'Twas the Day Before Break (A Technology Tale)

‘Twas the days before Break, and all through the schools The  teachers were using technology tools. The iPads were charged and the “carts” were plugged in In anticipation for class to begin. The students showed up with a gleam in their eyes, Because when there’s tech, engagement arrives. They take to it like a duck does to water, ‘Cuz the tech is the clay and the kid is the potter. At Faris and Graber and Lincoln and Wiley, Cool projects like “Linkville” make wee ones feel smiley. Others like Manny write blogs yes they do, And Bleything and Williams tried Hutchdocs woo hoo! Corcoran’s vid made the board say “That’s Great!” Burlie’s sixth grade  iMovie  was especially first rate. Winters does projects with Educreations, They make herstudents give standing ovations! Don’t forget Magnet @ Allen  or our  MCC, They are as  busy with tech as they can be. With Compass and iPads and SMARTboards  galore, They are always on the lookout for more, more and more! Then Morgan and the folks down at Avenue A, Bring technology into most every day. With Keynote, Edmodo, QR Codes and FasttMath, Their students are headed down the perfect path. Don’t count out the high school or CTEA, Their tech is “sick” as the kids these days say. They’ve got Robots and green screens and auto-mechanics, Robotic welders, wind tunnels-  I’m not done yet, don’t panic… There’s the Hoss Mill and paint booth that’s state of the art, The saw stop and printer that prints 3D parts. The teachers are stellar as they teach the mobs Of kids hoping they’ll become the next Steve Jobs. Loewen and Gusty and yes, even Durham Tackled Hutchdocs without a bad word between ‘em. The students enjoy it , Roehm knew that they would, They turn things in paperlessly the way that they should. Hutch Middle School, it was not saved for last, Their use of technology can’t be surpassed. They “Explain Everything”, Socravite and such Infographics, Thinglink gosh, there’s so much. So as this last day with students draws near, There’s just one thing more that I’d like you to hear. Thank you so much for your hard work with tech, Have a restful holiday season, as the halls you do deck! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!!! Amy Reilly

Linkville: A "Tasty" Second Grade Community

2nd Graders at Wiley Elementary got a taste of what building a community is like in Kristi Link's class. Focusing on Social Studies Common Core Standards that center around communities and what makes them thrive, students spent time brainstorming what was important for all communities to have, what citizens needed, and how buildings might be designed. Then, using a variety of items, the kids set to work building their community (they named it Linkville).  Kristi's class is part of a larger, multi-state project called a "STEM to STEAM" challenge. During the week of December 16-20 classes will Skype with each other to compare/contrast their engineered communities and discuss what it is like to live where they do.  To read more about this activity, you can visit the project website here.

Yes, We Can...Write Code. :-)

It's here!  Computer Science Education Week is upon us and as I posted in last week's blog a great way to recognize it is by visiting their site and treating your students to "An Hour of Code".  I am a firm believer in practice what you preach where technology is concerned so I signed up and participated myself.  It was FUN!  It was also a tad addicting. The minute I saw the Angry Bird logo I knew that kids would be interested but I was still sketchy about adults.  That skepticism quickly vanished when I entered the site:  http://learn.code.org/hoc/1   It was engaging and educational at the same time.  Basically users are trying to "write code" that gets the bird to the pig.  This video explains how:  

What a great way to get students excited about writing code!  There are extension activities as well for those students and teachers who are interested in going beyond the hour where they learn the basic concepts of Computer Science with drag and drop programming. The website provides 15-25 hours of "unplugged" classroom activities interspersed with game-like, self-directed tutorials starring video lectures by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies.  
I strongly encourage you to introduce your students to the concept of coding in this way.  You won't be sorry!

iOS7 Is Here!

Ok, I know not all of you have an iPhone or an iPad, but my love of all things nerdy has me excited about the new iOS7 update for Apple devices.  If you have a Droid, continue as you were and catch the blog the next time.  For those of you who have an Apple device this is for you.  
On September 18, the update became available.  I spoke with a teacher friend of mine last night and she had already updated her system and deemed it "pretty slick".  So, I tried to update mine.  It was a no-go because the update was not yet available on my phone.  But no worries.  When I woke up this  morning there it was!  It took my phone about an hour to update to the new system.  That was from my home internet which has medium speed levels.  I felt like it was a reasonable amount of time.  How do you update your system?
1.  Go to settings.
2.  Click on General.
3.  Click on SYSTEM UPDATE.
4.  Download and Install OS7.  **Because it is a big update, you need to be on WiFi to download it.  In addition, it is smart to plug into a power source, as updating it can drain your battery.
5.  These same steps apply when updating your iPad!
       There seemed to be quite a few "policy" screens.  I hate to say it, but I click agree and continue without reading a word.  C'mon, you know you do it, too.  I'm trusting that I haven't promised anything too outlandish by doing so.
       The next part is the fun part because it's time to play.  Seriously, just like a kid does with a new toy, you have to allow yourself time to investigate all the new functions and the new look of your device.  A few sites that I have found to help you are here:
Apple  This is Apple's website.  They have a short video that will show you the new features of the iPhone and iPad with the update.
iOS7 Tips and Tricks  This is a blog created by an Apple employee.  She and her husband got the download early and have had a chance to check things out.  Read further to hear their opinions.  
Troubleshooting Tips  This site offers help with downloading the update and information about auto-updating apps and how to turn certain functions off.
       There are a plethora of sites out there that will help you.  Simply Google "iOS7 tips and tricks" and you'll see quite a few.  
       My verdict:  While I love all things nerdy, I'm not completely sold yet.  The look is a little too bright and shiny for my tastes.  I know I'll get used to it eventually, but right now I'm not loving it.  My battery seemed to drain at rapid speed today.  Not sure if that can be attributed to the update or the fact that I kept playing with it. I would recommend that to save battery you swipe UP to show the control center and tap on AirDrop.  Turning this function off will save your phone from searching for other phones or iPads nearby.  There are several other new features one can turn off to improve battery life, but until I try them I don't want to recommend them.  I do love the swipe feature for the control center.  That is pretty cool.  In addition, by double tapping the home key and swipping up on the pages you see, you can close your apps.  For some reason that seems to entertain me more than waiting for the wiggly x to show up.  Have fun with the update.  If you stumble upon a great tip that could help others navigate the update, please comment here!

Remind 101 - Perfect for communication with parents and students K - 12

Welcome Back!  There's nothing like jumping into a new school year with a great plan to communicate with parents and students.  Teachers choose sites like Edmodo, Facebook and blogs for that communication and they are terrific sources.  To add to your bag of tricks is Remind 101. 
What is it?
Remind101 provides a safe way for teachers to text message students and stay in touch with parents for free. Teachers use remind101.com, the Android or iOS app to send texts to students' and parents' phones without ever having to share their own phone number. Students and parents also never have to share their phone number with teachers. Ever.

How Might I Use It?
Field trip reminders, motivational messages, homework, exam reminders, schedule changes, fun facts, and trivia. It’s a great way to communicate information to students and parents safely! 

How do I get started?
Go to remind101.com on your computer, or download the Android or iOS app, then create your first class to see how it works. It takes less than two minutes to get started! 

My students are too young for cell phones.
That's when you use it with the parents.  Busy parents would love reminders about field trip permission slip due dates and test schedules.  They will LOVE this!

Everyone has two minutes, right?  And once your account is created, messages take seconds to write and send.  Today's parents and students are more connected than ever.  Remind 101  would be a great way to keep the lines of communication open between home and school.

Here's the link: Remind 101

Blogs - Some of the best PD available

Blogs -  a ubiquitous term in our society today.  However, what continues to baffle me is the fact that so many people don't follow them or write their own.  Of course there's the age-old excuse of "no time", and I totally get that.  It seems, of late, things have been going at warp speed both personally and professionally, and I know I'm not alone in that feeling. But one of the things I feel passionate about in education is professional development.  As teachers, we need to stay up with best practice and crave collaboration with other teachers. In addition, we hate reinventing the wheel, so if we can find something to tweak or build on that will work in our classrooms and is aligned with Common Core, we're on it!  That's why we should take some responsibility for our own professional learning; one way to do that is through following blogs.  With curation tools/websites like Bloglovin and Sqworl, keeping track of information and reading on your own time is a breeze.  Not to mention...wait for it....they're free!
       Taking advantage of the incredible amount of information out there is a must. So, where do you start?   One easy way is by visiting this Edublogs site.  Each year, Edublogs holds a contest to find the "best of the best" in the blogging world and then they share that information with us. The link above is the best of the best in Education.    Along the right side of the homepage,  users will find a list of topics.  Navigate through them and pick something that interests you.  Math teachers who follow blogs will tell you that Dan Meyer's is a fantastic one.   Heck, I follow him and I have never taught math.  Mr. Coward's Teaching the Outsiders blog is fantastic.  He has loads of followers - yet not all of them teach English. He is also hysterical...an added bonus. Don't even get  me started on blogs I follow for personal use.  Let's just say that I know way too much about the Pioneer Woman her Food Network show and her family and leave it at that.  :-)
  By reading blogs, you immerse yourself in new ideas and and give yourself the gift of collaboration - something every teacher can use.  If you have questions about how to get started with reading or even creating blogs, contact me!  

Socrative is AWESOME!

I've done Professional Development across the district singing the praises of SOCRATIVE. A few of the reasons I like it so much is that it makes student engagement soar, and it's easy to use.  If you aren't familiar with SOCRATIVE, it's a student response system, that mimics "clickers", but that is web based.  It can be used on smartphones, PCs, MACS and iPads.  Teachers can design their own quizzes and activities in minutes. Another great thing about SOCRATIVE is the customer service they offer.  Any time I have contacted them, I get a prompt, helpful response.  In addition, they listen to their customer feedback and make changes accordingly.  Recently, they updated their website with two new options - the ability to embed pictures in quizzes and gradable short answers.  

Those sneaky folks at the SOCRATIVE team have made us sing for our supper, so to speak. Those awesome new features are out there,  BUT....you have to give them some feedback in order to turn it on!!! (This is why their customer service ROCKS.)

Please navigate to this address:
http://www.socrative.com/garden/

Enter your info and log in to your account and you will be good to go. Yes, it's FREE. All it will cost you is five minutes of your time.  Below is a video that shows you  how to use these new features.  Enjoy!

Infographics in the Classroom

One concept being discussed among tech integration folks right now is the creation and use of "infographics".    What is an infographic?  Well, for visual learners they are a dream-come-true!  An infographic is a visual representation that uses data, text and images to explain complex information quickly and clearly.

Long story short, it's a different way to present information when researching that relies on visualization instead of text. Students begin by picking a topic - think thesis statement or process they want to explain.

Research is key and subjects/sources have to be completely vetted before creating an infographic.  In addition, all information used to create one must be cited. This is where the most time is spent when creating an infographic, and rightly so.  When the information has been gathered, the student creates a storyboard or framework for their final project.  They gather images, create charts and graphs and think in terms of mood and tone before they create their product.  It's an interesting and engaging way for students and teachers to share large pieces of information.
As I said earlier, this is a dream-come-true for visual learners - heck for all of us.  Think about yourself and the way you learn best.  When you are gathering information, do you like a) text, b) images, c) graphs and charts, or d) all of the above.  Did you answer "d"?  I know I did and most of the students I taught would have, too.  That's what an infographic can give you and your students.  An "all of the above" approach to add to your toolbox of presentation methods.    Watch this video for more information.

A group of teachers from our district went to the MACE conference a few weeks ago and some were lucky enough to attend an Infographics session taught by Janet Sauber from Salina.  Her information was fantastic and she even provided templates for teachers and students to use.  (see below)  Give infographics a try or contact me and we will brainstorm ways in which they could be a benefit to you and your students.

Literary Analysis Template
Process Template
Data Analysis Template
Timeline Template