All posts by Angie

Check it Out:, School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Best Digital Tools 2021: Wakelet

AASL released its list of Best Digital Tools for Teaching and Learning 2021! This year’s list took into special consideration how well these tools work for remote/distance students. The resources enhance learning and encourage the following qualities:

  • Innovation/Creativity
  • Active Participation
  • Collaboration
  • User-Friendly
  • Encourages Exploration
  • Information/Reference

We share these resources every year and you can explore our archive of past recommendations here.

We’re looking at the resource Wakelet this week! It is a FREE tool that this article from Infused Classroom describes as “a more powerful version of Pinterest.” Some ideas for using Wakelet are as a classroom newsletter, making how-to tech videos, or showcasing student portfolios. You can check out this Wakelet all about using Wakelet in the classroom! Common Sense Education has this review of the resource and Free Tech for Teachers has these ideas for classroom activities using Wakelet.

Educators can use Wakelet to “create visual, engaging learning environments for learners. With Wakelet, educators can quickly display any kind of content found on the web, through beautiful looking collections that can be presented and shared with whoever you like. School Librarians can use Wakelet to increase engagement with their students through book reviews, assignments, digital storytelling, reading lists and much more.”

Grades: K-12

Here’s a four minute video that’s a teacher’s guide to using Wakelet:

Check it Out:, School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Best Digital Tools 2021: New American History

AASL released its list of Best Digital Tools for Teaching and Learning 2021! This year’s list took into special consideration how well these tools work for remote/distance students. The resources enhance learning and encourage the following qualities:

  • Innovation/Creativity
  • Active Participation
  • Collaboration
  • User-Friendly
  • Encourages Exploration
  • Information/Reference

We share these resources every year and you can explore our archive of past recommendations here.

This week, New American History makes teaching and learning history a more involved and relevant experience! Definitely check out the Educators Learning Resources page with searchable topics and learning strategies, plus you can see which lessons are trending.
Topics include resources like historical and/or interactive maps, links to reliable articles, graphic organizers, and more.

Grades: 4-12

New American History “helps educators and learners preparing to do research (including their National History Day projects!), develop cross-curricular Project-Based Learning opportunities, develop station based learning experiences, teach students skills to evaluate print and digital resources, and recommend high-quality tools and resources for inquiry-based learning.”

This article from the Washington Post explains why the resource New American History is so important, especially when it comes to teaching students about racial injustice. And this article about the resource from the University of Richmond gives some background information and explains why it is especially useful during times of distance learning.

This video (23 minutes) is a bit long but does get into detail about the resources and shares strategies for getting the most out of its tools:

Check it Out:, School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Best Digital Apps 2021: WWF Wild Classroom

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AASL released its list of Best Digital Tools for Teaching and Learning 2021! This year’s list took into special consideration how well these tools work for remote/distance students. The resources enhance learning and encourage the following qualities:

  • Innovation/Creativity
  • Active Participation
  • Collaboration
  • User-Friendly
  • Encourages Exploration
  • Information/Reference

We share these resources every year and you can explore our archive of past recommendations here.

This week we’re exploring a very cool resource: from the World Wildlife Fund, the Wild Classroom! On their Teaching Resources page, you can find so many ways to engage your students: from Wildlife Arts and Crafts to a whole Lesson Library! They have a Biodiversity Toolkit, ideas for conservation in the classroom, a Workout Your Wild Side activity, and a Find Your Inner Animal quiz! (In case you were curious, I got Warthog, and yes the quiz was very fun!)

Grades: K-12

The WWF Wild Classroom resource “contains a variety of resources that educators and librarians can use with youth to inspire them to help protect the planet. The platform contains activity plans, digital reference materials (including videos and kid-friendly scientific articles), virtual engagement opportunities with World Wildlife Fund experts, online games, and project ideas of ways to get involved in their community. All of the materials are free to access and integrate a range of educational standards, including Next Generation Science and Common Core ELA/Math.”

EdSurge has this evaluation of the resource, and Kahoot! has teamed up with Wild Classroom to create new games for students to learn about biodiversity! Check those out here.

To get an idea of the type of content Wild Classroom offers, watch this 3 minute video on polar bears (I learned so much!)

Check it Out:

Join CMLE at our Upcoming Event!

CMLE is so excited to be hosting an in-person event at the Stearns History Museum!

Join us on Saturday, Oct. 9th anytime between 9:30am and 1:30pm. We’ve reserved the meeting room at the History Museum for this event. You can explore museum exhibits, get VR training, reserve VR kits for your school, chat with other library folks, and more!

Feel free to bring your family and stay as long as you are able. This is a relaxed event; we’re just looking forward to getting together again!

Please RSVP below. If you’d like to reserve ClassVR kits for your school library, let us know the number you’d like to pickup and we will bring them to the event for you.

Attending?(required)

Check it Out:, CMLE

Coming Next Month: CMLE’s Fall Member Event!

We are SO excited to be hosting a real in-person event for our members! Join us at the Stearns History Museum on Saturday, Oct. 9th from 9:30am – 1:30pm. We’ll have our ClassVR kits available for checkout and training, have information on our Extended Mini Grant Program, plus light refreshments and of course, the History Center to explore!

We’ve reserved the meeting room at Stearns (definitely explore their website too for some fascinating local history!) and invite you to bring your family as well! This event is relaxed, so please join us and depart as your schedule permits.

It’s been SO long since CMLE has been able to safely provide in-person member events for our library community and we are SO looking forward to this!

Please RSVP below. If you’d like to reserve ClassVR kits for your school library, let us know the number you’d like to pickup and we will bring them to the event for you.

Attending?(required)

We can’t wait to see you!
Questions?
Ask Angie at ajordan (at) cmle.org or admin (at) cmle.org.

See you on October 9th!

Stearns History Museum
235 33rd Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301