Free e-Book: Acing Math (One Deck at a Time)

Acing Math (One Deck At A Time!) is a collection of math games ranging from Kindergarten to the upper elementary grades, using only an ordinary deck of playing cards.  There are games covering addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, percents, decimals, patterns, positive and negative integers, as well as many others. 

A very wise old maths teacher who once taught me said that "You can teach every aspect of maths with a pack of cards" and this e-Book goes a long way to supporting that statement.

Download the free e-Book here.

Great sites to teach about Titanic

It is really amazing how Titanic still captures our imagination 100 years after she sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic in 1912.

I put this down to the fact that Titanic is firstly an amazing tale of man outsmarting themself through technology and industrial might. Then we have a secondary tale of injustice and arrogance when the absolute upper and lower crust of Edwardian society struggle for survival and equity in the middle of the ocean.

Shakespeare himself could not have scripted a better story with so many sub-plots of triumph and tragedy.

As a teacher there are limitless teaching possibilities which arise from Titanic via, history, science, math philosophy and literacy. 

April 14 will be the 100th centenary of the greatest maritime disaster in in history and we have compiled some great web resources below to share with your students and peers.  If you know of any others please let us know by adding a comment below.

Ultimate Titanic:  This is by far the biggest collection of Educational Titanic resources and should be the starting point for any teacher and student.  Their education section is very comprehensive.

NY Times learning Network:  Has some great teaching ideas to commemorate the 100th anniversary if Titanic.

National Geographic Titanic 100:  A very current and fresh collection of Titanic content with a large amount of input from James Cameron.

History Channel Titanic Interactive:  Students will enjoy exploring this.

Expedition Titanic:  Great interactive resources on Titanic

Useful Charts: Very Useful IWB Charts for all topic areas.

This is definitely one of the best sites to find great charts to put up on your interactive whiteboard.  Not only does UC cover all sorts of areas such as: science, philosophy, and social studies, but you can also order laminated versions of these online charts if you like them.  Useful Charts is definitely useful and totally free.  Access it here.

iPad Music Education Apps

Here are a great collection of resources and apps related to Teaching Music

iPad Music Education Apps(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();

Using iPads in Education

Here are a couple of great documents about using ipads in the classroom.  They have some great ideas for maths and numeracy.

iPads for Learning Getting Started

Slide to Learn - Educators Guide to the iPad, iPod and iPhone

3 Great Android Apps for Teachers

Earlier in the week we looked at three apps for the iPad for busy teachers so we thought it only fair that the largest mobile platform get their dues to.  So here are three Android apps that will make your teaching job a little easier and more efficient.

DataViz  - Documents to Go

Now you can get your work done no matter where you are by using Documents To Go to view, edit and create  Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files as well as view Adobe PDF files on your Android-powered device. And since it is full featured yet easy to use, Documents To Go is one mobile office suite that makes good sense for teachers.  Take a look at it here.

Dropbox for Android

This one is an absolute no-brainer for anyone that uses a computer or mobile device of any type.  Synchronise and access any of your files and documents anywhere anytime.  Never use a USB Key again.  Oh yeah and it's free too.  Access Dropbox Here

Evernote for Android

Evernote has really changed it's mobile use dramatically over the last few years to switch to a true mobile app.  Evernote is a great tool for taking notes, photos, etc. in meetings conferences and now the option is available to share them with teachers and students with ease. Access Evernote here.

Videogames that promote learning

The Education Arcade explores games that promote learning through authentic and engaging play. TEA’s research and development projects focus both on the learning that naturally occurs in popular commercial games, and on the design of games that more vigorously address the educational needs of players. Their mission is to demonstrate the social, cultural, and educational potentials of videogames by initiating new game development projects, coordinating interdisciplinary research efforts, and informing public conversations about the broader and sometimes unexpected uses of this emerging art form in education.

Education Arcade projects have touched on mathematics, science, history, literacy, and language learning, and have been tailored to a wide range of ages. They have been designed for personal computers, handheld devices and on-line delivery.

Access the Education Arcade here.

5 Best iPad Apps to Help with Education

I regulalrly put together suggestions for using the iPad in the classroom but I came across this video below with some alternative and fresh ideas for using the iPad in the classroom.  Hope you enjoy it.