NBPS Technology Department
October's Monthly Newsletter
2nd Graders At Livingston School Hold The World In Their Hands
Here at Livingston Elementary School Mrs. Keller’s 2nd Grade Science class teamed up with their Media Specialist Mr. Rivera, for a discussion on the matter using something called a MERGE Cube. The Merge Cube is a STEM tool that allows students to virtually explore a concept right in the palm of their hands, utilizing augmented reality.
Ms. Keller positioned herself behind the projector, and after a discussion about the differences between a solid, liquid, and gas, students used the MERGE Cube, to explore the states of matter of ice cubes. Students were able to hold a virtual box of ice cubes in their hands and watch them change their state as the teacher manipulated them using the IPad. During the presentation, students were asked scaffolding questions and encouraged to use academic language in their responses. Students also used accountable talk to discuss the following questions and tasks: Can a solid change to a gas WITHOUT becoming a liquid, Why or why not? How can we feel or see a gas? What happens to the volume of a liquid and it’s container when it becomes a solid? Discuss with your partner, similarities and differences between each state of matter. The MERGE Cube, engaged and excited the students, giving them a virtual glimpse of the concept in action. Many thanks to Mr. Rivera, for giving us this exciting opportunity to explore and learn, as well as introducing Mrs. Keller and her student teacher Ms. Wang to the amazing MERGE Cube!
The setup involved the MERGE Cube, an Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter, a long HDMI cable, an IPad and a projector that supports HDMI. For more information about the MERGE Cube visit https://mergevr.com/cube.
Student Voice! McKinley Self-ESTEAM Fest Exhibit
Negative Effects of Excessive Use Of Plastic, Its Consequences, and Proposed Solutions
Did you know
... that 190,250 plastic bags are used every minute in the USA?
….Plastic takes anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years to degrade?
...Current estimates show that at least 8 million pieces of plastic are entering the oceans every single day.
Hi, my name is Julissa Pelaez, PTECH student and I am speaking on behalf of all PTECH Students. We are working on a Problem Based Learning (PBL) about the Negative Effects of Excessive Use Of Plastic, Its Consequences, and Proposed Solutions
We have identified a problem that is affecting all human beings' sustainability equilibrium which is the excessive use of plastic. We did deep research for information about plastic use, then we decided to prepare an exhibit display to show the community how serious the excessive use of plastic is, improper recycling and its consequences on marine animals. We built a giant plastic water bottle made of almost 500 plastic bottles and it represents that we are filling the ocean with plastic. Marine animals are living around plastic and it is affecting their growth. Our display was huge, sophisticated and we wanted to make the community more aware of this issue. Our exhibitions showed the result of excessive amounts of plastics in the oceans and how it affects our marine life. It not only affects them, but it also affects us. It has long term effects such as a decrease in our marine life and other animals and plants in the marine ecosystem. They mistakenly eat the plastic thinking it’s food and by eating such a large amount of plastic, they eventually die. Our exhibition proposed solutions to fix this problem, such as using less plastic and using recyclable materials. Overall, our experience at the STEAM Fest exhibition event was amazing. We were able to work as one to make our exhibition happen. From early as 7:30 a.m., students were already there to begin the process up until the end of the event. We as the students were very eager and willing to help our teacher in whatever way possible. Not only was our exhibition a great one, but it also showed us that we must work together to complete things. Our time was running short while we were setting up, but more and more students arrived which made our job easier to get done.
Hello Read & Write Google!
Read&Write offers a range of powerful support tools to help you gain confidence with reading, writing, studying and research, including:
• Text-to-speech to hear words, passages, or whole documents read aloud with easy-to-follow dual color highlighting
• Text and picture dictionaries to see the meaning of words explained
• With speech-to-text, dictate words to assist with writing, proofreading & studying
• Word prediction offers suggestions for the current or next word as you type
• Collect highlights from text in documents or the web for summarizing and research
• Create and listen to voice notes directly inside of Google Docs
• Highlight specific words to obtain meanings and translation in a different language.
Teachers can use Read&Write in the classroom to:
support students who need text-to-speech to hear words, passages, or whole documents read aloud.
support students that need accessibility in writing by providing speech-to-text.
provide speech-to-text that can dictate words, to assist with writing, proofreading & studying, translate specific words.
Students can use Read&Write to:
hear words, passages, or whole documents read aloud.
collect highlights from text in documents or the web, for summarizing and research.
create and listen to voice notes directly inside of Google Docs.
access a dictionary both in words and images
highlight words that need to be translated in a different languages
Click below to get information on how to use Read & Write in your classrooms.
A Blast From The Past! Digital Citizenship (Information Literacy)
INFORMATION LITERACY IS RECOGNIZING WHEN INFORMATION IS NEEDED AND HAVING THE ABILITY TO LOCATE, EVALUATE, AND USE EFFECTIVELY THE NEEDED INFORMATION.
Spend this month helping students evaluate quality resources on the internet. Ask the questions below to start a conversation about information literacy. Use your own thoughts and experiences to model wise use of the many resources available to students on the web. Click on grade levels to see lessons from Common Sense Media that can help provide information, videos, activities, and essential questions in order to make the learning meaningful and purposeful for students.
Click on the link below to get information on current and updated subscriptions for the year.
Submissions...
Tweet using #NBPSTechInfuse to showcase infusing technology in new ways in your classrooms. @NBPSTech
*Please, be mindful to only post images of students who have a signed media release forms.
For ALL technology related issues, please submit a Technology (IT) Work Order. This includes computers not working, printers, interactive whiteboards, LCD projectors, Chromebooks, staff laptops, wireless issues, login issues, email, setting up projectors for PD opportunities, etc. Please DO NOT use SchoolDude to submit technology work orders.
In addition, if you require assistance in setting up an LCD projector for a presentation, PD or outside presenter, please submit a Technology (IT) Work Order and as a backup "reminder" please email your building tech a day or two before as a reminder.
You can ONLY access the Technology (IT) Work Order system from within the district. Your username is firstname_lastname and use your network login password
Technology Department Help Desk
- The Technology Department can be reached from 7:00 AM until 4:30 PM at extension 5555.
- Please enter a work order for any non emergency technology issues.
*Note: School Dude is not for technology work orders.
Website: http://www.nbpschools.net/Departments/Technology/index.html
Location: 268 Baldwin Street, New Brunswick, NJ
Phone: 5555
Twitter: @NBPSTech