Put some Pizzaz into your Presentations with Prezi!

Have you heard of a website called Prezi? Prezi is a digital zooming story telling and presentation tool that helps you create outstanding visuals for your thoughts. The site allows teachers to create engaging and interactive presentations in which you can ZOOM into specific key points according to the discussion in class. Once you are finished presenting to students, you can give them the web link to review the presentation at home.

What's neat about Prezi is that all your information such as text, graphics, videos, etc., are placed on one big canvas (no additional slides are needed!). You move around from topic to topic setting up paths from one to the other. You can ZOOM out to see a whole concept, and ZOOM in to take a closer look at it's parts. It blows PowerPoint out of the water!!

Here's an example of a prezi that I created (click the link below). Not only was it fun to make, it was really easy to do. Once my prezi opens, use the on-screen arrow keys to navigate and the magifying glasses to zoom in and zoom out.

"What is Prezi?"

Game Time....bring it on!!

This one goes out to all you mathematicians out there. Calculation Nation...have you heard of it? I discovered it by accident while finding free online games that were safe and educational for my kids to play at home. We all know that there are a ton of free online educational games. I've had my kids playing them since they were able to hold a mouse, but not one has hooked them as quickly as Calculation Nation. Wow!! This one's a keeper. I could see this being used in a computer lab setting, as a group activity in your room with a data projector, and most definitely with the interactive whiteboards.

The beauty of this website, besides the fact that it is free, is its' design. The first step is to create an account that involves choosing your player identify from a list of character options. Brilliant!! Every video game out there these days from the Wii to Club Penguin, requires the same thing...assuming an alter identity! Kids love it!!! Because it simulates what they are doing in their personal gaming world, they don't seem to mind that "it's for learning".

Students choose whether they want to challenge opponents from anywhere in the world or challenge themselves. The "passport" keeps track of the location of your opponents by sticking a red dot on the map location. Arrange a classroom challenge to see who will be first to play someone from each of the 50 states!

The games are designed for the upper elementary and middle grades math curriculum. These online math strategy games allow kids to learn about fractions, factors, multiples, symmetry and more, as well as practice important skills like basic multiplication and calculating area — all while having fun. In the game "Fraction Feud" for example, players prepare to battle in this game of fraction action! In each joust, players earn points by creating a larger (or smaller) fraction than your opponent.

Another feature I like about this great online global learning environment, is the fact that it has something for everyone: Students, Teachers, Parents (all participants in a child's learning adventure!). Each games includes a "How to Play" page for students, as well as, information for both teachers and and parents complete with a .pdf downlad titled: "A Families Guide: Fostering Your Child's Success in School Mathematics."

So get on your game face and let the math competition and learning begin.!!!

BRING IT ON!!