Month: April 2016

If you’ve always wondered about writing your own book, digitally publishing and sharing it, and maybe even getting it printed, there are simple, free ways to produce professional-looking results. Online publishing can sound like a daunting project and maybe you are not exactly an expert with your computer.

Relax, you don’t need to be an expert at digital publishing to create an amazing book online.

Creating a digital book is easier than you might imagine.

Today, publishing a digital book is simple enough that just about anyone can do it. There are several options online that will help you create your digital book, but if you are looking for impressive, professional looking results, while still being free and easy to navigate, Bookemon.com is the perfect solution.

Bookemon is a great website for basically anyone who has dreamed of creating a book (great for educators looking for a new writing or reading project). This site guides you into the digital age where you can publish, read, share books online, or choose to buy printed copies. The best part? Creating and sharing your digital book is free, and there is no obligation to buy printed copies unless you wish to.

According to educatorstechnology.com, Bookemon ranks high in ease and quality, and is “a personal, digital and professionally printed book creation and sharing utility.”

So no need to know any HTML coding or any other advanced technological wizardry. You create your book by uploading your written documents, graphics, and photos and lay them out on one of the predesigned book templates.

Essentially, the work is whittled down to a few clicks and simply dragging photos where you want them on the page. It is that simple. You get to use this free platform, find free tools to create your books, and also host them right on the Bookemon site.

Publishing a digital book online is simple to do, free, and fun.

Basic Steps to Create a Digital Book

Bookemon’s All-Purpose Online Book Creator lets you create your own books using any combination of Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, photos, text, and graphics, so you can easily turn your writings, blogs, drawings, images, documents and variety of content into a professional quality digital book to share online, or a printed book if you choose.

How it works:

• You should write the content (whether it is a story, comic book, photobook, cookbook, whatever you imagine) and have it saved in a Word document, PDF, PowerPoint file, jpg photo, text, or graphic program.

• Next step is logging on to the Bookemon website and creating a free account.

• Then, choose a template to create your book in.

• Now you simply upload your Word, PDF document, PowerPoint- whatever method you saved the content, and it will be added into the book exactly as you have created. For example, your title header and the page numbers you have on those pages will appear exactly as they are in your document.

To use a page from your uploaded document as the cover page (or any other specific pages you want to create), here are the steps:

1. On the bottom of the builder, there are page thumbnails. The very first one on the left is the Front Cover and the last page is the Back Cover. Click on the Front or Back Cover page.
2. Under the document library on the left panel, click on the Open folder icon of the document with the page you want to use.
3. Click to select the page in the document to replace the current Front Cover page.

You can follow the procedure above to replace other pages in the book besides the front and back covers. Move content to the exact page you want them to appear. Here are a few more tips:

• To add photos to your book pages, you have to first use an “Upload” function in the book making program. After you have uploaded your photos, they will be shown as icons in a “Photo Library”. Simply drag the photos from your photo library onto the page or into an Image box.

• Finally, adjust and customize the pages by choosing the font from the menu of options. You may also want to add some pizazz to your pages from a selection of clip art.

• Once you have finished your book on Bookemon, you can share it a digital book online, through social media, or email, or you can choose to order copies of it to be printed.

Today, creating a digital book is simple, fun, and free! This site provides endless possibilities to create virtually any type of book with no obligation to buy. You can tell your story with a photobook, or create a custom book and have your child be a character in it, or even create your own cookbook.

There are so many possibilities and types of books you can make and share online and getting started is simple, fun, and it costs you nothing to give it a try.

For many generations, a yearbook has been the ideal way preserve a year full of momentous occasions, friendships, school involvement, and cherished moments. Your story is told mostly through photos, but the captions and special notations play a big supporting role in sharing the entire journey you experienced that school year.

Preserve special classroom moments by creating your own yearbook.

What if there is no yearbook at your school that will preserve these memories? Fear-not, creating a yearbook is actually a fun and easy (yes, really- it is easy!) project that anyone can do, thanks to online digital software.

Whether you are an educator, a PTO mom looking for a project, or a student wanting to get creative with your memories, there are websites that can help you produce an amazing yearbook. The best part is you can create your yearbook for free on websites like Bookemon.com and then share pages from them through email or social media. You can also choose to purchase copies of your professionally published yearbook to cherish for a lifetime.

So, it costs no money to try and it’s so easy, an elementary school class could create their own yearbook masterpiece? Yes! In fact, according to educational-freeware.com, Bookemon’s software really takes all the guesswork out of the layout and design process, offering 17 different yearbook templates to choose from and fun clipart to add to your pages.

Essentially, you make the yearbook in 5 easy steps:
1) Sign up for a free account.
2) Pick your yearbook template.
3) Upload the photos to the pages you select.
4) Upload your photo captions and any written notations.
5) Choose to add any clip art to the pages of your yearbook. It is simple!

The basic pages you may choose to create for your yearbook could include:
• Cover
• Introduction or dedication and index (pictures optional)
• Teachers
• Students
• Awards (pictures optional)
• Activities or Clubs (music programs, sports, field trips, prom)
• Photo (montage)
• Signature (pictures optional)

Here are a few creative yearbook ideas you can try:

• Upload photos of everyone in your class, and let them write their own caption about who they are, and what their favorite things about the school year include.

• Include photos from special dances, plays, concerts or field day activities. Remember to identify everyone in the photo so you remember these fun moments for a lifetime.

• Include photos of the school staff and teachers and write a small caption about why they were the best, made people laugh, made a difference to the school, or were memorable.

• Get signatures from every classmate (in dark ink) on a piece of paper. Scan the page and save it into a pdf file and then upload it as a cover page.

• Create a favorite memory page and let classmates write a paragraph about their favorite moment or memory from the school year. Save in a word document to upload to the page and choose different fonts for each entry to make each truly unique.

• Create a superlatives page where you share photos of classmates voted to be: “class clown”, “happiest attitude”, “most athletic”, and “most likely to … ” just for example. Add relatable clip art to make the pages extra fun!

Include photos from sport activities, dances, drama club and anything that inspires a smile.

Creating your own yearbook is a creative and fun way to cherish the school year and the friendships made along the way. With free software that allows for endless possibilities to publish virtually any type of book, designing a professional-looking yearbook is now simple. Try it out for free today, and create a keepsake you will treasure for a lifetime.

Anyone can cook, but some people seem to have a natural gift for it. Do friends and family always ask you for your prized recipes? Then you might be one of those home cooks whose recipes should be preserved.

Perhaps you have them written down on recipe cards, or maybe they are just stored in your memory, but think about how important it is to be able to hand-down those recipes to your children and grandchildren!

Get your recipes beautifully preserved with online book publishing made simple and affordable.

Or perhaps share them as a gift to special friends or family (your biggest culinary fans), for birthdays, holidays, or a bridal shower. A cookbook that compiles your successful culinary creations and all the old favorite family recipes makes for a meaningful and amazing gift.

Yes, it sounds challenging, but it is actually very simple, affordable, and fun to make a real, polished, professional-looking cookbook, complete with pictures.

There are websites online that practically do it for you, like Bookemon, one of the first of its kind that allow consumers to create and print professional looking books. It offers free digital book-making software that allows endless possibilities yet, makes this project simple and affordable to print your creations.

Here are the steps you take and things to consider along the way to publishing your cookbook:

• First you create a free account, and then choose from one of the provided book templates to lay out your book.
• Next, upload your content from PDF, Word, or JPG files. You will be able to customize the pages and include your own photos or drawings to accompany the text.
• Not enough photos? There is also clip art you can use to really dress up the pages where you may lack photos.
• According to an article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), in which they tested various book publishing sites for their ease, capabilities, and affordability, Bookemon was unsurpassed.”There are more than 150 color choices for text and background, and 20 different fonts,” the article stated. “We could pick from seven cookbook templates and could also opt for an open template to create a book of our own design.”Bookemon also scored high with the WSJ writers since recipes can be pasted, scanned in or typed, and pages can be rearranged in any order.”For example, we could alternate between one page for a recipe and another for a photo, or we could have two pages of recipes followed by one photo. The site is easy to use,” the article stated.

  When choosing your content, you need to think about which recipes are your favorite; which ones are people always raving about or asking for? You should also decide if the cookbook is going to be more specific, like “pasta dishes” or “decadent deserts”.

  To really make the book easy to follow for your readers, and professional looking, follow the same format for each recipe. For example:

• List of ingredients, with measurements
• Any preheat instructions
• Step-by-step of how-to make it
• Time it takes to prepare, general cooking time
• You’ll probably want to include photos of your recipes if possible, or maybe take some photos of the ingredients required. If your recipe came from your grandmother’s kitchen, perhaps include a photo of her and make the book really personalized. The possibilities are endless when you make your own cookbook.
  Take your own photos or use clever clip art from Bookemon to illustrate your recipes.Once you have designed your cookbook, you can share it with family and friends via email or social media, or you can purchase copies as gifts. No purchase is required, but you will be so impressed with your work, you will even want a copy for yourself!

  Publishing your own cookbook is a great way to organize and preserve your recipes into a treasured heirloom or gift. Friends and family will thank you, so click here to get started today!

Teachers face a myriad of challenges in today’s classrooms. There are numerous disruptive distractions that are fueled by things like cell phones, iPods, or other digital devices.

The stealth use of electronics in a classroom is only trumped only by students who enjoy socializing a bit too much–and there are of course those students that have legitimate learning or developmental disabilities, which make it challenging at best when it comes to staying focused in class.

Maintaining the attention of students requires strong classroom management strategies.

What is the best management strategy for a classroom of students? How does a teacher maintain the upper hand and ensure students are engaged and learning the required curriculum? The key is implementing an effective strategy to keep students focused and on task throughout their entire time in the classroom.

The First Step to Better Student Focus

Teaching is not possible if your students have digital distractions in hand, so before you even begin, as soon as students settle into class, you should create a way to ensure that all devices are put away.

Some teachers have created a “cubby” system of sorts (essentially, name-labeled small storage spaces) where each student must place their cell phones and any other devices as they enter the classroom. They may not reclaim their phone or device until class is over. Getting the devices out of the students’ hands allows the teacher to fully engage students and maintain student focus throughout the class.

Classroom Management Strategies

Once a teacher has his or her students’ undivided attention, it is time to focus on the current lesson plan, but there are other challenges that arise when it comes to keeping the upper hand and general classroom management.

Here are a few ideas to try:

• Communicate and Maintain Authority: Many teachers discover that how well they maintain their authority over the classroom has much to do with the way that they communicate with their students in class. It is important to not to yell, but use a natural speaking voice. Remain silent and in control until students are quiet and do not hesitate to use non-verbal communication, like making eye contact with a student who is chatting or distracted. Some teachers explain from the beginning of the year that certain hand signals or them turning the lights on and off are signals for students to quickly quiet down and pay attention.

• Set Expectations and Routines: It is vital to establish expectations and a natural flow to each class period. Schedules that are chaotic often will open the door to student distractibility. Students will (for the most part) self-regulate to stay on task if they have structured routines, activities, and procedures that they know how to follow. Students feel more in control and tend to stay more focused when they know exactly what they need to do and that it is expected of them to do it.

• Address Behavior Issues Right Away: A vital part of maintaining your authority is dealing with behavior issues immediately and with the correct approach. Never engage in an escalating argument with a student and don’t allow the issue to be entertainment for the class. Pull the student aside or out in the hall and ask questions rather than make accusations about what just transpired in the classroom. If there is a conflict with two or more students, meet with them during a break or after school to discuss what occurred. It is important to serve as a mediator in this situation. Speak calmly in a neutral, non-accusing language. The tone of voice a teacher uses can lead toward a more peaceful resolution where all students feel heard and understood.

• Always be constant with consequences: Establish rules and fully explain the consequences for breaking those rules. Then, always follow through to implement and enforce what you established.

• Utilize Interactive Learning Projects: One solution to satisfying the digital demand students feel vying for their attention is for teachers to implement the technology into classroom lessons and projects. There are many interactive learning components that engage students in a way that makes learning seem more like creative fun.
  For example, a writing project that includes publishing students’ work into a real book. Studies show that kids who learn how to write their own stories well, also develop methods to better organize their thoughts, and even communicate better. Writing skills lead to better reading and comprehension skills, and all of this adds up to greater success for the students involved.

If students love electronic devices, make them a part of the learning process.

There are a few publishing options out there for educators to use for free, and students do best with a format that is easy to use, like Bookemon.com, one of the first to cater to teachers with a special edCenter, which allows students to write, create, and publish their own book with impressive, professional results.

Students can publish works of fiction, non-fiction, a memoir or even a comic book. Even class photos can be preserved into a keepsake book for purchasing. The free software provides endless possibilities to publish virtually any type of book.

This is one of the best creative tools for gifted students to go above and beyond regular curriculum. Even older students can write and include images to create and share books of any length. Any independent research or writing project can become an interactive book. Even advanced science experiments and lab reports can be shared online using this tool. Inspire your gifted students to create literary magazine or even a personal online “portfolio” of writing, artwork, or photography presented in interactive book form.

Commenting via TeachersFirst, an online community dedicated to educators, one Pennsylvania teacher who tried it with her own class stated, “This is one of my all-time favorite creative tools. Very versatile. Great for making “buddy books” or for teacher-created learning “books.” I even use it personally to make free online “gifts” for children I know. I did purchase one print version, and it looked great.”

Taking Control

What most experienced educators say is that effective classroom management and keeping students focused is possible if you focus on communication and authority, addressing behavior issues head-on, being consistent with consequences, and implementing interactive learning activities.

Essentially, maintain control in respectful ways and tap into learning opportunities that are geared for what students are excited by in this digital age. Try it out with a creative, digital project today by implementing a writing and publishing activity, and see how students engage and maintain focus.