities.  
Teach n Go is a comprehensive platform for teaching online courses.
The University of Maryland Baltimore County offers graduate programs for teachers.
Boise State University offers a 100% online program in educational technology.
EdTechTeacher is hosting host workshops in six cities in the U.S. in the summer.
Buncee offers a great tool for creating visual stories.

Every month I take a look at the most popular posts of the month. At the same time I look at the search terms that visitors enter most often on Free Technology for Teachers. This month the three most frequently searched terms were "random name selector," "kahoot," and "photos for class." Below I have assembled some resources about each of those terms.

Random name selector:
On Russel Tarr's Classtools.net you can find lots of great tools for your classroom. The Random Name Picker and the Fruit Machine are two of those tools that can be used in almost every classroom setting. In the video embedded below I demonstrate how to use both of those tools.


Flippity has a template for creating a random name picker in Google Sheets. You can learn how to use that template in the video that you see embedded below.



Kahoot:
In April Kahoot released a new team mode. The team mode is designed to be used with students who are sharing computers, tablets, or phones. In team mode students arrange themselves in teams around a shared computer or tablet. When you start a Kahoot game you'll now choose "team mode." With team mode selected your students will be prompted to enter a team name and a list of the team members. After the teams have entered their names you will be ready to start the game. One of the nice features of team mode is that students have time to discuss their answer choices before they are allowed to submit a response. From there the game is played and scored as any other Kahoot game is scored.

Kahoot's ghost mode essentially gives students the opportunity to play a Kahoot review game against themselves. In ghost mode students measure their progress against themselves. First, run a Kahoot game as you normally would. At the end of the game select "ghost mode" to run the game again. In ghost mode students play against their own scores from the previous game. Then when you run the game students will be competing against the "ghost" version of themselves from the previous running of the game. For example, I play a game as a student in the first running of a game then in the second running of the game I'll be competing against my previous score as well as those of my classmates.

One of the features of Kahoot that I frequently demonstrate in my workshops is the option to duplicate and edit quizzes that teachers have contributed to the public Kahoot quiz gallery. Duplicating and editing existing quizzes can save you a lot of time when you need to find a quick review activity for your students. In the video embedded below I demonstrate how to find, duplicate, and edit quizzes in Kahoot's public quiz gallery.



Photos for Class:
Photos for Class is a free site that helps students find Creative Commons licensed images. The images that they download from Photos for Class come with attribution information embedded into the footer of the image. In the short video below I demonstrate how easy it is to find pictures through Photos for Class.


You can put the the Photos for Class search engine in your own blog or website. The video embedded below offers a demonstration of that process.


Disclosure: Photos for Class is owned by the same company that runs Storyboard That, an advertiser on this blog. 

Migraine sufferers are often anxious to rid themselves of the terrible pain characterizing this condition.

A migraine is nothing to laugh at; a really bad migraine can pretty much cripple you and take you down for the rest of your day. What’s worse, there are some migraines that can’t be abated with your usual pain killers. So, what’s the next best thing to use? Salt.


How to Use Salt for Instant Migraine Relief

Being acquainted with migraines, I literally have used everything in the past to attempt to stop it. Migraines are one of those things that simply ruin your life for the day. However, eventually, I did find a method that worked for me! I am very happy I didn’t have to resort to conventional medicine.

When you use salt to relieve migraines, make sure to use high quality salt such as Himalayan crystal salt. It’s the most complete salt in the world. It contains 84 minerals, electrolytes and elements – a fascinating number considering that there are only 118 elements known to science. This salt helps reduce the severity of migraine headaches, strengthens the immune system, increases energy levels, balances serotonin levels in the bloodstream, restores the body’s alkaline and electrolyte balance and much more.

Also, this method is very easy.

Just take a glass of lemon juice with a high concentration of Himalayan crystal salt and drink it. It works like magic!

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This post was republished from bodymindsoulspirit.com. You can find the original post here.

There’s a Japanese legend that says that once upon a time there was a man who inherited a very valuable knowledge from his father – about Zu San Li, “the point of longevity” or “the point of a hundred diseases”.
                               
Following his father’s advice, this man massaged this point everyday and lived to see the births and deaths of several emperors. Massaging this point is one of the oldest methods of treatments in the East, which has been practiced for several thousand years. The human body has 365 points and 12 major meridians, which is reminiscent of the amount of days and months in a year.

The technique for this massage (acupressure, finger pressure on specific points) is based on the teachings of the meridians and channels that are associated with certain organs. In Chinese medicine, the body is seen as an energy system, and a massage can affect the energy flow and the functional activity of the organs.


Activating the point Zu San Li will give you a rejuvenating and healing effect and will prevent aging. In China, this point is known as – “a point of longevity”, and in Japan – “a point of hundred diseases”. On our bodies, Zu San Li is located right beneath the kneecap.

To find it, cover the knee with the palm of the same hand. The point is located between the nails of the little and ring finger, in a form of a small dent between the bones. If you can’t find it this way, try sitting on the floor with your feet firmly pressed to the floor. Pull them toward you, without raising your feet off of the floor. You will notice a higher area below the knee – put your finger on it and take a starting position. The point you pressed with your finger is Zu San Li.

What is this point connected to and why do the Japanese call it “the point of a hundred diseases”?

Zu San Li controls the work of the organs that are located in the lower half of the body. It controls the functions of the spinal cord in the parts that are responsible for proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, digestive tract, sexual organs, kidneys, adrenal glands. By massaging Zu San Li, you will increase the activity of the adrenal glands, which are the most powerful glands that act as the main protectors of human health.

They excrete adrenaline, hydrocortisone and other important hormones into the blood. If you massage the “point of longevity” on a daily basis, you could normalize the functions of the adrenal glands in the body, which are:

.normalization of blood pressure;
.normalization of glucose, insulin levels;
.suppression of inflammatorily processes in the body;
.regulation of the immune system.

Other benefits from massaging Zu San Li are:

.improved digestion;
.treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
.treating the consequences of a stroke;
.gaining confidence;
.overcoming stress and tension; and
.inner stability.

It is considered that by massaging this point, a person can cure impotence, hiccups, constipation, gastritis, and urinary incontinence. It is also believed that this massage will improve the immune system, and that the person will become fit and healthy for life.

This massage is best when done in the morning, before lunch. Massage each leg nine times in a circular motion in a clockwise direction, for about 10 minutes. Before you start, make yourself comfortable and relaxed. Calm your breathing and concentrate on your feelings. Do the massage in a seated position.

Immerse yourself in a state of harmony and let your healing process begin. This massage has a stimulating effect. You can massage yourself with your fingers or with any type of grain cereals (buckwheat, oats, rice, etc.)

They say that if a person performs the massage in the evening, they will lose 400 – 500 grams per week.

Be careful not to perform the massage right before going to bed because it may cause insomnia.

You can massage the Zu San Li point every day, but it is especially beneficial if you massage it during the New Moon.

 Be sure to massage this point in the morning, eight days after the start of the New Moon, as described above. It will strengthen your immunity, improve the work of the organs and slow down the aging process.

 Massaging the point before lunch will improve your memory, the work of your cardiovascular and digestive system.

 You can massage both legs simultaneously after lunch to relieve stress, nervousness, irritability, headaches and sleep disorders.

In the evening, massage your legs separately in a counterclockwise direction. This will improve your metabolism and help you with weight loss.

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This post was republished from healthyaeon.com. You can find the original post here.

There is no need to fill your body with chemicals in the name of medication, while there are safer and natural methods to relieve pain. Reflexology claims that every point on our body has some connection with our hands.

The thumb is linked to the lungs and heart. If your heartbeats are racing, rub the thumb and pull it.

The heartbeats should slow down.


The forefinger is linked with stomach and the colon.

To relieve constipation or abdominal pains, press the forefinger and rub it for roughly 1 minute before pulling it.

You should feel improvement in a short while.

The middle finger is linked with the small intestine, the heart, blood and respiratory system.

Whenever you feel dizziness, nausea, or insomnia, just stretch out the middle finger and rub it.

The ring finger has a significant effect on mood. To prevent depression, simply massage the finger.

The small finger (Pinkie) is linked to kidneys. It’s also associated with neck pain and headache.

Massage the finger and you’ll feel a huge relief.

The palms are linked with the nervous system. To protect your psychological condition, just clap your hands.

This will enhance the circulation, making you feel considerably better.

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This post was republished from healthyaeon.com. You can find the original post here.

The Chinese alternative medicine is based on the belief that Chi or Qi energy flows through the body through so-called meridians. Blocked meridians and interrupted energy flow leads to certain ailments which can be relieved with acupressure or acupuncture, techniques which should expand the energy and restore proper organ function.

Every meridian in the body is connected to a certain organ. They also have pressure points, and it is believed stimulating them with massage or acupuncture will release the blocked energy in the meridian, effectively resolving any problem with a certain organ. Applying pressure on such a point should restore the qi flow to the organ.


Placing an ice cube on the same spots is also believed to improve the energy flow and your overall health as well. If you always wanted to try acupuncture or massage, this is a quick way of exploring the wonders of Traditional Chinese medicine at home. The point on the neck which you should apply the ice cube on is located between the tendons in the neck, at the base of the skull and top of the neck, close to the hairline base. Acupuncture calls this point Feng Fu or Wind Mansion, and stimulating this point, in this case with an ice cube, can improve your well-being.



Sit or lie on your stomach and put an ice cube on the Feng Fu point, then hold it in position for 20 minutes, securing it with a bandage or scarf. It will feel icy at first, but you should be able to feel the influx of heat within a minute. Repeat the method twice a day (in the morning and evening) to stimulate endorphin release into the bloodstream and stimulate the energy. Traditional Chinese medicine says that stimulating the Feng Fu point will re-energize your body and improve your health, while also providing the following benefits:

.Improves the quality of your sleep;
.Improves the work of your digestive system;
.Eliminates colds;
.Reduces toothache, headaches and joint pain;
.Help treat asthma;
.Treats thyroid disorders;
.Improves your breathing;
.Treat gastrointestinal problems;
.Treats menstrual disorders;
.Manages stress, anxiety, fatigue and depression.

Note: the treatment is not recommended if you have a pacemaker, if you’re pregnant, or suffering from epilepsy or schizophrenia. Watch the video below to see how to properly stimulate the Feng Fu point:

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This post was republished from healthyaeon.com. You can find the original post here.

Have you heard of hand yoga? It is a simple and easy technique which provides a number of health benefits such as stress relief, weight loss, muscle strengthening and many others.


SURYA MUDRA


This pose promotes weight loss and improves digestion. Also, it can treat vision problems and it is great for people who have problems with blood circulation and trembling.

PRITHVI MUDRA


This pose stimulates the growth of tissues and muscle development. Moreover, it promotes healing and eliminates the root cause of muscle inflammation and obstruction of metabolic process.

VAAYU MUDRA


This pose will calm your body and improves the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. In addition, it reduces aggression and hyperactivity.

SHUNYA MUDRA


This pose will relieve pain and it relaxes the entire body. Also, it helps with ear problems, vertigo, and feeling of fullness in specific body parts.

GYAN MUDRA


This is also known as the wisdom pose which stimulates creativity and enthusiasm and improves memory.

VARUN MUDRA


This pose is recommended for people who have problems with arthritis, dehydration and hormone disorders.

AAKASH MUDRA


This is the pose of enlightenment and is great for relieving stress and tension. Also, it detoxifies the body from toxins and metabolic waste.

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This post was republished from healthyaeon.com. You can find the original post here.

Whenever I publish a new blog post, I include an image in the post. Including an image helps draw readers in and it helps grab attention when it is shared on places like Pinterest and Facebook.

Folks who blog frequently may find it tiresome to look for new images all the time. Likewise, in a shared classroom blog setting your students may be pressed for time to find good quality public domain or Creative Commons images for every post. In a shared blog setting you may also find that you start to run out of storage space when every student uploads a bunch of high resolution images. 

In the video embedded below I demonstrate an easy way to re-use images from your Blogger or WordPress blog. 


In the video I mention that you should avoid hotlinking another blog's or website's images. This blog post explains what hotlinking is and why you should avoid it.

Learn more tips and tricks like this while earning graduate credits in my online course Blogs & Social Media for Teachers and School Leaders

Bookboon is a service that offers free etextbooks to high school and college students. The textbook section of Bookboon offers more than 500 digital textbooks. On Bookboon there are etextbooks available in ten core subject areas with additional subtopics with each subject area. The bulk of the etextbooks are focused on economics, engineering, and IT. You can browse the title lists to find a book you want or you can search Bookboon by keyword. Bookboon hosts books written in five languages. All of the books are free to download. The only catch is that you have to provide an email address before you can download the books.

Applications for Education
Bookboon's books are targeted to university students, but that doesn't mean that some of the books couldn't be used with high school students. And since the books are free it wouldn't hurt to download one that you think might work for your class and use excerpts of it to supplement other materials that you are already using in your classroom.

The University of Wisconsin, Stout has organized a nice collection of rubrics for assessing digital projects. In the collection you will find rubrics for assessing student blogging, student wikis, podcasts, and video projects. Beyond the rubrics for digital projects there are rubrics for activities that aren't necessarily digital in nature. For example, you can find rubrics for writing, research, and oral presentations.

Applications for Education
These rubrics might not fit perfectly with the projects you're students are working on, but they could provide a good starting point for creating your own rubrics. Perhaps you could show the rubric you're considering to your students and ask them for their input as to what they think is important to be evaluated in their projects.

Although their popularity seems to have fallen a bit since their peak a few years ago, word cloud generators still provide students with a nice way to visualize the most frequently used words in a passage of text. Wordle is probably the best known tool for making word clouds, but there are plenty of others that accomplish the same thing. One such tool is WordClouds.com.

On WordClouds.com you can create word clouds in a variety of shapes and sizes with a wide array of color schemes. As you can see in the image below, I made my word cloud into the shape of a cat.

WordClouds.com works like other word cloud generators in that you simply paste a chunk of text into text editor then let the generator do the work of creating the word cloud. You can remove words like "the" and "it" from the word cloud. Finished word clouds can be downloaded from WordClouds.com in JPG, PNG, PDF, or SVG format.

Google Docs users will be happy to know that they can create word clouds within their documents. Watch the following video to learn how to do that.

Dan Russell has provided the inspiration for many of the web research lessons that I have conducted with students over the years. Every week he posts an interesting search challenge for readers then provides the answers a few days later. The challenges vary in difficulty, but I always learn something from them regardless of how difficult they are. This week he posted a challenge called What's In Common?

The What's In Common? challenge asks you to identify the shared characteristics of two or more pictures, events, and or scenarios. In Dan's post this week he asked readers to find the commonalities between three floods and he asked readers to find the commonalities between three plants.
What do these two have in common besides being dogs?
Applications for Education
What I like about the What's In Common? challenge is that I can make it as easy or as difficult as I need it to be based on my students' current skill levels. For example, I might make one challenge based on reading the content of webpages that students find while searching and make another challenge based on being able to discover and use the meta data in images.

Earlier this week Storyboard That introduced customizable background scenes for all users. I've had a few emails this week about how to change the colors and other elements in Storyboard That scenes so this morning I created the following short demonstration video.


Applications for Education
Watch this recent webinar recording to learn more about the many ways that Storyboard That can be used in your classroom.


Disclosure: Storyboard That is an advertiser on this blog. 

The Practical Ed Tech Summer Camps have sold out, but there are other ways to learn with me this summer. This summer I'm offering three online PD courses for teachers. Two of those courses include a graduate credit option. You can bookmark the menu of courses here or read on for more information.

Getting Going With GAFE

Getting Going With GAFE is a webinar series designed for teachers and administrators who are new to using Google Apps for Education. Getting Going With GAFE is a five week course covering everything you need to know to integrate Google Drive, Google Classroom, Google Calendar, and Google Sites into your practice. Click here to learn more about the course including how to earn 3 graduate credits.

Summer section: July 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, and August 2nd at 7pm Eastern Time. Click here to register

Blogs & Social Media for Teachers & School Leaders

Blogs and Social Media for Teachers and School Leaders is a five week webinar series during which teachers and school administrators will learn the how to choose the best blogging platform for their situations, how to set-up a blog for classroom and school-wide use, and learn about strategies on how to manage blogs in classroom and school-wide settings. Participants will also learn how to avoid the mistakes that often lead to blogging endeavors being abandoned.  After establishing blogs we’ll jump into using social networks like Twitter, Google+, and Instagram to reach out to parents, students, and other members of school communities. Click here to learn more about the course including how to earn 3 graduate credits.

Summer section dates: July 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, and August 4th at 7pm EST. Click here to register

Teaching History With Technology 

In Teaching History With Technology you will learn how to develop engaging and challenging learning activities through the use tools like Google Earth and Maps, video production tools, primary source databases, and how to help your students become better researchers. This course features three interactive online meetings along with a discussion forum in which you can further interact with me and your classmates. See the course highlights here.

Summer section dates: July 11th, 18th, and 25th at 7pm EST. Click here to register.

Discounts!

Subscribers to the Practical Ed Tech Newsletter can receive a discount on the registration for any or all of these courses by using the code "subscriber" during online registration.

Schedule a private webinar for your school. If you have ten or more teachers from the same district interested in a webinar, I can schedule a course tailored to your needs. To schedule a webinar series for your school send me an email richardbyrne (at) freetech4teachers.com

Good morning from the Byrne Instructional Media, LLC headquarters in Woodstock, Maine. As I sit on my deck I can tell that it is going to be a beautiful weekend to play and relax in the outdoors. In fact, my dogs and I are going to do just that by going camping this weekend. Before we can do that I have to finish a couple of blog posts and Mason needs to finish his breakfast. As you can see in the picture to the left, he wasn't in a hurry to eat this morning. Wherever you are this weekend, I hope that you have time to relax just like Mason.

Here are this week's most popular posts:
1. 4 Google Apps Updates You Might Have Missed Last Week
2. 12 Tools for Creating End-of-Year Review Activities
3. 10 Sites and Apps for Vocabulary and Spelling Practice
4. How to Create Images, Videos, and Web Pages With Adobe Spark
5. 10 Ways to Use Adobe Spark in School
6. Interactive Maps of Travel Through the Roman Empire
7. Thousands of Free eBooks for Summer Reading

Spring and Summer PD Opportunities With Me
Would you like to have me speak at your school or conference?
Click here to learn about my professional development services. 

Please visit the official advertisers that help keep this blog going.
Practical Ed Tech is the brand through which I offer PD webinars.
BoomWriter provides a fantastic tool for creating writing lessons. 
Storyboard That is my go-to tool for creating storyboards and cartoon stories.
Discovery Education & Wilkes University offer online courses for earning Master's degrees in Instructional Media.
PrepFactory offers a great place for students to prepare for SAT and ACT tests.
FrontRow offers adaptive online ELA and Math practice activities.  
Teach n Go is a comprehensive platform for teaching online courses.
The University of Maryland Baltimore County offers graduate programs for teachers.
Boise State University offers a 100% online program in educational technology.
EdTechTeacher is hosting host workshops in six cities in the U.S. in the summer.
Buncee offers a great tool for creating visual stories. 

Service tax is a tax levied by the government on service providers on certain service transactions, but is actually borne by the customers. It is categorized under Indirect Tax and came into existence under the Finance Act, 1994. Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, in his budget announcements proposed to impose a cess, called the Krishi Kalyan Cess, @ 0.5% on all taxable services. The present rate of service tax will be hiked to 15 per cent from June 1, 2016, from 14.5 per cent. Take a look at what gets expensive:

service-tax-2016


Phone Bills: Your phone bills are going to go up. So, pay a good 15 per cent now on service tax on phone bills.

Restaurant Bills :If you are dining in a restaurant that already has service tax applicable, you are going to pay more on your eating out. Though 0.5 per cent on a single bill may not mean much, frequent diners may end-up paying a lot during the year.

Travelling: You will have to pay more for air travel, as there is a service tax on tour operators and travel agents.

Financial services, where there is already a service tax, like insurance would become costlier from June 1, 2016.

The proceeds of the Krishi Kalyan Cess shall first be credited to the Consolidated Fund of India and the Central Government may, after due appropriation made by Parliament by law in this behalf, utilise such sums of money of the Krishi Kalyan Cess for such specified purposes.

If the early feedback from the YouTube channel is any indication, this may not actually be “Yucatan-style,” and I couldn’t be less surprised.  I did no real research into the traditional foods of the Yucatan peninsula, and based the name of this dish solely on a pork chop I once enjoyed at a sports bar.

They called it “Yucatan-style,” and it featured vibrant citrus/chile flavors, as well as a beautiful orange hue, which I figured out was from ground annatto. This is the signature ingredient in the famous braised pork dish, cochonita pibil, and can be found at any Latin market, or your larger, fancier grocery stores.

As I mention in the video, I think this easy marinade would work on all kinds of pork cuts, but the tenderloin is very user-friendly, and it’s mild flavor really takes to these ingredients. I think 4 to 6 hours is plenty of time to marinade the meat, but I’m guessing that overnight would probably be fine as well.

Once grilled, you have so many options for enjoying these. Sandwiches, salads, and tacos are all wonderful choices, and I’ve also heard from a reliable source that diced, they make for an epic pan of nachos. This weekend is the official start of summer grilling season, and what better way to kick it off than this tasty, possibly Yucatanian treat? I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 to 6 portions:
2 whole pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 oranges
2 or 3 lemons
2 or 3 limes
6 cloves minced garlic
1 rounded teaspoon annatto powder, plus more to sprinkle on before grilling
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil before grilling

- I garnished with cilantro, and pickled onions. To make your own, thinly slice some red onions, and cover them with red or white wine vinegar. Leave to soak for 4 hours or overnight, and that's it

Last night I watched the conclusion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. A recap of the finals is available on the Associated Press YouTube channel. Like many others who watched the finals, I have to admit that there were some new-to-me words in the final rounds. That reminded me that I have a bunch of sites and apps in my archives that can help students learn new vocabulary words and practice spelling new words.

Stumpy’s Alphabet Dinner is a fun app in which students feed letters and shapes to cartoon characters. The letters and shapes that students feed to the characters have to match the letter or shape displayed on the character’s stomach. If the child makes an incorrect match the character spits out the letter.

Building Language for Literacy offers three nice little language activities from Scholastic. The activities are designed for pre-K and Kindergarten students. The spelling activity is called  Leo Loves to Spell. Leo Loves to Spell asks students to help a lobster named Leo identify the first letter of a series of spelling words arranged in a dozen categories.

Spell Up is a fun Google Chrome experimentSpell Up is a game in which you hear a prompt to spell a word then have to speak into your laptop or Chromebook to see the word spelled on your screen. If you spell the word correctly it stays on the screen where it becomes part of a tower of words. If you spell a word incorrectly, it will fall off the screen and you will be prompted to try again (you can skip a word after a few tries).

Knoword is a fun and challenging game that tests your ability to match definitions to words. Knoword is played like this; you're presented with the first letter of a word, its part of speech, and the definition. You then have to fill in the correct spelling of the word. If you enter the correct word, you earn points. If you don't get it right, you lose points. You don't have to register to play Knoword, but you can register if you want to. Registering for Knoword gives you the option to keep track of your game statistics. Registered users can also earn badges based on their performances. In the few games that I played I noticed that Knoword is probably best suited to use by students in middle school and high school. I think many of the words would be too difficult for elementary school students and they could end up frustrated with the game.

Your students can test their spelling skills against those of past winners of the Scripp's National Spelling Bee on Vox's Spell It Out challenge. Vox's spelling challenge presents you with the final winning words from twenty past national spelling bees. You will hear the word pronounced then you have to type it in the spelling box to submit your answer. Before submitting your answer you can hear the word used in a sentence and see the origin of the word.

WordWriter is a neat writing tool from BoomWriter. WordWriter allows teachers to create vocabulary lists that they want students to incorporate into a writing assignment. Assignments are distributed directly to students through the class lists that teachers create in their BoomWriter accounts. Students do not need email addresses to receive the assignments. Teachers can log-in at any time to see if and when a student has completed an assignment. Click here for videos on how to use the service.

World’s Worst Pet is a free iPad app that contains a series of fun vocabulary games. In the app players have to help bring home Snargg, the world’s worst pet, who has run away. To get Snargg back players have to fill his food dish by learning new vocabulary words. Each of the six levels in the game contain ten dishes (each dish represents a new set of words) that can be filled. Four games are available for each dish. The games are fill-in-the-blank, synonym identification, antonym identification, and definition identification. World’s Worst Pet is designed for students in grades four through eight. The app contains a total of 1,000 vocabulary words.

PrepFactory is a free service for high school students can use to prepare for the SAT and or ACT. PrepFactory offers students a series of tutorial videos and written tips to help them prepare for both tests. After completing a tutorial students can test themselves in a series of practice questions. Each question set is timed and and limited to chunks of ten questions at a time. Students can earn badges for completing tutorials or question sets. Click here for video of PrepFactory in action.

Spell 'til You Drop is a free iPad published by McGraw-Hill. To play the game students have to correctly spell words as they are read aloud to them. The app gets its name from the game format used throughout the app. For each correctly spelled word students move across a footbridge. For each word spelled incorrectly a piece of the bridge drops away. The object is to cross each bridge before it collapses.Spell 'til You Drop offers eight levels of difficulty for students to play. The levels are loosely based on grade levels. One complaint about the app is that it lacks a QWERTY keyboard. Students who are familiar with QWERTY keyboards may be frustrated by searching for letters in Spell 'til You Drop's letter bank.

Flippity offers a great template for creating spelling practice activities for your students. Using Google Spreadsheets you can create an activity in which students hear a word read aloud then have to type it correctly into a quiz form. Students receive instant feedback on their practice attempts. A demo of the Flippity spelling practice activity is available here.

Disclosure: Prep Factory and Boom Writer are advertisers on FreeTech4Teachers.com.
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