Expecto Patronum Sites!

    So, it's the final week, ya?

Image from: https://goo.gl/ZAYf1u

    Ya.

    Back to the ol' grind, now, huh?

    What?

    You know, back to teaching.

    (snorting) I never left it, silly.

    Really? Well, who's been in your classroom this whole time?

    Me! Jeez! Why, I otta....nevermind. Moving on, this week was all about Google Sites.

Want to jump right in? Click on the image.

    Google Sites is accessed from your Drive using your Google account. So, log in to your Google account first, then access your Drive.

Next, go to New in the upper left corner, move down the navigation to More and locate Google Sites as the last option.

Now, when it saves in your Drive, as all things Google do, you'll have to remember what you named it because that's how you'll locate it. Unless you place it in a folder, it will be alphabetized with the rest of your Google Drive Docs, etc. Go ahead, ask me how I know. 😜

  I recommend putting it in a folder so you can keep track of it easier (I will be moving mine to one). 

    These are a few of the options: changing the image on each page (uploaded, from Drive, or searching Google--only uncopyrighted allowed); inserting text boxes, images, uploads, or embedding URL's or code.

This image shows all the main pages I have with arrows to show the ones that have sub-pages nestled under them. It's ok if you don't place a new page in the right spot, simply drag and drop as needed.

This image shows a few of the layout options as well as one menu option. 





    Who did you think was in my classroom?

    Well, they looked really old and there were large circles under their eyes. You know, they kind of looked zombie-ish.

    Gee, thanks.

    Under one of my pages, I've nestled three more: a specific calendar and the school calendar, a results Doc, and different websites students can browse to find performance pieces.

    Another awesome feature is the ability to add contributors/editors. So, teachers could share a site or students could collaborate and create one together for an assignment.

Here's a video from Teacher's Tech to walk you through these steps and more: 

    Overall, the ease of using Google Sites has me thinking it really won't be too hard to maintain this one and keep it current. Plus, I can share out on the web (as it is now) or keep it only within the school district. Honestly, it was so fun to design and put the site together, I'm excited to show my students and guide them through one of their own.

     So, are you done?

    (sigh) Yes, I'm done. I just have a couple recommendations for reading: "Shhh!" by Danielle SoLoud and "Stop Arguing" by Xavier Breath.

    Why? Has your class been tough?

  (groan, snicker) Say the titles out loud.

    Oh! For crying out loud! Really?!?

    Just one more: "Positive Reinforcement" by Wade Ago.

    Well, I'm not going to miss those.

    Ya, my students aren't either.

    Until my next post, make sure you check out the Google Site.

Tour-Lympics

    Say, did you hear about the Olympic ski team from the United States?

    No, what?

    Well, they started out well, but then it all went downhill.

    Ohhh, come on! Another pun! Jeez. Alright, answer this riddle.

    Ok, I'm game.

    What has hands but can't clap? 

    While you're thinking, let's compare Google Earth with Google Tour Builder. 

    Late in 2017, Google Earth moved to an online set up which gave access to more computers, especially Chromebooks, and users than ever before. In addition, the new version has Voyages where the user can choose an adventure that has already been designed for them. 

    Here's a tour of the "Wonders of the Ancient and Modern World."

 The first one is Nijo Castle in Kyoto, Japan.

     When you click to go to the next one, it spins the globe around and zooms you in to the next target: archeological areas of Pompei. If you'd like a closer view, simply grab the person figure and drop them on the map.

    Now, you're viewing Google's Street View. Most of these images are sent in by everyday users who are viewing and posting about the locations.

In addition to these archeological trips, users can use the site Google Lit Trips to plan a Google Earth tour with a class as they read a book.  

    What a fantastic way to enjoy a book! Here's an article with more ways to use Google Earth in the classroom. 

    Say, did you figure out that riddle?

    Well....almost.

    It's ok, we'll continue with Google Tour Builder.

    Google Tour Builder is a new feature from Google Earth that allows users to create their own tours with images, videos, and text they add in. You can change the view of how people are dropped in your locations (overhead, 3D, or street view), your pathway color, and select locations. Originally started as a way for veterans to share their military experiences with their families, Google has expanded it so that anyone with a Google account can create a story/tour.









    Here's one Lauren W. Ritterbush created about the Kansas River. She's added 27 locations to visit. One of the neatest aspects is that she has recordings of the native pronunciation. 

This is a short video on using Google Tour Builder in the classroom.

    Finally, here's my Google Tour of the locations in the book Night by Elie Wiesel. Please be aware that this tour is not for the faint of heart as there are disturbing images of the Holocaust. In addition, there are questions that can only be answered by reading the book.

 An overview of the Tour.

The first stop, Elie Wiesel's house.

 The second stop, Auschwitz.

    Personally, I prefer Google Tour Builder over Google Earth because I can add specific details and questions for my classes as they click through the tour.

    Oh! I got it!

    So???

    A clock!!!

    Well now, those afterschool lessons are really paying off, aren't they?

You Dilly Dilly, You

    Oh! Is that YouTube? I didn't know we could edit videos in there!?

   Yes, you can.

    After you have uploaded a video, go into your channel or the creator studio.



Once in there, click to edit the video you just uploaded. 




    In addition to YouTube, Google has more fun tools to learn about.

    First off, Google+Hangouts. Now, you don't always have to use Skype to video call because Hangouts has that. As well, they offer messaging and have everything available in an App, too! Of course, since it's Google, all messages and video calls sync across all platforms (mobile, tablet, and computer). Another positive feature is that you can access all your contacts--email and phone (if your Google account is on your phone). The final feature is that it is free for educator or business accounts--the mobile App uses wifi first and wireless data second. Here is a great comparison chart between Hangouts and Skype.

Another fun Google Tool is Google Maps SmartyPins. A player can select a category or let the program randomly choose topics.










    You always start the game with 1,000 miles; how many miles you are off of the correct answer is deducted from that amount after each question. If you drop the pin at the correct location before the timer runs out, you get extra miles; however, if you don't, you get a clue. 

    One of the more encouraging parts of the game is that it drops you in a close enough location for you to feel like you have a good chance even if you guess. 



    After dropping the pin, it asks you to verify your answer before submitting.







Once you enter it, it will tell you right away if you're correct and then move on to the next question. 





    And, yes, you can run out of miles after only 2 questions. Never fear, you can play again.

    One of the fabulous ways to use this in the classroom is to select a category that applies and play on teams or individually. Or, this would work fabulously as a practice for Scholars Bowl as there are many details included in the question and clues that would be helpful in question rounds during competitions. 

    Ack, surely you have more than that?

    Well, actually I have one more I LOVE to use in the classroom--Google Scholar.

    Google Scholar allows the user to search the internet for scholarly articles, books, magazines, thesis papers, professional societies, universities, and other websites. 

    It allows several ways to sort the results and narrow the articles. The only drawback is that sometimes the articles are not free and you have to pay for the whole article. Otherwise, this is a fantastic, useful feature when researching a topic. 

    Wait! Is that all?

    Just one more dilly dilly to you. May all your lesson plans ring true.

Poe-rrrific!

Image from: https://tinyurl.com/y9w3n767

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—

    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—

            Only this and nothing more.”

    Oh, I've read this one before. It's where the Headless Horseman chops off the guy's head.

    What?!? No, this is Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven", not Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". You would know what was going on if you stayed current in Google's Calendar.

    Earlier this month, Google rolled out a new version of Calendar and it's fantastic. 

This calendar section on the left still looks the same, but in the Education version, you are able to add appointments.

(Access calendar in the Google Menu checker-box when you're logged into your Google Account.)

 Simply click on a slot in the calendar and tell it to add "Appointment Slots".

You can then choose between a "Single Slot" or "Slots with Durations". With either one, you can set the start and end times. With "Slots with Durations", you can set slots from 1  minutes to infinity (seriously, I couldn't find an end to it).

Once saved, you have the option to view the calendar and/or share it with only select people, everyone in your school district, or the public.

Here is my calendar. I'm hoping to use this with my Student-Led Parent-Teacher conferences.

    Ok, but how do I view assignments I need from my classes?

    In that case, simply click or un-click which calendar you want to view and it will show assignments from specific classes. As well, each classes' calendar can be edited to be a different color so you can tell them apart more easily.

     Ahh, I see.

    Yes, now you'll know which days to be prepared for Poe's fantastic tales of terror on. 

    Speaking of Classroom, if you're not using Google Classroom, you're missing out on all the cool tools and an easy way of digital communication with your students.

    You can create Assignments, Announcements, a Question, or Reuse a Post. I most frequently create Assignments or post Announcements about Assignments. This past week, I created a Question about Poe and the students were able to add their discussion point before class and we then discussed their responses (it was a prediction) before we continued reading "The Pit and the Pendulum". 

Thanks to that question, students were on fire with their conversations about the story and excited to see if their predictions came true.

    In addition, if you're looking for more interaction with parents, then you can invite them to get a summary of what has occurred that week in your Google Classroom. They can then question their student or email/call you for more information. To see how, watch this video. 

    Ok, that's all fine and dandy, but what about a way to keep track of when I need to complete assignments?

    That can be done with Google Keep.

    Google Keep is available online, in Chrome Extensions, and as a mobile App for Android or iPhones. There are many ways to use Keep. For example, I can make a grocery list, make it an actual list, share it with my husband, and cross off items as I buy them. In the classroom, a student can add an image, webpage, or typed note to Keep and then drag and drop it in Docs or Slides. 

    An additional way to add a note is to use the voice choice and create a voice note on your mobile device. This could really help when you have an idea and you're unable to write it down, you can simply speak it into a Keep note. Finally, if you have a picture of a typed page, you can make it a Keep note by asking the program to translate the image's text into a note. Here's a video on it from Matt Miller of DitchThatTextbook.

    So, now there's no excuse to not know when your assignments are due. 

    Ya, I guess not. Say, whatever happened in "The Raven"?

  “And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

    And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,

    And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

            Shall be lifted—nevermore!”

   

    You know, still sitting--that could happen to you unless you use one of these FREE Extenstensions to help keep track of assignments!