Boyd's Bytes
October 2016
"Explore" in Google Slides
Earlier this week Google added a new feature to Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets that they are calling "Explore." The Explore function in Google Slides can help you find a better layout for each slide in your presentation, help you find previous work that you've done about the topic of your presentation, and help you find information from the web about your topic. In the video embedded below I provide a short overview of the new Explore function in Google Slides.
How to Use the Explore Feature in Google Slides
Handouts - another format for a paperless classrom
A paperless student/teacher platform for tablet-centered classrooms (Free version and a Pay version)
Hey TESOL colleagues and any other teacher that is interested.
As teachers we are always looking for learning supports that will help ALL students. Here are a few that can benefit all, but are crucial for EL learners. Perhaps you can get some good ideas. Keepsmilingenglish.com is a great resource cite.
Gifted and Talented Pathways
For my Gifted and High Ability colleagues and other interested parties
Create your own Motivational Posters
Of course if you want it blown up to poster size by the company - there is a charge...but we have our own poster maker at CIMIC (just a thought)
Plastic - Animation made easy - Free on App Store for iPad
Websites such as Poll Everywhere allow teachers to pose questions to students during presentations, demonstrations or lectures and students can respond with immediate responses displayed on a projector.
Podcasting...it could be right for you and your students!
Listening to podcasts is a first step, but sooner or later, many educators are ready to take the leap and record their own podcasts. Already, high school history students are recording reports on Chinese dynasties, while first graders are narrating paragraphs about their class star of the week, and 7th graders are sharing their science experiments . The steps are easy -- record, upload, and share -- and the hardware can be as simple as your PC, or even a telephone.
1. Audacity is a free and easy way to record and upload podcasts for the classroom. Basically, just talk into the mic, export as an MP3 and upload to the Internet. You can even do some simple audio editing.
2. With BlogTalkRadio.com, you simply dial a toll-free number and record a podcast anywhere, anytime using only your telephone. It's free and very easy to get started.
What should you podcast? Classroom ideas include:
- Students reading their original poetry or short stories.
- Foreign language teachers narrating passages to be translated at home by students.
- Biology students recording two-minute overviews on specific genetic disorders.
- Music students recording original compositions.
- History teachers recording classroom discussions or lectures for absent students.
- Elementary students recording a greeting to pen pals across the country or world.
If you need to contact me for questions/help/ideas/or just chit chat...
Email: cboyd@warsawschools.org
Website: http://thebodybyboyd.blogspot.com/
Location: 2302 Isleview Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590
Phone: 574-265-3855
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MsBoydsLakeviewMiddleSchoolPage
Twitter: @boydwinona