Week 27

Here are some highlights from Technology this week:

Week 27 (March 12 – March 16, 2018)

Thursday Giggles:            Why do hummingbirds hum?
Because they can't remember the words.

OPTIONAL TECH PD:

Eventbrite LINK HERE – April 11
Eventbrite LINK HERE – April 25

Future PD.  As I plan my 2018-2019 calendar, what sessions would you like me to host?  Take just a minute to let me know HERE.

Blogs to Follow.  Are you looking for more ways to use technology in the classroom?  Or, would you like to diversify the usefulness of the tools you are currently using?  See if any of these blogs are worth following.  I trust that you will find some helpful and innovative tools here.  LINK HERE.

Image Credit: Screen capture from site.  Link above.

Digital Literacy.  Now, at the start of the year I took several teachers through a series of Digital Citizenship lessons with their students.  I recommend that Digital Literacy and Digital Citizenship lessons be repeated and revisited a few times during the year.  We all need repetition.  Here is a good tool from Common Sense Media on Digital Literacy.  This particular tool is great for grades 5 and 6 (but it can be showcased and introduced earlier for sure).  LINK HERE.

Image Credit: Screen capture from video.  LINK HERE.

Photoshop for Free.  (Well, not really…but sorta.)  Online you can find a Photoshop equivalent by the name of GIMP.  If you are into digital graphic design/manipulation, but you don’t want to spend money on Photoshop, see if this free equivalent will work for you.  LINK HERE.

Image Credit: Screen capture from site.  Link above.

Prevent Cheating.  So how do we prevent cheating in a digitally active community?  Children can take a picture of their homework and send it as text message to 10 of their friends.  Students can copy their essay and share it with others via Google Classroom.  How can you, teacher, stay on top of all this sharing?  I encountered a video the other day that tackles this very issue.  It’s about an hour long (I watched it in 2.0 speed and skipped a few slow bits); it took me less than 30 minutes to watch the whole thing.  A few bits are outdated already, but the meat of this video is really helpful.  I encourage my 4^th – 6^th grade teachers to watch this.  It will showcase a few ideas that are very helpful.  VIDEO LINK HERE.

STEM Education and Robotics.  Here’s a podcast that includes an additional video.  Are you curious about how to include robots into the general education instruction?  How does it fit?  Why get involved in this?  These two videos will help you troubleshoot/navigate/investigate/explore how to make this happen.  Aren’t sure how to pull in the unengaged student?  The disinterested student?  Explore this tool and see how these students light up and dive in!  Construct a secondary lesson where you type up your analysis or design a video that summarizes your investigation and discovery.  Graphic design?  Construct a poster that teaches other students how to reach the same end goal you did.  What hurtles did you have to overcome?  Discuss those.  LINK HERE.  

CUSD Laptop Program.  The district put together a short video that replaces the hour-long Parent Information Night (students exiting grade 6 and entering junior high).  This video showcases the laptop options for children if they wish to purchase a CUSD-provided laptop for their child (in the junior high season).  For my sixth-grade teachers: wait for the district to push this out, but feel free to connect with parents who may be curious.  Purchasing website LINK HERE. VIDEO LINK HERE.

Kindly,