HHS Friday Finds
2019-2020
POP into the library!
March 6, 2020
Keyboard Shortcut
Panoform
Remember, I have a class set of cardboard VR viewers you are welcome to borrow. This could be a fun addition to your class activities!
Kapwing
A bonus... Remove.bg
January 17, 2020
Floop
I'd love to hear how it goes if any of you decide to give it a try in your classroom!
Sutori
Check out more details about Sutori here, and read this blog post for 50 ideas of how you might use Sutori in your classroom.
Students have free time? Try these sites!
20 sites for students with free time on their hands
(This is a Wakelet collection, a tool I mentioned last month.)
Some sites I think might be especially interesting to high school students are:
- GeoGuessr (This game uses Google Maps Street View to place you on the ground somewhere in the world, but you have no idea where! You must use context clues to guess your location and place a pin on the map.)
- Smarty Pins (Another geography game, using questions from arts and culture, science and geography, history and current events.)
- A Google a Day (Test your Googling skills!)
- Ted-Ed (short video lessons on all kinds of topics, meant to spark curiosity)
- Google Arts and Culture (exhibits and collections from museums and archives all over the world)
- Google Quick Draw (can you get Google's artificial intelligence to guess what you're drawing in under 20 seconds?)
Check out the link for these and more!
December 13, 2019
Ken Burns in the Classroom
Ken Burns, the filmmaker who has created award-winning historical documentaries for more than 40 years, has launched a research site through PBS Learning Media. Created for sixth through 12th grade educators, it houses free teaching and learning resources inspired by his documentaries. The site includes hundreds of video clips, lesson plans, activity suggestions, discussion questions, handouts and interactives to help educators integrate the films into instruction. Even if you don't plan to use one of his films, though, the site could be a great jumping off point for a variety of topics.
Wakelet
Wakelet is compatible with all kinds of other tools, including Google and Google Classroom.
If you ever have students curate content, or you curate content for them, Wakelet is a tool you might want to try.
Gift Ideas
Washington Post's Best Books of 2019 (books for adults)
Entertainment Weekly's 10 Best Books of 2019 (books for adults)
Bill Gates's favorite books of 2019 plus the decade (books for adults)
Smithsonian Magazine's Ten Best Children's Books of 2019 (books for children)
Publisher's Weekly Best Books 2019 (books for children and young adults)
Goodread's Best Books of 2019 (books for all ages, chosen by readers)
As always, I am happy to talk books with you if you're looking for ideas for the kids in your life!
November 8, 2019
VR/AR Google Cardboard viewers
One easy way to use them is with the Google Expeditions app. There are over 900 Google Expeditions students can explore. See the most current list here.
Google Expeditions Spreadsheet
Textbook companies are also getting involved, creating virtual reality experiences to go along with their curriculum.
A shout out to Amelia for using the viewer recently--she had her World Geography students create their own "expedition" about the country they studied, then shared those virtual tours with 2nd graders who visited to learn about the countries.
I'd be happy to talk with you about ways you might incorporate the viewers into your classes!
Pulitzer Center lesson plans
They have hundreds of lesson plans related to writing, text analysis, debate, world history, science, photography, visual art, research, and digital storytelling. Take a look!
Genially
October 4, 2019
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt FYI
I ran across this resource recently that might have some useful resources for some of you. Included are nonfiction texts, videos, etc related to essential questions. I encourage you to look at grades other than the one you primarily teach. There are articles related to climate change, perception vs reality, the value of work, absolute power, and more. This might be a good way to include some timely articles within the content you are already teaching.
It looks like these resources might change monthly, so don't wait too long to check it out!
Google Classroom Tips and Tricks
This is an ebook in PDF form of a variety of tips and tricks to make your work in Google Classroom more efficient. If you use Google Classroom with your students, you should definitely take a look. Some of the tips and tricks will not be new, but there might be some ideas included you haven't tried yet.
And here's a blog post with 10 more Google Classroom tips. (The page is very cluttered in my opinion, but if you can get past all that there are some good tips included.)
Flippity
Flippity is a website that transforms a Google spreadsheet into all kinds of fun things--flashcards, a quiz show, a random name picker, mad libs, and more. Directions and demonstrations are included, so you don't have to be a Google spreadsheet wizard to make it work. It could be a fun way for you to create activities for your students, or for your students to create activities themselves.
August 30, 2019
NEW databases from the State Library
Statistics in Schools through US Census Bureau
US Census Bureau Statistics in Schools
The US Census Bureau is offering free Statistics in Schools resources this year to use census statistics to support learning. The goal is to help educate students and adults about the importance of counting everyone in next year's census. It includes more than 200 activities to enhance learning in a variety of subjects.
Materials include: 67 new activities for grades preK through 12 that use data in interactive ways to build skills in history, math, geography, and English; large, colorful maps with census-based facts about the country and its territories; and more.
NEW Flipgrid camera
- add filters (including pixel mode)
- add text boxes
- add stickers
- add drawings
- use whiteboard mode
- use live recording (make changes WHILE recording)
- trim and arrange video clips
WOW! Check out this blog post for a list of 20 ideas for using Flipgrid and more of its features. It's a tool that shouldn't be missed!
http://ditchthattextbook.com/2019/08/21/20-activities-to-bloom-with-the-new-flipgrid-camera/