LC21
Supporting 21st Century Classrooms in La Canada
The LC21 Community is Growing!
Google Classroom Keeps Getting Better!
Like all things Google, the early iterations are simple, but they keep adding delightful features over time. Anything that makes differentiation more easy to do is a WIN in my book.
Cool Extensions for Student Readers
First up is Just Read. Similar to Reader View on the iPhone, this extension strips out ads, distracting colors, and difficult fonts, and leaves crisp, clear text. If you have students who get lost on distracting websites (probably most kids, but especially our younger ones), this is a must-have.
There's another one called BeeLine Reader. It adds a gradient color to lines of text, purporting to make reading faster. I've just started using it, but it's really natural and I feel my eyes moving just a little bit faster across the text. The free version is unlimited for 30 days, and after that, you can use the feature on 5 articles per day. Check it out!
Team Building and Problem Solving with Breakout EDU!
I'd heard of this activity, but I'd never seen it in action. It's awesome. A number of our teachers have been trained on this or have used it in class, and it's something many of us could adapt for our classrooms.
In a nutshell, this activity challenges students to work together to solve a number of problems and puzzles to eventually open a locked box. The lesson I saw featured codebreaking, invisible-ink, review of primary source documents such as letters and engravings, and a whole lot of student-led learning and collaboration.
There are a number of pre-made activities available online, or you can create your own. Jenny said that she and some of her LCE colleagues worked for a few hours putting together the boxes using a pre-made activity, so I'd recommend using an existing resource for your first time.
If you're interested in learning more about this really engaging activity, please email David or your principal, and we'll help you get started!
Everyone is engaged
Reviewing primary sources
Locks begging to be unlocked
Learning how to work in teams
Secret codes in invisible ink!
They broke out!
Time Saver: Eliminate Copying and Pasting with AutoCrat
Do you want to make certificates for all you students, and are dreading the hassle of typing and editing dozens or hundreds of sheets?
Are you preparing for a field trip, and need to have printed documents for chaperones?
Would you like a (VERY!) easy way to take notes at an SST, department, or team meeting?
You need to check out AutoCrat! This add-on to Google Sheets exports data from the sheet directly into a Google Doc. You can take a roster of students and plug those names into AutoCrat and make instant award certificates. You can sit in your collaboration meetings and take notes on your phone using Google Forms, click Submit, and instantly send a formatted notes page to your team and administrator.
This can be a huge time saver, and I'm totally geeking out on this. Let me know if you'd like to learn more!
Click here to install the add-on, or watch this awesome video by local CUE Rock Star Brent Coley.
Digital Citizenship Lessons
We've established a plan to teach these lessons throughout the school year, and we hope that these lessons will bear fruit in our classroom cultures. At the 7/8 level, we've presented these lessons in every class, and we're applying to become a "Common Sense Certified School," demonstrating to our parents that we are putting emphasis on responsible use of technology. At the K-6 level, we encourage teachers and computer lab specialists to teach these lessons each trimester, or contact David Paszkiewicz who can visit as a guest teacher.
Want to know more about the LCUSD K-6 digital citizenship plan? Click here to see the scope and sequence.
Online Assessments from CAASPP
Many teachers, especially in the younger grades, guide their students through the Training and Practice tests, which do not require a login and do not record student performance.
At each grade level, the CAASPP testing system includes other formative assessments that teachers can administer throughout the year, and that do provide teachers with insight into student performance. As in past years, the tech department will support you as you administer the Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs) to your students in the coming months. Please contact David and we'll be there to support you!
Check out the following links to learn more:
2016–17 Interim Assessment Blocks Overview