All throughout the unprecedented spring, I would refer to Google Classroom as the unsung hero of remote learning. It truly was a life preserver to help keep many of us afloat during an extremely challenging time. Now, as we gear up to enter the fall in a VERY new way, Google Classroom comes to the rescue once again. It allows for a singular place to distribute and collect work, communicate with students either through Meet or email, and also share with your plans and posts with colleagues. This tool continues to improve each and every year, however, it is still missing a few key pieces that we would all like to see.  Knowing Google, they will eventually add those key pieces but until then we can manipulate this fantastic tool with a few hacks. Let’s take a look at some of my favorites below!

Google Classroom HACKS 🛠

Track who views your links

Do you want to see if the kids are clicking the links you put in Google Classroom?  Check out this trick!!

Use a different font

Seriously, this is amazing! I heard about this from Janice Griffin, 7th grade teacher at my school.  Check out the website: https://coolsymbol.com/cool-fancy-text-generator.html

Type what you want for your Google Classroom topics, assignments, material or any item really!  Copy and paste it into your Google Classroom, and VIOLA! Different Fonts!

Emojis in Classroom 💥😃🦸‍♀️️

Emojis may allow for your Google Classroom to stand out! I like using an extension for emojis, but you could also use the Emoji Keyboard built in to your device or an Emoji website. Check out the Emoji extension here. Copy and paste them into Google Classroom. Personally, I love seeing them in the Topics on the Classwork Page. Eye-catching AND engaging!

If the Google Classroom Genie 🧞 appeared and granted you 3 features, what would you choose? and you CAN’T wish for unlimited wishes…mine would be: Subtopics, Discussion board options, and options to hide student names in the people tab. I would LOVE to hear your suggestions!

Tip of the week: Extend your Desktop

Non-Classroom related….Need two screens for remote learning? One to see your students and one to present to your students? Try extending your screen!  This works so awesomely well when you’re connected to a projector. Bonus – if you have a board that you can touch (like a Smartboard, Touchview, etc) you can fully touch that second screen. This works great with Meet, Jamboard, GoGuardian, Peardeck teacher dashboard and many more!

I truly wish you the BEST first week – seriously, it’s going to be FINTASTIC 🦈 !

Take Care!

oFISHally yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟

Throughout this journey of remote learning,  Google has surely tried to keep up!  So many updates have come out for all Google Products in the last two months. Trying to keep up with updates is a full-time job! Luckily, it really is my full-time job…so, without further ado, check out some my favorite updates (among many) below.

Also, be sure to check the end of this post for the latest trend in education – Bitmoji virtual classrooms. Thanks to my friend Nancy Carroll, tech integration specialist from Walpole, for the slide deck!

Add to Tasks: task button

Your email just got the task button! Woohoo!!  It looks like this:

Why is this a great update? Check out this video below to see how to use tasks.  It makes it so you no longer have to leave emails unread – you just add them to tasks and get a reminder embedded right into your Google Calendar.

Hyperlink Individual Words in Sheets

Sheets received a great update in the last week. If you ever wanted to use Sheets as a database, you may have noticed you could only hyperlink an entire cell, rather than a singular word or phrase. Well, that has changed!  Now, just as in any other Google Product, you can hyperlink individual words.

Google Docs FIXED Images

One of the concerns I have received with Google Docs (over Word) is the lack of ability with inserting images.  Recently, Docs received a great update in terms of image options. If you like to have a Google Docs newsletter or insert images for students, check out this new update!

Audio THROUGHOUT Slides

Drumroll please….this update is LONG awaited!  Finally, you can have music or narration play THROUGHOUT Google Slides.  This works really well with picture slideshows as well as student projects! Be sure to use copyright free audio when using this new feature. Get free music to use here or record your own narration with Vocaroo!!

The Latest Trend….

Have you seen the latest trend that’s popping up all over the internet? Bitmoji Virtual Classrooms or Slides? Well, they are quite cute and easy to make! Make a virtual classroom and insert yourself in! Use it as a Slide and insert Hyperlinks over different areas of your classroom (like your library, or math centers)

Want to make one of your own? Click here for an editable template.

For a few more resources, check these out below:

How to put Bitmojis into Google Products

How to use and Install Bitmoji Extensions

Do you have a recent update that you just LOVE?!! Share it out, I love learning new things!!

Take care, Everyone!

oFISHally Yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟

Gmail, you either love it or you hate it, right?  For me, it’s a love/love relationship.  However, I know to those other email users, Gmail can be a bit much to get used to.  Upon the first time using it, it can layout quite differently than other email platforms. However, it has SO MUCH functionality and it only keeps improving! There are so many different ways you can harness this powerful Google App to make your life more streamlined and productive. So, let’s do that…let’s use this POWERFUL app to make life easier!

Gmail Templates

Do you find yourself writing a weekly email to families or colleagues?  Do you have a few common responses you often reply to emails you receive?  If your answer is yes to either question than Templates in Gmail are for you.  Take a look below and I’ll walk you quickly through how to set up some templates to make your responses that much quicker!

Add Reminders and Tasks from Gmail

Confession: I am TERRIBLE with clearing out my email. I tend to leave emails unread, even though I’ve read them, so I remember to come back to them. Well, tasks can solve this problem!  With a simple click of the three dots, I can add an email to my tasks, set a reminder, and not worry about the email anymore!  Check it out below!

Schedule your Gmail

I LOVE scheduling Email.  Every week, I schedule an email for Positive Sign Thursday! For example, if you send a newsletter or homework doc to parents each week, use templates and scheduling to send it weekly!  As long as you have the link to a Live Doc – this is now off your plate!

Mute the Reply Alls

If I followed my own advice and did this tip, my inbox would be half as full! If you’ve ever been a member of a large group email, you know that you will get ALL of the replies.  Well, you can actually MUTE the email.  Take a look below:

If you would like to see ALL that Gmail has to offer, check out this product forum by Google!

I hope these little tips treat you well!  I could certainly use them myself, lol!! Do you have a useful, Gmail tip?  Share it!! We are all better together! 📧

Take care, everyone!

oFISHally Yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟

Let’s talk writing!  I absolutely love to write (hence the blog), however, sometimes it can seem like a chore when I have to do it.  Personally, I prefer to type in Docs and I find the act of typing engaging in itself.  I feel the only way to really improve as a writer, is simply to write.  However, with students, it can be challenging at times to motivate students to write. So, what can we do as educators to assist students with writing? And how can we make it easier for ourselves to look at writing? Well, let’s “dive in” and look below and see what we can find!

Docs as a Blog

I really like using the Titles and Headings options in Docs. It allows you to create a pretty neat product if you set it up just right.  You can even make your Doc look just like a blog with monthly, themed, posts.  I put an example video below! If you wish to use my template and modify it for your needs, please click here.

Google Blogger

Google Blogger is a pretty cool app! You can find Google blogger by clicking here. Sometimes, we just need a cool tool to get students writing! Why not a blog? Google has a great help center, found here, that will walk you through how to create a blog!

Writing in LIVE time

As educators, it helps to have tools so see a student’s writing over time.  There are some great tools that allow both teacher and student to see the progression!

Revision History

See the progression of a student’s writing, or the collaborative efforts of a group write, by using the revision history found in the File Menu of Google Docs.  This can be a powerful tool, and also a lifesaver especially if you accidentally have your own writing wiped out!

Draftback

Draftback is a valuable Chrome Extension that allows you to see writing play out as a video from start to finish!  You can install this extension by clicking here.  To see how it works, check out the video below.

Word Count

A live word count can help a student see the visual of his or her own writing. Analyze character count and length by turning on this great feature of Docs. You can find Word Count under the Tools menu.

Tip of the week

I love this post from Catlin Tucker which includes a “writing playlist!” It’s not a new post, but it’s new to me and a great resource! Click here to check it out!

What helps you as a writer?  I left out many of my favorite tools I use since I could go ON and ON…Can you guess what they are?!

Take care, everyone!
oFISHally yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟🐟🐟

I think, possibly, one of the most frustrating challenges we face as educators is when we plan for this GREAT lesson and the tech WON’T work.  Oh my goodness, I feel the heat prickle right up my neck and the panic sets in. It’s when I want to throw something!  Sometimes, the problem is beyond our control. However, other times, we may be able to have a quick fix! Let’s take a look below and see if these tricks can “tide” you over!

Update your Chrome OS

There is NOTHING more frustrating than when you have your plans in place and something just won’t run and you can’t figure out why! Sometimes, the version of Chrome is what is to blame!  Did you know even our state test, MCAS, needs at least Chrome OS 74 in order to run?  Before you run to check your Chrome version, watch the video below of how to quickly update your Chrome! Why doesn’t it update on its own, you ask? Well, it will when it’s looking for the latest version, but when Chromebooks are not used for a longer period of time (say the summer), they may not pull the latest OS version.  Thus, we need to do a manual update. Have no fear, this is a QUICK fix!

Resolve Flash Issues

Ahhh the blessed Flash. So many sites use this application, that this quick fix may help so many. Ever see the “install flash” message? This one is for you!

WiFi Issues

Sometimes multiple networks can confuse a Chromebook. It doesn’t know which one to connect to. Here’s another easy fix from Principal of the Gordon Mitchell School, Andrew Gentile.  He shows you in the video how to “prefer” a network so your Chromebook always knows what network to choose. This will result in a faster connection that will not be interrupted!

Accessibility

If we TRULY do not want our student to flounder, then accessibility tools are where it’s at!  Chromebooks have accessibility BUILT-IN!  Students may flounder with spelling when trying to access a resource, have them try this! Personally, dictation has helped so many students – including my own sons.

If these quick, troubleshooting tips don’t help you at the moment, REACH out!

What are your quick tips to help in a hurry? Let me know!

Take care!

oFISHally Yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟

Students differ markedly in the ways in which they can be engaged or motivated to learn.

If students are actively engaged, they are more likely to be actively learning and succeeding with content as opposed to passive learning. Every learner is different, therefore trying to engage in many different ways will most likely reach more learners.  Perhaps the coolest lessons I see are when teachers are App Smashing! What is App Smashing? Well, it’s when you are on your favorite app and you combine it with another! There are so many cool apps you can combine, I do it every day! Anytime you see a video from me, I’m usually combining Screencastify with something. Screencastify is my favorite app to smash with since it is such a versatile tool! App Smashing can be very engaging when done correctly! Students this week really enjoyed smashing some apps!

Google Slides + Screencastify 

A REALLY neat activity I worked on in 6th grade this week was a stop-motion animation project.  Students took Google Slides and showed how food traveled through the digestive tract. They would take the slide and move the food ever so little and then duplicate the slide. Once the 50+ slide deck was complete, students put the deck into present mode, started up Screencastify and narrated over the process explaining every organ the food traveled through.  The students were all highly engaged and quite enjoyed the stop motion! When the phases of the moon topic come in, teachers may try this again showing how the moon cycles around the sun and show the different lit phases. Take a look at my video below to see how you may pair Screencastify with Slides!

Google Slides + Pear Deck + Your Favorite Site 

If you’re a reader of my blog, you know I love Pear Deck.  Well, here’s one more reason to love it…embed websites!  How many times do you have students have multiple tabs open?  Why not just embed the site, or even a Doc or Draw item, directly into Slides.  Simply get the link and choose the Embed Website option in Pear Deck.  See the links below for more information on this awesome SMASH!

https://www.peardeck.com/pear-deck-blog/appsmash

https://help.peardeck.com/article/47-create-a-web-slide

https://help.peardeck.com/article/48-what-sites-can-i-embed-in-a-web-slide

PearDeck + FlipGrid

SnapChat + Padlet 

A pal of mine loves to use Snapchat with her older High School students smashed with Padlet! Students take “snaps” of independent books they’re reading. They highlight something in the book that strikes them. They post the “snap” on a Padlet wall that is for the class to see. Most students include some bitmojis with their snaps and circle particular text within the book page.  This Padlet wall of booksnaps encourages other students to also read the book, thus engaging students and increasing independent reading!

FlipGrid + Screencastify 

Check out this great post on the FlipGrid blog of Smashing Flipgrid with Screencastify! It’s pretty awesome!

http://blog.flipgrid.com/screencastify

Tip of the Week: Closed Captions in Google Slides! 

Google Slides continue to get even MORE awesome! You can click the closed caption button on Slides, and your Slides with record your voice and add the captions! Smash this with ScreenCastify and talk about AWESOME!

What Apps are you Smashing?? I’d love to hear about it, or see it first hand! Reach out!

Have a SMASHINGLY good week, and Thanksgiving! You’ll hear from me AFTER the holiday!

oFISHally yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟

HAVE A GREAT FEBRUARY BREAK!

I send you off with some REELY good ideas for video projects!  A teacher reached out this week and asked for a good program to make book trailers. What a fantastic project for students! There are so many fun ways to do this!  Check it out below:

Animoto 📸 😁 

Animoto is a great, free, website and app that allows you to make videos with premade templates.  It has themes and music, premade video or you can use your own.  It’s very easy and fun! See my how-to video below and check out Animoto here!

This is an example video I made with Animoto for Little Vikings Summer Program!

iMovie  😮

iMovie is also a great option for those students using their iPhones or home devices (iPads and Mac books). Like Animoto, it has premade templates and music to create pretty cool short videos.  See the how-to and video example below! iMovie

Screencastify 📹 

Screencastify is my favorite go-to for all things video. There’s just so much you can do with it! It works well on the Chromebooks and has a webcam option! You can pause and resume and the videos save directly to Google Drive, making it easy for students to add to Classroom.

Video Project Ideas from Others  🎥

This is a great post (click here) by Richard Byrne from Practical Ed Tech showcasing his lesson plan with video options for students. He goes into many of the free tools and how to use them. He even provides a link to example lessons.

This post (click here) by Eric Curts features video mashing using Google Slides and Youtube. Basically you insert two videos onto the same slide and have them play simultaneously. Why do that, you ask? Well, take a look at his post. He has a great explanation!

This post (click here) by Matt Miller is about how to take Google Slides and create stop motion videos. It’s pretty neat, and not too challenging! Students who like to design may enjoy this one!

Lastly, Eric Curts (click here) also suggests video dubbing using Screencastify. This is a neat idea! Essentially, you mute a video (either that you made or borrow from YouTube and you provide voice-over and narrate it.  This would be great to do over a Google Slide presentation as well to provide audio explanation.

Have a wonderful, restful break! You deserve it!

oFISHally yours,

Erin Fisher 🐟 🐟 🐟