Twurdy.com, Search by readability

Twurdy.com has the purpose of providing Google search results that are color coded by readability. Their philosophy is...

Everyone has different reading abilities. Some people searching the web are university professors and others are 5 year old children. Twurdy has been created to provide people with access to search results that suit their own readability level. 

Since it runs off of Google search you can type in the same things that you would type into the search of Google. You'll notice that it takes a little bit longer to see the search results. This is because Twurdy is looking at the level of vocabulary used on the site in order to code it. There are even three different ways that you can search with Twurdy: Just Twurdy, Simple Twurdy, or Twurdy with Pop.

If you're in more of a hurry a Simple Twurdy search may be the best choice, but if you want the results to be the most accurate then Twurdy with Pop may be the way to go. The FAQ page of the Twurdy site contains more information about these different types of searches, as well as more information.

Manage Sign-Ups Easily

www.signupgenius.com seems to offer a pretty convenient service for those of you that need to create or manage group sign-up lists. You do have to create a free account, and then click to "Create a Sign Up". You choose the type that you want from Party or Potluck, Volunteer or People, or a Food or Munchies sign up. You can pick a theme to apply to the sign-up page, enter the dates, and the items that you would like people to sign-up to bring or do. The last step is just to invite participants via email. Easy numbered tabs walk you through all of the steps. Those that you invite will receive an email that links to the site where they can enter there sign-up selections, and you get an easy record of all of it!Visit the How It Works page of the site if you want to learn more. 

Braineos...Online Flashcards & Games

Braineos.com is a place for online flashcards and games that use the flashcards. One of the best things about the site is that many sets of these flashcards have already been created by others and you can easily search the library of existing flashcards on the homepage of the site. If you don't find what you're looking for, just create your own.

To create your own set of flashcards, just click "Go" from the homepage, or if you've conducted your search and don't see what you're looking for click "Login and create your own flashcards!". From here you can login using your account from a variety of sites including Google and Facebook.

Once you're logged in, enter a deck name and then a description and tags if you want. Click "Create" and you're well on your way! You can enter your questions or vocabulary one at a time, or from a list. It's super easy!

Once your list is created or if you're using flashcards that have been created by another user, you can choose which game you want to use with them then click "Play".http://www.braineos.com

Dollar Days from Scholastic Teacher Express

This was just too good of a deal that I felt I had to re-post. Cindy Tucker shared on her blog about one dollar downloadable books from Scholastic Teacher Express. They are downloadable in pdf form so that you can easily view them on your computer.

The Dollar Deals ends on January 31st, so check it out soon if you're interested. For more info please be sure to check out Tucker Tech Talk!

Sweet Search, A Search Engine for Students

Sweet Search is a search engine that was created for students. All of the results that are displayed when a search is conducted have been reviewed by educators, librarians, or other experts. The intention is for students to be able to "find outstanding information, faster". It seems to me that the results are intended to be reliable data for student research. I do not believe that this site is ideal for being your main search engine, but I certainly think that it has a place. I see this site as being a great tool for teaching students about reliable data sources, and for finding reliable data about a topic quickly. More information comparing the search results of Google, Bing and Sweet Search can be found on The Finding Dulcinea Blog. I hope you enjoy!

Need an Alternative for a Piece of Software?

Have you ever found yourself looking for a free or open source version of an expensive piece of software? Maybe you used a piece of software or a website for a long time and loved it, then it changes and you decide you want to try something different?? If either of these scenarios are familiar to you then alternativeto.net could be a very helpful resource. The purpose of this website is to provide alternatives for software, websites, and even phone apps. It's super easy to use, just enter the the name of what you're looking for alternatives to into the search window, then you will see a list of alternatives, many of which are free. You can see the number of people that have "liked" this resource and see comments that people have made about it.

Here I've searched for alternatives to Microsoft Word so you can see a list of different applications that are related. If one is intriguing you can just click it, and then you will find a little more info with a list of alternatives to that application as well. If you want to visit the site, click the link to view the website.

I hope you'll find some great alternatives and explore some new resources...Enjoy!