Teaching Tools: Google Docs Gadgets

I am very new to using Google Docs, but found this nifty gadget within the spreadsheet options... a word search. Maybe it's not super exciting to you, but I thought it was fun. You simply type in the words into cells and highlight them, go to insert gadget, pick the word search one (or one of many other fun options) Then you copy into an HTML page...



and this one is a word study gadget:

Using websites with kids? you need Tizmos.com

I have been focusing a lot on iPads, I know, but this is for you laptop/desktop teachers out there!

There are many sites that offer you the ability to create a homepage with your favorite sites. I chose to use tizmos.com because: 1) it was free 2) it was easy for me 3) it is easy for the kids (each link is represented by an image of the site's homepage).

my public tizmos is found at www.tizmos.com/kgrade   You can make your own, or use mine.

So, on my student's computers I make this the homepage, or on the macs I have put it on the bookmarks bar.  (Delete all of apple's bookmarks by using the two finger click, then chose delete).  Then when I want my students to go to a new site, all I have to do is update my tizmos (copy and paste a link, that's all) and they can easily find it at school (and home too) even if they can't read yet.