Material Generators in the Classroom!

Whiteboard Activity Software

My primary experience is with 3rd grade and 5th grade students. One thing that I have noticed about both of these grades is that they love coming to the Whiteboard. I feel like the reason for this is it gives them an opportunity to show the rest of the class that they have mastered the concept and gives them an opportunity to "play" teacher. I always ask for students to explain to the class how they are thinking while they are working out a problem on the board. If students can work out a problem on the Whiteboard and tell me how they are thinking, I can determine if they have mastered the concept I am teaching. There are websites available that help teachers create interactive lessons on their Whiteboards. I personally feel like interactive lessons engage students more than a teacher reciting out of a textbook. I have not used either of the following links in my classroom but I do plan on using them. If you are intimidated by using a new program, you can always do what I have done for years... PowerPoint. Most teachers are familiar with PowerPoint and I have found that I can conduct my reading lesson more smoothly if I am using a PowerPoint. My students have also expressed that they would rather see a PowerPoint than just listen to me read to them.

Click on the follow links for websites that will help you create an interactive lesson:
Notebook (for use with Smart Boards)
ActivStudio or ActivInspire (for use with Premetheus Boards)

You can also click on the following links to see a math and reading PowerPoint that I used while teaching 5th grade. The reading PowerPoint has material from Harcourt Lesson 10 Day 4 and the math PowerPoint is a lesson on Greatest Common Factor.
Reading PowerPoint
Math PowerPoint

Rubric Generators

I think that rubrics are a great way to give students guidelines on how an assignment or project should be completed. I know that in my graduate studies rubrics have guided my performance so that I knew what was necessary to make the highest grade possible. I have never used a rubric with my students. I feel like rubrics would work better with secondary education. The primary students that I have experience with may get overwhelmed by a rubric. I have attached links to websites that allow teachers to create rubrics to use with their students. I have used RubiStar in my undergraduate studies. I was required to make a rubric to go along with a lesson (that I did not have to teach... just for an understanding of how rubrics could be created). I think that RubiStar makes creating a rubric very simple and that it would be a great place for teachers who have no experience with rubrics to start. I work with at-risk seniors who need additional assistance for them to be able to graduate. I would love to make a rubric for each student so that would know what they had to complete to reach their goals in my program.

Click on the following links for websites that will guide you through making your first rubric:
RubiStar
Rubric Builder
Rubric Maker

 

Puzzle Generators

Regardless of what age you may teach, what student doesn't want to work on a puzzle?? I have used Crossword Puzzle Maker with my 3rd and 5th grade students and they would much rather practice their skills using a puzzle than working on a worksheet. I am wanting to create some crossword puzzles using reading concepts from the Alabama High School Graduation Exam for my seniors. These kind of activities reinforce learning in a more game-like way. Students also like to work together on these kinds of puzzles and I am all for collaborative work!

Click on the following links for websites that will help you create puzzles for your classroom:
Discovery Education
Crossword Puzzle Maker