Use the Magic Pen

Hi everyone,

Here's a short video I made about using the Magic Pen.  It's a nice way to highlight key areas of your SMARTboard presentation.

Try it today!

Why use Google Classroom?

Google Classroom is a platform available to educators with the Google Apps For Education suite (which includes Gmail, Docs and Drive).

From Google:

Why use a Google Classroom?

- Flip your classroom by sharing lessons with students online.  Students can access the classroom anytime, so they can learn from home, then arrive to class with questions the next day.

-  Link your classroom to Google Hangout to have online tutoring help.

- Share all types of resources easily (video, articles, podcasts, links, word documents, Google docs...)

- Create a paperless environment, and be super organized!  

- Easily view student submissions

- Tie in library resources with ease

- Create an online discussion group

- Create a Classroom with students from any geographic location (as long as they have access to Google Apps for Education).

Tips ~ (from Alice Keeler's blog - click here) ~ 

- Make sure you click "Teacher" when you first sign up (don't click "Student"). 

- Create a section for each period.  (Don't put all of your students into one period).

- Write your name and period for a classroom name, as students most likely will have more than one Google Classroom.  You want them to be able to identify you!

- Don't mess with the folders in Google Drive for your classroom. 

What's Google Drive, and how can I use it?

Find your Google Drive by going to drive.google.com (or click on the app button).

Simply, Google Drive is a virtual filing cabinet:
The top drawer (aka "My Drive") is an online space where you can store, organize, create, upload and share your items.  From the Drive you can create a New Google: Doc, Sheet, Slides, Forms, Drawing (and more)!

The bottom drawer (aka "Shared With Me")is the place where documents shared with you are stored.  If many people have shared documents with you, use the search bar in the top to find documents. 

Two key positives about the drive:

1) Collaboration Station! Creating documents and sharing is easy.  Edit with a team or have students work on projects together virtually.

2) Access your drive where ever you have internet access.  No need to lug around a hard drive, access your documents in the cloud.

Try using your Google Drive today and check our presentation from today's lunch and learn
here: Google Drive.

Chromebook Laptop - (Start Up Guide)!

Part of any classroom start up is introducing the students to the environment and the learning tools.

It is an absolute luxury to have any learning resource in a classroom, (in addition to an actual classroom space).  This is an absolute truth.  Discuss this idea with your students.  Speak of technology tools in terms of "ours".  The hope is that students will take good care of all resources in order preserve the technology and maintain a creative (inspiring) learning environment. 

It is a good idea to model procedures regarding laptops: How to take them out, put them away, what being a good technology citizen looks like.

A few key items:

- You are the "parent" of the laptops, so make sure you know where the key is, and account for all laptops. Make sure to secure and lock the cart before you leave your classroom.

-  Chromebook Teacher Guide

-  Laptop Student Assignments

-  Student Video Guide

-  Student Guide (For SMARTboard / to be projected / discussed)