tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50125324562015670292024-03-08T09:52:37.105-08:00{Curr}iculum + [INN]OVATIONCurriculum and Innovation is the resource blog for teachers in the Gladbrook-Reinbeck, North Tama, GMG, and BCLUW school districts. Find up to date information on technology, curriculum, lesson planning, and professional development to use in your classroom.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-55015699229139317772016-04-08T17:00:00.000-07:002016-04-08T17:00:30.607-07:00Early Literacy Interventions #7: Dr. Tim Rasinski Resources<b><i>Resources. We need them to be effective at what we do; we also
need them to be easy and engaging for both student and teacher. Which
is why I am putting out this series of blog posts. Every few days I am
going to highlight a resource on our shared Early Literacy Interventions
website to give you an idea of what's in it and how it can work.
Here's our website:</i></b><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="600px" name="_symFrame" noresize="noresize" src="https://www.symbaloo.com/embed/2-4readinginterventions?widget=106" width="920px"></iframe>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QrY5wdBHIOA/VwgHZkJ-3MI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/qSNEZO9bdjYSri8qjqDSrEhM8_7V2TbTQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-04-08%2Bat%2B2.31.11%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QrY5wdBHIOA/VwgHZkJ-3MI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/qSNEZO9bdjYSri8qjqDSrEhM8_7V2TbTQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-04-08%2Bat%2B2.31.11%2BPM.png" /></a></div>
Dr. Tim Rasinski is a "<a href="http://www.timrasinski.com/?page=bio" target="_blank">professor of literacy education at Kent State University</a>" who specializes in research and education in early elementary reading and fluency best practices. Dr. Rasinski speaks and presents to school districts, conferences, and literacy organizations all over the world. <br />
I had the opportunity to participate in a workshop with Dr. Rasinski, and his subject knowledge was evident and backed by vigorous research. My favorite aspect of Dr. Rasinski's work is that he utilizes fun and engaging activities to teach words to students, including using songs, poetry, history, and different ways of thinking about words and where they come from.<br />
One of his most popular tools are Word Ladders (<a href="http://amzn.com/0545223792" target="_blank">K-1</a>, <a href="http://amzn.com/0439513839" target="_blank">2-3</a>, <a href="http://amzn.com/0439773458" target="_blank">4-6</a>). The concept is a simple, fun, and engaging way to get students to dig a little deeper in how words are built. I've included some word ladders in our Early Literacy site that I found online.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Don't
forget to bookmark our Reading Interventions Symbaloo page for easy
reference. If you have another website you'd like me to add, feel free
to email or leave a comment below.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-58236210233877111542016-04-05T11:23:00.000-07:002016-04-05T11:23:00.254-07:00Early Literacy Interventions #6: Solution Tree Free Book reproducibles<b><i>Resources. We need them to be effective at what we do; we also need them to be easy and engaging for both student and teacher. Which is why I am putting out this series of blog posts. Every few days I am going to highlight a resource on our shared Early Literacy Interventions website to give you an idea of what's in it and how it can work. Here's our website:</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.solution-tree.com/" target="_blank">Solution Tree</a> is an educational research and resource publisher that has made reproducibles from their trade books available for teachers to download free of charge. Although </span><a href="http://www.solution-tree.com/" target="_blank">Solution Tree</a> is known mostly for their work with the DuFours in implementing Response to Intervention and Professional Learning Communities, I am finding a number of great resources for teachers on their website dealing with Literacy, Math, etc.<br />
<a href="http://www.solution-tree.com/" target="_blank">Solution Tree</a> does require a sign-in and password for anyone wanting to download materials from the site- I'm told it's to keep other people from downloading their materials and selling them elsewhere. The sign-in is easy and free.<br />
Once signed in, feel free to search through the titles that are offered. These books are all available for purchase, but you can also see chapters and topics from each book. Also included are links to download and use reproducibles included in the books. <br />
This particular link on our literacy site links to the book, <a href="http://amzn.com/1934009504" target="_blank"><u>40 Reading Intervention Strategies for K-6 Students</u> by Elaine K. McEwan-Adkins</a>, and has plenty of thinking strategy worksheets for teachers to use in literacy interventions or lessons. Below is a video of how I navigate the site:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzJJThAZiGETSl4VVSFTcFG5sbNJLEawfocgNJteSUBSCEUnyaqrLvBxLCTXkNj-1xfX0pxskZ2wyZ3di_3VA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Don't forget to bookmark our Reading Interventions Symbaloo page for easy reference. If you have another website you'd like me to add, feel free to email or leave a comment below.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-481839393977947332016-03-21T11:00:00.000-07:002016-03-21T11:00:02.314-07:00Early Literacy Interventions #5: Six Types of Struggling Readers Doc from Prairie Lakes AEA<b><i>Resources. We need them to be effective at what we do; we also need them to be easy and engaging for both student and teacher. Which is why I am putting out this series of blog posts. Every few days I am going to highlight a resource on our shared Early Literacy Interventions website to give you an idea of what's in it and how it can work. Here's our website:</i></b><br />
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<b><i><br /></i></b><iframe frameborder="0" height="600px" name="_symFrame" noresize="noresize" src="https://www.symbaloo.com/embed/2-4readinginterventions?widget=106" width="920px"></iframe>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTBQ3IaRCRY/VurbpJ1_9rI/AAAAAAAAAg8/YW25RpiseC4Nas-QYdZQgGaJFb0vsfnuA/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-17%2Bat%2B11.28.27%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTBQ3IaRCRY/VurbpJ1_9rI/AAAAAAAAAg8/YW25RpiseC4Nas-QYdZQgGaJFb0vsfnuA/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-17%2Bat%2B11.28.27%2BAM.png" /></a>Prairie Lakes AEA Ed Services consultants have compiled a small list of free and easy to use resources for intervening on literacy skills for students in grades K-6. The resources are all based on how a reader struggles as identified by the teacher. <br />
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Perhaps you have an Automatic Word Caller, where they are fluent, accurate, but struggle with a high level of comprehension? Or maybe you notice a Slow Word Caller, where the student is accurate, but lacks fluency, expression, and phrasing? This document has recommendations for both types of struggling readers, along with links to interventions directed to those specific needs.<br />
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I like many things about this document, including the implication of how to intervene with students that are great readers, and how to improve instruction using research-based intervention strategies. Another nice aspect is that many of these strategies are available for teacher training at the <a href="http://www.uni.edu/coe/special-programs/richard-o-jacobson-center-comprehensive-literacy" target="_blank">University of Northern Iowa's Jacobson Center for Comprehensive Literacy</a>. Motivated TLC Instructional Coaches would be well suited to look into this program for additional training.<br />
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<b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Don't forget to bookmark our Reading Interventions Symbaloo page for easy reference. If you have another website you'd like me to add, feel free to email or leave a comment below.</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-58291830428686255242016-03-14T09:10:00.000-07:002016-03-18T10:45:57.494-07:00Early Literacy Interventions #4: AEA267 ELI Resources Google Folder<b><i>Resources. We need them to be effective at what we do; we also need them to be easy and engaging for both student and teacher. Which is why I am putting out this series of blog posts. Every few days I am going to highlight a resource on our shared Early Literacy Interventions website to give you an idea of what's in it and how it can work. Here's our website:</i></b><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="600px" name="_symFrame" noresize="noresize" src="https://www.symbaloo.com/embed/k-1readinterventions?widget=106" width="1100px"></iframe>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hj4iSD1td-M/VuBV_hpPidI/AAAAAAAAAgM/HUqYHG8p6DM/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-09%2Bat%2B10.56.59%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hj4iSD1td-M/VuBV_hpPidI/AAAAAAAAAgM/HUqYHG8p6DM/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-09%2Bat%2B10.56.59%2BAM.png" /></a><b style="font-weight: bold;"> </b>AEA267, in an effort to assist teachers in providing Early Literacy Interventions, has built a number of resources addressing specific reading skills for grades K-6 in a shared folder. The folder includes PDF lesson plans, worksheets, center activities, and other reproducibles for teaching specific skills in small group settings.<br />
Skills addressed include fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, assessment, and phonics/ phonemic awareness. If you have questions about a specific lesson plan, make sure to contact AEA267 School Improvement specialists <a href="mailto:pfoster@aea267.k12.ia.us" target="_blank">Patty Foster</a> and <a href="mailto:tboezinger@aea267.k12.ia.us" target="_blank">Teri Boezinger</a>.<br />
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Once you click on the purple "Early Literacy Resources" button, you'll be directed to a Google folder page. I would recommended that you click the blue "Add to Drive" button in the upper right corner- this will automatically save all the files into your Google Drive to access anytime.<br />
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<b style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Don't forget to bookmark our Reading Interventions Symbaloo page for easy reference. If you have another website you'd like me to add, feel free to email or leave a comment below.</span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-53981184594777573192016-03-11T12:10:00.000-08:002016-03-18T10:46:36.037-07:00Early Literacy Interventions #3: TextProject.org<b><i>Resources. We need them to be effective at what we do; we also need them to be easy and engaging for both student and teacher. Which is why I am putting out this series of blog posts. Every few days I am going to highlight a resource on our shared Early Literacy Interventions website to give you an idea of what's in it and how it can work. Here's our website:</i></b><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="600px" name="_symFrame" noresize="noresize" src="https://www.symbaloo.com/embed/2-4readinginterventions?widget=106" width="1100px"></iframe>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z4zkcsBYEJs/Vt3fkoHNnQI/AAAAAAAAAfk/mpVo0GmbMMU/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-07%2Bat%2B1.59.23%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z4zkcsBYEJs/Vt3fkoHNnQI/AAAAAAAAAfk/mpVo0GmbMMU/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-07%2Bat%2B1.59.23%2BPM.png" /></a><br />
<a href="http://textproject.org/">TextProject.org</a> is a website created in California to support literacy for beginning and emergent readers by providing high quality digital literature, classroom resources, and vocabulary support for students in grades K-5. Everything on <a href="http://textproject.org/">TextProject.org</a> is free to use and re-use.<br />
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One of my favorite features of <a href="http://textproject.org/">TextProject.org</a> is the ability to find and save PDF versions of texts that are Common Core aligned. Most genres are represented on the site, along with lesson plans and support materials for digital texts. <br />
As someone who loves read-alouds as part of a reading curriculum, <a href="http://textproject.org/">Textproject.org</a> offers free <a href="http://textproject.org/classroom-materials/read-aloud-favorites/" target="_blank">Read-Aloud Favorites</a> searchable by grade, topic, and format.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NxgP1KlZBM0/Vt3fk-W4brI/AAAAAAAAAfo/utvsmFKLdU8/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-07%2Bat%2B2.06.33%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NxgP1KlZBM0/Vt3fk-W4brI/AAAAAAAAAfo/utvsmFKLdU8/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-07%2Bat%2B2.06.33%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Read-Aloud Favorites allow you to search for a rich digital text to use in classrooms.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="http://textproject.org/">TextProject.org</a> is still adding titles and resources to their site, so check back often.<br />
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Don't forget to bookmark our Reading Interventions Symbaloo page for easy reference. If you have another website you'd like me to add, feel free to email or leave a comment below.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-91469387499051109632016-03-09T11:03:00.000-08:002016-03-18T10:46:46.369-07:00Early Literacy Interventions #2: Readworks.org<i><b>Resources. We need them to be effective at what we do; we also need them to be easy and engaging for both student and teacher. Which is why I am putting out this series of blog posts. Every few days I am going to highlight a resource on our shared Early Literacy Interventions website to give you an idea of what's in it and how it can work. Here's our website:</b></i><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="600px" name="_symFrame" noresize="noresize" src="https://www.symbaloo.com/embed/5-6readinginterventions?widget=106" width="1100px"></iframe>
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Today's post is looking at the free literacy website, <a href="http://readworks.org/">Readworks.org</a>. This site is loaded with free articles, lessons, and resources addressing reading skills for grades K-6. <a href="http://readworks.org/">Readworks.org</a> has <a href="http://www.readworks.org/lessons/grades" target="_blank">Lessons and Units</a> covering well-known novels, and <a href="http://www.readworks.org/books/passages" target="_blank">Reading Passages</a> to choose from. Using their "search" function, you can narrow down the lessons/ passages to specific grade levels or for specific skills. <br />
One of the more advanced functions (also free) is the ability to register and save your lessons to an online binder for future reference. Once you sign up, <a href="http://readworks.org/">Readworks.org</a> will also email you periodically with updates and articles dealing with reading skills, social studies/ science cross-curricular units, or article lessons dealing with National holidays.<br />
<a href="http://readworks.org/">Readworks.org</a> is a highly-engaging tool for finding quick small group or individualized reading passages for interventions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I did a search for 4th grade, Cause and Effect skill passages. The results included varied science-based articles in a range of lexiles.</i></td></tr>
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Don't forget to bookmark our Reading Interventions Symbaloo page for easy reference. If you have another website you'd like me to add, feel free to email or leave a comment below.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-78057141329040473622016-03-07T11:58:00.000-08:002016-03-18T10:46:55.916-07:00Early Literacy Interventions #1: Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading Tool<b><i>Resources. We need them to be effective at what we do; we also need them to be easy and engaging for both student and teacher. Which is why I am putting out this series of blog posts. Every few days I am going to highlight a resource on our shared Early Literacy Interventions website to give you an idea of what's in it and how it can work. Here's our website:</i></b><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="600px" name="_symFrame" noresize="noresize" src="https://www.symbaloo.com/embed/k-1readinterventions?widget=39" width="1100px"></iframe>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kvQfX-Ykk2E/Vt3Qyi-ZadI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/1qa2n7AeHG8/s1600/fairbutton.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kvQfX-Ykk2E/Vt3Qyi-ZadI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/1qa2n7AeHG8/s1600/fairbutton.png" /></a></div>
Today's resource can be found in the "red" section of the symbaloo page above. It is the <a href="http://www.fcrr.org/FAIR_Search_Tool/FAIR_Search_Tool.aspx" target="_blank">Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading search tool.</a> The tool allows you to search for reading intervention teaching videos in a variety grades and literacy categories. Simply choose the grade, and the skill, then click "Show results." Videos are short and show a teacher demonstrating the strategy in a small group. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UHU9u2GCbgY/Vtnk03ubgNI/AAAAAAAAAew/FJODyxR-W84/s1600/fair.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UHU9u2GCbgY/Vtnk03ubgNI/AAAAAAAAAew/FJODyxR-W84/s640/fair.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Doing a quick search for alliteration and word awareness in 3rd grade gave a flash video showing a teacher using alliteration with a small group.</i></td></tr>
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Make sure to check out the FAIR search tool by clicking above. Don't forget to Bookmark the symbaloo page above for easy access.<br />
If you have a site you'd like to recommend for our Symbaloo page, don't hesitate to email me or leave it in the comments below.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-8758258643875905462016-01-29T11:17:00.001-08:002016-01-29T11:23:39.995-08:00Teacher Leadership in Iowa- a Change, a Challenge, and a ChanceNow that all four of my districts have been approved to receive the Governor's Teacher Leadership and Compensation grant, I think it's important to put out some information for teachers interested in becoming teacher leaders.<br />
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<b><u>How it works:</u></b><br />
The grant team in our district looked at numerous data points, reported needs, and student learning goals to develop leadership positions that can have a major impact on student achievement. Since each district serves a unique population, TLC plans look different from one district to another. <br />
According to the TLC legislation, our team was to create enough leadership positions so at least 25% of the staff could potentially become a teacher leader. This may range from being a member of a TLC Selection Committee, a District Leadership Team, or building leadership team, to being an instructional coach, technology integration coach, or curriculum and professional development leader. Other positions include Model and Mentor teachers.<br />
Any teacher who is interested should speak with their building administrator. Applications will be scored on a rubric, and interviews will be scheduled with the Selection Committee. Ask your building administrators for more information on rubrics and how to apply.<br />
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<b><u>Who should apply:</u></b><br />
The grant is for teachers looking to expand their role, learning, and influence on student achievement. These positions are designed to equip and train teachers in best practice; you don't have to be the "best" or "most experienced" teacher to be qualified for a leadership position. We're really looking for teachers that are willing to learn, lead, and try new and innovative best practice classroom teaching strategies. You don't have to know or do the strategies already- just be ready to learn and collaborate on using a strategy.<br />
A common misconception is that teacher leaders will try and "fix" other teachers- there is no expectation for teacher leaders to do this. Rather, teacher leaders will focus on students, improving outcomes for students, and impacting student learning. No teacher leader will have evaluation responsibilities over other teachers.<br />
Every leadership position comes with plenty of training- mostly on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_14?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=diane+sweeney+student+centered+coaching&sprefix=diane+sweeney+%2Caps%2C246" target="_blank">Diane Sweeney's Student-Centered Coaching model</a> for both K-8 and Secondary coaches.<br />
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<b><u>What to expect:</u></b><br />
I'll be honest- no one in any of our districts has a clear-cut idea of what the daily tasks will look like for teacher leaders. Since this is fairly new, we'll rely on your professionalism, passion, and excitement to impact student learning to help drive each leadership role. The good news is that our District leadership teams can review the roles every year and adjust them as necessary. <br />
Every position will require extra time and effort- there's a stipend associated with each position to compensate your time. It's quite possible you'll spend time working with students, presenting professional development, co-teaching, and heading to conferences and trainings. Being in a leadership position definitely requires a <a href="http://mindsetonline.com/whatisit/themindsets/index.html" target="_blank">growth mindset</a> and a passion for working with teachers and students. <br />
At the end of each school year, teacher leaders will have an opportunity to reapply for the leadership position, or return to the classroom.<br />
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If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask me or your building administrator. I'd really encourage those of you who are eligible to consider applying- especially if you are ready for a change, a challenge, and a chance to make a big difference for students.<br />
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For more information on the Teacher Leadership and Compensation grant in Iowa, including FAQs, <a href="https://www.educateiowa.gov/teacher-leadership-and-compensation-system" target="_blank">CLICK HERE.</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-71552623578415013492015-12-06T18:19:00.000-08:002015-12-06T18:19:00.571-08:00Why Teachers like Caine's Arcade (and it's not because of STEM)<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/faIFNkdq96U/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/faIFNkdq96U?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Caine's Arcade is a phenomenon in the innovative educational circles. The video, about a young boy in Los Angeles who creates an "arcade" at his father's auto shop using only cardboard boxes and other items he finds, has captured teachers' imaginations at the prospect of passion-based learning for students. The story is heartwarming; Caine pours his creative passion into making something he loves, shows it to a complete stranger, and soon an entire community rallies around the boy. The echoes of this story include educational movements in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), Genius Hour projects, Project/ Problem-based learning, and Passion-based learning. <br />
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Teachers are scrambling to provide similar learning experiences for students by allowing them to choose their passion and learn everything they possibly can about a topic. After all, teachers are a passionate bunch themselves and pour everything they have into bringing powerful learning experiences for their students. We seem to be on to something, too, with all the emphasis on non-traditional subjects like STEM and coding being funded and made a priority at the state level. Grants and resources are popping up everywhere for teachers to create makerspace-type environments in their classrooms. And the research says it's a good thing for kids.<br />
While all that is good and worthwhile, I'd like to to believe that the reason teachers love Caine's Arcade so much has nothing to do with STEM, Genius hour, or anything like that. I want to believe teachers love Caine's Arcade because of this guy:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A64sCu_vKeE/Vk48chv1S5I/AAAAAAAAAb4/BzD5ZBTtpLQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-11-19%2Bat%2B3.16.40%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A64sCu_vKeE/Vk48chv1S5I/AAAAAAAAAb4/BzD5ZBTtpLQ/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-11-19%2Bat%2B3.16.40%2BPM.png" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1aMZ56rL_429UP02uoNsCg">Nirvan Mullick, Filmmaker of Caine's Arcade</a></td></tr>
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That's right. He's the stranger that visits Caine and plays his arcade for the first time, inspiring the film and the desire to tell Caine's story. He's the real reason there's a maker movement spreading like wildfire throughout American education. He's also the inspiration for teachers in the movie.<br />
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You see, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1aMZ56rL_429UP02uoNsCg">Nirvan</a> brings an element to Caine's life that may have been missing- a chance to affirm his passions publicly and to inspire Caine to continue down this passion path. Honestly, that's how I envision to role of our teachers- the people that recognize, affirm, and inspire kids to do great things. The people that go the extra mile to publicly lift up a child in their passion and learning. Don't we all want to be that person, or at least have a person like that rooting for us?<br />
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Maybe that's the real story here- who do you have rooting for you, lifting you up, affirming what you are doing as valuable, important, and worthwhile? Who reveals your purpose in every child's life?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-79249938472986763312015-11-29T18:14:00.000-08:002015-11-29T18:14:00.216-08:00"The Moment" i.e. Using a snapshot for writing<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1007/4594671897_9c11ce1bc6_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1007/4594671897_9c11ce1bc6_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo CC Courtesy of <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/yourdon/">Ed Yourdon</a> via Flickr</td></tr>
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I read an article today from the <a href="http://grantland.com/" target="_blank">Grantland Sports Blog</a> website (associated with <a href="http://espn.go.com/" target="_blank">ESPN</a>) by <a href="http://grantland.com/contributors/shea-serrano/" target="_blank">Shea Serrano</a> looking at his rankings of characters from an early '90's baseball movie. While the article was an interesting distraction from my normal educational duties, I couldn't help but like how Mr. Serrano introduced his article by showing a small clip from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=264&v=UJFMBwulT3U" target="_blank">The Sandlot</a> to emphasize a powerful memory from his younger years. The introduction brought two ideas to the front of my mind:<br />
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1) Isn't it amazing how something so seemingly insignificant can leave such a powerful and lasting impression on children? As an educator, this is something I need to reflect on and wrestle with more...<br />
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2) What a fantastic idea for a writing activity, which I think can span multiple grade levels! Here's the idea: Have a student write about a powerful moment from a film that inspires, promotes, or speaks into their life in a significant way. I see students researching the clip on Youtube, introducing "the moment," and blogging about it. Students then can comment on each other's "moments" and build relationships throughout the building. <br />
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These types of writing and thinking prompts challenge our students to be reflective, thoughtful, and evaluative, especially if we put in the time to model and teach those skills. What writing prompts have you used to get students thinking in powerful and dynamic ways?<br />
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What movie moments have spoken to you over the years?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-68174155294435063322015-11-22T18:15:00.000-08:002015-11-22T18:15:00.442-08:00Elementary News using TouchCast and iMovie I can't believe it's November already! All my good intentions to continue writing this blog went out the window as soon as school started- I hope to renew this resource starting today. With that said, I wanted share what the elementary students and staff are doing at BCLUW- using the <a href="http://www.touchcast.com/education/">Touchcast App</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/imovie/id377298193?mt=8">iMovie App for iPad</a>, students are filming and reading a weekly newscast that gets shared to classrooms, parents, and the community. Here's last week's news:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PFjZ5Tn67b4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PFjZ5Tn67b4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Using <a href="http://www.touchcast.com/education/">Touchcast</a>, a free green-screen iPad app, we pick a background from a Creative Commons source. The students receive their scripts from the principal a few days before, and rehearse. On filming day, a student runs the camera and the app while the news reporters recite the news. <br />
<a href="http://www.touchcast.com/education/">Touchcast</a> is great for adding backgrounds using a green screen- it's a very user-friendly program that allows for some basic editing of film. The really cool part is that you can add interactive elements to the broadcast- pictures, websites, music, video, etc. If you upload the <a href="http://www.touchcast.com/education/">Touchcast</a> by logging in, the elements in your video become interactive- that is, users watching your video can "touch" the elements and go to a different site. You may also upload your video to the iPad's camera roll, which is what we do.<br />
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After uploading to the camera roll, we import the video into iMovie and add Creative Commons or fair-use copyrighted music, create title sequences, and export. Everything is loaded into Google Drive and shared with parents.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MdpCbJ6CIw4/Vk458q-KcQI/AAAAAAAAAbw/HU_CWP65JvE/s1600/green%2Bscreen.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MdpCbJ6CIw4/Vk458q-KcQI/AAAAAAAAAbw/HU_CWP65JvE/s320/green%2Bscreen.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students using green screen with iPad</td></tr>
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Students apply to be a part of the broadcast, and a new group of students are "hired" each month. The entire process takes about 30 minutes to film, and about an hour to edit. Allowing students to participate in the process can meet all sorts of Iowa Core standards, including Reading, Speaking and Listening Domains, and 21st Century Skills. The Common Core doors fly open when students are allowed to write their own non-fiction school news! Feel free to comment below any other ideas you might have to make this process more fun-<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-8009767003161205252015-10-16T11:01:00.002-07:002015-10-16T12:18:37.566-07:005 Free ELA and Literacy Digital Resources for Classrooms or InterventionsA number of groups are creating free resources for teachers to use for learning with literature, non-fiction, and current events in a digital format. Many of these resources include lesson plans, assessment guides, and links to other resources for all subjects in K-12. I want to highlight five of those resources below:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e9sxZliXoKc/ViE4QykZqAI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/_PShcQvGHyg/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-08%2Bat%2B12.35.44%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e9sxZliXoKc/ViE4QykZqAI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/_PShcQvGHyg/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-08%2Bat%2B12.35.44%2BPM.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choosing articles by skill in<br />
<a href="http://readworks.org/">Readworks.org</a></td></tr>
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1) <a href="http://readworks.org/">ReadWorks.org</a> is a free reading and literature resource for teachers to use in grades K through 6th. Linked to Common Core standards, <a href="http://readworks.org/">ReadWorks.org</a> offers a free sign in where teachers can filter through printable or digital texts based on grade, lexile, guided reading levels, topics, or by skill. <a href="http://readworks.org/">ReadWorks.org</a> makes it <i>very </i>easy to find an appropriate mentor text based on grade level and skill need. <br />
Many of <a href="http://readworks.org/">ReadWorks.org</a>'s texts will come with a formative comprehension quiz that uses multiple choice and short answer test items to provide teachers with some quick comprehension data. The passages could easily be used in interventions over specific skills, or as a form of diagnostic assessment.<br />
<a href="http://readworks.org/">ReadWorks.org</a> also provides unit lessons and ideas for longer novels and has quite a database for 5th and 6th grade organized by genre. If you have access to the books, <a href="http://readworks.org/">ReadWorks.org</a> becomes a valuable teaching tool for small group work.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gXr0fJ4FuiQ/ViE4ReabHRI/AAAAAAAAAZU/uqldLubCmdY/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-08%2Bat%2B12.47.36%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gXr0fJ4FuiQ/ViE4ReabHRI/AAAAAAAAAZU/uqldLubCmdY/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-08%2Bat%2B12.47.36%2BPM.png" width="80" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NewsELA leveled article</td></tr>
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2) <a href="https://newsela.com/" target="_blank">NewsELA</a> is a free, non-fiction current event news site organized by grade level, reading standard, or topic. Signing up for <a href="https://newsela.com/" target="_blank">NewsELA</a> is easy (a few clicks if you have <a href="http://gmail.com/" target="_blank">Gmail</a>). A pro account is required for some of the advanced features of <a href="https://newsela.com/" target="_blank">NewsELA</a>, like assigning articles and quizzes to students.<br />
However, one of the things I like is that the articles can be adjusted to accommodate multiple lexile levels (see picture at right). Do you want a few small reading groups to read and discuss the same article? No problem! Have the groups customize the lexile by clicking on the appropriate lexile button next to the article.<br />
There is also an option to take a multiple choice comprehension quiz or a short answer, open-ended writing prompt for students.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9axcxAMYJ7o/ViE4R_AMbTI/AAAAAAAAAZk/1jvGvMQiZeA/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-08%2Bat%2B12.55.11%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="www.textproject.org" border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9axcxAMYJ7o/ViE4R_AMbTI/AAAAAAAAAZk/1jvGvMQiZeA/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-08%2Bat%2B12.55.11%2BPM.png" title="" width="180" /></a>3) <a href="http://textproject.org/">TextProject.org</a> is a non-profit website created especially for teachers to use with reading. There are lesson plans, a variety of texts, read-alouds, vocabulary, and all sorts of great materials for teaching reading. Best of all, everything on the site is provided at no cost. The site claims to be specifically designed to be used with struggling readers.<br />
For those looking for research into best practices, <a href="http://textproject.org/">TextProject.org</a> has a database for you, as well!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bde9frqx7A4/ViE5lGnYQ4I/AAAAAAAAAaA/1o25QUi5J6Q/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-16%2Bat%2B12.52.56%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bde9frqx7A4/ViE5lGnYQ4I/AAAAAAAAAaA/1o25QUi5J6Q/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-16%2Bat%2B12.52.56%2BPM.png" title="www.schoolwide.com/zing" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zing texts are filtered by reading skill</td></tr>
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4) <a href="http://www.schoolwide.com/zing" target="_blank">Zing!</a> is a literacy classroom management tool. Teachers can sign up, create a classroom, and add students. Students can log into the classroom with a classroom code. Once a classroom is set up, teachers can choose from a large list of free, digital texts organized by subject, topic, genre, lexile, guided reading levels, ATOS, and grade level. There are a large selection of books to choose from and a nice interface for both student and teacher. <a href="http://www.schoolwide.com/zing" target="_blank">Zing!</a> is also compatible on the iPad, and does offer some premium (paid) features, like assigning books to specific students.<br />
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A nice feature in <a href="http://www.schoolwide.com/zing" target="_blank">Zing!</a> is the ability for students to "turn" digital pages and take open-ended and multiple choice quizzes after reading a book. Students and teachers can also write reviews for books that anyone can reference prior to reading the book. With such a large and varied selection of books, <a href="http://www.schoolwide.com/zing" target="_blank">Zing!</a> looks to be a great resource for reading and writing interventions. I would warn that the navigation of the site would require some direction from the teacher, especially for younger students.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdRLuyK4esA/ViE4Q91wSLI/AAAAAAAAAZM/oX_V16ud1dk/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-06%2Bat%2B9.35.49%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdRLuyK4esA/ViE4Q91wSLI/AAAAAAAAAZM/oX_V16ud1dk/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-06%2Bat%2B9.35.49%2BAM.png" title="www.mackinvia.com" /></a>5) <a href="https://www.mackinvia.com/" target="_blank">MackinVia</a> is a tool similar to Zing!, in that you can assign books from a digital library based on numerous factors. Thanks to the AEA here in Iowa, <a href="https://www.mackinvia.com/" target="_blank">MackinVia</a> is free to Iowa school districts. This means that teachers have access to many of the advanced features for assigning books, creating classes, and tracking assessments. I see this as a great resource for independent reading or guided reading small groups.<br />
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If you'd like some assistance planning and using any of these resources, and you are a teacher in a district I serve, please don't hesitate to email!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-56515380451040823022015-05-22T17:30:00.000-07:002015-05-22T17:30:00.831-07:00Summer Learning Opportunities for Teachers<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0taVIh3ZIpA/VV9K26gaw-I/AAAAAAAAAWU/cxBf5wydocw/s1600/1142207245_87706c31c5_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0taVIh3ZIpA/VV9K26gaw-I/AAAAAAAAAWU/cxBf5wydocw/s320/1142207245_87706c31c5_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/1142207245" target="_blank">Wes Fryer at Flickr</a></td></tr>
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I'm not going to lie to you: one of my favorite things about working in education, along with getting to interact with fantastic students, staff, and parents, is the ability to take a break in the summer. And like many teachers, I use my summer months reflecting on my practices and looking for opportunities to learn.<br />
With that said, here are a few summer learning opportunities I wanted to share. Some are local, some require a little travel, and many are online. Hope there is something here that sparks your attention and challenges you!<br />
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<b><u>Webinars/ Online learning:</u></b><br />
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1) <a href="https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DACTION/wShowData3/08:48:44" target="_blank">AEA PD Online system</a> lists dozens of summer learning opportunities educators can take online. Many of these classes offer renewal and graduate credit. With topics ranging from <a href="https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22020299991601INV&True*" target="_blank">Iowa Core K-5 Writing Standards</a> training to <a href="https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/22020399991601INV&True*" target="_blank">What Great Teachers Do Differently</a> based on <a href="http://amzn.com/1930556691" target="_blank">Todd Whitaker's book</a>, there's bound to be something for you.<br />
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2) The <a href="http://www.ascd.org/professional-development/webinars/ascd-webinar-archive.aspx" target="_blank">ASCD has an online repository of past webinars</a> which are free for anyone and usually include all the materials used in the webinar: handouts, powerpoints, assignments, etc. Presenters are professionals from all walks of education around the world. The archive has webinars from the past five years from education greats like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grant-P.-Wiggins/e/B001IU2VEE" target="_blank">Grant Wiggins</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ANancy%20Frey%20and%20Douglas%20Fisher" target="_blank">Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey</a>.<br />
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3) <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/marketplace/webinars/webinars.html" target="_blank">Education Week</a> has posted a list of <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/marketplace/webinars/webinars.html" target="_blank">summer webinar classes</a> that deal with many issues in education, including educational technology topics from <a href="https://vts.inxpo.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowKey=25412&partnerref=TOC&Referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.edweek.org%2Few%2Fmarketplace%2Fwebinars%2Fwebinars.html" target="_blank">Microsoft</a> or <a href="https://vts.inxpo.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowKey=25542&partnerref=TOC&Referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.edweek.org%2Few%2Fmarketplace%2Fwebinars%2Fwebinars.html" target="_blank">Google for Education</a>, the "<a href="https://vts.inxpo.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowKey=25671&partnerref=TOC&Referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.edweek.org%2Few%2Fmarketplace%2Fwebinars%2Fwebinars.html" target="_blank">Opt-out" movement from the Walton Foundation</a>, and <a href="https://vts.inxpo.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowKey=25624&partnerref=TOC&Referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.edweek.org%2Few%2Fmarketplace%2Fwebinars%2Fwebinars.html" target="_blank">building school communities from the Ford Foundation.</a> Many of these webinars only last an hour during a single day, require a registration, and allow for a question and answer period.<br />
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4) <a href="https://educationonair.withgoogle.com/live/2015-may" target="_blank">Google for Education hosted a two-day online Education on Air Summit</a> in early May featuring people from all walks of life talking about how to make an incredible impact with students. Speakers included First Lady Michelle Obama, LeVar Burton (of Reading Rainbow fame), Michael Fullan (Professor Emeritus University of Toronto), and Laszlo Block (Google Senior VP). The entire conference was done using Google on Air, and has been archived. The best part- the entire archive is free to watch!<br />
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<b><u>Local (NE Iowa) Summer Learning Opportunities:</u></b><br />
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1) Again, <a href="https://my.aea267.k12.ia.us/ia/render.userLayoutRootNode.uP" target="_blank">AEA267 (Cedar Falls)</a> offers a number of classes for graduate or renewal credit. You must have an AEA account to register for classes. Just a quick look at their summer learning catalog showed a class over working with students on the autism spectrum and a class on building literacy in a Social Studies curriculum. Quite a few of these classes have multiple sections meeting in places like Clear Lake and Marshalltown, and meet throughout the summer.<br />
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2) <a href="http://www.dlgwaea.org/ipadu.html" target="_blank">Grant Wood AEA is hosting iPadU</a>, a conference looking at innovative uses of an iPad in education. The conference takes place July 8, 9, and 10 in Cedar Rapids (at <a href="http://www.gwaea.org/" target="_blank">Grant Wood</a>). The registration costs $110, and includes lunch for all 3 days. Keynote speakers include <a href="http://brentcatlett.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Brent Catlett</a> and <a href="http://www.craigbadura.com/" target="_blank">Craig Badura</a>.<br />
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3) The <a href="http://www.aea1.k12.ia.us/en/school_technology/tic_technology_integration_conference/" target="_blank">Technology Integration Conference (TIC)</a> is happening June 16-17 in Dubuque and features some incredible keynote speakers, including one of my favorites, <a href="http://www.teachinglikeits2999.com/" target="_blank">Jennie Mageria</a> from the Chicago area. Registering for the conference will cost $130.<br />
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4) <a href="http://www.ticl-ia.org/" target="_blank">The Technology Integration for the 21st Century Learner (TICL)</a> conference is June 15-17 at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Harold+Walter+Siebens+School+of+Business%2FSiebens+Forum,+College+Ave,+Storm+Lake,+IA+50588/@42.6401072,-95.2083652,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x878d4f6c566c16cb:0x5bb33d1a10e07221?hl=en-US" target="_blank">Buena Vista University in Clear Lake, Iowa</a>. The conference will focus on using technology to engage students differently. <a href="https://2015ticlconference.sched.org/" target="_blank">Sessions during the conference</a> include student portfolios in the elementary, using technology with autism, STEM based learning, Makerspaces, Digital Citizenship, and online tools for students.<br />
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<b><u>Midwest Travel Conferences:</u></b><br />
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1) <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+BrianMcLane/about" target="_blank">Brian McLane, a teacher in Dubuque,</a> has compiled a <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oLppQOege_42SF7m9eMz63A1UHhmaj7chMYAoQPaKGU/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">nice list (via Google Spreadsheets) </a>of Midwest Ed Tech learning opportunities in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. The conferences listed in the sheets are links to the websites. Some (if not all) of these conferences will require a registration and cost.<br />
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2) <a href="http://www.whatgreateducatorsdodifferently.com/" target="_blank">What Great Educators do Differently </a>is a power conference in Chicago dealing with how to go from being a <i>good educator </i>to becoming a <i>great educator.</i> The conference is at Trinity International University on October 16th and 17th. I know that it technically isn't during the summer, but I know if I want to go, I'll need to start saving now. Conference speakers include Todd Whitaker, and Iowa legends Shannon Mclintock Miller, Jimmy Casas, and Angela Maiers. It's a little pricey at $399 (early bird, before July 1), but the two day conference looks to be an incredible chance to hear from and connect with the best teachers in the midwest.<br />
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<b><u>More Travel Conferences:</u></b><br />
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If you're looking to possibly get a little further away for the summer, or you want to turn your travel vacation into a learning vacation, check out the <a href="https://www.gafesummit.com/" target="_blank">Google Summit page</a> to see if there is a summit taking place somewhere you want to go. <a href="https://www.gafesummit.com/" target="_blank">Google summits</a> take place all over the world and all throughout the year. I've been to a few summits, and they always deal with incorporating Google Apps for Education in innovative ways in the classroom. <a href="https://www.gafesummit.com/" target="_blank">Google Summits</a> feature <a href="https://www.google.com/edu/resources/programs/google-teacher-academy/" target="_blank">Google Certified Teachers </a>and <a href="https://www.google.com/edu/training/get-certified/index.html" target="_blank">Google for Education Certified Trainers</a> in leading sessions. Most summits will have a registration cost.<br />
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If you're looking for a creative way to find funds for a few of these conferences, take a look at <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/" target="_blank">GoFundMe</a>, <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/" target="_blank">IndieGoGo</a>, or <a href="http://www.donorschoose.org/" target="_blank">DonorsChoose</a>.<br />
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Finally, feel free to comment other conferences or webinars below that you've attended. Include a link if possible! Have a fantastic summer-<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-14318909791961658002015-05-01T17:00:00.000-07:002015-05-01T17:00:01.259-07:00Youtube and Copyright<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-czjUQcm7xqg/VUOGvNIceAI/AAAAAAAAAVY/7mF6sCgPY2o/s1600/youtube.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-czjUQcm7xqg/VUOGvNIceAI/AAAAAAAAAVY/7mF6sCgPY2o/s1600/youtube.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy of Jurgen Appelo via<br /><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurgenappelo/7749081576/" target="_blank">Flickr</a></td></tr>
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I had a great question from a teacher the other day about what is ok to post into <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> and what isn't, in terms of copyright. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> will block content you post if they determine there is a copyright infringement. This particular teacher had purchased a song from <a href="http://itunes.com/" target="_blank">iTunes</a> and wanted to use it in a video she created to model a research project for her students. She was under the impression that because she purchased the song on <a href="http://itunes.com/" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, she now had the rights to include it in a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> video.<br />
Thankfully, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> has created a number of helpful, student and education-friendly videos explaining copyright in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a>. The videos are helpful and fun, although mostly geared towards an adult audience. I've embedded their video on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp1Jn4Q0j6E" target="_blank">Copyright Basics</a> below.<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> also developed a series of incredible (again, geared towards adults) videos dealing with starting a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> channel, creating "watchable" videos, and generating subscribers. These videos, on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/creatoracademy" target="_blank">Youtube Creator Academy Channel</a>, utilize current <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvkIePwUOjU" target="_blank">Youtube stars</a> and people that understand the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme" target="_blank">meme</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_video" target="_blank">viral video </a>industry.<br />
Finally, the teacher and I determined that just because you purchase a song from <a href="http://itunes.com/" target="_blank">iTunes</a>, it doesn't grant you the copyright to the song. However, copyright does allow you to use a song in special circumstances, and you can check those circumstances <a href="http://www.teachingcopyright.org/handout/fair-use-faq" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-55863423282522481192015-04-10T09:24:00.001-07:002015-04-10T09:24:19.733-07:00Organizing Google Drive Part 2 Teachers at GMG elementary had an opportunity to learn about ways of organizing their Google Drive this week (the <a href="https://support.google.com/drive/answer/6021313?hl=en" target="_blank">NEW Google Drive</a>, that is. Word has it that Google will switch everyone over to the new Drive sometime this month), and I wanted to take this opportunity to post their problem-based learning reflection tasks. Below are screencasts and videos the crew made to help them remember important features in Google Drive and how they could use those with colleagues, parents, and students.<br />
A major frustration for teachers using Google Drive is how to organize files that are "Shared with Me" into a folder on the drive; after all, it is NOT fun to try and search through the "Shared with Me" files for a doc that you can't remember the name of or who sent it to you. So we learned about three really easy features: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpwZW2aD4Y4" target="_blank">search modifiers</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKs-WrOMl2Y" target="_blank">Drag-and-drop</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNKYlLvuVcI" target="_blank">Shift + Z</a>. Check it out!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwca1HJZDqMeQnVLULvG8BoV0YguR6mHzBX89nvau-o36SeUxlg-VvP8T1tSQqJZQt8Qbzfso4TRyQ3seBIGg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyXD-94qZFZ5aMfYgz8jTSVvWeUrxXCJWB4vOXJelhamQm17Oj4gnu9mERToHXJPgFrAmQTZ3CrlSyHnu2dog' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Just a final reminder about Google Drive: you can access the keyboard shortcut screen by using Shift + ?. </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-64230091582469693872015-03-10T18:00:00.000-07:002015-03-10T18:00:00.355-07:003 Quick Tips for Organizing Google Drive<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LuOYHS7JTsg/VP70FgoJnOI/AAAAAAAAATw/UNSwBRfSsX4/s1600/new%2Bfolder.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LuOYHS7JTsg/VP70FgoJnOI/AAAAAAAAATw/UNSwBRfSsX4/s1600/new%2Bfolder.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Use "NEW" and select "Folder" to<br />create a new Folder in Drive</i></td></tr>
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Between created files, shared files, student work, uploads, photos, and all the other stuff that seems to find its way into our Google Drive, it sure is easy to let things get out of control. Keeping track of your files in Google Drive is a fairly simple, but incredibly valuable skill for teachers and students. Here's the three top tools I use in Google Drive to keep things where I can find them.<br />
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<b><u>1) Create Folders</u></b><br />
Use the "New" button in Google Drive and select "Folder." Name the folder, then drag and drop files you'd like organized into that folder. Want to separate files even further? Then use the "New" button again to create a folder <i>within </i>a folder. For example, if I have a "Math" folder, I might create more folders for 1st hour, 2nd hour, etc.<br />
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<b><u>2) Color code your Folders</u></b><br />
I'm a visual guy, and color-coding my Google Drive folders makes it easy for me to notice my folders. Find the folder you want to color, right-click, then choose "Change Color." There are 24 different colors to choose from- have fun!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gsUk_FcGwzY/VP70BXyYKcI/AAAAAAAAATg/RtKeuva8SlA/s1600/color%2Bcode.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gsUk_FcGwzY/VP70BXyYKcI/AAAAAAAAATg/RtKeuva8SlA/s1600/color%2Bcode.png" height="191" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Right-click a folder to change its color</i></td></tr>
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<b><u>3) Starred</u></b><br />
There are a few files I access consistently, or need my attention for a short time. In those cases, I will "Star" the files by right-clicking the file and choosing "Star." Those files are then automatically stored in the "Starred" menu on the left side of the screen, ready to be accessed. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S5scefZjxNI/VP70BVJzXNI/AAAAAAAAATk/YhTVAlCEAhI/s1600/doc%2Bstar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S5scefZjxNI/VP70BVJzXNI/AAAAAAAAATk/YhTVAlCEAhI/s1600/doc%2Bstar.png" height="88" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You can add a STAR by right-clicking a file, or open the file and click<br />the star next to the title. The folder icon next to the star will allow you<br />to move the file to a folder in Drive.</i></td></tr>
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<br /> No longer need them in the Starred? Simply right-click the file again, the choose "Remove Star." The file will be removed from the Starred menu.<br />
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Creating folders, color-coding them, and using Stars has really cleaned up my Drive and kept things easy to find. Just a few minutes of organizing has saved me countless hours of looking for files. And remember, if you still need help finding a file, Google has a search bar at the top of Drive which will only search for files using the search terms you type in.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-26354839760083569932015-03-06T20:00:00.000-08:002015-03-06T20:00:04.398-08:002 Ways to Show Youtube Videos without Youtube<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2___hY75QlQ/VPoEBR1dboI/AAAAAAAAAS8/-VJNf_gJHIQ/s1600/ViewPure%2B%2B%2BVideos%2BWithout%2BClutter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2___hY75QlQ/VPoEBR1dboI/AAAAAAAAAS8/-VJNf_gJHIQ/s1600/ViewPure%2B%2B%2BVideos%2BWithout%2BClutter.png" height="105" width="200" /></a></div>
I'm sure you're like me, and whenever I wanted to show a <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> video in class, I always made sure to watch the entire video before showing it to students. You never know, after all, what might pop up in a <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> video.<br />
The past few years, however, I've also had to watch out for all the "other" stuff- you know, suggested videos that <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> embeds after your video, the videos and descriptions on the right side of the screen, and the comments at the bottom of the screen. Some of that stuff can be downright offensive and inappropriate in a school setting. As an educator, here's two websites that allow you to show (or download) <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> videos in class without all the other "stuff."<br />
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1) <a href="http://safeshare.tv/">Safeshare.tv</a>-<br />
<a href="http://safeshare.tv/">Safeshare.tv</a> is a website that will strip away all the comments and suggested videos and leave you with a nice, clean website with only your video playing. It will even eliminate the end-of-video suggestions! All you need to do is find your video in <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a>, copy the <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> URL, and paste it into <a href="http://safeshare.tv/">Safeshare.tv</a>. It will generate a new link with your stripped down video. <a href="http://safeshare.tv/">Safeshare.tv</a> also allows you to download the video as an MP3 or MP4 file! Here's an example of how it works:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UuQ4n8lJWGs/VPoBW5pu_SI/AAAAAAAAASg/4JqGJwFanUI/s1600/youtube%2BURL.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UuQ4n8lJWGs/VPoBW5pu_SI/AAAAAAAAASg/4JqGJwFanUI/s1600/youtube%2BURL.png" height="53" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copy URL from <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uKmyNgIRsA/VPoBu_9g8ZI/AAAAAAAAASo/YuSW3u6CvaM/s1600/SafeShare.TV%2B%2B%2BThe%2BSafest%2BWay%2BTo%2BWatch%2Band%2BShare%2BYouTube%2Bvideos..png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uKmyNgIRsA/VPoBu_9g8ZI/AAAAAAAAASo/YuSW3u6CvaM/s1600/SafeShare.TV%2B%2B%2BThe%2BSafest%2BWay%2BTo%2BWatch%2Band%2BShare%2BYouTube%2Bvideos..png" height="218" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paste URL, then click "Take me to safe view"<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6jIfxAX8ez0/VPoCHmDVEkI/AAAAAAAAASw/9YFxXkGxi2g/s1600/Iowa%2BCore%2B%2BComplex%2BCommunication%2B%2B%2BSafeshare.TV.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6jIfxAX8ez0/VPoCHmDVEkI/AAAAAAAAASw/9YFxXkGxi2g/s1600/Iowa%2BCore%2B%2BComplex%2BCommunication%2B%2B%2BSafeshare.TV.png" height="350" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what the "Safe View" looks like! No extra "stuff!" Plus, you have the ability to download the video.</td></tr>
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2) <a href="http://viewpure.com/">Viewpure.com</a>-<br />
View Pure is similar to <a href="http://safeshare.tv/">Safeshare.tv</a>- copy and paste the <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> link into View Pure, then click, "Purify." Although you cannot download a video once it has been purified, I do like that <a href="http://viewpure.com/">ViewPure.com</a> gives you a button to add to your bookmark bar. This button allows you to skip the step of visiting the <a href="http://viewpure.com/">ViewPure.com</a> website- simply go to the <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> video that you want purified, then click the ViewPure button in your bookmark bar and it will take you to a purified version of the video! <br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UuQ4n8lJWGs/VPoBW5pu_SI/AAAAAAAAASg/4JqGJwFanUI/s1600/youtube%2BURL.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UuQ4n8lJWGs/VPoBW5pu_SI/AAAAAAAAASg/4JqGJwFanUI/s1600/youtube%2BURL.png" height="53" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Copy URL from Youtube<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2___hY75QlQ/VPoEBR1dboI/AAAAAAAAAS8/-VJNf_gJHIQ/s1600/ViewPure%2B%2B%2BVideos%2BWithout%2BClutter.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2___hY75QlQ/VPoEBR1dboI/AAAAAAAAAS8/-VJNf_gJHIQ/s1600/ViewPure%2B%2B%2BVideos%2BWithout%2BClutter.png" height="210" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paste URL and click "Purify." Or, click and drag the small, orange "Purify"<br />button to your bookmark bar and purify videos directly on <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a>!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91HlcBABfuk/VPoEP9nQWCI/AAAAAAAAATE/G9HUkt7ac_A/s1600/view%2Bpure%2Bfinal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91HlcBABfuk/VPoEP9nQWCI/AAAAAAAAATE/G9HUkt7ac_A/s1600/view%2Bpure%2Bfinal.png" height="337" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what a "Purified" video looks like. No download capabilities, but no other "stuff," either.<br /></td></tr>
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There are a some <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions" target="_blank">Chrome Extensions</a> that you can add from the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps" target="_blank">Chrome Store</a> that will do similar things to <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">Youtube</a> videos. Make sure to check out some of them <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/search/youtube?_category=extensions" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-18336145254131170252015-02-01T19:00:00.000-08:002015-02-01T19:00:00.095-08:00Using Google's 3rd Party Sign In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XM8UnXUIfBE/VMqPuCeWpHI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/ieY4EvV1v5E/s1600/sign%2Bin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XM8UnXUIfBE/VMqPuCeWpHI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/ieY4EvV1v5E/s1600/sign%2Bin.png" height="101" width="320" /></a></div>
Many sites now have the capability of using <a href="https://support.google.com/plus/answer/2980762?hl=en" target="_blank">third party sign-in</a>, that is, if you're signed in to <a href="http://www.gmail.com/" target="_blank"> Gmail</a>, <a href="http://plus.google.com/" target="_blank">Google+</a>, or <a href="http://facebook.com/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, you can use the same credentials to sign into a different app or website (like <a href="http://thinglink.com/" target="_blank">Thinglink</a>, <a href="http://symbaloo.com/" target="_blank">Symbaloo</a>, or <a href="http://clarity.brightbytes.net/" target="_blank">Bright Bytes</a>). Using this feature allows you to sign into many different websites without creating a brand new username and password for each new service. I don't know about you, but the fewer usernames and passwords I have out there, the less opportunities exist for me to lose those credentials.<br />
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<b>Here are a few pointers when using "Sign in with Google:"</b><br />
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1) Look for the third party sign-in button on log in pages (like the one above).<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XWSt63dwOi0/VMqQejC7TiI/AAAAAAAAARU/XGPY92bwLQI/s1600/accept.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XWSt63dwOi0/VMqQejC7TiI/AAAAAAAAARU/XGPY92bwLQI/s1600/accept.png" height="320" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Use Google+ Sign-in with <a href="http://thinglink.com/">Thinglink.com</a></td></tr>
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2) <a href="http://google.com/" target="_blank">Google</a> will confirm that you want to give permission to the app/website to use your<a href="http://gmail.com/" target="_blank"> Gmail</a> credentials to sign in.<br />
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3) Sometimes, the app will request other permissions, like posting to your <a href="http://facebook.com/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="http://plus.google.com/" target="_blank">Google+</a> page on your behalf. You can even grant the app permission to post to specific <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUywKEtXX2c" target="_blank">Google Circles</a>, if you'd like. This can be adjusted by clicking the pencil to the right of the permission. I always set my permissions to "Only You."<br />
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4) Once you have your permissions set, click the blue "Accept" button.<br />
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5) The next time you visit the app/website, if you are signed into your <a href="http://gmail.com/" target="_blank">Gmail</a>, you can simply lick the red "Sign in with Google" button and have access to your account.<br />
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6) In many cases, <a href="http://google.com/" target="_blank">Google</a> will integrate and "talk" with the other website, allowing you to save and share using<a href="http://drive.google.com/" target="_blank"> Google Drive</a>. You can also add those apps through the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps" target="_blank">Google Chrome Store</a> and directly into your Google Drive. A couple examples of this would include the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/wevideo-next/limlkeaboocfcfncjkkghclkjidbedem" target="_blank">WeVideo app</a> (which saves user-created movies on Drive) and <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/powtoon-edu/ogodblbnhpbcmcjcoopbalconhnloagl" target="_blank">Powtoon</a> (which saves user-made cartoons on Drive).<br />
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<b><i>Some words of advice when using this:</i></b><br />
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<li>Many login pages will include a place to enter your username and password; you DO NOT need to do so if you are using the "Sign in with Google" button. </li>
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<li>Using the third party sign-in DOES NOT give the website or app permission to read your emails or send you junk mail; however, it is wise to read what it is you are agreeing to.</li>
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<li>I typically will only sign into educational websites with my school assigned gmail address- never personal websites (like banking, bills, games, etc.). I've made it a priority to keep personal and professional accounts completely separate- it just seems to make sense in this digital age.</li>
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<li> I will rarely ask students to use this feature unless I've read the website's <a href="http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/End-User-License-Agreement" target="_blank">End User License Agreement</a> and confirm that privacy is ensured. I also double check our school district's <a href="http://www.wilmette39.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=369:student-computer-and-internet-use-agreement-&catid=213:for-parents-aup&Itemid=853" target="_blank">Computer Use Agreement</a> (sample agreement from Wilmette Public Schools, <a href="http://www.wilmette39.org/">http://www.wilmette39.org/</a>) to verify that I am not asking students to do something in violation of those agreements.</li>
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<li> If something doesn't feel right about the app/ website, I will NOT use the third party sign-in button, especially if I am not sure the website will keep my information private. If I still want to use the website, though, I'll typically register with another email address and password.</li>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-51087588736870547292015-01-29T17:30:00.000-08:002015-03-06T12:24:31.098-08:005 Google Drawing Ideas to Unleash Student Creativity If you're looking for ways to allow students to be more creative with technology (think our Bright Bytes goals and Iowa Core Curriculum Universal Constructs), here are some easy, foundational skill building ways using Google Drawing. First, to create a Google Drawing, go to your Drive, click the red "New" or "Create" button, and find Google Drawing.<br />
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Here are some quick ideas:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rU5k-gx0s4/VMj5-2AEh8I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/6ZPdjftzUyg/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-28%2Bat%2B8.50.33%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2rU5k-gx0s4/VMj5-2AEh8I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/6ZPdjftzUyg/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-28%2Bat%2B8.50.33%2BAM.png" height="140" width="320" /></a></div>
1. <b><u>Create an Avatar</u></b>- students can import a picture (even their own) and modify it for cyber safety's sake. Feel free to tie in art topics, and have students create a blog avatar using themes and ideas from cubism, impressionism, or another artistic concept. The picture could then be used as an avatar for student blogs. My humble attempt took about 5 minutes.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TSGNZcpDULw/VMj6n2L9d9I/AAAAAAAAAQY/wVBvloSZgb0/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-28%2Bat%2B9.04.17%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TSGNZcpDULw/VMj6n2L9d9I/AAAAAAAAAQY/wVBvloSZgb0/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-28%2Bat%2B9.04.17%2BAM.png" height="200" width="200" /></a>2. <b><u>Create a logo</u></b>- To increase the relevance, have students create logos. I see teachers having students create logos for historical themes like American Revolutionaries did with concepts of liberty, freedom, and later with manifest destiny. Students could also use design concepts to create logos for local businesses or school websites. I created the Curriculum and Innovation header using Google Drawings, and this Favicon for the website:<br />
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3. <b><u>Demonstrate your learning graphically</u></b>- Google drawings can create mind maps, graphic organizers, and with some extension and scaffolding, infographics. <a href="https://twitter.com/alicekeeler" target="_blank">Alice Keeler</a>, author of the blog <a href="http://www.alicekeeler.com/teachertech" target="_blank">Teacher Tech</a>, has some excellent ideas <a href="http://www.alicekeeler.com/teachertech/2013/10/12/creating-mind-maps-in-google-draw/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ag8HU51ieCM/VMj6vBWDAyI/AAAAAAAAAQg/WuacsphdQck/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-28%2Bat%2B9.00.25%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ag8HU51ieCM/VMj6vBWDAyI/AAAAAAAAAQg/WuacsphdQck/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-28%2Bat%2B9.00.25%2BAM.png" height="186" width="200" /></a><br />
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4. <b><u>Build badges to Gamify your content</u></b>- why not have students design the badges for your gamified curriculum? Badges could also be shared among content areas. Badges can be imported into spreadsheets and displayed on web pages. Check our Google Apps Ninja website to see an example of this <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/bcluw.org/google-ninja-training/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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5. <b><u>App smash your original art with other apps to create powerful learning opportunities</u></b>- Students can create an original image, then import it into <a href="http://youtube.com/" target="_blank">YouTube </a>or <a href="http://thinglink.com/" target="_blank">Thinglink</a> and annotate the image. A secondary result from doing images this way is you eliminate (mostly) the worry about students using copyrighted images. I created this <a href="http://thinglink.com/" target="_blank">Thinglink</a> image from Google Drawings and used the embed code to add it to my blog:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="298" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//www.thinglink.com/card/617389798239240194" type="text/html" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="357"></iframe>
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Of course, there are a number of drawing apps and programs that have different features which may be better suited for your needs. However, with so many schools using Google Apps for Education, the features of sharing, collaborating, commenting and importing, Google Drawings adds another level of ease for teachers, parents, and students.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-61141553985879588172015-01-26T17:30:00.000-08:002015-01-26T17:30:01.432-08:00Building a Student Tech Team<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3149/2588347668_a1006846fa_z.jpg?zz=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3149/2588347668_a1006846fa_z.jpg?zz=1" width="200" /></a></div>
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One of the goals (<a href="http://clarity.brightbytes.net/" target="_blank">from Bright Bytes survey data</a>) for our districts this year was to build a student-driven technology team within our buildings. Student tech teams lend themselves to some incredible learning and leadership opportunities for students of all ages. As I've been working specifically with middle and high school students on this task, here are five pillars we wanted to put into place:<br />
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<li> A purposeful <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oi1b0Ku0xhr087mVfvDvruy6cGEXQKmCODFVyAKkUag/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Mission statement</a> which attends to relevant needs and is built by the group.</li>
<li>A chance for students to develop leadership skills through mini-lessons and conversations.</li>
<li>Opportunities for students to belong to an "intervention" like group where they could extend their learning, but also get social support from a diverse group (insert "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KtAgAMzaeg" target="_blank">Cheers" theme song</a> here).</li>
<li>A <a href="https://geniushour.wikispaces.com/" target="_blank">Genius Hour/ Passion Project</a> like environment where success is variable but "failing forward" and learning are constants.</li>
<li>A chance to reflect, grow, and evolve ourselves and the tech team.</li>
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As I built this group, I also wanted to avoid these things:</div>
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<li>Making the group "just another thing" that students have to worry about.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Parker-Big-Red-Duofold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Parker-Big-Red-Duofold.jpg" height="124" width="200" /></a></div>
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<li>Grading things.</li>
<li>An excuse to miss in-class learning; either because students are out of class or because students are neglecting their class duties while working on tech team things.</li>
<li>A short term group dependent on one person for success.</li>
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I built a <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/bcluw.org/google-ninja-training/" target="_blank">Google Apps Ninja training site</a> based on <a href="http://www.ninjaprogram.com/" target="_blank">Jeff Utecht's Google Apps Ninja</a> student training resources (he has graciously made those resources free for anyone under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/choose/" target="_blank">Creative Commons license</a>). The Google Ninja Training site is a self-directed, quizzed website that allows students to learn about Google apps and begin applying their knowledge in class. There are <a href="https://drive.google.com/a/bcluw.org/previewtemplate?id=1HAtz7LhzkVXKKhpkyE_J0_h0y2WS8op3H-O4eTvNJDw&mode=domain" target="_blank">formative assessments built from a Google form </a>that self-grades and lets me know when a quiz has been passed. Students also had to apply to be a part of the group, and a basic criteria was used to filter the applicants. Teachers also had input into the makeup of the group.<br />
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From there, I am also challenging students to address issues that are happening in our communities through technology and activism (like iPad school policies, student morning news webcasts, student depression, combating hunger, assistance with Chromebooks, etc.). My groups so far are really excited to learn coding (from <a href="http://code.org/">Code.org</a>), and build apps.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I3yGihtY2Uw/VMaLXEEQfII/AAAAAAAAAP4/9paSk6FzlIo/s1600/Google%2BNinja%2BTraining.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I3yGihtY2Uw/VMaLXEEQfII/AAAAAAAAAP4/9paSk6FzlIo/s1600/Google%2BNinja%2BTraining.png" height="188" width="320" /></a></div>
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For a group of high school students, we created the <a href="http://www.iowastem.gov/" target="_blank">STEAM team</a> looking at <a href="http://iowastem.gov/students" target="_blank">STEAM initiatives</a> and teaching lessons to elementary students. I'm still trying to figure out the direction for this group, but they seem really motivated to work with our younger students on cool things like <a href="http://www.firstlegoleague.org/" target="_blank">Lego League</a>, <a href="http://makeymakey.com/" target="_blank">Makey-Makey</a>, <a href="http://squishycircuitsstore.com/kits.html" target="_blank">Squishy Circuits</a>, <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/aea267.k12.ia.us/coding-in-the-classroom/robots" target="_blank">robots</a>, <a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/" target="_blank">raspberry pi</a>, and <a href="http://code.org/">Code.org</a>.</div>
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Our Google Apps Ninja team has met a handful of times, and already they are excited and motivated to create with technology and help their school in many different ways. I'll continue to post here the progress and projects we are working on.<br />
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In the meantime, feel free to swing over to the <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/bcluw.org/google-ninja-training/" target="_blank">Google Apps Ninja Training Dojo</a> and try your hand at a few of the quizzes and training materials. I'd be more than happy to send you a ninja badge when you complete a test!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-31283860924712345672015-01-22T21:30:00.000-08:002015-01-22T21:30:02.668-08:00What about Blogging?Blogging is an incredibly powerful tool for student learning, and I find it is easily overlooked by teachers as an effective means to teach reading, writing, and critical thinking skills to students. Plus, blogging opens the doors for conversations about digital citizenship and cyber safety. Recently, I gave a presentation about the power of using blogs (<a href="http://ww.kidblog.org/" target="_blank">Kidblog</a>, in particular) with students of all ages. Below are the presentation slides.<br />
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If you're interested in engaging your students in writing and reading, improving their abilities as reflective, evaluative, and critical thinkers, and wanting to connect your classroom to other classrooms around the world, then give blogging a look. I'd be glad to come in and work with you on a framework for student blogging that is both powerful and effective.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="299" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZZfMBWaRZxsw_UVIUDzVe3dVUwGtCjp6cDX4O22lu-8/embed?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-59053354074564432632015-01-06T18:00:00.000-08:002015-01-06T18:00:03.284-08:00Mic Note Chrome App: Endless Learning Possiblities!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9gDKfJx09Vs/VKxELdSkyiI/AAAAAAAAAPE/9kcOsu_-_k0/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-06%2Bat%2B2.22.26%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9gDKfJx09Vs/VKxELdSkyiI/AAAAAAAAAPE/9kcOsu_-_k0/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-06%2Bat%2B2.22.26%2BPM.png" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
6th graders at North Tama elementary had a problem. They wanted to get word out about their class store, but couldn't get the right information to the announcements at the right time, and to the right people. Enter <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mic-note-audio-recorder-n/nhkoenoennbjnibepkjdheodiaojdgpk" target="_blank">Mic Note</a>: the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps" target="_blank">Chrome app</a> with endless possibilities.<br />
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<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mic-note-audio-recorder-n/nhkoenoennbjnibepkjdheodiaojdgpk" target="_blank">Mic Note</a> is a free <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps" target="_blank">Chrome app</a> that combines a text editor with a audio recorder and editor. Simply type up your script, including adding pictures, highlights, powerpoints, or PDF's, then hit record. The app will record anything it hears. <br />
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After recording, you can add timestamps into your script to log the progress of the recording. With <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mic-note-audio-recorder-n/nhkoenoennbjnibepkjdheodiaojdgpk" target="_blank">Mic Note Pro</a>, you have an added ability to edit your recording by flagging, deleting, and trimming selected sections.<br />
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When you have a final product, export it to <a href="http://drive.google.com/" target="_blank">Google Drive</a>, <a href="http://dropbox.com/" target="_blank">Dropbox</a>, or your local disk, then share as needed. Shared versions show up as both an MP3 file and a PDF of the script. The free version limits users to 10 minutes of total recording time. The Pro version ($4.99) gives unlimited recording time and the ability to edit recordings.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dixsuENjw8/VKxEkglKOnI/AAAAAAAAAPM/fbpE3208cIw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-06%2Bat%2B2.23.53%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dixsuENjw8/VKxEkglKOnI/AAAAAAAAAPM/fbpE3208cIw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-01-06%2Bat%2B2.23.53%2BPM.png" height="203" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mic Note allows you to write out your script before, or after,<br />you record. You can also "flag" parts of the recording.</td></tr>
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The 6th graders used <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mic-note-audio-recorder-n/nhkoenoennbjnibepkjdheodiaojdgpk" target="_blank">Mic Note</a> to write, record and share announcements, which were then played for the student body. Really, the possibilities here are endless- I can see coupling this tool with QR codes to make some incredible learning or reflection logs, teachers can give directions both in written and audible form, or students can post recordings and scripts to a blog. Students that need differentiation can record their voice first, then type up what they said later- very handy for those students who tend to think faster than they can type.<br />
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You can find the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mic-note-audio-recorder-n/nhkoenoennbjnibepkjdheodiaojdgpk" target="_blank">Mic Note app</a> in the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps" target="_blank">Google Chrome Store</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-7948415854018996382014-12-15T18:00:00.000-08:002014-12-15T18:00:01.795-08:003 Steps for an Incredible Google Spreadsheet Lesson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--KQiRVndyR0/VI8WoNvLIrI/AAAAAAAAAOk/lhwJRm_Bpkk/s1600/graphs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--KQiRVndyR0/VI8WoNvLIrI/AAAAAAAAAOk/lhwJRm_Bpkk/s1600/graphs.png" height="149" width="320" /></a></div>
I met with a Math teacher this week who has been utilizing Google Spreadsheets with her students to create opportunities for them to collect and analyze data. The data piece is a major component in the Bright Bytes goals we set for ourselves, because having students collect and analyze data shows up in the <a href="https://iowacore.gov/content/universal-constructs-essential-21st-century-success-0" target="_blank">Iowa Core's Universal Constructs</a> and lends the skills to formative assessments given online. Here's how it can work:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pQULFVkThEg/VI8W5zd61lI/AAAAAAAAAOs/q3tqSG6TOpo/s1600/chart.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pQULFVkThEg/VI8W5zd61lI/AAAAAAAAAOs/q3tqSG6TOpo/s1600/chart.png" height="320" width="190" /></a> 1- Students collaborate to formulate a question on a relevant topic they want to research. Some examples might include: How long does it take me to get from 1st hour class to 2nd hour class? Or, how much sediment is deposited/ eroded from the creek bed next to the school every week? Or, of the students in our school, how many use Chrome vs. Firefox vs. other?<br />
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2- Students input the data manually into the spreadsheet. Another extension step would be to have students create a form to collect the data, or crowd source the collection. This could lead to great discussions about statistical significance and data validity.<br />
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3- Use tools in Google Sheets, like insert a chart, to represent the data graphically in multiple ways.<br />
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From there, students can make predictions and analyze different data points. This type of task is relatively simple, relevant, and lends itself to all sorts of collaboration, enrichment and extension activities.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-20731625528053556842014-11-28T07:25:00.002-08:002014-11-28T07:25:36.166-08:005 Questions to Ask Before Using Class Dojo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A recent <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/technology/privacy-concerns-for-classdojo-and-other-tracking-apps-for-schoolchildren.html?_r=2" target="_blank">New York Times article</a> posted to the <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/101668108528918971908" target="_blank">Iowa GEG Google+ Community</a>, a blog article from <a href="http://www.teachingace.com/thinking-about-classroom-dojo-why-not-just-tase-your-kids-instead/" target="_blank">Teaching Ace on Class Dojo and tasing kids</a>, a question from one of my teachers, and <a href="http://www.joebower.org/2014/11/6-reasons-to-reject-classdojo.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/joe_bower" target="_blank">Joe Bower</a> (who does an excellent job of citing sources and gathering many different theories on motivation) got me thinking about <a href="http://classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo </a>and other classroom management tools/ strategies/ apps this week. I did have the opportunity to use <a href="http://classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a> a few years ago, but because I had a strong classroom management philosophy that did not completely "mesh" with the intended use of <a href="http://classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a>, I repurposed the intent of the app to achieve a completely new means to a different end altogether. More on that later...<br />
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When it comes to making sure all of your students are engaged with the lesson and learning at high levels in a safe and effective environment, choosing the right classroom management tool/ strategy to match your teaching personality is paramount to student success. When choosing a tool or strategy, let me give some advice that was given to me early in my career, and has made an incredible difference:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oLC1NB7H3GY/VG-lSfmI_uI/AAAAAAAAAN4/j6ZLfNsCTfE/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-11-21%2Bat%2B2.49.32%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oLC1NB7H3GY/VG-lSfmI_uI/AAAAAAAAAN4/j6ZLfNsCTfE/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-11-21%2Bat%2B2.49.32%2BPM.png" height="320" title="http://atwhitsendblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/meaningful-relationships-with-parents.html" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: At Whit's End Blog<br />www.atwhitsendblog.blogspot.com</td></tr>
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Knowing that no management tool, strategy or technique I used would be effective if my students felt like I didn't care about them as people helped to form my own classroom management experiences. Here are a few questions to ask before you choose an app, tool or strategy:<div>
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1) Does the app/ tool/ strategy allow for meaningful conversation, individualized feedback, and periodic reflection for both student and teacher? Or does it help manage a reactive type of relationship?</div>
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2) Does the app give your students a voice in the classroom rules? Do students have a significant role in shaping the written norms of the classroom? Or does the app police the rules imposed on the students?</div>
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3) Does the app give you time and opportunity to invest in each student personally and strive to make them feel welcome and loved in your classroom? Or does the app simply publicly announce misbehavior and/or positive behaviors?</div>
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4) Does the app allow you to model kindness, autonomy, forgiveness, grace, and leadership? Or does it cause you to model harshness, escalation, and indifference?</div>
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5) Does the app allow for students to be aware of procedures for misbehavior? Will it allow students to reflect on behavior and have an opportunity to adjust? Or does it impose consequences for misbehavior?</div>
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If you are at a point where you're ready to begin using a tool like <a href="http://classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a>, or a technique like Behavior Clip charts, or anything similar, take a moment to think about these questions:</div>
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1) What is the end result you see happening from adding this tool?</div>
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2) Is the tool designed to enhance what you are doing, or detract from it?</div>
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3) What are some alternatives that you've looked at? What makes this tool better than any other?</div>
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4) Are there specific classroom behaviors or student issues that you are trying to address with this app? What features do you like about this tool?</div>
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5) What do you plan to do if the students don't respond to the tool the way you anticipated?</div>
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I have some pretty strong personal beliefs when it comes to the debate between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and I also know a great teacher will maximize any tool if she feels it helps her students grow and learn in significant ways. Personally, I wouldn't ever use a tool for the sake of the tool; rather, I want to do things for the sake of each student. </div>
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When I had the opportunity to use <a href="http://classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a>, I took the app to my students and had them brainstorm ways we might want to use the app in class. A few students liked the app's design, including the little monsters, but were wary of the "points for behavior" system. This led to a great discussion about our classroom and what kind of environment we had- and how using <a href="http://classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a> the way it was intended did not fit our shared values for the class. A student then suggested something fun- to use <a href="http://classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a> as a point tracking system for an end of the day trivia/ exit ticket contest. I would ask questions, possibly from trivia cards (like you find in Trivial Pursuit games), or from essential skills we learned that day. Students would give me answers to the questions; sometimes students would answer after a group discussion, other times they would take a guess individually. There were a few times when I had students write their answers down, and add their own points. Occasionally, I'd have them add a point for each standard they had met that week. </div>
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At the end of the week, we'd look at the points tallied, talk about our answers, and decide who the winner was. Many times it wasn't the student with the most points, but rather the student who gave the most to the class that week. I'd then let them choose their prize- who got to use my teacher's chair for the week. I was most proud when the winner would choose another student in the class to use the chair- just to let them know we valued everyone in our class. </div>
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Was this the best way to use <a href="http://classdojo.com/" target="_blank">Class Dojo</a>? I'm not completely sure. I do know, however, it wasn't the app that created that environment, or even sustained it. It was us choosing to be better for each other.</div>
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Resources:<br />
<a href="http://onestopcounselingshop.com/2013/06/23/pinterest-find-colorful-behavior-management-charts/" target="_blank">- Pinterest Find: Colorful Behavior Management Charts by Social Work, Special Ed, and Counseling resources Blog</a><br />
<a href="http://www.teachingace.com/alternative-clip-charts-flipping-management-on-its-head/" target="_blank">-Alternative Clip Charts by Teaching Ace Blog</a><br />
<a href="http://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/on-using-and-not-using-classdojo-ideological-differences/" target="_blank">- On Using and Not Using Class Dojo: Idealogical Differences by the Larry Cuban School Reform and Classroom Practice Blog</a><br />
<a href="https://www.classdojo.com/resources" target="_blank">- Class Dojo Resources page</a><br />
<a href="http://gettingsmart.com/2014/08/parents-review-classdojo/" target="_blank">- A Parent's Review of Class Dojo on the Getting Smart Blog</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5012532456201567029.post-64835048842907731982014-11-24T16:30:00.000-08:002014-11-24T16:30:01.282-08:00Read and Write for Google Extension <br />
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<a href="http://www.google.com/chrome/" target="_blank">Google Chrome</a> is an incredibly powerful web browser for both teachers and students, and once you begin customizing your Chrome experience with Apps and Extensions from the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore" target="_blank">Chrome Web Store</a>, you'll find yourself never using another browser again.<br />
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A teacher this week showed me the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/readwrite-for-google/inoeonmfapjbbkmdafoankkfajkcphgd?hl=en-US" target="_blank">Read and Write for Google extension</a> from <a href="http://texthelp.com/">Texthelp.com</a>. The extension, when added, will look at web pages and read the text on the page aloud. Students can use this extension to highlight words and take notes, along with "Simplifying" the website into a text-only site. Some features, however, expire after the 30 day trial.</div>
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This particular teacher said she uses <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/readwrite-for-google/inoeonmfapjbbkmdafoankkfajkcphgd?hl=en-US" target="_blank">Read and Write for Google</a> to read aloud what her students have written in Google Docs- a kind of self- editing via listening tool. I can also see this being extremely helpful as an assistive tool for students that are struggling with texts, but need to remain independent in their reading.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0