Tuesday Tips September 11, 2018

TECH TIP:  Google Classroom Updates

I've noticed several students using Google Classroom with some of your classes.  Google announced some new improvements to Google Classroom this week, including the new Classwork and Materials sections.  

No longer are all the posts in the Stream section, but there is now a separate Classwork section where you can organize your assignments by topic or unit.  Once you are in the Classwork section, there is now an option to add in Materials.

These Materials no longer have to be associated with an assignment and can be kept in this new section.  I'm happy to help you set-up  Google Classroom or any other questions.

BOOK TIP:  Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Set in Reconstruction America, but with quite a twist.  Following the Battle of Gettysburg, the dead rise as zombies.  Former slaves and Native peoples are being trained to fight the zombies.  A fast-paced alternative history.  

Tuesday Tips September 4, 2018

TECH TIP:  Pear Deck Add-On for Google Slides

Pear Deck is a tool that allows you to share your Google Slides presentation with students.  Once students join your Pear Deck, they can follow along with your slides in real time. 

 With the new Pear Deck Add-On, you can add in formative assessment questions that students answer as you go through your Google Slides presentation.  The questions can be text, multiple choice, or drawings.  Pear Deck also integrates with Google Classroom.   Here is a video to show you more:

BOOK TIP:  My Summer Reads!

I read a ton of great books this summer!  This year, I'll be posting the covers of all my reads throughout the year on my desk.  Come see if you've read any of them!

Tuesday Tips June 12, 2018

TECH TIP:  Organize Your Google Drive

Before you head out for summer, getting your Google Drive organized with all your files ready for next year!  Two quick ways to organize are by using a color coded folder system and by starring important items so you have quick access to them.  Here's how to color code your folders:

Here's how to star folders:

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You may also want to move items that have been shared with you into your Drive so you have access to them.  Here's how to do this:

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BOOK TIP:  An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Add this one to your summer "to-be-read" list.  A powerful story of a marriage struggling to survive forces beyond their control.  Celestial and Roy have only been married a short time when he is wrongfully accused of a crime and sentenced to 12 years in prison.  Roy's conviction is overturned suddenly and he returns to Atlanta to find that things have changed in many ways, but will their marriage survive?  

Tuesday Tips June 5, 2018

TECH TIP:  Associated Press Explainer Videos

The Associated Press, a global news network whose aim is to provide unbiased news, has a YouTube channel with quick videos that explain various news topics.  These could be great to use in a class when discussing current issues.  Their latest video explains whether President Trump can pardon himself.  

BOOK TIP:  New York Times Book Review Summer Reading Suggestions

As you put together your personal summer to-be-read list, the New York Times Book Review has a list of 73 book suggestions in the following categories:

• Thrillers
• Cooking
• True Crime
• Movies and TV
• Travel
• Romance
• Music
• The Great Outdoors
• Sports

Tuesday Tips May 29, 2018

TECH TIP:  Tech Requests for Next Year

The Tech Committee of Tom Roy, Neel Webber and myself are putting together requests for technology purchases for next year.  If you have items you would like, get those to us by this Friday, June 1.  

I'm also interested in running "micro PD" sessions on tech items next year.  Let me know if there are topics you'd like to learn more about, and I'll plan these sessions.  Could be anything from how to better use Gmail, organizing your Google Drive, to making stop motion movies in your class.  

BOOK TIP:  Summer Reading Time

​It's that time of year when I'll begin to promote summer reading!  This is an all-voluntary program and, for me, it is simply about encouraging reading in any form over the summer break.  The students love the teacher incentives and I'll putting in your mailbox a form to fill out if you are willing to offer an incentive this year.   Thank you for considering being a part of this! 

Tuesday Tips May 22, 2018

TECH TIP:  Blabberize

 Blabberize is a very easy to use tool that allows you to make pictures talk.  You upload an image to Blabberize, adjust where you want the mouth to go, and then record what you want the image to say.  This could be a quick in class project for summarizing events, stating facts, or for formative assessments.  Here is my example one: http://blabberize.com/view/id/1755516

BOOK TIP: Faculty Summer Book Club The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching High School Students by Thomas Armstrong 

The Faculty Book Club will continue this summer!  I will have copies available of our next book,The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching High School Students by Thomas Armstrong, for you to read over the summer and we will meet in September to discuss.  In this book, Armstrong "looks at the power and promise of the teenage brain from an empathetic, strength-based perspective—and describes what middle and high school educators can do to make the most of their students' potential."  The mission of the Faculty Book Club is 

to promote reading and the discussion of professional and inspirational works in an atmosphere that fosters positivity and community. Let me know if you are interested!

Tuesday Tips May 15, 2018

TECH TIP:  Gmail Updates

There are some cool new updates recently made to Gmail.  These include:  a new look to the Gmail screen, a Snooze button to save email for later that you can't respond to right away, auto reply options, and easy access and integration to Calendar, Keep and Tasks.  Here are some screenshots of how to set it up and what it looks like:

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BOOK TIP:  The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

  For those of you who were fans of suspense novels like The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl, you'll love this one.  Anna Fox is a recluse, an agoraphobic, afraid to leave her Harlem brownstone.  She's an unreliable narrator, drinks too much, medicates too heavily, but what she saw at through her window was real. But getting to the truth of what she witnessed has many twists and turns.  Put this one on your beach read list for the summer!