Homeschooling with Technology

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Monica Burns to share her favorite apps and websites to help students access reading materials.

Dr. Monica Burns is an EdTech and Curriculum consultant, author and former New York City public school teacher. She visits schools across the country to support PreK-20 teachers to make technology integration meaningful and sustainable. Monica’s website ClassTechTips.com helps educators place “tasks before apps” by promoting deeper learning with technology.

Find more ideas from Dr. Burns here.

All these resources are free

One of Dr. Burns’ favorite tools is Adobe Spark because it allows students to easily create graphics, videos and web pages. Read more about it in her guide.

Dr. Monica Burns’ Blog & Podcast

Follow Dr. Burns on Social Media

Books by Dr. Monica Burns

Tasks Before Apps: Designing Rigorous Learning in a Tech-Rich Classroom

40 Ways to Inject Creativity into Your Classroom with Adobe Spark

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Contact Meryl via email on [email protected] or connect with her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook

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Although there is nothing wrong with using paper “to-do” lists, digital to-do lists can be so much more convenient and flexible. Using them can help you and your children organize your lives.

Here are 3 different options to consider using:

When you are on the move, using the notes app on an iPhone (and something similar on other phones) is an easy way to see what you need to do. On the iPhone, you can even turn your list into a check list. Other options would be to delete items as you complete them.

Todoist is available both as a website and an app.

Here are some features I really like about it:

Trello is the tool I use to organize my life and we also use it to set assignments for our Science Olympiad team. Listen to the episode for more details but here are some highlights:

You can find examples of Trello boards used for to-do lists on the show notes for our episode 5 Ways Homeschool Parents Can Use Trello.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review!

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Here are the online anatomy games mentioned in the podcast.These games were shared with me by the authors of 3 of FundaFunda Academy’s anatomy unit studies. And right now until 15th January, you can get 50% off all their regular-priced web-based unit studies with code JAN2020

Golden Hour Game

Code Fred: Survival Mode This is a game that teaches about the endocrine system and how our bodies react to danger.

Time Zone X: Immune System – Put in the correct order various historical events related to the immune system

Whack a Bone – players first progress through 3 levels which get progressively harder to identify and “whack” the bones.

Not quite as fun as these last two, but the game at Realbodywork covers the organs of the body – It is basically just a “match up” game. Similarly Purpose games has a number of games where you get a list of items and must click on the correct location in the body.

Digestix – this is a cool game about the digestive system

Solve the Outbreak – this is a game created by the CDC about diseases and epidemics.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review!

Contact Meryl via email on [email protected] or connect with her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook

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The beginning of a new year is a good time to reflect on our lives – including our digital habits. Here are some ideas for New Years Resolutions for Digital Habits.

Consider signing your teens up for FundaFunda Academy’s Computer Applications class next year as it includes a module on Digital Habits and has them do the Infomagical Challenge.

You need to make sure you are keeping up with tech. Try to learn something new each month – make a plan now. Here are some ideas:

Use tech to connect intentionally with people. Once a month review a podcast, leave a comment of a blog post, message someone to thank them for what they do, reach out to someone you haven’t seen for a long time etc.

I would love to know what your plans are and how they turn out this year so be sure to join our Facebook group where we can share with each other.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review!

Contact Meryl via email on [email protected] or connect with her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook

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This is a replay of episode 13. You can find the show notes here

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This is a replay of episode 12. You can find the show notes here

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Here are some ideas for planning the holidays with tech

Trying to work out the best day to hold a holiday party, get together with friends, plan an outing with others? Doodle is a great tool to do that easily.

Show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy has some fun resources for families today on cold winter days. Play in teams and see who can solve Mystery of the Amber Room or Mosby’s Treasure first.

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And be sure to join our Facebook group where we can talk about this together.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review!

Contact Meryl via email on [email protected] or connect with her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook

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The Hour of Code will be held during the week of 9 – 15 December 2019, BUT you can participate in the activities any time during the year.

The goal is not to learn to code, but to learn what coding is and that coding is fun and creative and anyone can do it.

Visit the Hour of Code website to find a wide range of options of short tutorials that will introduce children to code.

Here are a few you will find on the website that I tried out and enjoyed:

This uses Tynker. The tutorial explains how to use coding blocks and then you use those blocks to solve each challenge.

Start by creating your creature using code, them you use arrows to choose the path for him to move along. There are arrows that show you what to do the first time and it is all obvious. No reading required

This is a pdf ie unplugged coding. Listen to our episode explaining what that is. You work through it solving each problem with code.

In this tutorial, you learn how to use code to draw and animate

Use coding blocks to achieve dance moves

This activity uses real Python code. You have to adjust it to solve each puzzle.

Use code to make your character move.

Our show sponsor is offering a Scratch Christmas Contest. Students will get access to basic Scratch tutorials and once they have worked through them will be able to create an interactive Christmas scene. Best submissions will win gift cards.

FundaFunda Academy also has an Intro to Game Programming self-paced unit study that provides a gentle introduction to the world of programming.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes and tell your friends about it.

And be sure to join our Facebook group where we can talk about this together.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review!

Contact Meryl via email on [email protected] or connect with her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook

The Star Is Coming Back To Theaters for a Limited Time!

Experience The Star again December 7 and 8 in select theaters!

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This is a replay of episode 9. You can find the show notes here

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Here are the online educational Thanksgiving activities mentioned in this episode. Be sure to listen to learn more about each one.

Before you start, spend some time getting to understand what the first Thanksgiving was really like from sources like this one online and the book, Lies my Teacher Told Me.

Scholastic has a great website that allows you to take a tour of the Mayflower, cross the ocean on it, and see what life was like then through re-enactments and historical fiction letters.

Be a detective and investigate the first Thanksgiving in this online Thanksgiving activity.

Hyperdocs lead students through a topic. In this one, they will watch videos, read articles, create a timeline and reflect on what they are learning.

This is a unique map that shows where your Thanksgiving dinner components are likely to come from!

Seat the people at this Thanksgiving dinner near things they like – a fun online logic problem.

To learn more about digital breakouts, listen to episode 14. You can find a variety of free and paid ones on the Teachers Pay Teachers store.

The Great Thanksgiving Listen is an easy way for people of all ages to collect oral histories as you gather with friends and family over the holiday. Download the free StoryCorps App and once the interview is done you can upload it to the Library of Congress!

And for some offline Thanksgiving fun, be sure to grab show sponsor, FundaFunda Academy’s Thanksgiving Draw game. If you listen to the episode you will get a coupon code that will allow you to get it free until the end of November 2019.

Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes.

And be sure to join our Facebook group where we can talk about this together.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and give a rating and maybe even a review!

Connect with Meryl on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook

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