GlowLinkDrop

A question on Twitter , inspired me to start exploring some virtual field trip resources and I discovered the Museums for Digital Learning Website . Today, I just wanted to share a quick introduction to the Museum for Digital Learning Website.  “ Museums for Digital Learning (MDL) is a unique learning platform that provides K-12 educators with authentic, curated museum collection resources to help inspire their students. MDL content and interactive features are developed by museum education and curatorial professionals in consultation with classroom educators and technology consultants. MDL Resource kits have multiple activities to engage learners and support national standards in different subjects. All content is free to use and can be shared to a learning management system or on social media.”   A few more virtual field trip resources to explore: Explore the World with Google Arts & Culture 8 Virtual Field Trip Resources Google Earth – Where in the World Activi...

A good education friend asked me if I had read or hear about any books to support teachers working with students who are struggling? My focus immediately shifted a bit to resources that can engage all students. Too often we focus on one group in education and this often leads to less support for everyone else. Today, I wanted to share a document and and some additional resources that my PLN helped me explore as I explore engagement, student academic support, and SEL. Helping Teachers Engage All Students (Google Document) Motivation and Engagement How can we inspire lifelong learning as the norm and not the exception? The Baller Teacher Playbook: How to Empower Students, Increase Engagement, and Create the Culture You Want in Your Classroom (Book) Motivating Students Who Don’t Care: Proven Strategies to Engage All Learners (Book) Fifty Strategies to Boost Cognitive Engagement: Creating a Thinking Culture in the Classroom (Book) Turnaround Tools for the Teenage Brain: Helping Un...

The skills connected to collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity are essential for all students. The best classroom activities engage students in content while providing opportunities to practice the 4Cs in learner-centered environments. I believe some of the best professional development also models the 4 Cs for staff. We’ve created a free flipped PD HyperDoc to connect educators to 4 Cs resources and experiences. Developing a Future Ready Classroom with the 4 Cs HyperDoc Share Your Learning Experience Learn something new? Have a resource to share? Maybe a question? Please share in our Wakelet Collection for the 4 Cs .

In another post, I shared Tips for Organizing and Managing Google Drive and Tip #7 suggested using special symbols (~ # ^ *) to group and order drive folders. I’ve done this for years and I thought I was quite happy with this practice. “The best plans of men and mice often go awry.” – Robert Burns I am always learning and a few years ago I came across a post by John Sowash that flipped this well establish practice upside down. I always love learning something new! Today, I want to share a bit about using icons and emojis to enhance and organize digital learning spaces. John shared the E.A.T – Emoji Any Time Chrome Extension and showed how he uses the Emojis to organize his drive folder. I think this extension is no longer around, but you can find quite a few by searching extensions in the Chrome Webstore . Many devices also have emoji keyboards built in. ( Windows | Mac | Chromebook ) The functionality is really the same as using the special symbols, bu...

  Google Applied Digital Skills is a free online project based learning curriculum. The lessons engage students  in essential digital skills connected to Google’s G Suite for Education applications. Students watch short step-by-step video tutorials, that support a variety of activities in each lesson.  Today I wanted to share the Back to School 2022 Collection . If you are new to the Applied Digital Skills curriculum, this document is a great place to start exploring.  This back to school collection has 18 ready to uses lessons organized in three categories Get Started in Your Classroom Support Self-Expression and Well-Being Encourage Time Management & Organization “Kick off the school year with lessons that help students express themselves, build relationships, and stay organized while learning new technology skills.” Be sure to check these out and if you have ideas or questions, please share in the comments below. #HappyLearning

Google Classroom continues to evolve as a resource for teachers and students. Today I wanted to share some of Google for Education’s recently updated training resources for teachers and students.  Google recently updated the  Google Classroom Course for Teachers In this course, you will use Google Classroom to engage your students. As you complete the course you will create a new class in Google Classroom, invite students to your class and assign various types of classwork. Google Classroom makes it easy for teachers and students to keep track of grades and assignments. After completing this course, you will have the tools to effectively incorporate Google Classroom into your curriculum. Google also released the first in what I think will be a series of Google Classroom Lessons for students in the Google Applied Digital Skills Curriculum.   Google also announced a some exciting updates teachers using Google Classroom next year:  Google Classroom: Making your favorite educational ...

Tony Vincent shared the Haikei Website  last summer and it is become one of my go to design tools to create quick graphics outside of Canva, Google Slides, and Adobe Express.  Haikei is a currently a free web app to generate unique SVG shapes, backgrounds, and patterns – ready to use with your design tools and workflow. No sign in or payment required. The interface is intuitive and the templates are diverse.  What do you think of the resource? What other creativity resources have become part of your teaching toolbox? Addtional Creativity Resources Collection of Digital Creativity Resources for Teachers and Learners Google Autodraw – Visual Design and Sketchnoting Resource Adobe Express – Exploring Creative Lessons, Ideas, and Activities

I share quite a few books that I’ve read or have on my reading list. Today I am going to do something a little different and share three books I don’t think I am going to read. I’ve heard they are great books, but they probably don’t fit me current mindset.  These books connected to falling or re-falling in love with being a teacher and learner have come highly recommended by my PLN. I am curious about all three, but right now I still love being an educator. I don’t think I have space on my reading list for these today, but I wanted to share with anyone who is looking for a bit of inspiration to keep going. My plan is to save these just in case I ever feel the need to overcome burnout.  The Burnout Cure: Learning to Love Teaching Again From Burnt Out to Fired Up: Reigniting Your Passion for Teaching It Won’t Be Easy: An Exceedingly Honest (and Slightly Unprofessional) Love Letter to Teaching I will also continue to update and maintain this  Educationa...

I am always looking for new ways to add some creative design to my tutorials, lessons, and student activities. Thanks to @TonyVincent  I have another fun way to use emojis.  Today I wanted to share the Emoji Bullet List Website . With a single list uses of the Emoji Bullet List can turn any list into a list with emoji bullet points.  ⚗ Plan for Earth Science 2022 🗂 Organize EdTech Resources 🏧 Submit Payment for Neuqua Subscriptions 📕 Read 15 minutes a day 💗 Grow as an educator ⚒ Build my PLN Additional Creative Ways to Use Emojis 📔  Creative Organization of Your Drive Folders, Keep Labels, Google Classroom Topics and More with Emojis 🎨  emojimix – Combine Popular Emojis to Design Your Own Unique Creations   📁 Recent Google Docs Updates – Awesome Features to Enhance Student Learning With Documents (Includes NotoEmoji for Google Docs) Thanks for taking a look. If you have any suggestions on using Emoji’s in the classroom, please share in the comments below. #Happ...

Supporting the 4Cs in Learner-Centered Classrooms My “why” for teaching and learning is centered on how the 4 Cs can be used to support student growth and engagement in my classroom. I believe skills connected to creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration must be skills that students practice throughout the process of learning .  Today, I wanted to share our updated collection of digital resources to support creative student engagement. Creativity Resources on the Web Supporting the 4Cs in Learner-Centered Classrooms Have an additional resource or want to share how you use one of the tools?  Visit our Collaborative 4 Cs Wakelet Collection to share . If you are curious about all of the 4 Cs, be sure to visit our 4 Cs webpage for more ideas and resources. Additional Resources Connected to the 4 Cs Developing a Future-Ready Classroom with the 4 Cs ISTE Standards for Students 3 Simple Steps to the 4 C’s What are the 4Cs? – Common Sense Educatio...

Supporting the 4Cs in Learner-Centered Classrooms My “why” for teaching and learning is centered on how the 4 Cs can be used to support student growth and engagement in my classroom. I believe skills connected to creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration must be skills that students practice throughout the process of learning.  I have long believed that my content should support the development of student skills connected to the 4 Cs of collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity.   Today, I wanted to share our updated collection of digital resources to support personal and digital collaboration skills in our classrooms. Collaboration  Resources on the Web Supporting the 4Cs in Learner-Centered Classrooms Have an additional resource or want to share how you use one of the resources?  Visit our Collaborative 4 Cs Wakelet Collection to share . If you are curious about all of the 4 Cs, be sure to visit our 4 Cs webpage for more ideas ...

  Positive education for the 21st century | John Doran I just wanted to share this video with everyone as we get close to starting the new year. I think it shares some ideas that are worth exploring as we continue to learn and grow as educators.  I think this was originally posted before the pandemic, but it recently came back to me as I plan for the 2022 – 23 school year. It might be more important now than it even was then? What do you think? Please share in the comments below? If you are looking for a bit more positive inspirations, here are a few books and resources that might be worth exploring. Videos Connected to Teaching and Learning – Learn, Inspire, Motivate!  (Post) Three Books to Inspire and Re-energize Educators  (Post) Let That Sh*t Go: A Journal for Leaving Your Bullsh*t Behind and Creating a Happy Life (Book) The Power of Positive Thinking  (Book) Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers: 10 Steps to Reduce Stress, Increase Student Engagement and Reignite Your P...

I am always looking for creative ways to get to know my students. I also love creative ideas that we can use to introduce them to some of the tools we use throughout the year. The past several years I have modeled our use of Padlet with a 7 Pictures – All About Me Project. This year I was inspired by  Marwa Elkelani to try something a little different. We are going to start with some Heart Maps and get some practice with Google Drawings or Google Slides. A heart map is a visual map that uses drawing, text, shapes, and images to share feelings, people and places you love, memories, experiences, and more. These can be created on paper or digitally. I think Canva , Adobe Express , Google Drawings, or Google Slides could all be used to facilitate the creation of these digitally. I am going to focus on Google Drawings and Google Slides for this post. We use both Drawings and Slides to create during the year, so I love the idea of exploring these tools with students early in the school...

  We’ve organized some Google PD resources with the goal of the Google Workspace For Education Choice Board is to help educators explore resources that can be used with students across grade levels and curricular areas. The choice board focuses on Google tools and resources that can be used to engage all students in learning. If you are looking for additional Google Resources, never fear we’ve got more in this document. Google PD Resources 2022 Let us know if you have any questions in the comments. #HappyLearning

Many educators have upped their digital agenda game over the last few years. I personally keep a general unit overview in a Google Doc. Daily, I display an agenda slide at the start and end of class. I also use Google Classroom to post assignments and due dates.  Today I wanted to share some agenda resources that we can use to continue to support students as we get ready to head back to our classrooms with our students in 2022.  Instead of passive viewing of our weekly to do list and I frequently use Pear Deck and Google Slides as the students and I look at the week ahead. I also will use these at the end of the week to make sure we finish on the same page. I love Pear Deck because I can quickly check out student engagement and questions. Here is a sample Pear Deck Google Slides Agenda for the start and end of a week. Pear Deck Weekly Student Engagement Template We’ve also collected a variety of digital Agendas, Planners, and Calendar Templates from a variety of sources in this fo...

The Read Along App has been around for a few years for Android. Google Recently announced that Read Along is now available on the web ! Students can now explore their favorite stories and practice reading skills on Chromebooks, Laptops, and more devices with a web browser. If you work with reading students, this might be a resource to add to your tool kit.

I have always been a proponent of the power of brain breaks for students. These can be connected to a curricular area or just plain fun. Brain breaks should be part of every teacher and student’s toolbox.  One of my favorite brain-break ideas is to share and explore local trivia. Today I wanted to share a few trivia resources and a Midwest Trivia Set created with Gimkit. I am also a big fan of using trivia as a bell ringer question posted in Google Classroom or in a Slide Deck.  If you have been a reader of my blog, you know that I teach science and that I am also my school’s Instructional Technology Coordinator. In my somewhat busy life, this is the best of both worlds. I get to practice what I preach. One of the tools we are exploring this year is Gimkit.  Gimkit is a game show for the classroom that requires knowledge, collaboration, and strategy to win. During our PD sessions, our staff will be competing to be the master of Midwest minutiae. Our goal is to model the st...

Google Arts & Culture is a powerful and underutilized resources available to all educators, at all grade levels, and in all subject areas. Today, I wanted to share a cheat sheet we recently put together to help staff and students get started exploring all of the incredible resources packed into the site. Getting to Know Google Arts & Culture

Google Earth is a powerful and underutilized resources available to all educators, at all grade levels, and in all subject areas. Today, I wanted to share a cheat sheet we recently put together to help staff and students get started exploring all of the incredible resources packed into the site. Getting to Know Google Earth

My students and I always seem to struggle a bit in November and December to stay engaged in our learning experiences. I don’t know if it the time change, the weather, or just plain old fatigue. I have to remind myself that we sometimes need a reminder that learning should be fun. For my classes, I usually bring in some brain breaks with a bit of content hidden somewhere. Today, I wanted to share an activity that I am either going to do the day before or the day after our Thanksgiving break. A link to to the activity is near the end of this post. I just wanted to share a few details before jumping to the activity. Feel free to copy, use, and or modify the activity if it something you think you could use. Part 1 – Game Time I am using a couple of Blooket game modes to play some games connected to our current unit. If you don’t have access to Blooket you might explore Quizizz ,  Kahoot , or Gimkit . My Blooket is connected to our Internal Dynamic Forces vocabulary, but t...

Exams will be here faster than we know, so here are a few resources to help students organize, prioritize, and prepare for assessments. Success on assessments is not just about studying harder, it is about studying smarter. The resources shared below can help all students prepare for success on assessments.  Create A Plan to Get Started Prep UP – Neuqua Exam Resources The first step is always to have an plan and organize what you need to complete the plan. Organize your time and resources in order to plan for success Prioritize finals that can and will make a difference Visualize the text/notes to fully comprehend what you are learning Finalize your understanding and make connections between concepts The Auditory Learner Written notes have always been a valuable tool to learn, but voice typing and recording your voice are powerful ways to learn and review. Voice typing  in Google Docs is a quick way to add thoughts and essential concepts to your notes as you review activities or t...

  Once upon a time, there was a teacher and learner who wanted to explore and share resources with his PLN. He decided to try an advent-style 24 days of teaching and learning in 2022. Starting on December 1st, I will add a new resource link on the calendar for each day. 24 Days of Teaching and Learning Resources – December 2022 I will be sharing a lot of tools, but where I can I will also focus on the ideas that lessons that work with or without the resource. I use most of the resources with my students, but some are more for my growth as a teacher and a learner.  Bonus: I will also update this post with additional winter/holiday-themed resources that I discover as learn with my PLN.  I will also update a list at the end of this post for each day.  Addtional Teaching and Learning December 2022 Resources  The 12 Days of Chrome-mas 2022 – Control Alt Achieve Blog 12 Days of Techmas – Erin Asamoto  Edcuator Advent Calendar – Melissa Dent 12 Days of Canva Project...

Last week I shared a collection of resources connected to Earth Day and I promised that I would share any lessons or ideas I created connected the resources. For one of my classes, I am planning to use Pear Deck and Google Slides to facilitate a student centered HyperDoc connected to Earth Day. For another class, I am going to use one of the Google Applied Digital Skills Earth Day Activities . A  HyperDoc  is an interactive Google Doc that replaces the worksheet/lecture method of delivering instruction. For this Earth Day Activity, I am using Google Slides and Pear Deck. (There is also a Google Slides only version below.) Earth Day 2022 – Pear Deck Edition I’ve minimized the instructions in the slide deck because I plan on working through this with my students. If my students were completing this without my help, I might include additional instructions in Google Classroom to help them work through this presentation at their own pace.  Students will use Padlet to share their...

How do you engage students in exploring concepts and vocabulary? When you need to focus on learning and esploring vocabulary, one of the best methods for many learners is to create and explore a set of flashcards. These flashcards can be created on paper, digitally, or sometimes even purchased . Today I wanted to share some digital resources to help create everyone create and engage in learning with flashcards. Google Slides When I do go digital, one of my favorite ways to create flashcards digitally is with Google Slides.  I first explored this idea after reading Julie Smith’s post, “ Easily Create and Randomize Digital Flashcards in Google Slides “.  Slides Mania also has a great template for creating flashcards, “ Flashcards template for Google Slides and PowerPoint. “ Google Autodraw Side 1 Side 2 Autodraw has always been one of our favorite tools to get students creating digitally. I really like having student sketch ideas, and Autodraw is a great dig...

Illinois will require computer literacy and media literacy courses for the 2022 – 2023 school year for all K-12 students.  Today, I wanted to share a brief introduction to these new acts. I also want to share a few resources that I think can help both students and teachers grow and explore computer, media, digital, news or whatever literacy we want to call up.  Computer Science and Computer Literacy – Illinois Public Act 101-0654 Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, all school districts shall ensure that students receive developmentally appropriate opportunities to gain computer literacy skills at each grade level K-12. Additionally, students entering ninth grade in the 2022-23 school year and each school year thereafter must participate in one year of a course that includes intensive instruction in computer literacy, which may be English, social studies, or any other subject and that may be counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation requirements. “Computer literacy” is...

Wakelet Community Week is a five-day virtual EdTech conference that takes place June 13th-17th. Tune in for amazing keynote speakers, Community-led sessions, networking opportunities, mindfulness exercises, competitions, and work on your professional development, all for FREE! Register Today for Free! I will also update this Google Doc as I explore additional learning opportunities this summer. Summer Learning 2022 If you have any additional summer learning suggestions, please consider sharing in the comments below. #HappyLearning

Brain breaks are a great way to re-engage and re-energize students. One of my favorite is to share a Google Easter Egg when we need a reboot. Today I wanted to share a few favorites. At the time of this post, all of these easter eggs can be discovered on the Google Search Home Page . Some of these don’t always seem to load with Educational Google Accounts. If it doesn’t work, try Incognito or a Personal Account. Are you a cat or a dog person? Whichever you prefer, Google has both for you. Try it yourself with the sound on. Be sure to clear the screen for a clean-up bonus. Type “cats” or “dogs” in Google search . Find the paw and start clicking. Here are some more of our favorites. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air Type “the fresh prince of bel air” in Google. Click on the license tag Be sure to click the back button after exploring all of the Super Mario Brothers Type “super mario brothers” in Google. Click on the question Breathing Exercise Type “breathing exercise” in Google. Click on play...