Instructional Technology Tuesday Tips

Wow, I can't believe it is the last week of November and December is right around the corner.  I went Black Friday shopping this year, like all years but it was really busy this year.  You can totally tell people are starting to embrace getting back into the idea of "doorbuster."  Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a well deserved break.  Here is what is in this weeks U5 Instructional Technology Tuesday Tips.  

In this issue:  

• Overview of Diffit - What it is and what it can do.  Short Video
• Getting started With Diffit - Longer video, but a great starting off point.  It will show you all the tools you can create and SHARE out via docs, forms and slides.  The sheer number of templates available to export to is amazing.   
• PD Slidedeck for Teachers - This is awesome because there are short video clips in the speaker notes to walk you through any of the examples you want to learn more about.  
• Login to Diffit and Play - The only way to learn about these tools is to play with them.  See how using them can reduce your workload.  

Whether you have embraced AI or not, this tool will definitely help in your work load!  Don't miss out!  

U5 Instructional Technology Tuesday Tips

Happy November... Yes, it seems like we just started school, but here we are in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle.  Can't believe next week is Thanksgiving.  If you are like us, we are in school on Monday and Tuesday and there might be some fun activities in this issue of the U5 Instructional Technology Tuesday Tips to help with those days!    In this issue:

• MagicSchool.ai - Introduction as well as a video on seeing your Output.
• Goblin AI tool  - Simplify Tasks
• The Sift - A great way to get current events into your classroom! 
• Youtube's Interactive Questions - Learn how to enter them.  (Hint: Watch the MagicSchool First!)
• Thanksgiving Activities
• Why am I Thankful Activity
• Code a Turkey Game

As always, take a look and decide what you can use right now and what you can store for later!  Hope you all have a great week and Happy Thanksgiving! 

 

U5 Instructional Technology Tuesday Tech Tips

 

In this issue of the Instructional Technology Tuesday Tech Tips you will find:

• EdPuzzle's AI Teacher Assist
• Veterans Day Activities
• National STEM Day Activities
• AI Political Cartoon 
• 7 Ways to use EdPuzzle Live Mode

U5 Tuesday Instructional Technology Tips

 

Happy Halloween!  In this issue you will find some AI and Halloween activites.  

• AI Literacy 6-12 Lessons - This reasource is from Common Sense Media and each lesson is about 20 minutes.  Great for introducing students to AI. 
• Halloween Escape Room
• 27 Scary good Halloween Riddles - Use as a bellringer as students are coming into class. 

October U5 Instructional Technology Updates

 Welcome to the October U5 Instructional Technology Updates.  In this issue you will find:

• Is using ChatGPT for school cheating or a new form of learning? - Video from the Today Show.
• Some Matt Miller AI resources. 
• I just attended a Webinar of his this past week on this subject and it was very good.  Stay tuned for a recap of what was learned. 
• The Most Likely Machine - an AI Algorithm Game
• YouTube Summary Extension
• Infinite Campus update - U5 only
• Book Creator - Video on taking pages from your teacher template and copying them to all your students.  

Lots to enjoy over the weekend!  

U5 Instructional Technology Tips

 In this week's edition of the U5 Instructional Tech Tips:

• Reply to Student Comments from Google Classroom right from email.
• Using Google Citation Tool.  Thanks John Langley! 
• Google Meet Waiting Rooms for P/T virtual Conferences. 

U5 Instructional Technology Tips

In this week's edition of the U5 Instructional Tech Tips:

• Digital Citizenship Week!  Take a look at the lessons that are available. 
• IC Update - In case you missed it.
• Slides/Canva Templates
• PA System from Computer
• STEM-CAST Contest

U5 Instructional Tuesday Tech Tips

Here is your U5 Tuesday Tech Tips! This week, take a look at the forgotten Smart Driver tools you can use even without using Smart Notebook. Who Knew?  ELA Creative Halloween Activities, and Google Classroom Originality Reports and PDF to Image. 

Don't forget to look back at September for some fun filled ideas for tech!  

September Instructional Technology Updates

 Check out the September  Unit 5 Instructional Technology Upates.  In this edition you will find: 

• Artifical Intellegence post on how teachers are using it along with some examples.
• Book Creator has a Introduction PD after school in September and it was recorded for Elementary and Secondary levels.
• Canva classes rostered in U5 - check out the video on how to get started!  
• IC - information and more!  

Hexagonal Thinking

Take a look at this blog post on Hexagonal Thinking is Critical Thinking from Sparkreativity.  While reading more about this and of course falling down the rabbits hole, I found a ton of videos and articles on this.  What a great idea and way to engage students in thinking and making connections. Take a look at this video.

Here is a video where we see students use Hexagons to Build Critical Thinking Skills. 

End of the Year Clean Up "Spring Cleaning"

Take a look at this series that Emily Pool from the LTC has put together for the Spring Clean Up!  there is a lot in here we can all benefit from!  

Flocabulary Mixes & Break It Down NEW!!

Flocabulary has a new option for MIXES  and BREAK IT DOWN.  Mix Skill videos with a Video Text.  Learn the skill in one video then practice that skill on the Text video.  You still get all the Vocab cards, games, read & respond, quiz and lyric lab. Break it down provides guided review of the video through multiple choice, evidence gathering, and  short answer question to explain their thinking. Take a look at this video to learn more.

Google Classroom Practice Sets

Google Classroom practice sets are a great way to review material from lessons, getting ready for an assessment, or just challenging those students who finish early who need something else to elevate their learning. Using practice sets will allow time for students to practice skills needed in order to become more efficient in the tasks they learning in class.  Lessen time for teachers to grade each items since it is already created with the correct answer.  Student check themselves as they move through the practice set to get immediate feedback and correct their answers along the way.  Teachers will get summaries of their classes by problem and can identify which concepts need to be reviewed by whole class or small groupings. You can also, practice on the student side before sending it out to students to make sure all questions and answers are what you created. 

Let's get started with Practice sets:

• Go to Google Classroom
• Click on the upper left corner (Hamburger)
• You will see Practice Sets 

• Click on Practice Sets and start creating. 
• OR Find them on the Assignment Dialog Box when creating a new assignment within a class.  

Check out this video on how to use practice sets in your classroom. 

April Instructional Technology Update

 

Welcome back!  Hopefully you had a restful Spring Break.  Can't believe there are only 37 1/2 days left of schools.  This year has flown by and this spring feels like it has been supercharged! 

Take a look at the Instructional Technology Updates for April.  We highlight our 18-22 program at Eugene Field Vocational School,  Go Guardian, and AI and Google Workspace as well as how to create some interactive AI lessons with Standards. 

Women in History - Celebrating Women Who Tell Stories- 2023

Women's History Month was established  in 1981  for the week of March 7th.  In 1987 it was passed designating March to be "Women's History Month."   Since this proclamation, we celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and various fields over the course of American history. ( https://womenshistorymonth.gov/about/) 

The video below introduces the 2023 theme "Celebrating Women Who Tell Stories" and can be used to introduce Women in History month. This year's theme honors the important role women have  played in storytelling throughout history.  It was created March 2023.   

Here are several resources for Women's History Month in which are paid resources at certain levels in the district:

• Unit 5 High School IMC  resources and Junior High IMC resources. $$
• Check in with your IMC Specialist to partner and learn more about the resources right at your students finger tips.
• NEARPOD:  Nearpod has 132 Lessons on Notable Women  Many of these are Videos from Biography, SciShow which highlights women in Science, TedEd, Socratica Kids, and Nearpod lessons with activities built in.  There is also a whole library on Women's Right and History.  Lessons include Women's Suffrage, Women in the American Revolution and Civil War as well as Gender Equality and STEM.  $$
• 4 ways to teach Women's History Month 
• 14 Women Who Are Impacting Education
• Flocabulary:  Enjoy the Week in Rap as they begin the month of March for Women in History & Current events.  This is a great opportunity to use there short video's to highlight what is going on in our world today.  $$
• Discovery Education: Discovery Education has a whole Channel on Women in History. This includes videos, images, activities, slideshows and much more. Check out the Modern Trailblazers section My Story: Yolanda Renee King - The granddaughter of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and listen to her story about her grandparents.  $$
• Scholastic:  All scholastic material come with multiple reading levels, text to speech, presentation view and teaching resources, such as a slide deck, Google Form for a quiz, and close reading activities.  $$
• Junior Scholastic has a Text Set to observe Women's History Month and the contributions they have made. Check out their Cover Story "Exercising Their Rights" where you will meet 5 female athletes who fight for equity in sports. (Must have a license to see this information) 
• Scope Spotlight highlights Women's History Month with Drama text and Paired Text. Find out more about Malala the Powerful, When Girls Ruled Baseball, The Lens of War and so much more. 
• Lumio - Check out the Lumio Library for more resources which can be integrated into your classroom.  $$
• Canva - FREE for Educators - Check out the Templates for Women in History!  Here you can have your student create some really creative projects with templates already started. 
• Adobe Express:  FREE If you are looking for ways to create a digital story, Adobe Express has several templates for Women in History.  Just search "Women in History" in their template library. 
• EdTechbook, Learning Pathway: Influential Women.  Here you will find Choice Boards for Women's History Month, Slide decks, and much  more.  You can also dive into different topics such as Women and the Wars &  STEM.  
• Digital Resources for Biographical Research - here is a list curated by Zeeba Pavri.  She also created a slide deck for Women's History Month take a look.  
• Decktoys Women's in History Month.  This one is a great activity for younger students.  No signup needed.  Just play. 
• This resource links your students out to Videos from each of book titles.  Great for elementary students as well. 
• PBS Media has several resources for teaching about Women's History Month.  Here are is a collection on Engaging Students and Educators on Women's History Month through film.
• Becoming by Michelle Obama -  I listened to this book and loved it. Great Read!  There is also an adaption for young readers as well.
• Book Widgets Interactive Learning: 20+ Ready to use Classroom Activities to celebrate Women's History Month. 
• Calendar which has one activity each day highlighting Women in History

Like always, these are curated from multiple sources so you can make a decision on what is appropriate for your grade level and students. 

ChatGPT AI in the Classroom

 
For the past several months the technology world has been abuzz with Artificial Intelligence with the introduction of ChatGPT. Many educators are beginning to learn more about it as usage has grown by peers, students, and the general public. 

One resource helping to better understand the reaches of ChatGPT is a slide deck created by Jessica Adams, Leslie Brophy, Jackie Ediger, Lynne Herr & Nicole Zumpano.  The compilation of resources on this slide deck range from answering questions about chatbots to curriculum impact, and how educators use them in the classroom.  In addition, the slide deck contains articles, videos, and podcasts all about what ChatGPT is.  Check it out by clicking HERE.

Lastly, check out the discussion that host, Matt Miller, from Ditch this Textbook had during the 2022 Ditched Summit, where they discuss the future of education and what it will look like with artificial intelligence. You can view it by clicking HERE

ChatGPT website - click HERE

Legends of Learning: Online Educational Games

Legends of Learning is online educational games for teachers and students.  It is aligned for math and science curriculums while using creative and engaging blended learning methods.  It is game based playing which students today are very familiar with. Students are learning concepts, challenging themselves, while having fun on this interactive game based program.  The video below highlights more about it. 

As you explore this program, also look at the lower level games with the same concept.  As we know, there are times when material at a lower level actually explains concepts better then at a higher level, because there is an assumption of prior knowledge.  I would encourage you to look through all the grade levels and find games which will enhance student engagement while learning the concept.   

Once you select a grade level you can browse their topics which are aligned to standards within that content area. Science is aligned to NGSS standards, while Math is aligned to Common Core (Check your Settings). Once you select a standard, games will populate which relate to the standard chosen. Hover over the game to learn more about it, watch the video, click More Info, which will bring up the difficulty level, Lexile Level, and Curriculum information. You can also select TRY GAME to test out the game before you assign to students.  Below is a great video on how to get started setting up your first assignment and assign it out to students.  

Vernaculars as Adjectives

While I was browsing my blogs this week, I came across a post from Richard Byrne, on Learning Lessons about Languages and the Mysteries of Vernaculars.  As I watched the TedEd video I realized I didn't know where some of these words we use today came from.  So, I started watching the TedEd video series and as with all videos got sucked right in.  As you are talking about adjectives, using these videos to show how our language has developed over time may be interesting to you and your students. 

Take a look at the blog post Learning Lessons about Languages and the Mysteries of Vernaculars, as to how this post came about.  It's wickedly good!

February Instructional Technology Update

I cannot believe January has already come and gone. This year is flying by so we are starting the 2023 year with the February Instructional Tech Update where you will find lots of great information! 

• Unit 5 started a podcast series called Inside Unit #5 for our community to listen to which is linked. This is hosted by our very own teachers in Unit 5.
• IC Updates:  There have been lots of questions on score copier, so that is  included.
• Black History Month is the whole month of February, so there are lots of instructional resources for this month you can use. 
• Canva - Canva's premium is available to all teachers and students in education.  All you have to do is register your education account.  The instructions are included, as well as an activity for you to create your own Canva banner for Google Classroom.  
• Phet Simulations have been around for a while, but they have been transitioning these to HTML 5 over the last several years.  Check this resource out there is lots to find here!  

Black History Month

Black History Month or African-American History Month is February,  this observance originated in the United States and is now observed in Canada, Ireland, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.  It started out as Negro History Week in 1926 when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the 2nd week of February to be Negro History Week.   This week was originally selected because on February 12 Abraham Lincoln and February 14 Fredrick Douglas were both born.  From there the first proposal for Black History Month was proposed by BLACK EDUCATORS and the Black United Students at Kent State University in 1969 and in 1970 Kent State was the first to celebrate!  Go Educators!!  Six Years later, Black History Month was being celebrated across the country when President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month.   

NearPod: There are lessons for Black History Month K-12 in this library they have.  Remember to start in the Nearpod Library and check out their Featured section.  It always has relevant information for holidays and current events.   

EdPuzzle: EdPuzzle has a library of EdPuzzle Originals.  Take a look and select Holidays and Events.  There you will find all kinds of holiday resources.  Scroll down to the bottom and you will find Heritage, History, and Awareness Collections.  This is where you will locate the resources for Black History Month.

Discovery Education: Has an entire channel dedicated to Black History.  As with any DE resource, you can watch a full video or look up the segments to bring in parts of it which correlate to your curriculum.  There are also many activities and interactive resources for students.  

Swank K-12 Streaming:  When looking in Swank for Black History Movies, you will need to filter by Subject & Themes, then Black History/African American.  Once you do that, you will be able to see all the resources available and if it is not in our library, you will be able to request.   See your Librarian to get the login for Swank as it is different from just going to Swank online. 

Scholastic Journals:  Paid Subscriptions  

• Junior Scholastic - The Secrets of Their Success:  Follow Four Black Leaders and how they used their business skills to change lives. 
• Scholastic Scope - Into the Poison Cloud - Recounts the life of Garrett Morgan, whose inventions have saved countless lives.   This is a paired text with multiple reading levels and comes with a lesson plan and lots of resources which can be downloaded in Google Docs/slides/forms. 
• Science World - This journal has an entire section of Celebrating Black Scientists! Check out these spotlight resources, such as John Urschel - who left pro football to become a Mathematician.  There are several resources to choose from so take your pick. 

Other Resources:

• Amanda Mleczko Niaves created this slidedeck so she could share one slide each day with her students.  Take a look to see if it is something you could share with your students.  Make a copy, add to it to your drive then make it your own! Post from Bitmoji Craze Educators.
• Vicki Tseng- Found this incredible library for Black History Month and changed most of the videos to links to play automatically without ads!  Original Creator Christine Fleeman curated this library.  Thanks to both! Make a copy, add to it to your drive then make it your own! Post from Bitmoji Craze Educators.
• Janelle Luna - Created this resource to support the efforts of educators wanting to go deeper and broader in their Black History Month Experience. Make a copy, add to it to your drive then make it your own! Post from Bitmoji Craze Educators
• Kim Jansen created this slidedeck which highlights African American Leaders with a slide for videos, books and a Spanish version.  Make a copy, add to it to your drive then make it your own!   Post from Bitmoji Craze Educators
• Sarah Renae created this slidedeck with videos which explain the struggles African Americans encountered.  Watch the videos before showing to class as some may be disturbing for younger students.  As always, you know your students and maturity level.  Make a copy, add to it to your drive then make it your own! Post from Bitmoji Craze Educators
• NPR - Series on Black History Month 2023
• We are Teachers - 34 Black History Month Activities for February and Beyond
• C-SPANCLASSROOM - Black History and Civil Rights

YouTube Videos for elementary students:

• Black History Month for Kids - YouTube
• Scholastic Storyworks - Can Kids Change the World? 
• 88brains - Black Scientists and Inventors
• CBeebies Black History Heroes
• Rosa Parks Story

Use, don't use, up to you!  But, now you know.....