Google for Education

At one point or another, most of us have probably used Google as a search engine. Many people even use it as a verb: "I'm going to Google how to (fill-in-the-blank)." There is a whole other side to Google that many do not know about and that is Google for Education. This post will focus on accessing the Google accounts that everyone has through the district and will give some brief information on how this account can be helpful to teachers. Future posts will detail the apps that are available through Google for Education.


To log into your SMASD Google account:

1. Go to https://www.google.com/ 

2. Click on the blue sign-in button at the top right corner of the screen as seen below:

3. Most accounts are set up as firstinitiallastname@smdutch.net (example avollmer@smdutch.net). Passwords are whatever you created.

4. If you try to log in and it tells you that there is no account set up, and you would like to have one, please e-mail one of the tech coaches. If you know you have an account, but can't remember the password, we can help with that too!

5. If it is the first time you are logging into your smdutch.net account, you will need to agree to the terms of service for the account and click the "I accept" button. You may also change your password after that.

Ok, I'm in...now what???

Click on the Google Apps button at the top right of your screen:

You'll be able to click on and use the productivity tools available through Google for Education:

App Overview

Students have accounts too, so this is a great way to have them submit projects to you and to collaborate with others!

Stay tuned for future posts on more detailed ways you can use Google Apps for Education in your classroom!

Again, if you need help setting up an account and/or have any questions, please email a tech coach or comment below!

Promethean Planet For Flipcharts

"What's a flipchart?" 
                     - Anonymous SMASD Educator

The above quote, from an email I received, motivated this week's SMASD TechSpot: 

Promethean Planet - for ready-made flipcharts

We have all seen, and perhaps often click, on a little icon that looks like this:

Well, believe it or not this icon is way more than just a digital chalkboard!

Okay - so maybe you knew that. Perhaps you just thought that

 you didn't have the time to create interactive flipcharts, 

let alone the time to learn how to make them.

     Today at SMASD TechSpot we remind you that you don't have to reinvent the wheel.  Go ahead - put that new topic in your lesson plans, without the fear of having to spend hours authoring a presentation from scratch.  If you can do a Google search - you can easily find a flipchart to accompany your new or outdated lesson.  Hopefully, it is one that gets your kids up to the board and  you back in interacting with the students.  Don't worry - if you aren't sure how to work the flipchart, hand over the pen - the students will be eager to show you.

STEP 1:  Go to www.prometheanplanet.com and login / or register.  

Here is an example of a registration: 

(note - no need to find your school - you can skip it)

STEP 2:  Conduct a search from the homepage.

STEP 3:  Preview and/or download your flipchart

Click the orange to preview - or the blue to download.  

When downloading it will appear at the bottom of your chrome browser.  Upon clicking it will open up directly in ActivInspire.

STEP 4:  Edit and Save.  

Go through your chart to see what you want to eliminate and/or edit to make it your own.

Be sure to check any notes that the author may have left by clicking the Post-It note in the upper right corner.  If there are special instructions on how to use the page, the note will appear.

Here are some example pages from a flipchart on fractions - that will get the students up to the board, and keep your external files at your fingertips.

SMASD Testimonials: 

"Promethean Planet is a great resource for busy teachers!  I love that you can search by grade level and content to make it easy to find what you're looking for!  There are so many resources for English.  One of my favorites is a flipchart I downloaded on the writing process.  Not only does it explain the process, but gives examples and activities for the kids to use.  Many flipcharts can be downloaded and used immediately, but you can always adjust them to fit your teaching style!  It's perfect for those of us who always seem to be short on time."          ~ Miss Fera

"I use a battleship game for review.  It's nice that it is already made up.  I just add the problems.  You can find ready-made flipcharts on most subject matters."         ~ Mrs. Beck

Need help finding a flipchart?  - Email us: 

jtamburlin@smasd.org     acatalone@smasd.org    avollmer@smasd.org

Snipping Tools

Using Snipping Tools

You can use the Snipping Tool to capture a screen shot, or snip, of any object on your screen, and then annotate, save, or share the image.  This tool is very useful to insert partial or whole images into a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, online document, etc.

You can capture any of the following types of snips:

·         Free-form Snip.  Draw a free-form shape around an object.

·         Rectangular Snip.  Drag the cursor around an object to form a rectangle.

·         Window Snip.  Select a window, such as a browser window or dialog box that you want to capture.

·         Full-screen Snip.  Capture the entire screen.

After you capture a snip, it's automatically copied to the Clipboard and the mark-up window. From the mark-up window, you can annotate, save, or share the snip.

To capture a snip

·         Open Snipping Tool by clicking the Start button. In the search box, type Snipping Tool, and then, in the list of results, click Snipping Tool.

·         Click the arrow next to the New button, select Free-form Snip, Rectangular Snip, Window Snip, or Full-screen Snipfrom the list, and then select the area of your screen that you want to capture.

To capture a snip of a menu

If you want to capture a snip of a menu, such as the Start menu, follow these steps:

·         Open Snipping Tool by clicking the Start button. In the search box, type Snipping Tool, and then, in the list of results, click Snipping Tool.

·         After you open Snipping Tool, press Esc, and then open the menu that you want to capture.

·         Press Ctrl+PrtScn.

·         Click the arrow next to the New button, select Free-form Snip, Rectangular Snip, Window Snip, or Full-screen Snip from the list, and then select the area of your screen that you want to capture.

To annotate a snip

·         After you capture a snip, you can write and draw on or around the snip in the mark-up window.

To save a snip

·         After you capture a snip, click the Save Snip button in the mark-up window.

·         In the Save As dialog box, enter a name for the snip, choose a location where to save the snip, and then click Save.

To share a snip

·         After you capture a snip, click the arrow on the Send Snip button, and then select an option from the list.

Make Learning a (Ka)hoot!

I first learned about Kahoot two summers ago while attending a tech conference and immediately knew it was a tool that both my students and I were going to love. This FREE, engaging web-based tool turns your classroom into a game show, similar to a trivia night at a restaurant and can be used with any age level or content area. Teachers can create their own multiple choice questions, use premade games, and even have students create their own Kahoots. Students earn points for how quickly they choose the correct answer, and are able to participate by using a unique PIN number and connecting to answer with their own web-based device (desktop, tablet, smartphone, etc.).

There are lots of innovative ways to use this tool in your classroom, but to keep it simple, here are some basics:

• Formative assessment: Develop questions in quiz mode to monitor your students’ progress. After each question, you can see how many students chose each answer and can quickly gauge problem areas. Kahoot also creates a spreadsheet with the results from each game, so you can see student specific data as well. As an alternative, you could even have the students create the questions!
• Discussion: Create a single question to gather information and spark discussion. This mode would not be competitive. For example, you could pose a question about the best part of a novel the class has read. Students would choose one of the answers, you’d all be able to see the data, and the discussion could go from there.
• Survey: Create multiple questions to gather feedback or find out what the class knows. This mode is also not competitive and could be a way to give students an active voice in the classroom.
• Ghost mode: This is a new option that you can use after completing a game of Kahoot! According to the Kahoot site, “Ghost mode is a great way to encourage learners to compete against themselves as well as each other. It gives players a chance to beat their previous score and provides immediate feedback. You can also set a game for homework. Learners can create their own Kahoot! account so they can play again (and again!) against themselves in preview mode until they have mastered the topic.”

Here are some great tutorials to help you get started, both of which walk through the steps of creating an account:

Kahoot tutorial

YouTube Kahoot tutorial

Note: If/when wireless connections are not available, the computer labs in all buildings are a great option OR the next few weeks could be a prime time just to explore this tool, and then plan for introducing it to the students when the wireless is ready and there are more device options!

If anyone has used Kahoot in their classroom, or has any questions or feedback, please feel free to comment below!

Remind(.com) me again what is due tomorrow?

Remind(.com) me again what is due tomorrow?

We can post it, they can put it in their planner, handouts can be given and we can tell them when the assignment is due until we are blue in the face...

However, there is only one way we can be sure that they (or their parents) get the message.... 
.. if you put it on their phone.

Remind.com has been used by several teachers and coaches in our district with much success.

My top reasons for using remind.com:

6. The students/parents register themselves.  No time wasted creating accounts...
5. You can include several classes or A single student/parent in a message.
4. You can do it from your computer, No phone necessary!  (the option is there though)
3. You can schedule it in advance.
2. NO phone numbers are exchanged (you don't know theirs, they don't know yours).
1. They cannot text back.*

Here is what our teachers are saying about Remind.com: 

"Remind.com is one of the most convenient and easy ways to stay in contact with students and parents. I love that I can schedule reminders to let students and parents know about upcoming essay due dates or exams. I also use it for my extracurricular groups to remind them of fundraisers or to let parents know when we are returning from competitions. I HIGHLY recommend it!"  ~ Ann Defilippi

"I like how the Remind app commits to high security and privacy to keep texting safe and stress-free.  The one-way text and schedule features allow me to efficiently send out reminders, announcements, and emergency texts to both students and parents.  I use it every week for marching band and field trips." ~ Adam Brooks

See the links below for video tutorials - or just go to the site to get started, it's that easy!
Remind.com

Remind Video Tutorials

Here is a snapshot of some of my classes.

*there is now a chat option that you can allow for polling and such, this I have yet to explore

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS !


Now text away, text away, text away ALL! 

Your TechCoaches