Category: Google Sites

Get Caught in the Net! 🌏 🐟 🗑️

efisher713 / / Google Sites

Get Caught in the Net: Google Sites!

Seriously, I’ve been so “caught like a fish” in the Net this week! Keeping up with all of the latest and greatest updates and changes, as well as keeping up with life (and three kids) can be a tad overwhelming 🤯 . September is just an overwhelming month for all of us in Education I think, in a good way. Worry not though because I am here for YOU to help you untangle the line!

Like many other apps, Google Sites had some MAJOR updates over the summer.  You may think, “My site is done and looks good, I don’t need this.” HOWEVER, these new updates could make your site look, and run, even better! Updates are always worth a  look because, usually, they are an improvement on the way it was originally done. We should always consider improvements because really, are we the BEST the first time? No, there is always room for growth 🌻!  So, let’s take a look at what’s caught up in my net this week and maybe it can help make your site that 1% better!

Google Sites 

Google Sites are a great tool for teachers and students. It can be used for a Teacher Website, but also can be utilized for so much more! I’ve seen it used for portfolios, projects and professional development! Google came out with the new version of Sites in 2016, and this means that eventually, the former version will go away. You can read about there here.   Always feel free to reach out if you want to make a new site or use Sites in a new way!

NEW Header Type – COVER MODE 

You can now have your Header Image be the entire home page for your Google Site. This may give your initial page a cleaner look! It also provides a nice arrow if you have content below. You have to see this to know what I mean…check out my example below!

Buttons  

“My buttons, my buttons, my GOOGLE groovy buttons!”  Like my Pete the Cat reference there? Seriously, Google Sites has added a Button Feature.  This feature allows websites to be placed on the page as a cute little button! When paired with the new layouts, this can give your site a nice, clean look!

Layouts 

There are now quite a few options for layouts for your Google Site! Again, this is another update that can give your site a nice, clean look. Take a look at my short video below to see an example!

 

New Link 

Have a website you like visitors of your site to access?  Consider using the “link” feature under pages.  Check out the brief video below to see what I mean!

Embedding 

Would you like to embed items on your websites like a Twitter feed, booking calendar or another widget? Now you can!!!  As long as you have the embed code, you should be able to put the item on your site! Take a look below.

 

Don’t you just love gettin’ Googly with Sites? I know I sure do!  What new feature will you try?! Let me know!

Have a great day everyone!  

oFISHally yours,

Erin Fisher  🐟 🐟 🐟

 

 

 

 

FishFlop 👡 🐟

efisher713 / / Assessment, Google Sites, Great Tech Sites

Greetings! 🌸 🌼 🌷

Spring has sprung and with it a whole slew of NEW ideas 💡!  I certainly cannot wait to throw on a pair of flipflops, hence my title this week.  Let’s “flipflop” away from MCAS style tests when we can! We are deep into the first rounds of MCAS here in Massachusetts and students are doing their best at showing what they know. Can what we truly know and are able to do, be measured by just one test? On just one (or two) days? Of course not!  Our students are hungry for other ways to show knowledge, other ways to be assessed! Therefore, I chose to focus on alternative assessment ideas other than your standard paper/pencil or online test 📝. Kasey Bell and Matt Miller had some great suggestions on their Podcast this week that I included below among other ideas. Their Podcast Channel is certainly worth a listen.

Check out my post below for some alternative assessing ideas!

PBL – WorkBench 🛠️  

This FREE site is so cool! Workbench is a collection of projects already designed for you, ready to push out into Google Classroom.  Many of them have multiple steps, where students work together, at their own pace to show knowledge. Many of the projects involve a writing component, an active (doing) component, and an area to upload images as well.  Project-based learning is a great learning process for students and a great way for students to show knowledge!

 

 Presentations 📽️ 

I’ve seen teachers assign topics to students to teach the class! What a great way to show and share knowledge.  Many times I see Google Slides being used as the presentation tool of choice. Although I LOVE Slides, I see some teachers and students moving towards other tools.  A student in Janice Griffin’s ELA class chose Animaker for a book trailer – so cool, check it out below (excuse the one small spelling error in this fabulous project)!

Consider having students make a presentation using one of these tools listed below:

PowToon –  cartoon style presentations

Animoto – picture and short video presentations

NearPod – interactive presentations

Prezi –  premade templates with an interesting flow

ToonTastic – available on certain Chromebooks using the Google Play Store (grades 7-12 in EB)

Animaker – similar to Powtoon but much more user-friendly with cartoon style templates

InfoGraphic (a fancy word for poster) 🎨 

How about having kids make an online digital poster with information and graphics to demonstrate mastery? If you google “infographics” you will find a whole bunch of GREAT resources! There are MANY awesome sites that you can use to create InfoGraphics such as PiktoChart, Canva, Adobe Spark, and even Google Slides (my personal favorite!).  Creating an inforgraphic utilizes many great skills aside from technical skills – students are researching and analysing the best information to be included in addition to using digital skills as well. Check out the video below on how to use Google Slides for a cool InfoGraphic!

Video! 📹 📼 

And of course, VIDEO is a GREAT way to have students demonstrate knowledge.  Unless you live under a rock, I’m sure you’ve heard of Flipgrid! Flipgrid is one of many tools that allows one to easily create a quick video that is then placed in a grid.  Recently, Sean Fahey and Karly Moura, two great Ed Techies, published a free online book on using Flipgrid. The book also includes some great ideas on how to use it.  Click here for the free book.  Just this week Flipgrid also released a new feature called FlipGrid Templates. This is a GREAT feature which gives you some premade templates for flipped ideas.

Let’s Recap and SeeSaw are also GREAT sites that also allow for video creation placing videos in a safe location to view.

Open Ed – Free Resource 📖 🆓 

In the article,  “50 awesome apps that integrate with Google Classroom” the amazingly, awesome Kasey Bell features many great apps. Padlet, Pear Deck, and IXL are a few she lists as being great apps that integrate with Classroom.  Another she mentions, Open Ed, is also an incredible resource. OpenEd does have online assessments but also has other assignments as well as you can see in the screenshot below. The best part of Open Ed, other than it’s free, is that it integrates with Classroom! Woohoo!

Let’s give our kids choices to show what they know!  What ways do you have students demonstrate knowledge?  Share below! #TogetherWeAreBetter

oFISHally Yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟

AnyFIN is Possible 😅 🦈

efisher713 / / G-Suite, Google Sites

 

What a great week in tech! GoGuardian, Hyperdocs, Pear Deck, and Google Doodle are all featured below as well as a great blog post from Matt Miller of Ditch that Textbook!  Enjoy, and remember….AnyFIN is possible.

Some great tech + you  = AWESOME

GoGuardian Overview  🔒

One of the many benefits of being a Google Certified Trainer is access to a wealth of resources from other trainers.  In searching for a resource for a mini-training on GoGuardian this week, I came across this great presentation by Frank Franzese. If you are a teacher in grades 4-12, you may want to take a look at this GoGuardian Overview.  Some of the hidden features we covered in various trainings were setting scenes, enabling chat, and taking a screenshot of student online activity.  You can limit tabs that students are allowed to have open when using GoGuardian, you can also set GoGuardian to open exactly what you want students to be on when entering a class.  This is so much more than just a monitoring tool!

Caption This! ✍️ 

This is a GREAT idea to use in ANY class.  Matt Miller posted “Caption This!” on his blog this week.  Basically you push out a picture to students, any picture whether it be a science concept, a picture from a story, a historical picture etc and students “caption” it using tools within Google Slides or Google Draw. How awesome would this be to see if students really understand a concept?!

See the full post here:http://ditchthattextbook.com/2018/01/03/caption-this-a-fun-deep-thinking-google-drawings-activity/

See a video of my example below:

Google Doodle Contest ✏️ 

Thanks Tori Cameron, Middle School Teacher, for sending this my way…

From Google:

Does art inspire you? Clouds that look like faces? Sugar? Discovering new galaxies? Artists have looked to the world around them for centuries to gain inspiration. This year’s 10th anniversary of Doodle 4 Google asks students to do the same. The winner’s artwork will be made into an interactive doodle on Google.com as well as loads of scholarships and prizes.

Win a $30,000 college scholarship, a $50,000 tech package for your school/non-profit organization, and a behind-the-scenes experience with the Doodle team to transform your Doodle into an interactive experience on Google.com!

Click here for the contest!

HyperDoc 📎 

This week, Lisa Grinkis asked if I would make her a HyperDoc. She knew what she wanted to do, and what skills she wanted to have, she just needed a little assistance bringing it all together!  I had SO MUCH FUN making this Hyperdoc (check out the full version by clicking the link below). What’s even better….the kids enjoyed doing it!  Having choice and options, while still reviewing the skill is a great combination! If you want a tech activity created – let me know! It can be on anything – assessments, activities, fun projects etc.  I have no problem making you something you can use and I can also help you implement it if needed!

Click Here to see the interactive Hyperdoc!

 To learn more about HyperDocs in general, click here.

Pear Deck Add-on Update 🍐 

Pear Deck had another AMAZING update, making their great program even easier to use! If you want me to make you a Pear Deck so you can see how it works, let me know! This is a great program and students really enjoy it. It provides great data as well for you, the teacher!

 

It is a pleasure bringing you some great weekly tech!

oFISHally yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟

You’re Amazing – it’s for SHORE 🐠 😅 🏖

efisher713 / / Google Sites, Teacher Shout Out!

This week I was honored to present at the SEAM BSU chapter meeting at Bridgewater State University. SEAM is the Student Education Association of Massachusetts and falls under the MTA and NEA.  I talked about each and every one of you to the group, and showed off tools you’re using in the classroom to educate students.  The SEAM group was mesmerized, eager, and astonished at all that you do. When we step away from our own roles for a minute and take a look at what we’re doing and what we’ve accomplished, it’s truly amazing.   It’s easy, especially at this time of year, to feel tired and heavy. Teaching in the classroom can be isolating. The weather is changing, we’re go go going with our own lives at home, juggling families and school, managing our own adult responsibilities, we’re also trying new standards, curriculums, tech tools, and getting new students (STILL)…but keep doing what you’re doing. YOU ARE AMAZING and it shows!  I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a record number of BSU student teachers in the spring, they were so impressed at all that you do!

Let’s take a look at some tools below to assist you in your amazingness:

Catch of the Day: Printing ALL student’s assignments from Google Classroom 😱

Thank you, Melissa Leonard, 3rd-grade teacher, for asking me this question.  I went on a hunt to find the answer! There is actually a few ways you could do this, but I found the option below to be the most user-friendly. It uses the app PDF Mergy. Take a look, if you need to combine multiple files, not just from Classroom, to print.

Screenshot Tools  🛠   

There are so many great ways to take partial area screenshots.  Take a look at this short video tutorial of my three favorite ways. This is great tech that will help teachers and staff of all grade levels! Please just remember copyright law and fair use law when screenshotting.

Google Form Add-ons  Image result for google forms   

So many of us use Google Forms! It is such a versatile tool, and the best part is that it is always improving!  Check out the article below from Richard Byrne for some cool add-ons to use with Forms that will make it even better for you!

Add-ons for Forms Click Here

Are you Certifiable?      

Have you ever been interested in becoming a Google Certified Educator? Wondering what that even means?  Once you become a Google Certified Educator, you have access to the Google Forum as well as many other resources available only to trainers. You get the updates on anything new before the general public. The best part of being a GCE is being part of the forum and being able to ask questions of other Google Educators.  You are listed in a database for those seeking trainers which can provide for other opportunities outside of the classroom.  Plus you get the nifty little badge to put on your email. If you would like to see what certification entails, to be endorsed by Google, see the link below from my fav. blogger Eric Curts.

Google Educator Checklist

Typito     

FREE video service.  Do you like making videos of your class using pictures and music? Do you find MovieMaker or the YouTube editor a bit difficult? Then you may want to try Typito.  Richard Byrne did a great video how-to on this resource. It’s free and allows for many options when editing including putting text across pictures.

First Grade Tech Image result for child    

First grade is now on iPads and Chromebooks – how exciting! They really enjoyed their first experience with KaHooT!

 

 

Have a great weekend everyone!

oFISHally yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟

 

GREAT to be a VIking

efisher713 / / Google Sites, NEW TECH THIS YEAR

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND EB!

Wow! GREAT JOB THIS WEEK! There are so many days where I just feel so happy to be a Viking, but this week was exceptional.  EVERYONE has been so positive and upbeat – you can tell we all REALLY love our jobs! KUDOS TO YOU!  We have had our challenges, but we are owning them. We reflect, pull together, and discuss how we can improve such challenges going forward.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for so many kind words this week! Everyone has a crazy first week, and the kindness and patience everyone has shown for technology has been very much appreciated! Erica, Josh, and Mary Ann are working so hard behind the scenes (LONG hours), while I’m working with teachers to put the tech in place! YOU make it happen with these kiddos, and we are here for YOU! 

NO MORE NEWSLETTER

Just a reminder, I will (in a few weeks) stop sending a weekly Techletter. In order to get a weekly Tech update, which includes tutorials, teacher highlights, and new tech we purchase, you will need to subscribe to my new blog or check out the new blog on your own.  By subscribing, you will get a weekly email showing all of my weekly posts. To subscribe, enter your email in the box to the right (like the one shown below).

GOOGLE SITES

This week, in only the first few days, I have seen amazing things with Google Sites. Nice work to those of you who are working on a new site, sent me a new site, or booked me to start a new site!  The NEW version of Google Sites is SO MUCH EASIER than the former version.  However, although easier, I’m running into a similar issue among many who have made a site: Publishing. Please view this video here to see how to “Publish” the site. Please view this tutorial here for an overview of creating a NEW Google Site.  Lastly, please see this tip here for MAXIMIZING a site with posting homework. 

MASSCUE

If you did not see the email from PD Academy, please check your inbox or let me know.  We are now accepting interest applications for the MASSCUE (Massachusetts Computer Using Educators) conference. This is an AWESOME technology-in-education event!  Please fill out the form here if you are interested in attending. Please also fill it out if you are presenting at MASSCUE as well. We will use the data from the form to determine who attends and also to provide a list to administration for sub needs.

NEW TECH

Lastly, as a quick reminder…we purchased a district-wide license for KAMI, PEAR DECK and NEWSELA*.  If you find that you are NOT RECEIVING the premium services from any of these resources (which are amazing), PLEASE LET ME KNOW! You SHOULD NOT have to pay for anything on these sites. Your EBPS.NET email address should automatically receive the premium account. Also, these resources link with Google Classroom. Setting up Google Classroom may be the easiest way to access these resources. (*NEWSELA is grades 2-12). Stay tuned for another blog post strictly about KAMI! It’s a really great tool in the middle to upper grades, and a perfect first tool for the “techno-toxic” (thank you Kathy Raulinaitis for that term). *Note: I don’t think anyone is techno-toxic.

REACH OUT

If you would like to try new tech with students, have help setting up new tech, have me set up new tech FOR YOU, try something new or just ask a question please, REACH OUT! I love hearing from you and/or seeing you. There are no silly questions and there is NEVER any judgment. I could have a tool to make your job easier that you may not even know exists! Let’s chat 🙂

NEW STAFF

On a final note, WELCOME new staff and GREAT JOB! I had the pleasure of working with many of you last week and you are so great! You made it, you did it! You got through the first week with flying colors, and guess what….it only gets better!

 

Have a great weekend!

oFISHally yours,

Erin