Tech Happenings @ LvHS

.... Many of you already include timeline projects/assignments so here is a way to liven it up: http://www.timetoast.com/ . The project can be done outside of classtime as would a traditional timeline assignment. Or you may consider it better than powerpoint to support you in teaching. Please think about where a timeline project could fit in your class, or consider replacing an existing paper/poster timeline with this modern alternative. Students can be assigned biographies, scientific discoveries, wars/crusades, the works of an artist, political leaders, historical or religious events, etc. Once done, the links to the timelines can be posted on your class page for the other students to view, study and learn from. Why is it different from posterboard/paper? TimeToast appeals to visual learners, the creative side of girls and is more appealing than poster board to this generation. And posterboard is not interactive... you don't actively explore it. And when you are limited to what...

Assignment “Drop Box” is a hit! Take a moment to read this. They are listening to our comments and adding a couple of things to make it easier to view/grade the students’ work. You can either view/grade the assignments online, or download them all in a zip file to view them “offline,” which some teachers prefer. Here’s the article: http://inside.whipplehill.com/2010/11/08/assignment-drop-box-tops-20000/ Thank you to those of you who have tried the Drop Box. The girls are getting more proficient at using it as well. It is a great way to collect and grade many types of assignments, especially those that don’t print well like audio files, Comic Life, Excel graphs, PowerPoint files and short videos or PhotoStories. Please let me know if you want a one-on-one intro for yourself or your class.

Since the start of the 2010 school year more than 20,000 assignments have been submitted using the Assignment Drop Box functionality in WhippleHill's Academic Groups and Louisville ranks in the top three schools using it. If you have used our Assignment Drop Box, please send me your thoughts: what is convenient about it, what is not, or how you and your students like using it. Do you feel it has saved any paper? Increased the functionality of freshmen laptops? Allowed you to give an assignment creatively? Increased student responsibility or accountability? Any feedback you can give me will be useful.