TEACHnology Today
Summer Edition: June 1, 2016
Said No Teacher Ever
Summer Technology Training Opportunities
- June 8: EdCamp Mid MN
- June 15-16: TIES Institute: Featuring Google Apps for Education
- August 1-4: Technology Integration Workshop Program
- August 3-4: iPadPalooza MN
- August 10-11: Fergus Falls GAFE Summit
- August 15-18: Edina Learning Institute (for teaching teams and media specialists)
Cool Tool for Summer: Google Drawings
This often overlooked app is quite possibly the most powerful Google tool you’ve never used! This simple shape tool can help you annotate over content or create graphic organizers, posters, mind maps, flow charts, infographics, interactive activities and even memes! Students can use it to show their understanding, collaborate with others and showcase their creativity.
Interactive Images with Google Drawing
One of the awesome uses for this tool is to create interactive images, similar to what you would create with ThingLink. You can find an image you want to discuss with students, and then have them link videos, websites, documents, etc. to specific parts of the image. In my example shown above, I took a map of Minnesota and then made it interactive in the following ways:
- I drew a triangle over the Northwest Angle, and then added a link to teach students about the area.
- I drew a shape over Pigeon Falls in Grand Portage State Park, then located the falls using Google Maps and chose the 3D option to give students a great aerial view. I placed this link over the shape.
- I found an image of the Minnesota State quarter and located a website that discusses how the design was chosen. I linked the website to the image.
- I found a great YouTube video about the introduction of a buffalo herd to Minneopa State Park. I placed this link over an image of the Minneopa falls.
- I located a moving gif of the Minnesota flag, and found a resource describing how the flag was designed and what the various aspects represent.
Students can do this task as well. If you are teaching about types of volcanos, you could ask students to label each area of the volcano and find a link that provides the viewer with more information.
Teachers can create their own images to utilize as part of a multi-media text set or exploration activity where students view a variety of resources you have complied on a topic.
Click the link above to open and explore my example. Feel free to try it out for yourself by following the step-by-step instructions on the left-hand side.
Google Drawings Crash Course
Have 30 minutes to learn a fresh new tool that has the ability to transform your classroom? Click here to learn the basics of Google Drawing and all the things your students can do with it!
20+ Google Drawing Templates!
I have linked over 20 Google Drawing templates that could easily be used in almost any subject area or grade level. Click on the link, and a copy will automatically be made and placed in your Google Drive. From there, share it with your students! The goal is to make this tool quick, easy, and painless to use.
Have a wonderful summer! If you are in at all and would like to chat about technology for next year, I'll be working most Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays so I'd love to hear from you. Thanks for a great year!