Tuesday Tips December 18, 2018

TECH TIP:  Google Year in Search 2018

Every year, Google puts together a video that highlights the top searches on Google.  I admit to being obsessed this summer over the rescue of the Thai boys soccer team, and that made the list.  See how many of these you remember from this year.  Enjoy!

BOOK TIP:  Free Book Table tomorrow

My gift to you before each vacation is to get books into your hands, so you can enjoy the health benefits of reading over vacation.  Stop by tomorrow to see if there's something for you!

Tuesday Tips December 11, 2018

TECH TIP:  Google Docs new shortcut

A great new shortcut for creating a Google Doc was recently released.  Instead of having to go into your Drive or Docs in order to create a new document, all you have to do is in your Chrome browser, just type in docs.new and a new document is automatically created.  You can also do this with Google Sheets, by typing in sheets.new or with Google Slides by typing in slides.new. 

BOOK TIP:  Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson

I'm an admitted realistic fiction fan and this is one of my recent YA realistic favorites.  Monday and Claudia have been friends forever, but suddenly when Claudia returns from summer vacation, Monday is nowhere to be found.  Monday's family gives confusing messages about where she is and as Claudia digs deeper into where Monday is, she realizes how little she really knew about her best friend.  

Tuesday Tips from the Library

TECH TIP:  Flippity Scavenger Hunt Template

 

 Flippity is a great tool that easily turns content on a Google Sheet into things like flashcards, name pickers, crosswords and other games.  Their latest tool is one that makes Scavenger Hunts from a Google Sheets template that look like the screenshot below.  This is from the Demo Game, if you want to try it out.  

To make your own, you make a copy of the Scavenger Hunt template and then add in your own content and then when hit Publish to the Web, you will get a unique URL to share with your students.  Could be a good way to review material with your students. 

BOOK TIP:  There There by Tommy Orange

This book was recently named to Best Books of 2018 by The New York Times., but had been showing up on nearly all the best of lists that I've seen.  It is the story of modern Native Americans living in Oakland, CA.  Coming from multiple viewpoints, all who are going to attend the Big Oakland Powwow, their stories will combine and explode on that fateful day.  This book has been called galvanizing, extraordinary and masterful.