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Document Camera Integration Tips

I'd like to welcome everyone back after the summer. Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable break. I know I did!

I read an article today that had simple integration tips for those of you that have access to a document camera and LCD projector.

Integration Tip

Here are five ways you can integrate a document camera into your school’s elementary school lesson plans.

• Have students draw background scenery for their play, then project the image behind them when they perform.
• Teach math by putting a protractor and ruler under the camera for all to see clearly.
• Use the camera to have the class read and follow along from the same book.
• Quickly call up maps for social studies and history assignments.
• Project a piece of lined paper on your whiteboard. Now students writing on the board can keep their work straight.

You can read the entire article at http://www.edtechmag.com/k12/issues/august-september-2008/creating-digital-learners.html. If you have any questions or want to share your ideas, email me.

Choosing a classroom projector ...

If you are choosing a projector for your classroom, or making recommendations at your school site for this purchase, here is an article by Jeffrey Branzburg at Technology & Learning magazine that gives you information on specifications to look at.

There are a variety of factors to consider when finding the perfect projector. Pick your priorities:

A projector connected to your computer gives you the ability to share your screen with a classroom. You can display Web sites, show students' computerized presentations, provide large-group modeling of skills and techniques, brainstorm concept maps, play a video, or mark up the screen and save your notes.
Here are features to consider when choosing a projector, whether it's a liquid crystal display or digital light processing model.

Brightness

A projector's brightness is measured in lumens. The least expensive projectors are usually the lowest in lumens (fewer than 1,000) and are designed for small rooms with the lights lowered. In general, more than 3,000 lumens are needed for auditoriums and other similarly large rooms, under normal light conditions... (article continues...)

Read the complete article at Technology & Learning Digital Edition with additional information on other factors such as resolution, size and weight, lamp life, zooming and keystoning.

HM Support on YAHOO! Groups

Here are links for some Yahoo User groups that support HM for grades K-3. You will have to have a (free) Yahoo email address to join the groups. Joining the groups will allow you to read and write messages, as well as download user files.



Kinder:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hm_kinder/

1st Grade:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM_Sharing_1stGrade/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM1stSharing/

2nd Grade:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM_Sharing_secondgrade/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM_SharingSecondGrade2/

2nd Grade powerpoints:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HM_SharingSecondGrade3ppts/

3rd Grade:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmthirdgrade/

5th Grade:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/5thGradeHMUsers/

Rash of "Phishing" emails

Please beware that a number of teachers have reported receiving emails stating that user needs to "update account information". These emails are referred to as “phishing” and are not legitimate emails. The author of these emails is hoping you will click the link, go to THEIR site, and enter your SSN, credit card, and/or account passwords. DO NOT CLICK THE LINK IN THESE EMAILS!! If the information appears to be from a site that you have an account with, exit the email and log-on through the normal website and check for messages there.

The information below is from the Microsoft website:

How to tell if an e-mail message is fraudulent

Here are a few phrases to look for if you think an e-mail message is a phishing scam.

"Verify your account."
Businesses should not ask you to send passwords, login names, Social Security numbers, or other personal information through e-mail.

If you receive an e-mail from Microsoft asking you to update your credit card information, do not respond: this is a phishing scam. To learn more, read Fraudulent e-mail that requests credit card information sent to Microsoft customers.

"If you don't respond within 48 hours, your account will be closed."
These messages convey a sense of urgency so that you'll respond immediately without thinking. Phishing e-mail message might even claim that your response is required because your account might have been compromised.

"Dear Valued Customer."
Phishing e-mail messages are usually sent out in bulk and often do not contain your first or last name.

"Click the link below to gain access to your account."
HTML-formatted messages can contain links or forms that you can fill out just as you'd fill out a form on a Web site.
The links that you are urged to click may contain all or part of a real company's name and are usually "masked," meaning that the link you see does not take you to that address but somewhere different, usually a phony Web site.
Notice in the following example that resting (but not clicking) the mouse pointer on the link reveals the real Web address, as shown in the box with the yellow background. The string of cryptic numbers looks nothing like the company's Web address, which is a suspicious sign.