Images and Captions Using Google Drawing in Google Docs on iPad or Computer

Our students have conducted interviews with people in their families.  To enhance the papers that have been written, students will insert images with captions utilizing Google Drawing.

On Computer Tutorial

Important Items:

• Insert Google Drawing within Google Doc
• Add Image (from Google Drive)
• Add Text 
• Adjust Text with Font, Size, Color
• Save & Close
• Wrap Text
• Adjust Picture in Document

On iPad Tutorial

Important Items:

• Google Docs App
• White Pencil In Blue Circle (edit documet)
• Plus Sign
• Image From Photos (or camera) (Download from Google Drive to Camera Roll)
• Place Cursor Below Image, Center, Add Text For Caption
• BONUS: Using Explain Everything or PicCollage
• Place text on top of image 
• Save Image to Camera Roll
• Insert Image via Plus Sign that has Text on Top Of it

Twitter Exit Ticket

In the Flex Mod we have options for having a large group information presentation session.  As the World History group of teachers continues to add new ways to engage students, we decided to create a Twitter Feed Timeline for information pertaining to the Russian Revolution.  I am a member of their team because in the flex mod, teachers have collaboration time once a week.  As a technology integration support teacher, I am in the meetings discovering what the teachers are teaching and adding "technology integration ideas" when appropriate.

It started when I found the ClassTools.net Fake Twitter Feed.  However, in large group the time and process would have been larger than we would have had access to if completed online.

I decided to created a "fake Twitter profile and timeline" using Google Draw that would become a paper copy.  While the images are below of what we printed off you can access all items in a

Twitter Exit Ticket Folder (click)

so that you can use the exit ticket digitally or on paper.

Google Images + Google Drawing + Lucid Press = Publishing Options and Success

On Monday, we have one of the best days in our school year pertaining to professional development.  I am part of a group of teachers from our district that are willing to teach other teachers in our district trending innovative teaching strategies that include emerging technology tools.  All of our teachers get to choose three different tech sectionals throughout the day.  We also have lunch and "a sandbox" running opposite each other for emerging tech gadgets.

My first presentation for the day is an overview of the great iPad creation app, Explain Everything.  I have presented this before during the first semester Apple Core trainings, but all of the attendees are new to the details of this tool.


My second presentation is an "first time" presentation of Google Images, Google Draw, and Lucid Press.  Our district is on the verge of moving away from the Microsoft products for teachers.  Our students haven't had Microsoft for three years.  I really like the SlideCarnival template that I used. It is my intent to show new creation options for teachers to create "Microsoft Publisher" type products.  Some items that I focused on:
Google Images:

• Size
• Color
• Type
• Time
• Usage Rights

Google Drawing:

• Integrating With
• Docs
• Sheets
• Slides
• Layering
• Tools

Lucid Press:

• How To Connect To Google Drive
• Creating
• Templates
• Tools
• Publishing

Using Google Draw While Using Google Docs

Our sixth grade students in Mrs. Noble's class are writing creative stories that create "critters" that combine two different features of different animals into one "critter".  One of our teachers wanted their students to create an image of the "critter". Google Draw was the best tool for this on a computer.

View My Example

Student Example: Critter Story - Uniserpent

Age Of Reason Fantasy Draft in Social Studies

This is more than cool!


Our social studies teachers created a PRETTY cool video which introduced their "Age of Reason" content.

Mrs. Schartner, created a tremendous "digital workflow" to make this all happen!

• Used Google Draw to crop the pictures for the first and last "Draw" images. This allowed for editing of the NBA version.
• The entire group of images was placed into Google Slides on a computer.
• Screen Shots were taken of each of the slides while the Google Slides was open on an iPad.
• All images of people were saved on an iPad and everything was put into iMovie on the iPad
• The iPad was used because it had the music.  The Chicago Bulls theme song was added.
• Our football announcer, Mr. Nickerson (also a social studies teacher) was given a typed script.  His voice was recorded straight through.
• The audio of the announcer and the images was "matched up".
• Names and dates were added with the title options in iMovie
• The final product was exported to YouTube

I'm extremely proud of the workflow that Mrs. Schartner designed and implemented!

Mitosis Project & Explain Everything Student Reflection Survey

As many readers of iPaddiction know, I have been in a three week process of learning with the Biology teachers and integrating the Explain Everything app.

All of which have been documented:

Step 1 - Teaching Teachers

Step 2 - Teaching Students

Step 3 - Exporting the Project 

Step 4 - Lesson Reflection

Step 5 - Student Reflection

An additional piece of data needed to come from the students.

I utilized Google Forms to acquire information to students on the final day of production with the Explain Everything app.  Students completed the survey on the iPads.

I was in the process of using Piktochart to create an infographic of the details but realized I didn't have the time to create a detailed infographic of the data.  Instead, I used screen shots of the "Summary of Responses" from the spreadsheet in Google Forms and placed them quickly on a Google Draw palette.  The information is here or below.

Some thoughts after viewing the results:

• Students REALLY enjoyed using the iPads and Explain Everything
• Three questions had over 63% of the students liking/enjoying the Explain Everything learning experiences over a traditional lecture/multiple choice test.
• Students may not have "learned the content better" because they didn't feel like the teachers spoon fed the information in a lecture format.  Students were given the basic information of mitosis with the option to become "proficient or advanced" via self learning while creating the Explain Everything product.  This was different for students.

Some free response from students to the question "In what ways did you feel you used your brain more to know the content using the iPad versus a multiple choice test?:

• The iPad gets kids interacting with technology.
• You have to know how to present the information instead of just filling in blanks and bubbles.
• I had to put things into my own words.
• I feel like in order to create this presentation we really had to be educated and know what we were talking about.
• You had to find things out for yourself, as well as figuring out how to do some of the things you wanted to do.
• You got to be more creative and think more about the topic.
• Personally, I am a hands on learner so using the iPad and explaining it to someone else helped me more than just memorizing and forgetting.

While it may have taken a few minutes to have the students complete the form, it certainly provided some insight in moving forward.

AP Human Geography Understanding Information

The AP Human Geography students used one of two technology tools to organize information found in a section of information text.

The first class used the SimpleMind HD app to organize this information.  Some students from 2011-2012 school year demonstrated how to use this app.




Because we share digital devices, the second class was not able to secure the iPads for use.  We chose to have them create the information on a Google Draw (ing) document.


The positive aspect of using Google Draw is the aspect of collaboration & sharing.  Both are easy to do and can add to the learning experience.

This is the first time I have used Google Draw and may look to use this tool in the future due to our success incorporating it!