Washington Tech Tidbits
Washington School - March 7, 2016 - Rachel Labuz
Parent University TOMORROW (March 8)!
Please consider attending tomorrow's Parent University at Emerson Middle School. The session will feature Dr. Devorah Heitner and will offer tips on raising "digital natives." Check out this website or the flyer below for more information, and please feel free to pass along to parents!
AES Deadline This Friday
The AES request deadline has been extended to this Friday, March 11. If you have recently discovered an app, Chrome extension, or piece of software that you find interesting, please consider filling out this trial request form. Once you fill out the form, the AES will be installed on one device, and you will work with me, your building ITC, to discuss its purpose and effectiveness. After trying the AES in your classroom, we will work together to complete the AES Final Application form to request evaluation by the AES subcommittee. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the process.
Kid-Friendly Search Engine
A new search engine, geared toward children, has recently been launched! Check out kiddle.co (NOT .com!)--a visual search engine for kids, powered and moderated by editors and Google Safe Search. If bad words are present in a search query, the site will block the search from taking place. It is by no means perfect but may be something you want to check out!
*Although it resembles Google in some ways, Kiddle is not affiliated with the company.
Mrs. Labuz's Blog
To view all of my newsletters in one place, check out my new blog!
Fictional Twitter Accounts
Have students create fictional Twitter accounts for book characters, historical figures, or other important people with this Google Drawing template!
Google Drawing Graphic Organizers
Speaking of Google Drawing templates, click here to access over 30 graphic organizers that can be easily manipulated in Google Drawing. The folder includes Venn diagrams, character maps, comic strip templates, KWL charts, timeline graphic organizers, and much more. Share them out with your students via Google Classroom or Hapara!
Changes to Google Forms
A lot of changes have been made to Google Forms over the past few months. Please check out this Google Slides presentation for a brief tutorial on how to use the new Forms.
Featured iPad App: Pic Collage
Pic Collage is a free app that allows users to easily arrange pictures, videos, text, and stickers into a collage. Completed collages can be emailed, uploaded to Google Drive, saved to the Camera Roll, or shared out with various other apps. Accounts are not necessary to create a collage.
Here are some ways to use Pic Collage in your classroom:
1. All about me collages for students to introduce themselves at the beginning of the school year
2. Postcard collages about states, planets, landmarks, etc.
3. Summaries of an activity, weekend, or something learned in school that day
4. Digital greeting cards
5. Book covers
6. Highlights of the school year to be shown to incoming students
7. Book or article summaries
8. Mind mapping before starting a writing assignment
9. Diagrams to show concepts, such as life cycles, food chains, etc.
Check out the video below for a tutorial by Sally Osborne of Teaching Redefined.
PicCollage Kids Tutorial