3-5 Newsletter
January 22, 2019
App Highlight: Keynote
Do you like using Green Screen with your students? The Instant Alpha feature within Keynote is similar in that it allows you to remove the background from an image that you find on the internet or take yourself with the camera app. Check out the video below for using the Instant Alpha feature!
Integration Ideas:
- Place a picture of a student in front of a region or location being researched while narrating the research and information about the place being described.
- Remove the background from a picture of a science investigation to focus audience attention on your observations or findings.
- In a reading response, discuss how a different setting would change the plot or story--place the character in front of a new setting and narrate on top of it with audio recording, or type within a text box.
Options for Exporting Keynote Presentations:
- Export directly to a Schoology assignment or discussion post as a movie, Powerpoint, PDF, or image.
- If your Keynote includes audio or video, export as a movie--a PDF will flatten the file and remove your audio and video.
Schoology Parent Access
- Parents can see Materials, Updates, Discussions, and their child's Gradebook.
- With regard to the Gradebook, keep in mind that not all of your assignments are Schoology-based, therefore a child's Schoology grade and their PowerSchool grade may not match. You can hide the overall Schoology grade from student and parent view (Grade Setup-->check "Hide overall grade in student grade report" --you will need to do this for each course)
What can parents NOT see?
Schoology Groups:
- Parents cannot view names, photos, or comments of any student other than their own child.
- In a discussion thread, they can view comments made by the teacher and only their child. All other students' names and comments are blurred out.
Schoology Courses:
- Parents cannot view names, photos, or comments made by any student other than their own child.
- Parents cannot see assessment questions, but only final scores.
How do I know which of my families have created Parent Accounts?
- Select a course, then choose Members on the left side of the page.
- You will see a list of all students enrolled in your course. Under the students name will be their parent's name in grey font if the parent has created an account.
Why should I encourage parents to get access to Schoology?
- By encouraging parents to create Schoology accounts, you are protecting the identities of the students in your class. From a parent account, parents cannot see other students' names attached to their discussion posts.
- Parents can stay informed of Schoology-based assignments and their due dates to help students manage their work at home.
- You can share resources within a "Parent Folder" in your Homeroom course so parents have access to any resources/materials you wish to share.
Assessment View
Discussion Post View
Parent Accounts
Sub Plan Reminder
- District employees are NOT to log in to a device for a substitute to use--this breeches our Acceptable Use Policy and puts your information and safety at risk. Remember, we're modeling good digital citizenship for our students!
Utilize Schoology if you need to share resources with your students while you are absent!
- Post the link to a video or website, or even attach a document for students to work on in your absence--students can access these resources via a classroom iPad. If leaving plans for students to use Schoology, please make sure you're confident they can be independent users as subs are not expected to be knowledgeable about navigating our digital platforms.
West Chester Area School District
Email: jsouthmayd@wcasd.net
Website: https://www.wcasd.net/Page/10071
Location: 782 Springdale Drive, Exton, PA, USA
Phone: 484 266 1097
Twitter: @JenniSouthmayd