Category Archives: Tech

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AASL Best Digital Tools 2021: Sora

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.

If you love using Overdrive to check out ebooks and audiobooks from your library, Sora is the version for students!

“The Sora app allows learners to access popular and educational ebooks and audiobooks on any device from any location. Sora allows school librarians to curate their own collections and change the titles during the school year to align with their school’s curriculum and students’ needs. Sora also enables school librarians to support all kinds of readers by providing access to graphic novels and audiobooks paired with text. Sora also enhances reading with a dyslexic font as well as highlights and notes features students can use to complete their tasks.”

Grades: K-12

The Lion’s Roar blog has this student review of the app which details the genres Sora offers, from fiction to history and more. The Learning Counsel has this article about the app and describes how it can be made to fit teacher’s lesson plans and track students reading statistics. And Staying Cool in the Library has this article with Sora tips for both students and teachers!

Watch this 1 min video with a student explaining how she gets the most out of Sora:

Check it Out:, School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Best Digital Tools 2021: Britannica ImageQuest

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 database of curated images does cost money but is a smart choice for students (and even public libraries) who need safe, ad-free, and copyright-cleared images,

“Britannica ImageQuest brings lessons, assignments, and projects to life with the best and broadest oering of curriculum-relevant imagery and digital art materials (symbols, educational illustrations, infographics, flags, and conceptual illustrations), all rights-cleared for educational, non-commercial use. Users have access to over 3.25 million images from more than 60 leading collections.”

Grades: K-12

This article from Ed Tech Impact includes reviews, case studies, and plenty of details about using the ImageQuest program. And this review from School Library Journal offers examples of how the program can be useful to teachers and explains the easiest ways to use the program.

Watch this two minute video to see how the program works!

https://youtu.be/ZzV6TrdlVf8
Check it Out:, Tech

AASL Best Digital Tools 2021: Scratch

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’ve heard great things about Scratch at CMLE! Coding is such an important skill and we love that this app is for younger students (or total newbies!).

“Scratch allows learners and educators to program interactive stories, games, and animations — and share creations with others in the online community.”

Check out this review of Scratch from Common Sense Education which includes feedback from over one hundred teachers who have used the app! In this article, PC Mag says Scratch is their go-to Editor’s Choice when it comes to intro to coding programs. And if you (like me) have a slighter younger student interested in learning to code, check out Scratch JR! PBS Kids even has this app that works with Scratch JR so kids can create games and stories using favorite characters!

Grades: 1-10 (Scratch Jr. K-2)

Students chat in this 2 min video about the ways they enjoy creating with the app!

Check it Out:, School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Best Digital Tools 2021: Copyright & Creativity

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.

Copyright is a big deal and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. If you work in a school library or media center, you might be asked questions or expected to share knowledge about copyright. This FREE resource can help!
Their website has engaging videos, actual feedback from both students and educators, and specific teaching resources for elementary, middle, and high school plus professional development and copyright & distance learning.

Copyright & Creativity is a full suite of free K-12 resources that teach the essentials of copyright and fair use and how they work together to encourage creativity. Resources include in-class lesson plans, plug-n-play lesson slides, learning videos, visual aids, and a professional development course for teachers. Rather than just emphasizing what copyright prohibits, the goal is to offer useful and positive information about what copyright allows and how students can successfully navigate and rely on copyright in their own roles as creators.

Watch this 2 min video to get a sample of the curriculum:

School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Best Digital Tools 2021: Typing.com

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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.

Typing is such an essential skill and this engaging tool makes it fun for students to learn! Plus, it fulfills ISTE and Common Core Standards. If your students like earning badges or winning competitions, they’ll definitely enjoy using this resource!

Grades: K-12

“Typing.com is clean, colorful typing practice for any level  with Common Core and ITSE standards correlations. Scope and Sequence curriculum engages students with gamification opportunities to self-direct towards achievement with class competitions and other games to participate in and badges, stars, and certifications to achieve, print, and share with friends, parents, or colleagues. Class level settings and customizable lesson modules allow educators to  differentiate instruction to accommodate students at any level and pace.”

Common Sense Education has this review of the app and Clever.com gives this overview of the resource which includes many reviews from teachers.

Watch this 4 minute video and learn how to setup the app and use it with your students!