Sora is a new reading and listening app from OverDrive and Granite School District. With Sora, students and staff can access a large collection of ebooks and audiobooks for independent, recreational, or teacher-assigned reading. Students can read or listen to these books using a Chromebook, desktop computer, or personal mobile device.
[Read more…] about Featured Resource: Sora, the New Reading App from OverDrive
Coming in September 2018, all teachers in Granite School District will receive an updated and expanded set of Technology Integration Progress (TIP) Cards!
You can download a digital preview of the card sets here:
These cards provide teachers with a handy collection of quick help guides for a range of classroom technology tools and digital resources, as well as tips and ideas for new ways of using these tools and resources with students. Short URLs on the cards link teachers to a full menu of tutorials and other resources. TIP Cards comprise just one aspect of the Technology Integration Progress framework, an initiative of Granite’s Educational Technology Department. Read on to learn more about the TIP program. [Read more…] about TIP Cards Revised and Expanded for 2018-2019
Chris Larsen, Director of Educational Technology, and Jenny Peirce, Educational Technology Specialist Team Leader, recently presented at the 2018 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference held in Chicago, sharing our department’s Technology Integration Progress initiative.
Click here to view the slideshow from their presentation or read below for details about the initiative and links to additional resources. [Read more…] about Presentation: Technology Integration Progress Initiative
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
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
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.
| 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.) |
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.
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
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.
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.
Post created by Teresa Bruin, district educational technology specialist and team leader, originally appearing in our November 2017 Ed. Tech. Monthly Newsletter for Teachers.
