Make good use of snow day...

It seems to me like we have only been to school for about three days since Christmas vacation. Between the three iterations of Snow Jam and ice storms, we have been hit harder this year than in years past.

With all the days of school we have missed, what are some ways that you as teachers, parents, and students can make the most of the days and keep the learning going? If you have an Internet connection, then the world is your oyster. Here are a few suggestions if you are looking to keep learning going. 

Georgia OAS

Standardized testing (CRCT/Graduation Test) is right around the corner. Seriously, April will be here before we know it. If you would like to review content that will be on the test, the Georgia Department of Education has a great resource for students to practice. Simply go to the Georgia OAS Site and login to begin reviewing. You can choose from any core subject and begin reviewing the content. This is great drill and practice that students would be doing with teachers if they were in school. 

Username and Passwords for each grade level 

Khan Academy

Khan Academy doesn't directly late to Floyd County Schools curriculum, but there are SO MANY resources in here. There are videos, tutorials, and assessments available.  Create an account and explore what can happen. 

Coursera

If you want to learn from the best, with the best, then this is the place for you. Take a class on physics from the University of Virginia, a course on wellness from University of Florida, or explore what Harvard has to offer. I would recommend this site to any excited High School student or parents. This could be something great to do together. This will take more than a snow day to complete, but it is worth your time! 

Take some time over the next few days to explore the options available to you. Just make a decision to never stop learning. 

Google Science Fair

Alright middle and high school teachers, Google is back with this year's science fair! All of you sciencey types out there need to take a look at this. Information can be found by checking out @google's Tweet: https://twitter.com/google/status/433636426870059008

What are you waiting for? Go do something awedome!

JCS Digital Teaching & Learning: Friday Google Tidbit: How to logout of your Google...

JCS Digital Teaching & Learning: Friday Google Tidbit: How to logout of your Google...:

This is a great post from Johnston County Schools in North Carolina on how to sign out of your Google Account from anywhere. Useful information for all Google users out there.



-Lee Green



Have you ever logged into Google on a computer or  device and then left, forgetting to log out first  but remembered when you went to l...

Three Old School Tech Integration Tips

Keeping up with the latest emerging technology is harder than keeping up with the Jones family three blocks down. Every conference I attend focuses on what is new, hot, and emerging in the field of instructional technology. Sometimes the seasoned professionals at these conferences forget that the majority of their audience has little to no experience with true integration of technology in the classroom. In my seven years of technology leadership, I discovered that the 20-60-20 rule applies the majority of the time when training people. The bottom 20 percent could care less what you say, the top 20 percent will immediately jump on board the bus, and 60 percent (most of your audience) is on the fence. The goal is to convert the 60 percent towards the top 20 percent.

Let's grab the Member's Only jacket, acid washed jeans, your latest mixed tape, and journey back a few years to some old school basic tips that may just grab a hold of the 60 percent. We are going to cover  my three favorite tips for converting people to the world of technology integration. Start with screen capturing, ease into my favorite SMART Notebook move, and then finish with the best Google search tip of all time.

Screen Capture:
Visual reference points are desired by most students and teachers when it comes to effective written directions. Screen capturing software allows users to grab anything on their screen and save it as an image. Most computers have built-in screen capture software, but my all time favorite is Gadwin PrintScreen. Gadwin is free and provides multiple capturing options such as full screen, window, or rectangular.  Instead of telling your students to click on the sideways, slanted looking I, give them a cool screen capture as a visual reference (see below).

SMART Notebook Screen Shade:
This simple tool packs a lot of power, and helps the teacher to build excitement about the lesson. Screen Shade covers the screen in Notebook, and allows the teacher to reveal certain parts of the screen when they are ready for the audience to see it.

• Directions from SMART (Notice the Screen Capture being used in the directions)
• YouTube Video with directions and more examples (2:59 in length)

Using quotes in Google Search:

If you want to search for an exact phrase or word in Google Search, go ahead and put quotes around your phrase or word (e.g., "Win the lottery") You can reduce the number of search results by the millions. This will help you research lessons more efficiently, and create more accurate guides to help your students research curriculum topics.

Abraham Lincoln without quotes 92 million, with quotes 41 million

Repairing my VCR without quotes 3 million, with quotes 10,000

Flux Capacitor without quotes 3.1 million, with quotes 1.1 million