Week Four-Material Generators

As I reviewed the list of material generators, I found one that I have used extensively. When I start a new unit or chapter, I always make a crossword puzzle using important information from the chapter reading that I assign to my students. I try to use as few bold terms or vocabulary terms as possible from the chapter reading, because I have found that students will scan the pages for these words, and they will not read the entire chapter. I also try to include terms from the sidebars on chapter pages to see if they have read all information. RubiStar is another useful tool that I have used a few times. When I make project assignments (PowerPoints, Pamphlets, etc.), I like to use rubrics for 2 reasons--(1)my students know what I expect up front. There should be no surprises in their grade if they have clearly read and understood the rubric. (2)Rubrics are extremely useful when trying to grade objectively. If students know what the requirements are, they tend to perform better on these assignments. I have never used test generator; however, I am interested in this software site for obvious reasons--saving time! This would be an excellent tool for preparing vocabulary tests or short quizzes. I plan to use this website next school year to save time.