Posting Photos Online Dangers

Every year I do lessons on internet safety.  A couple of years ago I saw this news report on my local channel and realized I needed to show this to my students.  It's pretty scary.

Don't forget to paste the link into safeshare.tv for your students to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vARzvWxwY

Plan on more than a few minute discussion.  I show this to third through fifth grade and talk about Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and the other "flavor of the month" apps that are going around.  This video easily generates a half hour conversation.  The really awesome thing is that I always get phone calls and emails from parents who thank me. . . their kids have gone home and shown them how to turn off location services on their camera and explained the dangers to them. . . they're grateful!  It's pretty gratifying.

Second Quarter Bulletin Boards

I am woefully behind in posting!  We're on the fourth (or fifth. . . I've lost track) week of our second quarter.  Here are my newest bulletin boards:

Big bulletin board on my back wall. . .

Poster explaining the different "drives" we have on our computer.

We just got Office 2013 so I redid the posters from the 2010 version.  I will post links to those soon. . ..

This one doesn't really have a big bubble in the middle.  I was playing around with the panoramic setting on the iPad camera.  I couldn't get it right. . . but this one was the best.  The iPads are poster board, silver wrapping paper and print out of apps.  The words were printed in Word as an outline on scrapbook paper, cut out and laminated to black construction paper before being cut out again.

I will post links to the posters soon. . . please send me an email if you would like them and I haven't gotten them up yet!

The Coolest Fonts for Bulletin Boards

I've had a few questions regarding my bulletin board letters and where I've purchased them.

I don't buy them.  I make them.

Here's my original posting on how I make them.  MAKE YOUR OWN BULLETIN BOARD LETTERS.

Please note that these directions are for Word 2010.

I get all of my very cool fonts from www.1001freefonts.com .  It's an awesome website that some very, very talented people have posted fonts that they have designed.  You download them and they just show up in your Office Fonts.  Super easy, super cool.

These fonts are all free for your use.  Here's the catch.  When you download them, you need to read the little note that is in a file, usually notepad, attached to the download.  Most owners of the font will ask for a small fee if you are going to use their font on anything you sell or if you use it on your blogs.  I've actually purchased a font for the purpose of blogging.  I liked it, thought it "represented" me well and I happily paid my five dollars to the artist for unlimited use of her font in my blog.  She sent me a really nice thank you note and wished me luck.

To make the bulletin board letters, download the font of your choice, follow the directions to change the text to outline without fill, then print out in the size you want.

Text without fill works best.  If you have some fun fill, like a chalk effect, that won't translate to outline very well.  You can always just print in color and cut out.

I store these in a three ring binder, tucked into a page protector.  I write the original message on a piece of paper and slip it in.

Doing my own bulletin board letters saves me money and I always have the letters I need!

Safe Share

Do you know about Safeshare.tv?

It’s an awesome tool to use.  You can find any YouTube video, cut the address from the address bar and paste it into the SafeShare site: www.safeshare.tv  It will show your video without ads or that annoying sidebar.

I try to find a good “technology” video to show in my classes at least once a quarter.  The SafeShare site makes it so I don’t worry what sort of videos they suggest for me!

I most recently showed a video about Derby the Dog.  He has prostheses made on a 3D printer.  It’s an awesome, feel good video.  

Here’s the YouTube link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRmoowIN8aY

Don’t forget to paste it into the SafeShare site if you are going to show it!

Big Board in the Hall

I forgot to share my big board in the hall!  This one is right outside my room. . .

I channeled Dr. Seuss for this one. 

 Made with tissue paper. 

 Half of a dollar store coconut bra.

 Bendy straws for the signs.

 Paper and markers. . .

Shapes on Word for the sign.  Loads of fun!

Welcome Back! Bulletin Board Share

I have reused some bulletin boards, but I have a few new ones to share.  Give me a few days to get the free links up. . . I'm crazy busy.

Diacritical marks. . . very important when we do our Spanish brochures! 

 

Doing a little something on plagiarism and citing your sources. . . super easy with Word or with easybib.com.

Rules. . . . 

.
 . . . and manners.

Did my tree again and put where things are in Microsoft Word.  For example, Clip Art is in the Insert Tab, Illustrations Group.

Good luck to everyone starting out the new year!  It's gonna be great!

Getting Your Letters On Straight

School starts in FIVE DAYS!!!  I'm a little crazy right now. . .

I've got the bulletin boards up.  One of the things I have the hardest time with is getting my bulletin board letters straight.  I will eyeball them and they'll go up, or they'll go down, or they'll be wavy. . . but they're never straight across.  Never.

I finally figured it out.

Tape.  Tape is my friend.

It's kind of hard to see on my photo, but that's masking tape right across the front of the letters.

Let me first say that you can only do this on blank walls or FABRIC backed bulletin boards.  I use fabric because it's fun, reusable and doesn't fade.

If you use paper backed bulletin boards, this will rip your paper.

First, line up the letters on something straight.  I use the edge of my desk.

Rip off a piece of masking tape to cover all your letters and lay it over the top.

You can now pick up the entire word and transfer it to your bulletin board.

Adjust.  Adjust again.  Adjust again.  And, if you're me, adjust one more time.

Staple one staple above, and one below the tape line.  Pull off the tape.

Done!  Straight letters!