Animoto (FREE), Real Live Owl & Dr. Seuss (freebie)

Does your district offer programs that come to your school and educate your students about something? Our County has a Bird Clues program and they bring a REAL LIVE bird. This year it was a barred owl and I got to hold it (yes me!!!)

Also today I added the last little bit to my Dr. Seuss decorations. I have never gotten so excited about Read Across America. I actually created some posters, found an AWESOME Lorax (FREE) app and put it all in my hallway. First, here is the link to the app. It allows you to talk with the Lorax moustache and to take a picture of yourself with the moustache:

Next, I simply used my Smart Board to trace a large copy of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In the Hat on a poster board and colored it in. Then I laminated it before I wrote on it (so I can change the message each year) and Voila! Welcome Guest Readers:

Today, because of the Lorax app and some cute stuff I’ve seen on fellow blogs and pinterest, I traced a large copy of the Lorax and read the kiddos the story. I also laminated it before writing on it so I can reuse it every year and change the messages: (I added the kids pictures with a moustache for kicks)

I’m hoping the guest readers tomorrow love the hallway. Our hallway is small width-wise so it was hard to get a picture of the wall straight on. Do you guys have guest readers coming in tomorrow? We are also having a D.E.A.R (drop everything and read!) tomorrow and the whole school is going to be sitting staring talking reading in the hallway.

I made the posters with the background back from Scrappin Doodles and some pictures I found online of the books. I wanted to post it as a freebie on here, but I emptied out my inbox, sent items, and deleted items today and it is saved on my WORK computer. I will try to post in the morning but I know that it will be too late. I’m trying to get a co-worker to send it back to me but we will see (this post may be updated). Maybe you plan on keeping your stuff up for longer than just tomorrow (I hope so!) It will be up ASAP!

Here are the posters I made:

Finally, a former colleague asked me about a professional development I gave this year and the year before. I learned about it at a technology workshop and its amazing. It is called ANIMOTO. It is cool because you can take pictures and video and upload them for a unique and amazing slide show. Here is a video I made to show you the directions for Five-In-A-Row:

I have also used it for slide shows during Open House, etc. It’s super cute, easy, and educators can get a free account. (Well technically, anyone can get a free account, but they can only make 30 second videos. Much more is unlocked for educators… you just have to use the correct link and use your SCHOOL email address so they can verify that you are a teacher. You can’t use much of the site until you have been verified, but it shouldn’t take more than a week (possibly more if they are busy and I know it took awhile over the summer).

Here is the educator’s application link.

Finally, I wanted to remind everyone about my newest giveaway where there are 4 units up for grabs! Head over to my original post here. There are 11 ways to enter (seriously!)