To help your classroom be engaging and fun, you have to be a lead learner. Here’s an assortment of classroom ideas that will get you trying something new. Set a goal to try something new THIS WEEK. Try something new if only to keep you from becoming a stressed, boring minion (see cartoon.) Leveling Up Learning always starts with the lead learner — YOU!  (And for your laugh of the day — enjoy the cartoon: If Teachers Were Minions…)

Classroom Idea #1. Publish a Book: Classroom Authors or DIY

• “Students from all over the world can collaborate in their classrooms and at home to create and publish books using Classroom Authors web based publishing application.”Very cool website — this from the publisher “Our software was developed working with Colombia University Teacher’s College and over 40 classrooms with the purpose of engaging students in the writing process through collaborative book publishing.”This looks to be a very cool website and another way to have students publish books and have an authentic audience. tags:     
• – AJ Juliani shares how you can do it yourself publish ebooks with your students.

Classroom Idea #2. Have Students Create Interactive Images: ThingLink

•  Thinklink has made some upgrades for teachers. There is an improved student sign up, the ability to organize students by class. You can create image “channels” and interactive albums and you can have a more safe way to find images and use them.Students can log in with Google plus (enable it if you have student apps for education. You’ll want to apply for ThingLink Education status which means that you can set students up without emails and as as “profile-less profile” (COPPA Compliant.)For safe status, if students are logged in, they can only see images created by other students, teachers, or created by thinglink staff. Also, if they use Google Video safe search they put the maximum limits on it.I recorded a session on my podcast this week about UDL and Beth Ritter-Guth highly recommends Thinglink to use with students.tags:      

Classroom Idea #3. Create Flashcards with Your Friends: CardKiwi

• Lots of kids share flashcards for studying, here’s another way to create the cards but to do it TOGETHER. Cool. tags:

Classroom Idea #4. Make Graph Paper inside Excel

•  You can put graph paper on an Excel sheet. This is useful for those of you wanting to type numbers in and have the students graph the work. It is also useful for math corrections or any other time you might need graph paper with a little different size than you buy in the store. Here’s how. It might save some of you some time. .tags:       

Classroom Idea #5. Find deals and freebie Kindle eBooks

This one is probably more for you, but you can put watches on your favorite children’s authors, etc. if you want to download or get deals on their books to share with your classroom.

• This website tracks deals and freebies for Kindle books. You can also upload your Wish list and it will tell you when the price drops or it goes free. It is really one of the easiest websites for tracking and finding good reading deals (that are worth your time.) Very cool site.tags:   

Classroom Idea #6. Learn How to Make a Screencast

• . Using screencastomatic, you can make your first, simple, free screencast. It isn’t hard and you don’t need a lot of fancy, expensive software.

Classroom Idea #7: Learn How To Turn Your Google Search Box Into a Timer

• . Yep, just type Timer: 5 minutes and Google starts counting down. Here’s a 30 second video to help you see how.

Classroom Idea #8: Find Something Else Cool

IF none of these interest you, try these other resource and idea lists.

A little poem to get you started

Yes, you have a curriculum and things to do, but try to bring in something new. Excite your students, wow your friends, show kids that learning never ends. You’re not too old, you’re not a dud, take the time to help learning bud. Life is short, but a teacher’s influence is long, when you’re always learning you can’t go wrong!

LEARN SOMETHING NEW TODAY!