Think Different #130
COVID-19... May 2020
we are all feeling a little couped up.....but these resource may help
Need help with.....technology, teaching online, resources, just wanna bounce an idea off me, whatever, just shoot me a text message at edtechksu@gmail.com or email to edtechksu@gmail.com or even cyndidk@ksu.edu
Please feel free to share this newsletter.
Cartoon, Color Starter
Holidays, Job, Lifestyle
Movie, TV, Sport
Custom Cursor for your Browser, what a cool idea to get kids attention
- This Chrome extension can change your regular mouse pointer to a fun, custom cursor.
- Open the extension window and click on any cursor you like, then move your mouse to this page and click on check area.
- Due to Google policy restrictions extensions cannot change cursor on Chrome Web Store, browser inner pages and Homepage.
- Please reload your browser tabs after selecting a cursor.
And you can even create your own cursor, I tried it with the k-state PowerCat, it works!!! I am using this one right now in Chrome. Experimenting.
And here is one for your MAC: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/icursor/id426388150?mt=12
and here is another one http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20140713153000210
All the conference details and registration
Make It Easier To See Your Cursor And Clicks On Your Mac
Thanks to Gary at macMost for this tutorials: https://macmost.com/e-2168
Unexpected Benefits of AR/VR Tools for Remote Learning
Read the full story with ideas for using From Ed tech Review
K-12 Education with VR: In the remote classroom, teachers are pressed for new ways to engage young learners who suddenly find themselves attending class in their own living rooms. Augmented and virtual reality are finding new homes with student audiences because they make learning fun, enabling students to explore topics like science and history in new ways.
You can get Google Cardboard for a little as $10, I even saw it one place for $1.95. I actually have that brown cardboard one, but on couse it is in my office at work and I can't get my hands on it at the moment, but I have played with it a bunch and it really is quite a cool tool for little money. No doubt one that cost more than is few dollars is better, but cheap might be a good way to begin.
Google Cardboard works with Android and iPhone (lots of apps in the Apple iphone/iPad app store) both. There are a variety of versions of viewers on the site.
And there is lots of VR * AR that doesn;t require the cardboard or headsets, check out
Bring your lessons to life with Expeditions: Introduce your students to a new way of learning with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Download the Expeditions app to get started. https://edu.google.com/products/vr-ar/expeditions/?modal_active=none
I did a quick search on Amazon for VR HEADSETS for Kids, they reragen from $10.99 to $1000.
And Augumented Reality with your phone or ipad is a lengthy list of apps, most free, I amw orking on putting that together for the next newsletter, so stay tuned.
This tool has some ingredients that are my absolute favorites: Simple, Free, Engaging, Interactive and to top it all, students don’t have to register. ClassroomQ?
Take a Virtual Safari With These Wildlife Webcam
How to collaborate in real-time with Book Creator
Can students work on the same book at the same time?
Technically this is a paid feature but has been extended from 14 days freel tril to 90 righ now. So is worth giving it a good try with your students.
Here's how to collaborate, step-by-step instructions
Remote Learning with Book Creator
Creativity can happen anywhere. We’re here to support you with resources, ideas and encouragement to keep the learning going.
Unleash student creativity
Book Creator is a simple tool for creating awesome digital books. Create your own teaching resources or have your students take the reins.
Combine text, images, audio and video to create:
- Interactive stories
- Digital portfolios
- Research journals
- Poetry books
- Science reports
- Instruction manuals
- ‘About me’ books
- Comic adventures
Using Poll Everywhere with Google Slides
Kate Bing Coners over the past 8 years has taught math grades 6-9 (Algebra), 6th and 7th grade science, Social Studies grades 6-8 and literacy. From an Instagram tothesquareince has a great tutorial and demonstration on how she is using the Google Slides add on for Poll Everywhere. It is quite good. Check it out at https://www.instagram.com/p/B_48oyOnr2p/
- You can find Kate on Teachers Pay Teachers at www.ToTheSquareInch.com
- On Instagram and Facebook
- and she loves sharing ideas (teaching, recipes, fashion, home decor) on Pinterest
Gett the Chrome Extension for Google Slides Here
The Kid Should See This
There’s just so much science, nature, music, art, technology, storytelling and assorted good stuff out there that my kids (and maybe your kids) haven’t seen. It’s most likely not stuff that was made for them…
The Kid Should See This is an unprecedented collection of 4,500+ kid-friendly videos, curated for teachers and parents who want to share smarter, more meaningful media in the classroom and at home. And thanks to our members, it’s free for everyone.
Selections are grown-up-friendly, too. TKSST champions smart STEAM, history, and culture-focused content by museums, organizations, and creators who celebrate curiosity, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, kindness, and other essential themes for all ages.
Enjoy around 10 to 15 newly-added videos every week, browse the collections, and search topics in the archives. Founded in 2011, The Kid Should See This is curated and maintained by me, Rion Nakaya, with input from my 9 & 12-year-olds.
Here are a few examples of what you will find
- Swarming monarchs and a hummingbird spy cam
- Filming birds, bats, and moths with wildlife boxes
- Ada Twist Scientist read by Astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor on ISS
- What happens if you cut down all of a city’s trees?
- How are Kkwabaegi (꽈배기) twisted donuts made?
- Exploding Rainbow Milk Spiral
- The Culture of Us: Yo-Yo Ma’s crowd-sourced music video
- Katherine Johnson, the girl who loved to count
- How to paint layered petals with watercolors
Getting Started with #BookSnaps
What are #BookSnaps?
#BookSnaps provide fun visual ways to share our reactions to what we read. This post provides my quick take on #BookSnaps built on my experience working with teachers and students. For a more comprehensive look at #BookSnaps, please check out the amazing work of their founder, Tara Martin.
Nick give great step-by-step instructions for how ti implement this into your classroo,. And Secondary folks, don;t thisnk this is just for elementary, works great in your classroom too.
He enen has a free Booksnaps poster you can download for free.
Read the full post: http://edtechpicks.org/2020/05/booksnaps/
Personalize Devices for Learners
Apple devices can be managed remotely to create a personal learning experience tailored to address individual needs. In this video, IT audiences will learn how Apple School Manager works with a mobile device management solution to secure devices, facilitate communication and collaboration, and personalize iPad to support diverse learning styles and requirements.
https://video.ibm.com/recorded/126591283
Teacher launches science experiment website
"Welcome to Home Science Kid!
I am a high school science teacher, home like many of you for the next few weeks with my kids. I have been seeing and feeling the angst of other parents at home with their kids, overwhelmed with how to keep everyone engaged and learning. I wanted to provide some home opportunities for learning science in these next few weeks! Hopefully many of you feel equipped to guide your kids through some reading and math activities. Sometimes, we might need to switch things up though! My goal is to share resources with everyone and anyone who would like some ideas for enjoying science together with their kids at home. This is purely for science enrichment, there is no set curriculum. The resources provided through this website are meant for learners aged from Pre-K through High School. I have tried my best to find variations to the activities and worksheets so that families with kids of different ages can work together and still learn at their own learning level. I didn't make or create any of these lesson plans, worksheets or experimental designs; I have only compiled what I Googled! This will be far from a perfect experience, but I am here to help guide and answer questions if you have any! Please know that anyone and everyone can be a science learner and a science teacher! I let my students know periodically (pun 100% intended) that I am learning alongside them, and that's really the heart and the fun of science! So make mistakes, ask questions, be confused, find answers, get messy, and grow closer as a family learning with one another!
Click the link to view a WELCOME VIDEO from me!"
Tech Tidbits for teachers
Check out the full list, CLICK HERE
Sites for Creating Quizzes
- Answer Pad - A student response system that also allows educators to quiz students to assess learning in real-time.
- ClassMarker - A secure, easy-to-use platform ideal for creating embeddable quizzes, similar to ProProfs. The paid version offers more options for users.
- EasyTestMaker - EasyTestMaker provides tools to generate a wide assortment of tests, including the ability to specially format tests and insert instructions.
- Gimkit - A game-based remote and self-paced learning solution that also allows educators to create quizzes for students.
- Google Docs (forms) - A user-friendly way for teachers to create tests and quizzes that can easily be embedded. Also offers real-time reporting.
- GoToQuiz - A very simple site for creating a quiz that generates a unique URL for users.
- involve.me - Helps users build quizzes that include a variety of features such as images and timers.
- Kahoot - One of the most popular sites for gamifying a classroom and creating fun educational quizzes for the whole class.
- Otus - An innovative all-in-one mobile learning solution in which teachers can create quizzes to assess learning and differentiate instruction.
- ProProfs - Offers numerous templates and customizable features for building quizzes. The paid version offers tools such as student tracking, analytics, and privacy settings.
- Quibblo - A fun, social media-friendly site that allows quizzes to be rated, shared with others, and embedded.
- Quiz Game Master - A nice little platform that allows users to build quizzes that can be turned into online games.
- Quizizz - Ideal for creating multi user quizzes that provide real-time results.
- Quizlet - A popular site that covers a variety of subjects that also offers study guides, flashcards, and practice tests.
- QuizPedia - A platform that allows students to create the tests and take control of learning by researching the answers.
- QuizSlides - Users can build quizzes from PowerPoint slides and import results into a spreadsheet.
- QuizStar - Offers quiz-building features such as multimedia elements and multilingual options.
- Super Teacher Worksheets - Educators can find worksheets, printables, and generators for quizzes in a multitude of subjects.
- Testmoz - A user-friendly site that offers four question types and generates unique URLs for easy distribution.
- Triventy - Supports the creation of collaborative classroom quizzes.
- Special thanks to David Kapuler, read his blog at cyber-kap.blogspot.com
Loom: Screen Recordings & More
iPad app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/loom-quick-videos/id1474480829
Loom helps you communicate more effectively at work. With Loom, you can record your screen, voice, and face to create an instantly shareable video in less time than it would take to type an email. Whether you want to share updates with your team, document a bug, or demo an app, Loom helps you get your message across quickly and clearly.
How to Blur Faces and Objects in Your Videos for Richard Bryne
Think Different Resources
Weekly resources are archived at http://www.cyndikuhn.info under Weekly Resources
Email: cyndidk@ksu.edu
Website: http://www.cyndikuhn.info
Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
Phone: 785-532-5812
Twitter: @EdtechksuCyndi