Pharaoh Google Presentation Project

In 6th grade, students study Ancient  Egypt and the Pharaoh's who were a major part of the country's development.  As a culminating project to this unit students collaboratively created data research sheets and Google Presentations.

Amber O’Day  and I  worked together on multiple days before the project to create the data sheets and set up the project to present key information about 6 different pharaohs from Ancient  Egypt.  This was to supplement a section from our book explaining the different dynasties and rules of specific pharaohs. We began by creating a data sheet that students would share with their group and with myself.  This allowed me to be able to monitor the work being done and also keep track of adjustments/corrections being done by each student in the group.  I did this using revision history, a feature within all Google Docs.

We explained on the first day how to retrieve the copy of the data sheet  from their Shared with Me within Google Drive and re-share the document with their group members.  Each person in the group was given a topic to research and all would work on the document together.  We also explained they would need to include their sources and we talked about the differences between a search engine and a website.  Sources the students were able to use for this project, ranged from internet sources, Discovery Education, and book sources.  The students worked on this data sheet for 2-3 days.

Once finished with the data sheet, we introduced the students to Google Presentations and allowed the students to begin work on a presentation they would give as a group at the end of the week.   As with the Google document/data sheet that was created for students to work collaboratively, we revisited how to share and work collaboratively with Google Presentations.  Each student took their category and created a slide(s) on Google Presentation which was shared collaboratively among the group.  The same rules applied and I was able to virtually monitor as well as monitor physically.  Students also created a source slide within their presentation.  This process took another 2 days plus one more to practice presenting in front of the class.

This project was very successful in many ways.  It allowed me to really see how the students worked in collaborative groups, using research skills, as well as presentation skills.  I will repeat next year and hopefully add to the project.

Amy Dabler
KJHS
6th Grade Social Studies

Going Paperless in Language Arts

 

 

Gone are the days of lost papers!   Students can now use Google Drive to keep their work organized in Language Arts.

 

Benefits of using Google Drive in Language Arts:

1. Students can keep work organized and not have to worry about misplacing loose papers.


2. Students can go through the writing process without re-writing multiple drafts.


3. Students can share drafts with their peers to peer conference.


4. Students can have an electronic writer’s portfolio that can be kept over the years.


5. Teachers can instantly view student work.


6. Teachers can provide specific feedback for students to access.

Students began the year by creating a Language Arts folder.  For organizational purposes, students title their folder “Hour_Last Name_ First Initial– LA.”  I am then able to organize their folders alphabetically in my own Google Drive.   Students then shared this folder with me, so I am able to access their work at all times.   By sharing the folder, everything that is added within the folder throughout the year will automatically be shared with the teacher.  Within the Language Arts folder, students created a folder for each unit of study (narrative, informative, argumentative, poetry, article of the week and journal).

For each assignment, students create a new document within the correct unit of study’s folder.  By doing this, the teacher is not only able to access the document at any time to provide specific comments and feedback, but the student can also share the document with a peer to attain peer feedback.  The student is then able to keep track of both student and teacher comments on one document as they revise.  The teacher is also able to track student work to see if the student applied the feedback.

By using Google Drive, both students and teachers are able to efficiently communicate with one another and keep writing organized.

Alecia Evans

Kingsley Junior High School

Team 7-2 Language Arts

 

Google Drive Updates

Two updates have hit our district Google Apps for Education account recently

1. A streamlined interface for each of the programs (Docs, Slides, etc...).


2. A widescreen option for Slides.

You can read more about each of these updates on the Google Drive blog here.

Mind Maps with Google Draw

For those of you who use mind maps with your students, here is an article that discusses how Google Drawings can be used to make these collaborative and conducive to feedback.

http://www.alicekeeler.com/teachertech/2013/10/12/creating-mind-maps-in-google-draw/

 

H: Drive Storage

A reminder that your district H: drive has 3.5GB.  Once this amount is reached, editing, saving, and even deleting is restricted.  You can check your storage space by selecting all of your folders in your H: drive, right clicking, choosing Properties, and viewing the size of the selection.



If you reach your limit, please fill out a helpdesk ticket to resolve the issue.

If you are interested in more space, we recommend downloading the Google Drive app to your machine, and transferring your files.  More more information about Google Drive, contact your building technology coach, or the district instructional technology coach assigned to your building.  You may also read more about it here and here.

Google Forms Makes P.E. Teachers Ecstatic

Find out how the P.E. teachers at EJHS used Google Forms to streamline a system that causes headaches every year.

Problem:

At the beginning of each semester, Physical Education teachers at the Junior High level have their students fill out a Rules and Regulations form.  This makes the students and their parents aware of the expectations of P.E.  The teachers then file hundreds of documents away in case the student/parent signature ever needs to be referenced.  This becomes an organizational nightmare very quickly, not to mention all of the paper that is used!

Solution:

Using Google Forms, a virtual version of this form can be created so that all of the information is stored digitally and no paper is used!

How We Did It:

First, we had to create the form (visible here).  This involved sitting down and deciding on the best way to take a paper form, which asked for check marks next to items to show agreement, and make it digital.  Parents needed to check each box as they progressed through the form to indicate that they understood the expectation, and then type their name at the end of the form.

[caption id="attachment_1772" align="alignnone" width="150"] A section from the P.E. Google Form[/caption]

The resulting data is stored in a Google Spreadsheet that can be filtered and sorted by P.E. teacher and class period.  No more filing cabinet full of forms to sift through when an issue arises!  Also, because the P.E. department will see nearly every student in the building during the course of the year, this process alone saved nearly two reams of paper.

~ Thank you to the P.E. department at EJHS for allowing me to work with you, and especially to Dana Curby, the brainchild of this wonderful process!

Google Drive Connects Your Personal Device to Your Professional Practice

*Keep in mind that this post only applies if your building has allowed the use of personal devices for educational purposes in the classroom

Problem:

You have an amazing activity planned, and you want students to record their progress through photographs or video.  Many of them have phones with wonderful cameras that are easy to operate, but it is difficult for students to get those photos/videos from their phones to their computers.

Solution:

Students can download the Google Drive App for their Apple/Android device, sign in using their Google Account credentials, take a photo/video through the app, and have it immediately appear in their Google Drive folder on their computer.  Likewise, they can upload directly to the app on their device for the photos/videos to appear in their Google Drive.

All you need to do for this process to work is to follow these simple directions...

1. Your students will need to download the official Google Drive App for their Apple/Android device from their appropriate app store.


2. Once they open the app, they would sign in using their Google Account credentials.


3. All of their Google Drive files will then appear on their device.


4. They can navigate to a specific folder, click the "+" button, and take a picture directly from the app.
   
   [caption id="attachment_1697" align="alignnone" width="199"] Once the "+" button is pressed, this menu is displayed.[/caption]


5. The picture will then be saved in this folder in their Google Drive.


6. If they have the Google Drive App for PC downloaded on their computer, the photo will automatically be synced.

 

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Using this technique, students can quickly and easily use a combination of their own devices and their district provided Google Account to add a new element into their learning experience.

You can also use this to quickly take a photo/video and have it appear to your students in a folder that you have shared with them!

An Easy Way to Email Students: Finally!

Teachers have email through Outlook.  Students have email through Google.  If a teacher knows a student's email address (their SIS#@myunit.org) they can email that student from Outlook and it will show up in their Gmail account.

Problem:

Having all of your student's SIS numbers on hand to make this form of communication quick and easy.

Solution:

Using the "Contacts" screen in your Google account you can search for students, set up contact groups by class period (or any form of grouping you would like), and email your students will a single click of a button!

How to do it:

Follow the steps outlined in this helpsheet!

NGSS Have Arrived in Mastery Manager

As per the announcements area on the front page of Mastery Manager, the new Next Generation Science Standards are now available and ready to be attached to assessments to view student growth over time.  The announcement page is re-posted below.

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Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

Next Generation Science Standards are now available in Mastery Manager for the user whose state adopts these standards!

The first sections of the final version of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were released on April 9, 2013. The new science standards reflect a twenty-six state-led initiative funded by the Carnegie Corporation, coordinated by Achieve, and supported by leading science organizations, such as NSTA.

As currently presented, the NGSS consists of the following existing and planned sections:

• Performance Expectations


• Scientific and Engineering Practices


• Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI)


• Cross-Cutting Concepts


• Common Core Connections

The sections already released can now be viewed in Mastery Manager for the user whose state adopts these standards. The user can check out NGSS via the Standards menu of an assessment and align those standards to applicable assessment questions.



In the near future when more sections of NGSS are released, Mastery Manager will continue to add or update those for the user.

Summer Training Announcement

We are happy to announce the summer training schedule for Unit 5 staff!

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When:  August (5th - 8th)

Time:  8:00-12:30 with a :30 minute break in the middle.

Where:  PJHS

We encourage teachers to sign up in groups (teams, grade levels, content areas, etc...).  You will have plenty of opportunities to collaborate with your peers, and some of the best work comes out of these sessions!

Naming Your Mastery Manager Assessments

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"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

Well, Juliet did not have Mastery Manager in her mind when she uttered these famous words.  If she did, she would have known how important the name of an assessment is!

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Why Is This Needed?

As we prepare to end our first full year of using Mastery Manager at the secondary level in Unit 5, there are some things you should all know about how to name assessments, and why it is important to do so.  As it turns out, any assessment that you would like to use again next year will need to be duplicated and renamed.  Doing so ensures that you will not overwrite any previous data that has been entered by your students this year, and also allows you to compare assessment scores from one year to the next.  Imagine; in three years you will be able to run reports that show the percentage of your students who reached mastery of a skill each time you gave the assessment.  This allows you to reflect on your teaching style, implement new strategies, and see their effectiveness over time.  What a wonderfully powerful tool to have!

Having to duplicate and rename each of your assessments sounds like a pain, right?  Well, this is where having a common way to name things comes in handy.  A standard naming convention allows me to do the following...

1. Search for all of the assessments in the district with a certain keyword (say, "2012-2013")


2. Duplicate all of these assessments at one time


3. Rename them by replacing the "2012-2013" with "2013-2014"


4. Archive all of the old assignments so they do not clutter up your Assessment tab.  (note that archived assignments are not deleted, only hidden for organizational purposes)

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The Naming Convention

So, does Unit 5 have a standard naming convention?  It just so happens that one was created recently with the input of the high school assessment coaches.  Direct information will be coming to you soon from your PLC facilitators about renaming current assessments, but here is a sneak peek at the official naming conventions document if you want to get a jump start on renaming.

Click to view larger

You can also access the entire naming conventions document in the helpsheets area of Google Drive.

Map of Free WiFi to Unit 5 Students

As technology becomes more and more available to our students, teachers are often stuck with a nagging question; "How much can I expect my students to be able to do online outside of my classroom?"  Although this is not a direct answer to that question, I thought it would be valuable to make available a map of free WiFi for the students of Unit 5.  Now, families will have a resource (in the form of an interactive Google map) for finding the nearest free WiFi hotspot in their area.  This is by no means a finished product, and I encourage anyone who knows of a spot that is not currently listed to contact me so that we can put it on the map!  In fact, the true value of this resource will not be realized unless community members get involved in building the map.  The map can be found on the Unit 5 district home page in the Digital Conversion section under the Parents Technology Corner.

[caption id="attachment_1401" align="alignnone" width="285"] Click on the image to view the interactive map.[/caption]

New Preview in Google Drive

Google Drive has altered the way that you preview files that have not been created using Google Apps.  You will now be presented with a pop up window that previews the file, and allows you to download by clicking on a button at the bottom of your screen.  The first time you view this preview, there will be a simple tutorial that will be presented.  This should alliviate some confusion that students have when it comes to the inability to edit Word documents from within Google Drive.  These documents no longer open in a window that looks identical to the Google Document window.  You can read more about the new preview function below.

Read full article.

 

Google Doc Comments Tip

 

Did you know you can attach a comment to a word or phrase in a shared Google Doc?  In a shared document, you can highlight the word or phrase you would like to make a comment on, select “Ctrl-Alt-M”, and place your comments in the comment box that appears on the right margin in line with the highlighted text.  The text will remain highlighted, and when selected, will highlight the comment box.  Within each comment box, there is an option for other viewers to reply to the comment allowing for ongoing collaboration regarding the content in the document.



 

Using Google and CMS to Streamline a Classroom Project

Problem:

A science lab testing the effects of pollution on a living organism.  Students need to research pollution types, create a hypothesis, test a variable, record data, and create a final lab report.  This is to be done in groups of three.  The kicker...we don't want to use any paper because this is an environmental science class!

Solution:

 Create a topic in your CMS course and outline what needs to be done for the project, day by day.  Include instructions, examples, and links to relevant content that will help your students.  Students do record their research in a Google Document, and use the research tool in Google Documents to assist them.  Students create their experiment data tables and charts using Google Spreadsheet, and insert the results into their lab report (created in Google Documents).  These items are then shared with the teacher through Google, or can be uploaded to CMS.

How We Did It:

 

It all started with the CMS page!  Below you will see a sample of what the resulting CMS page looked like once we were finished with it (click to enlarge the images).

[caption id="attachment_1211" align="alignnone" width="205"] Notice the break down of days, calendar, and checklist.[/caption]

 

Next, we have an image of the checklist that was created for this project.  This is an activity in CMS that allows a teacher to create a list of activities for students to complete.  Both the teacher, and students, and update the checklist and keep track of progress.

[caption id="attachment_1213" align="alignnone" width="300"] Checklist: dates added to the checklist will automatically be placed on the CMS calendar.[/caption]

 

The next image demonstrates what one of the "Day" pages looks like.

[caption id="attachment_1215" align="alignnone" width="178"] This page contains descriptive text, example images, and due date information.[/caption]

 

Once of the major advantages that this teacher found when using CMS for their project is the flexibility of the content.  He could easily change the Day Three page if something unexpected came up on Day Two (which did happen).  No longer was the text static on a handout, unable to be changed.  He did not have to explain a change in the packet, and hope that kids made the alteration on their paper.  CMS allows you to constantly change content based on you day to day experiences.

Next Up: Google Apps!

First, sample Google Document and Spreadsheet were created so that we could work through how students would create these documents.  This practice on our part allowed us to catch tricky steps that we would not have without going through the process ourselves.  These two documents could be shared with students in "view only" or "comment only" modes if you would like them to have a template in their Google Drive accounts, or (as was done in our case) you could take snapshots of important sections and insert them into your appropriate CMS pages.

[caption id="attachment_1218" align="alignnone" width="278"] A template can be used to give a model for students with explanatory details.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1219" align="alignnone" width="300"] Note: To move a table or chart from Spreadsheet to Documents, you use the Web Clipboard.[/caption]

 

Students created a class folder (in this case, Environmental Science) and shared it with the teacher.  They then created their documents within that folder, and they were automatically shared.  They were given due dates throughout the project, with updated needing to be completed by 11:59 PM.  Using the Revision Tracker in Google Apps (File --> See Revision History), the teacher can see if progress was being made based upon their timeline.

In the end, using Google Apps and CMS made this project more streamlined, flexible, and easy to follow.  As an added benefit, around 160 pages of paper were saved!

 

Using Google Drive for Literature Circles

My 7th Grade Literature class was joined by Amber O’Day, Technology Coach, who partnered with me to get students organized in their Google drive and use Google Docs for an online literature discussion. She took the lead role on Thursday and guided each student to set up folders in their Google drive for our team and each subject. Each student also created a Lit. Circle folder within their Literature folder. A lead student was chosen, while others gathered around the computer to demonstrate how to create and share a document with others. After each group created a shared folder and document, I typed two discussion questions into the shared document.

On Friday, students returned to the shared document to answer the questions and respond to each other. Students began by keying in their name on a bullet under the question to answer and respond to one other student. Students were taught how to use the provided bullets and choose a font color for their answers. They were then taught how to respond to a group member with an indented bullet. This activity allowed them to work on writing good responses, as well as discuss their common novel.

Mrs. O’Day instructed the first two periods while I assisted. I took the lead for the 3rd period as she assisted me. I was able to do the last period on my own. Overall it was a very successful activity and reinforced the Google Drive/Documents terminology while working on writing and discussion objectives.

In addition to the Lit. Circle discussion, I also created a Google Form on books for the next Lit. Circle session. This form is located on my website if you want to take a look. After having the students fill out the survey, I met with Mrs. O’Day again and we will be tweaking it to make it a little easier to sort by hour and student name. Overall the survey made it very easy to place students in their new lit circle groups.

Mrs. Coyle – PJHS 7th Grade Literature Teacher

Looking for an App? Use Google New Search Feature!

Go to Google and type in any search term in Google search field. After you get your search results, click on the filter option "More" and select "Applications" from the dropdown. The application result list will include iPad, Android, and other software. Narrow down your search by adding the operating system/tablet version you are looking for. E.g. note taking iPad, etc.

 

Help Your Students Become Better Searchers

From Google Search Education Website:
"Web search can be a remarkable tool for students, and a bit of instruction in how  to search for academic sources will help your students become critical thinkers and independent learners.  With the materials on this site, you can help your students become skilled searchers- whether they're just starting out with search, or ready for more advanced training." Click on the image to go to the website.

Middle School Institute Day Success!

With the news of 1 to 1 integration in the middle school, comes the issue of training teachers on software which the district supports and showing them what it means to transition from a traditional classroom setting to a digital classroom. Which is why the next three Unit 5 institute days are dedicating the afternoon to technology sessions. During the January institute day we offered three different class choices. Teachers registered through Surveymonkey for the classes they wanted to attend during the institute. See below....

Mastery Manager - This is an online assessment tool. In our district we are using this software for common assessments as we get move toward all the common core standards. Teachers build an Item Bank with questions they will use in either small assessments like quizzes or in unit or final exams. Each Item Bank is created in conjunction with a unit being taught. Item banks questions are then used to generate the assessment for the students. Teachers then activate the assessment for the class and students login and take the assessment. The assessment is graded by the computer and can be imported into our online gradebook.

The feedback here was great, and I have had so many teachers e-mail me or the instructors for specific help. Area teachers for Chorus created an item bank and assessment for their 6th grade curriculum standards and Heidi Roach, (EJHS) tested it with her 6th grade students last week. Mary Watterson a FACS teacher (KJHS), created an assessment and is testing it this week with her students after attending the institute day.

CMS - Course Management System or Moodle for those on the outside. This class is being offered because there are several teachers who are ready to move their classrooms from the traditional to the digital. We help teachers understand how to use CMS and how to embrace the digital platform. Teachers use CMS to place their course materials online for students to access anywhere they have an internet connection.

This is a great resource for students and teachers. Teachers can upload all curriculum materials to this site for students to download and save directly to their Google Drive. If a sub is needed, teachers can record their lessons or do a review video and post it to the site and students can login watch the video or grab the needed assignments for the day. Students also can upload their digital projects to turn in boxes so teachers can grade right from their computer. No more taking home all those papers because it is all online!

During the institute day teachers were excited to learn about the technology and also to have time to start building their curriculum site. We are off to a great start but know there is so much more out there for teacher to learn.

Google - Google allowed the teachers to see how to integrate Google Docs into the classroom. Many teachers have a Google e-mail address outside of school, but do not work with all the other services that Google offers. Even though we have restricted access for students and teachers in our Google setting, it still gives them the access to share documents, use all the Google Docs and have students e-mail them directly.

The feedback I heard about Google was good! The availability for writing teachers to be able to see students compose directly and make comments is a tremendous step forward. Teachers also love the sharing aspect of the folders and file system as they worked with their teams and saw the potential for collaboration between students. This came up in a lit and comp discussion about “Book Talks”, while I am monitoring a book talk verbally, I can have my students be answering questions and collaborating on a google doc about characters, themes, etc... The possibilities are endless.

Printing Directly to Google Drive

Have you or your students ever been on a web-page and wanted to have its contents be transferred to a PDF inside of your Google Drive?  Well now you can with the Google Drive Printing function that is now available through Google Chrome.  Here's how to do it... (kudos to Mr. Suess for bringing this to our attention).

This example will outline how to take a Google Map that you have found and put it into your Google Drive.  The same steps can be employed any place on the web by pressing Ctl+P.

1.  Go to the map that is desired and click on the printer button.  Again, Ctl+P can be used from any website.


2. 


3. You will get a screen like below.  You can add notes to the map up above. When finished, hit “Print”.


4. 


5. This next screen is where you can hit “change” and be presented with a Google Drive option at the bottom.  You will have to sign into your account to access it.


6. 


7.  Finally, after you hit “save”, the file will show up in your Google Drive as a PDF called “Google Maps”.


8. 


9. Below is what the file looked like. The notes would have been at the top.


10. 

 

As always, please contact your building or district instructional technology coaches for more assistance.

Mastery Manager Update: Change to "Online" Menu

Teacher to View Online Codes

Teachers can now activate and set the start time for the online assessment assigned to them. Previously only the assessment owner or the administrator user could activate the online codes for all the courses assigned to the online assessment. Mastery Manager has added new permissions on the Online menu page of an assessment. The assessment owner or the administrator user can grant the teacher permissions to activate and set the start time of the assessment they did not create.To grant permissions for an online test (by assessment owner or the administrator):

1. Click the Assessments tab and locate the assessment to be administered online.


2. Click the Online menu for the assessment. Set desired options to configure the online testing.


3. Grant permissions under the Permissions section.
   
   
   
   • Check "Allow teachers to activate their own assessments " so the teacher who did not create the assessment can view and activate online codes for their own courses.
   
   
   • Check "Allow teachers to set the start time range for their own assessments" so the teacher who did not create the assessment can view and customize the start time for their own courses.
   
   
   
   


4. Click the Save button.

To activate the teacher's online code and/or set customized start time for the online test:

1. Click the Assessments tab and locate the desired assessment.


2. Click the View button.


3. Click the Online menu.


4. Check Activate for the desired course(s).


5. Enter desired start time for the assessment.


6. Click the Save button.

For detailed instructions on how to create an answer key-only, ACT practice or item bank assessment to be administered online, visit Mastery Manager help menu.

Mastery Manager Updates

Two new features have been added to Mastery Manager that may have a direct impact on making your life easier!

1. "Select All" when adding questions to and assessment from and item bank


2. Request your username and password from Mastery Manager

 

Layout: Select All Questions/Number of Questions

While selecting questions to be added to an item bank assessment, the user can now click the Select all link to check at once all the questions from the current page  to be added. The user can also control the number of questions to be displayed for selection per page. These two new features will allow the user to more easily and quickly select and add questions to an item bank assessment.

 

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Request Username/Password to Mastery Manager

Have you ever forgotten your username or password to log into Mastery Manager? Mastery Manager now has a way to allow you to request your username or reset password without going through your Mastery Manager administrator. Make sure your email address is entered through the home page and you will be able to request the username or password reset be sent to your email address on file.
Make sure your email address is entered on the home page. Check Subscribe and click the Update button.

Click Forgot your username/password? on the login page to request your username or password.

 

Google Image Search

To find the perfect image you are looking for using Google Image Search, click on the Search Tools button at the top of the search results page. The Search Tools will guide you to find an exact size image, color or type of photo or drawing. Filter your image search to include only photos with faces, clip art, high-resolution images etc. Click on the drop down menus to select the filtering options: All Results or By Subject, Any size, Any color, Any type.  For example, when you search for the Statue of Liberty you can look at the images sorted  by subject, your search will be sorted by the Statue of Liberty's face, head, close up, black and white, and so on. Click on the image to explore.
Sharpen your search skills and learn more here: Google's Power Searching Quick Reference guide.

Research in Google Presentations

I am happy to announce that the powerful Research function found in Google Docs is now available in Google Presentation.  This feature allows you to do research about a topic and create your presentation all within the same screen.

• When using the Chrome web browser, students can click and drag images directly out of the research pane onto their Presentation!


• Kids can search all of Google, images, dictionary, quotes, and more.


• Kids can preview websites without leaving the presentation to see if the sites have the information that they need.

[caption id="attachment_773" align="alignleft" width="300"] Research in Presentation[/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More information can be found in our help sheet on the Research Function.  And as always, if you would like to incorporate this technology into your lessons, consider contacting your building or district instructional technology coach for assistance!