Bloom into EdTech: The Blog

Technology is changing the way our students learn, read, and obtain information. We need to create a curriculum that nurtures this way of learning. We need to help our students to learn how to close read both digital and print as well as close read video and imagery. We need to teach students how to connect and collaborate on a global scale to create effective multi-media pieces that reflect the world in which we live. Padlet  is a great, free (with paid subscription) tool to enhance collaboration and communication by creating a digital wall of ideas to reflect about a particular topic. For example, I have used Padlet with my 4th grade students and have connected with classrooms around the world to create a collaborative project.  How do you connect with classrooms around the world?  Sites such as ePals , Edmodo , Google+  are just some ways to connect! Or you can contact me personally- I am always up for a collaborative project! Not familiar with Padl

Can I tell you how excited I am? It is such a great honor that I have been selected the Certified BrainPOP Educator of the month for March 2017! If you have been following me on Twitter  or this blog, then you probably already know how passionate I am about using BrainPOP! I love the many features, like Make-a-Map, Quizzes, the ability to assign movies, and so on that it provides. I am now in love with BrainPOP's new feature, Make-a-Movie. {I will be demonstrating that feature for you shortly, as well as provide you with a lesson plan} For my complete interview, hop on over to BrainPOP here . Happy teaching!

If you are an avid lover of Google Keep like myself, then you are really going to appreciate the fact that Google has embedded this note-taking app into their GSuite products! You can access Keep right from the "Tools Menu" of your Google Doc.... and easily embed your Google Keep notes and images.  Keep is now also available as part of the GSuite products and can now be found in the Google Apps menu. This feature would be great to use with your students- especially if they are on a field-trip and they are using handheld devices to take notes and images about what they have learned using the Keep app. Later, they can document their adventure in a Google Doc! Install the Google Keep extension and use as part of a students research project to bookmark various Websites and have them easily refer to Websites as they are typing their report! What else could you use this tool for in the classroom?