Know Your Memes?
Do you know what “meme” means? If you don’t know, guess what your students do. Its a “form of cultural propagation, a way for people to transmit social memories and cultural ideas to each other.”�The internet is the perfect vehicle for this and usually its comedy centered. �Here’s a site where you can make one of your own like I did here with this Obi Won picture. You can use famous images or upload your own.
5/25/15
smallpdf
This is super cool. Its a easy to use handy dandy tool for all things PDF. Have you ever need a page removed from a PDF or needed turn a JPG into a PDF? This site lets you upload your file and lets you do quite a few steps; resize, remove pages, merge different PDFs. and more. smallpdf.com ��
Photosphere
Create beautiful, 360º panorama shots of any space. From on top of Tahoe or in your classroom. This feature comes with the Google Camera app for Android or is an app on iPhones here. �Here are two I’ve done recently; one from Emigrant Gap and another from my classroom.
Podcasts
This summer you may have some time to take in a little audio. So, how about trying the world of podcasts? Podcasts are free “radio” type programs that are great way to learn or be entertained. This video shows some of the popular ways to try listening. I love listening to these in car or outside. Feel free to share out some of you favorites.
Newspaper Headline Generator
Here is a fun little tool. It lets you create fictional newspaper headlines. These can be copied and pasted into any program or uploaded to your Schoology page.
Teachers Pay Teachers
Have great lessons to share? Looking for something to add to your classes? On this site you can do both, selling your own class materials and buying resources from other teachers
Summer Reading
Here is my recommendation: Teach Like A Pirate
Plus the two which I plan to read over the summer: Drive and Out of Our Minds
Please share any of your favs
5/18/15
Video of the Week:
Thinglink is interactive media platform which allows you to upload pictures and make them interactive with links, video, etc. Check out this video and then their site here thinglink.com
A good example to look at on the site is the Solar System.
YouTube Start Times
Have you ever wanted a YouTube video to share but did not want it to start at the beginning?
YouTube allows you to choose the start time. First click on SHARE and the on START AT: Move to clip to where you want.
Then copy the code new YouTube link. This you can paste on your Schoology page or any other document and it will take them to this point
Copy This
Geography Game
If you find your kids with left over time while on the Chromebooks have them try this game. It uses StreetView images that drops them in a random location and challenges them to work out where they are. Check it out geoguessr.com
Have you used Google’s search feature using the reading level filter feature? Well, they ditched this feature recently
There are still great leveled reading level resources. Probably the best which I have seen is newsela.com
Or if you you want to modify / level any text try this site
5/11/15
Master Your Tabs with Keyboard Shortcuts
Don’t know if you are like me but I usually have lots of tabs open in Chrome during the day. Here are some keyboard shortcuts you should try to use. These will help manage your workflow.
Ctrl + Tab: This will cycle through all your open tabs in Chrome (Try it now while you are reading this!)
Alt + Tab: This will cycle all your open programs
Ctrl + T: This will open a new blank tab
Ctrl + W: Closes the current tab
Try each of these out, you’ll be surprised how much using keyboard shortcuts can speed up you computer time
Here’s a link with many more: �https://goo.gl/ogAX5X
Word Clouds
These tech tools have been in education for awhile now and there are lots of great uses. �I use them at times when looking at primary sources�Here is article about different uses
Shameless Plug of The Week:
I’ve started an Ed Tech podcast with a friend and fellow EdTech educator Brian Briggs.
Here’s our link to the podcast on iTunes�It's only been two episodes and we are both amateurs so be kind!
Speaking of keyboard shortcuts: check out this keyboard car!
This is a computer algorithm which is different from newsela which as people actually modify the text. But if you are interested in leveling your text both these resources.
Interested in dabbling in doing some Ed Tech presenting? �Loomis Union School District is looking for presenters for their summer Google Boot Camp. I presented last summer and its very low-key and yet lots of fun. Here’s the link�https://sites.google.com/a/loomisusd.org/supergoogle2015/presenters �If you are interested but need help with some ideas let me know.
Just because we �aren’t covering �Ed Tech in our �Prep Period �meetings for the �rest of the year�doesn’t mean you can’t still contact your “coach” if you have any questions. Need some help with Schoology or any Google products as we get to the end of the year? Your coach has the same prep and can come out and help you.
5/4/15
Did you all know that one of the bonuses we get for being a Google Apps for Ed district is UNLIMITED STORAGE? And, you can apply this to video and photos. So, do you want to NEVER lose a photo again from you phone? I’ve been doing this for over a year and its a fantastic way to have back up and organize EVERY PHOTO YOU WILL EVER TAKE ON YOUR PHONE�Just follow these four steps and you’ll thank me later!
https://get.google.com/tips/#!/tips/never-lose-your-photos
Video of the Week:
Here is a video which shows different tips for using Chrome
Have you had YouTube videos automatically play right AFTER one you’ve watched? This is called “Autoplay” and can be easily turned off.
did you know you can add animated gifs in Google Slides?
Android users: This is SO COOL! Never lose your phone again. Just try this: type “find my phone” into Google on your browser.
http://thebeginnerslens.com/iphoneography/tips-tuts
Not to leave you iPhone people in the dark, here is a site all about how to get the most out of your iPhone photos
4/27/15
Schoology TIp:
Don’t forget that not only can you edit assignments but you can changes folders themselves. This screen shot shows the Edit Folder (you get here by clicking on the Edit Wheel)
Here you can add notes, change color and even availability; which allows you to create folders that won’t go public until a specific date
Video of the Week:
This inspiring video from is from Sir Ken Robinson. He makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning -- creating conditions where kids' natural talents can flourish.
The $500 CUE mini grant application is now open!
Here’s the application: http://goo.gl/BYHaVZ
Not many people apply for this. Lets see if we can get someone from RHS to win.
Contact me if you have any questions about this grant
Frustrated with not having many templates to use with Google Slides? Try slidescarnival.com for lots of free and easy to use templates to give your slides a fresh look.
You ready for Twitter yet as a place to customize your own PD?
Here’s some Education based hashtags where you may find your community of like minded educators
And here’s your RHS staff members on Twitter�@RHSThunder1 �@CranstonCorner�@Mrs_kGillette�@frenchwitharino�@chemwerner �@creativeedtech�want to be included? Shoot an email!�
4/21/15
Video of the Week:
Here we’ll share everything from tutorials to motivations.
This first video is a professional intro to Google Slides for those who want to make the breakup with PowerPoint.
Shout out to Jerica for her weekly funnies!
This was the game which Geoff showed us at our our staff meeting, for quizzes and quick assessments getkahoot.com/
Need a classroom timer? Here’s e.ggtimer.com/ a simple browser based timer
Interested in $500? CUE is offering Mini-Grants ��Applications are due 5/8 Winners also get free registration for Fall CUE in Oct next year
Here’s the app: http://goo.gl/y2uOIN
Name This Game?