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#GSDEdTech Infographic 2021

February 2021Josh WhitingLeave a Comment

Check out this infographic showcasing a few of the many of the services and tools we provide students and teachers in Granite School District!

Granite EdTech Infographic (2021)Download

The infographic details a few of the services and tools we provide students and teachers in five areas: technology coaching, professional development, libraries, digital tools, and hardware. Click the link above to download a copy of the infographic, or read on for descriptions and links to these services and tools.

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Featured Book Collections and New Releases in Granite’s Sora

February 2021Josh WhitingLeave a Comment

Each week we add new ebooks and audiobooks in Sora, Granite’s digital library for students and teachers, as well as curate collections of new and featured titles in the Explore area. We also share printable and sharable posters for some of these collections on granitemedia.org, our sister site for Granite’s school libraries.

Log in to Sora with your student number or staff username and password to browse and borrow books from these collections today!

Read on for printable and sharable posters and more details about our recent collections.

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Canvas: ‘The Fundamental Five’ for Students and Parents

January 2021Josh Whiting

Adapted by Davina Sauthoff, Educational Technology Team Lead, from “The Fundamental Five: A Framework for Improving Communication Processes,” by Trenton Goble of Instructure.

The “Fundemental Five” are simple but essential questions students should ask as they navigate content and coursework their teachers have shared with them in Canvas. (Canvas is the learning management system used by students and teachers in Granite secondary schools to support both face-to-face and distance learning.)

Canvas – The Fundamental Five for Parents and Students – Full Infographic

Read on or download the infographic for tips and features available in Canvas that will help you succeed in your classes.

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Featured Resource: Padlet

January 2021Josh Whiting

Padlet (https://graniteschools.padlet.org/) is a tool that allows teachers to make collaborative pages where students can respond, collaborate, and communicate with each other. We’re excited to announce that all Granite teachers now have access to a paid district Padlet Backpack account!

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The County Library Now Shares Digital Books in Granite’s Sora

January 2021Josh Whiting

Ebooks and audiobooks from the Salt Lake County Library are now in Sora!

Sora Granite-SLCO Public Library Connect Flyer — Sora Granite-Salt Lake County Library Connect Flyer – Instructions on connecting The County Library to your Sora Account

Sora Granite and Salt Lake County Library Connect Flyer (Printable)Download

Sora Granite and Salt Lake County Library Connect Flyer (Spanish) (Printable)Download

Students in Granite School District can now access the children’s and young adult titles in the county’s collection using their Granite login; no separate library card number is needed. This increases by thousands the titles and copies available to students. Read on to learn how to find these books.

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Featured Resource: Kami

December 2020Josh Whiting

A version of this post was first shared in our GSD Ed. Tech. Monthly Newsletter for Teachers, authored and curated by Teresa Bruin, Educational Technology Team Leader. We’ve also included help resources created by Davina Sauthoff, Educational Technology Team Leader.

Kami (https://www.kamiapp.com/) is a tool that allows students to digitally annotate text and edit documents. Using the kid-friendly Chrome extension, students can make notes on ebooks, publisher-supplied PDFs, worksheets, and more. Granite recently purchased a district-wide license to Kami for all teachers and students!

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Presentations: Google Classroom (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced)

October 2020Josh Whiting

Looking for tips and tricks for using Google Classroom? These presentations, created by our school technology specialists, have suggestions to get you started and new things to try. These were first shared as part of the professional development menu for Granite teachers at the beginning of the school year.

Topics covered include:

Setting up your Classroom
Creating assignments
Organizational tips
Go Math & Wonders Integration
Google Integration with Calendar, Drive, Meet, and Quiz
Grades, Feedback, and Rubrics
Using Hyperdocs in Classroom
Creating a Grade Level Team Classroom

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What’s New in Sora?

October 2020Josh Whiting

We’re adding new ebooks and audiobooks to Sora all the time, and also adding resources to help students and teachers with Sora. In this post we round up a few of those resources.

For example, you can

Screenshot of Granite Sora Help Page — Screenshot of Granite Sora Quick Links and Help Page

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Presentation: Intro to Tech Tools – Basics

October 2020Josh Whiting

Looking for easy technology tools for distance learning? This presentation, first shared as part of the professional development menu for Granite teachers at the beginning of the school year, introduces several great options and ideas for connecting with and engaging your students.

Tools covered include:

Screencastify
Loom
Nearpod
Quizizz
Google Meet
Whiteboard.fi
Flipgrid
Edpuzzle

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Elementary Library Book Walk 2020

October 2020Josh Whiting

This post first appeared on Granitemedia.org, the website for the district’s school library programs. Link: https://www.granitemedia.org/2020/10/elementary-library-book-walk-2020/.

We recently held the annual Elementary Library Book Walk!

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