Collaborate with Google Slides - #winteraroundtheworld

Shannon Miller, from my Twitter PLN, introduced me to a  cool (pun intended) idea called Winter Around The World Project. This is a project after my professional heart. It is collaborative, timely, and meaningful to students. According to their website, the project uses Google Slides to collect winter stories, songs, poems, illustrations, and photographs from students and teachers around the world. Once all of these are collected as a slide deck, there will be a digital eBook published by Cantata Learning.

Here's my favorite winter story ever told:

If you have the chance to add to the story, use the information below for the richest experience:

Shannon Miller Twitter: @shannonmmiller

Twitter Hashtag: #winteraroundtheworld

Website: Click Here To Learn More

Google Slide To Add Your Story: Winter Around The World

Searching Skills - A Google A Day

Do you know how to search Google? Of course, a monkey can do that. Not so fast. Searching is a key discipline related to Digital Literacy. Educators take for granted that everyone knows how to search for resources online. According to Google Help, there are fourteen basic search options available. These range from specific punctuation marks to search operators. Knowing how to use these searching skills can improve your returned results. Not only that, but it will quicken the process of vetting the results. Let's see how this works, shall we?

Abraham Lincoln returns 79,500,000 results

Abraham Lincoln -war returns 41,000,000 results

Abraham Lincoln -war "foreign policy" returns 365,000 results

That's not too bad.  By harnessing the power of Google search students and teachers can spend less time searching and more time vetting the value of the source. Isn't that our ultimate goal?

Looking for a fun way to integrate searching skills into your classroom? Google has created a website that turns learning about searching skills into a game. I've tried a few games;  it is fun and challenging. It is called "a Google a day". (Click here for larger picture)

If you would like to implement this into your classroom, check out the Google Search Education website for classroom materials. Here's a great one minute video showing how to use a Google a day.

Hemingway App Readability: Grade 7

GaETC - Three Take Aways

Another amazing GaETC has come and gone. This year's theme was "Super Heroes". As always, the volunteer staff and presenters were the true Super Heroes. Every volunteer I met was over the top helpful, and friendly. Even to those of us that forgot our badges for the 12th year in a row. There were so many high-quality concurrent sessions. I felt bad for not being able to attend everyone. A week later, I'm finally able to settle down and process the experience. Here's a few thoughts:

Chris Craft is a great resource, excellent presenter, and a really nice guy. Of his many presentations, I took the most out of Chris's Google Q&A, and his session on  Google Drive Add-Ons. PearDeck was a fan favorite. 

GaETC concurrent sessions were rich with ideas related to professional learning. Professional learning programs and professional learning networks (PLN) were hot topics. The model from Clark County School District (CCSD) is an exceptional model. Clint and Carrie, instructional technologist from CCSD, led a live session taking the audience through their program called Club Tech. I'm glad to have them in my PLN, and excited to borrow some ideas for our new professional learning program.

The conference was active and full of learning. Some districts have many resources and employees, and some have few. Several districts were Windows, many were Mac, and even more across the state were embracing the wonderful resources of Google Apps for Education (GAFE). There wasn't any technology snobbery, or rumbles in the streets between Windows and Mac users (AKA: Socs and the Greasers). Just thousands upon thousands of educators trying to better their career and the lives of their students. At the end of the day everyone was there to share, teach, and encourage. Now that's enough to keep you going till next year.

Posting this clip does not endorse greasy hair, collared shirts, smoking, violence, or open fires.

Google Chromebook: The Mark Twain of Laptops

In 1897 Mark Twain said, " The report of my death was an exaggeration". Just like Mark Twain in 1897, the media wrote Google Chromebook off for dead this week. According to several sources, Chromebook production would stop after 2016. Should I blog about the misrepresentation of modern media? No. How about a lesson on proper evaluation methods of online stories? Maybe. Better yet,  I will link a blog post from Hiroshi Lockheimer, Senior VP of Chrome OS. Enjoy and Bonjour.

Hiroshi Post: Chrome is alive

Write for Understanding - Billionaires Love It

Write for clarity. Earnest Hemingway was an expert in the area of precise prose. Arthur C. Clarke credits Hemingway with writing the world's shortest story. "For Sale: baby shoes, never worn." Did he, who knows. Clear writing has many fans, including Paul Tudor Jones. Mr. Jones is a billionaire hedge fund manger. He forces employees to take online classes in journalism to improve their writing skills. Paul demands clarity, precision, and order from all memos. If not, they are destroyed. Here is Paul's interview.

Strunk and White's Rule #17 clarifies the need for concise writing. Rule #17: Omit Needless Words. This rule and concept is not easy. Trust me. If you are looking for an online page for help. Look no further. Check out the Hemingway App to help improve your prose. 

Hemingway App approved: Grade 5

Doodle 4 Google Is Open - Let's Doodle

Google posted the details for their Doodle 4 Google contest. According to Google, "Students in grades K-12 are invited to take part in the 2015 Doodle 4 Google contest". Teachers can find all the details under the "How it Works" tab. Make sure and check the site out before introducing the contest to your students. The contest is open from October 19th till December 7th. 

 Along with the rules and entry form,  Doodle 4 Google also list the wonderful prizes up for grabs. Click here for a list of prizes (hint: $30,000 scholarship). Google has assembled an all-star group of judges to select the winner. Some of the judges are Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Dr Cagle ( Astronaut), and Stephen Curry (NBA Player). Make sure you check out the "Classroom Activities" tab when you visit. In this tab, teachers will find inspirational videos and grade band specific lesson plans  to use with their students. Here's video one of the three part series of inspirational videos geared towards students:

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2015 Google Science Fair

Greetings Everyone! 

I wanted to let you all know the 2015 Google Science Fair is now up and running. All submissions need to be turned in by May 18, 2015. If you think you may be interested please go to www.googlesciencefair.com for tips about what to do and what not to do. 

Here are the instructions on how to enter.

If you are looking for a bit of inspiration on the possibilities within the Google Science Fair, please check out the video below from the 2012 Google Science Fair winner. She was able to develop a new way to help in the detection of breast cancer. Amazing story... 

I look forward to seeing what all you can do!