TIS Cohort 2018
Volume 6, Issue 20
TIS and That and A Happy Summer! Summer Adventures From Home Google Expeditions It’s almost here! After 10 months of hard work everybody is ready for a fun filled summer vacation. We dream of places to go, things to do, but then reality of money and distance often smacks us right in the face. However, due to Google Expeditions, you can visit these places and take family and students on adventures throughout the world! Google Expeditions is a virtual-reality teaching tool. You can swim with sharks, visit outer space, walk through a museum, and more without leaving the classroom. There are close to 500 expeditions available and more being created each day. Students can now take virtual tours using just a few of Google’s apps and products. Google Expeditions is built to work with Google Cardboard, which is a cardboard frame engineered to fit common mobile devices. Students can then look at their device through eyeholes that give a VR experience. Your classroom can take a field trip on Google Expeditions with as little as a class set of mobile devices and an Internet connection. If your classroom is one-to-one, you can simply download the app and lead expeditions without the VR . The expeditions can begin with the teacher as a guide and students as participants. Students can view the expedition in full-screen mode without a VR viewer. However, the real fun begins with the virtual reality, which requires the Google Cardboard viewer. Google Cardboard costs about $15 per device, though other compatible options exist. Google Expeditions provides helpful supplements, like annotated facts and sites for the teacher to reference. Individual expeditions do not have to take a long time, and can serve to boost engagement and understanding .
Choose Your Own Adventure: Using Google Slides As a child, I couldn’t get enough of choose your own adventures books. I excitedly pondered, should I cross through the forest or not? What kind of adventure awaits me? To tap into our students creativity a summer learning idea could be to create your own adventure using Google Slides. The steps are really quite simple and can lead to a lot of adventure, learning and fun. Steps : 1) Create your title slide using Google slides blank presentation and import title images. 2) Create your starting scenario slide. 3) In two separate text boxes (or with two separate pictures), provide options for the next step. 4) Create 2 new slides – these are the possible next steps from the scenario choices. 5) Back on the starting slide, click on one of the text boxes or images within a text box. 6) Use the hyperlink button (or Ctrl+k) to link to the appropriate slide. 7) Repeat the process for the other option. 8) Continue to add steps that branch off of those 2 options .
Tips for implementing VR in classrooms: 1. Be selective 2. Focus on experiences vs. content 3. View it as an engagement tool 4. Limit VR to shorter experiences
Summer Adventures From Home Cont. Don’t forget about………Geocaching Adventures! Geocaching is certainly nothing new as it has been around in its current form since 2000 and the treasure searching aspect of geocaching has been prevalent throughout history. Therefore, it’s easy to forget or overlook the benefits geocaching can have to learning. For those unfamiliar in geocaching , users employ GPS systems, smartphones, maps, and other instruments, to try to find hidden containers (geocaches, also called caches) that other users have left in locations around the world. Geocaching can be an excellent learning tool in school for encouraging kids to explore the world around them and also offers lessons on mapping, geography, latitude, longitude and estimation. If the geocache is near a historical site, additional history lessons can be tied in. Earth and physical science lessons can be tied to the geocaching hunt. Additionally, kids can learn problem solving skills and learn the value of collaboration and teamwork. https://www.geocaching.com/play
Something to remember………… Volunteers review each description submitted to the site to ensure it meets geocaching guidelines. However, to ensure kids don't come across anything suspect, teachers may want to restrict their site use to geocaches classmates have hidden.
“Adventure is worthwhile.” - Aesop
What’s All This Talk About STEM? Over the past several years, a new word has been travelling through schools, offices, and homes: STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) programs are designed to help our students excel in all 4 disciplines and to encourage students to pursue careers in these areas. The STEM programs are also designed to integrate these disciplines into the core subjects using real-world applications. The uprising of STEM curriculum began back in 2009 when President Obama announced a STEM campaign because of the decreasing interest among students in STEM careers. The campaign also was started in hopes to provide the 8.65 million workers needed for STEM-related jobs in the United States. Interestingly enough, many STEM jobs do not require a college degree. STEM is introduced to our students at young ages. Each level of schooling introducing a new level of STEM. In elementary school, students are introduced to STEM and basic concepts of the curriculum with the hopes of starting an interest among students for STEM programs. STEM at the elementary level is also discretely paired with core subjects so that students don’t feel like it’s something they “have” to do, but more of a “want” to do. At the middle school level, STEM programs become more advanced and challenging. Students will also begin exploring STEM related careers. On the high school level, courses and pathways become available to the students for STEM jobs. A high emphasis is then put on bridging in and out of school STEM opportunities. The STEM program is still a fairly new curriculum that continues to be more developed year after year. Activities such as experiments, coding, and digitally creating and connecting are all used within STEM programs to engage students in higher level learning. These 4 areas impact our society greatly, and future leaders need to take interest in this types of careers. Links to STEM resources:
List of STEM websites for kids - http://www.mastersindatascience.org/blog/the-ultimatestem-guide-for-kids-239-cool-sites-about-science-technology-engineering-and-math/
Coding for Kids - https://www.tynker.com/school/
Inquiry-based Learning - https://www.exploratorium.edu/
Free hands-on activity materials - https://academy.autodesk.com/
National Geographic STEM Resources - https:// blog.education.nationalgeographic.org/2016/04/03/stem-education-resources/
Additional information provided for this article can be found on: https://www.livescience.com/43296-what-is-stem-education.html
Summer Smart Starts!
https:// www.typingclub.com/en/login/ *Single sign on Office 365 and Google *Tutorial *WPM and % accuracy *Immediate student feedback (certificates and badges) *Developmentally appropriate keyboarding program *Voice and speed change https://www.freckle.com/
https://www.kodable.com/
Differentiate instruction for student summer access:
Grades K-5 programming:
*Math,
* Parent, teacher, and student friendly for hours of engagement.
Science, Social Studies, ELA.
*Close gaps or accelerate students. * Free, personalized, engaging!
*Coding progress/mastery monitoring reports: variables, loops, etc.
TIS Cohort Authors Rebecca Kelch is a 6th grade teacher at Cameron Elementary in Marshall County. She is the technology facilitator at her school and also coaches 7th and 8th grade girls volleyball in St. Clairsville, Ohio. She enjoys planning the 6th grade trip to Washington DC every year, as well as, helping her students advance to the State Social Studies Fair. Andy Guthrie is a PBIS Specialist for the ODTP at the Board of Child Care in Berkeley County. Prior to this position, he worked as a School Support Specialist for RESA 8 and as a middle school Social Studies teacher and basketball coach. He feels fortunate to have worked with so many wonderful students and educators these past 14 years . Outside of school, he is an avid Mountaineer fan and loves to travel and spend time with his wife, son and two dogs! Mary Ann Young is a County Wide TIS, National Board Certified Exceptional Needs Specialist, Mentor, and Microsoft Trainer. Previous positions include special educator, second grade teacher, and co-technology coordinator. Hobbies include horseback riding, reading, family time and learning.
“The only constant in the technology industry is change.” - Marc Benioff
Upcoming Events
WV Network for Educational Excellence — North Session - July 16 - 20, Morgantown, WV. South Session - July 30 - August 3, Charleston, WV.
The KidStrong Conference — Charleston Civic Center on June 21 - 22
ISTE Conference—June 24 - 27, Chicago, IL.
Women & Technology Conference — June 26, Charleston, WV.
Digital Summit - August 27 - 28, Washington D.C.