Learners @ElancoK6 testing their landing pad they made in @MrArena4 #Makerspace seeing if their code can land the @ParrotEducation drone on their pad! #Elancosd #drone pic.twitter.com/LanUmzfslV
— uɐɯıǝƃ ˙ɹɯ (@TechCoachAdam) December 5, 2018
Expeditions into Virtual Learning at ELANCOK6
The district has recently purchased three sets of 30 Google Expedition virtual reality kits – one for each Elementary building. Now every elementary building has the ability to use virtual and augmented reality to immerse their students into the learning.
Google Expeditions allows teachers to lead students on over 700 virtual field trips with 360-degree views as well as the ability to use augmented reality that not only immerses students in a virtual setting but allows the setting to come to life right in front of their eyes.
Introduction to Google Expeditions
Watch this short introduction video to Google Expeditions to help you get started!
How To Get Started with VR
Perhaps the best way to get started would be to:
- Watch the video above. This video will give you a brief overview of Expeditions and help you understand how it works.
- Visit the website Tim and I created blog.elanco.org/vr – here you will find VR/AR Resources, classroom examples, as well as the Sign Out Sheets for each building. To sign out the VR kits simply click on the Sign Out Tab, select the building you work at, and select the dates that work best in your schedule and are still available.
Using VR does require some initial training before implementing it into your classroom. I will be periodically providing training on using the VR kits during my monthly Tech Tips throughout the year. If you are looking to implement them before the next Tech Tips, please reach out to me through email and I will be more than happy to train you how to use the VR kit.
All kits will be stored in your building tech’s office and will be delivered to your classroom on the day(s) of use. You are responsible during the week that you have the kits for keeping the charged. The kit will be delivered to your charged initially.
However, before leading your students through a Google Expedition Tour, teachers will need to participate in a training session or meet with Tim Leister or Adam Geiman to learn the skills of leading a lesson, as well as the proper maintenance of the devices.
Discovery Education Updates
Studio Board Builder!!!!
Discovery Education has revamped its programs for the 2018-2019 school year! One of the biggest announcements from Discovery Education is the addition of Studio! This new tool is now available for all IU13 teachers and students! When teachers/students log in to Discovery Education, they will see Studio has been added on the left side panel. The Studio is a collaborative board builder where students can share in the creation of interactive boards with multiple students at the same time.
To learn more about DE Studio Boards, log into DE and view some teacher-made Studio Board Examples or visit the Welcome to Discovery Education Studio tutorial
Content Showcase
Make sure to check out the content showcase video on Discovery Education and reading the DE October 2018 Updates from IU13 IMS that includes instructional strategies to incorporate DE multimedia, virtual field trips and connections with other educators are presented.
Virtual Reality Field Trips
Discovery ED has an extensive library of virtual field trips that cover a wide range of content area topics! If you are interested in viewing one of these trips make sure to check out some of their featured and upcoming Virtual Field Trips or browse the full archive by category. For a complete list of Virtual Field Trips coming up, check out the Discovery Education Events Calendar.
Google Publishes ELANCO Students Work!!!
BrainPOP Summer Learning Packets
Did you know that your students and their families have full access to BrainPOP while away from school—from any device, wherever they go!?
To keep kids engaged and help ward off summer learning loss, families can sign up to receive a series of summer learning packets — staggered throughout the break — with reading, math, writing, and physical fitness activities that are perfect for the season. Let your students’ families know before you say goodbye for the summer!
PowerTeacher Pro
For the 2018-2019 school year, All Elanco Teachers will be switching to the newest version PowerSchool gradebook called PowerTeacher Pro. in August during Spartan Learning Day there will be serveral trainings for you to attend. Teachers will also have access to a test server to work with the new gradebook over the summer.
More information about the Power Teacher Pro Gradebook to COMING SOON!!!
What is great about this new update?
- Teachers now have web-based mobile access to the HTML 5 Grade book with full functionality, including touchscreen, on any device.
- The same great user experience and full functionality is maintained from any computer or tablet.
- Built to save time, enter scores vertically and horizontally using our quick-fill scoresheet.
- PowerTeacher Pro is designed for K-12 teachers to minimize time on administrative activities through technology and intuitive navigation.” — From PowerSchool.com
Compare PowerTeacher Gradebook vs. PowerTeacher Pro
Training Videos for Teachers
Creating and Duplicating Assignments
How to use PowerTeacher Pro
What is new with Discovery Education?
Discovery Education Quarterly Spring Update for 2018!
Discovery Education Studio Boards is now available for all IU13 teachers and students! When teachers/students log in to Discovery Education starting today, they will see Studio has been added to the left side panel. Studio is collaborative so multiple students can work on the same Studio board at the same time.
Click on the link to learn more about what new features are coming to Discovery Education this fall.
Team Drive has Arrived!!!!!
You may have noticed that a new folder has shown up in your Google Drive called Team Drive.
What is Team Drive?
Google Team Drives are shared spaces where teams can easily store, search, and access their files anywhere, from any device. Unlike files in My Drive, files in Team Drive belong to your team instead of an individual. Even if a staff or faculty member leaves, the files stay exactly where they are so your team can continue to share information and get work done.
Team Drive is not meant for all of your documents. Team Drive is for those documents that you as a team regularly use such as your weekly team meeting agenda etc.
How it Works!
I have also attached a Getting Started with Team Drive document for you to read with step by step instructions.
If you have any questions at all about Team Drive please feel free to contact me.
RealWorldMath.org
Welcome! Real World Math is a collection of free math activities for Google Earth designed for students and educators.
Mathematics is much more than a set of problems in a textbook. In the virtual world of Google Earth, concepts and challenges can be presented in a meaningful way that portray the usefulness of the ideas. –RealWorldMath. org
Take 2 minutes and learn how to use Real World Math in your classroom for free!
Mr. Lewis’s EdCamp Student Edition
Read below to find out the awesome things that are happening in Mr. Lewis’s 6th Grade math class!
Ed Camp Student Edition
By: Mr. Lewis
Last Friday I had the opportunity to try out an idea in my math class that I have never done before. As with anything new, there was a sense of excitement, anticipation, and anxiety. I had decided to turn my math class into a variation of an “Ed Camp.” An “Ed Camp” is an “Un-Conference” in which the attendees select the topics learned.
On Wednesday I had my students fill the whiteboard with ideas they wanted to learn. They picked from three categories. The first category was “Review Material” which included anything from the past that may be a struggle. The second category was “Current” which included anything dealing with algebra, expressions, and equations, which is our current unit. The third category was the “Wild Card” in which students could put anything involving math. This included problem-solving activities like chess and math concepts that we have not learned yet but are found on the math screener.
Once the students came up with the list of ideas, I took the ideas and created a menu of options and guidelines for the day (Pictured Below). Since I had so many suggestions I relied on two students lead an extra session. They did great!
The day was a success! Students filled out a brief survey at the end left some awesome feedback! Not a single student rated the day less than a 7 out of 10. Students left comments such as… “Yes, I liked that there was a variety of things to learn.” “Yes, Because it gave us a chance to learn about new things.” “Yes, because we got to choose what we needed and wanted to learn.”
It seems that my students want this to happen on a regular basis, if not every week! I cannot wait to try it again and continue to grow this activity in my room!