Week 31

CN Elementary Teaching Team,

Here are some highlights from Technology this week:

Week 31 (April 16 – April 20, 2018)

Thursday Giggles:            What do you call a boomerang that doesn't work?
                                      A stick.

OPTIONAL TECH PD:

Eventbrite LINK HERE – April 25

State Testing Guest Site.  Do you want to head into the state test as a child?  As a guest?  Just for practice?  Check out this link.  See if it helps you answer any software/usage questions.  Or, you can examine the complexity of some of the questions for a particular grade level.  LINK HERE.

Image Credits: Screen capture from site (link above).

Screencastify.  This tool is an extension in the Google Chrome store.  You and your students can download it for free.  I tried this out on two student accounts and it worked marvelously.  The on-screen content is saved to their Google Drive.  Make that selection in the settings panel (where you want to save the file that is).  Then, as the children take a screen capture of anything on screen, they can share that video with you in Google Classroom.  You can explore their thinking as they explain how they came up with an answer. “I used the repeated additional strategy to solve this problem.  The answer is _____.  I know this answer is correct because _____.”  Or, you can share out these ideas in a future Google Classroom lesson.  Kids teaching kids!  How awesome is that?

Image Credits: Screen capture from site (link above).

Clothesline Math. Now, this might not sound all that fantastic, at first.  But, trust me on this one.  It’s pretty cool.  Technology integrated?  Yes.  A link to Desmos is provided where the children use math strategies to solve a multi-step equivalent strand.  Algebra and complex math understanding?  Yes!  Integrated how-to videos?  Yes.  Pre-done tech tools ready to go?  Yes.  Explore some of the FREE videos that cover the ideas you are teaching and see if this tool will work for your classroom.  Push a few out to Google Classroom.  Have the children explore their metacognition in a Google Doc.  Have them submit a Screencastify explaining how they came up with the answer and why it’s correct. 

Image Credits: Screen capture from site (link above).

Image Credits: Screen capture from site (link above).

Google Tone. When you’re in meetings you usually say, “Let me email you that link.”  No more.  You can be more awesome than that!  Download Google Tone.  This is available in the Chrome Store as an extension.  Now, you can send a link with a chime.  A small tone will go out through your speakers.  All computers right near yours that can hear the tone will receive a badge-like notification (those adjacent computers must have Google Tone installed as well).  Sharing just got easier.  Make sure your microphone is ON (might be the F4 button on your computer).  Happy sharing! LINK HERE.

Image Credits: Screen capture from site (link above).

Kindly,

Week 30

CN Elementary Teaching Team,

Here are some highlights from Technology this week:

Week 30 (April 9 – April 13, 2018)

Thursday Giggles:            How do you keep a bagel from getting away?
Put lox on it.

OPTIONAL TECH PD:

Eventbrite LINK HERE – April 25

Kagan.  It’s not very techy, but here’s some information about an up-coming Kagan conference that’s coming to Fresno.  Let me caution you: it’s the same time as CUSD Boot Camp.  I’m a bit partial to both, honestly.  If you haven’t been introduced to Kagan strategies yet, I am a fan.  It’s a conference you’ll enjoy!  MORE INFO HERE.

Google Sites.  Do you have a published website that you only want shared out with a handful of people?  Google now lets you do that.  Check out the features here in this drop-down menu (image below).

Image credits: LINK HERE.

Google Drive Advanced Search Features.  Google revamped their search tools.  You can now specify the folder where you want to perform a search.  See the option in the drop-down menu below.

Image Credits: LINK HERE.

Free Fonts.  Classroom newsletter, yearbook pages, handouts, documents, PowerPoints, graphic design work, posters…are you in search of new and interesting fonts?  The two sites that I use the most are www.dafont.com and 1001 Free Fonts.  When you download the file, you will need to extract the content from the zipped folder.  Next, drag and drop the font files to your fonts folder.  I use the window button and the S key to search for my fonts folder.  Then, I drag and drop only the important files over to that folder.  Bam!  Now you have a ton more fonts to use to make things more interesting, eye-catching, or beautiful.

Image credit: screen capture from www.dafont.com.

Make a jpg out of anything.  To make some of the jpg files that you see here in this email (or on the blog), I add content to a Word document, then I use the Snipping Tool.  Use Window + S and search for Snipping Tool.  Click New.  Then cast a rectangle (or a square) around the bit you want to save.  Once the item has been “snipped” I then save that snipped bit as a file to my computer.  You don’t have to be a Photoshop expert to put together a cute image.  

Kindly,

Week 29

CN Elementary Teaching Team,

Here are some highlights from Technology this week:

Week 29 (April 2 – April 6, 2018)

Thursday Giggles:            Why should you never fly with Peter Pan?
Because you'll never, never land.

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.

Rocketbook. This tool can be copied and recreated.  It does not have to be purchased.  Would you like to make PDF files of your teaching notes and instantly send a copy of those notes to Google Drive?  Locate the FREE app HERE.  The website is HERE.  Rocketbook and the code-attached frame can help you do that.  During our last TOSA meeting, we took poster-sized foam boards and made our own.  Now, I can attach it to any whiteboard (using the magnets we attached to the back) and snap an image of anything I teach.  The jewels on the bottom of the page let me choose the destination: email, GIF, jpg, pdf, Google Drive (and specific folder), OneNote, Slack, iCloud, or a shared Google Drive folder.  Lots of destinations to choose from.  I can share out in a Team Folder the tools/strategies I used in a lesson smoothly and instantly.

Image Credits: Screen capture from website.

Image Credits: THIS BLOG

Audio Files.  Are you in search of FREE audio files to use for content understanding and SBAC prep?  Studies Weekly has a button that will let you download their audio files for personal use.  See the button illuminated below.  And, Wonderopolis does the same thing.  You can download their files as well (see image below).  Time for Kids (digital magazine) had a download audio file button as well.  Attach these files to Google Classroom or Google Forms for assignments or assessments.  Don’t buy them.  Don’t make them.  Use them.  File too long?  Want to edit it?  Use AudioTrimmer.com to shrink the file size so that the audio bit is smaller (45 seconds and not 3 minutes).

Image Credit: Screen capture from Studies Weekly.

Image Credit: Screen capture from Wonderopolis article.

Kindly,