Wait.. Say what?

Have you ever wondered where some of our figures of speech come from?  Do you know what it means to really call someone a sight for sore eyes? 

This website, The Phrase Finder has many of the answers you might be looking for!  The site is a searchable collection of proverbs, American phrases, phrases coined by Shakespeare, nautical phrases, and phrases from the Bible.  Search or browse for any idiom or expression and find the historical origins of the common saying.

FYI, the term sight for sore eyes, means a welcome visitor or someone you are happy to see.  It's origin Jonathan Swift, in A complete collection of genteel and ingenious conversation, 1738.  The actual quote was "A Sight of you, is good for sore eyes".  

Welcome back

Hi gang! Sorry I have been away this school yeah has been a bumpy one. I recently took over co-advisor for the senior class, so I've been busy!


Check back in a few days for an all new entry!

Hello

Hello to my friends up North at the "Free Tools for Instruction with a Focus on Assessment"!  I hope you enjoy my blog.  This past year has been a challenge for me taking over the Middle and High school yearbook, so you will notice in the lack of postings this year.  Please don't be discouraged, I plan to make up for it this summer.

Also check out my Twitter account @mrplace21

Happy Tech Camp!

~Tom

Glossary of Instructional Strategies

Do you know what 10 + 2 is?  Or perhaps what Applied Imagination is?  Well this wonderful sight breaks down from A-Z Instructional Strategies that you can use in your classroom.  Each strategy comes with a full detailed example on how it works.

Check out the site here.  Try some of these next year in your classroom!

History Pin

Here's a cool web 2.0 tool that helps you compare the past with the present.  It's called History Pin.  Subjects include History, Modern Art, Science, and Technology.  It's really interesting.  Take a view of the video below and check out this awesome site.  You do not need a log in to be able to view it.

You also get the chance to view pictures of old times with up to date real time images using Google Earth.  Imagine starting a debate in your classroom of what Germany looked like in WWII versus what it looks like now, or maybe what it looked like before the Western United States was settled.  You can control the time period in your search as well.  Check out History pin here!

Help vote for my grant!

Hello everyone,

I signed up for a grant at We Are Teachers.  If I have the top number of votes my idea will win.  What I am asking is for you to just take two seconds and click this link and along the side there will be a little box that says vote for me.  If you do this I will be one step closer towards my goal of introducing video announcements in the Middle High school.  

The link is http://bit.ly/ifQDYu

Please help support a good cause.  It costs nothing to you except a few seconds of your time.

Thank you very much!

~Tom

PS If you have more than one e-mail account you can vote twice ;-)

Explaining in Plain English

Do you ever have a topic that your students or perhaps other faculty members just don't seem to get?  Common Craft Productions take these issues and explain it in plain English!

According to the Common Craft Website their overview state: "Our videos may surprise you. They're short and simple. They use paper cut-outs. They cover subjects "in Plain English." But lurking under the simple surface are lessons that have been crafted with great care. Despite our fun and lighthearted style, we take explanation seriously."

You can watch their videos, in-full, on their site, or you can purchase them to use in your classroom, and other uses.  The individual license is $20 per video to use in your classroom.  They do offer school discounts by contacting them.  This link here is the overview on how to buy.

I am not going to embed any videos here, but instead send you over to their site so you can take a look at everything they offer.  Click here to view their site.

 

They do offer custom videos that you can create with them.  They are available for a limited number of custom videos.  Here's a few examples of custom explanation videos here.  The projects include

• Short videos in the paper work style
• original script, artwork, and creative direction
• Voice-over by one of the company owners

Click here to view more information on this topic.