CST Released Test Questions

After our Data Team training today, I wanted to make sure that everyone has a link to the CST Released Test Questions at the CDE website:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp

At this site you can download, save, and/or print the ELA (gr. 2-6), Math (gr. 2-6), and Science (grade 5) released test questions for your grade level.  They are lengthy documents, so you might want to view the .pdf file before you hit “print.”  We do expect that additional questions (from the 2008 test) in January, 2009.

Have a great holiday and winter break!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

What is a URL shortener?

As you read articles or blogs on the internet, you may have run across some link that begin with “http://tinyurl.com” or “http://snurl.com“, but you weren’t sure what it meant.  Those are just two of many websites that offer a URL shortener.

You might ask – “What is a URL shortener?”.  Here is one definition:

“A URL shortener is a Web site that will create a short Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or Web page address from a long one so that the short version, which is easier to remember and enter, can be used instead. For example, if you need to frequently enter a URL into e-mail messages or read it over the phone, a long URL is prone to mistyping or misunderstanding. By going to a free Web site service like TinyURL.com or notlong.com, you can swap your long URL for a short one. The URL shortening service will maintain the association between the two and will redirect anyone who enters the short URL to the page at the long URL.” (definition taken from Whatis.com)

If you want to pass on a LONG web address to fellow teachers, students, or parents, you might choose a URL shortener.  You can turn this -

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?name=Perris+Elementary+School+Dist&city=Perris&state=CA&address=143+E+1st+St&zipcode=92570&country=US&latitude=33.78548&longitude=-117.223624&geocode=ADDRESS&id=11388985

into

http://tinyurl.com/6p9t42

Which would you prefer to copy and paste, or even worse, type into your browser?  Next time you need to pass on a huge web address, consider trying a URL shortner

On-line Tools for Teachers

There are more and more tools for classroom teachers on-line every day. I have been trying to sort through some of them and find the occasional gem. Today, I have two for you:

1. Engrade.com – Engrade is a FREE, web-based grade book tool for educators, allowing them to manage their classes online while providing the option for teacher’s to offer parents and students to have access to 24/7 real-time online class information. While Easy Grade Pro (v.3.6), the district’s current grade book program, while not work on Windows VISTA or Mac, the on-line Engrade is platform independent. And if you have ever tried to sync grade books between your home and school computer with Easy Grade Pro, it is not very easy. Check out this FREE tool and let me know what you think.
2. Delicious.com – “Delicious is a social bookmarking website – the primary use of Delicious is to store your bookmarks online, which allows you to access the same bookmarks from any computer and add bookmarks from anywhere, too. On Delicious, you can use tags to organize and remember your bookmarks, which is a much more flexible system than folders. You can also use del.icio.us to see the interesting links that your friends, (… STUDENTS …), and other people bookmark, and share links with them in return. You can even browse and search Delicious to discover the cool and useful bookmarks that everyone else has saved – which is made easy with tags.” – (taken from CrunchBase.com review)

I have been playing with Engrade and I really like the look of it. As for Delicious, you can check out my bookmarks (http://delicious.com/jerrytcher) and see what you think.

EdTech Classroom Conference

CTAP Region 10, Inland Area CUE, and San Bernardino City Schools held their 4th Annual FREE EdTech Classroom Conference this past Saturday as CSUSB.  I was glad to see at least 4 of the classrooms teachers from PESD in attendance.  One of our teachers even won a one-year membership to Computer Using Educators (CUE) and a complimentary registration to the CUE conference next March.

The workshops presented included topics such as “Assistive Technology Tools”, “Discovery Education Streaming and You”, “Geography with a KICK!”, just to name a few.  Most of the concurrent sessions were presented by classroom teachers showing things they are doing with their students.

The Edtech Classroom Conference is always held the first Saturday in November, so go ahead and put November 7, 2009 on your calendar now, and plan on attending!  See you there!

Moved Blog

Hi everyone!  I have moved the PESD Technology Blog to another service.  The other service did not allow pages and things were getting too crowded.  I hope you will like the organization of this site better.

Document Camera Integration Tips

I’d like to welcome everyone back after the summer. Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable break. I know I did!

I read an article today that had simple integration tips for those of you that have access to a document camera and LCD projector.

Integration Tip

Here are five ways you can integrate a document camera into your school’s elementary school lesson plans.

• Have students draw background scenery for their play, then project the image behind them when they perform.
• Teach math by putting a protractor and ruler under the camera for all to see clearly.
• Use the camera to have the class read and follow along from the same book.
• Quickly call up maps for social studies and history assignments.
• Project a piece of lined paper on your whiteboard. Now students writing on the board can keep their work straight.
  

You can read the entire article at http://www.edtechmag.com/k12/issues/august-september-2008/creating-digital-learners.html. If you have any questions or want to share your ideas, email me.

Choosing a classroom projector …

If you are choosing a projector for your classroom, or making recommendations at your school site for this purchase, here is an article by Jeffrey Branzburg at Technology & Learning magazine that gives you information on specifications to look at.

There are a variety of factors to consider when finding the perfect projector. Pick your priorities:

A projector connected to your computer gives you the ability to share your screen with a classroom. You can display Web sites, show students’ computerized presentations, provide large-group modeling of skills and techniques, brainstorm concept maps, play a video, or mark up the screen and save your notes.
Here are features to consider when choosing a projector, whether it’s a liquid crystal display or digital light processing model.

Brightness

A projector’s brightness is measured in lumens. The least expensive projectors are usually the lowest in lumens (fewer than 1,000) and are designed for small rooms with the lights lowered. In general, more than 3,000 lumens are needed for auditoriums and other similarly large rooms, under normal light conditions… (article continues…)

Read the complete article at Technology & Learning Digital Edition with additional information on other factors such as resolution, size and weight, lamp life, zooming and keystoning.

HM Support on YAHOO! Groups

Here are links for some Yahoo User groups that support HM for grades K-3. You will have to have a (free) Yahoo email address to join the groups. Joining the groups will allow you to read and write messages, as well as download user files.

Kinder:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hm_kinder/

1st Grade:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM_Sharing_1stGrade/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM1stSharing/

2nd Grade:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM_Sharing_secondgrade/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM_SharingSecondGrade2/

2nd Grade powerpoints:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM_SharingSecondGrade3ppts/

3rd Grade:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmthirdgrade/

5th Grade:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/5thGradeHMUsers/

Rash of "Phishing" emails

Please beware that a number of teachers have reported receiving emails stating that user needs to “update account information”. These emails are referred to as “phishing” and are not legitimate emails. The author of these emails is hoping you will click the link, go to THEIR site, and enter your SSN, credit card, and/or account passwords. DO NOT CLICK THE LINK IN THESE EMAILS!! If the information appears to be from a site that you have an account with, exit the email and log-on through the normal website and check for messages there.

The information below is from the Microsoft website:

How to tell if an e-mail message is fraudulent

Here are a few phrases to look for if you think an e-mail message is a phishing scam.

“Verify your account.”
Businesses should not ask you to send passwords, login names, Social Security numbers, or other personal information through e-mail.

If you receive an e-mail from Microsoft asking you to update your credit card information, do not respond: this is a phishing scam. To learn more, read Fraudulent e-mail that requests credit card information sent to Microsoft customers.

“If you don’t respond within 48 hours, your account will be closed.”
These messages convey a sense of urgency so that you’ll respond immediately without thinking. Phishing e-mail message might even claim that your response is required because your account might have been compromised.

“Dear Valued Customer.”
Phishing e-mail messages are usually sent out in bulk and often do not contain your first or last name.

“Click the link below to gain access to your account.”
HTML-formatted messages can contain links or forms that you can fill out just as you’d fill out a form on a Web site.
The links that you are urged to click may contain all or part of a real company’s name and are usually “masked,” meaning that the link you see does not take you to that address but somewhere different, usually a phony Web site.
Notice in the following example that resting (but not clicking) the mouse pointer on the link reveals the real Web address, as shown in the box with the yellow background. The string of cryptic numbers looks nothing like the company’s Web address, which is a suspicious sign.