Extra spaces (or replacing anything)

Alice Keeler recently shared a blog post on the elimination of the extra spaces after a period. (While I used to do this when I used a typewriter in the olden days, I’ve stopped that process now).  Her suggestion is not only for extra spaces but for anything you would like to replace.See what Control F can do for you!

Happy Valentine’s Day

It’s not too early to start planning- here are some ideas from Storyboardthat.

Have you used the G Suite Camera?

Here’s a block post from Alice Keeler filled with suggestions on how your students can use the camera feature to document their thought and work processes.  Please click here to read her post.

Tools for Watching Videos

In this SOS “Pause and Play”, you will find suggestions for helping student get more out of video segments.

Black History Resources

In this week’s featured sites at TeachersFirst, you will find a variety of sites for Black History month. There is a special emphasis on Jackie Robinson that will appear to fans of all ages.

Make a slide for each student

Let’s say you want to make a group slide presentation.  There will be one slide for each student.  You could create one slide- and then let the students copy.  Or you could use this Google Sheet Add-On from Alice Keeler.  You create a spreadsheet, use the add-on, add your roster and it will generate a slide for every student (and their name is already on it)!  Please click here for her post and the directions.

More Math Sites

Looking to for something new in math?  Check out this list from Richard Byrne (Free Technology for Teachers) on 10 Math resources for both teachers and students.

Google Drawing Ideas

Richard Byrne has a list of 7 ideas with Google Drawings.  I will admit it is a Google tool I don’t use enough. Maybe my next project...

SOS for Mathematical Thinking

Here’s a blog post from Discovery Education on the SOS (Spotlight on Strategies) on Mathematical Thinking.  How could this help your students?

HyperDoc for high school biology

HyperDocs are really digital lesson plans- they offer student choice and provide independence.  Here are a series of high school Biology lessons from Charlotte Crane.

Search within a single folder

You remember what folder you put it in- and now you can search the folder!  Please see Alice Keeler’s directions here.

The degrees of separation Google

Richard Byrne  (Free Technology for Teachers)  shared a new Google application here- X degrees of Separation.  You can select two pieces of artwork and then explore their connections.  While this is a great fit for Art History, I think you will find other classroom applications.

Want to add music to your slides?

Here’s an interesting add-on (from Richard Byrne’s Free Technology for Teachers) that will allow you to add a musical selection to your Google Slides.  Using an add-on (and music that you have previously downloaded), you can have a soundtrack to your slide presentation.

Not sure where to get copyright free music?  Check out Richard’s other post here.

Participate in the Technology Olympics!

The talented Jenn Wagner is hosting a teacher/student tech Olympics.  Why not use this as a chance to stretch your tech skills.

Please click here for the website for additional information and to sign up.  The Tech Olympic
Games run from 2/9-2/25 for grades PreK-6.

Use Google Drawings with links

While I have not been a huge Thinglink user (a site that allows you to add links to images), I was interested  in the changes they have made.  According to Richard Byrne (Free Technology for Teachers in his post here), there are changes in student access and he suggests using Google Drawings as a replacement. There is a short YouTube video (below) that will walk you through the process.He also shared a link to additional ways to use Google Drawings in class. You can then have them share their work in classroom.

Just as a note- if they download their drawing as a picture file, the links will not appear.

Padlet 2.0

Sometimes even good things get better- and that is the case with Padlet.  Don’t know Padlet?  

Think online post-it notes where you can add text, images, and links.  This week, during a training session,I had teachers post examples of sites for a project.  It is free, easy to use- and what I find great about working with students is the comment moderation feature.

Recently Richard Byrne (Free Technology for Teachers) shared their most recent update.Please click here to read his post.

STEM Resources for HIgh School

Discovery Education has just launched additional STEM resources for high school students.  Please click here for the information.

Use Emojis!

❄️❄️❄️

While you might be used to using emojis on your phone, there are also websites!  

In her blog post, Alice Keeler shares suggestions for using emojis for student feedback.

Want to make a board game?

Alice Keeler shared several templates for having your students create a board game.  Please click here to see her post and view the templates.

One thing you can do to be successful

Vicki Davis posted here about the one step to ensure your success.  With today’s snowstorm, I can certainly relate to her example of the snow struggles.  After you read it, see how you could use it in your activities and how it could impact your students.

Creating comics in Google

Ever wanted to create comics in a Google product but you are not sure where to start?  This blog post (from Matt Miller and Cori Orlando) will provide all the guidance you need to get started and succeed!  Use Google Drawing or Slides- either will work with comics (they also share their own template).

Making a Google Template (the easy way)

In her Shake Up Learning Blog, Kasey Bell shares the very easy way to create a template from a Doc (or slide, sheet, or drawing).  Please see her post here.

Learning from video games

Not being a gamer at heart, it was interesting to read Alice Keeler’s blog on what teachers can learn from the negative aspects of some video games (really like the analogy about extra credit).  Please see her post here.

Biodiversity Timeline Project Based Learning

PBS has shared a lesson plan (complete with interactives) on biodiversity. While this is geared to the high school student, I feel you could use/modify for middle school students.  Please visit the site here (you will need to create a free account to access the content.

Helping students (and teachers) with Stress

How can help our students (and ourselves) build their stress resistance and be better able to manage this daily part of life?  In her blog post, Linda Yaron offers several practical solutions.  From mindfulness to growth mindset- there is something for everyone.  You can read it here.

Plan your year with SBT!

Storyboardthat has posted lesson plans for the year- they have something for every holiday.  Please click here to view.

Interesting hooks and closure ideas

In this recent post from PearDeck, there are some engaging

(and easy to implement) suggestions for those first few and last

minutes of class.  Please read the blog post here.

Google Search Features

In the beginning, I was so organized- every doc went into a folder and my drive looked great.  But time passes, the number of documents increases and things started to get a little messy.  If you share this trait, please read Richard Byrne’s (at Free Technology for Teachers) blog post here for a quick search tip!

Playlists for your students

Want to share video playlists with your students?  Richard Byrne has compiled the ultimate list with directions for three popular (and easy to use) options.  Please see his blog post here.

Snow Days

Here’s a humorous blog post from PearDeck about snow days.  The suggestions made to further engage students would work any time of the year! ( I wrote this several days ago- didn't know it would actually be posted on a snow day!)

Do projects=learning?

This morning, Alice Keeler shared her top ten posts from last year.  This one caught my eye.  While students complete projects, they really didn’t learn anything (unless you count how to Google the answers).  Alice shares a form for collecting feedback to help improve your assignments and student learning.

Stay calm and teach on

Ready to revisit your classroom strategies?  Need a different approach?  Check this ASCD article (shared by Rich Tola).  They showcase a variety of techniques to strengthen your classroom management skills.

Getting into Keep!

This school year I decided to really improve my daily planning.  I’ve found Keep (found in the Google Apps Launcher (or waffle house) is a great tool.  It works across all platforms (so it is on my phone, desktop, Chromebook) and you can sort, tag, and share lists.  At the end of the month (when I write my summary), I can pull it into Google Docs to help me remember!  Please see this post from Alice Keeler with her suggestions.  Maybe something to get your new year off to the right start.

Creating a certificate

In a recent blog post, Richard Byrne (Free Technology for Teachers) shared an

add-on called Certify’em.  This Google Form add-on allows you to select a

passing grade and then automatically email a certificate to the student.  

As Richard suggests, you want to activate the add-on before starting to create the quiz.

The student’s percentage correct will also appear on the

certificate (and there are several style options and you can create your own

using a Google Slide).

If you want to try it out, here’s a sample quiz I created.  It seems to take a

few minutes (most of my tests were back in 5) for the email to process.

New from Storyboardthat!

New from Storyboardthat!

I recently got an email from Storyboardthat listing their new features! (Love the science tab).  
Here’s my sample as well their suggestions:

1. New Science Art – Along with our new science resources,
the Storyboard That artists have created new lab equipment,
diagrams, special symbols, and planets! Be sure to check out
the “Science” tab in the Storyboard Creator.

2. Advanced Cropping Options – In addition to the standard
crop, we have added circular crop and four-point crop
(advanced crop). Now you can crop at angles and with
curves!

3. Enhanced Editing Features – Take a look at the editing
palette options! There are new filters and effects, better
text editing, and the ability to align multiple objects.

4. Smart Items – Many of our items, like food or books, now
have a blue “Image Options” button to show a different
perspective or function. Search for “atom” and create your
own Bohr model.

5. New Layouts – This year we have increased the number
of layouts to nine. Use the chart and cycle layouts to present
information in new ways.

Want to try studio?

Studio is the new product from Discovery Education- think Board Builder plus.  There are many new features including collaboration, templates, and pages.  Please click the link here for early access information and a tutorial.