Volume 2.4
March 2020
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
This past month students in K-2 have been focusing on digital Thinking Maps, while our upper elementary students have been introduced to brochures that have been tied in directly with content students are learning in social studies and science.
In light of recent world and local events, I thought it might be pertinent to share some EdTech resources with you while you prepare to take your students’ learning remote over
the next couple of weeks.
Please let me know if you have any questions or
need help with anything - I would be happy to lend my
expertise. Stay safe and see you soon for our next
technology class!
Distance Learning Support for All
DID YOU KNOW?
Check out the hyperlinks!
With many school districts moving toward remote learning for the next few weeks, many EdTech companies have stepped up to address the growing need for teachers to connect and help their students learn from beyond the classroom. Below is a list of companies that may prove useful to you while we are away from our classrooms - and are offering FREE access:
EdPuzzle: Offering EdPuzzle Pro access
Kahoot!: Offering Kahoot! Premium access
Zoom: Lifting 40-minute time limit for schools (online conferencing)
IXL: Offering access for the rest of the school year
Newsela: Offering their entire suite for the rest of the school year
BrainPop: Offering their entire suite
during closure
Storyboard That: Offering prem-
ium access for five weeks
Kami: Offering Premium access
(great for letting students
annotate PDFs!)
Volume 2.2
October 2019
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
This month students in grades K-1st will be logging into Google Classroom and learning how to access assignments within the G-Suite.
Students in grades 2nd-5th are being introduced to our annual digital citizenship lessons, setting up their Typing.com accounts, and exploring some new Google tools.
Fourth and fifth grade students have had the
opportunity to work with Google Sheets and
learn about spreadsheets.
This coming month, students will continue
working and expanding their G-Suite skills.
Jumping into Google Classroom!
DID YOU KNOW?
The Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific is offering teachers special discounts for Teacher Appreciation Month! Now through November 30, 2019, teachers can get tickets for themselves at $7 and tickets for family/friends for only $10 each (limit 4).
Check out the hyperlinks!
Low-Cost/No-Cost Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
October 29th: Keys to Success for Digital Natives (Webinar, FREE)
November 7th: Dispelling Misconceptions About English Language Learners: Research-Based Ways to Improve Instruction (Webinar, FREE)
COol tool to try: Classroom Screen
Classroom Screen is a great tool for basic classroom management. Classroom Screen turns your browser into an interactive board with tools to help students maintain focus in the classroom. Some handy tools that come included are: a QR code generator, random name picker, visual timer, clock, sound level monitor, and non-verbal work symbols. The best thing about it - it’s free! Sign up today!
Volume 2.1
September 2019
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
Welcome back! I hope that this newsletter finds you well and that your beginning weeks back to school have been good ones. If you’re receiving this email, I will be seeing you back at your school sites this year - if you’re one of the new schools I now service, welcome! I hope this monthly newsletter
Welcome Back to Another School Year!
will be seen as a source of information & inspiration for you. Your Technology TOSAs are eager to get back into classrooms and start working with your kiddos. If you have any questions until then, I’m reachable at koropeza@llcsd.net! See you soon!
DID YOU KNOW?
CUE membership is now FREE! Join
today and check out all of the great benefits that membership entails. Visit the CUE Membership page here. Make sure to mark CUE Los Angeles as your local affiliate group!
Check out the hyperlinks!
Low-Cost/No-Cost Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
September 5th: Supporting English Language Learners with Free Digital Tools (Free Webinar)
September 14th: Coachella CUE Tech Fest in Indio, CA ($25)
ON-GOING WEBINAR: Advancing Formative Assessment with a Learning Target Theory of Action (Free)
COol tool to try: Flipgrid
If you haven’t tried Flipgrid yet, this year is THE year to try it! Flipgrid recently added several new features to their application - including the ability to create AR (Augmented
Reality) videos, a new camera with the ability to create unlimited video clips, and the new Whiteboard Mode with Live Inking - a great way for students to show their work! Flipgrid is also taking cues from other social media platforms and enhancing the filters they offer, as well as upping their sticker game. Welcome students back this year by doing a Flipgrid introduction video!
Volume 1.8
June 2019
DID YOU KNOW?
Check out the hyperlinks!
Professional Development Opportunities
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
School’s Out for the Summer
We made it to the end of the school year!
Give yourself a pat on the back! As much as we
love working with students, teachers (and
students alike) finally get a much needed break
from one another!
As we look toward next year, your Technology
TOSAs will be working closely with school sites and teachers to better align technology integration with current ELA and Math pacing guides. If you’d like our help with ideas for projects, please reach out! We are here to help in whatever capacity we can. Until then, have a great summer & we will see you in August!
Sharing is Caring in LLCSD!
Please make sure to share with us any photos of technology related projects you complete in your classroom - we would love to share them via social media!
You can follow our hashtag #LLCSDTech on Twitter and see what other
teachers across the
district are doing in
their classrooms.
Get inspired!
Your Technology TOSAs have a Google Site with resources for you to use in your classroom? Check it out today: LLCSD Technology - and make sure to check again in the Fall for additional resources that will be added this summer!
June 1st: STEM Summit (FREE)
June 10th: EdCamp - Loomis, CA (FREE)
June 17-19th: Online Teaching Conference ($375)
June 17th-18th: CUE Rock Star Big Bear ($179 for
2 Days)
July 25-26th: CA Tutoring & Teaching Symposium ($150)
Volume 1.7
May 2019
DID YOU KNOW?
Check out the hyperlinks!
Low-Cost/No-Cost Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
The End is in Sight!
This month students have been working
with the Google Slides add-on Flaticon to create
storybooks, Thinking Maps, and infographics
(upper grades). Students learned not only how to
install an add-on, but important design features
as they were completing their projects.
This is our last month of classes at all of our school sites. Students will be finishing up projects and incomplete assignments before our final sessions together. If there is anything specific you’d like covered prior to that, please let me know and I can arrange that.
Sharing is Caring in LLCSD!
Please make sure to share with us any photos of technology related projects you complete in your classroom - we would love to share them via social media!
You can follow our hashtag #LLCSDTech on Twitter and see what other teachers across the district are doing in their classrooms. Get inspired!
Your Technology TOSAs are working on a Google Site for district teachers? We hope to have it up and running by the end of the school year. Look forward to resources, copies of our after-school PD Slide decks, and more!
May 4th: Beach Cities CUE Spring Tech Fest 2019, Long Beach, $15
May 11th: Computer Science Community Summit, Riverside, FREE
Volume 1.4
December ‘18/January ‘19
DID YOU KNOW?
Check out the hyperlinks!
Low-Cost/No-Cost Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
Volume 1.6
April 2019
Students Become Storytellers!
Check out the hyperlinks!
Your Technology TOSAs are offering after-school PD sessions on the Google Suite apps. Space is limited so reserve your seat now by filling out the RSVP Form!! You won’t want to miss these great sessions! Our next session is Thursday, April 11th!
DID YOU KNOW?
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
This month we are focused on introducing students
to alternate ways of storytelling. In our K-2 classrooms,
we are introducing students to how to create their own
storybook (fiction/non-fiction) using Google Slides. We
have also continued on our work on Thinking Maps (bubble map, Venn diagram, and flow map).
Our upper grade students are in the process of creating informational brochures related to content-specific information they’ve received in their ELA, science, or social studies subject areas. They will be moving on to storytelling next and we are hoping to have Adobe Spark up and running in time for them to get started!
ebsite of the Month:
Unsplash
Unsplash is a great website for students for finding free-use photos and images. Crediting photos is not required, but they offer an easy way to do so (if required by
teachers). Unsplash is a great alternative
to just having students search on Google -
and it teaches students about the
importance of copyright and finding and
using free-use images that won’t get
them in trouble.
April 13th: Math at The Beach (FREE), CSU Long Beach @ The Anatol Center (STEAM-Integration Themed PD for all elementary, middle, and high school teachers)
April 16th: Turning Struggling Readers Into Leaders Using Assistive Technology (FREE), Webinar
Volume 1.4
December ‘18/January ‘19
DID YOU KNOW?
Check out the hyperlinks!
Join us for BrewCUE event on Feb. 19th!
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
Volume 1.5
February 2019
Teaching Art and Math with Technology
Check out the hyperlinks!
Your Technology TOSAs are offering after-school PD sessions on the Google Suite apps. Our next session is Feb. 21st. Space is limited so reserve your seat now by filling out the RSVP Form!! You won’t want to miss these great sessions!
DID YOU KNOW?
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
This month we are focused on introducing students to Google Drawings and EdPuzzle, while continuing to focus on creating digital Thinking Maps. Students in 2nd-5th grade will be creating digital mosaic art pieces using Google Drawings. Our younger students continue to work on learning their logins - we see progress every time we come into the classrooms!
K-1 teachers are encouraged to use their classroom
Chromebooks to practice logging in during center
time. Our Tech TOSAs are also developing
information that can be sent home to parents who
want to practice at home, as well.
Come join us on Tuesday, February 19th for CUELA’s next BrewCUE event - taking place at Maggie’s Pub in SFS (right down the street from the DO!) Join us to talk teaching and tech, network with other educators, and enjoy some good food! Make sure to RSVP at bit.ly/BrewCUELA.
Volume 1.4
December ‘18/January ‘19
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
“Hour of Code” & Google Classroom
DID YOU KNOW?
Check out the hyperlinks!
Low-Cost/No-Cost Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
We celebrated Computer Science Week in early December and students had the opportunity to explore the activities that Code.org created. Students learned CS basics and got to learn about Blockly language. Our younger students continue to work toward being able to sign in with their username and passwords. They have also been
introduced to Google Classroom and will be utilizing that application more once we return from winter break. In the next month, students will be learning about and exploring additional G-Suite apps like Google Drawings, Slides and Sheets.
ebsite of the Month: Code.org
Your Technology TOSAs are offering after-school PD sessions on the Google Suite apps starting in January. Space is limited so reserve your seat now by filling out the RSVP Form!! You won’t want to miss these great sessions!
December 15th: CoffeeCUE Extreme AVSCV (Multiple locations; FREE)
January 12th: CUELA Palooza @ National Univ. ($40 - email me for discount code!)
As we wrap up our coding activities for Computer Science Ed Week, teachers are encouraged to go beyond the Hour of Code and continue to use computer science activities in their
classroom. Code.org offers great (FREE) activities to get any classroom coding and programming. With California on the verge of adopting new Computer Science standards, it will be critical for classroom teachers to expose students to activities and lessons in CS and computational thinking. Get a head start now with these engaging, skill-based activities!
Volume 1.3
November 2018
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
“Fall-ing” Into Some Great Skills
DID YOU KNOW?
Check out the hyperlinks!
Low-Cost/No-Cost Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
This month we begin our efforts in getting our youngest students logging into the Chromebooks in hopes of introducing them to the wonders of the G-Suite, specifically Google Classroom! In our upper grade classrooms we continue to focus on apps/programs that will help solidify study skills. We
will also begin working on important research skills and learning how to cite evidence from sources. The Technology TOSAs are also busy planning upcoming PD opportunities for district teachers - refresher (and advance) courses for G-Suite apps like Google Classroom, Docs, Slides, and Sheets!
Nov. 5th: Developing Future Ready Students Through Coding
(Webinar - FREE)
Nov. 7th: Assessment and Student Agency (Webinar - FREE)
Nov. 17th: SGVCUE Coffee Break with Tom Covington (FREE)
Giphy is a website that allows users to find, share, embed, and save GIFs (animated images). It is great for those teachers looking to enhance their content and engage their learners with popular images from
today’s pop culture. If you want to
add a little “something” to your
presentations, consider adding a
GIF from Giphy. It is guaranteed to
make your students sit up and notice!
ebsite of the Month: Giphy
CUE offers educators a FREE complimentary membership that offers a 5% discount to all CUE events! Premium memberships are available for $40/year and offer 10% discounts to all CUE events. Join now and begin networking!
CLICK THE GIF!
Volume 1.2
October 2018
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
Back Into the Swing of Things
DID YOU KNOW?
Check out the hyperlinks!
Low-Cost/No-Cost Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
As we enter October, technology sessions are in full swing. Students in TK-1st grades have been learning how to log into their devices using the “guest” function and are learning important keyboard/trackpad skills. Students in 2nd-5th grades have been learning how to log into their
Chromebooks, access assignments via Google Classroom, and utilize Google Docs. Students have also received instruction on how to search for and insert pictures into documents - a skill that can be transferred from one Google app to the next. Next up is digital citizenship and keyboard shortcuts!
Oct. 1st: Webinar: Build Collaboration Skills by NASA (FREE)
Oct. 11th: Teachers' Night Out at the Discovery Cube (FREE)
Oct. 13th: Strategizing Success for ELLs ($40)
Oct. 24th: Webinar: Transforming Learning with Chrome (FREE)
If there is one add-on you get this month, it’s the Pear Deck add-on for Google Slides. Pear Deck instantly adds formative assessments and interactive questions directly to your Slides presentations. If you’re presenting new material and want a way to engage students and
monitor comprehension, this add-on is the way to go. Pear Deck makes interactivity easy and fun with pre-made templates and insertable questions (with a multitude of different question types from multiple choice to short answer to drag and drop)! The Pear Deck add-on is FREE but definitely has some premium features that are super-users would be interested in having.
Chrome add-on of the Month
Volume 1.1
September 2018
Join me on Twitter
@KristinOropeza
Have ideas and photos you want to share with us? Tweet us out on Twitter using the hashtag #LLCSDTech
My name is Kristin Oropeza and I will be serving as one of the district’s Technology TOSAs this year! I come to you from ABC Unified, and will enter my 8th year of teaching this year! I’ve spent the bulk of my career in RSP and SDC settings, with a strong emphasis on technology
Welcome Back to Another School Year!
integration in the classroom. I am very excited to get started with your students! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you’d like more information or ideas on how to integrate technology in your classroom. I’m reachable at koropeza@llcsd.net!
DID YOU KNOW?
Apple Stores offer “Teacher Tuesdays” - free, one-hour events that teach you about Apple tools, coding, visual storytelling and more! Did we mention it’s FREE?! Check out their offerings at locations near you here!
Check out the hyperlinks!
Low-Cost/No-Cost Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
Sept. 8th: SGV CUE Coffee Break in City of Industry (FREE)
Sept. 8th: Creative Coding Fest LA in Los Angeles (FREE)
Sept. 26th: Get Real! Augmented, Virtual, and Other Realities in the Classroom (FREE)
Chrome Extension of the Month
With Boomerang, you can write an email now and schedule it to be sent automatically at a later time. Just type the messages as you normally would, then click the “Send Later”
button! Boomerang also allows users to
follow-up within a specific time frame after
sending a message. This prevents
important emails from slipping
through cracks! Kindly remind your
email recipients that you require
a response. Boomerang makes
email that much easier!