I.T.S. a Tech Update
March 2022
Welcome to March 2022
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring!
Hello teachers,
Welcome to the month of March. Along with the strong desert winds and dirt in your face, comes the warmth of Spring. The 3rd-grade MacBook distribution has been a total success as our department prepared and distributed over 3,000 laptops along with starter mini-lessons for all of those students. If your students need a MacBook starter lesson, no matter what grade level they are in, please feel free to reach out to your Instructional Technology Specialist to schedule one.
Along with the warmth of Spring, we also want to share some tech tips and information for the month of March.
In this newsletter you will find:
- Pi Day Activities
- MacBook Student Tricks That Teachers Don't Know About
- Fun with Classroom Tech: AnswerGarden and Emoji Prompts
- Blog Spotlight - TCEA Technotes - 13 Shortcuts you may not Know
- EPISD Robotics Competition Update
- March Virtual Learning Programs
As always, if you have any questions please contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
Let's Celebrate Pi Day!
Check out the following activities that you can do with your students.
- 31.4 Mathtastic Pi Day Activities for the Classroom - https://www.weareteachers.com/pi-day-activities/
- Pi Day: Huge List of Pi Day Activities for All Ages - https://mathgeekmama.com/math-resources/pi-day-goodness/
- 11 Pi Day Activities for High School Students - https://www.hmhco.com/blog/pi-day-activities-for-high-school-students
- Texas Instruments Pi Day Activities - https://education.ti.com/en/bulletinboard/2018/march/waystocelebratepi
- Discovery Education Pi Channel - https://classlink.discoveryeducation.com/learn/channels/channel/bd01da3d-a4df-4931-ac59-4b6f8d194997/tab/47c117bc-9a9c-4792-bf08-d5706a66a118
As always, if you have any questions please contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
MacBook Student Tricks That Teachers Don't Know About
1. Multiple Desktops (a.k.a. Mission Control) - Most people create desktops to easily switch between content that they are creating. Some teachers create a desktop to open the TEKS Resource System website and another desktop to have their lesson plan template open making it easier to copy and paste information such as TEKS and descriptions. Students also like to create multiple desktops. Some do it because they want to add their own pictures to each one, others create them so they can change between their classroom activity or assignment to something else like Minecraft or YouTube.
- How to Check, switch between, and Add Desktops - To do any of these three actions all you have to do is press the F3 key, or slide up on the trackpad using three fingers. By doing this you are opening Mission Control, which you can also open by clicking on the Spotlight search icon and typing Mission Control. Students will definitely use the three-finger shortcut. It is much faster. Once there, you can see how many desktops are open and what each desktop has open by clicking on it. You can also click on the X on the top left and close all desktops except for Desktop 1. Click here to view a short video on how Mission Control works.
- How to Check for Multiple Desktops in Fullscreen - When you click on the green dot to go fullscreen you create another desktop and you can still use the three-finger up motion on the Trackpad to view, but most people will use a three-finger sweep from left to right, or right to left to switch between fullscreen windows. You can still press the F3 Key, or do a three-finger swipe up to see the number of Desktops a student has open since a fullscreen app is essentially a new Desktop. Click here to view a short video on how to switch between fullscreen windows.
As always, if you have any questions please contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
AnswerGarden - A free, easy-to-use feedback tool
Just for fun: Emoji prompts
Blog Spotlight - TCEA Technotes - 13 Shortcuts you may not Know
Enjoy this read from TCEA's blog, Technotes, 13 Shortcuts you may not Know.
EPISD Elementary Robotics Competition Update
W am excited to announce that we have 18 campuses, 70 teams, and 238 students participating in the 2021-2022 EPISD Elementary Robotics Competition! Thank you very much for your dedication and for allowing your students to have this experience.
The elementary competition will be held in the Chapin High School Gym on Saturday, March 26th. We are including the map below to show where to enter the campus, parking, and gym location.
Since we do have quite a few teams, we did decide to split the day after all. Here is what the day will look like.
- Morning group: Aoy, Bliss, Clardy, Coldwell, Collins, Cooley, Green, Guerrero, Logan, and Lundy (33 teams)
- Team Arrival and Check-in: 7:30am - 8:00am
- Competition: 8:00am -11:00am
- Afternoon group: MacArthur, Mesita, Newman, Nixon, Powell, Putnam, Tippin and Zach White (37 teams)
- Team Arrival and Check-in: 12:30pm - 1:00pm
- Competition: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Awards: Top 3 scoring teams and sponsors from the morning group will be invited to return for the awards to see if they have placed. Awards will take place at 4:00.
Below are all the items that need to be brought to the competition by you, the sponsor. Students are only responsible for themselves and to bring a snack if they would like.
- Each sponsor will bring 1-2 practice mats for their teams to practice in the pit area and the kits for each team participating.
- Each team will have their Spike or EV3 Kit that they have been using all year.
- Each team will have a prebuilt robot.
- Each team will have 1 charged device, iPad or laptop, that has their programs pre-saved on it.
- Each team will have the "Power Cell" needed for the challenge. This is #3 in the task description. It is a student-created item that is at least 4 inches tall but less than 6 inches and must fit completely inside the circle on the "Charging Station" portion of the competition mat. It cannot be made on site. Students should have it ready to go.
We will provide extension cords and power strips if they are needed in the pit area. There will also be a sponsors' lounge with snacks and drinks provided.
Note: Sponsors you will only be allowed to interact with your students to get them set up in their spaces in the pit prior to the official start of the competition, if you are needed for emergency purposes, and during the clean-up process.
Please complete the following form with your cell phone number in case you need to be called back to the pit area and continue to use the Robotics Teams Channel for questions.
We are very excited to see your students demonstrate what they have learned this year and apply their problem-solving skills!
March Virtual Learning Programs
There are many virtual learning opportunities for the month of February. Click on the links below for more information and registration.
Flipgrid Live Events - https://blog.flipgrid.com/upcomingflipgridliveevents
- Meet author and creator Mike Smith - (Recommended Ages: 12+ )
- Thursday, March 03, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso.
- Hear from Flipgrid visual designer Matshoshi Matsafu - (Recommended All Ages)
- Friday, March 4, 2022, 1:00 PM - 1:20 PM MST/El Paso.
- Witness to History with Ruth Kapp Hartz: Reflections of a Hidden Child in Nazi-Occupied France - (All Ages) Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso.
- Meet Flipgrid Designer Sam Mensah-Bonsu - (Recommended Ages: 14+ ) Friday, March 11, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:20 AM MST/El Paso
- Explore magic, fairy tales, and imagination with Chris Colfer! (Recommended Ages: 8-12) Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso
- Imagination & Creation! Building a Book Series with YouTube Superstar StacyPlays! - (Recommended Ages: 8-12) Wednesday, March 23, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso
- Our dyslexia journey with WNBA player Jewell Loyd and Gwen Loyd - (Recommended Ages: 9+) Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM MST/El Paso
Connect2Texas - https://www.connect2texas.net/pages/home/events/
Connect2Texas Weekly Update Newsletter - https://www.smore.com/689qk
Note: You will need to register an account before you can register for an event. Not all events are free, but you can filter to only see free events, as well as, events that are still open for registration. Free events fill up fast so be sure to register early!
Celebrate Women's History Month in March with Connect2Texas
- Women Warriors of WWII - Presented by National Museum of the Pacific War (Grades: 2-7) Cost: FREE Date: March 4, 2022, 9:00 AM MST El Paso
- Making Her Mark Presented by Amon Carter Museum of American Art (Grades: 3-6)
- Cost: FREE
- Dates/Times:
- March 9 - 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m, or 12:30 p.m. MST/El Paso
- March 11 - 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. MST/El Paso
- March 14 - 9:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. MST/El Paso
- March 21 - 9:00 a.m. MST/El Paso
- March 25 - 10:00 a.m. MST/El Paso
- March 28 - 9:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. MST/El Paso
Discovery Education - https://www.discoveryeducation.com/community/virtual-field-trips/
No permission slips are required! These On-Demand virtual events let educators take students to amazing places and give them remarkable experiences, without ever leaving the classroom.
- American Ideals Virtual Field Trip (Live) (Grades 5-12) Thursday, February 17, 2022, 1pm EST/11 am MST/ElPaso
- Winning With STEM - A Virtual Field Trip with Olympian Katie Ledecky and Panasonic (Grades 5-12) On-Demand
- Making a New Life: The Courage of a Refugee - On-Demand
- Voices of U.S. –Why We Serve Virtual Field Trip - On-Demand
- YOUR HEART VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP - On-Demand
MacBook Chrome Browser for Students
For instance, when opening EPISD Plaza/Classlink, Safari doesn't ask to save their account information, where Chrome does. This makes it easier for our new laptop users, like 3rd grade, to quickly access EPISD Plaza. Also, when students select iStation in EPISD Plaza a new window opens and they will always need to select, "Allow" to open iStation. In Chrome, a new tab opens, instead of a window, which asks you the same question, but you can check of a box where you give Chrome permission to always open iStation without having to click, "Allow". This is an extra step that can be avoided by using Chrome.
Another student website that seems to have an issue with Safari is ST Math. When students click on ST Math, a new Safari window opens and states that there is an error. Students will see a blue button that says, "Continue Anyways" and that will take them to ST Math. In Chrome, it opens a new tab and not a new window and there are no issues. It just opens the website and students can start working.
Most student laptops should already have Chrome installed with the exception of new laptops in 3rd-grade. Chrome is an app that is found in Self-Service ready to be installed. One thing you may want students to do even if they have Chrome installed on their laptops, is to go into Self-Service and click on Reinstall to get the newest updates. They can also do the same for other apps like iStation, Pages, Word, Excel, Numbers, and many other apps they may be using in your class.
After you install/Reinstall Chrome, have the students open System Preferences and click on General. In General, they will change the default web browser to Chrome. After that, any time they click on the EPISD Plaza link on the desktop it will open in Chrome and they can save their Classlink account information and check off the box to allow iStation to open without the need to allow it access every time.
This is a one-time setup, but you will need to assist your students in doing this. Make sure you protect your laptop and guide them step by step for the procedures are the same for you and the students.
As always, if you have any questions please contact your Instructional Technology Specialist.
Safari iStation
Chrome iStation
Safari ST Math
EPISD@Home iPad Tips
EPISD@Home MacBook Tips
Three-Minute Quaranteaching Tips
EPISD Dates and Events
- March 07 - Teacher Staff Development/No School for Students
- March 8-11 - Intersession
- March 14-18 Spring Break/No School
- March 21 - Beginning of 4th Nine Week Grading Period
- March 01 - National Black Women in Jazz and the Arts Day and National Reading Month
- March 02 - National Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss Birthday
- March 03 - World Wildlife Day and National Anthem Day
- March 04 - National Day of Unplugging and National Safety Day
- March 05 - Reel Film Day
- March 06 - National Dentist's Day
- March 07 - Alexander Graham Bell Day
- March 08 - International Women's Day
- March 09 - National No Smoking Day
- March 10 - National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
- March 11 - Worship of Tools Day
- March 12 - National Girl Scout Day and Aztec New Year
- March 13 - National Good Samaritan Day and National K9 Veterans Day
- March 14 - National Pi Day and National Learn About Butterflies Day
- March 15 - International Day Against Police Brutality
- March 16 - Freedom of Information Day and National Panda Day
- March 17 - St. Patrick's Day
- March 18 - Global Recycling Day
- March 19 - Certified Nurses Day and National Let's Laugh Day
- March 20 - Spring Equinox, International Day of Happiness, and World Storytelling Day
- March 21 - International Day of Forests and World Poetry Day
- March 22 - World Water Day
- March 23 - World Meteorological Day and National Tamale Day
- March 24 - World Tuberculosis Day
- March 25 - National Dante Day, Tolkien Reading Day, and National Medal of Honor Day
- March 26 - Earth Hour Day
- March 27 - International Scribble Day and World Theatre Day
- March 28 - National Triglycerides Day
- March 29 - National Vietnam War Veterans Day
- March 30 - Doctors' Day and National Pencil Day
- March 31 - Cesar Chavez Day and National Crayon Day
Contact Us
We are Instructional Technology Specialists that serve all campuses in EPISD. We spend most of our time sharing ideas and teaching best practices for integrating technology as a seamless part of learning in the classroom. Please contact us if you are looking for a technology integrated session that would best meet the needs of the students in your classroom.