n2y Winner, Mrs. Morgan!

Technology can present itself in so many ways.  n2y and Symbolstix is a technology tool that has revolutionized Mrs. Morgan's classroom learning environment.

In September 2013, Mrs. Morgan approached me with the idea of entering the n2y contest in which n2y wanted to hear how the Unique Learning System was utilized in classrooms across the United States.  After understanding the task at hand which was filming and producing a video telling the story of how the Unique Learning System has helped Nalia become verbally engaged in learning, I agreed to help.

Part of the job of a Learning Support Teacher & Technology Integration Specialist is thinking about and enacting the best work flow for a task.  My initial thought was to use iPads and Skitch to tell the story.  However, I knew I needed to talk with Mr. Manning, a media teacher.  He immediately recognized the importance of the story and decided to become an integral piece to the puzzle.  From him, I learned how to transcribe each video clip (we used Google Docs so that both of us could work on the document).  Transcribing allowed us to tell the story through the teacher, students, and parents.  Our final product was well received!

The reaction of Mrs. Morgan and her students is priceless.  Congratulations, Mrs. Morgan!  You deserve it!

View Celebration that was created completely on an iPad Air with iMovie.

Gmail Saved To Google Drive

Having a specific Gmail saved to Google Drive for viewing purposes could be needed for any number of reasons.

View How

Google Form For Band Attendance

Craig Sampo, high school junior, created this on his own.

View It

Workplace Writing Professional Portfolio

This year will mark the first year that our Workplace Writing students will transition from a binder of compilation of work to a digital presence.  We decided to use Google Sites for a few reasons:

• Page Level Admission
• Uploading of Documents onto a Page
• Seamless integration with Google Docs (*Viewable Permission Rights Must Provide Access)

The site was created and uploaded to our school's template gallery.  Students will access the template on a Chromebook.

View Template

*If you can't view the template in your school's domain, please request access.

Impact On Students:

Creativity:  While a template was created, students have the option of change the color, font, and overall appearance to personalize.

Critical Thinking: Placing the correct information in the presentation form is very important.  Students will be directed to think critically about the content and the way it appears to the viewer.

Citizenship:  This is the most important aspect.  This portfolio represents themselves on this page, but their other digital content (Twitter, Facebook) must also portray them in a positive light.

iMovie On iPad - Adding Subtitles

Ms. Slusarek, high school Spanish teacher, wanted to have students add one word subtitles to highlight the specific chapter vocabulary that they use throughout the iMovie production.  They need twenty subtitles that will help check for correct spelling, contextual use, as well as, aids in audience comprehension.

I knew that text could be attached to video or images in iMovie on the iPad.  The key to making this work is to splice the video between phrases on the video storyboard.  When no transitions exist, there is a seamless transition between video clips that is NOT noticed by the viewer. The image below shows this.

I chose to use the Title > Middle option to make it look like a subtitle.  Overall, I believe this can be a great feature for students to create written word along with audio words.

View The Final Product Which Directly Relates To Cleaning Your Google Drive Promotion



Impact On Students:
Citizenship: I view this slightly differently in this situation.  Providing written words for students who may have hearing challenges is only fitting.  If the activity allows for students to understand the text better, great!  However, providing equal accessibility for all is fantastic!
Critical Thinking: Hearing the spoken word and translating it into written word takes a great deal of concentration.

Time Sheet via Google Form For AP Psych PBL

Mr. Krause will be providing a Problem/Project Based Learning opportunity.  Students will create a "time sheet" via a Google form to record their total minutes focused on specific tasks.  Sure, we could just have them create a Google Sheet for recording of data, but we wanted something "flashy".  Google Forms provides a way for students to "enter" their time.

After the time sheets are recording in the Google sheet, students will use a formula to add of the total minutes.

View Presentation To Students On Making A Google Form

Impact On Students:
Critical Thinking:  Allotting the correct amount of time on the correct task is a valuable life lesson. Not only are we allowing students to design their own time sheet, we are also asking them to be responsible for their time on tasks.

Mystery Map - High School Human Geography

Map Race and Geoguessr are great tools for students to gain clues as to the place in the world that is being shown.  While this allows students and adults to get the experience, it doesn't allow for students to create their own place, clues, and game.

Enter our idea.

Mrs. Brylski and I have created a project in which students create five clues using Google Maps, Awesome Screencapture Chrome Extension, Google Presentations, Google Drive, and Customized Google Maps.

To begin I chose a place that I liked in the world.  I used the Google Street View version in Google maps.  I then used the Awesome Screencapture extension to gather five photos pertaining to the place of choice.  We are having the students create the pictures from easy to difficult.  In addition, students will be creating five additional clues to add to the pictures.  These include:

• HDI
• Population Pyramid
• Religion
• Ethnicity
• Folk Culture

If the links to these clues are provided without any revealing names of the places, the link can simply be added to the slide.  If the information has revealing information, the Screen Capture blurring option was used.  Once the images were clipped, the images were uploaded to Google Drive and made visible by the link.

Once the students create there slide show of clues, they will tell the teacher their place in the world.  The teacher will add a place mark on a customized Google map.  The students will create (probably their first) customized Google map for all of their answers from other student's presentations.

After the answers are revealed in the Master Mystery Map (only shown after the teacher receives the answers from students and their guesses of other students), students will use the Google maps tools to determine the proximity of their guess to the actual place.  The closer the guess, the greater the point total.

View The Example Mystery Map

View The Students Presenting and Guessing!



Impressive Creation By A Student!  She really worked to make it challenging!


Impact On Students:
Critical Thinking: Deciding easy to difficult clue choices will require some thought.
Creativity:  In creating my example, I wanted some help in the form of street signs and building signs that could give some clues.  Students will need to do this as well.  This will take some creativity to find and use certain pictures.

Google Drive Clean Up Promotion With ChatterPix

ChatterPix is a great app that turns any picture into a character that talks.  Customize with numerous options and add your own voice and text and an awesome video is created in seconds.

Google Drive Clean Up is our Lunch N' Learn topic on Tuesday and Breakfast Bytes on Thursday.

View your own Google Drive to hear how he/she wants you to attend!

AP Environmental Science "Show What You Know"

As any AP teacher knows, time remains after the test.  Ms. Thut is utilizing some classic books found in our library for students to read and inform other students in the class their findings.  Her project for the students explains everything.

She asked me to provide some technology tools for the students to have choice in "showing what they know".  Fortunately, I completed something similar for our E 10 students for an end of Semester 1 proof of learning! Today, I will present to the students OPTIONS for sharing their findings.

Of course, the Top Tech Tool Infographic is going to be utilized along with items from Tony Vincent's Infographic.

Let the learning and choice of proof of learning begin!


Impact On Students:
Creativity: Students will be encouraged to smash the apps together to create products that catch students' attention.
Critical Thinking: Choosing the correct tool to transfer information that a student knows to other students takes a thought process that doesn't come easy.  This is similar to many life skills where the manual doesn't exist and yet, a task needs to be accomplished.

Evernote Implemented For Gathering Resources

Mr. Logue and Mr. Sarosiek, middle school social studies teachers, have implemented Evernote and Evernote Web Clipper with students.  It is helping them organize resources found on the web prior to writing about a historical event.

While demonstrating past uses of Evernote in high school classes and show the "why" and "how" of using Evernote, Mr. Sarosiek created a step by step plan for students.

View It

Serious Social Media For 8th Grade Transition Day

On Friday, our 8th graders travel to the high school for a transition day.

Four Sessions. Four Topics. Important To Students.

One session will be "Serious Social Media". We are going to speak in front of the students with adults and high school students to emphasize positive social media behavior to positively represent ourselves, our school, and our community!

View Presentation

Auto-Expire Usage Rights For Google Documents

Sharing Google Documents has truly revolutionized collaboration and "turning in" of assignments in the classroom.  Unfortunately, at the end of each year, teachers have an enormous amount of "shared with me" documents in their Google Drive.  Last year, I shared a "cleaning your Google drive" blog post that was helpful for teachers.  It works, but teachers still need to take time to "clean" their drives.

With Auto Expire (original directions), students could add this scrip to their document so that their document would leave the teacher's "shared" storage area after a certain amount of time.  It make take one or two attempts, but once the process is mastered, this could truly help teachers with workflow efficiency.  On the flip side, teachers can run this auto expire with ANY document that they share with students.  This can help with students leaving a class and not having access to a document after a certain time period.

Steps:

• Create a Google Document, Presentation, or Sheets (this can also be used for ANYTHING in stored in a person's Google Drive - essentially, anything with a link)
• Share the item with whomever you would like
• Copy the shared link
• Click Here to obtain a copy of the "Auto Expire" Script Worth Using
• File > Make A Copy > Save With Title You Want
• Add the URL of your Google drive document OR file in Line #3 and the expiration date in Line #7 (Use YYYY-MM-DD:MM format)( must be military time)(HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW)
• Ctrl +A --highlights everything on Auto Expire Script Worth Using
• Ctrl + C --copies everything
• Travel Back to Google Document (Slides, Sheets)
• Click Tools
• Run Script Editor
• Click Blank Project
• Delete small amount of text that is in the script editor
• Ctrl + V (paste)
• Click Black Triangle
• Save Script
• Click Black Triangle Again
• Click Accept
• Click Run Start

I realize it may be slightly confusing, however, ask for help if you need assistance.  Once completed people will notice that the Google Document that you shared with them WILL DISAPPEAR from their "shared with me" folder automatically after a certain time!
View Video Tutorial

Me and My edCampMKE 2014

Milwaukee: Home of the Brewers, Bucks, B__r (family friendly blog), and a great edCamp.

Saturday found four teachers from Pulaski attending a very well run edCamp.  I attended three group learning sessions and one individual learning session.

Prior to the edCamp Milwaukee beginning, connecting and reconnecting with extraordinary educators is the name of the game.  I talked with people I knew

@g5changeagent21 @MrsGeeLMS  @amyuelmen

@sjgorman

and people I had never met before.

These people were just some of the people added to my PLN.  

Before an edCamp starts, sessions of learning need to be suggested.  A 2014 schedule needs to be built! I suggested "This Works For Me!" A #friendlysmackdown among technology integrators and tech coaches as to what awesome strategies are used to move the first year or 35th year teacher forward in effeciently integrating technology in the classroom.

My Session 1: Curriculum Development - Move Over Businesses
My #MVP - Most Valuable Point
The content you create on school time and or with school equipment is the property of the school district.

My Session 2: "This Works For Me!" Tech Integrators Friendly Smackdown
My #MVP - Most Valuable Point
I want to create professional development through a Google Hangout at least twice during the summer!  I would also like to have Patio PD, a time where educators travel to someone's house to to enjoy burgers and dogs while the sun is setting and a fire pit is stirring.  Throw in new tech tools for engaging learning and teachers walk away with a new sense of energy and enthusiasm for learning!

The Smackdowns Idea Wall

My Session 3:  Google Apps - Streamline Workflow

My #MVP - Most Valuable Point

I really liked the Google Scrips that these two teachers created to improve classroom management.  I am going to share "Big Brother" with our staff at the beginning of next year as a way to manage student assignments.  The color coding and multiple sheets of data can help with student accountability.

www.edbean.com

My Session 4:  Individual Learning Opportunity

My #MVP - Most Valuable Point

During my session 2, I met Tim Morten, tech integrator in the Sun Prairie School District.  Session 2 created a positive experience for him as he wears many hats in his district.  I really enjoyed talking with him and discovered that he could use my Top Tech Tool infographic.  Once I shared that with him, he shared a Google form that he is using when designing lessons with teachers.  He made the Google form create a Google Document that is complete with information that allows for easy understanding of the lesson and its objectives.  (I will let Tim share it out when he is ready)  I will use it as it is awesome!

edCampMKE was a fantastic day of learning for me!  I loved learning something new and immersing myself with powerful educators who are chaning the world!

4th Annual Goody Triathlon

It's that time of year again!

Mr. Goodness, physical education teacher, organizes a 10K triathlon for special needs students throughout our area.  Over 150 students participated by swimming, biking, and running 6.2 miles!

It is my role to video the entire event and have a highlight video ready to view after lunch.  I use the iPad and iMovie as it is the EASIEST method for creating a video in such a short turn around!  After the race ends, the video needs to be ready in 30 minutes.  Not a problem with iMovie on the iPad!

I love this day, because students ALWAYS succeed when they think they can't.  Much of that is because of our many high school and middle school students and teachers who volunteer their time for encouragement!

Fantastic Event! View It!

CPM Tech Resource Training Day

Our teachers use CPM and time was granted to them to investigate the technology resources.  Our teachers were granted three hours of instruction and investigation time, along with food, to become more efficient with the tools to better meet the needs of students and parents.

There are three parts to the technology resources.
Teacher Resources
Student eBook Resources
Assessment Resources

View Presentation

Master Concepts Through Creating With Stick Around

Stick Around app for the iPad is a relatively new app that allows students to create puzzles that match terms and their meanings.  Creating a puzzle sounds like it might be best suited for K-6 students, however, this app is so versatile that it could be a phenomenal app for K-College students.

Consider Stick Around For (My Ideas First - *Stick Around's Ideas Found on Website)

Social Studies/Psychology/Human Geography:

• Attaching countries with culture
• Attaching cultures with ethnics
• Attaching maps with languages
• Attaching brain parts with functions
• Attaching psychological conditions with discoverers
• Attaching economic concepts with overall impact
• Place locations on a map*
• Place items where they belong on a chart*
• Label people in a photo*
• Associate powers with the branches of government*
• Sequence of events on a timeline*

Mathematics:

• Combining steps of a problem with rational
• Combining steps of a problem with terms

English:

• Attaching labels to parts of speech in sentences
• Attaching correct punctuation and capitalization with sentences
• Attaching story elements with steps of a story
• Attaching character analysis with personal experience
• Attaching connections between story plots of various books
• Attaching steps of a media process with tools of the trade
• Complete a graphic organizer*
• Associate words and definitions*

Science:

• Combining labeling of topics with definitions and meanings
• Combining parts of microscopes with definitions and functions
• Combining causes and effects for any topic
• Combining elements with reactions
• Tag parts of the body*
• Annotate the water cycle (or any cycle)*
• Label the parts of a plant (or anything)*
• Match photos of animals to their habitats*

Foreign Language:

• Attaching English words with words of a foreign language
• Attaching  conversations with correct order
• Attaching culture with languages and customs
• Fill in a Venn Diagram*

Agri-Science

• Label animal parts with definitions pre or post labs*
• Attach processes with definitions

Family and Consumer Economics

• Combining finished food product with correct ingredients
• Combining finished clothing product with correct stitching or procedures
• Combine utensils with names and functions

While making puzzles could be a powerful option for presenting the information to students, a more engaging and empowering learning experience would be for the students to create the puzzle based on information you provide.  Have students share puzzles with peers after completion and students are provided with a student created mastery activity.

From the creator of Stick Around view the basics for using Stick Around!
 

If you considering this app for your classroom, it is relatively inexpensive if you want to purchase more than 20 copies.

See you Tuesday to experience a face to face learning session on one of the great, new creative apps.

AP Psychology Review With GetKahoot

Mr. Krause, social studies teacher, used GetKahoot as a review for his AP students.  We used Chromebooks, but the great thing about GetKahoot is that it works on an iPad or personal mobile device as well!

View It

Personal Finance Smartphone Toolbox

Our economics teacher, Mr. Nickerson, wanted a cellphone resource for his students that would provide valuable tools while...

• controlling expenses and managing money
• shopping 
• comparing auto insurance
• comparing rental vs. buying properties
• paying off debt and building wealth
• comparing bank rates.

I decided that a single page Google Site would work the best.  I wanted to create the site so that when students are on their phones, they can see a tool, click on a link and immediately be taking to the app store of their choice.  I used Microsoft Publisher to create the uniformed icons.  Those icons take viewers to a web version of the resource!

To create the header, I used Explain Everything and exported the "saved slide image" to my Google Drive.  I downloaded that file from Google Drive and inserted into my Google Site.

I think it is looks great and will be a valuable tool for students (and adults) if they choose to use it. 

Please View or Click on the Image to view the entire site.