New Year/New Blog

I’ll admit it - I’ve dabbled in blogging before.  Well, on the work front I have more than dabbled (see my technology blog here), but on a personal, life level, I’ve started numerous times only to crash and burn after the first few posts.  This time, who knows...maybe it will stick.  Even if nobody reads this but me, it’s a fun and interesting way to chronicle projects I’m working on, books I’m reading and other things that catch my fancy.  Perhaps one day my future grandchildren will read this and think their Grams was a rather interesting lady - or, with my luck, an old coot.  Ha!  

It’s hard to believe it is January 1, 2015.  I keep seeing resolution posts all over social media and on TV and it makes me twitchy.  I know I should have resolutions (that last 10 pounds isn’t going away unless I hit the gym harder), but in past years, I’ve always felt like a complete and total loser when January 3rd rolled around and I’d  already quit.  I did see somebody post on Pinterest that the world’s resolution this year should be to love themselves more.  Hmmm...seems to me that in this day and age of “me, me, me” people with inflated egos could use a tad of self-flagellation (kidding) or at least perspective so they’ll stop thinking only of themselves and start thinking about others...but who am I to judge, right?

So what does 2015 hold for me?  I have no earthly idea.  I’d like to work on several projects I’ve pinned to my overstuffed Pinterst boards. (Side note:  can you imagine what your life would look like if you successfully completed and cooked all things you pinned to Pinterest?)  I’d like to read “52 in 52” - fifty two books in fifty two weeks and blog about them - that’d be neat.  I’d also like to keep my house organized, see my adult children happy, figure out how to keep my car clean for longer than a week, pray more, eat less, listen harder, hold my tongue, keep my pets clean and well behaved, my work life productive and my digital life safe.  Whew.  I’m exhausted just picturing all of it.    I think I’ll take it a day at a time and see where the journey leads.  Right now it’s leading me to a “Blue Bloods” binge on Netflix and a glass of wine.  Cheers!  Happy New Year!

Gmail +1 for Elementary Accounts

This great tip comes from Practical EdTech and it's a winner! It shows a workaround for websites that not only require an email address, but require verification of that email address.   This is problematic for students in lower grades because while they have email addresses, the ability to send and receive mail is turned off for K - 6.  Check out the steps below that outline Gmail+1.  It's quick, easy and allows the teacher to control the accounts.

Elementary school teachers often ask me how their students can use services that require email addresses when the students don’t have email addresses. The solution is to use Gmail+1. Here’s how Gmail+1 works. Let’s say there’s a new service that I want my students to use but my students don’t have email addresses that they can use to register for that service. In that case I can quickly generate Gmail addresses for my students by using the Gmail+1 strategy.

Here’s how the Gmail+1 trick works:

1. Create a new Gmail account just for your class. Example mrbyrnesclass@gmail.com

2. Issue email addresses to students as follows mrbyrnesclass+1@gmail.com, mrbyrnesclass+2@gmail.com

3. Gmail overrides the “1″ and “2″ at the end of the mrbyrnesclass and sends all emails to the inbox at mrbyrnesclass@gmail.com however almost all other services that require an email for registration will recognize mrbyrnesclass+1@gmail.com as distinct from mrbyrnesclass@gmail.com

4. Students can use the “+1″ emails to register for services, but I get to see all of the emails coming and going.

5. Because of #4 above I may have to confirm all of my students’ registrations on a new service.

Disclaimers:

1. This hack doesn’t work on every service so your mileage may vary.

2. Don’t give students the password to the class email address (in the example above I would not give students the password to mrbyrnesclass@gmail.com) because if they have it they could all send and receive email from the account. The passwords that they choose on  the services that they register for should all be unique and they should not share them with each other.

It's Time for the HOUR OF CODE!

It’s that time of year again, folks!  The Hour of Code is upon us. The grassroots campaign goal is for tens of millions of students to try an Hour of Code during December 8-14, 2014, in celebration of Computer Science Education Week. Is it one specific hour? No. You can do the Hour of Code anytime during this week. (And if you can't do it during that week, do it the week before or after).

90 percent of American schools don’t teach computer science. Fewer students are learning how computers work than a decade ago. Girls and minorities are severely underrepresented. And yet, technology is increasingly shaping almost every aspect of how we live our lives.

Why should you participate in Hour of Code?

While all of us know that it’s important for students to learn how to navigate today’s tech-saturated world, many teachers aren’t experienced in computer science and don’t know where to start. This event is a chance for all of us to see what computer science is about.

Hopefully  it’ll spark interest in students to keep learning. Research also shows that kids pick up programming concepts before they know how to read and write. In fact, their brains are more receptive to computer languages at a young age, just like foreign languages.

Why is it important?

In China, every students takes computer science to graduate high school. In the U.S., 90 percent of schools don’t even teach it. It’s time for us to catch up to the 21st century. We know that regardless of what our students do when they grow up, whether they go into medicine, business, politics, or the arts, knowing how to build technology will allow give them the confidence and know-how to succeed.

The Hour of Code is for all ages. Here are multiple sites from which to choose activities and tutorials:

Click on the pictures to view tutorials that will have your students (and you) writing code in no time.

• The first website takes you to code based learning that has a theme that EVERYONE loves this year, Frozen. Help Elsa and Anna and learn code along the way. There are many other tutorials available at this website.
• The next picture has code for all levels for pre-readers to high school. It's definitely worth a look. 
• Made W/ Code has kids writing code that will light the Christmas tree at the White House! Write your code, sign up for a specific time and tune in live via the net to see your lighting sequence on the tree! How cool is that?
• Next is SCRATCH. Scratch is a programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations -- and share your creations with others around the world. In the process of designing and programming Scratch projects, young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.
• Lightbot is great fun and does a surprisingly thorough job of introducing some pretty complex principles of programming. Lightbot offers an easy way for kids to learn concepts like loops, if-then statements, and the like without typing or coding.

Tips on "hosting" an hour of code:

• Check out the tutorials and pick one for your class. Tutorials will be available in as many as 20 languages.
• Go through the tutorial yourself so you can help students during the Hour of Code.
• Test tutorials on student computers or devices. Make sure they work properly (with sound and video).
• Preview the congrats page to see what students will see when they finish.
• If the tutorial you choose works best with sound, provide headphones for your class, or ask students to bring their own.

Google Chrome: You'll Love It!

Everyone knows I fell in love with Google a long time ago.  What's great is that our "relationship" continues to flourish  as Google products just seem to get better and better as time goes on.

I've discussed Google Chrome before on the Technology Toolbox website.  I like the browser because it's fast, secure and I can personalize it in a myriad of ways.  In addition, I can have my bookmarks, extensions and apps on any computer I use when I log in to the browser.  That is a huge plus!  Top10Reviews reported that:

Google has taken initiative in making Chrome very compatible with the internet. Chrome was specifically designed to quickly and efficiently load, display and interact with the vast array of applications on the web, boasting a built-in Flash and PDF reader. The synchronization between your smartphone and your desktop browser makes saving favorites and making bookmarks a seamless process.  Most internet browsers are built for function over form, but Google Chrome succeeds in both. The layout is clean, intuitive and well organized, and Chrome manages a level of simplicity other internet browsers lack. Its features are clearly designed for efficiency and ease of use, and you can search and navigate from the same box. Furthermore, the browser allows you to conveniently create shortcuts to web applications you regularly use, which you can place on your desktop for quick and easy access.

Another reason for teachers in our district to use Google Chrome is compatibility.  If you use Hutchdocs, Google Classroom etc., they work better in Chrome because they all have the same creator - Google .

 The bottom line is, that if used correctly, Chrome can help you with your productivity, connectivity and will provide tools to help you differentiate for your students (SpeakIt, Yellow Highlighter, and Awersome Screenshot Capture/Annotate to name a few). I've been a teacher long enough to know that the proof is in the pudding.   So here is a presentation explaining the "how to" behind Chrome settings and extensions, and links to great extensions for educators.  My favorites are highlighted.

Have a favorite extension or app you're using in the classroom?  Please share it in the comments below.

Socratic Smackdown

I'll be honest, the name of this game grabbed my attention.  Then I read this description and I had to know more; " A versatile discussion-based humanities game to practice argumentation around any text or topic for grades 6 through 12".  I think you will, too.

Socratic Smackdown discussion strategies.

Socratic Smackdown is a game that supports students' developing discussion skills.  It's a fun, printable game that focuses on Common Core Speaking and Listening standards.  Reminiscent of Socratic seminars of old, Socratic Smackdown brings a fresh, engaging approach for teachers and students.  

Students, who are assigned the role of participant or “coach”,  are asked text-based questions delivered verbally by the teacher.  The coach’s role is to listen to the group and complete coaching cards with observations about what the group did well and strategies on which they can improve.  

The game packet is free for download here.  In addition, because so many of us are focused on paperless classrooms,  Google Docs versions of some key pieces can be found below.  When you open them go to FILE/MAKE A COPY to save them to your Google account.

Instant Replay Link

Coach Card

Teacher Checklist

Common Core Rubric

Flocabulary + Common Sense Media = Awesome

What a team - these two power house groups collaborated and the result is excellent. Visitors to the Flocabulary website will be treated to the top ten things one should think about to avoid over-sharing.
If you're not familiar with Flocabulary, the content is always set to music and made into a song - and this is no Glen Miller, folks, it's actually something your students will like .  (Wait, who?)   Not only will the music grab your students' attention, but the lyrics, challenge questions and a fill-in-the-blank activity can also be found on the Flocabulary site.  Common Sense Media rates, educates and advocates for kids by offering schools and parents information on Digital Citizenship and unbiased reviews on a myriad of games, apps, websites and more. Together they provide the  perfect combination of content and engagement that will help get the message of Digital Citizenship to your students.  Peace Out!  http://www.flocabulary.com/oversharing/

The "New" Google Drive?

It's the time of year for educators where everything old is new again.  The same can now be said for your Google Drive account...IF you want it to be.  Google has recently updated the look of their Drive app which will change the way you view your  files.  To take a look at this new makeover just click the settings menu (the little gear in the upper right corner) and choose "Experience the New Drive".  If you decide you're not a fan, you can always toggle back to the old Drive by repeating the same steps.  Google Gooru has some terrific screenshots comparing the old look to the new and explanations of 11 features you need to know about.   Click here to learn more.