Have you seen the new Ditch That Textbook?

Matt Miller has shared many resources in his blog- now, in a redesigned site, you can find all his resources and videos.  Check it out here.

Stop Motion with Google Slides

Wanda Terral (who I follow on Facebook) is a Google guru.  She recently shared several of her presentations from a Georgia tech conference.  Here’s the link to her Stop Motion presentation.  She includes step by step directions as well as several templates.

We are thankful

During this Thanksgiving season, I had the chance to use ChatterPIX and iMovie to create some classroom videos.  The process was the same for each class. The students drew a picture and then using ChatterPIX, we recorded what they were thankful for- put them all together in iMovie and they are below. Special thanks to Ms. Greene, Ms. McDade, and Mrs, McNamara for allowing me to work with their classes.

Making feedback more alive!

Alice Keeler may have coined the phrase autopsy feedback in her blog post here.  Basically, she reminded me that all the comments I wrote after the fact were not really useful to the students.  She suggests adding a feedback date and then including response to feedback as part of the feedback. Using any Google tool (ie, slides, sheets, docs) assigned via classroom gives you access to the student work before it is turned in.  How could this help your students?

Learning Google Drawing Tools

I am thankful for this video by Lauren Conti- in it, she walks you through the Google Drawing tools to create this cute turkey.  Perhaps you could have your students try on their own before sharing the video.

Wish you could start to create stickers (digital badges)?

With this script from Alice Keeler, the hardest problem will be stopping!  Using her script, you can add images, word art, and more. This article contains some of my creations.

Download each slide as a png file and then add to your students’ work!  Read all about it here or see the video below.

Is Classroom moving too slow?

Alice Keeler has a suggestion- just duplicate the tab and while you are waiting for action in one tab to finish- you can work in the other tab.  Read all about it here.

Want to make your classroom a gameshow?

That’s the question Matt Miller (Ditch that Textbook) posed in a recent blog post.  From Quizizz and a slew of online assessments- you might find some inspiration.

Randomize your slides

Do you have a slide deck and like to switch up the order?  Consider using Slide Randomizer.  Add this add-on and you can automatically rearrange your slides.  For more information, please see Richard Byrne’s blog post here from Free Technology for Teachers.

Want to up your Slide game?

While I frequently use Slides Carnival to add style to my Google slides, I didn’t realize there are other vendors.  Thanks to Eric Curts, you can now review several slides sites with templates to make your Google/PowerPoint  Slides shine. Please see Eric’s blog post here.

Looking for classroom management tips?

Vicki Davis (CoolCatTeacher) shares her top tips for classroom management.  From building partnerships (with various partners), working the process, and something for those who finish early- you will something here that you can use in your class.

Social-Emotional Learning and DES

Sign in to your DE account and check out these new resources.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Discovery Education supports Social
and Emotional Learning (SEL) through its dynamic platform, relevant content,
robust channels, and instructional strategies. Explore and share SEL resources today.

BRINGING SEL TO LIFE: In our recent virtual field trip, we introduced students to the key pillars of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills. It’s not too late for you to follow these students through their day and see how they learn to better understand themselves. Watch the Archive.

A presentation with a point

Slides Carnival has just debuted a new template- and with its clean

lines and colorful pencil border makes it a good fit for your classroom,

I’ve linked a sample below.

Branching Forms

You can create your own branching forms by adding sections and then changing the location for each response.  Want an easier method? Check out Alice Keeler’s blog post complete with her coding for branching forms. 

How many cities can you name?

Other than the geography aspects of this game, I found the population comparison interesting.  I didn’t realize Sayreville is about half the population of Trenton. This game is located here and reviewed in Richard Byrne’s (Free Technology for Teachers) post here. There is also a European version.

Create your own adventure

With Google Slides!  Matt Miller (Ditch that Textbook) provides detailed planning ideas and step by step directions here for making you and your students succeed with this interactive project.

Encourage you students to have a real break!

 In this blog post from Alice Keeler, she suggests several ways to help your students by not assigning homework over the Thanksgiving break.  What do you think?

EdCamp NJ - Saturday, 11/23

How do I know that Thanksgiving is almost here?  Well, EdCamp NJ is on Saturday, 11/23- and it’s always the weekend end before the holiday.  This free day of creative professional learning will be held at the New Brunswick High School from 8-3.  Please click here for registration information.

Make a better book report

Matt Miller has shared 10 ways to up your game in the book report arena.  Please see his post here.  I am intrigued by the Book Snaps (# 6).

5 Easy Design features in Google Slides

Looking to change your slide layout?  Or maybe add page numbers (and rulers)?  Or want to hide the speaker notes? Richard Byrne (Free Technology for Teachers) shares these tips in his blog post here,

Your work bubble

Take a look at this new post from Alice Keeler on Google Classroom.  By selecting view assignment, this work bubble appears for the student.

What are you thankful for..

I don’t want to rush the season, but it is never too early for Thanksgiving lesson plans.

Need some inspiration?  Check out TeachersFirst site here.

Using Slides for evidence discussions

Alice Keeler shares her ideas for using slides in group discussions.  Please see her post here.

PBL with National Geographic (Grades 5-8)

Project-Based Learning is the centerpiece of this blog by Alice Keeler.  National Geographic has developed a clear framework (and lessons) to help your students work through a real-world problem water supply with live data from National Geographic!

A Slide by any other name...

In this updated blog post from Matt Miller (Ditch that Textbook) you will find over two dozen engaging and interactive projects using Google Slides.  Numbers 14,15, and 18 were my favorites!

Change the question (and answer) order

Richard Byrne (Free Technology for Teachers) recently posted a short video that demonstrates how to shuffle the answers (and questions) in a Google form (or Quiz).

Some twists on virtual field trips

This blog post from Discovery Education has several suggestions for implementing virtual field trips (and suggestions on how to use the Discovery Education products).

Go see the polar bears

I’ve done these virtual field trips in previous years- they are great.  All trips are archived in case the time doesn’t work for your students.Tundra Connections: Experience Polar Bears – Grades 4+

Scientists already know a lot about polar bears and there is so much more to learn. Join
Discovery Education and Polar Bears International for Tundra Connections, a virtual field trip to
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada and witness the scientific process in action. Challenge your
students to learn as much as they can and continue to generate questions, just like
the scientists do in the field.

Interested in Tundra Connections for Grades K-3? Click here!

---

Featured Virtual Field Trip

Experience Polar Bears on the Tundra

All ages, live broadcast

Thursday, November 14 – 11:30 AM (CT)

 Polar Bear Live Chat

All ages, live Q&A

Wednesday, November 14 – 1:00 PM (CT)

Looking for Reading Resources?

TeachersFirst has a focus on reading resources in their featured site here.  It includes several sites for reading suggestions for all age groups.

Need to pause in a presentation?

Alice Keeler (in her blog post here) shares tips on how to quickly go to a blank screen while presenting the Google Slides- click w (for white) or b ( for black).  As useful as this tip is- what’s more important is why this would be a useful tool. Hint- it’s not to take notes.

Comic Ideas

September 25 is National Comic Book Day!  Visit the TeachersFirst site for a list of comic sites (you know I am partial to Storyboardthat!) along with several teaching with comic suggestions.

Everything you ever wanted to ask about Google Classroom

Matt Miller (Ditch that Textbook fame) has collected over 70 tips and tricks to use Google Classroom in his blog post here  It contains links to some great organizational strategies as well suggestions to improve your assignments.