If you would like to utilize Google's new shortcuts on their home page make sure to select a new tab or select the three dots on a previously created tab.
Embedded below is a GIF as well as a 36 second YouTube tutorial.
If you would like to add audio to your Google Slides presentation, try adding the extension Audio Player for Slides.
Once you allow the permissions, make sure you right click on the slide and select manage audio. You will then see the options you see below in which you can record or upload (must be an MP3 in Google Drive).
When uploading audio it could be a perfect time to discuss copyright laws and rules. To make sure you do not violate any of these, try some free files in Internet Archive.
When adding audio you have the option to play the audio on selected slides, or throughout the whole presentation.
Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 2 minute YouTube tutorial. Big thank you to Layla Lyons for sharing this with me!
If you need to know what version of Windows your computer is running simply type in winver (short for Windows version) in the search box on your computer. In the example I show below my coputer is currently running on version 1803 (Windows 10).
If you do not see a search bar make sure to right click in an open area on your toolbar (bottom of screen). When you right click make sure to select Cortana - show search box.
Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 30 second YouTube tutorial.
The other day I had some fellow teachers ask me for some quick ways to create a doc, sheet, or slide and I blogged about it here - using the Google Docs quick create extension.
Yesterday (10/26/2018) Google announced a number of simple ways to access Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites, or Forms.
Docs
doc.new
docs.new
documents.new
Sheets
sheet.new
sheets.new
spreadsheet.new
Slides
slide.new
slides.new
deck.new
presentation.new
Forms
form.new
forms.new
Sites
site.new
sites.new
website.new
Embedded below is a 1 minute and 5 second YouTube tutorial as well as Google's GIF.
Introducing a ✨ .new ✨ time-saving trick for users. Type any of these .new domains to instantly create Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites or Forms ↓ pic.twitter.com/erMTHOsdyH
If you utilize Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, or Drawings and would like a simple way to quickly create one, try adding the Google Docs Quick Create extension.
Once the extension is added, simply select the extension and choose what you would like to create.
Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 47 second YouTube tutorial.
If you would like to sync information across the devices you use Chrome in, make sure to select the icon next to the three dots (upper right).
Once you select the icon, make sure to follow the directions and sign-in when prompted. You will then need to verify it is you and then Linc Data. Give it a few seconds and you will then see your information synced (bookmarks, addresses, and saved passwords included).
This is great for seeing the same information in Chrome at home that you do at work, as well as for those times that your technology department needs to update your computer! 😉
Embedded below is a 1 minute and 2 second YouTube tutorial.
The other day my 6 year old son came home and begged me to go on to the computer to show me what he did in technology class. Of course we jumped on to Google Classroom (proof that 6 year-olds can use Google) and he showed me his project - Pixel Art in Google Sheets!
How awesome is that?!?!?!?! 6 year olds being introduced to the amazing world of spreadsheets in a fun and exciting way. Jack talked to me about what pixels are and how he could create whatever he wanted in this sheet! That deserves a huge shout-out to his technology teacher - (Liz Dowiak) , school (South Elementary), and school district (Perkiomen Valley)!
I have created a GIF followed by a 3 minute and 9 second YouTube tutorial in which I take you through the steps, how to alter some of the pixel colors, how to alter the size of your sheet as well.
The other day I deleted an app by mistake and I could not remember what app it was (my phone was in my pocket). If you would like to see what apps are no longer on your iPhone, but once were, take a look below:
Certify'em is a Google Add-on that will instantly send a certificate to a user when they pass your Google Form. In order to pass a form, you will be able to set the parameters of what "passing" means.
Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 2 minute and 58 second YouTube tutorial.
Mathplayground is a great website for finding fun math games, logic games, as well as math videos to introduce topics.
What is relatively new is the option to share instantly to your Google Classroom. This is a great option as it focuses the students to the specific "game" you would like them to use.
Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 55 second YouTube video.
The Pixaloop app is one in which you can animate photos from your camera roll. The app is pretty simple to use.
One recommendation (mentioned in the embedded video below) is to make sure that when you want to animate your photo you use the anchor options to "lockdown" parts of your photo you do not want to animate. An example in the video below is my Bitmoji - I did not want my Bitmoji to animate but wanted the "fire" to. I made sure to select anchor and made a number of anchor points to "lockdown" the image.
This is a fun app to animate your photos to stand out for friends, students, etc.
The TV app on your iOS could be one of those apps on your device that you seldom use. When you launch the app you will see options at the bottom of the screen that includes:
Watch Now - suggestions on what to watch (lots of trending shows/movies, sports, etc.
Sports - see what is live now based on categories
Library - shows your library of purchased shows and movies
Store - launches the store where you can buy/rent shows, takes you to hulu, prime video, etc
Search - type in a show and then see where you can rent/buy/watch
In today's post you will see what an assignment looks like when it is assigned to a student in Google Classroom (including the options available to students) as well as how students can easily see their results when they take a quiz.
Embedded below is a GIF as well as a 3 minute and 2 second YouTube tutorial.
ReadWorks is an amazing site that allows you to search for K-12 articles by individual topic, category, grade level, lexile, or type of text (non-fiction, fiction, poetry).
The articles can be easily printed out and include the ability to include or not include additional information (vocabulary, comprehension questions, answer keys, etc).
While you can create your own class manually, you can also easily import your class from Google Classroom.
The best reason for creating a class is the ability to easily assign articles you like to your class. If you use Google Classroom and assign an article to your class you have a number of options. The options include (picture embedded below): if you want the audio included along with the article, what questions you want to be included, vocabulary, if you want to share with your whole class, just specific students, publish to Google Stream, start date and due date.
Embedded below is a GIF and a 2 minute and 39 second YouTube tutorial of what it looks like from a teacher point of view.
When you update your iPad or iPhone and you DO NOT want to add a Passcode (especially helpful when using in a shared environment) follow the steps below. Of course, a Passcode is extremely useful when using in an environment other than a classroom. I am not endorsing to not use a Passcode, just showing how it can be done.
When prompted to create a Passcode select the blue Passcode Options on the bottom of the screen
Select Don't Add a Passcode
Select Continue when prompted "Are you sure you don't want to add a Passcode?"
Two ways you can have your students access your grid in Flipgrid is to choose the correct community type. There are three community types School Email Domain, Student ID List, and PLCs and Public Grids (this is for participants over 16 and intended for your network).
The first option is by School Email Domain. In this option, you will need to enter everything after the @ symbol for how students access their email accounts. In the district where I work the domain is student.methacton.org.
The second option is a Student ID List in which you can upload a CSV file or manually add them. You will not need to add their actual name if you do not wish to. All that is needed is that you use at least two characters (letters, numbers, symbols). If blank, a random ID will be generated.
Embedded below is a GIF followed by a 3 minute and 25 second YouTube tutorial.
If you have ever used Outlook on your computer and noticed that no emails were coming in or going out, chances are the Work Offline option has been selected.
To unselect this, simply go to:
Send/receive
Look to the right side for the Work Offline option
If you have a Google Slides presentation that you would like to Auto-advance at a time other than Google's defaults, simply change the number at the end of the published presentation.
In the example below I will be publishing the presentation to every 3 seconds (default) to every 20 seconds.
File - Publish to the Web
Select Publish
Copy the Url
Change the ending number from 3000 (3 seconds) to 20000 (20 seconds)
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vT3jfvTEa2pcYJk5Z9PmhsK5NEfJRsbUXYXgT vMYm7oSZsFOqzZQ_4fpR6x-mj8wN0MRmzyfLMDF1ZL/pub? start=false&loop=false&delayms= 3000 3000 CHANGE TO 20000
Thank you to my friend Layla Lyons for telling me about this trick!
Padlet is a valuable resource for communication between teachers and students. If you would like more tutorials on the ins and outs of Padlet - click here for some blog posts I have created.
An option in Padlet is the ability to add a screen recording of up to 5 minutes of video. What the user will need to do is add the Chrome extension to have this option - click here for the Padlet Chrome extension.
Embedded below is a 2 minute and 9 second YouTube tutorial.
It is October and Eric Curts has again created a great way for your students to write a story in a fun and creative way - Rebus Stories. A rebus is a fun way to tell a story through the use of text and pictures (emojis).
When the students select Make a Copy this will force a copy of the doc into their Google Drive and they can start working on creating their story.
A few items to point out.
Students can alter the size or style of the font just as they would in any doc.
To select the emoji they would like to use make sure they click and drag over the image they want. Then select Ctrl c to copy and Ctrl v to paste.
If they would like to search for other emojis they can access them by selecting insert special character and selecting emojis (this is also underneath of the emojis on the doc).
If a student makes a mistake and erases something, please remind them of Ctrl z (or the undo button). 😀
Embedded below is a 2 minute and 18 second YouTube tutorial I created.
If you would like a user guide for the iPhone and iPad (iOS12) try searching in the Apple Books app. When you open the app search for "iPhone and iPad User Guide for iOS12".
In iOS12 a great option to make sure that you are not disturbed is to set the Do Not Disturb options in iOS 12. You can set for 1 hour, Until this evening, Until you leave a location, Until the end of event, or schedule).
To access the Do Not Disturb options swipe from the bottom of your screen and then look for the Do Not Disturb 'moon'. Make sure to press on the moon with a bit of pressure. You will then see the options mentioned above.
