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DCSD Technology |
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 Managed Software Center
Why Technology?Google Tip of the Month Google Appswww.loom.com Loom is a new and free screencasting tool made by Google. It is currently a google chrome extension. Loom will help teachers communicate quickly through instantly shareable videos. Best of all there is no limit to how long the videos can be. Check out the video below on how to use Loom. Google Canvas Chrome canvas is a sketch/drawing app which allows users to draw, write down notes, doodle, etc. The app has four different drawing tools as well as a large variety of colors the user can select from. A great bonus to the app is that it is free! The app is very easy to access. In fact, users do not even need to download it. Rather, users login to their Google account and all of their work will automatically be saved. The following video will guide new users through how to access Chrome Canvas as well as provide more information. Explore what this app has to offer. Backup your Photos with the Google Photos! The Google Photos app, Backup and Sync is a great way to store all of your photos. The best part is its free! This short video tutorial will walk you through how to set up the app and how to sync it with your phone and computer. It will also sync with apple photos as well. Apple iPad App of the Month: |
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 | If your looking for a fun, easy app to learn or teach coding, than this app is for you. Google Grasshopper is a free app that features quick lessons and fun games that help you learn programming skills and code writing. Features like levels, unlockable achievements, and real-time feedback make the app even more enjoyable to use. Check out the demo at https://grasshopper.codes/demo/ If you would like this app pushed out to your ipads send an email to tfelkins@dcsd.org. |
Riddles
1. ) In a contest, four fruits (an apple, a banana, an orange, and a pear) have been placed in four closed boxes (one fruit per box). People may guess which fruit is in which box. 123 people participate in the contest. When the boxes are opened, it turns out that 43 people have guessed none of the fruits correctly, 39 people have guessed one fruit correctly, and 31 people have guessed two fruits correctly.
The Question: How many people have guessed three fruits correctly, and how many people have guessed four fruits correctly?
2.) I am slim and tall,
Many find me desirable and appealing.
They touch me and I give a false good feeling.
Once I shine in splendor,
But only once and then no more.
For many I am "to die for".
What am I?
“Riddles.” Riddles.com, www.riddles.com/.
The Question: How many people have guessed three fruits correctly, and how many people have guessed four fruits correctly?
2.) I am slim and tall,
Many find me desirable and appealing.
They touch me and I give a false good feeling.
Once I shine in splendor,
But only once and then no more.
For many I am "to die for".
What am I?
“Riddles.” Riddles.com, www.riddles.com/.
9 Comments
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A little motivation to help get you through the rest of the school year.
iPad App of the Week
Toontastic 3D for Android and iOs lets students draw, annotate, and narrate your own cartoons. Toontastic will record your voice and compile the animation into a 3D video. Students have many options to choose from to create their own adventure story including many characters and built in audio soundtracks. Best of all its free.
PADAGOGY Wheel
"My desire to help teachers make good decisions as to how to make the pedagogy drive the technology, and not the other way around, that led to the birth of the Padagogy Wheel." ("The Padagogy Wheel - It's Not About The Apps, It's About The Pedagogy -", 2018)
Jessica Evans shared this wheel with me and suggested I share it in this month's newsletter. I am grateful to her for sharing this with me. It caused me to do more research and learning about this wheel, the philosophy behind it. I think that it goes along with everything that we are working to do here in Duchesne County School District. I encourage you to take some time to look at the information presented here and fit it into your teacher's toolbox.
Jessica Evans shared this wheel with me and suggested I share it in this month's newsletter. I am grateful to her for sharing this with me. It caused me to do more research and learning about this wheel, the philosophy behind it. I think that it goes along with everything that we are working to do here in Duchesne County School District. I encourage you to take some time to look at the information presented here and fit it into your teacher's toolbox.
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‘Twas the night before Christmas and up in her house, A teacher sat staring, exhausted, at her spouse. Her work clothes were hung in a closet without care, In hopes that just sweatpants for two weeks she’d wear.
The children were all sent home with knowledge well-fed, While worries about final grades danced in their heads. And me in my sweatpants, my grading pen I capped. And settled my brain in for its vacation nap.
When suddenly from the phone arose such a clatter, I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter. Away to my Android I flew like a flash, The tea I’d been drinking hit the ground with a crash. The screen of my phone with its ever-shining glow, A whole world of worry in front of me did show.
For what to my terrified eyes should appear, A list of school emails whose contents caused fear. Those notifications, so loud and so quick! I felt in a moment that I might be sick. More rapid than eagles those emails they came. They dinged and they binged and they shouted my name. “Hey teacher! Hey you there! Hey Missus! Hey Miss! I have a paper, a late work, a somethings-amiss! You must change my grade, you must change it now! If you don’t I’ll be grounded and my parents will scowl!”
And thus in a twinkling, incontrovertible proof, That exasperation is created by a teacher’s dear youth. My head in my hands, I sat the phone on the table, A whole break of begging? Would I be able?
‘Twas then that I saw the solution before me – Keeping my sanity would require ignoring. I unlinked my email and smiled with glee. That pleading and begging…good luck finding me!
My eyes how they twinkled! My dimples how merry! To work-proof the whole house! I flew like a fairy! I hid all the textbooks, tossed my pens in the trash. No papers! No lesson plans! Down the hallway I dashed!
And once I had finished my work-proofing spree, I settled on my couch, quite happy and free. I poured a glass of wine, so smooth and so red. “No more work for me,” so gleefully I said.
Then I spoke not a word, though my face held a smirk. This winter vacation, my goodness, what a perk! And laying my finger aside of my nose, The peace of no worries for vacation I chose.
To teachers near and far, a wink and a whistle. May your break be merry, a stress-free dismissal. I raised my glass in a toast, the wine faded from sight. Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
The children were all sent home with knowledge well-fed, While worries about final grades danced in their heads. And me in my sweatpants, my grading pen I capped. And settled my brain in for its vacation nap.
When suddenly from the phone arose such a clatter, I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter. Away to my Android I flew like a flash, The tea I’d been drinking hit the ground with a crash. The screen of my phone with its ever-shining glow, A whole world of worry in front of me did show.
For what to my terrified eyes should appear, A list of school emails whose contents caused fear. Those notifications, so loud and so quick! I felt in a moment that I might be sick. More rapid than eagles those emails they came. They dinged and they binged and they shouted my name. “Hey teacher! Hey you there! Hey Missus! Hey Miss! I have a paper, a late work, a somethings-amiss! You must change my grade, you must change it now! If you don’t I’ll be grounded and my parents will scowl!”
And thus in a twinkling, incontrovertible proof, That exasperation is created by a teacher’s dear youth. My head in my hands, I sat the phone on the table, A whole break of begging? Would I be able?
‘Twas then that I saw the solution before me – Keeping my sanity would require ignoring. I unlinked my email and smiled with glee. That pleading and begging…good luck finding me!
My eyes how they twinkled! My dimples how merry! To work-proof the whole house! I flew like a fairy! I hid all the textbooks, tossed my pens in the trash. No papers! No lesson plans! Down the hallway I dashed!
And once I had finished my work-proofing spree, I settled on my couch, quite happy and free. I poured a glass of wine, so smooth and so red. “No more work for me,” so gleefully I said.
Then I spoke not a word, though my face held a smirk. This winter vacation, my goodness, what a perk! And laying my finger aside of my nose, The peace of no worries for vacation I chose.
To teachers near and far, a wink and a whistle. May your break be merry, a stress-free dismissal. I raised my glass in a toast, the wine faded from sight. Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Governor's Office of Energy Award
Can You Find All 5 Turkeys In This Picture.
There are five turkeys hidden in this picture. See if you can find them. The one in the attic doesn't count.
Special Offer For All
| school_district_shopping_rates.pdf |
"So I can offer you’re school district the State Per Diem rate of $85.00 at the Fairfield Inn. Your rate here at the Hampton Inn is $95.00.
Also, for the next two months we are offering a shopping special for all your district employees."
Fairfield Inn by Marriott $75.00 per night!
Hampton Inn by Hilton $85.00 per night!
Teachers and Staff, this is from Terri Killian and if you could use this what a great deal for us all.
Also, for the next two months we are offering a shopping special for all your district employees."
Fairfield Inn by Marriott $75.00 per night!
Hampton Inn by Hilton $85.00 per night!
Teachers and Staff, this is from Terri Killian and if you could use this what a great deal for us all.
Smart Response Clickers
Teachers I have recently come across two complete sets of SmartResponse Clickers. I have tested them a little. They seem to work. If you are interested in a set for your class, let me know.
jsasser@dcsd.org
jsasser@dcsd.org
On-Line Questioning Tool
| | Kahoot, is an amazing online questioning tool for teachers. However, there are other options and they have some advantages that you should consider. First is https://www.mentimeter.com/ this is a tool that can be free or paid for. It also has more question types than Kahoot and more data collection capabilities. It also allows for the creation of presentations and mixing of questions into it. Another options is https://www.quizalize.com. It works like Kahoot, but allows for collecting of results. It is set up for teachers to use in their classroom. You can also use it with Google Classroom. |
Randall's Tip
If you need to create a quick Google Doc, Sheet, Slide there is a simple solution.
"type in the address bar doc.new, sheet.new, and slides.new to open a brand new document in your drive without going into drive to create a new document."
"type in the address bar doc.new, sheet.new, and slides.new to open a brand new document in your drive without going into drive to create a new document."
25 Things you didn't know Google Slides could do!
Google slide add-on of the week:
Unsplash
Insert free, HD photos from Unsplash easily in any Slides presentation.Insert free, HD photos from Unsplash easily in any Slides presentation.Open a new slides presentation then click on Add-ons in the top menu and select get add-ons. Search for Unsplash and add to your account. Search for photos in the sidebar to the right of your slides document.
Teacher Tools
This summer the Teacher Tools page was added to the District home page under the header "District Information". On this page are links to resources you may find useful, including various sites for Formative Assessments, Media Creation, Class Management, Science, Math, Arts Integration, and Digital Citizenship. There are many more possibilities but this is a starting point with the potential to expand into a hub of digital resources for a range of grades, subjects, and content areas.
Thank you to Jessica Evans for building this page for us.
 | October's Newsletter |
Community Matters ConferenceTeachers, for those of us who need to relicense this year, here is a chance to get some points. Please, come join us on November 7, 2018 this free event. For more information you can visit the District website. |  |
Teacher Clarity
 | "Teacher clarity is critical. Eminent educators, Dylan Wiliam and John Hattie agree that you must be very clear about what you want your students to learn. You need to know exactly what you want them to understand and what you want them to be able to do. More importantly, you need to ensure that your students are equally clear about what they must learn and how they can prove they have learnt it." (Killian, et al., 2017) www.evidencebasedteaching.org.au/teacher-clarity/ |
WordSift.org
 | WordSift is a tool that can do the following:
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Teachers this I believe could be a great tool for determining if a text is too hard for our students. I remember giving reading assignments and then wondering why so many kids struggled to understand what they read. The truth was the text was too difficult for them.
Also with the ability to analyze the text and determine which words the kids may not understand or struggle with. You can be proactive and help them before hand. So try this site out, and best of all it's free.
https://wordsift.org/
Also with the ability to analyze the text and determine which words the kids may not understand or struggle with. You can be proactive and help them before hand. So try this site out, and best of all it's free.
https://wordsift.org/
Make Beliefs Comix
This is a web site for allowing you and your students to be creative. Comics, greeting cards, ebooks, and other items.
Google Tip of the Day:
Apple Teacher--Classroom App
Apple's Classroom App turns your iPad into a powerful classroom management tool. Teachers can guide student work, share work, and manage student devices all in one place. Facilitate individual, group, and whole-class activities with just a few taps.
To find more resouces about how to use the Classroom App go to https://appleteacher.apple.com and sign in using your apple ID, then click on the links for the Classroom App. If you would like training or help in getting Apple Classroom setup contact Tom or James.
To find more resouces about how to use the Classroom App go to https://appleteacher.apple.com and sign in using your apple ID, then click on the links for the Classroom App. If you would like training or help in getting Apple Classroom setup contact Tom or James.
Smithsonian Learning Lab
The Smithsonian Lab is a free, interactive platform for discovering millions of authentic digital resources. Users can create, share, discover, and learn content with it's online tools. Login with a free account and make your own collections to share with your students. This is an amazing free resource with topics in all subject areas.
Submitting a Tech Help Ticket
If you need help from the tech department. This is were you need to go to submit a ticket for us, Help Ticket. Once you are at the help ticket site you need to click on the active directory button.
Also when you submit a ticket the more information you can give us the better. So fill in all of the boxes.
Also when you submit a ticket the more information you can give us the better. So fill in all of the boxes.
For all you do
Welcome Back Teachers and Staffs
Using Launchpad On Your Mac
| 1.Classroom Screen  | 2. YellKey  | 3. Noisli  | 4. OneTab  | 5.PodCasts  |
Google Drive Tip of the Day
 | To create a google Doc go to Google Drive hold down the Shift key and press T. |
Click on the box to learn more.
Managed Software Center
Managed Software Center is coming to a computer near you. This software will allow you to update your computer on your time and schedule. So be watching for this icon on your computer and in the labs. By combining it with Mosyle we hope to give you a great computer experience.
This app allows teachers to control the school-issued iPads that students use in their classes in various ways. See what all your students are doing in an instant. Control what apps a student can use and where they can go while on the internet. Install the app only on the teacher's device, make sure bluetooth is turned on for the student ipads, then give your class code to the students and have them sign in. If you would like a demonstration or training call or email Tom or James. It does require the ipad to be on iOS 10.3.
Sesame Assessment Platform
for iOS
Sesame makes it easy to assess student skills with visual evidence. Students of all ages independently capture their learning in any form as it happens. Teachers give instant feedback with checklists, rubrics or comments, and tag
curriculum standards to demonstrate skills.
Create snaps with photos, videos, audios, Google Docs, links or PDFs as evidence of learning.
- For younger learners, sign in on shared devices with QR codes instead of passwords. Otherwise, use Google Apps for Education or email/password sign in.
- Import directly from 100's of your favorite apps to show off learning in one place.
- Assess with comments, rubrics, checklist or score tools that become instantly visible to students
- Build trust and respect with families by inviting them to view updates in each student’s portfolio.
- Teachers always have control of who can see what.
-Tag local curriculum standards to student artifacts and assessments.
- Gradebook export and student portfolio options
- Showcase students by their skills rather than test scores.
curriculum standards to demonstrate skills.
Create snaps with photos, videos, audios, Google Docs, links or PDFs as evidence of learning.
- For younger learners, sign in on shared devices with QR codes instead of passwords. Otherwise, use Google Apps for Education or email/password sign in.
- Import directly from 100's of your favorite apps to show off learning in one place.
- Assess with comments, rubrics, checklist or score tools that become instantly visible to students
- Build trust and respect with families by inviting them to view updates in each student’s portfolio.
- Teachers always have control of who can see what.
-Tag local curriculum standards to student artifacts and assessments.
- Gradebook export and student portfolio options
- Showcase students by their skills rather than test scores.
Annenberg Learner
Interactives
This is a great interactive website with hundreds of activities in all subject areas. You can search the interactives by grade, by discipline, by audience (teacher or student), and by required software to run the interactives you choose. Here are two examples, click on each to check it out or go here to explore. www.learner.org/interactives/
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Do you like art and culture, then let me recommend this extension. Google art and culture extension allows your Chrome browser to have its screen be famous pieces of art. You can set it to change daily or to change your artwork with every new tab you open.
What to do with your tech equipment if your leaving or retiring
| turning_in_ipad_and_mac_laptop.docx |
Surplus Pick Up
Next week May 22, 2018 the tech department will be coming around to pick up surplus items. Please have them ready to go. Please bring any surplus to the location listed below for your school.
AES - Faculty Room
AHS- Data closet near cafeteria
Con amore - old workroom
KPES - old faculty room
NES - Library
UHS - Library
MES - Library
DHS - Library
DES - Faculty Room
RJHS - Faculty Room
EES - Stage
CES - Faculty Room
MES - Library
AES - Faculty Room
AHS- Data closet near cafeteria
Con amore - old workroom
KPES - old faculty room
NES - Library
UHS - Library
MES - Library
DHS - Library
DES - Faculty Room
RJHS - Faculty Room
EES - Stage
CES - Faculty Room
MES - Library
Chrome Page Marker
"Ever wanted to make notes or draw on any website? Now you can with Page Marker! Page Marker allows you to draw on any website in real time in the comfort of your browser." (Zamr, 2017)
This Chrome extension will allow you to draw on any website. If you are presenting a website and need to note on it, this tool will be great.
This Chrome extension will allow you to draw on any website. If you are presenting a website and need to note on it, this tool will be great.
If you would like to improve your skills with G Suite applications. There is a simple Chrome extension that provide the desired training. G Suite Training extension was created by Google and it will help you learn the skills you want. It uses simple videos that also require you to do some steps to move on.
This I thought was interesting to see how different cultures and age groups look at things. I don't agree with Jackie Chan, but we do live in a different world then we grew up in, and it will continue to change. Are we helping our students to face those changes?
Science Journal
Science Journal is a free digital science notebook made by Google. With Science Journal you can keep your notes, photos, and
observations all in one convenient place. Students can perform experiments using the sensors on their phone or iPad. Science Journal app is compatible with iOS and Android devices. Here is a list of what is possible:
- Measure light, sound, acceleration, and air pressure.
- Take notes and photos to document your science experiments.
- Connect to external sensors using select Bluetooth-enabled Arduino devices.
- Create automated triggers for recording data and taking notes.
- Use sonification to hear the movement of your graphs.
observations all in one convenient place. Students can perform experiments using the sensors on their phone or iPad. Science Journal app is compatible with iOS and Android devices. Here is a list of what is possible:
- Measure light, sound, acceleration, and air pressure.
- Take notes and photos to document your science experiments.
- Connect to external sensors using select Bluetooth-enabled Arduino devices.
- Create automated triggers for recording data and taking notes.
- Use sonification to hear the movement of your graphs.
3 Good Music Resources for Student
Projects, podcasts, and videos:
Sound Bible
Classroom Screen
Retiring or Leaving the District?
Follow these steps to turn in your assigned tech:
One last thought:
March Madness is Here!
"CommonLit delivers high-quality, free instructional materials to support literacy development for students in grades 3-12. Our resources are:
CommonLit About. (2014-2018). Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://www.commonlit.org/about
Teachers we have just added CommonLit to Clever. This is a FREE reading tool for educators. It has articles for students from 3rd grade to 12th grade. It works with your Google Classroom, and you can assign articles to your students. It also has questions, quizzes, and discussion topics for each article. CommonLit also has a tool to read the articles for emerging readers.
- Flexible;
- Research-Based;
- Aligned to the Common Core State Standards;
- Created by teachers, for teachers.
CommonLit About. (2014-2018). Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://www.commonlit.org/about
Teachers we have just added CommonLit to Clever. This is a FREE reading tool for educators. It has articles for students from 3rd grade to 12th grade. It works with your Google Classroom, and you can assign articles to your students. It also has questions, quizzes, and discussion topics for each article. CommonLit also has a tool to read the articles for emerging readers.
Nearpod
Classflow
Google Slides Add-ons
CK-12 Google Chrome Extension
CK-12 is a google Chrome Extension that has over 5000 types of learning applications to help students and teachers. Learn more than 5000 mathematical and scientific concepts at your own pace and in your own style!
- Supports common base and government standards for consistent content (digital tutorials and concepts).
- Supports Utah Standards.
- View, learn and practice (or teach) more than 5000+ concepts using several modalities (text, videos, quizzes, cards, etc.).
- Manage your class online through groups.
- Create practice activities and assessments for students and track their progress.
- Everything on our application and website is always 100% free.
Unified Classroom
How to copy assignments from class to class or quarter to quarter:
- On the left menu click on Grading.
- From the Assignments or Scoresheet pages, click the Gear icon to the left of the Term Menu.
- Click Copy Assignments.
- Under From, open the Term menu and select Semester 1.
- Under From, open the Class menu and select the class from which you want to copy the assignments.
- Under To, open the Term menu and select Semester 2.
- Under To, open the Classes menu and select the class or classes to which you want to copy the assignments.
- Under Copy Options, open the Due Dates menu and choose whether you want to use existing, relational, or custom due dates.
- Under Choose the Assignments, check the box to the left of the Category heading to select all of the assignments, or check individual boxes next to the assignment names to choose a smaller selection.
- If the source class you selected is a PowerTeacher Gradebook class, all assignments will be copied to the classes you select.
- To complete the process, click Copy Assignments.
- Be sure to edit the due dates of the copied assignments.
Are you interested in adding more technology activities in your classroom? Coding is a great way to teach students skills in problem solving. Check out these great opportunities for elementary and secondary teachers to add coding curriculum to your classroom. Click on one of the pictures below for more information.
TED Ed is a great resource for short entertaining videos. I have found videos for all subjects. There are also lessons to go along with the videos.
This is a website for math and science teachers. It has some free features, and some that cost.
Welcome 2018
 | Kaizena |
Kaizena is a web app that helps you as a teacher give immediate and effective feedback to students. Some of the features that make this app amazing are the voice record feature that allows you to talk to your student about their work instead of typing it. Another is the Google Drive integration, and now the creators have just rolled out the Google Add-on feature. To access this feature just open a google doc, then in the top menu click on Add-ons, then get add-ons. Search in the google store for Kaizena and add. Click on the videos below to learn how to us Kaizena.
Would you like to earn some free professional development? Have you used a video editing program called EdPuzzle? If so, Edpuzzle is offering online professional development and certifications. They have courses for learning the basics of edpuzzle, using technology to flip your classroom, tech integration in the classroom, and 21st century learning skills, and many more. Currently they are offering 12 courses. Click the button to view all courses and start increasing your professional skills.
Closing the feedback loopI know this is a business speech, but I found that his information has relevance to us. In a sense we are all manager/bosses in our classrooms. I like the story about the manager who asked his employees how they felt about their work environment, and used that information to improve his company. That he saw his employees as real people, who could learn, and take responsibility for themselves. I also like that he asked how he as a manager could improve? Have we had the courage to ask our students how we are doing, and what we can do to improve? | |
Student Feedback
(The feedback we Never want)
| Please take a moment and sign up for this months give away. | |
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