- Using washable cups and beautiful handmade ceramic plates
- Recycling paper scraps, old copies, etc.
- Sending snack scraps to the worm bin
- Sending emails and making phone calls in place of paper mail and photocopies when possible
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Greener Pastures: Tiny steps to reduce waste make a big difference
The Raindrop Preschoolers & Toddlers have taken several steps to reduce the amount of classroom waste headed for the landfill including:
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Make free interactive digital books online!
At CAST's Universal Design for Learning Bookbuilder website, anyone can make free online digital books/media presentations that include up to three animated characters with auto-generated text-to-voice functions. The presentations can include images, audio files, and formatted text and have pagination built in.
This tool was originally developed in support of reading comprehension and is often used to prompt readers to think critically about a text based on research-based comprehension strategies that are at the forefront of best practices in school-based reading instruction. However, it has many other uses, including documenting fieldtrips and making books more accessible to the visually impaired through text aloud features. Bookbuilder was designed and disseminated by the Center for Applied Special Technology.
Click on the post title to visit Bookbuilder, view sample books, and sign up for a free account. You can even download any of the books free of charge to use on your computer offline.
Check out The Fall Book of Colors for an example of how this technology can be used as a shared reading activity for younger children. Bookbuilder would also be a great way to help children design their own digital books and presentations. BTW- all of CAST's tools and websites are completely AD FREE!
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This tool was originally developed in support of reading comprehension and is often used to prompt readers to think critically about a text based on research-based comprehension strategies that are at the forefront of best practices in school-based reading instruction. However, it has many other uses, including documenting fieldtrips and making books more accessible to the visually impaired through text aloud features. Bookbuilder was designed and disseminated by the Center for Applied Special Technology.
Click on the post title to visit Bookbuilder, view sample books, and sign up for a free account. You can even download any of the books free of charge to use on your computer offline.
Check out The Fall Book of Colors for an example of how this technology can be used as a shared reading activity for younger children. Bookbuilder would also be a great way to help children design their own digital books and presentations. BTW- all of CAST's tools and websites are completely AD FREE!
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About CAST
CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning.
Founded in 1984 as the Center for Applied Special Technology, CAST has earned international recognition for its innovative contributions to educational products, classroom practices, and policies. Its staff includes specialists in education research and policy, neuropsychology, clinical/school psychology, technology, engineering, curriculum development, K-12 professional development, and more.
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