Making Connections

Hi Teachers! This has been shared out before, but it's been a while. Just wanted to take a moment to share one of many communities where teachers are looking to connect their classes with others. If you scan the site, you'll see all different grade levels, around the world, looking to connect with others.

It could be YOU and your students!!

We'd love to help get you connected, so please let us know if you see anything that sparks your interest OR if you would like any help writing your own post.

There are many many different versions of connecting. A Mystery Hangout is often played much like 20-Questions -Neither side knows where the other is located (the teachers usually do and will plan it out ahead of time).  Jeanne Salazar does an awesome MATH Mystery Number instead of guessing the location ~ the students solve math riddles together and complete a mystery picture on a hundreds chart (created by the other class) as they go. There can be connections specific to novels read, Science concepts and so on. We had a Mystery Connection in Music class one year and the two classes sang holiday songs together in the end! We could even connect you with an expert based on what you're discussing in class.

Breaking down the walls of the classroom, connecting, collaborating and sharing with others is so incredibly powerful. Your students will always remember the experience.

We have many getting started resources to share if you're interested as well. Give us a shout!

2017 Google Countdown to Winter Break

Spreading some "Google" Holiday Cheer from Eric Lawson. Bookmark this page and visit it each day (beginning Friday) to open up a new Google tip. You won't be able to click on a date until Friday!

One example that was shared out in the past was the App Launcher organizer. Have you ever wanted to organize the icons that pop up in the grid? This extension will help you ~ now I have all of my everyday google icons right at the top when I open the grid.

Excited to see what fun Googly tools are shared each day! Give us a shout along the way if you want to explore any new goodies together.

Take or Toss

EquatIO Free for Teachers

Math Peeps : 

We've talked about EquatIO before, but now it's free for educators. Just wanted to pass along.

Looks like gMath is going away and Desmos Graphing is coming our way too!

Visual Note-Taking/ Sketchnotes

Had a recent conversation with a teacher about Visual Note Taking, so wanted to share a few resources. This concept has been around for a long time and many of you may already use visual note-taking strategies with students in the classroom on various levels (visual vocabulary, organizing writing, science, health, math, history concepts, music, art and so much more).

Whether via paper/pencil, chromebook or iPad, students do not need to be artists to visualize learning...in any subject/discipline.

Students can visually emphasize solely the text and layout (no drawings or colors) of their Cornell notes and other note-taking strategies as well.

It may not be for everyone, but it's a great strategy for some students to help bring the learning "story" to life and make it stick!

Take or Toss ~ As always, please let us know if you'd like to explore together or collaborate on ideas for tools to implement.

Why and how of sketchnotes in the classroom

2nd grade Sketchnotes example

Middle School Sketchnote examples

If you want to dig deep, check out these resources and examples from Sylvia Duckworth, Queen of Sketchnotes.

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I should have sent this all visually as a sketchnote!!

Hour of Code - Follow-up

If any of you are participating in this year's  "Hour of Code" or coding in general with students at any time throughout the year, please let us know!

We would love to come by and snap some pics if you're participating. Otherwise, please share your pics to helpdesk so we can get them on monitors. We're always looking for teachers to tweet out pics of their own too and help share our PG story. If you're interested in learning more, please let us know as well. If you're ready, just check the photo permission list, tag @PrairieGrove46  and include #pg46pride and #hourofcode.

We're excited to have PG students once again participate in this world-wide, real-world, experience!

Join the Global Movement ~ Hour of Code

Hour of Code is an annual computer science experience that takes place across the globe. Don't miss out! Carve out some time during the week of December 4th- December 8th to participate ~ Yes, YOU and your students! This can be implemented in every grade, anywhere across the curriculum, in any core classroom, co-curricular, special service, you name it!

• NO coding/computer science experience required by the teacher or students. For ages "4 to 104".

• Coding activities are self-guided. Many students have experience with some level of coding from STEM class, so they can help each other out!

• Choose from ipad/chromebook activities or "unlugged" activities ~ both are awesome!

• You could even invite experts from STEM fields in to talk with students (in-person or via "skype").

If you're interested, but don't know how to get started, give us a shout! We'd be happy to help you plan your hour of code. Don't be intimidated by the "hour" ~ it's flexible!

333,374 events around the world signed up to participate so far. 840 are in IL so far! Sign up here and let's add to those numbers!

Hope to see your students coding, programing and computing!

Please be sure to share any pictures. If you tweet out on your own, please use #pg46pride & #HourOfCode

Travel the World With Your Students

Last Take or Toss from me this week...

Oldies, but Goodies :

Google Lit Trips - create a 3D geographic tour of a story

Google Earth Voyager ~educational tours/field trips around the world! More info from this teacher's post here.

Have students mash Screencastify (or any other recording application) on top of the Google Earth experience and WOW :

14 ways to use Screencastify in the classroom  

Let us know if you want to collaborate on a world-traveling experience for our students OR explore any of the recording options for them to communicate with peers/community/world!

Amplify their voices and see what magic happens ~Adam Welcome

PearDeck Flashcard Factory

Hello Teachers! Wanted to pass along another "tool" to add to your toolbox shared by Steve Wick over at Wicked Good EdTech regarding a new-ish release of PearDeck Flashcard Factory.

Also, there is now an add-on in Google Slides for PearDeck. You can incorporate Pear Deck features into instructional slides to check for understanding, gather feedback, make predictions and more! The free version options are still pretty good. If you've tried these out, please share your feedback on how it went with your kiddos😊

Take or Toss!