The first of the Microsoft Partners in Learning Tools that I decided to try out in my classroom was the Auto Collage 2008 program.  This program is a free download from Microsoft Partners in Learning.  The download is available here.  After signing up for a FREE Microsoft Partners in Learning account you will be able to download and install the program. 

When you click on the link to install you will see a window, such as the one below, that will open.  Click "Run" to begin the installation of the program.

Once the program has successfully installed you can open it using the desktop shortcut that was created during the installation process.  Upon opening the program it will look similar to this:

On the right hand side of the screen are the controls for the program.  The large black space is where the photo collage will be created.  

Now, look at the bottom of the menu on the right side of the screen.  Under "Image Browser" it lists the folders you have created in your "My pictures" file on the computer.  It will display all the photos that are in your database.

You will need to add the pictures you want for the photo collage to a folder within your "Pictures" folder on your computer.  For this example for my science class I created a new folder and kept it labeled "New folder".  I then selected the "New folder" within Auto Collage and it displayed my photos on the screen.

Now that all the photos you want are on the screen, all you need to do is click "create" at the top, right of the computer program.  The program now automatically moves the photos together and creates a collage of all the photos.  

Here is the example I created for my class of 5th graders.  We are discussing animal adaptations and animal classification.  We used this collage to discuss the adaptations that each of the animals had to survive in their environments.

Microsoft Partners in Learning

In addition to the last resource I shared, Microsoft Math Worksheet Generator, there are many more resources available from Microsoft for use in the classroom.  And, as long as you have Microsoft products, are free for teachers to utilize in their classrooms.

All of these free resources from Microsoft are compiled in one place, Microsoft Partners in Learning.

Below is a sample of some of the resources currently available:

There is also a nice suite available that includes many of the most used applications and resources:

All of these resources are available at:  http://www.pil-network.com/resources/tools

Over the next few days I will be providing a more in depth look at each of these tools as I try them out with my students.

An excellent resource, that I just happened to stumble upon today, is the Microsoft Math Worksheet Generator.  This is a FREE add on to Microsoft that enables teachers to quickly and easily make math worksheets complete with answer key.  The generator takes one sample question, inputted by the teacher, and generates other similar questions and an answer key.  

This add on program from Microsoft, once installed, places a shortcut on the desk top that allows users to access the program.  When you open the generator the first screen you see allows you to input a sample question of your own or choose one from the samples or recent problems.  The opening screen looks like this:

After inputting the sample question and indicating how many problems you would like the generator to create you click "Create" and you get a new worksheet complete with an answer sheet:

Worksheet and Answer Key:

Hopefully this program will benefit you in the classroom and be a good resource for creating practice math problems for your students.  

Introducation

Hey there!  My name is Brian and I am a fifth grade teacher and school based technology specialist.  I have been teaching for four years and working with technology in the education field for 3.

Throughout this blog I will be introducing the new technology tools, websites, resources, and more that I find can be useful to teachers in the classroom.  I hope that by reading this blog you may find some resources that can help you in the classroom.

There will be two parts to my blogs.  First, I will be sharing resources that can be used either by the teacher or by the students that will help academically or with teacher organization.  Second, I will share resources that assist with repair and use of technology resources in the classroom.

I hope you enjoy reading about the many technology resources available to enhance education today!