Codecadmey and TeacherLists

Females in high school who learn computer code with these online tutorials get to donate $100 to the classroom/teacher of their choice. Great opportunity! If you know female high school students please share this link: http://www.codecademy.com/donors-choose

Also, another website I found for teachers:

Check out TeacherLists. If you post your supply or teacher wish lists, there are tons of free supplies for teachers. http://www.teacherlists.com/schools/?tt!pID=2162&tt!bD=3540928_1

Teacher Tech Classes, Donors Choose, and summer update

I hope everyone is enjoying summer!

My first two weeks of summer were filled with Professional Development Technology classes! I learned a lot of new things...

The best class I took was about Donors Choose. I set up my first project and it got approved! Now I am looking for some help with funding. If you'd like to help out no donation is too small. Even $1 will help towards purchasing a document camera for my classroom. For the next week, if you enter code INSPIRE at checkout, donors choose will match and double your donation! I understand not everyone can donate, so even if you just go to the link and click share to post it on your social media, that would be helpful and appreciated too!http://www.donorschoose.org/MissAbrams

My least favorite class I took was about Prezi. Turns out Prezi is NOT for people with motion sickness. I literally got a headache about 2 minutes into seeing our instructors example. I think it is a neat program, but I feel bad for any student with motion sickness who has a teach who loves to use these things.

I also took a few classes about social media in Education. I revamped my Twitter page for education use. Check it out at https://twitter.com/MissA_Biology. If you have a Twitter I'd love to follow you also. Please leave your link as a comment.

Today I also started counting down to my San Diego trip! 20 more days until I leave. The purpose of my trip is to attend the 2014 Summer Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. I'm going a day and a half early and made reservations for a Kayak and Snorkel Tour in La Jolla! The day after the workshop I'm going to visit the San Diego Zoo! It will be a short trip since I don't have a lot of money to spend or stay longer, but I am so looking forward to it!

I haven't worked on much school stuff yet but I really want to create some new Forensic Science materials. I've had a few requests on TeachersPayTeachers too so hopefully I can find some time to start working on it soon.

Tonight I am headed to the Akron Zoo. I volunteer there during my free time and am thinking about joining the American Association of Zoo Keepers so I'm going to check out a meeting and see if I fit in and like it.

Summer!

Wow, what a school year! I managed teaching two new electives this year, in addition to my normal biology class, and not only survived but did well! I got a lot of great feedback from students, parents, and staff, and I'm excited to continue planning and making the courses even better! But I did work my tail off so I am also very excited for summer and to relax!

Today was my first official day of summer break, but I didn't start relaxing just yet. I decided to sign up for 2 weeks of classes to earn some credit hours towards my next raise (likely still another year or two away). This morning's class was about education sites on Weebly. I learned how to make a Weebly page; it was actually very easy. Right now my class webpage is on Google Sites but if I have time this summer I might switch things over. I think Weebly has more features I could take advantage of.

Tonight I am headed to the Akron Zoo for our monthly volunteer meeting, followed by a volunteer picnic. I also joined the Boo at the Zoo committee and have a meeting for that as well, so it is going to be a busy night! That is ok though, it is probably good I am starting off summer with some plans so I don't get too lazy and out of my routine.

July will be my month for travel. I am going to San Diego for a Teacher Conservation Workshop (read about it in my previous post) and am also going on a family trip to Chicago. In Chicago I am excited to check out the zoos and aquarium.

Summer will likely go very fast, doesn't it always though? August is always spend preparing for the new school year so really there isn't as much free time as many think.

Anyways, I love hearing how teachers spend their summer so feel free to comment with your plans!

Have a great one!

^ After checking out other teacher blogs I decided to add my own signature line :)