Fun random name picker. Spinthewheel.io Save names, use stock images, change the sound while spinning, duration of the spin, sound with result, as well as change animation with results (fireworks, snow, confetti, etc.)

A little over 4 years ago I shared a fun random name picker - Wheel of Names.

Today, I am sharing Spinthewheel.io

This random picker allows you to paste in your own names, as well as use stock photos instantly from a search. However, what I really like is the ability to randomize the names, sort alphabetically, and ten see the results as well as hide them.

The ability to edit the sound the wheel spins to as well as the duration of the spin, the sound with the end result, and the ability to change animation with results (fireworks, snow, confetti, etc.) 

You can also instantly create two wheels and spin them at the same time is a nice feature.

Finally, the ability to name the wheel and save to your Google account is an amazing feature.

Embedded below is a 2 minute and 10 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Real World Math! How you can teach perimeter and area of any place on Earth using the tools in Google Earth.

The past few weeks I have shared a number of sites that deal directly with mathematical concepts. In today's post I will be sharing how you can use a site like Google Earth and have students answer real world perimeter and area problems.

Once you enter into Google Earth, make sure to type in a place that you/your students know. In my example I used the high school where I went as a kid. 

Once the satellite image comes up

• select the ruler on the bottom left in Google Earth
• you will then see a popup in the upper right with feet as the default
• feel free to change if you desire 
• select your starting point and then drag around to create the perimeter
• you will need to close the shape
• in the upper right you will then see the perimeter and area (see image below)

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 17 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Want a summary of a YouTube video before even watching it? Ask Chat GPT.

If there is a YouTube video that you are not sure what it will include, try asking CHAT GPT/Openai.

All you need to do it the following:

• Enter into https://chat.openai.com/
• Ask it to please summarize this YouTube video for me with the link
• Include the Title of the video

You can see an example below:

Embedded below is a 47 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Use Google Sheets to instantly create an interactive Geomap

 If you have data (such as world population) that you would like to instantly make into an interactive map - try using Google Sheets.

Here are the steps:

• enter data into the Sheet
• Insert > Chart
• Change the drop down chart type to either a Geo Chart or Geo Chart with markers
• You will then see the chart
• if you need to change make sure to select customize
• to change chart style choose the drop down and make your adjustments
• to change the chart (maybe from World to United States choose Geo and then region.
• you can also change the color of the minimum, medium, and maximum
• Finally, you can download the image, publish it to the web, copy, etc.

Click here to see the chart published to the web.

Embedded below is a 2 minute and 22 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Google Drive tip - quickly see information about files such as who the owner is, when it was last opened, File size, and location.

If you have ever entered into your Google Drive and wanted to find the information below:

• Owner
• When last opened
• File size
• Location
• this is huge as sometimes the file may be in a shared drive

Of course you could find out this information by selecting the i in the upper right corner

However, you if you see the icon next to the i - make sure to select it so then you will see information in a list layout as you can see below.

Embedded below is a 50 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Simple and effective tip when you want to open a link from a specific website.

One time-saving tip that may be of some help to you (if you do not already do it)

•  when you want to open up a link on a website but want to keep the original site open in your tab
• make sure to right-click on the link and you will see the options you see below

• more often than not the options of opening in a new tab as well as copying the link address is used the most

I hope this tip helps you.

Embedded below is a 51 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Teach elapsed time using Visnos.com's Two Clocks.

If you are looking for a great activity for teaching about time, check out Visnos.com's Two Clocks.

The first clock shows the start time, while the second clock shows the end time. The duration between the times can be automatically calculated as well as the ability to hide either clock.

When you open the site you will see the two clock and when you drag the minute or hour hand you will see the duration at the bottom of the site. This is great for showing elapsed time as well as asking questions regarding elapsed time. You can also remove showing the answer to the elapsed time by clicking on the check.

With the clocks you can easily remove the digital clocks by clicking the off button.

The ability to link the clocks is a nice option to talk about elapsed time and how it looks at different parts of the day.

Make sure to click on the die for a random time for your students to answer.

Finally, if you would like some leveled questions be sure to choose the question icon for levels 1-5.

Embedded below is a 2 minute and 13 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Teach fractions with a virtual fraction wall.

 A great visual for fractions is to use Visnos.com's Virtual Fraction Wall.

In order to see the colors on the wall make sure to select the red, yellow, blue, green icon next to the word fraction at the top.

A few items to pint out...

• if you select one or more fraction bars you will see the new fraction on the right side
• if you want your wall to go to 12s make sure to choose mixed (top of the site) and change it to large
• you can also select 2s, 3s, 5s, and primes in the same location
• if you would like a random wall make sure to select the die
• you can also hide the fraction on the right so students would have to "guess" what each fraction is showing
• if you want to show simplified, percentage, or decimal make sure to choose the area where it says fraction
• I really like choosing fraction and then the EQ (equivalent) then select something like 1/2 and the rest of the fraction board will show what is equivalent to 1/2

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 51 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

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Try Number Explorer on Visnos.com for a great visualization of division as well as factor-pairs, prime-factors, and division tests.

 Number Explorer is a great site for visualization of division. As you can see in the embedded picture below you will be presented with the division problem of 36/5.

• You can easily adjust the division problem to what you would like - just make sure you select the check next to the number. 
• You can show the numbers as well by clicking on the icon underneath of the die that says show numbers.
• You can change it from balls to fish or cards
• Change the mode to factor-pairs
• see the factor pairs for the number you chose
• this is so helpful for students to see this visualized

Embedded below is a 2 minute and 14 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Time, angles, and fractions. A great way to teach time and angles virtually to your students - learn to recognize acute, obtuse, reflex and right angles.

 Visnos.com has an amazing resource available to learn how to recognize acute, obtuse, reflex and right angles called Time, Angles & Fractions

When you open the site you will see a clock set at 7:58 PM. Below are some items I wanted to highlight:

• In the upper right of the screen you can see how you can toggle off the site showing the time as well as if you would like to use the 12 hour clock or the 24 hour clock.
• To adjust the time simply drag the circle near the top of either the minute or hour hand.
• If you look at the bottom of the right side you will see the elapsed time.
• Once you reset you can then select the die and it will give you a random time with showing the elapsed time.
• If you would like to show angles simply select the grey time and you will see a drop down menu of Time, Fractions, Angle, and Style.
• When you select Angles you will see the angles between the minute and hour hand with the ability to measure with a protractor.
• Choose the angle underneath and you will see the actual measurement.
• You may want to change to thin hands.
• Now try changing the measurement to minute to hour.
• When you choose fractions you can drag the circle and adjust the number of pieces the clock is in.
• When you choose style you can change the background, minute, hour hand, etc.

A great way to teach the clock as well as have them be able to see angles and fractions.

Embedded below is a 2 minute and 8 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Check out these Random Spinners on Visnos.com. Easy to use spinners plus some fun built in activities that you could use at the end of class for some fun.

On Visnos.com they have a random spinner site that allows you to create from 1-4 spinners as well some fun built in math activities.

• You will notice that there are 3 spinners available (you can make it 4 by choosing where you see the number 3).

• You can change the sides for each spinner from 2-12.

• Once you select edit you can then choose find rule, calculate, and substitute.

• Then, you can choose the amount of time as well as if you want a negative result or not.
• Go ahead and spin
• You will then see the results of the spin and you see what the result will be and students are to find a way to make the numbers into the result.
• example is 6 and 3
• answer of 18
• students are to then state
• 6x3
• axb

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 34 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Looking for a website that allows you to create and manipulate polygons? Check out the Polygon Explorer on Visnos.com

 If you are looking for a website to manipulate polygons, try Visnos's Polygon Explorer. When you open the site you will see the image below.

A few things to point out

• in the upper right you will see 
• a protractor that you can measure each angle
• next to the protractor you will see a ruler that you can measure sides
• next to the ruler is drag which is the ability to toggle off the circles around each vertex
• this is important especially when using the protractor as you will then not move the vertex by mistake
• finally you will see 0.5 - you can adjust this as it allows you to drag the vertex 
• at 0.5 you can position each vertex by 0.5  

• underneath
• sides
• from 3 to 20
• radius
• from 0 to 10
• angle
• from 0 to 360

• under the angle you will see
• outer and then interior
• when you select them you will then see the angles 

Embedded below is a 2 minute long YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

How to print out a number of documents students have turned in using Google Classroom.

If you are interested in printing out work that students have turned in from an assignment in Google Classroom (i.e. a Google Doc) and would like to print them all out without having to open each one individually, follow the steps below.

•   Enter into the assignment in Google Classroom and choose View Instructions
• Choose Student Work at the top and then choose the folder icon 
• note you can also find the folder in Drive under Classroom

• Select the documents you would like to print and then choose to download the files
• This will create a Zip file
• Create a new folder on your desktop
• Open the Zip file
• Choose the files you would like to Extract
• Choose Extract at the top of the page (in pink)
• then choose extract all
• Choose the newly created folder
• Select all the documents again and print them out

If the above steps look like a lot - please view the 1 minute and 56 second YouTube tutorial below. I think it will save you a lot of time.

Take care,

Brad

How to print out a number of documents students have turned in using Google Classroom.

Also works for how to print out a batch of Google Docs without having to open each individual doc. 

Brief Google Classroom tutorial revolving around assignments

 In this tutorial we are looking at Google Classroom.

• When you enter into an assignment you can review the work in the bottom right (blue)
• you will see the names of all the students which you can sort
• add private comments to each individual student
• see when the assignment was turned in
• can also return work
• Bottom of the assignment you will see instructions
• Student Work
• See who has turned in, has their assignment returned, etc.
• Can also see the Google Drive folder which includes all the documents
• for how to print these documents - click here.

Embedded below is a 2 minute and 19 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

How to insert email drafts directly onto a Google Doc for someone else to offer suggestions or assistance prior to sending.

If you have ever wanted someone to either proof-read or work on an email with you, now you can. Simply follow these steps:

• open a new doc - doc.new
• type @email
•  choose Email draft

• you will then see the address and subject lines for Gmail followed by the body of the email

• begin writing your email as you typically would
• when read make sure to share the document in the upper right and then the person/people you share it with would be able to assist you with your email

• when ready to send the email simply select the Gmail icon next to the address and subject lines

• this will open up your Gmail
• hit send

Embedded below is a 1 minute and 36 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Virtual PATTERN SHAPES Explore counting, geometry, fractions, and more with a set of virtual pattern blocks.

 The Mathlearningcenter has created a great site for virtual pattern blocks. When you open the site you will see the pattern shapes on left which you can drag over to the board. As you can see in the images below you could show how 4/6 + 1/3 could equal 1 whole as well as how to show dimensions and area.

On the bottom left you can see different tangram shape outlines that you can then try to fill in the shape.

In the example below you can show perimeter and area of different triangles.

I really like this one because you can show how the angles in a triangle are each 60 degrees with the toggle protractor. 

Embedded below is a 2 minute and 50 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad

Virtual WHITEBOARD APP Solve problems and explain your thinking in a digital math workspace.

 If you are looking for a free whiteboard give Mathlearning Center's whiteboard app a chance.

When you open the site you are presented with what you see below in the embedded picture. You will see all of your tools for writing, typing, drawing all on the right side of the site. On the bottom it allows you to hide portions, share the screen, as well as join a specific link.

Below that you will see examples that Mathlearningcenter has shared.

Embedded below is a 2 minute and 21 second YouTube tutorial.

Take care,

Brad