Third Nine Weeks

Technology News

Are you still using USB flash drives to save and backup your important documents? If you are on a district computer you could use your H: drive, or even better, use your Google drive! Anything you save to your Google drive can be accessed from any Internet device, worldwide! Those documents can also then be shared easily with other Google users.

GPISD Tech updates

Check out Virtual Reality in a fun way! Each principal in GPISD received a Google Cardboard device to share with their campus. If you have never seen one, or if you want your students to experience VR, see your principal!

Special Tips for Special Pops

iPads provide some special tools to help with some disabilities. Go into Settings, General, and Accessibility and you will find many tools to help with Vision and Hearing problems. You can change the text size, invert colors, turn on subtitles and captioning, among other things.

Got ELPS?

FunEnglishGames.com is a website with several games, activites, videos and more can be found to help English learners practice their English skills.

GT Tips

BrainBashers is a collection of brain teasers, puzzles, riddles, and games to keep kids thinking.

Differentiation Edition

Many activities in this edition of the TIPs Newsletter will focus on Differentiation activities using technology!

Instructional Technology Highlight

At Normandy Crossing Elementary, Dr. Nelly Peña-Gaviria’s 3rd grade ELL students are using Quizlet to review academic vocabulary. The cards have also been printed and converted to an “I Have, Who Has” activity for a low-tech whole group or center option. Quizlet allows users to review terms and definitions (with or without images) in prebuilt or custom-made study sets presented as virtual flashcards, review races, matching games, and more.

Kaneice Washington uses ipads to enhance the science curriculum at Galena Park Elementary. Her students have used Pic Collage to illustrate food chains. They also made Word Clouds after learning about adaptations. Ms. Washington also plans to have her students make ThingLink files as a culminating review before the Science STAAR.

Created by GPISD Technology Instructional Specialists for Teachers http://galenaparkisd.com/curriculum/technology/

Third Nine Weeks

Web 2.0 Tools

Diigo for a person who is doing research, this tool is a life saver!

Teaching Channel provide hundreds of videos offer teaching tips on topics both large and small.

Appy Hour

Periscope best app of 2015. Periscope lets you broadcast live video to the world. Going live will instantly notify your followers who can join, comment and send you hearts in real time.

Tech for Teachers

Digital History.JPG

Digital History is all about learning history in a digital format. The site contains historical timelines, interviews, primary sources, and multimedia stories. Teachers also can find classroom handouts, lesson plans, quizzes, history topics — all defined by historical eras.

What’s New

Google Drive is making it easier to find your files by letting you choose the filetype, who it was created by and what software it can be opened by. Regardless of what device your files came from, you can search for a file type on Android, iOS or the web.

Language Arts

In reading, students will be focusing on Main Idea and Details, Context Clues-Homographs, drawing conclusions and making inferences. Also, they are using graphic organizers to bring clarity and meaning to what they have read. Most are short activities that can be completed individually in classroom centers or as a whole-group warm up activity

Math

Weeks 17-20, Equivalent Fractions on a Number Line will be introduced. Try this tutorial as a whole group practice. Students can reinforce their skills with matching math equivalent fractions at three different levels. Also, during the 3rd nine weeks your students will be introduced to Explaining, Composing and Decomposing Fractions.

Science

In weeks 18-19 students will learn about “Soil as a Mixture.” During this unit, students will learn about weathering. Brain Pop Jr. has a free movie that talks about “Slow Land Changes.” This movie talks about weathering and erosion. There are also some games to play, a couple of quizzes, word wall, and other activities and it’s all FREE!!!

Social Studies

In the third nine weeks third graders will learn about how to use a map. National Geographic has created the “Adventure Island” game to help teach students about using symbols and a key on a map. This would be a great link to use in a center or maybe on an iPad for students to practice these skills. National Geographic also has an entire section about “Mapping” with tons of other resources.

Third Nine Weeks

Web 2.0 Tools

Tammy Worcester Tang specializes in finding unique, creative, and effective ways to use technology in the classroom.

Discovery Education offers many technology tools that can be used.

Appy Hour

Use this online message board and add sticky notes. Students can use this without a log in. Look at this quick guide to create your first padlet.

Create a correct bibliography by using this app and scanning the book’s barcode.

Tech for Teachers

Google Chrome Extensions are browser extensions that modify the Google Chrome browser.

Thinking about trying a flipped classroom? Be sure to look at this list of 7 web based tools to help you.

What’s New

Stay on top of educational technology and check out this website.

Twitter user? Follow Richard Byrne @rmbyrne to keep up with the latest tech ed info.

Language Arts

Ready for more examples of blended learning? During centers in Week 26 have your students watch one or two videos on writing limericks and then practice writing their own. Give your students some fun practice with simile and metaphor usage with this game from IXL. ReadWriteThink has some great interactives such as theme, haiku, diamante, and acrostic poems. They are also available as IOS apps. Just search the App Store for ‘International Reading Association’.

Math

Blended learning is a great way to jazz up your classroom centers. Add a link to Study Jams Perimeter study set to your classroom webpage. Students start with the ‘Step-by-Step’ instructions. After viewing the demonstrations, they click ‘Test Yourself’ to solve perimeter problems. Do this with a video from Khan Academy on adding fractions. There is also a link to practice.

Science

In week 21, while discussing force and motion, use this ready made quizlet. You can use the flashcards to present the vocabulary or use as a review. There is a test as well. Log in is simple, just use your Google login. There is also a website where students can build a small roller coast to show motion.

Social Studies

In January, us this BrainPOP video as an introduction to the Civil War lesson. After the Civil War is taught, instead of having to grade the Civil War true/false quiz, have the students submit their answers on this Google Form. All the teacher needs to do is add the answers and place the link in their Google Classroom.

Third Nine Weeks

Web 2.0 Tools

Padlet - A collaborative, online corkboard. No logins or passwords needed! Start with a blank wall and add anything you can dream of - announcements, videos, blogs, links, and more. Padlet is formerly known as WallWisher and also available as an iPad app.

Appy Hour

Have you tried Class Dojo yet? This classroom management app is available for iOS, Android, and from any computer. Check it out here!

Tech for Teachers

Revolutionize your classroom by using Ditch that Textbook by Matt Miller.

What’s New

Google Draw is free to all GPISD students and a great way to teach students how to create graphic designs. Learn more about Google Draw.

Language Arts

Search Quizlet for study sets to support topics that you will introduce in Unit 4. These activities can be used in centers, on interactive whiteboards, as homework, or for review. Here are a few ready-made for upcoming ELA lessons: Genres study set, Spirit of Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong, Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg, La Bamba by Gary Soto, and many more! Just use the search bar at the top of Quizlet to type in the title of the text. Use the copy tool to edit existing sets or create one of your own!

Math

In addition to Pearson enVision resources, use Khan Academy to reinforce geometry concepts, like classifying 2D figures.

Science

Formative assessments are a great way to engage your students while still learning or reviewing. Why not play Kahoot? This activity on the Solar System can be used during the week of January 11-15. Study Jams is a great additional resource for teaching a variety of science topics. Also consider exploring Science Netlinks which contains a variety of interactives and tools to teach science topics. Gravity Launch can be used in a center or as a teaching tool.

Social Studies

During this grading period students can learn about the Civil War by watching this Brain Pop video. Quizizz contains ready made informal assessments to use in class. Simply create a login and search their library. Students can take the quiz on any mobile device with internet connectivity. This one for instance is on the Civil War Battles. As an extension, to any social studies students can display knowledge learned by creating a Read Write Think Timeline.