Mini-Teaches+2013+-+2014

What is a Mini-teach?
A mini-teach are are e-mailed every Monday (Mini-teach Monday!) and are simple technology tool you can use in the classroom. Have something to share? Contact Heidi Crist, Angleton ISD Instructional Technology Coach.


 * = __**#**__ ||= __**Mini-teach Description**__ ||= __**Links**__ ||
 * = 24 || Now is a great time to plan for next year. Want iPads? Want new equipment in your classroom? Can’t get funding? Donorschoose.org can help. Post a project on donorschoose.org, get funding, do the project, have students complete the project, take pictures of the project, send student thank you notes, apply again. It works. Select the graphic, below, to learn more.



See the link [|here] to see the impact of DonorsChoose in Texas. || [|donorschoose.org] ||
 * = 23 || A kindergarten teacher asked about an easy way for kids to share files on the iPad. After going home last night, thinking that the options I looked for and tried didn’t work, I decided to try an app called Drawp Edu again this morning when I returned. With Drawp Edu, teachers can set up assignments and students can turn in images. Everything is visual. The app creator had answered a question about it, and I was going to try her suggestion. After trying Drawp Edu again…

I like it! You can create a class. In the class, you can create students and then assignments. Only one assignment is active and shown in Drawp Edu and on the other ipads. It is not dependent on the kids being on just one iPad. The assignments can be created in Drawp Edu or pulled in from DropBox, Google Drive, the ipad camera roll, or from the camera.

The picture editor that has features like pens, crayons, stamps, and shapes, as well as coloring sheets. A neat feature is audio recording on the picture. Touch the microphone, touch the picture, record, touch the microphone to stop the recording, and a play button is added to the picture for listening.

File-sharing is easy. After creating the image, touch the share button. The image becomes small and a whole class circle, a teacher circle, and a circle for each of the kids in the class appear. Drag the small image to the circle you want to share with, and it is sent. Great for little guys! || iPad App: Drawp EDU Google Play App: release Spring 2014 || media type="custom" key="25552544" width="96" height="96" || ScreencastOMatic Explain Everything Edmodo Kidblog Weebly Google Drive OneNote Kahoot Google Forms Socrative Nearpod Quizlet Skype Education Remind101 Twitter Showbie Dropbox Schoology Backchannel Chat TodaysMeet Canvas Educreations ScreenChomp ShowMe Toontastic PuppetPals Powtoon ||
 * = 22 || 8 ways to use technology in the classroom:
 * = 21 || Kahoot! Nope. I didn’t sneeze….

Create a quiz (or borrow one of the many) on Kahoot, share the access code, and open the quiz on your presentations screen. Quizzes can be played on any computer or device individually or with a group. You can play my short game by going to [|https://kahoot.it/#/] and using game pin 77592.

When you play with students, you will be logged in to your account and have the ‘Game Pin’ (code) displayed on your presentation screen. The kids will put the Game Pin into their device, iPad, computer, phone and then play the game (oops…quiz). The students will see immediately if they are right or wrong on their screen on each question. On the presentation screen, the only item displayed will be a bar graph showing the correct choice and the number that answered for each answer choice. They have a nice game to learn how Kahoot works when you register at [|www.getkahoot.com]. || [|www.getkahoot.com] ||
 * = 20 || So, a lot of teachers are using Quizlet already (yay!). For those of you that don’t, I have prepared a five card Quizlet flashcard set for you to really try it out. Select the link to the right.



Quizlet is a flashcard program that works on just about any device: iPad, Android device, and PC-based tablet. You can create your own cards or use and adapt sets from thousands of users on the site. Teachers can create and track classes from kindergarten to college. The free version has a lot of features. Follow the link, above, and click around to learn more. || [] ||
 * = 19 || Through the app Read and Write, available through Google Apps, students can highlight text and have the computer read to them. You must be using Google Chrome. Here is a video created and graciously shared with us from Keith Barnett at CBISD on how to use it. The video is 11:37 min long. Select the picture, below, to learn how.

|| Read and Write App ||
 * = 18 || Have you been to Discovery Education lately? This miniteach, and upcoming miniteaches, focus on the wonderful teacher and classroom tools available in Discovery Education. Maybe you already know about them (then share!), maybe you haven’t been in Discovery Education for a while.

Through the Teacher Center, you can access the Discovery Atlas Interactive Map. Find videos about a country by selecting on the country. Select the map, below, to be directed to log in to DE and go to the interactive map.

In ‘My DE’, select the calendar to see information about notable days of the month and videos tied to those days. Click on the calendar, below, to be directed the DE site, log in, and see the calendar.

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 * = 17 || Just because an image is on the internet doesn’t mean it is free to use. Watch out for copyright issues. Always document your source. The following Symbaloo webmix has links to websites where it is possible to find copyright free/for education use images. ALWAYS CHECK THE WEBSITE’S POLICIES BEFORE DOWNLOADING AND USING ANY IMAGE.

|| Images for School, Symbaloo Webmix || || LearnZillion 9 Ways to use LearnZillion || What is an infographic? A visual way of presenting information. Like an essay or report, but much more colorful and visually interesting, like this infographic from The Wall Street Journal .
 * = 16 || LearnZillion is a web/ios App/Google Play app for Math and ELA teachers from grades 2 - 12. With a free account you can find lessons and videos with visuals and simple explanations. Use quick codes for individual students to make assignments or give a quiz found in LearnZillion.
 * 15 || INFOGRAPHICS

Check out some stats about visual learning through infographics:

[|13 Reasons Why Your Brain Craves Infographics]

Infographic creators you can use in the classroom:


 * 1) Good Labs
 * 2) Stat Planet
 * 3) Easel.ly
 * 4) Hohli Charts!
 * 5) Piktochart

SCIENCE TEACHERS: See Elements 4D (iPad app). Augmented Reality comes to the periodic table! || [|13 Reasons Why Your Brain Craves Infographics]


 * 1) Good Labs
 * 2) Stat Planet
 * 3) Easel.ly
 * 4) Hohli Charts!
 * 5) Piktochart

Elements 4D || Math: Would You Rather? A blog dedicated to creating math questions for students to choose their own path and justify it. For example:  || Bear Tracker Would you rather? ||
 * 14 || Bear Tracker: Watch the path of polar bears as they pad across sea ice. Education materials are available on the website, as well as scientist blogs.
 * = 13 || Did you know that February 5th is national Digital Learning Day? It is a national day to “**//make a difference with digital learning //** in America's schools and take the pledge to support the effective use of technology to improve education for all students.” There are teacher toolkits and lesson resources at [|www.digatallearningday.org] . Find a way on February 5th to teach a lesson with technology, go paperless for just one day, or to teach your students about digital citizenship.

To celebrate Digital Learning Day, Angleton ISD is having a contest. See the attached flyer for more information. **//The project deadline is January 31st//**.

The mini-teach for this week is related to digital citizenship. Digital citizenship covers topics related to internet safety, netiquette, avoiding cyberbullying, and copyright and fair use. If you need ideas for your poster or just for your class, follow the links, at the right. || Video: [|Keeping Kids Safe][|Online]

Website: [|NetSmartzKids]

Website: [|Brainpop Spotlight, Digital Citizenship]

Website: [|K – 12 Digital Literacy & Citizenship Curriculum] ||
 * = 12 || For MiniTeach Monday, I want to share a blog for you called Free Technology for Teachers. Richard Byrne is a former teacher, turned consultant, that highlights apps AND windows-based programs for the classroom. Just about every day he highlights and describes one (or more) free technology tools teachers can use in the classroom. Follow or like him on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, by RSS, or e-mail, and you won’t have to remember his e-mail address. || [] ||
 * = 11 || Google Cultural Institute. Go and explore. You can find beautiful interactive presentations, complete with Street View and Google Maps for many of the Galleries, of Art Collections, World Wonders, Historic Moments, and more. Zoom in on the Gigapixel photo of Edvard Munch’s //The Scream//, to see his brushstrokes. Take your kids on a virtual tour of the area around the Eiffel tower with Street View after learning about its history. Explore and see… || [] ||
 * = Special || Drag your mouse over the tree. Click on the dots that appear to go to linked websites.media type="custom" key="24701824" align="center"

|| 19 Holiday Websites on Thinglink

Thinglink Home Page || The US Government has many free resources for teachers. Highlighted in the blog seekoutlearning.blogspot.com are science-related web sites: Science and Innovation from Energy.gov, Energy Kids, Energy Star Kids, Everyday Mysteries, and the Federal Registry of Educational Excellence. || seekoutlearning.blogspot.com || Check out the Grants calendar page on this wiki to find links to educational grants. ColAR Mix is an app that brings color sheets downloaded from their site to life. It is available for free for iOS devices and from Google Play. || ColAR Mix for iOS devices
 * = 10 || Just in time for the mid-year blahs...a reminder of the great resources that are stored on our very own W: drive! Find PowerPoints, Webquests, Math ideas, links, and more. Go to w:\\District\Teacher Resources or W: \\District\AISD Logos & Pictures. For even more ideas and links visit to collaborative page, SAILOn. || SAILOn ||
 * = 9 || ====3 great science sites and thousands of FREE educational resources ====
 * = 8 || ====**GRANTS and ColAR MIX**====

ColAR Mix for Google Play || "Recognizing that there are creative, inspiring and hard-working teachers who make a difference to their students every day, Pinterest is supporting the community of teachers. As a way to collaborate in finding and sharing ideas, Teachers on Pinterest is a hub where you'll find everything from lessonplans for different grades, to classroom decorating ideas and activities, and topics like fun with phonics, sensory learning technology in the classroom, etc." --Shirley Phillips Shirley also has classroom ideas for Veteran's Day shared on the W: drive at W:\District\Teacher Resources\Patriotic Lessons and Holidays\Veterans Day. || [|Shirley Phillips's Pins]
 * = 7 || **PINTEREST and VETERAN'S DAY**

Teacher Pins by topic || speakers from around the world through Skype in the classroom. Take a virtual field trip around the world. Group video calling is free for a year for educators (as of Nov 2103). || Skype for Education || 1 year license to Adobe Presenter (reg $199). Create instructional videos, make PowerPoint presentations interactive, create interactive quizzes on a PC or iPad. Free for download by November 30, 2013. You first need to register for the Adobe Education Exchange.
 * = 6 || Connect and video-conference with other educators, classrooms, and guest
 * = 5 || **Free Stuff (as of October 2013):**
 * ADOBE PRESENTER**

Learn about great iPad apps that are usually paid-versions, but go free for a limited time. || Adobe Education Exchange Download Adobe Presenter Demonstration Video
 * APPS GONE FREE**

Apps gone Free iPad Similar App for Droid || your comments to specific groups and enable you to find groups (For example, #kinderchat is a group of kindergarten teachers that meet on Monday nights and share ideas on a specific topic). || Newbie's Guide How-to-Twitter in the class || a concept map with links and resources related to your subject. You, or students, can click on the circles to find additional resources about a topic. You need to see one. Click on the link, below, to see a Grok concept map on blended learning and then start clicking and double- clicking on circles and links to see what it can do. || Grok || on the image to connect to other images, text, or videos. || Thinglink
 * = 4.5 || **TWITTER** can be used to connect with other educators. Hashtags (#) link
 * = 4 || **GROK** **i**s a smart concept mapping tool. Put in any word, and it will create
 * = 3 || **THINGLINK** is free for educators. You upload a picture, then make links

Ideas for the classroom: Introduction Periodic Table Effects of Reading on the Brain Prep for college Kindergarten || Aurasma is an augmented reality tool. Download the app, put it over a tagged image, and watch a video, photo, 3D animation, or other tools come to life. Use to attach videos to paper worksheets, make a word wall come to life. Both photos are triggers for an Aurasma. Try it out.
 * = 2 || **AURASMA and EDMODO**

Link with your kids and other teachers with Edmodo. Edmodo is a sheltered social site for the classroom, kind of like facebook. To join our Angleton ISD group, contact Heidi Crist. || Aurasma Edmodo

Ideas for the classroom:

See @Aurasma, under the @October On-Site Training on the menu at left. || Create a board where groups can place sticky notes with their name, a thought, a video, or a link. Some ideas for the classroom: brainstorming, a group report on frogs (they can share manage rights), pictures of objects with right triangles, a video on solving an equation, an “all about me activity,” sharing videoson a current event. Any other ideas? The instructions say teachers,but principals are teachers, too! || Padlet ||
 * = 1 || **PADLET**