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! 

The Never-Ending-Open-Tabs Dilemma (Chrome Users)

Do you ever find yourself with many, many, tabs open?

Do you sometimes ask yourself, "Hmmm, which tab is it?"

Have you ever had to peer closely to try and figure out which tab is which because there are so many open and they just keep getting tinier?!

Did you know that each tab in Chrome is essentially another instance of Chrome open? The more tabs you have open, the harder your browser is working...the slower your connection might be!

You're not alone and there might be a solution for you :

Try OneTab. It condenses all of your tabs into a single tab. All of your tabs will sit in a list in the one tab . You can click to open the ones you need when you need them or restore/delete them all at once.

If the thought of your tabs "disappearing" freaks you out a little, you might prefer The Great Suspender. You can choose to suspend specific tabs or all except the one you're on. The tabs remain up, but they're "paused" (not slowing you down) until you reload them or choose to un-suspend all.

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Don't forget, Tab Cloud was shared a while back too. Pretty nifty extension that will save tab lists for you. I have saved tab lists for Start of Day, "morning" announcements, and others for specific lessons that I teach.

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Keyboard shortcuts?

Move across tabs on your Mac by holding "Control" and pressing the "tab" key

Move backwards through your tabs by holding "Control" and "Shift" while tapping the "tab" key

Command "w" will close a tab

Command Shift "t" will reopen a closed tab

Writing Tool ~ Creative Conversations via Fake iMessages

Morning! 

Came across a conversation about Fake Text Messages in the classroom. This has been around for a few years, so may just be a lil reminder. Students can create conversations between characters, historians, scientists, mathematicians or use it to strengthen vocabulary or grammar, and so more. You could also use it to display a class message via the projector or to blast out in Google Classroom.

Nothing transformational ~Just another tool to incorporate into a lesson or writing activity for students to use as an option to show their understanding/content mastery. User-friendly and simple to create/share.

Take or Toss.

BookSnaps & MathSnaps

Hi Teachers! BookSnaps have been around for a bit, but I've been seeing a lot more of "MathSnaps" too. There are a variety tools that your students can use on chromebooks or iPads to create theirs. Google Draw is one option that would work seamlessly with Classroom. 

There are many ways to implement this concept across the curriculum for students to reflect, express, question, explain thinking and reasoning, share...

Consider incorporating video and having students explain their booksnaps or math snaps too. 😃

Opening Multiple Assignments at Once

If you've ever tired of opening each student Google Classroom assignment one-by-one, you may be interested in the tips in this post! Alice Keeler offers some great shortcuts, as well as her Drive20 extension in which you can blast open 20 files at once in your Classroom Drive folder. ~Makes assessing & providing feedback much smoother.

Be sure to read the first post with those awesome shortcuts, such as Command W (on your Mac) to close a tab at a time and move to the next. Command, Shift T will reopen a closed tab too in case you go too far.

Knowing shortcuts will help save you precious time!

Take or Toss

Pear Deck Giveaway & Google Slides Updates

1. Just wanted to pass this Pear Deck post along. There is a chance to win premium access to Pear Deck for one year. You have to sign-up by tomorrow though. I signed up too, so if I "win", I'll pass it on to one of you to use with your kiddos. The post itself is also a great overview of how Pear Deck works with Slides.

2. Google Slides also has some awesome features being released tomorrow. An overview of what will be new :

• Add-ons - Yessss! Looking forward to exploring these further.
• Grid-View - see all your slides in one shot and rearrange them
• Skip Slide -Instead of deleting a slide so it is not seen when presenting, you can now skip it to keep it in your original presentation.
• Link Slides from multiple presentations
• Insert Diagrams - Nice!!
• Google Keep integration - if you or your students are not using Google Keep, you might want to check it out! Awesome note-taking, organizational and collaboration tool. Users will be able to pull content straight from their notes to their slide.
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As always, give us a shout if you want to collaborate on any teaching & learning explorations.

Writing Project ~ Build a Jack-O-Lantern with Google Slides

Eric Curts has another great adventure for your students : Build a Jack-O-Lantern writing activity. This link goes straight to the slides to make a copy of.

• Use with a descriptive writing lesson, a focus on adjectives, verbs, figurative language, etc.
• Have students screenshot their pumpkins and share them with you to post on an online gallery to share your class "pumpkin patch".
• Take it a step further and have students record their slide with Screencastify to bring their jack-o-lantern to life. QR code their video or use the Aurasma iPad app to link their jack-o-lantern to their video.
• Invite another class to partner up with your students. Students walk their partners through a How-To create their jack-o-lantern. Each shares the original jack-o-lantern, along with the recreated one and reflect/discuss the process together.

Take or Toss!

If you're still reading, the background template is from SlidesCarnival. They have awesome Google Slides templates to use.

Split Screen Extension

Just wanted to share an extension that may come in handy for you. It's called "Alice Keeler Gradebook Split". Basically, it's a tool that will divide your chrome browser into two evenly split screens. This would come in handy to eliminate going back and forth from tab-to-tab. Instead, two tabs can be open simultaneously, side-by-side. It doesn't have to be a "gradebook" ~ Any tabs/sites will work, so the possibilities are endless. You can drag tabs from one side to the other as well.

Students can use Keeler's "Classroom Split" for Chrome in the same way. Rather than going back and forth between tabs, they can click the extension and have both tabs open. This would help with assignments in Google Classroom that they're often toggling between tabs with.

As always, Take or Toss! Let us know if you want to explore together.

Google Apps > Version History

In Google(Docs, Slides, Draw..), what used to be "Revision History" is now "Version History". Same concept of being able to see all progress on a document (additions, removals and contributions by all users); However, those versions can now be named. This could be implemented to show the writing process from rough/revised drafts to final, the steps of a process in Math or Science, for your own management of documents by reusing the same files without making multiple copies.....

Here's a link, from Eric Curts at ControlAltAchieve, if you want to explore more about Version History.

As always, let us know if you'd like to meet to discuss and explore together.

FlipGrid Fever Ignite Discussion!

Ignite Discussion

There is a FEVER out there in the education world and it is with FlipGrid! This can be used amongst staff and/or students. Many teachers are also getting parents on board at Back-to-school/ Open House events or within class projects too.

• It integrates with Google Classroom and is simple to use : Pose a question and let responses fly!

• Book studies, introductions, get-to-know-you, goals, wishes, dreams, fears, passions, explanations, debates, digital storytelling, demonstrations, reflections, connections with others outside of class and hold discussions (start with another class in the district, then state, country, world!) and sooo much more. Check out 15+Ways to Use FlipGrid in your Class & Another 15 here across the curriculum. Our very own Sue Lehner planted the seed to us about FlipGrid and has many awesome ideas for integrating it into classroom learning adventures as well!

• Being on video can be an intimidating step for some students (and adults too). ~Visuals can be used instead. A student can use a still image to represent him/herself, a character, historian, concept/idea, etc. There are many options and the student still gets his/her voice heard... (You'll be surprised to see some students open up on camera though too).

• Some teachers set up Recording Booths in their classrooms for FlipGrid to be used on chromebooks, laptops or iPads.

Let us know if you want to catch the FlipGrid Fever and explore together. Keep in mind this is just one tool in your bag-o-tricks to incorporate into teaching & learning. Use now and then to mix up your format for conversations, spark discussions and empower student voice.

As always, Take or Toss.

Google Classroom & Forms -What's New (updates)

I'm sure you may be aware of many of the updates to Google Classroom since many of you have been into your digital classrooms already this school year; However, just wanted to share this post that highlights some of the awesome updates (to forms too).

One great thing about Google is that they do listen to feedback. If you have a feature that you would like to see added, be sure to give your feedback. We've had a couple of PG peeps say they received an email that a feature they suggested was added. Awesome stuff!

Take or Toss

Back-to-School 2017 Reminders

8/1/17

Hello Teachers!

Hope you are having an amazing summer with family and friends!

Archive/clean-up your Google Classrooms from last year if you haven't already done so. Let us know if you have any questions about this process.

1. Many of you may be sending out family letters, which might be a good time to put a little blurb about any of your home-school connection apps/sites (sorry if I'm too late). Whatever platform you use, it often takes some time to get parents to sign up. Perhaps via your letter and then another sign-up at Meet-The-Teacher will help.
2. Many of you may be sending out family letters, which might be a good time to put a little blurb about any of your home-school connection apps/sites (sorry if I'm too late). Whatever platform you use, it often takes some time to get parents to sign up. Perhaps via your letter and then another sign-up at Meet-The-Teacher will help

That's it!

Looking forward to seeing you soon. Start thinking about some of your goals regarding curriculum & technology ~ We'd love to meet with each one of you one-on-one or in teams to work towards achieving those goals.

Just a few thoughts to ponder :

• Classroom Websites (spruce up or make less stagnant > more interactive with live docs, photos, slideshows of work, surveys, student-generated news, etc)
• Going Google -Ready to explore moving from Libre/Pages to Google tools?
• Students - explore learning adventures for your students to create, communicate and collaborate.
• Going further with Google : Are you confident with Google apps and ready for more extensions and apps to rock your teaching and learning?! I'm in awe at what's available at our fingertips in the click of a button.
• Organization/Note-taking : There are so many amazing apps & extensions to help streamline your daily routine and save you time! Google Keep (notes, lists, collaboration) is a great one for both teachers and students.
• Interactive bulletin boards : Interactive learning stations, digital galleries, student book recommendations...
• Knock down the walls! Connect your teaching and learning with others in another state, region, or country! Get your students collaborating on projects, blogging for an authentic audience….
• Going "green" in the classroom? We can help! Digital tools to check for understanding, digital portfolios, student-created newsletters or teacher infographics instead of traditional newsletters, online galleries for families instead of work displayed on classroom bulletin boards....

Sunny, With a High of Student Activity, Engagement, Participation, Communication......

I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that 

I am the decisive element in the classroom.
It’s my personal approach that creates the climate.
It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. 

As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.
 I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. 

I can humiliate or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated 

and a child humanized or dehumanized.
-Haim Ginott

This has always been one of my favorite quotes. It hung on the classroom wall as a reminder to me during the ten years that I was in the classroom. I'm going to take its meaning on a bit of a different path today though....

Teachers are the decisive element in the classroom. Our Instructional Approach impacts the climate of the classroom as well. Like many of you, I am a reflective teacher. Beyond the specifics of the lesson, I would ask: Who's doing the majority of talking? The students or me? Majority of the Listening? Questioning? Them or me? Was I teacher-centered today, delivering content, or learning-centered, providing opportunities for students to investigate, solve problems, and acquire the knowledge? MI & Blooms were always at the heart and sole of learning, so I would reflect on those to determine if and how I was reaching all learners....

Time constraints, deadlines, looming paperwork, testing, and many of the other school initiatives often make reflection more difficult. I recall being caught up in it all and it felt easier for me to frequently deliver the content and fill their "vessels" with information.

Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.

~Socrates

I also recall the climate in the classroom at that time ~ My instruction was creating downbursts of students who weren't as engaged,  a decrease in the ability of students to focus, and a drought of students who were not thinking critically about the concepts.

My purpose is not to contrast lecturing vs. student-centered groups. I've been completely captivated in some classrooms by the passion teachers bring forth in their lectures. I've also experienced where "group work" isn't effective too. The focus is on the power of reflecting on instruction.  Would I want to be a student in my own classroom? 

If you're looking to transform your instructional approach or switch up the weather within your classroom climate a bit, I have a few resources below you may be interested in checking out. Any of these can be used as or included in your own instructional presentations or for your students to get hands-on with! It's all about what works best for you and your students ~ We'd love to meet with you on any of these to help you plan your learning journeys. There are so many options as far as whole-class, small groupings, or individual implementations.

Have fun! 

We may just be surprised at the students whom sprout, grow, and blossom from the changes in our Instructional Climate.

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CHOOSE ONE tool or strategy from the list below to try with just one upcoming lesson. 

As you reflect on your experience, feel free to share any feedback below :)

• I've already shared Plickers, Socrative, Kahoot, Oh My! as engaging ways for your students to interact with concepts, assess their knowledge, and give/receive feedback in real-time.

• Lesson Paths - Check these out! Lesson Paths are like a "playlist" of your lesson. You can project the path whole-class or students can interact with each "step" in the path in small groups or on their own. The "steps" can include slides, websites, videos, and much more. You can even include interactive surveys or quizzes within your lesson path. 

• Google Galore! - Our Google Apps are the perfect setting for us and students to create, collaborate, communicate, and share. Consider Google Forms, Sites, Draw, Slides, Spreadsheets, Documents, Google Hangouts, Google Classroom and a plethora of amazing applications & extensions that can be added on such as Lucidpress, PowToon and SO MUCH MORE! Again, I suggest you pick one from within here to focus on rather than trying to tackle Everything Google all at once. 

• Smore - This is a simple, digital "flyer" that offers a nice alternative to your typical presentation. Links, videos, text, and images can all still be integrated to share content or for students to use to guide them as they embark on their learning adventure! 

• BackChannels : We've shared both of these before, but consider Today'sMeet & Padlet to empower student voice and encourage participation - You could even keep your lessons just as they are, except, provide students with an opportunity to communicate and collaborate digitally during the face-to-face lesson. 

• FlipGrid - Catch the FlipGrid fever and let your students' voices be heard with this video response platform.

• Connect, Connect, Connect! I'm said it in many posts...knock down the walls of your classroom and empower your students' voices. Give them an authentic audience!

• Variety of instructional strategies for the classroom. Many of these were my favorites~ others are ones I haven't tried yet. :)

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Thank you for all that you do for our students! 

I'd love to hear your reflections....