Some Tips for Searching the Internet

The Google Calculator

Did you know that you can use the Google search box as a calculator?  It's much quicker than opening up your computer's calculator.  Here's some of what the Google Calculator can do:

• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Division
• Calculate Percentages
• Conversions (7 yards in feet)

I think this calculator could be a great resource for teachers and students.  For some math assignments, teachers want students to become familiar with calculators.  Some students may not have calculators at home to complete the assignment, so they could use the Google Calculator instead.  Also, teachers would not have to worry about students using the calculator on other assignments because they can require students to show their work.  Finally, I have used this calculator to calculate my student's accuracy on running records.  It's quick and easy!

KidRex Search Engine 

Do you worry about your elementary students searching on the internet for information?  I'm always afraid mine will accidentally find something inappropriate.  Well, Google has a search engine called KidRex that helps keep students safe on the web.  This search engine filters out inappropriate information.  However, no filter is 100% effective.  If you find any inappropriate material, use the webpage removal request tool.  You can learn how to set KidRex as your homepage on your classroom computers at this link.  KidRex also provides Tips for Online Safety.  Unlike Google, KidRex does not have a tab for pictures and videos.  The video I posted below explains how students can search for them:

Google Docs Image Search

Students and adults tend to search for images on Google and download any photo they find.  However, those images may not have a creative commons license that allows them to be used by everyone.  You can search for creative commons images using a Google image search.  You can click on "search tools" and then search by usage rights.  However, there is an even easier way.  In Google Docs, you can click on "insert" and then click on "image".  Then, you can click "search" in the bottom, left-hand corner.  Next, you will be given three different options to choose from.  You can search Google images, the LIFE magazine images archive, and stock images.  All of the images you will find have already been approved with creative commons licenses and can be used and modified by anyone.  This is a perfect tool to use with middle school and high school students to teach them how to avoid breaking copyright laws.

WolframAlpha 

 WolframAlpha is an amazing search engine that quickly computes answers to in-depth, specific questions.  WolframAlpha is an excellent resource for educators.  There is a page of examples for elementary math.  Here's an example of how students can view the place value of a number:

 It provides the students with different ways to show the place value of a number.  Students can use WolframAlpha to research different topics for a report or to find definitions of words.  I found this great video on Youtube where a 4th-grade teacher explains how she uses this search engine in her classroom.   

Flippity Presentation

I created a Google Slides presentation about Flippity.  I included some of my favorite resources and explained how to use them in the classroom.  I've added the link here.  Enjoy!

Social Media Tools

Symbaloo

Symbaloo is a cloud-based application where teachers can create visual bookmarks.  Teachers are able to create webmixes.  These webmixes contain clickable tiles.  The tiles lead students to valuable resources and links provided by the teacher. Teachers can create as many webmixes as they like.  Some teachers create a webmix for every subject they teach.  Teachers can move the tiles and organize them in any order they want.  Tiles can also be color-coded.  These webmixes allow students to find all the resources they need in one, easy place.  Teachers can share a link to their webmixes in an email to students.  They can also use an embed code to place their webmix on a class website. 

 Recently,  I made a webmix for each quarter.  On the right side of my webmix, I placed reading games and websites.  I placed math games and websites on the left side of my webmix.  In the top center, I placed websites that my students frequently visit such as Pebble Go, Kahoot, Reflex Math, etc.  At the bottom of my webmix, I placed some fun games the students can play in their free time.  I organized the math and reading games by the units taught in each quarter.  For example, the 3rd quarter math games relate to time and money.  My students have added the webmix link to their bookmarks bar.  Here is a screenshot of one of my webmixes:

 I also wanted to include a Symbaloo tutorial that provides you with more information about how to create a webmix.

Padlet

  

Padlet is a fabulous resource educators can use to promote collaboration in the classroom.  It's essentially a wall where students can add notes.  In my head, I picture sticky notes stuck to a wall.  :-)  When creating your own Padlet, you can choose from different layouts.  For example, you can choose a layout that organizes the posts into columns or create a stream that reads from top to bottom.  The different layouts are pictured below:

When you create your wall, you can also change the wallpaper.  When students add a note, they can not only type a comment, they can also choose from these options:

 I recently created a Padlet where I arranged the wall into two columns.  My students had to write one fact and one opinion and place them into the appropriate column.  Here is a screenshot of my Padlet:

 Follow this link to read 100 different ways teachers can use Padlet in their classroom.

FlipGrid 

 FlipGrid is a new app teachers can use that allows students to have online video discussions with their classmates and teachers.  Teachers can create a grid for their classrooms.  For example, I could create a grid for my current 2nd-grade class.  After the gird is completed, I can post topics for my students to discuss.  My students can add videos responding to the topics.  For example, I could create a math problem that I want my students to answer.  I can require my students to create a video listing the steps they used to solve the problem.  This will help me assess my student's understanding of the problem.  This would also allow my students to view their classmate's videos and learn different ways to solve the exact same problem!  Another neat aspect of FlipGrid is teachers can provide their students with video feedback too.  

Here is an excellent Educator's Resource Guide to FlipGrid.  I've also included a link to 10 different ways you can use FlipGrid in the classroom.

 

Time-Saving Tools for the Classroom

Flippity

If you haven't heard of Flippity, you are missing out on a fantastic, digital resource for the classroom.  Flippity is a Google Drive add-on that allows teachers to turn Google Sheets into interactive activities and tools for the classroom.  You can create interactive quiz shows and flashcards to help your students study for a test.  Teachers can use word scrambles and hangman as a fun, engaging activity during literacy centers.  The random name picker can be used as a quick and easy way to create groups for learning activities.  This is a link to a quiz show I created for my class.  It only took 10 minutes to create the entire quiz show!  Flippity is a wonderful resource that allows teachers to make learning and studying fun for their students.  Here is a video that takes a quick look at Flippity:

ReadWriteThink 

ReadWriteThink is a website that is partnered with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTM) and the International Literacy Association (ILA).  This site has a wide variety of resources including lesson plans, units, and mini-lessons.  Teachers can search for resources by grade-level, lesson-plan type, learning objective, and theme.  The lesson plans include links to other websites that relate to the lesson.  For example, I found a lesson about acrostic poems and there was a link to an alphabet organizer and a list of thematically related texts.  You can find a multitude of ideas for any lesson or topic.  I also found a lesson where students view historical photos related to the Civil Rights Movement and create captions to summarize the main idea of the image.  This lesson had a link to a graphic organizer and a PowerPoint with historical images.  I suggest browsing this website for some great ideas and resources!

Here is a list of a few other amazing lesson plan websites:

• TeachersPayTeachers 
• SMART Exchange 
• LearnZillion  

Remind for Teachers

Remind is a time-saving website that allows teachers to communicate with students and parents digitally.   Teachers add parent's email addresses and phone numbers to the site. Once a teacher has created a class and added the parent information, they can text reminders and share links and files with parents. For example, you can send parents an announcement about an upcoming field trip or pajama day.  Teachers can remind parents to send in more snacks for snack time.  Teachers can also send important files to parents such as a copy of the Halloween party sign-up sheet.   If you are a secondary teacher, you can add student's phone numbers too so you can answer any homework questions. With Remind, teachers are able to view which parents have read the messages. Teachers are also notified of any error messages. This website allows teachers to stay in close contact with parents without having to share their personal phone numbers. Also, there will be no need to print out a ton of reminder notes or worry about notes getting lost anymore!

 

 

A Few Google Drive Features

Google Forms

When you click the "new" button in your Google Drive, there is a "more" button at the bottom.  When you click it you find many great features including Google Forms.  A teacher can easily create a quiz in Google Forms.  The questions can be multiple-choice or include a checkbox.  You can also require students to answer the questions with a short answer or a paragraph.  However, only quizzes with multiple choice or checkboxes can be made into a self-grading quiz.  Here are the steps to creating a self-grading quiz:

1.  You will click on the settings icon and select quizzes.

2.  You move the slider to the right to indicate that you're making a quiz.

3.  Choose whether you will immediately release the grade or not release it at all.

4.  Lastly, you will choose what your students will see: missed questions, correct answers, and/or point values. 

This video provides more in-depth instructions on how to create quizzes with Google Forms. 

Finally, teachers can also provide their students with answer feedback for both correct and incorrect answers.  Here is the link to one of the quizzes I created for my second-graders: Expanded Form Quiz

Two Learning Management Systems

A learning management system (LMS) can be used in any workplace.  However, I am discussing how it can be utilized by teachers.  In an LMS, you are able to deliver electronic educational technology to your students.  You are able to upload assignments and resources, track student's progress, communicate with parents and students, and collaborate with other colleagues by joining different groups.  Today, I am going to focus on two different types of learning management systems that are completely free: Edmodo and Schoology.

Edmodo 

Edmodo has a ton of features that are similar to Google Classroom.  In Edmodo, teachers can upload assignments directly from their Google Drive.  Teachers can also provide students with immediate feedback.  In Edmodo, there's a gradebook that teachers can use.  Teachers can create folders with resources for students to use.  They can also create quizzes and polls.  Edmodo offers a new wellness poll that allows students to privately share how they're feeling for the day.  Most importantly, Edmodo offers parents access to the class.  When students join Emodo, they are given a parent code to share with their parents.  This allows parents to check the gradebook and view how their child is progressing.  Besides creating a class for your students, teachers can also create groups.  In these groups, they can share resources and collaborate with other educators from around the world.  There are popular hashtags that teachers can use to find other groups.  Overall, Edmodo provides collaboration among students and other teachers.  I listed a basic tutorial for teachers down below that will help you set up your account.

Creating Personal Learning Networks with Twitter and Diigo

Personal Learning Networks

Personal Learning Networks are a collection of resources and people from whom you want to learn about something.  Most educators create digital PLN's to share and find resources.  I am going to discuss two ways you can build a digital Personal Learning Network: Twitter and Diigo.

Twitter

I've always thought of Twitter as a social media site where you can connect with your friends and follow celebrities' accounts.  Now, I realize that Twitter can be a powerful resource for educators.  There are Twitter chats that are geared specifically toward educators.  There's an Official Twitter Education Chat Schedule.  I perused a past chat for 2nd-grade teachers (#2ndchat) and found this fantastic resource: 

Here is a link to the full resource in Google Slides:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GLbLQwEsfMRb4PjvVFn5Bdp7GMsg1luolL0p7gdvZNQ/edit?usp=sharing

There are so many fantastic resources an educator can find on Twitter.  Educators can search twitter and find new ideas to try in their classrooms.  For example, I've wanted to incorporate number talks into my math lessons, and I was able to find ideas from a ton of teachers who have already implemented them into their own classrooms.  I was also able to follow Sherry Parrish, the creator of number talks.  You can find all kinds of education-related groups to follow too and you can bookmark specific tweets.

Here is an excellent video that introduces educators to Twitter and Twitter Chats:

Beginning a New Education Blog

I've always enjoyed following other people's education blogs.  However, the only blog I've created was for my parents to view pictures of their children at school and read about what they are doing in the classroom.  It was a great way to stay in contact with my student's families.  Throughout the years, several parents gushed over the fact that their child's grandparents from other states could see their grandchildren at special events at school that they would otherwise miss.

I hope to use my new classroom blog to share some of my ideas and resources that I use in my classroom with other educators.  I wanted to share a list of 4 of my favorite blogs that I frequently visit for new ideas and resources:

1. Step Into 2nd Grade with Amy Lemons
2. The Moffatt Girls
3. First Grade Made 
4. Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Even More Resources for Educators

Do you follow a ton of websites?  Do you find it time-consuming checking each individual website for updates?  Then, you should try Feedly!  It's an RSS feed reader.  Tell Feedly the websites you want to follow, and they will send you the updates.  Here's a screenshot of my Feedly:

 To make your Feedly look more organized, you can create different categories.  For example, I created a category called educational resources.

As my Feedly grows, I plan on creating more categories.  I am very excited to have all of my resources in one place!  It will be much more efficient.

Just this week, I also learned about a new free resource called Adobe Spark.  This resource provides three different types of content.  The first type of content is a post.  I created a post with an inspirational quote this week.  I was able to choose a picture from Adobe Spark.  I could have also added my own picture.  Then, I chose the size I wanted and added a text box to the picture.  Here's the finished project:

Posts are particularly great for social media.  Besides inspirational quotes, you can create invitations, memes, announcements, etc.  I think many elementary students would really like creating a meme!
Another type of content on Adobe Spark is a page.  Students could create a page that tells a story with both pictures and words.  They could also make a book report.  It would make an excellent presentation that students could share with the class.  The final type of content is a video.  Students can start from scratch or use templates.  They can create a presentation with both audio and video.  In the video below, a teacher explains how she used Abobe Spark video content in her 4th-grade classroom:

 I hope these resources will be beneficial for other educators and "spark" some creativity into the classroom.  :-)