Public Schools Day of Action - January 27

ESU 8 will be participating in the upcoming first-ever Public Schools Day of Action, defined by NElovesPS.org as “a day devoted to engaging all citizens in Nebraska to celebrate our teachers, students and public school communities.”

To celebrate and join the movement we will be hosting a public viewing of the film “Consider the Alternative.” This limited-release film from Nebraska Loves Public Schools explains to families and taxpayers the positive differences already happening in our existing public schools. The hour-long film will be played at 1:00 pm at the ESU 8 main offices and anyone is welcome.

If this time does not work with your schedule, consider hosting your own viewing party in your school or community.  Learn more and sign up for free at http://nelovesps.org/january27. No matter the level of participation, anyone can benefit from visiting http://nelovesps.org and joining in the important conversation about the power of education for our youth and the future of our communities. 

"Hour of Code Challenge" for ESU 8 Schools

Celebrate Computer Science Education Week

December 7-13, 2015

Participating classes from ESU 8 will be entered into a drawing for a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) presentation for their class!

1) Sign up at Hour of Code.
2) Register with ESU 8 by completing a short form.
3) For an additional opportunity to win, use Twitter to share your experience. Don’t forget to use #esu8, #hourofcode, and your school/class hashtag!

Complete steps 1-3 to participate, and register by December 4th.
Then celebrate the "Hour of Code" in any way you wish and share your experience!

For more information contact Heidi Rethmeier 402-887-5041 x1229

For additional opportunities to integrate coding into your curriculum, view this blog post about Coding for Kids.

Coding for Kids

"Next week, students at 155,000 events around the world will learn their first Hour of Code, jumping into a field that can change the rest of their lives!"

~from an email from Hour of Code.org 

Truth is that coding is quickly becoming one of education's fastest growing trends. It doesn't matter if you teach kindergarten or high level computer science courses, there is definitely something for everyone in the subject of teaching coding. Join in with thousands of educators around the globe during the Hour of Code during the week of December 7-13.  Or better yet, use these resources and activities ongoing all year long. Your students (and our future generations) will thank you!

*Sign up for "Hour of Code" and find free resources for participating in this annual celebration for any age level: https://hourofcode.com 

Then, visit code.org and sign up your class or school for the many free lessons for teaching coding to kids. If you sign in, you can track your students' progress and watch them progress through the levels. 

View an archived Wednesday Webinar from Heidi Rethmeier on Preparing for Hour of Code:

Coding for Kids Resources

https://sites.google.com/site/visionsbyvicky/handouts/cue-2015
http://teachwithict.weebly.com/computing-blog/strategies-and-resources-to-support-the-teaching-of-computational-thinking#sthash.oRnKuTJJ.dpbs

Primary Coding Adventures

An iTunes U course with many video explanations for primary classroom on how to move from learning to code to coding to learn. 

The Key(note) to Coding

This foundation course gets kids familiar with instructional language and cause & effect decision-making... all with Apple's free Keynote software!

Coding and Robotics for K-5 with Dash and Dot - Lesson Ideas using Dash and Dot programmable robots

From Clueless to Coding by Megan Ryder - Multi-Touch book on how one educator set up and developed a summer game design class for students grades 3-8.

Websites for Coding

• Scratch
• Tynker

Apps for Coding

• Kodable
• Daisy the Dinosaur
• The Foos
• Hopscotch
• CargoBot
• Scratch, Jr. 
• Tickle (see additional resources below)

Coding with Tickle

https://www.tickleapp.com/en-us/hour-of-code/parrot_drone/

Lesson 1: Intro to Flying

Lesson 2: Flying Time, Speed, and Distance

Lesson 3: Fly in a Square and Triangle

Lesson 4: Pilot a Drone using Motion Sensors

Programming a Quadcopter with Tickle (Time, Speed, and Distance lesson)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dup4FrqXUko

Programming a mini-drone and Sphero interactively

Learn to Code with Sphero

http://www.sphero.com/education

Lesson Plans for Sphero

The Martian: Sphero Edition is a free course available for anyone with the iTunes U app. Your students can learn about the Mars Rover as they complete challenges with the Sphero.

SMARTer Teaching with SMART Boards

Here I have collected various resources for teaching with SMART Boards.

1) First, an intro/refresher course otherwise known as SMART Boards 101.

Katie’s Notebook files for the presentation:

10 Quick and Easy Tips for Integrating SMART Boards (Notebook file)

Additional links:
21 Ways to Integrate SMART Boards in the Elementary

YouTube video series from Adam Bellow

• How to set up a SMART Board
• 5 tips and tricks
• New features in SMART Notebook

What’s New in SMART Notebook 14

What’s New in SMART Notebook 15

Educator2Educator series on YouTube

namely, SMART Exemplary Educator (in English) Notebook Uses by discipline

2) Next are some links for a follow-up presentation to help users go a little bit further:

Katie’s Notebook files for the presentation:

Turning up the HEAT with SMART Boards

(Notebook file)

Higher-order thinking

Engaging

Active learning

Transparent

Additional links:

What’s New in SMART Notebook 14

What’s New in SMART Notebook 15

Touch Recognition from SMART

3) Finally, here is the Notebook file from a group "make and take" workshop held recently so that teachers could better build Notebook lessons.

Make and Take SMART Boards (Notebook file)

Augmented and Virtual Reality in Education

Augmented Reality: Make Learning Magically Come Alive!

Resources curated by Katie Morrow Last Update: November 2015

Terminology

A.R. - making something come to life

aura - the magic thing that pops up when you hold your device over something

trigger image - the normal picture that you want to make come to life

overlay - the thing you will apply on top of a trigger image (usually a video)

Aurasma and Blippar - free apps to make A.R.

Augmented Reality in Education

(free book for iBooks from educator Paul Hamilton)

Experience A.R.

• Quiver
• Chromville
• Elements 4D by Daqri
• Star Walk
• Word Lens via Google Translate app
• Plickers (not really A.R., but similar principle)

Uses of A.R.

• book reports
• oral reports
• math worksheets
• school promotion

Venues for A.R.

• school hallways
• project fairs
• library book covers
• student worksheets

Many more integration ideas here: http://www.twoguysandsomeipads.com/p/meaningful-integration.html

Design your own Augmented Reality experience

• Aurasma
• Guidance for Educators getting started with Aurasma
• Blippar
• https://blippar.com/en/contact-us/#education
• https://help.blippar.com/guide

Additional Resources

Aurasma Lesson Ideas from the iBooks Store:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/aurasma-lesson-ideas/id1003451913?mt=13

Blippar book with lesson ideas from the iBooks Store:

Interactive Institutions: Using Blippar in the Classroom by Simon Pile

Experience the Blue Angels in 360 degree video from your Chrome browser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6SsB3JYqQg

TED Talk on Virtual Reality and the Human Connection by Chris Milk

https://www.ted.com/talks/chris_milk_how_virtual_reality_can_create_the_ultimate_empathy_machine?language=en

VRSE app: http://vrse.com

Google Cardboard in Education

https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/bring-virtual-reality-field-trips-to.html

Virtual Reality in the Classroom Just Got Affordable (from ISTE)

Expeditions program: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/

Building a Student-Centered Learning Environment

Lately I have been working with schools on how to utilize technology to facilitate more student-centered learning.  The following resources are an introduction to various tools that can help educators get started with this important aim.

Presentation Tools

• https://prezi.com/ - presentation software that Katie used to present.  Screen moves from slide to slide

Student Quizzes/Polling

• https://www.polleverywhere.com/ - quick class poll, create word walls
• http://quizizz.com/ - similar to Kahoot, can be student paced
• https://getkahoot.com/ - the Kahoot that was presented by Mr. Havranek
• https://www.peardeck.com/ - similar to quizziz and kahoot, requires a Google account for every student and has premium features not available in free version

Chrome Extensions - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps

Chrome extensions will show up on the top, right side of your browser.  Once you download them, you will have them every time you use a Chrome Browser.

• Speakit! - Highlight text to speak
• Screencastify - create screencasts on the chrome
• DF Youtube - blocks all of suggested videos on the side of youtube videos

GoogleDocs

• Suggesting Mode - (View -> Mode -> Suggesting) - leaves the original text on a Google Doc, but allows someone else to “suggest” revisions.  Student will have to go and resolve the issue
• Revision History - (File -> See Revision History) - Google Docs saves all of revision history for a document
• Dictation in Google Docs - (Tools -> Voice Typing) - Only in Chrome Browser - like Siri on your phone
• GoogleDoc Add-ons - (Click Add-ons in Google Docs) - similar to Chrome Extensions
• EasyBib - creates a citation in MLA or APA format for Google Docs

Translation

• translate.google.com - has the ability to speak into google translate.  Does have the ability to translate an entire document, file, or website.

Collect and Curate

• Google Drive - cloud storage
• Google Keep - like sticky notes on Google
• Evernote - notes anytime, anywhere, any device
• Pinterest - keep certain articles that are beneficial for research
• Youtube Channels and Playlists - ability to create a playlist and upload videos
• Mr. Havranek’s Science Channel as an example

Communicate and Collaborate

• Backchanneling - https://todaysmeet.com/ - use when showing a long video or long assignment.  Ask students questions in the backchannel to create interaction.  Help them watch the video with a purpose.
• Blogging - http://blogger.com  - Can use to highlight daily learning, students can have their own blogs as well.  Is tied to a student’s google account.

Show What You Know

• Screencastify Chrome Ext - capture video/audio on your computer
• Google Slides - google’s version of PowerPoint.  There is the ability to share between students
• Prezi (https://prezi.com/) - like a PowerPoint.  Creates zoom in and out slideshows.  This is the presentation tool Katie used during the presentation.
• ThingLink - (https://thinglink.com) - upload picture, students add “hot spots” to explain the picture.  Students build in the buttons to highlight the information

Creation and Choice

• Smore - (https://smore.com) online posters.  Can add videos, pictures, and text
• Adobe Slate (https://slate.adobe.com)- Scrollable poster with images and words
• Canva - (http://canva.com) Create visual elements for any project
• Youtube Capture - record and edit videos right from YouTube

Padlet (https://padlet.com) - online corkboard for ideas.  Katie used at the end of the presentation