Here are links to some of the new resources that I’ve discovered via my Twitter network:

• BBC Wildlife Finder (from @mrstucke) – Watch videos of the most amazing animals in the world, from the BBC.

• You can now follow the fantastic Primary Resources site on Twitter – @primarystuff
• Use this amazing ‘Punched Out‘ font for your classroom displays and learning activities. The font makes printed nets of different letters. Just cut them out and stick them together.

• Try out ThinkDraw to create and rate pictures using a range of objects and colours. Thanks to @simonhaughton.
• Schools are now starting to develop their own iPhone apps as a way of sharing news and information with parents. Try the new application from Porchester Junior School (via @xannov).
• Scimorph is a new augmented reality site which teaches you about gravity and bacteria. Print the marker provided, place it in front of your web cam and interact with Scimorph while he teaches you! Thanks to @mbarrow for sharing this.

• Google have added an ‘Ocean Showcase‘ feature to Google Earth. Looks like a wonderful resource for schools (thanks to @dajbelshaw).
• The wonderful BBC Primary History site now has a ‘World History’ section. Suggested by @simonhaughton.
• Wikipedia have a ‘Simple English‘ version which uses simple words and grammar, making it much easier for children to read and understand. Recommended by @tombarrett.

Don’t miss the previous posts in this series:

• Part One
• Part Two

What have you discovered on Twitter recently?

Image – Twitter Logo Map 09

Last month, I wrote a post about a book that was being created by Doug Belshaw and other teachers using Twitter. Contributors were invited to share teaching tips, ideas and suggestions in 140 characters using a special tag.

All of these tweets have now been collated and the book is now available to download or buy.

The PDF is available for free download: http://bit.ly/movemeonpdf
The book is available at cost price: http://bit.ly/movemeonbook
A (cheaper) black and white version of the book is also available here.

It is a valuable resource for new and experienced teachers with a huge collection of useful ideas. It’s well worth downloading or buying a paper copy.

Doug Belshaw has started a wonderful new way of sharing teaching tips via Twitter. His idea, called ‘Move Me On’, involves teachers sharing a simple tip or idea in 140 characters by posting it on Twitter with the hashtag #movemeon. At the time of writing this, there are 490 tips in the collection!

You can read more about the idea on Doug’s site, or follow the rest of the ideas at TwapperKeeper. Doug is planning to publish an e-book containing all of the contributed ideas, so follow his blog to find out when this has been published.

Here’s another selection of links and ideas that I’ve discovered from my Twitter network over recent weeks:

• Mapzone (via @simonhaughton) – Learn how to read maps with this interactive site from Ordnance Survey.
  
• Interactives Spelling Bee (via @keisawilliams) – Just like an old-fashioned spelling bee, but played on your computer, with different grade levels to choose from.
• e-learning for Kids (via @shaunwoodnz) – Lots of free e-learning courses, covering a wide range of topics.
• DirectgovKids (via @wigglemyears) – A bright and colourful to help children to learn about the world around them. Also has sections for parents and teachers.
  
• ABC Reading Eggs (via @kelrob6) - a site for children aged 4-7 which aims to help them learn to read while having fun.
• Did you Know 4.0 – An update to the popular video presentation which includes facts and statistics about the world around us.
  

Thanks to those who shared these wonderful links! Lots of people think that Twitter is about listening to random strangers posting messages about where they are, what they are doing, and what they are having for dinner tonight.

But it’s much more than that. I find Twitter to be a great way for people with common interests to share links and discover new ideas. If you’re signed up, follow me at @markw29 and @teachingideas.

It’s ICT week on Teachers’ TV and there are a number of interesting new videos which will be useful for any teachers who have to use ICT as part of their teaching.

One new series of videos is called ‘Better Learning with ICT‘. There are currently five videos in the series and many of them feature some of the amazing educators who use Twitter to share ideas and support each other. The videos include:

• Video in the Classroom - A geography teacher uses video to enhance learning in class.
• Improving Your Presentations - A primary teacher uses ICT to aid her presentation skills (with some great tips from @joedale)
• Online Communities in the Classroom - A teacher learns the benefits of using social media in school (@lisibo shares her amazing experience)
• Computer Games in the Classroom - A primary teacher uses computer games to inspire her class (with some fantastic ideas from @dawnhallybone)
• Data Handling in the Classroom - A teacher overcomes her fear of data handling by using ICT (@cthomas18 shares some excellent advice).

Watch the videos online, download them to watch later and follow these incredible educators on Twitter. You’re bound to learn something new… I certainly did when I watched each video!

As I mentioned in a previous post, Twitter is a fantastic way of discovering new ideas and resources from people with similar interests. Here is a random selection of sites that I’ve discovered from my friends and followers on Twitter recently:

• Fun Science Games (from @dannynic) - This blog post from Sciencebase shares a number of fun and educational Science games which can be used with pupils.
• Keyboard Climber (from @2sparkley) – An entertaining game, in which you have to help a monkey climb a tree by typing letters. Great for improving children’s keyboard skills.
  
  
• Free copy of Songsmith for UK teachers (from @simonhaughton) – Registered members of the UK Innovative Teachers Network can download a free copy of Microsoft’s Songsmith software.
• 2Assess (from @skinnyboyevans) – Anthony Evans gives a first look at new ICT assessment software from 2Simple Software.
• Storybird (from @tombarrett) – An online tool that allows friends and families to make short, visual stories. How could this be used in the classroom?
• Cartoonster (from @olliebray) – Fun, interactive tutorials which teach children how to draw and animate.
• Get Signed Up! (from @simonhaughton) – A list of free tools that can be used for educational purposes in the classroom.

This is just a small selection of the tools that I’ve discovered via my Twitter network. Have you found any new and useful sites recently?

Twitter always seems to be in the news lately. If you’ve not tried it out, why not? It allows you to post 140 character messages to others… sometimes people use it to share what they’re doing at different points in time. However, it’s also a great way of connecting with others and there is a large community of teachers who use it to:

• share ideas and experiences,
• ask questions and get support,
• recommend sites and resources,
• collaborate on joint projects.

Here is a fantastic guide to help teachers get started with Twitter:

If you’re looking for people to follow on Twitter, don’t forget that you can follow my accounts @TeachingIdeas / @markw29. Then browse around at the lists of people who I follow / who follow me – there are some wonderful educators out there, and Twitter enables you to get in touch with them.

I’ve been on my half term break this week, so I’ve spent quite a bit of time adding lots of new contributions. There are a wide range of new resources to explore online. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their ideas and resources on the site.

Ideas to Inspire

I’ve also set up a new site this week. It’s called ‘Ideas to Inspire’ and it contains a number of fantastic Google Docs presentations. These presentations are a collaboration between lots of wonderful teachers around the world, giving ideas to inspire writing / maths / science in your classrooms. There are also some amazing presentations which share interesting ways of using the latest technology (e.g. Google Earth, Google Docs, Pocket Video Cameras, Twitter) in schools. Take a look at the site at www.ideastoinspire.co.uk. Of course, if you have any ideas which could be added to any of the presentations, please let me know

Are you Twittering?

Twitter has been in the news a lot recently. I’ve been twittering at @markw29 for over a year, but I’ve just set up a new @TeachingIdeas account. This new Twitter page will be the quickest way of finding out about new ideas and updates. If you’re on Twitter, feel free to follow either of my accounts. If you’re not Twittering yet, why not try?

Free Resources

Marneta Viegas from Relax Kids is offering free CDs and resources for schools! Simply visit this page and answer a few questions about what you are doing to improve health and well being in your schools. A fantastic offer!

If you have any contributions for Teaching Ideas, or Ideas to Inspire, I’d love to be able to share them. I hope that the sites continue to help you with your teaching.

Best wishes,

Mark Warner