Here are some resources that I have found to be useful... Actually, some of these are my favorite sites... But I'll keep adding to it as I discover more...
MY FAVORITES FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS...
http://www.sofaexpo.com/ The best art show in town at Navy pier in November
http://arted20.ning.com/ This is an "Art Teacher Community". Art teachers share student work and ideas.
http://www.sciplus.com/ Okay, I am closet nerd - I love science stuff and this site is the dumpster dive of all that is science - You will not believe this place - art stuff too and tons more...I'm going there this week! See you there :-)
http://www.enasco.com/artsandcrafts/ I always purchase school supplies from these folks. They have a great sale flyer that comes out just after September so hold off spending that budget that's been sliced and diced :-)
mydogsighs.co.uk This is an awesome jumping off point for giving away ones art. You have a gift - give it away. Check out this resource. See what my eighth grade students did with this thought at http://mrsninabenson.weebly.com/
http://www.dusablemuseum.org/ Museum specifically devoted to "African-American" artist achievements.
http://www.garfield-conservatory.org/ Want to just get lost ...In a foretaste of Heaven... Go it's FREE! You could give a donation, but if you're tight for cash it's okay - just say thank you.
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/ Actually this is resource for anybody - not just teachers. This is like you have an encyclopedia in your hands. How neat is that?
http://americanart.si.edu/ Okay, more of the same as above, but for the artist in you. Think of this as your giant picture book
http://www.weebly.com/ Of course, I highly recommend weebly for their user-friendly "create-your-own-site". If I can do this folks, anybody can!
MY FAVORITES FOR THE SOUL
http://www.christianmodernart.com/ Looking for specifically Christian fine artists, whose art work is reflective of their beliefs? This site host a directory of Christian fine arts artist. You can visit their web page directly.
http://www.daveziffer.com/ A self taught jazz guitarist worth listening too. A great resource when trying to settle down and work. Actually this is a geek friend from long ago who pursued his passion - guitar playing.
http://www.francischan.org/#/books Francis Chan is another Christian speaker, writer, (hence, why I linked you to his books - very telling). Click on his video link for "Erasing Hell", then go back and read the "about" and "Multiply", (click on the links)...
FAVORITE TECH STUFF
http://www.signingsavvy.com/ If you are in need of differentiating for a student with communication challenges this site is quick and easy and free
http://www.tagxedo.com/ This is another Wordle program that makes word pictures. It takes bit of time but it's free and if you really like what you create you can purchase product.
http://www.squidoo.com/ This site is interesting. A bit like weebly in that you build your own website, but one of the purposes seems to raise donations for charities of your choosing. It's free and has neat extras.
http://edu.glogster.com/ You may enjoy this if you have time... This site has lots of potential for student use, but for me it's time consuming
http://blabberize.com/ This is fun and you can use your own pictures. Students will really like this - just don't let them do one of you...Or maybe just for fun they should :-)
http://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/#/ There a lot of free sites for this little treat. However, if you're wordy it might get a bit busy. This is a easy means of getting information to the masses.
Wordaizer 2.2 is a free app that helps you make wordles, (literal word pictures) into shapes. I found it the other day/night, (or was day), when I thought I wanted to make a literal digital footprint. It's developer is APP Helmond, a group out of the Netherlands that develops app software for music, games and graphics. You have to google where you want to download from. I wasn't too clear, but I did make a wordle via someone's site...
NEAT INTERNET PLACES TO GO...
http://www.etsy.com/ Etsy is great, although, I've never posted anything, it's good for ideas and getting the word out there about your craft. It's partly free - .20 cents to post something for 4 months and they get 3.5 cents after it sells.It looks like pinterest, but I think it's been around longer.
http://www.incredibleart.org/links/toolbox/free.html FREE STUFF!!! Plus they have a great Blabbercize - you can't beat that!
FAVORITE PLACES TO GO...
http://bottleandbottega.com/ This is a neat place that I initially heard about while attending a funeral, (you know... you can talk about the strangest things at a funeral). My oldest daughter also visited this place. It's for folks wanting to have fun while making art. You paint a little, receive some gentle guidance, have some wine... Your painting begins to look pretty good... Everybody's art begins to look good after a bit more wine... There are yelps - go read.
http://www.yelp.com/chicago Okay visit my yelps - type in nina b chicago, IL in your google search box :-) and you're find me...
HELPFUL TEACHER RESOURCE
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ An easy find for teachers. Every teacher needs to be have this resource at his or her fingertips.
http://www.arts.illinois.gov/ The IL Arts Council is a good resource when looking for educational guidance and stuff for the state - it's a go to place for a variety of art things.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/ie This is just a resource to point kiddies in the right direction when their grammar compass is broke; but there's some funny adult stuff too - you know, like how some popular kid movies put adult humor in with the kid show. Kids don't get it, but adults are laughing so hard they're crying.
http://ninabenson.blogspot.com/ Here is my own blog that offers examples of resources that can be used for education. There is one in particular about the MCA that I received from a tweet direct from the MCA. There are many thousands of resources out there - all one may need to do is type in the need and ta-da it comes up on Google. Visit my blog if you have a moment and check out the examples.
SAMPLES
Everyone likes freebies! Below is a sampling of what can be done with some of the sites I reference above. Enjoy!
http://www.sofaexpo.com/ The best art show in town at Navy pier in November
http://arted20.ning.com/ This is an "Art Teacher Community". Art teachers share student work and ideas.
http://www.sciplus.com/ Okay, I am closet nerd - I love science stuff and this site is the dumpster dive of all that is science - You will not believe this place - art stuff too and tons more...I'm going there this week! See you there :-)
http://www.enasco.com/artsandcrafts/ I always purchase school supplies from these folks. They have a great sale flyer that comes out just after September so hold off spending that budget that's been sliced and diced :-)
mydogsighs.co.uk This is an awesome jumping off point for giving away ones art. You have a gift - give it away. Check out this resource. See what my eighth grade students did with this thought at http://mrsninabenson.weebly.com/
http://www.dusablemuseum.org/ Museum specifically devoted to "African-American" artist achievements.
http://www.garfield-conservatory.org/ Want to just get lost ...In a foretaste of Heaven... Go it's FREE! You could give a donation, but if you're tight for cash it's okay - just say thank you.
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/ Actually this is resource for anybody - not just teachers. This is like you have an encyclopedia in your hands. How neat is that?
http://americanart.si.edu/ Okay, more of the same as above, but for the artist in you. Think of this as your giant picture book
http://www.weebly.com/ Of course, I highly recommend weebly for their user-friendly "create-your-own-site". If I can do this folks, anybody can!
MY FAVORITES FOR THE SOUL
http://www.christianmodernart.com/ Looking for specifically Christian fine artists, whose art work is reflective of their beliefs? This site host a directory of Christian fine arts artist. You can visit their web page directly.
http://www.daveziffer.com/ A self taught jazz guitarist worth listening too. A great resource when trying to settle down and work. Actually this is a geek friend from long ago who pursued his passion - guitar playing.
http://www.francischan.org/#/books Francis Chan is another Christian speaker, writer, (hence, why I linked you to his books - very telling). Click on his video link for "Erasing Hell", then go back and read the "about" and "Multiply", (click on the links)...
FAVORITE TECH STUFF
http://www.signingsavvy.com/ If you are in need of differentiating for a student with communication challenges this site is quick and easy and free
http://www.tagxedo.com/ This is another Wordle program that makes word pictures. It takes bit of time but it's free and if you really like what you create you can purchase product.
http://www.squidoo.com/ This site is interesting. A bit like weebly in that you build your own website, but one of the purposes seems to raise donations for charities of your choosing. It's free and has neat extras.
http://edu.glogster.com/ You may enjoy this if you have time... This site has lots of potential for student use, but for me it's time consuming
http://blabberize.com/ This is fun and you can use your own pictures. Students will really like this - just don't let them do one of you...Or maybe just for fun they should :-)
http://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/#/ There a lot of free sites for this little treat. However, if you're wordy it might get a bit busy. This is a easy means of getting information to the masses.
Wordaizer 2.2 is a free app that helps you make wordles, (literal word pictures) into shapes. I found it the other day/night, (or was day), when I thought I wanted to make a literal digital footprint. It's developer is APP Helmond, a group out of the Netherlands that develops app software for music, games and graphics. You have to google where you want to download from. I wasn't too clear, but I did make a wordle via someone's site...
NEAT INTERNET PLACES TO GO...
http://www.etsy.com/ Etsy is great, although, I've never posted anything, it's good for ideas and getting the word out there about your craft. It's partly free - .20 cents to post something for 4 months and they get 3.5 cents after it sells.It looks like pinterest, but I think it's been around longer.
http://www.incredibleart.org/links/toolbox/free.html FREE STUFF!!! Plus they have a great Blabbercize - you can't beat that!
FAVORITE PLACES TO GO...
http://bottleandbottega.com/ This is a neat place that I initially heard about while attending a funeral, (you know... you can talk about the strangest things at a funeral). My oldest daughter also visited this place. It's for folks wanting to have fun while making art. You paint a little, receive some gentle guidance, have some wine... Your painting begins to look pretty good... Everybody's art begins to look good after a bit more wine... There are yelps - go read.
http://www.yelp.com/chicago Okay visit my yelps - type in nina b chicago, IL in your google search box :-) and you're find me...
HELPFUL TEACHER RESOURCE
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ An easy find for teachers. Every teacher needs to be have this resource at his or her fingertips.
http://www.arts.illinois.gov/ The IL Arts Council is a good resource when looking for educational guidance and stuff for the state - it's a go to place for a variety of art things.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/ie This is just a resource to point kiddies in the right direction when their grammar compass is broke; but there's some funny adult stuff too - you know, like how some popular kid movies put adult humor in with the kid show. Kids don't get it, but adults are laughing so hard they're crying.
http://ninabenson.blogspot.com/ Here is my own blog that offers examples of resources that can be used for education. There is one in particular about the MCA that I received from a tweet direct from the MCA. There are many thousands of resources out there - all one may need to do is type in the need and ta-da it comes up on Google. Visit my blog if you have a moment and check out the examples.
SAMPLES
Everyone likes freebies! Below is a sampling of what can be done with some of the sites I reference above. Enjoy!
To Glog or Not to Glog
Glogster is like blogging, but it seems more like an on-line poster that can serve as an advertisement for various lesson highlights. It's social in that others can actually borrow, (if it's public), and/or leave comments. I believe yours also becomes a template for others as well. Since the creator of the Glog identifies the target audience then the Glog is easily categorized.
I must admit this what not my favorite thing to do. Items that you may want to use had to be downloaded to their bank; sometimes it worked sometimes you're just sitting waiting and then nothing... I wasn't to happy that I had to re-register and re-create another glog account and glogster; so this is not my best work, but at least the video I embedded is amusing. So LAUGH!!! It's a two minute tickle. :-)
http://bensonnina.edu.glogster.com/a-new-ms-orange-laugh
I must admit this what not my favorite thing to do. Items that you may want to use had to be downloaded to their bank; sometimes it worked sometimes you're just sitting waiting and then nothing... I wasn't to happy that I had to re-register and re-create another glog account and glogster; so this is not my best work, but at least the video I embedded is amusing. So LAUGH!!! It's a two minute tickle. :-)
http://bensonnina.edu.glogster.com/a-new-ms-orange-laugh
Blabberize - Has Nothing to Do With EXERCISE! or your bladder :-)
Ms. Orange is back and she has now been properly introduced via Blabberize.
Blabberize! What's a Blabberize?
It's taking a still picture and making it talk. Some way electronically and digitally via programing you can make the mouth of your character move. You can then record your voice and/or the voice of whomever, singing, talking, screaming, crying... You get the picture, (haha, no, pun intended).
You can also see the educational applications of this a mile away. You can take pictures of your students or use animals, (this of course is meant as no reflection upon your students, just to protect their identities:-). Next record a story or phrase with a purpose using their voices or something electronic, and ta-da! You have a Blabberize! Here's their website: http://blabberize.com/make
...And here's my Blabberize:
http://blabberize.com/view/id/986801
Blabberize! What's a Blabberize?
It's taking a still picture and making it talk. Some way electronically and digitally via programing you can make the mouth of your character move. You can then record your voice and/or the voice of whomever, singing, talking, screaming, crying... You get the picture, (haha, no, pun intended).
You can also see the educational applications of this a mile away. You can take pictures of your students or use animals, (this of course is meant as no reflection upon your students, just to protect their identities:-). Next record a story or phrase with a purpose using their voices or something electronic, and ta-da! You have a Blabberize! Here's their website: http://blabberize.com/make
...And here's my Blabberize:
http://blabberize.com/view/id/986801
QRCodes: Once Upon a Time There was an Orange...
This isn't as difficult as I thought... Remember folks, if I can do it you can too! :-)
QRCodes are those digital "postage stamp" looking things you see all around - on billboards, on food packages, in windows of stores...
A QRCode is a means of linking people with information, otherwise too difficult to post on the actual item. QR stands for "QUICK RESPONSE". Barcodes are an earlier form of QRCodes a.k.a UPCodes, (Universal Product Codes).
The person who sees the code must have a QRCode reader, usually an app that can be downloaded for free just like the site I visited to generate this code: http://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/#/. Here's a free QRCode reader site for Android, (but of course there are tons more - and no, I'm not endorsing Android. It's just the first one I clicked on): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=la.droid.qr&hl=en .
As for the educational usage: I think it would be neat for students to be able to offer more information about their works via a QR to the general public. They create some type of artistic expression and there's a little tag that has their story/rationale embedded for the viewer to scan.
Okay, as for BIG BROTHER usage for QRC: I hear tell that anybody can purchase a handheld reader, (the ones that clerks use on the 100 pound bad of dog food that they can't pick up and scan). The purchaser can drive/walk pass your house and scan your house and read the items that you purchase. Who cares about that information? Why BIG BROTHER my little pretty. It's a means for tracking, stats, and God only knows what else...
Just foolin'.... maybe...
QRCodes fun, but odd little postage stamp things. They may make them for people one day :-) That way they can "read" your entire life with one simple scan.
My Professional Library
a.k.a.
Recommended Reading or Radio Listening...
I highly recommend the following because I am a sensitive sort and need all the helps I can get:
Searching?
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
Publisher: David C. Cook
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80918, USA
2013
Second Edition
By Francis Chan &
By Danae Yankoski
In need of a laugh?
Those Were the Days - Old Time Radio Broadcast
http://www.nostalgiadigest.com/those%20were%20the%20days.htm
Sited on June 2013
For some deep consideration...
The Problem of Pain
Publisher: Harper One
New York, New York
2001
By C.S. Lewis
When a different twist is needed...
Little Pilgrim's Progress
Publisher: Loomis & Peck
Philadelphia
1845
By John Bunyan
When you need to know you are not the only one...
Parents With Broken Hearts
Publisher: BMH Books
Winona Lake, IN
2007
By Bill Coleman
All time bestseller, just for you
The Bible