Technology Resource Countdown Calendar

 

As we get closer the the holidays time can seem like it is slowing down or even going backwards. To help get you through the next few weeks, below is a countdown calendar full of resources. Some of them are ready to use while others you can customize for your class. These resources were collected from multiple websites and it is awesome to see how different teachers are using Google Workspace applications (formerly G-Suites) to make their assignments fun and engaging. Check out one a day as way to countdown the days until your holiday vacation, or check them all out now! 

Click the maximize symbol to see full screen. 

Take Me Away!

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving break. It is so nice to just get away from the day to day grind of the classroom every now and then. Unfortunately, we can’t always get away in real life, so getting away virtually is the next best thing. If you haven’t experienced VR (virtual reality) then you should give it a try. It is best when experienced through a headset, but you can get the gist of exploring a virtual world on a monitor or your phone’s screen. Some virtual experiences, like games, are completely imaginary, while others are digitized versions of the real World. For example, take a few minutes to relax on the beach, or take a tour of Paris.  These kinds of virtual escapes can be so enjoyable, but they can also be educational.

I have been looking forward to next semester because I was going to offer a course on using Google’s VR tools Tour Creator, Tour Builder, and Expeditions. Then, just a few weeks ago, Google announced that it will be discontinuing these resources. As frustrating as this news is, I have already started working on a new course to help teachers create their own virtual content that students can do on their Chromebook or smartphones.  Until then, here are some ways you can get you and your students out of the classroom without having to leave the building.

 

Search YouTube for 360 Videos to share with your students. There are 360 videos for just about every subject.

 

Find 360 resources at https://schools.360cities.net/. This site has a lot of great 360 photos from around the world, and they are in process of creating guided tours as well. 

More Google Updates

 

It’s only been a few weeks since I posted about updates to Google, but there have been so many, I need to do a follow-up. Some of these features will be available for all users, while some will be for users with an Enterprise license. Bamberg 1 is in the process of rolling out Enterprise, and hopefully this will be something that happens for Bamberg 2 very soon.  So, without further delay, here are some Google updates in which you might be interested:

Replace backgrounds in Meet- For a while now you could blur out your background. Well, now you can change your background with images provided by Google.

Check Permissions for all content in Google Slides- Sharing Slides with someone is easy, but often people forget that they have to share anything that they have inserted from their Google Drive, as well. Now, when you go to share your Slides with someone, Google will look for content that needs to be shared such as videos, audio clips, or images and give you the option to share that content.

Mention a user directly within a Google Doc- This has been a feature in comments and in Gmail for a while. All you have to do is type “@” and the person’s name. Click it when it pops up and it will add their account info into the document. This makes it easy to see and communicate with everyone that is working on a document.

Smart Fill and Smart Cleanup in Google Sheets- Not everyone uses spreadsheets, but those that do, know it can be difficult to write formulas that accurately give you the results you need. It can be worse when your data is written in different ways. Google has introduced Smart Fill and Smart Cleanup, which is very exciting. These features are new and still don’t work as well as promised, but when they do work properly, it is amazing. I can’t wait to see how this evolves.

There are always more updates, so expect more posts like this in the near future.

 Update 11/12/2020

Not every update is good. If you use Google for personal use, you should check out these two announcements that Google made yesterday:

Updating Google Photos’ storage policy to build for the future

An update to storage policies across your Google Account

The Death of Flash

 

Halloween is over, but this post will focus on a bit of the macabre. On December 31, Flash Player will reach End of Life (EOL). This announcement was officially made back in July of 2017 by Adobe in order to give developers and programmers a chance to make the needed updates. The vast majority of websites and browsers have already made the transitions, but there are many that have not. Unfortunately, many educational websites fall into the group that have not updated. That means that after December 31, if the sites haven’t updated they will not work. In other words, when Flash dies, so will those sites.

 

Top 3 ways this will hurt educators.

1. Older online textbook resources rely heavily on flash. These resources will cease to work after EOL of Flash. Publishers for the most part will not update the older versions of their content as a way to force districts to purchase newer versions.
2. Many educational games and simulations were made with Flash. Throughout the years, educators have created wonderful Flash based resources that teachers have made a regular part of their instruction. These games and simulations will no longer work after EOL of Flash.
3. Lastly some old school web developers use flash to make their webpage more interactive or engaging. Most or all functionality of these sites will cease to work after the EOL of Flash.

 

What you should do before December 31, 2020?

1. Go through your assignments and bookmarks to find any flash related content that you currently rely on.
2. Search for alternatives that do not require flash. There are a lot of great games, simulations, and resources that don’t use flash. If a site doesn’t ask you to allow Flash, it most likely doesn’t use Flash.
3. Bookmark these resources so you can easily find them later and share them with other teachers.

 

DO NOT use an extension or 3^rd party program to run old Flash content. This is a great way to get malicious programs on your computer.

 

For more information, visit the Flash EOL Page or watch the video below.

New YouTube Channel for Teachers

Believe it or not, the second nine weeks is already here. Take a minute to give yourself a pat on the back for getting through the insanity that was the first nine weeks. Many of you were thrust into using educational technology in ways that you never have before, but with a lot of hard work, you learned the basics of integrating digital content into your instruction. You really should be proud of yourself.

If you are like numerous other teachers, YouTube tutorials were a lifesaver for you through this time. The only problem is there are so many videos and not all of them are helpful. That is why we have created a YouTube Channel that contains videos that address some of the most common questions teachers have had so far this year. Most of these videos are currently created by respected educational vloggers, though some videos are created specifically for our district (with many more to come).

Check out the videos that are currently posted for help with technical issues or tips on how to better use technology in your classroom. Make sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss new videos as they are posted. 

Click here for the new YouTube Channel!

Google Workspace

 

In an effort to meet the needs of distance work and learning, Google has been updating G Suites. They have made so many updates they have decided to rebrand, so that G Suites will now be known as Google Workspace. If you have been in a training with me in the last two weeks, this isn’t news to you. However, I want everyone to be informed about the updates as they come out. Rather than tell you about each one, I will be covering some of them in trainings or as blog posts, but if you want a full list you can visit https://support.google.com/a/table/7314896?hl=en .

 

Here are few things to keep in mind as these new features are released.

      1. All the old features should still work as usual.  If you are just getting comfortable with programs like Docs and Slides, don’t worry about having to relearn how to use them. You can keep using them just like you do now.

         2. New features always have quirks. Make sure that you learn how to use the new features before you have your students try them. Once you feel comfortable with them, try using one feature at a time with students until you know what the features’ limitations are.
  

      3. New features mean new ways of doing things. Many of the features that Google is adding, have been requested by teachers. This means that some of assignments that required students to follow a lengthy process, may be much easier now. As you become familiar with the new features try to create new assignments, or make assignments that complicated a little easier for students.

Email Templates can Save you time

 

I know that many of you know how to make templates (formerly canned responses) in Gmail, but I also know that very few teachers actual use these on a regular basis. Templates are one of the best ways to save time when working with emails, but they do take some time to set up. To help with that, here are 4 Email templates. Take some time to modify these templates to fit your needs, add them to Gmail, and start using them. You will be surprised at how much time they can save you. 

Let me get back to you template: 

Thank you for your email.

I want to give you a good response, so I

will set aside some time where I can give it

my full attention and respond as soon as possible.

If you need me before then, please feel free

to call me.

 

Thanks for your understanding, 

Email to Parent Would Take Too Long Template:

 I can tell from your last email that you are very concerned about your child’s performance in my class. In order to better answer all of your questions I think it would be best if we spoke in person or by phone.

If you could provide me with a phone number where I can reach you and the best time to call, I will contact you and we can discus all of your concerns.

If you would rather meet in person, I am free during {planning period}. Just send me an email to let me know that you are coming so that I do not make other plans.

I am sure that after we have had a chance to talk, we will be able to help {STUDENT’S NAME} do better in class.

Thank you, 

 

 Missing Work Template: 

This is just a reminder that you have not turned in the assignment referenced in the subject line of this email.

Please be aware that late work {LATE WORK POLICY}, and work that is not turned in {MISSING WORK POLICY}.

If you are having technical issues or cannot complete the assignment for some other reason, please reply to this email as soon as possible to explain your situation.

 

Thank you in advance for getting this assignment finished and turned in, 

Disruptive Behavior Template: 

I regret to inform you that {STUDENT’S NAME} has had trouble behaving in class. Today, he/ she/ they {DESCRIPTION OF BEHAVIOR}. In order for the classroom to remain an inviting place for all students to learn in a safe and secure setting, this kind of behavior cannot be permitted. {CONSEQUENCE FOR INFRACTION}

I am writing this email so that we can work together to make sure this behavior does not continue. If there is anything that I should be aware of that would help prevent this behavior, please let me know. It would be greatly appreciated if you would talk with your child and reinforce the need to follow all classroom rules and procedures.

Thank you so much for your time, and please feel free to email or call me to discuss this issue further or if you have any other questions. 

 

 

Never Run Out Of Space!

Space might be infinite, but the space on your computer’s desktop is not. Teachers have to do a lot on computers like create content, post assignments, grade, communicate with parents and students. It doesn’t take long for your computer desktop to get full of open windows, which can make it difficult to get to the one you need. One solution to this problem is to buy another monitor, but this can be expensive, take up actual desk space, and end up just as cluttered on both monitors. So, what’s the solution? Use virtual desktops.

Using virtual desktops is like using multiple monitors, but on one screen. For example, you could leave your email on one desktop, and your Google Classroom on another. You can then quickly jump back and forth between desktops. You can find instructions for how to use virtual desktops for Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks below.

 

Chromebook:

Notes: Virtual Desktops are called Desks; instructions from Google Support.

Create a desk

1. On your Chromebook keyboard, press the Show windows key.
2. At the top right, select New desk.
3. Optional: To rename a desk, select the virtual desk's name and enter in your preferred name.
4. Drag a window to the new desk.

Important: When you sign out, windows in other desks will merge into a single desk.

Go to a different desk

1. On your Chromebook keyboard, press the Show windows key.
2. At the top, select the desk you want to use.

Move a window to another desk

1. On your Chromebook keyboard, press the Show windows key.
2. At the top, select the desk with the windows you want to move. You may have to press the Show windows key again.
3. Drag and drop windows and apps to your preferred desk.

Remove a desk

1. On your Chromebook keyboard, press the Show windows key.
2. On the desk you want to remove, at the top right, select Close.
3. All apps and windows from the deleted desk will go to the desk on the left. If one is not available, all apps and windows will go to the desk on the right.

Use virtual desk keyboard shortcuts

Important: Depending on your keyboard, you can press the Search key  or the Launcher key for some shortcuts. Both keys work the same.

• To create a new desk: Press Search  + Shift + =
• To move a window one desk left or right: Press Shift + Search  + [ or ] (left or right square bracket)
• To go to a different window: Hold Alt and press Tab until you get to your preferred window within a desk.

 

Windows:

Create Virtual Desktops

Select the Task View icon to the right of the Windows Search box.

Choose New Desktop in the top left of the screen.

Drag any open applications into any of the desktops, or go to a desktop to open a new application.

Shortcut: Win+Ctrl +D will create a new virtual Desktop,

 

Navigate Between Desktops

Select the Task View

All of the virtual desktops will show up across the top.

Click on the one you want to work on.

Shortcut: Win+Ctrl+Left and Right Arrows will jump between virtual desktops

 

Close a Desktop

Note: When you close a virtual desktop, any open windows will move to the original desktop.

Select the Task View

Mouse over the desktop you want to close

Click on the X in top right.

 

 

MAC

Note: Virtual Desktops are called Spaces for Mac; Instructions from Apple Support.

Create a space

1.      On your Mac, enter Mission Control (swipe up with three or four fingers, press the Mission Control key, or press Control-Up Arrow).

If you’re working with apps in full screen or Split View, their thumbnails are shown in the Spaces bar.

2.      In the Spaces bar, click the Add button.

You can create up to 16 spaces.

3.      When you’re done, click the thumbnail for a space to open it.

 

 

Move between spaces

Do any of the following:

·         On a trackpad, swipe left or right with three or four fingers. On a Magic Mouse, swipe with two fingers.

·         Press the Control key and the Right or Left arrow key.

·         On your Mac, enter Mission Control (swipe up with three or four fingers, press the Mission Control key, or press Control-Up Arrow), move the pointer to the top edge of the screen, then click a space in the Spaces bar.

 

 

Move an app window from one space to another

On your Mac, do any of the following:

·         Drag the window to the edge of the screen. After a moment, the window moves to the next space.

·         From the space that has the window you want to move, enter Mission Control (swipe up with three or four fingers, press the Mission Control key , or press Control-Up Arrow), then drag the window up to the space you want to use.

If you drag the window onto a full screen app in the Spaces bar, you can use the apps in Split View.

 

Delete a space

1.      On your Mac, enter Mission Control (swipe up with three or four fingers, press the Mission Control key, or press Control-Up Arrow), then move the pointer to the top edge of the screen.

2.      In the Spaces bar, place the pointer over the space you want to delete, then click the Delete button that appears.

If the space contains open windows, they are moved to another space.

The Key(s) to Saving Time

 

If you are like most teachers, you are working harder than ever before yet it seems like you are further behind as well. For this first post of the year, I am going to keep it short and give you a little cheat sheet that will hopefully save you some time.

If you aren’t familiar with keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys, these are simple keyboard combinations that make it faster and easier to access menu options or perform actions quickly. For the average user it doesn’t matter if you call them shortcuts or hotkeys, what matters is that you learn the ones that benefit you the most. They may only save you a few seconds each, but once you start using them multiple times a day, every day of the week, you are going to wonder how you ever lived without them. 

 

Get your copy of Common Keyboard Shortcuts and a Bonus Cheat Sheet for Chromebook Keys and Trackpad at: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zxOj1AVr4UGl2sJ3T8P6miKwRuUcVW5uBhdktHqKxLY/copy

Movie Day!

Movie Day, the teacher's fallback when you've got nothing else. But it doesn't have
to be that way. Movies are a great way to quickly introduce content or to drum up
interest in the material you are covering. The trick is to make sure that it is presented
in a way that the student understand that it is a learning activity and not just a "free
day."  Here are some suggestions that can make your movie day a productive part of
instruction.


Insert a video segments into Google Forms. If you didn't know you can insert videos
into Google Forms. Create a few questions related to the video and have the students
answer them after they watch it. This is a great way to make sure students pay
attention when watching a shorter video clip.

Video guides (follow along). If you have a longer video that you are showing create
a video guide. Fill in the blanks work well for this because students can quickly
answer the questions without missing too much of the video. You may also want to
to give the students a reflection question at the end of the guide. This will help keep
students from just copying answers from someone else, and it will make them think
critically about what they have just seen.

Use Programs like Edpuzzle. Online programs like Edpuzzle allow you
to create places in the video where it will stop and present students with questions
or further explanations about the content being covered. After students have finished
watching the videos, the teacher can see how long each student spent watching the
video and how many questions they got correct. Edpuzzles and some other programs
even work with Google Classroom, so you can assign a video from their site and
sync grades after students have finished.

Choose Wisely. Not every movie or video is worth taking class time to watch. Start
by asking yourself what do I want my students to take away from watching this.
If you can't directly relate it to what you are doing skip the video, or add it as an
optional assignment students can do outside of class.

Make it an event. Watching videos can grab students attention when they are tired
of doing the same thing in class over and over. However, if you show videos too
frequently students will not be as attentive while watching and they will being
to expect videos and not want to do other important classwork.

In the comments below share a 

video that you like to share with students. 

Teach without even being there.

Note: This post was originally scheduled to go live on 3/26/2020, but due to school
closures I decided to post it early.


Everyone has to miss a day. Sometimes it's for personal reasons or illness, while
other times you doing something school related that takes you out of the class.
In any case, there are times that you really want to make sure that the students
don't get behind, but how can you be away from school and still keep things moving
forward in the classroom? In this blog I will give you a few tips that will help
with just that. (Note: There are days that you might miss because you need to
get away from the classroom. That is fine, enjoy the time off.)


Use Screencastify. Leaving instructions doesn't mean that your students will
get them or understand them. Create a video using screencastify and share it
with your students. This means that students can hear what you want them to
do straight from your mouth.

Digitally answer questions. This is a tip that you should use all the time, but it
can be really helpful if you are away from the classroom. Have students submit
questions to you through email or Google Classroom. Email is a great way
to do this because you can create templates to answer repetitive questions, or
you can use the messaging options in Google Classroom. One benefit for using
Classroom is you can answer questions students send you as a public comment
that will show up with the assignment. If other students have the same questions
they can see it right along with the assignment.

Check GoGuardian. If your students are using Chromebooks, you can see their
screens from anywhere as long as you have internet. If students are wasting time
on sites they shouldn't be on, you can close the tab just like if you were in class.

Google Hangouts. If you really want to check in your classroom you can do it
with a little help. Google Hangouts allows you to video chat. The catch to this
is you will need someone to answer and share with the class on a TV or Projector.
This one isn't practical, but is really cool when you can work out all the details.

How to you keep up with your classes 

when you are away? Share your answer 

in the comments below. 

Learning Menus

In last week's blog, I gave some ideas on how to differentiate instruction. I want to build
on that by telling you about learning menus. Some of you are already familiar with them,
but if you aren't, you might be surprised at how useful they can be if you are trying to
differentiate instruction.

In this blog I am going to do something a little different. Since this blog is about
differentiation, I am going to give you a choice if you want to find out more about
learning menus.


Option 1
Read about Learning Menus by reading Kasey Bell's Blog Shake Up Learning.
https://shakeuplearning.com/blog/interactive-learning-menus-choice-boards-using-google-docs/


Option 2
Watch the video Below.

Advanced Challenge. 

Do Both!

In the comments below share ideas of how you 

plan on using learning menus in your classroom. 

Remarkable Reviews: Part 3 Differentiation

Differentiation

The goal all teachers should have is that every student will master all the content that

we teach. The problem is that we are often driven by the number of standards that we

have to cover. That causes us to keep moving forward even if all the students haven’t

obtain a sufficient level of mastery. Then to expound the problem, we have such a

short time span to review for the final assessment, we end up providing a one size

fits all review. A great example of this is the number of teachers playing Jeopardy or

Kahoot with their students as the test day nears. These are both great tools to use

with students, but in every class you will have students that know all the answers, in

which the review is pointless, and students who don’t know any of the answers, and

let’s be honest, showing them the answer one more time probably isn’t enough for

the student to gain a last minute understanding of the content. So why do we do these

kinds of activities? Because these reviews are helpful for the students in the middle.

The students that just need a reminder of something they haven’t seen in a while.

If you have a classroom full of these “average” students then go for it. Play Kahoot

until the day of the test. But chances are your students are more diverse than that,

which means your reviews need to be just as diverse. Differentiated review/ instruction

is not the easiest way to teach, however it does have a huge impact on student learning.

Below are some tips on how to make differentiated instruction a reality in your classroom. 

Find out where your students are. It’s easy to use something like Google Forms to

determine what standards your students are struggling with, however you also need to

know the students reading level, and their interests. You can search for online reading

and interest tests. This is really worth the time because it will help you determine what

content to present to each student. The goal is to give students materials that they can

process without being overwhelmed and hopefully they will be able to relate to. 

Don’t start from scratch. Spend a little time finding resources that might help students l

earn the content. Many textbooks come with review activities and materials, there are a

ton of things online, and don’t be afraid to ask your fellow teachers. You can easily find

10 activities in the time it would take you to make 1. 

Be open to the type of content you present to students. The goal in differentiation is

to meet the student where they are, not where we want them to be. Present  resources

that are at different difficulty levels and presented in as many ways as possible. Don’t limit

yourself to grade level content. A senior that is struggling might do better with content

geared for an elementary student and a third grader might learn more than you expect by

reading an article in the Wall Street Journal. 

Use Google Classroom to the fullest. With Google Classroom you can create reviews

and assessments ahead of time and then save them as drafts. As soon as you assess

students on a standard determine what they need to do next. Some students will be ready

to move on, while others need to do more work on that standard. The joy of Google

Classroom is you can give each student specific assignments. Student’s don’t know what

their classmates are doing so no one needs to feel singled out. You can also communicate

with students through the private message section for each assignment. This allows

studentsto review what you are “telling” them, and it also keeps them from feeling singled

out. Google Classroom really makes differinitation easier. 

Use Split Screen and multiple tabs. This tip is just technological, not pedigological.

When you are looking over an assessment, drag the results to one side of your desktop.

On the other side have the screen have your assignments open in different tabs. This

will make it so much easier to add students to a specific assignment. 

Keep the students accountable. With differentiation you start where students are at,

but you don’t stay there. You need to make sure students know where they are at in

comparison to where they need to be. If a student seems to be doing well with the material

you are presenting them with, slowly give them more advanced materials. Tell the student

what you are doing and remind them to try their best, even if it is a little harder. Let them

know you want to help them be successful. Raising the difficulty could mean things like

trying  a higher reading level or more questions. If they are struggling too much talk with

them again and adjust. Never let the student or yourself become complacent at their

current level. Labeling students as smart or dumb isn’t differentiation and neither is giving

students “easy” or “hard” work. 

In the comments below share one way

you differentiate content for your students.