CUE Conference Update #2/Giveaway

Can you say relaxed?  Just got back from the CUE conference in Palm Springs.  Not only did I learned so much and I relaxed even more.  It is such a great feeling to be in a room with 4,000 people that do the same thing that you do each day, TEACH.  You feel connected and proud of your profession and it is nice knowing that you make a difference in the future.  Technology is our future and it is moving so extremely fast that we almost can't keep up.  For example when Apple invented the IPhone, ITouch, and IPad, they never anticipated how many thousands of apps would be created for them.  It's CRAZY to stop and think what is happening in our world with our children and our schools.  
The second day at the CUE conference I learned a lot of new apps/websites to try in my classroom.  Here's a few to share:

The Evernote presentation was my favorite so I will start here.  Evernote is an app that every and I mean EVERY teacher needs to get.  It's organization at its finest!  From simple note taking to recording and documenting notes and organizing them into notebooks, Evernote is the way to go.  Check it out.

Picture Pinterest and now picture Edcanvas for lessons.  Taking the same concept as Pinterest, a teacher can take Edcanvas and organize lessons, websites, and pinterest clippings all on one canvas.  Students can visit that canvas and select lessons if you are teaching in a flipped classroom.  Teachers have their teaching units organized in one place.  BRILLIANT!

The latest in classroom technology is QR codes.  From kindergarten to 8th grade, QR codes can be a fun exciting way to teach.  A easy, fun app is QR Pal.  It's FREE and it downloads instantly on your tech device.  Classroom IPods or IPads can scan QR codes around the classroom and students receive instant info on the lesson.  My kinders can even do this and they LOVE scanning.

and finally...

I am giving a FABULOUS GIVEAWAY and I want YOU to win!  My time spent at the conference my luck(because I am Irish and ST. Paddy's Day was coming up) was extremely LUCKY and I won 2 Kidpix 3D software programs for my classroom.  I am giving away 1 to a lucky blogging buddy.  Giveaway ends this Thursday, March 21st so get going....

Leave a comment on how you use Technology in the classroom.  That's it!  

1, 2, 3, GO!

CUE Conference Giveaway

So excited to be in sunny, warm Palm Springs for the Annual CUE Conference 2013!  Is any of my blogging friends here with me?  I am learning so much, and finding out the newest tools, trends, and tactics for the 21st Century Learning.  Today was the first day and here is a sneak peak of my first day:
Fablevision learning is founded by Peter Reynolds who believes that teaching and learning should be exciting.  I learned how to engage students in animating and telling their own stories using Animationish & Stationery Studio.  So cool.  Students of all ages can animate stories, science projects, or even vocabulary words.

International Dot Day on September 15th is worldwide where students "Make their mark on the world."  Schools across this nation and throughout the world create dots and show off their creativity side celebrating the book, The Dot by Peter Reynolds.  You can register your class at http://thedotclub.org.

Another great workshop I was fortunate to go to was Differentiate With Dr. Seuss For The Common Core.  Here we explored how to use Dr. Seuss books to develop quick and easy differentiated activities in the classroom.  There is a fantastic website called Teaching Made Easier where teachers can create hundreds of activities in 3 easy steps!  Picture cards, bingo cards, comprehension cubes, creative writing pages, you name it!  Everything a teacher needs to reinforce classroom instruction.

OK now for the best part of my day!  I sat in on a demonstration of the new 3D Kidpix.  Wow it's incredible.  I have the old version in my classroom and I was practically jumping out of my chair when I saw this.  Kinders can get actively involved in slide shows, storytelling, or even create creatures that fly around the pages.

So at the end of the demonstration they had a raffle and I WON!  I never win raffles.  So great I am so excited to get back to my classroom and install this new software.  But wait...there's more.  At the end of the day I went back to this demonstration table because they told us there would be yet another giveaway.  I must of been wearing my lucky Irish shirt, cause I WON again!  2 copies of KidPix 3D.  

So I need to share the love with all my blogging friends out there.  I am giving away 1 copy of KidPix 3D!  Yes you heard me.  Here's what you need to do to enter:

1.  Kindly comment on this post and tell me your favorite tech device in your classroom.

Giveaway will end 1 week from today at 8pm.

Good Luck to all my faithful followers!

Another update from Day 2 at the CUE conference coming soon!

Night! Night!