Summer Time, and (Google) Forms are Easy

(Sung to the tune of Summer Time and the Livin’ is Easy)

So… this is our last post for the 2015-16 school year.  How quickly it went!

Last week, Theresa wrote about Online Professional Development, and included a link to some brand new, specific-to-Warrior-Run content.  The first available and complete module is on Google Forms.

Forms can be used to collect information (i.e. surveys, polls, RSVPs, voting), to assess student knowledge (i.e. quizzes, short essays, exit tickets), and more!  So let’s turn our thoughts toward summer and take a just-for-fun survey here.  The survey is embedded below, but feel free to share this link with your students too: tinyurl.com/WRsummer

We hope you enjoyed our posts this year.  We’ll be back in August with even more content related to educational technology and our libraries.  Have a salubrious summer!

Online Professional Development

Now that our flex days for the 2016-2017 are official, some people may be considering how best to use this time.  If you are looking for some fresh ideas regarding ed tech, here are some places to start:

Plunge into Tech Summer Webinars

This is a free online summer webinar series by Corwin Connect.  The topics include QR codes, web quests, transforming your classroom, OERs, blended learning, mobile tech, personalized learning, etc.

Discovery Education Webinars

Discovery Education does great online professional development that mostly instruct you on how to implement their tools into the classroom, but really starts with the basics when instructing.  I did one a few years ago and that’s how I learned about BoardBuilder, which is their version of Glogster.

OK2ASK Sessions

These virtual sessions cover more topics than just technology integration.  I already found one that sounds interesting on using ThingLink!  There are others, though, on vocabulary strategies, etc.

WR Online PD

These will cover topics that Liz and I teach regularly when co-teaching with teachers in the district.  These have a beginner, intermediate and advanced level and you can also contact us about doing the training in person.  More will be added throughout the summer and during the school year.

If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions, please contact us!  Have a great rest of your school year.  The end is in sight.

English Language Arts and Educational Technology

This week, we’ll wrap up our theme of edtech in specific content areas.  We will continue sharing exciting, content-related tools, resources, and ideas -- of course!  In recent weeks, we’ve highlighted math, science, elementary classrooms, and social studies.  This week, we focus on ENGLISH and LANGUAGE ARTS.  In the post below, you’ll find TOOLS, RESOURCES, and IDEAS related to ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS and EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY*.  

TOOLS

Noodle Tools

Student research platform with MLA, APA and Chicago/Turabian bibliographies, notecards, outlining.  Students in the middle school use the express version, which allows them to create citations, while students in the high school use the paid subscription, which helps them through every step of the research process, including collaboration with teachers and classmates.

Google Tools for ELA K-12

Steve Wick shares a thorough list of resources that “cross over multiple categories of curricular skills.”  His list includes Chrome extensions, Google Drive Add-Ons, and Drive Apps.

Zaption

Zaption provides free interactive video tools and ready-to-use video lessons to engage learners.  Teachers can search in the gallery, customize videos to meet specific needs, share lesson with others, and track learner data.  EDpuzzle is a similar tool.  Both web tools offer teachers and students access with a Google single sign-on.

RESOURCES

Shmoop: English & Literature

Shmoop’s Learning Guides are like a new-school Cliff’s Notes.  For English Language Arts, students can access learning guides in Literature, Grammar, Poetry, Shakespeare, and more.  Students and teachers can prepare for AP English tests too!  Shmoop offers accounts for teachers and students through Google single sign on.

NEWSELA

Unlimited access to hundreds of leveled news articles and Common Core–aligned quizzes, with new articles every day.  Every article at five (!) levels: Newsela makes it easy for an entire class to read the same content, but at a level that’s just right for each student.

Digital Storytelling

There are many apps and web tools available for digital storytelling -- peruse Kathy Schrock’s page above, or view Christopher Pappas’s list here.  Digital storytelling allows students and teachers to be more interactive in their storytelling.  We know students learn best when they have a combination of words, pictures, and sound, plus many enjoy hands-on activities; it follows that students would be able to SHOW their learning with a combination of these things as well.  Give digital storytelling a try!

IDEAS

Book Talks

For their third independent reading project this year, students in English 9 classes created digital book talks using Sound Cloud.  Students worked independently to write a script, record a book talk podcast to share with everyone, then listen to and comment on their peers’.

App Design Project

After learning about propaganda in Miss Allen’s and Mrs. Cooper’s 8th grade ELA classes, students put those concepts to work.  They developed new apps for electronic devices and advertised them using the persuasive techniques they learned in class.

Storyboarding

In English 10, students read Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.  Afterwards, they created comic strips online, incorporating the themes of friendship and betrayal, set in Ancient Rome, and including Shakespearean English.  Students used Shmoop to unpack literary themes and “translate” into Shakespeare, and shared their storyboards with their peers, who then critiqued.  Mrs. Berry, Mrs. Dalrymple, and Mrs. Travelpiece collaborated in planning and implementing the project.  View student examples here, here, here, and here.

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* Please note, just because technology is new, doesn’t mean it’s always better.  If traditional flashcards work for you and your students, keep using them!  But if StudyBlue could work for you, ask some of your kids to give it a whirl.

Useful tech tips to save time

Based on some recent interactions I’ve had with students and teachers this week, I thought everyone might enjoy learning a few tips that helped someone out.

A student’s browsing history

While working on a research project, I suspected that a student was more off-task than on-task.  I checked his browsing history in chrome and it showed me that he had been opening other assignments for other classes and had not even opened what he was supposed to be working on during that time.  I used this opportunity to re-direct him and get him on task.

To view his browser history, I used the 3 horizontal lines in chrome (aka the hamburger menu) and selected, “History.”  From there I could see all the recently closed tabs and click again for further information.  It will also show from the past few days or sites that are accessed on other pages.  Students are not able to clear their browser history because this option is turned off for student accounts. This can also be helpful if you closed a tab that you need back.

Finding something in Drive/Gmail

Need a file but can’t remember the name?  In the search bar at the end on the right, there is a small triangle with the point facing down.  Click this and it will allow you to choose more options to further filter your search results.  These can include who the item was from, what type of file it is, or if it contained attachments.  This can save you the headache of trying to locate it in your folders (especially if you don’t bother with folders, like me).

Gmail advanced search

Google Drive advanced search

We hope these tips can help save you time or sanity as the end of the year really picks up pace!

Social Studies and Educational Technology

We have shared a lot of “big picture” blogs with you lately, so we narrowed our focus to one content area this week.  In coming weeks, we’ll focus on specific content areas, one at a time.  In recent weeks, we’ve highlighted math, science, and elementary classrooms.  This week, we focus on SOCIAL STUDIES.  In the post below, you’ll find TOOLS, RESOURCES, and IDEAS related to SOCIAL STUDIES and EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY*.  

TOOLS

HSTRY

Create free interactive timelines. Offering a Google single sign on, HSTRY is a free digital learning tool which promotes collaboration and engagement in the classroom.  You can browse and utilize their library of timelines, or you and your students can create your own.  Mrs. Wolfe has used this web tool with her 10th grade World Cultures II students, experiencing exciting results!

Histography

This is an interactive timeline that spans across 14 billion years of history, from the Big Bang to 2015.   The site draws historical events from Wikipedia and self-updates daily with new recorded events.  Users can view decades or eons, specific events or categories.  It was created as an art/design final project.

TimeMaps

TimeMap's World History Atlas is the most comprehensive history atlas available on the internet.  Use it to visit any civilization, nation or empire and see the context, chronology, connections and big pictures of history.  This history atlas makes history easy to visualise and navigate, through both time and place!

RESOURCES

NEWSELA

Unlimited access to hundreds of leveled news articles and Common Core–aligned quizzes, with new articles every day.  Every article at five (!) levels: Newsela makes it easy for an entire class to read the same content, but at a level that’s just right for each student.

Read Like a Historian

Designed by Stanford History Education Group (SHEG), this resource "engages students in historical inquiry."  The site provides lessons that "revolve around a central historical question and feature sets of primary documents designed for groups of students with diverse reading skills and abilities."  It has resources for US History, World History, and Historical Thinking.  From what I saw today, Read Like a Historian seems pretty customizable.  It is interesting resource to build knowledge AND skills in students.

Karpeles Manuscript Library

The Karpeles Library is the world's largest holding of important original manuscripts and documents.  The website allows users to view and read these documents (for free).  So what?  Many original documents are written in elaborate cursive, which is difficult for many to read.  So this archive gives users the digital "translation" alongside the original document. And many of them are interactive!  This seems to be an accessible way for students to access primary sources.  Content includes arts, political history, religion, war, literature, and science.

IDEAS

Infographics for Election 2016

Mr. Shaffer’s and Mrs. Swartz’s 9th and 10th grade history classes created infographics and screencasts to share information on presidential candidates and campaign issues.  This could be done at any level for any topic!

Teaching Social Studies with Technology

Features several ideas for integrating edtech in the social studies classroom.  The first idea is about CoveritLive, a publishing tool that allows users to instantly publish their blog posts, which allows it to serve somewhat like a chat room.  The teacher presents information, and students simultaneously live blog about the content.  (Each comment needs approval, so internet safety is a feature.)

Creating a School Website

Watch how a social studies teacher incorporates into his classroom through traditional and digital literacy skills. (5:00 minute video with additional resources).

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* Please note, just because technology is new, doesn’t mean it’s always better.  If traditional flashcards work for you and your students, keep using them!  But if StudyBlue could work for you, ask some of your kids to give it a whirl.

Useful Chrome Extensions

In a previous post, Liz explained why you should be using Google Chrome if you aren’t already.  Along with Google Chrome, you can add extensions that will extend Chrome’s capabilities.  In the following information, you may find one that can help you get organized, boost your productivity or be more prepared.  Follow the links to add them to chrome.

• Make a screencast with Screencastify or MediaCore.  These are great for making a video for your students on how to do something with the chromebooks.  Students can also use them to create a video presentation on a topic that they have researched.

• Schedule e-mails to send later with Boomerang.  If you want to send an email but don’t want it to go out until a certain day, use Boomerang to tell it when to send.  If you need Boomerang to re-send you an email and move it to the top of your inbox, tell it when to remind you as well.

• Organize your e-mail like a to do list with Sortd.  If your e-mail functions as a checklist of tasks, you’ll like this one that allows you to sort it into different lists, check them off as you complete them, and even add other non-email tasks under 3 different customizable headings.  There’s nothing more satisfying than hitting “DONE!”

• Make a functional home screen in a new tab with Momentum.  This extension will give you the local weather, a to do list, a place to put in your goal for the day and an inspiring photo from around the world to relax you.  Each time you open a new tab in chrome, you will see the photo for the day.

• Quickly save something to the cloud with Save to Google Drive.  Do you see something on a website that you want to save for later?  Click on the icon for this extension and it will quickly save it to your Google Drive for you to use later.

• Look at your calendar for the day without loading the calendar in another tab with Checker Plus.  If you just want to quickly reference something without waiting for the whole calendar to load, this can save you some time.

If you have one to share or I missed one that has changed your life, feel free to send them my way.  If you have questions about using one of these, let us know!

Elementary Classrooms and Educational Technology

We have shared a lot of “big picture” blogs with you lately, so we narrowed our focus to one content area this week.  In coming weeks, we’ll focus on specific content areas, one at a time.  So far, we've highlighted math and science. This week, we focus on ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS.  In the post below, you’ll find TOOLS, RESOURCES, and IDEAS related to the ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM and EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY*.  

TOOLS

Keyboard Shortcuts
This is a very handy list to help your students (and yourself) use your devices efficiently.  The most common shortcuts include:

And in case you were also wondering, “how the heck do I ‘right click’ on a Chromebook,” here ya go:

Google Elementary Apps

From math and science to language arts and typing practice, there are countless Google Apps for elementary students.  If you would like your students to have access to any of these, just email Greg.

Best iPad Apps for Elementary School

For those of you using iPads with your students, here’s a brief list of great educational iPad apps for elementary learners in a variety of subjects.

RESOURCES

Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything: Chromebooks

This page has a TON of links -- while it’s all pretty great, look at the section on “Successful Chromebook Practices.”

Kathy Schrock’s iPads4Teaching

There are a LOT of links on this page -- again, don’t be overwhelmed!  Check out the sections on “Classroom Uses of the iPad” and “Especially for Special Education.”

Empowering Elementary Learners with Technology

Here is a free, view-at-your-leisure webinar on empowering elementary learners with technology.  The slideshow provides even more resources with examples of their use.

IDEAS

Digital Spelling Test

Update a traditional spelling test with a Google Form (click above for a sample).  In addition to spelling practice, students will also get typing practice.  Since Google Forms automatically create a Google Sheet for the responses, you can see the whole class at a glance.  You could take it one step further and grade it using Flubaroo, which would save you time!

Elementary Lesson Plans for Tech Integration

This website “rounds up” great lesson plans for educational technology in the elementary classroom.

Use Twitter as a Personal Learning Network

Twitter has become pretty popular with teachers at Warrior Run -- faculty all over the district use it to share what’s happening in their classrooms and what they’re learning beyond them.  What if YOU (and your students!) used it to connect with other students, other schools, other states, other countries?  Here’s a great explanation on Twitter in the classroom, and here’s a list of 50 ways to use Twitter in the classroom.

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* Please note, just because technology is new, doesn’t mean it’s always better.  If traditional flashcards work for you and your students, keep using them!  But if StudyBlue could work for you, ask some of your kids to give it a whirl.