TIES was SUPERB as usual:)!!! (Part 1)

I can't even begin to tell you ALL the things that I saw and TOTALLY loved at TIES 2015.  Here is a link to ALL the break out sessions and presentations that took place this weekend - A M A Z I N G!!

TIES Break Out Sessions

Here is a QUICK breakdown of what I attended and what I learned and thought was worth my time:)!!

1. MakerSpace - this seemed to be the "theme" of the conference, or a NEW AND HIP thing, but in all actuality, it has been around for a LONG time, just called things like learning centers, rotations, etc... WITH the exception of allowing KIDS TO EXPLORE and learn through TRIAL AND ERROR, instead of US always giving THEM the answer - THEY FIND THEM:)!!   True definition might be: "creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn."  The speaker I listened to, Jen Legatt (who is a media specialist), created a MakerSpace in the media center.  Here is  a list of items that they have: puzzles, bananagrams, legos, puzzles, circuits, makey makeys, story cubes, "thinking" games, coloring books, window markers, hot glue gun, duct tape, popsicle sticks, origami, Sphero, etc...  You can really go ALL out here or as little as needed - just make is a SPACE where kiddos have a chance to create, invent and be those innovative thinkers that they are:)!!

2.  30 Webgems for the classroom - THERE WERE A TON of sites that seemed SO AMAZING!  Although I was disappointed with Mark Garrison, as he didn't do his "50 Sites in 50 Minutes," I did learn some new ones here:

Veezle - a place to find free stock photos
DaFont - go font crazy at this site - all are free! 
LunaPic - free online photo editor
iPevo Wishpool - this site grants wishes for teachers using iPevo products.  Check it out! 
PowToon - presentation creator - something a little different 
Unite for Literacy - free online books for kiddos at the elementary level 
ClassKick - As students work on a teacher-made Classkick assignment on their iPads, teachers see every students' work progressing all at once. Students can privately raise hands, teachers give individualized, real-time student feedback, and so much more.
Zaption - online videos with learning 

Exit Ticket - use them for kids to answer whenever - for leaving the room, coming to school in the morning, etc..
Plickers - SUPER cool way to check to understanding of do a quick assessment of a skill.  Print the cards and kiddos hold them up with the answer and they you scan your classroom with your Smartphone or iPad - TRY IT:)!!
Riddle - create quizzes, polls, lists, ect.. in 60 seconds - easy and quick!

3. New Google Tools - WOW:)!  Check out below:

*BUILD - Buildwithchrome.com = Lego + Google – awesome build! Can’t save and come back – must finish and publish!

*BROADCAST – Broadcast URL with Sounds – short link – similar to URL

*CITE – Access your citations across devices

*CODE – fashion projects – includes mentors

*GOOGLE HANGOUT – place for people to collaborate together and meet

            -Google on Air to publish and share hangouts with others

*COMPOSE – Flat.io Composter – allows you to create music scores

*DESIGN – Google Art project – with different art institutes that kiddos can visit –many haven’t experienced this so it’s a way for them to see

*EXPERIENCE – Cardboard – creates 3D similar to a

*DISCOVER – Google Field Trip – Google will tell you when you approach something near you an then you can see things that you are interested in

*EXPLORE – Historic Gallories – explore primary sources that allow you to see this

*FLY – Google Earth Flight Simulator – allows kids to fly a plane across certain geography areas in Google Earth

*GESTURE – Project Soli – Google based gesture that captures the motion of your hand – can change volume, start things, etc… Google Class will do the Google piece – but motion related

*KEEP – All your lists in one place – collaborative lists!

*LISTEN – Chrome Extension: Speak It! Text to speech

*MAP – Sheets Add-ON – Mapping Sheets

*POLL – Collect Data

*PRODUCE – You the YouTube Editor to produce a video

*PUBLISH – Students create Sites for sharing with the world

*ROLE – PLAY – Ingress – www.ingress.com

-augmented reality massively multiplayer online role playing location-based came created by Niantic labs, a startup within GOogle

*SEARCH BEYOND – site:gov   filetype:ppt

*TRACK CHANGES – Use Draftback (Google add-on) to see the development of a document

*TRAVERSE – www.google.com/sky/ - takes you out to pieces of astronomy and explore beyond the doors of our classroom

*UNCOVER – Google World Wonders – cultural institute using street view technology

*VISUALIZE – www.google.com/publicdata/directory

-pull in different data from public domains – birth rates, death rate, labor populations, etc..

 

I have MORE TO SHARE - but that's a good list to get you going!  I still need to go and piece a few more things together!

Happy New Year all - take care and stay warm - the cold spell is coming here in MN - UGH!!
Mrs. I:)