Author Archives: Megan

Connecting To See What’s Happening in Education

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The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “#Hashtag.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 24 Sept. 2013. Web. 6 June 2018.

Summer is a time for relaxing, spending time with friends and family, and rejuvenating. However, it’s also a time for finding new inspiration and ideas for the upcoming school year. Twitter provides a quick and easy way to get inspiration from innovative, educational minds right at your fingertips!

I signed up for Twitter years ago and it sat as an empty account until this past year when at every conference I went to, the presenters continued to bug me about following them on Twitter.  On top of the constant reminders from presenters, I was missing out on the Tweeting prizes! (and you know I want to win Gold Nearpod Subscription) Finally, I made the leap– professional Twitter here I come! At every presentation, I immediately followed the facilitator and was amazed by the creativity I saw in classrooms around the world!

Stay connected with those within your building, across the district, throughout the IU, and even across the world by creating an account and getting started!

Here are some great people you can follow to get you started:

  1. Township Tech

  2. The MTWP Tech Integrators (Megan, Melissa, Brandi)

  3. IU13IMS

  4. Jennifer Gonzalez

  5. George Couros 

  6. Alice Keeler 

  7. Rich Kiker

  8. Tom Murray

  9. Joe Sanfelippo

  10. Edutopia

  11. NEA Today

In addition to following great educational leaders, following specific tech tools (accounts or hashtags) can lead to great inspiration! Accounts like Discovery Education, Seesaw, BrainPOP, Nearpod, Class Dojo or Flipgrid can lead to great inspiration.

 

#edtech #digcit #edchat #AppleEDUchat #ISTEchat #haveagreatsummer #NoMoreBlogPostsThisSchoolYear #GetConnected #HashtagsCanBeAnnoyingButUseful

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Using Video to Demonstrate Learning

Our classrooms are full of a diverse range of learners, which often causes us to adjust our instruction to meet the needs of our students. However, the end of the unit usually results in a traditional paper-pencil assessment. While it’s much easier to grade a multiple choice assessment, is it really showing us what our students know?

Providing a different form of evaluation provides the opportunity for continued differentiation and addressing various learning styles. The creation process will help them to really dig into the content, which will result in true learning and a much better chance that they’ll not only understand but retain the information beyond the week of the test. Plus, it’s way more fun (for both you and the students) than a traditional assessment!

Having students demonstrate their learning through video provides a more authentic learning experience – honing more than just content skills, but also focusing on 21st-century skills.

    • Students use their public speaking skills to appropriately communicate their learning to an authentic audience.

    • Students collaborate to create scripts and storyboards, in addition to the artistic elements of their filming and editing.

    • Students will use their critical thinking skills to determine the most important information to include from their research.

    • Gives an opportunity for students to express their talents and demonstrate their creativity, rather than being stifled by a formulaic assessment. Students can show their creativity by developing a script, creating images, using different sound effects, combining creations from multiple apps, etc.

Here are some examples of video creation projects in the district.

Students in AP U.S. History 3D printed an object to represent the 1920’s and were tasked to create a video with it. This student was using the green screen to put herself into the Model T car. They also used the green screen to make it appear the car was driving down the road in the 1920’s.

Eighth graders practiced their Spanish accents and demonstrated their knowledge of vocabulary through iMovie.

Fourth graders showed their knowledge of homophones through Clips.


Some helpful tips:

  • Make a video for yourself! This can help you identify the tool that will best fit your needs.

  • Allow time for planning — you may even want to consider students creating a rough draft “storyboard” to ensure they have all their research ready and a plan in place. Students may also want to consider writing scripts prior to filming to reduce the number of takes.

  • Consider the audience – student work is generally of better quality when there is a more authentic audience. What fun is creating a video if the teacher is the only one to see it?

  • If the project is going to be used as a graded assessment, provide a grading rubric in advance so students know exactly what’s expected of them.

  • Don’t be afraid to “app smash” (using multiple apps to create one video). It’s rare that one tool has every option you’re looking for. Encourage your students to create material in other apps, screenshot or download their work, and pull it into their movie tool of choice.

    –    Ex: Record in Chatterpix and insert into iMovie, Record in front of the green screen using TouchCast
    and pull it into iMovie, Take a picture in Photos and pull it into Clips, etc.

  • For more helpful tips, click here.

 

Are you excited to try it out? Check out some of the tools that are available to you and your students by clicking the links below.

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BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr.

BrainPOP, BrainPOP Jr., BrainPOP Espanol, and BrainPOP Francais are now available for grades K-8! BrainPOP creates cross-curricular content digital content that engages students and supports teachers including animated movies, student creation and reflection tools, learning games, interactive quizzes, and customizable assessments. For more ideas on how BrainPOP can be used in the classroom, click here.  


How do I access BrainPOP?
You can access BrainPOP through your Google waffle (click More at the bottom). On an iPad, go to brainpop.com. In the upper right corner, tap login. Then you can login with G Suite for Education.

How do I set up a class in BrainPOP?
If you use Google Classroom, you can import your entire class. If not, follow the directions listed below to create a class.

Teacher:
1. Log in to BrainPOP or BrainPOP Jr.
2. Click on My Classes (top left)
  • If you use Google Classroom, select Import New Classes. Select the class(es) that you want to import and Import Selected Classes.
  • To create a class, select New Class. Type your class name and create a class code.


How do students access BrainPOP?
Students should go to the BrainPOP website (brainpop.com or jr.brainpop.com). If accessing BrainPOP for the first time, students should follow the steps below to login using Google.

  1. Select LOG IN (top right).
  2. Click the G Suite for Education login option.
  3. Students should enter their Google login info if they have not already done so.
  4. At the next log in screen, DO NOT LOG IN! Instead, click Make a new account.
  5.  Click the I have a code button and enter the class code provided by the teacher.

Students can add BrainPOP to the home screen of their iPad by logging in to either BrainPOP or BrainPOP Jr., tapping the share button, and selecting Add to Home Screen. This will create a  shortcut to the website that looks like an app on the iPad’s home screen.

Explore!
You can search topics or click on a subject area. Everything you find can be assigned to students. Get a quick introduction to all the different activities by clicking on the slides presentations for BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. The slides give a quick preview and then the speaker notes expand on each feature.

There is so much on BrainPOP! BrainPOP Educators will help you get started and learn more ways to enhance student learning. If you need help navigating, getting your students set up, or ideas on integrating BrainPOP into your classroom please contact your tech integrator.

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New Year, New Calendar

Google updated its Calendar with a modern interface. The features are currently the same, but this new design provides room for new features in the future. In late February, everyone in the world will be migrated to the new interface, but you have the opportunity to begin using it now! If you aren’t familiar with Google Calendar yet, it’s a great way to keep organized! As a grade level, team, or content area calendars can be shared to keep everyone on the same page. Send out invitations to an event (even a video chat), attach an agenda, and if something changes everyone will know with an easy email notification.

To give you an idea of what the new calendar will look like, see below for pictures of the classic (current) calendar in comparison to the new calendar.

Classic (current) calendar

New calendar

You can switch between the old and new interface with just a couple clicks:

  • On your computer using Chrome or your favorite browser, open Google Calendar (http://calendar.google.com).

  • On the top right of your screen click Use new Calendar.

  • To go back to the old Calendar at any time, click Settings (gear icon) and then Back to classic Calendar.

 

Google provides several short (one page!) guides to let you dive into the new Calendar:

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Video Conference Opportunities

 Are you looking for a way to show your students a real-world application of what you’re teaching? Virtual field trips and video conferences are a great way to interact with professionals across the world and gain a deeper understanding of the content. Check out one of the FREE programs that are being offered in the near future.

  •  Science Rocks!
    Date: May 23rd  at 1:00 pm
    Target Audience: Grades K-8
    Description: What is sound? Why do things make different sounds? Or why you beat a drum but pluck a guitar? Join us for Science Rocks to learn all that and more. 

    Video conferences that can be scheduled at the requester’s convenience 

Skype in the Classroom 

  • Search for virtual field trips, virtual guest speakers, skype collaborations, and more! You can search by subject, age group, and location.

Skype a Scientist 

  • Connect with a scientist for a 30-60 minute Q and A sessions that can cover the scientist’s expertise or what it’s like to be a scientist

Discovery Ed Interdisciplinary Programs

  • Programs offered through Discovery ED include: The Science Behind Turf Management, Dig into Mining The Story of Copper, Decoding Cancer, etc.

Weather in the Desert
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Description: Students are introduced to Zion National Park through pictures and videos, and get to learn about the desert from rangers located in Zion. The program introduces the desert with a singalong song and short story and then discusses the various animals that live there. Students are invited to sing with rangers as they meet various animals around Zion, and then get to “create a rainstorm” and discuss the monsoon season in the southwest.

Native American Life
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Grades K-5
Description: Explore the life of the Plains Indians tribes. Enter the Durham Museum tepee and earth lodge to interact with Native American artifacts and meet Scout, our resident buffalo. Learn how the Native Americans used the resources around them throughout the centuries, before showing off your own buffalo artifact creation!

Pro Football Hall of Fame
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Grades K-12
Description: Enjoy topics such as “Movement and Motion”, “The History of the NFL Scoring System”, “African American Trailblazers”, and more!

Longwood Gardens Virtual Field Trips
Date: Programs are offered Tuesday through Friday at a time selected by the school from September through June.
Target Audience: K-12
Description: Our Educators deliver lessons directly into your classroom, during which they engage your students in discussion and problem-solving activities as they explore a variety of topics through video, images, and hands-on activities.

A School Day in 1872
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Grades K-5
Description: In this lesson Park Rangers will examine the requirements to claim land under the Homestead Act of 1862 and the differences in a school day today and in 1872.

Midwest Archeological Center: Excavation and Tools
Date: Must be requested at least one week in advance
Target Audience: Grades 1-5
Description: This is a five-part series (Intro to Archeology, Archeological Sites, Excavation and Tools, Mapping, Analysis, and Curation) – however, all five programs can stand as individual programs. You may request all five parts or any individual program.

Midwest Archeological Center: Exploring History with Artifacts
Date: Must be requested at least one week in advance
Target Audience: Grades 1-12
Description: The Midwest Archeological Center takes care of archeological collections from National Parks. Take a tour of these collections to see how artifacts tell the human story throughout the past! Available for all ages!

George Washington Carver: Struggle for Education
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Grades 2-4
Description: This lesson focuses on numerous obstacles George Washington Carver faced and
overcame in order to earn his education and how he became a role model of
perseverance and success.

Homestead Act of 1862
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Grades 3-5
Description: The Homestead Act had a huge impact on the United States. In this lesson, Park Rangers will examine how the United States acquired all this land, how the Civil War impacted this significant piece of legislation, and what the requirements were to claim land under the Homestead Act of 1862.

 

Smithsonian American Art Museum- Found Object Artworks
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Grades 3-12
Description: From beads to bottle caps, tinfoil to toys, artists have used many non-traditional materials to express themselves and create art. This videoconference covers how artists use everyday materials, vision and imagination, storytelling, and a sense of place.

Smithsonian American Art Museum- Contemporary Craft Works
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Grades 3-12
Description: Craft artists push beyond traditions by testing the limits of materials and techniques. Whether using clay, metal, glass, or fiber, these artists create works that blur the lines between art and craft and encourage us to see everyday objects in new ways.

George Washington and the French and Indian War
Date: Dependent on requester
Target Audience: Grades 4-8
Description: The Fort Necessity park ranger will interact with the students and use George Washington’s writings to show them how Washington’s ambition, hard work, and experiences in the French and Indian War helped him mature into the famous man we all know today. Students will have an opportunity to ask the park ranger questions.

Smithsonian American Art Museum- Young America
Date: You must register at least 4 weeks prior to your selected date
Target Audience: Grades 4-12
Description: The transition from colonial rule to national independence was a pivotal time in American history. Students will explore colonial and early federal art that tells the story of growing national ambitions, territorial expansion, and the beginning of the industry.

African American Artists
Date: Must be requested at least four weeks in advance
Target Audience: Grades 4-12
Description: The lives of African American artists lend insight into the context of their works. Learn about the diverse body of artwork created by African American artists and the historical, social, and cultural events, as well as the life experiences, that inspired their work.

Lure of the West
Date: Must be requested at least four weeks in advance
Target Audience: Grades 4-12
Description: Part geography and part mythology, the American West retains a powerful allure in popular culture. Explore depictions of the people, lifestyles, and landscapes of the 19th century West to better understand this dynamic period of history.

Kenai Fjords National Park- Listening to the Ice
 Date: Available Monday- Friday between 10:30am-3pm EST
Target Audience: Grades 5-8
Description: What are global warming and climate change? How are they caused, and how they are impacting our planet? A National Park Ranger will use Kenai Fjords National Park as a looking glass through which to observe our planet’s health. The ranger will engage students with questioning, video content, and other techniques in order to broaden their local and global understanding of climate change and leave them with a hopeful attitude about the future of our natural environment.

A House Divided: Civil War
Date: Dependent on the requester
Target Audience: Grades 5-12
Description: The Civil War tested and consumed the country for more than four years. Explore how this great conflict and subsequent Reconstruction period are depicted through the traditional mediums of painting and sculpture, as well as the then-new medium of photography. Hosted by the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Careers in an Art Museum
Date: First Friday of Every Month
Target Audience: Grades 6-12
Description: Travel behind the scenes to hear from Head of Registration and Collections Marci Driggers and Curator Maggie Adler to learn about their exciting jobs, and discover how these museum professionals work together to accomplish goals within the museum.

The Bill of Rights in Real Life
Date: Programs are available by request Tuesday-Thursday and must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance
Target Audience: Grades 6-8
Description: During this interactive program, students will focus on the rights and limitations within the Bill of Rights and discuss why they, as middle school students, should care about the Bill of Rights. Students will examine historical documents from the holdings of the National Archives and practice primary source analysis skills as they decide which of the first ten amendments connects to the image or document on display. 

 

Looking for something else? Check out the list of FREE programs that are offered through the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC). Contact the Tech Integrator Specialists to sign up for a program!

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Hour of Code

What is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code is organized by Code.org, a nonprofit dedicated to demystifying “code”, to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. During the Hour of Code week (December 4-8th), Code.org challenges teachers to expose students to 1-hour coding activities with the hope of exploring code further either in the classroom or through community events/opportunities.

 

The Goal 
The Hour of Code isn’t about becoming an expert at coding in an hour experience. As teachers, we know that mastery (even proficiency) requires a lot more than that. The Hour of Code was created to increase awareness of computer science and open doors for students who wouldn’t normally see themselves as coders due to stereotypes. While it’s exciting for students to learn about programming concepts such as loops, conditionals, or even basic debugging skills, the most important part of the Hour of Code is that students (and teachers) learn what coding is, that it’s fun, and for students of all ages!


Why should I participate in the Hour of Code?

Resiliency, grit, perseverance– all traits we want our students to have, yet how do we teach students to have a “Growth Mindset”? Writing code may be easy at first, but eventually, students hit that wall in which they have to use the 4 C’s to conquer. Students can start by thinking critically to solve the code, but still, the code may fail. Students may go on to collaborate with a peer, but still, the code may fail. Both students then continue to communicate and eventually find a creative way to solve the code. In this process, students grow their brains as they are challenged by coding and learn that actions after failure determine success. With the support of teachers, our students will begin to understand that failing doesn’t mean YOU are a failure, but is an essential part of growing as a learner.

 


How do I get started?

 Click on the links below for ready to use lesson plans and activities that can be used with your students! Nervous about trying it on your own? The Tech Integrator Specialists are happy to plan with you and help out during your Hour of Code!


Elementary


Landis Run


Middle School


High School

 

How do my students continue coding?

After students have a basic understanding of coding, it can be incorporated into the curriculum. On the Hour of Code Website, there are plenty of resources that can be sorted by subject area. As you are doing a project consider giving a coding option for students to complete too! As always, the Tech Integrator Specialists are happy to help you take the next step.

The Manheim Township Public Library is offering an Hour of Code class, appropriate for ages 7+ on Wednesday, December 6th. They are hosting two sessions, one from 5:30-6:30 and one from 6:30-7:30. The library, in conjunction with the Lancaster Public Library, hosts CoderDojo for interested kids and adults ages 7+ with local professional programmers.

Apple Stores, like their location at Park City, offer classes for kids and teachers. During the week of Hour of Code, they are hosting a variety of classes such as “How To: Program Robots with Swift Playgrounds” or “How To: Get Started with Coding” for kids and “App Design and Coding Basics” for teachers.

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Do I really need to update?

The short answer is, yes!


It’s easy to skip software updates on your devices. So often, you’re hard at work when a message suddenly pops up saying “a software update is available” and it’s much easier to click “later” rather than stopping to take the time to install right then. However, it’s important to update your computer, iPad, and even the apps and programs on your devices. Below are just a few reasons why.

  • Security
    Businesses like Apple and Google have security researchers who try to hack into their own devices and accounts to determine where there’s a weakness and how to fix it. Without the newest update, you’re vulnerable to the security breach that these researchers found and fixed via the update.

  • Improvements and Bug Fixes
    If you’re an Apple user, you’ve probably been plagued with the “I” autocorrect bug.  The most recent update fixes this issue. For those of us who have dealt with this frustrating issue, the fix is reason enough to update.

  • Features that make your life easier
    Software updates for iOS devices such as the iPad often include helpful features such as the ability to write directly on a picture with the markup feature, have an Apple TV remote available in the Control Center, and much more!

    One of the most important features that will make your life easier is when your computer works with the Apple TV. Since the Apple TVs work well with newer operating systems (specifically High Sierra), updating is incredibly important!

    If your computer is updated to High Sierra and does not work with the Apple TV, please contact the Tech department. 

Okay…you convinced me. How do I do it?

Prior to any update, you’ll want to back up any information stored on your device. Please refer to our blog post about Google Drive for assistance backing up your files.


To update the OS (operating system) on your computer, follow this step by step tutorial.
Please note that while updating your operating system is important, it may also require you to update other programs on your computer (the old programs worked with the old operating system but the old programs will need to be updated to work with the new operating system). We’ve found this to be the case with printing as well as Doceri.

  • Check your printer! If it’s working, great! If not, try the following. 
    1. Go to mtiprint.mtwp.net/ipp (the link only works while in the district)
    2. At the top: Install iPrint client
    3. Click to download installer
    4. Run the installer
  • Check Doceri! If it’s working, great! If not, try the following.
     –   Update Doceri by going to Doceri’s website.

To update the iOS (mobile operating system) on your iPad, follow this step by step guide.

Updating the iOS on student devices :

  • For students who take their devices home, updating is at their discretion. However, it’s a good idea to encourage them to update so everyone’s device has the same features and capabilities during instruction.

  • For students who keep their devices at school, it’s best to update all of the iPads at once so each device has the same features and capabilities during instruction. This can be done while the students are at lunch, before they go home for the day, etc.

App updates

  • Apps downloaded from Self Service (by students and/or teachers) are automatically updated every night.

  • Apps downloaded from the App store (by teachers) will still need to be updated through the App store or by turning on automatic updates.

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Accessibility Features on the iPad

Our classes are filled with diverse learners so the built-in assistive features on the iPad are a game changer for students who need support with vision, hearing, motor skills, learning, and literacy. You can access most of these features by going to your Settings app, clicking on General, then selecting Accessibility.

For an in-depth description of accessibility features on all Apple devices,  check out https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/. However, here are just a few that may be helpful for you and/or your students.

  • Guided Access allows teachers to limit students to one app at a time as well as limit the amount of time spent in an app. This feature would benefit students who have trouble controlling their motor skills as it would prevent them from accidentally clicking out of an app. Note: This feature is not recommended for apps that require the student to go to other applications (ex: QR readers).
  • Reader view in Safari reduces the number of distractions on a website to allow students to focus on the text only.
         
  • Voice Over is a gesture-based screen reader that allows you to hear a description of everything happening on your screen, from battery level to which app your finger is on. You can also adjust the speaking rate and pitch to suit you.

  • Speak Screen will read the text in a website or iBook. You can adjust the dialect and speaking rate as well as have words highlighted as they’re being read.
  • Font Adjustments give the option to convert text to a larger, easier-to-read size as well as bold text.

  • Dictation gives the ability to turn speech to text by clicking on the microphone button on the keyboard.
  • Assistive Touch adapts the various gestures to fit the needs of the learner. For example, rather than having your students triple click to enable Guided Access or fumble with the case to take a screenshot, it can be accessible with the touch of a button.
                         

    For a step by step tutorial on how to turn on some of these features, click here.

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Troubleshooting

With the increased amount of technology, comes an increased amount of tech questions. Follow these helpful tips to get your questions answered and your device back up and running as soon as possible.

Who to contact for repairs (Elementary and LRIS)
     1st contact- Teacher

  • Perform common troubleshooting steps (quit app, restart iPad, delete/reinstall app, rejoin network).
  • If all else fails, Google it!
    Miyagi Troubleshooting. Turn Off, Turn On  "Are you Google? Because you have everything I'm searching for."2nd contact- Building Tech Integrator

    • The tech integrator will ask you to share the troubleshooting steps that were performed.
      –    This ensures that they don’t try the same thing and gives them more information to share with
      TechMedia, if needed.
    • If the device is still having trouble (malfunctioning, physical damage), the building tech integrator will contact TechMedia.
      TechMedia’s internal process
      1. If the problem can be fixed, it will be fixed and returned to the classroom teacher.
      2. If the problem cannot be fixed, a replacement iPad will be issued.


Who to contact for repairs (MS and HS)
1st contact- Teacher

  • Perform common troubleshooting steps (quit app, restart iPad, delete/reinstall app, rejoin network).
  • If all else fails, Google it!
    Miyagi Troubleshooting. Turn Off, Turn On  "Are you Google? Because you have everything I'm searching for."

    2nd contact- Library

    • The tech integrator will ask you to share the troubleshooting steps that were performed.
      –    This ensures that they don’t try the same thing and gives them more information to share with
      TechMedia, if needed.
    • If the device is still having trouble (malfunctioning, physical damage), the building tech integrator will contact TechMedia.
      TechMedia’s internal process
      1. If the problem can be fixed, it will be fixed and returned to the library.
      2. If the problem cannot be fixed, a replacement iPad will be issued. If the student is responsible for the cost of repair, the cost will be reported to the main office.

 

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