How to Build Your Own Search Engine

This evening I hosted a webinar for a school district in Florida. One of the many topics that we covered was building a custom search engine for elementary school students to use. If you have ever wanted to build your own search engine, the directions contained in the slides and videos below will get you started on the right path.


If you would like a copy of these slides open the slide editor then select "file, make a copy." You will have to be logged into your Google Account to make the copy.

Sight Words - Create Vocabulary Games and Flashcards

Sight Words is a service that provides vocabulary flashcards and games designed for K-3 students. On the site you can find pre-made flashcards and pre-made vocabulary games. All of the the flashcards and games are PDFs that you print to use offline.

In addition to the pre-made flashcards and games Sight Words offers templates for creating your own printable flashcards and games. Most of the games on Sight Words include detailed directions and videos on how to utilize the game in your lessons. The video on Sight Words Fly Swat is embedded below.

Prezi Is Now Available on Android Devices - Present Remotely

Cross-posted from my other blog, Android4Schools.com.

The popular presentation tool Prezi has released a new Android app. The new app allows you to access all of the presentations in your Prezi account. You can view your presentations and present them remotely from your Android phone or tablet.

The remote presentation option in Prezi Android works the same way as it does in Prezi for iPad. To present remotely select "present remotely" in your presentation's sharing options. Prezi will generate a remote sharing link that you should then distribute to your audience. Through that link your audience can follow your slides on their laptops, iPads, or Android devices. When you move the slides, the slides move on the devices being used by the members of your audience.

Applications for Education
Using remote presentation services like that available through Prezi's new Android app is a good way to keep your students on the same slide that you're projecting. Likewise, remote presentation services provide a good way for students to share with classmates.

H/T to The Next Web.

Google Announces Steps to Clean Up Blogger

If you log into your Blogger account today you will notice a new message from Google about adult content. Clicking the link in that message will take you to Google's new policy about posting adult content on Blogger blogs. The new policy will take effect on March 23rd. The new policy bars posting adult content on public Blogger blogs.

One of the long-standing problems with using Blogger in schools is that school district web filters have often blocked it because Google has allowed Blogger to be used to host adult-only content. Hopefully, this policy change by Google will clean-up Blogger and make it easier for schools to use. Blogger provides one of the easiest ways to create blogs, especially if your school is using Google Apps for Education.