Summer is Almost Here!There are so many things to do in the summer! We hope you use your time off to rest, relax and recharge. If, by chance, you'd like to take some time to learn some new things in the instructional technology world, we've got you covered! This newsletter will be filled with summer PD ideas - some are self-paced and some are teacher-led and in-person. Read below to learn more. In-Person PD OptionsInteractive Learning Experiences with Nearpod - SSAISD Central Office, Annex. Building, Room 10- (Monday, July 11 - 8AM - 11AM) Nearpod is an amazing resource that every teacher should know about. With this awesome tool, you can turn any lesson into an interactive experience for students that will absolutely engage them. Click here to register for this course. WeVideo - Video Editing - SSAISD Central Office, Annex Building, Room 10- (Tuesday, July 12 - 8AM - 11AM) WeVideo is well-known as a platform for creating and editing videos and multimedia creations. But what many don't know is that it also allows users to record their screen. Come and learn how to create tutorial videos for your students and polish them in WeVideo. Click here to register for this course. Our YouTube ChannelsOne resource that we particularly like and use all the time for PD is YouTube! In fact, we have not one, but two YouTube channels that are full of PD opportunities. Please take a look at these two channels to learn lots of stuff :)
Other Excellent PD ResourcesRichard ByrneRichard Byrne is a fantastic resource you should check out. He offers several great spaces you might want to consider. You can access them below: Eric CurtsEric Curts is another fabulous resource in the world of digital learning. I often resort to his site for G Suite-related questions. Kasey Bell and Shake Up LearningFrom Google Classroom to an ongoing blog to a podcast, Kasey Bell offers it all at Shake Up Learning. You can even learn all about getting Google Certified on her site. Make sure you take a look! Matt Miller and Ditch That TextbookWe'd better not leave this one out! Have a look at Ditch That Textbook to learn about so many things. Matt Miller has a primary focus on G Suite resources, but he really addresses so many other things. Jennifer Gonzalez and Cult of PedagogyAs the name of Ms. Gonzalez' site indicates, her focus is on teaching! You'll find great stuff here which transcends beyond simply ed tech. This one is definitely worth your time. Digital Learning for LittlesNow before you Kinder teachers think you're off the hook because you teach little ones .... You need to check in on Christine Pinto. She's a Kinder teacher who will show you a thing or two about what the littles can do with technology integration. Be sure to follow her on Twitter and visit her site below. Nearpod is sponsoring a teacher appreciation contest. Click here or on the image below to get your name in the hat.
Summer Professional Development with TCEATexas Computer Education Association (or TCEA) is a wonderful organization that you should be aware of. Many teachers know about their annual conference, but they also offer varied PD opportunities throughout the year. Check out their summer events here and dive into some other learning opportunities here. One little note...I subscribe to TCEA's TechNotes blog and I'm never disappointed with the powerful things I learn about there.
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This Months Newsletter is all about Nearpod. |
Google Drive is, without dispute, an integral part of the current educational landscape. As such, we really need to be sure that we're comfortable using it. We have created some videos that should help you brush up on the excellent features available to you in Google Drive. Here they are: |
WeVideo Basics
Another great tool we've purchased for district teachers and students is WeVideo. It's an awesome resource that will help with lots of things - screen recording, video editing, movie creation, etc. If you'd like to learn all about it, watch this webinar that we presented in September.
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Learning Can Be Fun!
Why not change things up a bit? If you want to throw your students a curve ball, ask them to make a comic based on something they've been learning. They'll love it and one tool that comes to mind is Make Beliefs Comix. There are so many things you can fit this into. Maybe you'd like the students to explain a science concept. Or perhaps you'd like them to create dialog between two or three characters from a novel they've been reading. Or maybe you'd even like them to explain a math concept. Well, all of these can be done in the form of a comic. Check out this video to learn how to make this happen. You can even create a comic using Google Slides. Check out this video to learn how.
PD Opportunities
Be sure to have a look at this document to learn of an array of PD opportunities from Region 20. Many are listed as "free" and some are free to South San, since we are Ed Resources Coop members. You can view all of Region 20's offerings at Connect 20.
Just a Little Bit of Info
We'd like to take this opportunity to make you aware of two programs that we facilitate in our department. One of them is called the Remote Conferencing Program, and it helps to minimize interruption to instruction while a student is in quarantine. The other program is actually a virtual school! It is called SSAVE, and it stands for South San Antonio Virtual Education. We have an informational document that you might like to peruse. It lays out various details about each program and highlights key similarities and differences between the two. As always, let us know if you'd like more information about these two programs.
This Edition of the Newsletter
The content of this newsletter will mainly consist of a whole lot of "Did You Know?" In other words, we'll do our best to make you aware of some instructional technology products that you have at your disposal. We hope you enjoy using the amazing tools we've been able to purchase for the improvement of each child's learning experience while in South San Antonio ISD.
Nearpod
Many of you are very likely already familiar with Nearpod, but we don't want to assume anything. Nearpod is a wonderful addition to a classroom. It allows the instructor to create a very interactive experience for students. Whether it's sending out a poll, creating a self-graded quiz or even allowing for students to annotate an image, Nearpod has you covered. Check out this playlist to learn all about this great tool, or reach out to us with your questions. For your information, we've purchased a district license for this product.
WeVideo
WeVideo is another resource that our district has purchased for our use. This great tool allows us to do lots of great things. One of them is screencasting. If you've ever used Screencastify, then you've done screencasting. WeVideo has this capability, and so much more. It's a full-blown video editing software package as well. You've got to check it out. Simply login using your Google account to get premium access to this awesome tool. If you'd like to learn how to get started with WeVideo, go to the WeVideo Academy, where you'll find lots of tutorial videos. After you've created your premium account, you'll want to install the screencasting extension to get started making instructional videos for your students.
Kami
Kami is yet another product we have purchased as a district. This tool allows teachers and students to annotate PDFs and images. It's a must-have for digital instruction. Take a look at this "basics" video to learn all about Kami.
Schoology
This one's a little different from the rest we've discussed. We do have premium access, but we didn't purchase this product yet. TEA has made it available to us through the end of this school year. Schoology is what is known as a learning management system or LMS. It can be compared to Google Classroom, although it's abilities and offerings far exceed that of Classroom. Check out this resource site to learn all about Schoology.
Seesaw
Another learning management system that is available to us is Seesaw. We've purchased the use of Seesaw for Schools for PreK through 3rd grade, so make sure you're taking advantage of this great tool. You can find some training opportunities here. |
G Suite for Education
The praises for Google Suite for Education cannot be overdone! If you've not dipped your toes in the pool, you really need to. There are so many tools you can use to make your classroom more productive and efficient, it really benefits you to have a look. Check out the following resources to help you on your path to mastering all things G Suite:
- Google Forms Playlist
- All About Google Docs
- Google Drive Helps
- Learning About Google Meet
- Building a Website with Google Sites
- Making It Interactive with Google Slides
- Google Slides and Magnetic Poetry
- Digital Swiss Army Knife - Google Slides
- Text Annotation with Google Slides
- Color Symbol Image with Google Slides
- Bitmoji Classroom with Google Slides
One More Thing!
We've created this tool for you to help you find what you're looking for as it pertains to technology integration. Bookmark this site, because you'll want to reference it often and because we'll continue to add to it. Enjoy!
News from the Zamora Library
Looking for a hook to introduce books to students? Literacy Shed + has the first lines of popular reads in eye-catching fonts and backgrounds. There are all levels of books from which to choose. These would be great added to a presentation or if you have enough ink, to print out and place on a bulletin board.
Also check out this idea!
As with all the things we share with you in this newsletter, don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or if you need any help implementing anything we've promoted!
Hour of Code is Coming!
Actually, the hour of code can happen any day and at any time. But every December (week of December 12 this year) educators and students all over the world celebrate computer science by stopping everything and coding. Maybe you and your students could do the same! You can learn all about the Hour of Code at the HOC website and you can also have a look at this resource site we created for you. Enjoy HOC this year!
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Ever Heard of the Noun Project?
The Noun Project is a diverse collection of free icons and stock photos that users can download and use in projects. This service provides a huge bank of icons that would greatly improve and enhance multimedia projects in your classroom. Take some time to create a free account and peruse all that's on this site, but fair warning - you'll get sucked in!
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Series: Digital Formative Assessment Options
In continuation of our series on Digital Formative Assessment, we'll look this month at using Google Jamboard for checking understanding in class. Google Jamboard is a digital whiteboard that allows for so much! You really ought to be using this with your students. Teachers can create one or more "frames" that will afford students the ability to create sticky notes, upload pictures and even drag and drop answers. It's an incredible resource! Have a look at this kindergarten example of a drag and drop activity centered on classifying rocks. If you'd like more ideas, activities and even free templates, take a look at these resources from Ditch That Textbook.
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A Math Lesson at Armstrong
I recently had the privilege of observing some teachers doing amazing work with their students at Armstrong Elementary. While there, I saw fifth grade teacher, Natalie Flores, facilitating a lesson centered on the multiplication of decimals. I was impressed with the integration of technology in the lesson and the ease with which students pulled it off. This lesson is a great reminder of a few things: | |
- Technology is never the main goal. Strong content is the goal.
- Students will rise to your expectations.
- Integrating technology into your lessons can really improve student motivation and engagement.
- Tech integration doesn't have to be technical and complicated.
Ms. Flores was kind enough to recreate the learning experience and film it for us. Please have a look at the video to see what the students learned.
Help with Multimedia Projects
We've mentioned this before, but we thought it would be good to say it again. If you've never looked at YouTube Audio Library, well now's the time. You can download free background music for use in multimedia projects, and with many of the tracks, you don't have to give attribution for their usage. It's pretty amazing. Where this tool can really come in handy is with WeVideo, the video editing tool that we pay for as a district. Once you've created your video, you can go grab the perfect background music to accompany it. Take a look at the YouTube Audio Library video to learn how to use this great tool.
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A Note from the Five Palms Library
During the month of November, Five Palms Elementary students are observing and celebrating the importance of picture books. Picture books fit perfectly across our lap with a cozy ambiance, and transport us to places as far as another side of the universe, and as wide as a bountiful plain. They say a lot in just a few words. They make great gifts. And they evoke an array of emotions and senses, while bringing people together. Oftentimes, picture books are the first books we discover. They engage readers with large colorful art that spans two pages, while providing them with an opportunity to read their first words and understand the value of processing and building upon knowledge. |
Feeling Scienc-y?
We've subscribed to the TCEA blog called TechNotes. You should too. They recently posted this article about Five Interactive Tools for Learning the Periodic Table. You've got to have a look at it. This brought to our mind the idea that you could have your science scholars create some interactive periodic tables with a tool like Google Slides or Thinglink. If you're interested in doing such a thing, ask us how. We'd love to help!
A Word from South San High Library
Students have been working on makerspace projects with 3D Doodler and Strictly Briks. Library office aides also created a turkey decoration made out of two discarded library books based on instructions provided in the video below:
Have a Look at This!
We've created this tool for you to help you find what you're looking for as it pertains to technology integration. Bookmark this site, because you'll want to reference it often and because we'll continue to add to it. Enjoy!
In Case You Missed It
Our department offered a training on WeVideo in September. If you really wanted to attend but couldn't, you can still catch the training after the fact. We recorded the session and you can watch it here. |
Series: Digital Formative Assessment Options
Formative assessment is one of the most important activities an educator can facilitate. It's a process that helps us know where the students are in their understanding of what we're teaching. So why not learn how to facilitate digital formative assessment? That's what this series will address. We'll look into various resources for making digital formative assessment happen. Our first resource is Google Forms. This resource is one that should be in all of our toolkits, because it's so versatile. Check out the following videos to learn how to use this great tool in your classroom.
To learn even more about the power of Google Forms, be sure to watch this playlist of videos.
Don't Forget About Schoology
Our district-supported learning management system is now Schoology. Although most of you are now back to face-to-face teaching, Schoology can still serve a great purpose for you. We recommend using a tool like Schoology to organize things like learning centers, and to house resources like videos of your content that will help students learn better. You can login to Schoology here and don't hesitate to watch these webinars to learn how to navigate in this awesome classroom resource. |
Schoology Session One
Schoology Session Two
What's Going on in the Athens Library?
The pictures below are from Athens Elementary, where Dori Clements facilitated Dot Day celebrations and worked with students to help them learn about community helpers. Also check out Dori's Hispanic Heritage presentation!
Online Story Times from Kathleen Toback - Librarian at Benavidez
We have a significant number of Spanish speaking families here in South San. Unfortunately, reading materials and enrichment programs in Spanish can be difficult to find and access, especially for young children who have not yet started school. This has become even more of an issue during the Pandemic. Several public libraries across the country are now doing online Story Times. Some of them offer Spanish/Bilingual Story Times. These online reading opportunities would be of great benefit to our families for developing reading readiness skills, learning opportunities, enjoyment, and overall school readiness. Here is a listing /schedule of some of the ones I have found.
Online
Fort Worth Public Library hosts an online Spanish Story Time on Zoom Tuesdays from 1:00-2:00 PM.
https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/library/events/live-spanish-story-time
The Brooklyn Public Library offers a Spanish/Bilingual Story Time on Facebook on Wednesdays (2:00-2:45 PM EDT, 1:00-1:45 PM CT). There are recordings of previous Story times on their Facebook page.They also offer a second Spanish/Bilingual Story Time on Zoom aimed more at kinder age children (3:30-4:15 EDT, 2:30-3:15 CT), as well as a multilingual Story Time.
https://www.bklynlibrary.org/event-series/multilingual-storytime
Santa Clara County Public Library District live streams a bilingual storytime through Facebook on Thursdays from 5:00-5:30 PM PDT (3:00-3:30 CT).
https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/events/5e855e9db47714450023c955
Recorded
The Emporia Public Library has a recorded Spanish Storytime . The recordings run about 15 minutes and include songs, stories and crafts.
https://www.emporialibrary.org/index.php/bilingual-storytimes
Wake County Public Libraries has several recorded Story Times on YouTube with a handful of Bilingual Story Times. They run 25-30 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgHcLLatD51INe7QYPWuQ5N4x8LBLBzBi
Online
Fort Worth Public Library hosts an online Spanish Story Time on Zoom Tuesdays from 1:00-2:00 PM.
https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/library/events/live-spanish-story-time
The Brooklyn Public Library offers a Spanish/Bilingual Story Time on Facebook on Wednesdays (2:00-2:45 PM EDT, 1:00-1:45 PM CT). There are recordings of previous Story times on their Facebook page.They also offer a second Spanish/Bilingual Story Time on Zoom aimed more at kinder age children (3:30-4:15 EDT, 2:30-3:15 CT), as well as a multilingual Story Time.
https://www.bklynlibrary.org/event-series/multilingual-storytime
Santa Clara County Public Library District live streams a bilingual storytime through Facebook on Thursdays from 5:00-5:30 PM PDT (3:00-3:30 CT).
https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/events/5e855e9db47714450023c955
Recorded
The Emporia Public Library has a recorded Spanish Storytime . The recordings run about 15 minutes and include songs, stories and crafts.
https://www.emporialibrary.org/index.php/bilingual-storytimes
Wake County Public Libraries has several recorded Story Times on YouTube with a handful of Bilingual Story Times. They run 25-30 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgHcLLatD51INe7QYPWuQ5N4x8LBLBzBi
Practical Ed Tech Handbook from Richard Byrne
Richard Byrne offers this free handbook that serves as a review of the best tech tools out there for educators! You definitely need to have a look. You can also download your own copy here. Enjoy!
Upcoming PD
Check out the following upcoming PD offerings!
Learning About Schoology
You'll find lots of opportunities this school year to learn about using Schoology (there are even some trainings later this month - see below), but for now, we also have some self-paced opportunities that you might be interested in. If you watch the following sessions, you'll know just enough about Schoology to be dangerous, so give these a look when you get a chance - Session One - Session Two
Note: you can login to your Schoology account at this link - https://southsanisd.schoology.com/ - simply sign in using your South San Google account.
Note: you can login to your Schoology account at this link - https://southsanisd.schoology.com/ - simply sign in using your South San Google account.
Quick Chrome Tips
Do you need to set a timer ASAP? Do you need to flip a coin to solve a dispute in your classroom? Would you like to roll a digital die? Well then, Chrome's got you covered! Check out this Tweet from @emmacottier to get started. I was extremely surprised with all you can do with Google Chrome.
Interactive Projector Help
Many of you in the district have the Maxell interactive projector in your classroom. It's a short-throw projector that turns a surface into an interactive surface. My guess is that the majority of you are using the projector as simply that - a projector. I'd like to make you aware of a whole new world that you're currently most likely not tapping into. It's the world of interactivity. You can set up your projector to allow for the ability to interact with the board just as you would with your laptop and a mouse. You'll need the pens that came with the projector and a USB cable to pull this off. To learn everything you need to know about the projector, check out the videos on this help document. Also, don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the projector. We'd be glad to help out!
Post-It Note Teaching
We are all aware of Post-It Notes and the way in which they can help us be more productive. But have you considered using these little pieces of paper to help with instruction? Well, you definitely should give it some thought. The TCEA blog called TechNotes recently posted an article called The Power of Post-It Note Teaching, and I think it's pretty fantastic. Here's what you'll find in the article:
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Digital Interactive Notebook Ideas
| I'm totally smitten with the idea of digital interactive notebooks. It really makes sense to explore this idea and if you decide to adopt this for your classroom, you'll be on your way to running a paperless learning environment. I hope you'll take the time to watch Steve Martinez' video about how he uses his interactive notebook within Kami. In the video, Steve shows how to get the most out of Kami as he creates fabulous learning experiences for his students. |
If, after watching the video, you'd like to give it a try yourself, have a look at this resource that offers a free digital notebook template. Feel free to also head over to Ditch That Textbook to find another template and 20 activity ideas for interactive notebooks. I think you'll love them! As always, don't hesitate to reach out to us if you'd like help making this happen in your classroom.
PD Opportunities
I'd like to call to your attention some upcoming PD opportunities at Region 20. Have a look at this document to become fully aware of all that Region 20 Digital Age Learning Department has to offer in the near future. Many of the opportunities are listed as "free," but there are some that are not. One little tip that will be helpful to note is that some of the offerings have this message attached:
"Free to PDSC and Educational Resources Co-op Members"
If you see that message, then rejoice! South San subscribes to the Educational Resources Co-op!
Enjoy deepening your learning.
"Free to PDSC and Educational Resources Co-op Members"
If you see that message, then rejoice! South San subscribes to the Educational Resources Co-op!
Enjoy deepening your learning.
Instructional Technology - New and Improved!
Welcome to a new school year! We would like to let you know that the South San ISD Instructional Technology Department has grown. We've added the wonderful Erika White to the group (the group that was formerly comprised of ONE:) We're excited to be able to work together, and we're eager to help you with your instructional technology needs. Please don't hesitate to contact us!
Erika White - [email protected] - 210-977-7000 Ext. 3588
Brad Cloud - [email protected] - 210-977-7000 Ext. 3575
Brad Cloud - [email protected] - 210-977-7000 Ext. 3575
Magnetic Poetry and Google Slides
Here's a great idea to help you with learning stations in your classroom. Students can use this activity to learn high frequency words, play with sentence patterns or even improve their composition skills. All the while, they'll be having fun, so it's a win-win. Check out this video to learn how to build a Magnetic Poetry learning station in your classroom. If this is something you'd like to make happen, but you need a little help, don't hesitate to contact us. We'd love to partner with you! | |
We'd like to broadcast as much as possible that our district has purchased WeVideo licenses this school year. WeVideo is a tremendous resource. You can basically do two things with it. It's a screen recorder like Screencastify, and it's a video editor.
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We will soon begin to offer trainings, but for now you can visit WeVideo Academy to learn via self-paced videos. If you'd like to get your premium district account started, simply go to this link and login using your district Google credentials.
I've just recently learned of this site for making quick logos. It's so much fun. You just put in the text you want and then look at all the options that are generated. Once you've selected your desired logo, you simply download it as an image and it's yours to use freely. There's so much you could do with this in the classroom - class projects, making writing more exciting, etc. Give Text Giraffe a try. We think you'll love it. Here are some I created today. |
We'd like to make you aware of a great opportunity for the students of South San ISD. It's called the Congressional App Challenge, and it presents an excellent outlet for those kids who love to code. The challenge is open to middle and high school students, and they are essentially asked to create an app and submit it in the contest.
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The deadline for submission is November 1, 2021. You can read more about the Congressional App Challenge here.
Need Some Back to School Ideas?
Check out this slide presentation to find some back to school goodies. You won't be disappointed. It's filled with tons of activities and templates that will help your students tell all about themselves. You definitely need to take a look. |
What Can Instructional Technology Do For You?
We'd love to partner with you! Check out this introductory video to learn all about what we offer.
Make Beliefs ComixIntegrating the use of comic creation into your learning experiences for students can really provide a powerful motivating force. Although it may seem like "playing," it can really unlock something in the brains of many students. You can use comic creation to facilitate a deeper exploration of a concept or event, and students will enjoy themselves at the same time. Take a look at the video to learn about a great resource called Make Beliefs Comix. Would you like to learn how to create your own comic strips in Google Slides? Take a look at this idea by Richard Byrne.
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Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything
You may be saying, "wait a minute! I'll be the judge of whether or not Kathy Schrock has thought of everything." Let me assure you, she has. Kathy's site is in a word, comprehensive. From coding tools to online audio recorders to animation to math conversion! This site has it all. You've got to have a look. |
Story Spheres
Story Spheres seems like a great tool to explore this time of year. The site offers audio tours based on 360 degree images (they have a gallery, but you can also create your own). It seems to be a very rich source of information that I know students will love. Check out Richard Byrne's article about Story Spheres and watch the video to learn even more!
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CSI and Google Slides
| Color Symbol Image (aka CSI) is an excellent learning strategy to present to students. It can really help them flesh out their thinking on a particular topic. Watch the video to learn how to use this strategy. Read more about the actual strategy here, and learn about a treasure trove of more strategies here. If you'd like a copy of the template in Google Slides, here you go! |
Library Things
Meet Your Librarian
Please take some time to learn about the fabulous Lydia Ybarra, librarian at Price Elementary. If you'd like to watch the whole Meet Your Librarian series, here's the playlist.
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Palo Alto Elementary Morning Announcements
| If you've not yet had the opportunity to check out Palo Alto Elementary and how they do morning announcements, please have a look at the video. You'll be amazed. Palo Alto is a Leader in Me school, so the students run everything associated with the announcements with a little guidance from Ana Flores and Israel Lopez. |
Ten Google Workspace Features
Check out these 10 Google Workspace Features for Teachers!
Attention: Math Teachers
TCEA publishes a blog called TechNotes that provides lots of nice ideas, resources and reviews. You should take a look sometime. One article about Digital Math Tools caught my attention recently. Tuck this article away for when you need it. It's full of great stuff!
Want Some End of Year Activity Ideas?
Check out these awesome ideas for EOY activities:
- Emma Pass's Blog
- Ditch That Textbook Google Tools EOY
- Ditch That Textbook - 50 Awesome EOY Activities
- Practical Ed Tech EOY
- Richard Byrne - EOY Review Activities
Also check out these Google Classroom EOY Cleanup Tips
My passion is to help provide South San ISD students with the best educational experience possible. One of the ways I can do that is to provide teachers with resources that will help them with instruction. Please help me understand how to best help you by completing this feedback form. Note: the form is anonymous.
Need a Little Variety?
If you're tired of looking at your same old PowerPoint and Google Slides templates, then your students most likely are as well. Enter Slides Carnival. This great bank of presentation templates will make your day! And if you happen to exhaust all of the options, here's an article that will lead you to even more! You can never have too many of these to choose from, so why not one more spot that will offer you 600 + themes to select from?
Speaking of Slides
Did you know that it's incredibly easy to use Google Slides to annotate? Check out this video to learn how.
Library Things
Have a look at this adorable book talk from Hutchins Library.
Teaching Strategies Repository
You've really got to take a look at this resource! It's called K20 Center, and it's teeming with lots of excellent teaching strategies. Some of them you're familiar with (like KWL), but others will be brand new to you. There's a filter tool that will allow you to find strategies based on grade level, time to complete, placement in the lesson and more. Many of these strategies can even be adapted for digital or virtual learning. Give this great tool a look!
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Meeting of the Minds
While we've all been using Google Meet for over a year now, Google has pushed out updates, so it might be about time to revisit what we know about Meet. Take a look at Google's Meet support page to learn everything you'd ever want to know about video conferencing platform.
You also might have some parents asking about tips for using Meet. Look no further than the Guide to Google Meet for Parents and Guardians.
You also might have some parents asking about tips for using Meet. Look no further than the Guide to Google Meet for Parents and Guardians.
Make the Move to Schoology
You may have heard by now that South San is moving to Schoology as a replacement for Google Classroom. Schoology offers more than Classroom can (including grading integration with Skyward), so we're in the process of offering trainings to get teachers ready to make the shift. Be on the lookout for training offerings from now through summer, so you can be ready to use Schoology with your students in the fall. If you prefer to work at your own pace, feel free to jump in and start learning on your own. Here's a resource site that you might find helpful. It contains lots of helpful information, including the recorded sessions of the cohort that we just finished this week. If you attempt to login to your Schoology account here and you have trouble accessing it, let me know. I can create an account for you.
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Watch this playlist to learn about Schoology!
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Did You Know?
You can create a customized header for your Google Forms, and it's really pretty easy to do. Check out the video to learn about one way to make this happen. If you want to learn all about Google Forms in general, take a look at this playlist.
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Keeping Up with EDU
There is so much to keep up with when it comes to digital age learning. It's almost too much to handle. Well, Google for EDU realizes that and has a series called EDU in 90 to address just this idea. It's a bank of videos in YouTube that addresses various topics related to digital age learning in education.
Here's their playlist's description:
EDU in 90 is a video series from Google for Education. Each episode, we'll focus on an important topic for educators, administrators, and school leaders - things like product updates, new programs, and helpful resources for the classroom.
Here's their playlist's description:
EDU in 90 is a video series from Google for Education. Each episode, we'll focus on an important topic for educators, administrators, and school leaders - things like product updates, new programs, and helpful resources for the classroom.
Don't Forget these PD Opportunities
Last month, I told you about a learning opportunity facilitated by Region 20 called the Digital Learning Summit. This is just a reminder about that event. Registration is open, and it's free to our district. Check it out! You can check out more Region 20 offerings here.
My passion is to help provide South San ISD students with the best educational experience possible. One of the ways I can do that is to provide teachers with resources that will help them with instruction. Please help me understand how to best help you by completing this feedback form. Note: the form is anonymous.
Be sure to visit the
South San Instructional Technology site
for lots of cool goodies!
Author
Brad Cloud is the Director of Instructional Technology and Library Services at South San Antonio ISD.
Author
Erika White is the Instructional Technology Specialist for South San Antonio ISD.
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