Technology and Learning

Here is ONE more tool to learn/use if your kids LOVE gaming for review.  This app was created by a  high school student who wanted to play games in class and learn.  SO here you have it!  It's VERY similar to both Kahoot! and Quizizz in the fact that you create question sets and then students are given choices and answer them on their device.  HOWEVER, Gimkit allows them to earn money, which they can then spend on a question they may not know, help them jump spots on the leaderboard, etc... and you can also just give them the code to enter and start the game. I KNOW - you're thinking, "ANOTHER APP THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE QUESTIONS FOR, IT'S THE SAME THING HOLLY."  AND, I would say, "You are correct.  HOWEVER, it's something new as they have been using Kahoot and Quizizz FOREVER here, so sometimes it's just a matter of changing it up a bit, and this would allow that for you! GOOD LUCK - give it a shot - YOU are probably tires of some of those

Yesterday I had my technology integration meeting, and I just have to say, I LOVE THIS GROUP!  Not only are they a "sounding" board for me, as they have the same frustrations I have, they are such gal darn amazing people that I ENJOY THEM IMMENSELY!!!!  Each time we meet, we go around and talk about the what's happenings in each district to get a feel for things.  Sometimes it's curriculum, like in our case, sometimes it's departmentalizing at grades we NEVER thought imaginable (1st and 2nd), and sometimes it's just "Hey, we're going to try and do this, how can we help?" kinds of things.   We ALWAYS end the session with anything neat and new that we have discovered or have been using which might help others. Here is what was shared and rediscovered: Random Trivia Generator - THIS ONE IS NEAT - THANKS D!!!  This is really just a site that has trivia on it - random at that.  Choose a category, and then click on the question to reveal the answer

Mr. Schindler, a 6th grade teacher here, recently started a podcast called Mr. Schindler's Neighborhood (go find him on Apple Podcast or Spotify).  I LOVE IT!  He talks about 6th grade, has guests on the show, and basically has created a podcast newsletter for parents.  I inquired about it and he uses Anchor .  TALK. ABOUT. EASY!!!  You basically create an account and fire away!!!  INSTANT PODCAST!  You have to also ask Apple, Spotify, Google, etc... to add them to their list of podcasts, which takes around 48 hours, but then you are GOOD. TO. GO!  What a great way to use technology in your classroom.  Students, parents, and other interested peeps like myself - GO SEEK HIM OUT!!! If you have been interested in possibly starting one DO IT!!!  It's super easy with this website/app, and you will love doing it.  You MIGHT need a microphone, as this is one I purchase for a podcast that I am currently doing with a teacher friend, but give it a shot! Happy Podcasting, Mrs. I

Mrs. Detloff, an English teacher in Barnesville, has been using the Serial podcast with her students.  What she is doing is AWESOME!!!  Here is her explanation: " I needed something interesting and different for their nonfiction unit that covered a lot of standards. It also had to be something that could introduce their big research paper project. It was a way to improve listening skills while talking about primary and secondary sources, credibility, and evidence. It also addresses critical reading skills. and incorporates technology. Standards also state that we need to present texts in different mediums, so this addressed that as well. I attached the parent letter I sent at the beginning of the year." Seriously - I love EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS!  But I am a HUGE podcast fan, and the kids are getting into them as well - SO NEAT:)!! Happy Wednesday, Mrs. I:)

I have been working with third grade to "map" out standards.  Now, I don't mean just "map" out, I mean really dig into curriculum and find what loopholes they have and be INTENTIONAL about covering those standards.  I came across this website that seems pretty amazing when trying to find lessons that might be for those more difficult standards that maybe aren't covered as strongly as others! Better Lesson I can't even - I LOVE THIS ONE:)!!! Teachers created these lessons, and it seems to have all the items necessary here for you.  It would be worth your time to take a look at this one:)! Happy Thursday all, Mrs. I:)

One More GEM!!!  Again, Mrs. Smith, had her photography class tell a story through photos.  They studied various famous essay photo art.  Students were then asked to come up with a topic, similar to when they would write an essay for English. They then had to come up with a storyboard that would tell their story through photos.  This was an excellent way for students to learn the power of expressive art forms.  AGAIN - LOVE LOVE THIS!!! Mrs. I:)

Mrs. Smith has a new art elective this year called Studio Art/ Mixed Media. Students have been making claymations using the Stop Motion Studio app . Using clay, they created an "object" and then snap a photo of it. The then "slightly" move the object and snap again. This process continues until the object has moved the way they want. Remember that some claymation projects take three years to complete!! WOW! Here are a few examples from her students.  THESE ARE CRAZY COOL- check it out:)! Happy Friday and Weekend all, Mrs. I:)

In August, our staff received this email from our technology coordinator:      " Gmail has changed what they allow educational users to use. If you have  youtube channels for school and you login to that channel with your school email, it might show that it's suspended. I'm applying for an extension, BUT gmail is officially deleting all of those sites in July of 2020 so you need to change how you have your sites setup." I don't know a TON about it other than we have a TON of teachers that have set up and used channels, watch later lists, etc... within YouTube through his/her school email account.  We are in the process of finding the BEST option for transferring, moving, etc.. videos from school accounts to personal accounts so teachers don't lose all of this and can still use all of these, as the time and effort they have spent is enormous as you can imagine!  So far, I have found only "download videos and then upload to other account" as the wa

I am always looking and searching for great podcasts and videos that not only speak to MY mind, but would be good ones for educators to use with students...Great Big Story might be just that.  Great Big Story is a cinema storytelling company based out of New York.  The video I watched calls it, "a video network dedicated to the untold, the overlooked and the flat-out amazing.  Humans are capable of incredible things and we're here to tell their stories."  Definitely something work checking out!! Give it a shot:   Great Big Story Website Happy Monday everyone - make it a great week! Mrs. I:)

Here we are!  Back at is and enjoying the start of our second week at BHS for the 2019-20 school year!  Last week FLEW by with so many questions and forgotten information - which is how the beginning of EVERY school year goes:)!!  This year I hope to accomplish a number of things and one is Blog related: 1.  I would like to "show case" ONE new teacher thing EACH WEEK!  Whether it's a teacher here that is doing something new that I haven't blogged about, or something I find that will be inviting for teachers, I will post one new a week! 2.  I will also try to post something FUN AND EXCITING that I have read about, discovered, stole from someone, etc.... Last week was busy finalizing all things JAMF, Schoology, Google Education, etc.  This week will tend to be some of the same, in addition to filing all iPad paperwork, wiping out last year's users, and getting the Kindergarten iPads ready for distribution and brought over to them! HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL to eve

WOW - how did another year escape me???  To say it went super fast is an understatement!  Maybe it's because I had a graduating senior.  Maybe it's because we implemented new iPads back to full sized ones with some chaos.  Maybe it's just I am getting older and time is slipping away!  In EITHER case, the 2018-19 school year is done!!  HOLY COW!!! Typical end of the year closing shop for things here at BHS.  Here is what's been happening: 1.  ALL iPads are cleaned, stored and turned off - YAHOO!  I will see those babies again the first week in August as I get ready to deploy them for next year's students. 2. Apps requests are in, and PO is ready to go for Volume Purchasing funds.  Not a ton this year, which happens as teachers don't need as much as they already have what is most needed. 3. Technology is GOOD. TO. GO.  We have been putting JTouches in the classrooms but THEY ARE TERRIBLE!  SO next year we are going to test a CleverTouch .  A few districts

I apologize for NOT posting on here in like a decade; ok maybe NOT that long, but still!  There has been SO much going on.  Right now, typical end of the year items as the 2018-19 school year comes to a close!  Elementary iPads will be collected this week and apps removed and MAYBE get ready for next year as much as I can.  Next week I will collect 7-11 as they are done with finals and end of year projects.  I have also been busy compiling ALL apps for EACH grade and content into a Google Sheet, so I will share that. I HAVE A TON TO SHARE - BUT will wait until next week when I have more time to sit and write.  My APOLOGIES AGAIN!!! I will leave you with TWO sites to check out: Bouncy Balls - OOOH I LOVE THIS ONE!!  It monitors your noise level in your classroom:) Gzaas - Full screen message to display - YES:)!! Happy Monday all - take care and will TRULY write more later in the - Mrs. I:)

I have had quite a few inquiries lately in how Barnesville does Elearning with our students.  The state of Minnesota allowed to apply for Elearning, if school districts have 1:1 devices.  Since we have iPads K-12, we were granted this and the school board approved up to five days for Elearning this year.  We have used ALL FIVE OF THEM this year with all the snow and storms, and actually had a sixth which was an actual storm day for us (that's to be determined what will happen with that day:)!  With that said, I have compiled a list of ALL THE THINGS that teachers in our district has done.  I currently have a senior and an 8th grader, so the things THEY had to do are listed at the top, and then I just sent out an email to teachers to collect the other items. THE BIG LIST OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE ON  ELEARNING DAYS:)! After the FIRST Elearning day, I sent out a survey to the teachers to see what they felt they could do better, and the following items came to pass: Things to t

Jim Jacobson, a fellow technology integrationist, shared this as his tech tips and tricks.  I am DYING!!!  ENJOY:) Changes with Google Google has recently announced that as of May 1, 2019 they will be officially changing their name from Google to Goggle. While the look will remain similar and all Goggle functions will remain the same, the company is looking to steam line it's site access. “Most people type in goggle.com anyway, so this will speed up the process of getting to our site,” says one leading executive.  Now going to google.com will redirect you to goggle.com so many won’t even notice the difference. In another name change, Goggle also announced the re-branding of the G-Suite. This will also undergo a slight change in name, changing to G-Sweet.  According to a random Goggle employee, “our goal is always to be trendy and geared towards millennials. We felt that the change to G-Sweet was trendy, cool, and hip. While G-AvocadoToast actually performed the high

The more I look at this site the more I like it and find its value. Education.com offers a variety of worksheets, online games, and lesson plans to meet the needs of a variety of content area in grades K-5.  Below is just ONE sample of what you can find here - as well as a lesson plan to get you thinking about possibilities.  The site is SO user friendly, and it is teachers giving teachers ideas, which we all know is crucial since they are in the same shoes we are:)!!  The learning library alone is worth a peak. Here is a sample lesson plan so you get an idea of what you may find here: The Influence of Latitude on Music Objective: This project compares music from several different countries to determine if there is a correlation between tempo and latitude. For  more fun and engaging learning activities , go to Education.com! Research Questions: Is there a weak correlation between tempo and latitude? Is there a strong correlation between tempo and latitude?

With the possibility of another 4-18" of snow, seriously I went into the WRONG career here with having to be accurate, Mr. Goering has been looking at weather websites.  He said that the one that he loved to used was taken over by another business and doesn't work the same SO he could Weather Street with he LOVES!!!!  It really is amazing.  It doesn't have "live" footage, so load time is awesome as it takes snapshots and embeds them in time frames so you can see how much precipitation fell during a certain few hours for example.  You can see the data in chart view, map view, etc.. it's AWESOME:)!!! The OTHER one I LOVE LOVE is Windmap .  I KNOW that I have shared this one before, but it's a GEM!!  AND besides that, with the spring the way it is supposed to be, it helps to calm me just by looking at it! Stay safe peeps - Mrs. I:)

It has been a little while since I have written anything, so here are a few "random" things that have either been shared with me or I have some across: 1.  Wheel of Names - The technology integrationist in Frazee shared this website with me.  The concept is SO easy, yet effective and something different for the students in your class.  It's simply a wheel that you can add names to and spin.  THAT IS IT!  SUPER easy and convenient to use.  Give it a try:)! 2. Daily Starters - Scholastic has created these and they are a neat way to have students engagement and discussions especially if you start your day with Morning Meeting.  There is one every day and you can choose the grade level that you are focusing on:)! 3. readwritethink - This website provides a plethora of resources in the area of language arts.  There are lesson plans, interactive activities (flash based), worksheets, parent ideas, etc... There are a TON of resources here:)! 4. San Diego Zoo - JUST PLAI

We have had many students that are coming to school in the elementary school in regards to the Momo Challenge that has been in the news for a while now.  Today I went into a 4th grade classroom to talk to the kids about this and other hoaxes that they may see online.  It is NOT an easy topic to discuss, but the discussions are happening which his HUGE and ESSENTIAL!!!  Moorhead Public Schools posted THIS on their website and it's PERFECT - so we basically said "This post is from Moorhead Public Schools and says EXACTLY what we need to say to you."  It's AWESOME - here it is: Moorhead Public Schools posted THIS safety message to their district.  We feel that the message is extremely important - this is what is says: "This is a reminder about online safety.  There has been a national and international media coverage lately about the 'Momo Challenge' on the Internet.  Allegedly, young students are encouraged to text a number on a various online appli

Since the state of Minnesota has ALLOWED it in school districts that are 1:1, we have taken full advantage of Elearning here in Barnesville.  Basically we are allowed to "count" the day that we may not physically be in school because of weather (a blizzard for instance), as a day of school because our students use their 1:1 iPads and learn at home.  Teachers have pre planned Elearning days ahead of time, allowing the kids to work at home on the school day that has been cancelled.  The high school has been able to continue their weeks as normal, as most just continue on with what they had been doing in class and keep it fairly linear.  The elementary school is a little different in that they tend to send a "packet" of ideas, apps, or activities to work on for reinforcement of skills that they have learned, or are currently working on.  Here are a few examples of things that students had to do for the Elearning days that have taken place so far this year:  Studen

This is something that I have wanted to do for a WHILE, and am FINALLY getting around to it!  Maybe there are some others, like you, out there that want to take this on and become Google Certified.  There are different levels, and each of them takes some time, a little investment for cost ($10-15 per test), and definitely WORTH it:)!  Below are some resources to use if this is something that you think you might WANT to do at some point.  If you have other tips for me - PLEASE SHARE!  I would LOVE to hear your advice and tips for helping:)!! Shake Up Learning Google Certified Resources 50 Level 1 Tips from Google Certified Educators 10 Tips for Taking Google Certified Exam How to Pass the Google Certified Educator's Exam Take care all - stay warm and safe - supposed to get more snow tomorrow sounds like - yikes~ Mrs. I:)

I have been looking for some websites where students can go to look for photos instead of doing just a blank search in Google and then clicking images.  Most of the time it's fine, but sometimes the students find things because of the "way" they are searching.  Here are ones I have found this am so far that I like:)  1. Pics 4 Learning 2. Photos for Class (I wrote about this one earlier:) 3.  Pixaby   4.  Pexels   5. Flickr 6. Kaboompics 7. Unsplash NOW, I constantly remind kids that they aren't always going to find the most "perfect" photo for absolutely everything they are looking for.  Sometimes they have to sacrifice the image for the use of it - I know they HATE that - but that's reality, right? Happy Tuesday all - stay warm and don't blow away in the wind today, Mrs. I:)

JUST came across a GEM OF A SITE thanks to Glen from our Schoology Educators group.  Photos for Class is JUST THIS - a website where you can download and use photos for various assignments, presentations, etc.. for classroom assignments.  It's creative common media for public use - THANK YOU:)!!!  The photos are age appropriate and cites them as well - and they are SAFE!!! Take a look at this one - it's WAY better than having your kiddos looking at and trying to find images on Google - that's a hard thing to do at times!! Happy Weekend all - have a TON of basketball tonight but lovin' it;) Mrs. I:)