Looking for great resources for summer reading and summer learning? In this post we round up programs and resources from Granite School District, our friends at the Salt Lake County Library and Salt Lake City Public Library systems, and other resources from the web in general. [Read more…] about Summer Reading and Learning 2018
Digital Learning Resources
Google Expeditions at Vista Elementary
Teachers and some very excited students at Vista Elementary recently got to experience Google Expeditions Pioneer Program. The program is currently in a testing phase using devices without the need for Google Cardboard viewers. [Read more…] about Google Expeditions at Vista Elementary
Granite Presentations at UCET 2018
Last week the Utah Coalition for Educational Technology held their annual conference at the University of Utah. Sessions were led for and by educators, and many of Granite’s teachers and school technology specialists attended and presented at the conference. Below is a roster of the sessions shared by Granite teachers, along with links to resources from the sessions if available.
Granite UCET 2018 Presentations
| Session Title | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|
| Don't Be Afraid of Technology: How To Establish Successful Classroom Procedures | Melissa White (School Technology Specialist, Oakridge El. and Valley Crest El.) |
| Edpuzzle | Edna Habel (5th Grade Teacher, Western Hills El.) Ross Pope (School Technology Specialist, Arcadia El. and Whittier El.) |
| Engaging All Students with Classic Toys | Quinn Rollins (Social Studies Curriculum Specialist, Curriculum & Instruction Dept.) |
| Engage Students Like a Boss | Tricia Fenton (School Technology Specialist, Vista El. and Western Hills El.) Nicole Maycock (6th Grade Teacher, Plymouth El.) |
| Flipping out for Flipgrid! | Krystal Plott (School Technology Specialist, Wright El.) |
| HTML Programming on Chromebooks in the Elementary/Middle School Classroom | Andy Misco (School Technology Specialist, Eastwood El. and Twin Peaks El.) |
| Hyperdocs: Engage, Educate, and Inspire | Rebecca Baggett (School Technology Specialist, West Valley El.) Anastasia Limantzakis (School Technology Specialist, Crestview Elementary and Roosevelt Elementary) Tiffany Simons (School Technology Specialist, Driggs El. and Granger El.) |
| Learn and Play with Ozobots | Brandi Gollinger (School Technology Specialist, Armstrong Academy) Jayanne Unander (School Technology Specialist, Pleasant Green El.) |
| Makerspace: How to Build a Solar Greenhouse | Laurel Udy (Special Education Teacher, Hunter El.) |
| Meet KIBO in this Hands-on Session for Robotics for PreK-2nd Grades | Janeen Johnson (Kindergarten Teacher, South Kearns El.) Jennifer Millett (Kindergarten Teacher, South Kearns El.) |
| Micro:bit by Bit | Sherri Harris (School Technology Specialist, Wilson El.) Kathleen Riebe (School Technology Specialist, Fox Hills El. and Frost El.) |
| Micro:bit Coding | Sarah Eyring (School Technology Specialist, Granite Technical Institute) Samantha Mitchell (School Technology Specialist, Academy Park El. and Gourley El.) |
| Mixology: Structures and Strategies for Blended Learning | Pam Moeai (Specialist/Team Leader, Educational Technology Dept.) Jennifer Peirce (Specialist/Team Leader, Educational Technology Dept.) |
| Online Library Resources | Tricia Fenton (School Technology Specialist, Vista El. and Western Hills El.) |
| Raspberry Pi | John Smith (School Technology Specialist, Bacchus El. and Plymouth El.) |
| School News Production and Film Made Easy | Jen Johnson (3rd Grade Teacher, William Penn El.) |
| 3D Printing and Engineering Design in the Classroom | Dave Pendleton (4th Grade Teacher, Armstrong Academy) |
| Teacher Leadership in Utah: Utah Teacher Fellows | Deborah Gatrell (Social Studies Teacher, Hunter Sr. High) |
| UEN Canvas Modules for your class | Mikelle Gordon (1st Grade Teacher, Sandburg El.) |
What’s New in YA OverDrive — March 2018
These posters feature some of the latest YA titles that have been added to OverDrive for secondary schools. Click on the images to download a high-quality PDF file that can be printed for display in your a library or classroom. Right click and choose “Save image as…” to save the image for posting on a school or classroom web site.
(Granite’s OverDrive provides free access to ebooks and digital audiobooks for all students and staff in Granite School District. Granite’s OverDrive can be accessed on the web at http://granite.lib.overdrive.com or via OverDrive apps designed for various mobile devices. For more information or help getting started with OverDrive, visit https://www.graniteschools.org/edtech/overdrive.)
OverDrive posters designed by Cindy Moyle, Secondary Library Media Supervisor, Educational Technology Dept.
Now Open: Google Slides Basics Online Module
The Google Slides Module is now open on our Chromebook Basics and G Suite Online Training site for Granite teachers. The module walks you through the basics of Google Slides, but also includes some additional helpful tips and tricks. [Read more…] about Now Open: Google Slides Basics Online Module
OverDrive Book Lists: Latino Stories and Spanish Language Titles
The Educational Technology Department recently participated in Granite School District’s Latino Outreach Night, during which we shared with students and their families some unplugged and plugged Hour of Code activities, a button making activity, as well as information on accessing Granite’s OverDrive Digital Library. We created a couple of new collections in OverDrive especially for the night:
We also created this poster featuring Latino Stories in OverDrive which you are free to print out and display in your library or classroom, or post digitally on a web site.
We’d love to add to these lists, as well as create more lists of books and resources on other subjects and cultures in coming months. If you have a purchase suggestion (either for OverDrive or your school’s library) or if you would like help finding resources and books on a certain topic or subject, try out our Request and Suggestion Form.
Technology Tip: Greenscreen Videos With Chromebooks and WeVideo
Why write a report on the Great Wall of China or the Egyptian Pyramids when you can be there as a news reporter telling about it?
You can do that with the magic of green screen video effects! Meteorologists use green screen effects when reporting on the weather. You and your students can create green screen videos using a few simple things.
Items Needed
- A green bed sheet, fabric or thin blanket will work for the green screen (most any solid color you won’t be wearing will also work)
- Chromebook or other computer
- Any device you can record video with such as a smartphone, iPod, iPad, digital camera or other tablet
- WeVideo App for Chrome
- Optional: keepvid.com is a free and easy web tool if you want to convert Youtube videos to .mp4 to add ready made special effects into your videos
Process
- Hang your green screen background in a place where you want to film (even lighting is best where it won’t cast shadows)
- Set up your device to record your video in front of the green screen or have someone do the recording (I set the iPad on a chair in front of me to record)
- Record your video and then load it by USB onto your Chromebook or computer. I used a Chromebook and loaded it into my Google Drive.
- Use the WeVideo app or website to edit your video (see tutorial)
- You can add other background pictures or videos to create special effects. The dinosaur and scenery were two that I found on Youtube.
- You can use keepvid to convert Youtube videos to .mp4 files that work in WeVideo
- Render the video when your editing is complete. I uploaded the final movie to Youtube to easily share it on this web page.
Other
- There is also an iPad app called do ink that can be used to create green screen videos.
Tutorials
Post created by Teresa Bruin, district educational technology specialist and team leader, originally appearing in our November 2017 Ed. Tech. Monthly Newsletter for Teachers.
2017 Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code Coming Soon
Computer Science Education Week is December 4-10, 2017. Many schools, educators, and students participate in an Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week.
Hour of Code
Last year, students at Farnsworth Elementary and Woodstock Elementary tried out computer programming by participating in Hour of Code activities. In the video above, a few of these students share their work and their thoughts about the coding activities with Joell Wilkins, school technology specialist.
Hour of Code is a worldwide initiative to introduce young people to the basics of coding and computer science through 1-hour coding activities. These activities are especially promoted during Computer Science Education Week, but can be done at any time throughout the year. If you are interested in hosting an Hour of Code event, these how-to guides provide assistance for activities ranging from school-wide events to at-home family coding activities.
Check out these awesome Pleasant Green Elementary students learning to code during their Coding Club. Thanks to Jayanne Unander, school technology specialist, for sharing!
@PleasantGreenEl Code club #kidswhocode #girlswhocode @junander #GSDEdTech #code.orgexpress pic.twitter.com/WMpd4YaXPO
— junander (@junander) October 23, 2017
If you host a coding activity please share it with us! You can leave a comment below or share pictures via social media including Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtags #gsdedtech and #HourOfCode.
About Computer Science Education Week
Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is an annual program dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science.
Originally conceived by the Computing in the Core coalition, Code.org® organizes CSEdWeek as a grassroots campaign supported by 350 partners and 100,000 educators worldwide.
CSEdWeek is held in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906).
–from “About CSEdWeek” (https://csedweek.org/about)
Why Learn to Code?
See what the developers of Microsoft, Dropbox, Twitter, Facebook and others have to say about learning to code.
Post created by Teresa Bruin, district educational technology specialist and team leader. originally appearing in our November 2017 Ed. Tech. Monthly Newsletter for Teachers. Hour of Code spotlight video created by Joell Wilkins, school technology specialist at Farnsworth Elementary and Woodstock Elementary, and originally featured on this blog last year.
OverDrive Presentation for AASL 2017: Getting the Word Out about Your eBooks & Audiobooks
Cindy Moyle, our district’s library media specialist for secondary schools, recently shared a presentation at the American Association of School Librarians 2017 Conference about OverDrive Digital Library entitled “Getting the Word Out about Your eBooks & Audiobooks.” The presentation features ideas and resources from Cindy Moyle, as well as other school librarians in Granite School District, for promoting the district’s OverDrive ebook and audiobook collection and encouraging reading.
Click here to download a copy of the presentation.
Click here for downloadable OverDrive bookmark templates, stickers, etc.
Click here to view past resources and activities for promoting OverDrive that we’ve shared on this blog.
(Granite’s OverDrive provides free access to ebooks and digital audiobooks for all students and staff in Granite School District. Granite’s OverDrive can be accessed on the web at http://granite.lib.overdrive.com or via OverDrive apps designed for various mobile devices. For more information or help getting started with OverDrive, visit https://www.graniteschools.org/edtech/overdrive.)
OverDrive: ‘Big Library Read’ + What’s New | October 2017
Secondary Big Library Read October 12-26, 2017
This fall OverDrive is once again sponsoring the “Big Library Read,” a promotion in which we receive unlimited access to a special title for simultaneous, district-wide reading. From October 12-26, 2017, all secondary students and staff members can check out and read The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti, available as an ebook or audiobook. Here’s the book’s “jacket” blurb:
Hawthorn wasn’t trying to insert herself into a missing person’s investigation. Or maybe she was. But that’s only because Lizzie Lovett’s disappearance is the one fascinating mystery their sleepy town has ever had. Bad things don’t happen to popular girls like Lizzie Lovett, and Hawthorn is convinced she’ll turn up at any moment-which means the time for speculation is now.
So Hawthorn comes up with her own theory for Lizzie’s disappearance. A theory way too absurd to take seriously…at first. The more Hawthorn talks, the more she believes. And what better way to collect evidence than to immerse herself in Lizzie’s life? Like getting a job at the diner where Lizzie worked and hanging out with Lizzie’s boyfriend. After all, it’s not as if he killed her-or did he?
Told with a unique voice that is both hilarious and heart-wrenching, Hawthorn’s quest for proof may uncover the greatest truth is within herself.
What’s New in OverDrive, October 2017
If you are in an elementary school or if the Big Read book doesn’t match your interests, don’t worry; we have many other new titles of all varieties available in OverDrive. The posters below highlight a few of the titles that have been added to Granite’s OverDrive Digital Library this month. Click on them to download a high quality PDF that you can print out and display in your library or classroom, or right click and save the images to post them on a school or class website.
(Granite’s OverDrive provides free access to ebooks and digital audiobooks for all students and staff in Granite School District. Granite’s OverDrive can be accessed on the web at http://granite.lib.overdrive.com or via OverDrive apps designed for various mobile devices. For more information or help getting started with OverDrive, visit https://www.graniteschools.org/edtech/overdrive.)
OverDrive posters created by Nikki Gregerson and Cindy Moyle, Granite District Library Media Specialists.