#ThisIsCCSD

Anyone who spends more than just a basic amount of time around social media begins to realize that hashtags are way more than just something which can be simply (and at times thoughtlessly) included in social media posts.  Hashtags can be an extremely powerful tool in bringing people together (who otherwise wouldn't be connected) as well as a potentially dynamic way to share a collective story via social media.

Through this perspective I began reflecting on how Cherry Creek Schools tells our all-encompassing story via social media.  Hashtags such as our department's #CCSDTech, our STEM and Innovation Department's #CCSDSTEM, and our district's use of #GreatNeighborhoodSchools via our communication department's Twitter feed serve somewhat smaller group needs extremely well, but we can undeniably do one better as a whole.  We're a large organization, but not too large to come together and rally around what really matters... and that's us.

I invite you to consider including the hashtag #ThisIsCCSD in your posts when you would like to contribute to the collective story Cherry Creek Schools tells on social media.  The vision is for someone who would like to know more about what CCSD is all about to click on the hashtag and experience what we all do, who we all are, and what we all value.  This is something we can rally around and something we can, without a doubt, be very proud of.  The stories are already there.  I see them all of the time.  All that's left is to make sharing a priority and simply include the hashtag.

Let's tell our distinctive and unique story.  Our audience is ready.  Let's inspire them.  

#ThisIsCCSD

I'm Thankful for Google Drawings

As Thanksgiving draws near, I know some of you are looking for creative, innovative ways to engage your students for the short two day week before Thanksgiving break. 

Recently, as I was researching some new ways to use Google Drawings in the classroom, I stumbled upon a blog post by Kacey Bell (@ShakeUpLearning) about the idea of creating online Magnetic Poetry. Instead of using a magnetic white board and magnets with words, Kacey created a Halloween Magnetic Poetry template in Google Drawings. It was a huge hit, as you can see if you check out what people were saying about it on Twitter. Some teachers used this as an independent writing activity, and others had students work together on one drawing to come up with some great collaborative poems and stories. This could also be used as a whole-class activity using an interactive whiteboard. 

Kacey Bell did not have a Thanksgiving template created for Magnetic Poetry, so I found one from Jamie Forshey, another teacher blogger, and adapted it a bit to my own liking. When you click this link, it will force you to make a copy of the Thanksgiving Magnetic Poetry drawing. 

Feel free to share the link above with your students, or you can make some changes first. You might want to change the picture, or add or remove some of the words to adapt the activity to the grade level you teach. The words are actually pictures so they look more like magnets, but you can easily add more by typing words into a new text box with a white background. To remove words you do not want in there, just click and delete. When your drawing is ready, you can force a copy to your students by first changing the end of the URL to say "copy" instead of "edit," then sharing the link with them. Remember that they will need to share the drawing back to you if you would like to have access to their work. This pro tip can be used for any Google Docs, Sheets, Drawings or Slides. 

Of course, if you are using Google Classroom, you can send a copy to each of your students there instead of forcing a copy using the method above.  

I hope this activity not only serves to engage your students in a creative activity before Thanksgiving, but also sparks more ideas for you to use Google Drawings with your students. Please use the comment button below to share those ideas with our followers!

Guest Blog: Google Hangouts by Melissa Abels

Thank you to Melissa Abels, 3rd Grade teacher, for being our CCSD Tuesday Tech Tip guest blogger!  Melissa has done incredible work with engaging students in a collaborative inquiry based learning experience using Google Hangout.  We asked if she would share her experience and insight implementing a Google Mystery Hangout. 

As a 3rd Grade Teacher, Google Mystery Hangout was the perfect interactive addition to really “show” students the five different Regions of the United States! Google Mystery Hangout is essentially like “Skype” or “FaceTime” with another classroom somewhere around the world. Students ask questions back and forth to determine a class’s location based on inferences, mapping skills, and clues from the other students.

Content 

After teaching about the five different regions of the United States, I set up a Google Mystery Hangout with another classroom in each of the five regions (Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, West). My students were able to use their knowledge about each region’s characteristics to ask questions, determine the region the Mystery Classroom was in, and then use geographic clues to determine the state in each region. My students were able to ask the other class questions about what it’s like living in that region, the weather, sports teams, etc, which were questions the Social Studies Curriculum wouldn’t answer. I love that my students were able to get answers to their immediate, real-life questions through this awesome tool.

Getting Set Up

Before we “Hungout” with other classrooms, I had to coordinate with another classroom around the country to find a time and date that we could get our classes together. Give yourself enough time to do this! The communication process with other teachers about dates and times that might work took longer than expected. Be sure to keep the time-zones in mind!

Test out the connection and volume before it is time for the actual Hangout. Sometimes being able to hear each other got a little tricky. Test volume, speakers, and connection first. Also make sure that you are connected so your students will be able to see the other class but also so that the other class can see your students.

Google Mystery Hangout is a lot like 20 questions. Students will ask yes or no questions back and forth to determine location. I recommend playing a few games of 20 Questions with your class for them to get the idea.

Jobs

When it is time to hang out, you want all students to have a job so that they all contribute to the success of the team. Assign or let students pick jobs before the Hangout actually starts so that you are prepared as it begins. My jobs were:

• Greeters: These (2) students say hello, introduce your class, determine who wants to ask questions first
• Inquirers: These (2) students ask the questions from your class
• Answerers:  These (2) students answer questions from the other class
• “Yes” Sign: This person holds up the “Yes” sign if “Yes” is the answer to the question as the answerer answers it
• “No” Sign: This person holds up the “No” sign if “No” is the answer to the question as the answerer answers it
• “We are thinking” Sign: This person holds up this sign when your students need time to collaborate or talk
• Think Tanks: These (2) students put all of the clues together and determine what question we want to ask next
• Question keepers (2): One person records questions your class has asked while the other records questions the other class has asked.
• Mappers: These (2) students look at a United States map of just the states as well as one with physical features to help give new information about what to ask to the Think Tank.
• Clue keepers: These (2) students record what we already know in an area where all students can see.
• Runner: This person moves between the Think Tank and the Questioners. Once the Think Tank decides what we want to ask, the runner tells the Questioners. 
• Photographers: These (3) students circulate around during the Hangout taking pictures of students at work.
• Problem solvers: These (2) students work together to synthesize all information and get to guess the other class’s location. 
• Closers: These (2) students thank the class you Hungout with, summarized the session, and provided information about our classroom, school, city, and state.

After the Hangout

After the hangout, I had students journal to me about how they thought it went, what they liked, and what they would change. It was a great reflective piece to know more about how this process was for them and if anything needed to be changed before the next hangout.

 Tips and Tricks

• Remind your students not to wear clothes that would give your location away (Ex: A Denver Broncos shirt).
• Go through examples of what the students might ask to help determine location (Bigger scale questions at first and then more specific ones.)
• Hangouts will usually take about 15-20 minutes.
• Prepare “Yes,” “No,” and “We are thinking” signs ahead of time
• Remind students that background noise makes it very hard for everyone to do their jobs
• The Hangout runs very quickly! Do not be hesitant to take the time that you need. 
• It will seem chaotic for the first few Hangouts while students learn their roles and their jobs. It’s not! They are just excited and collaborating!
• Always have a backup plan in case a Hangout falls through.
• Adjust jobs as needed. Add jobs that students see a need for.
  
  

Tuesday Tech Tip: Get Going with Google!

Calling all Google Apps for Education fans! Coming back for their 5th Colorado event, the EdTechTeam Colorado Summit featuring Google for Education is happening in November! This two-day summit focuses on using and integrating Google Apps for Education in the classroom in order to promote student learning and innovation.



Here are the details:
WHO: Open to all! You, your teachers, your administrators! Make it a party!
WHEN: November 5-6, 2016
WHERE: Monarch High School
(329 Campus Dr, Louisville, CO)
WHAT: Learn, share, practice, grow. Each day will begin with a Keynote speaker, followed by 2 sessions, lunch, and then 2 more sessions. Day one ends with a Demo Slam and day two ends with a closing keynote.
HOW: Register HERE!

Here are some highlights from the schedule include using Google Apps for Education (GAFE) and other online tools to help students read and write in an online environment, the power of Google Forms, Using Social Media in the classroom and for building a PLN, Chrome Browser tips and tricks, Google Cardboard and virtual fieldtrips, differentiation, templates, Chrome extensions and add-ons, MakerSpace ideas, ways to use GAFE in all classroom content areas and grade levels, portfolios and publishing, badges and gamification, Breakout EDU, Google Classroom, the power of Google Slides and Drawings, Google Sites, Blogger, Google Photos, Pear Deck, formative and summative assessment ideas, interactive storytelling ideas, EdPuzzle, augmented reality and more! With the number of topics available, it'll be hard to choose just one session in each time spot! Just think though, the more teachers you bring the more you'll be able to take notes on and share with each other after the conference!

We would be happy to connect with you at the summit, just let us know you're planning to be there! Let's get as many people as we can to help represent the amazing work we're doing in CCSDD, and help our teachers grow and learn how to better integrate Google Apps for Education into their practice! We know there are already some pretty awesome things happening in the classroom, but it never hurts to have a few more instructional tools in your teacher toolbox to support your students in an ever-changing and evolving online world.

Again, here is the link to register for the summit. We look forward to hearing about your experience and sharing our learning with you! Happy Googling!

October is Connected Educators Month

Connected, as defined by dictionary.com:

(Please click on the image for a clearer view.)

The ease in today's world with which we can connect with each other and how simply we can empower ourselves as well as others cannot be overstated.  This is why it is more important than ever that we acknowledge and celebrate October being Connected Educators Month.

There are numerous means to be better connected as an educator.  The purpose of this post is to share just a few of the resources with you in hopes you'll find something useful and meaningful.

One, visit connectededucators.org whose mission is "Helping Educators Thrive in a Connected World."  This site is perfect for resources, ideas, and plenty more regarding the idea of being connected as an educator.

Source: https://goo.gl/2u4RXs

Two. use social media to create and build your very own personal learning network (PLN.)  We are no longer limited or tied to resources only within our schools or districts.  It is simpler than ever to find educators, ideas, strategies, and more from throughout the world which can add meaningful depth to your passion for teaching and learning.  What a time to be alive!  Related Reading: Social media is (initially) more about who you follow rather than who follows you.  Read a short post with more detail about this approach on my blog here.

Three, if you are already active on social media in a professional sense, include the hashtag #ce16 (Connected Educators 2016) in your posts.  This will help you more easily find other professionals to connect with this month.

As Will Durant said, "We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."  By changing the word "excellence" to "connectedness" we can make connecting with others a habit rather than a act.  This way we can all celebrate Connected Educators Month all year long.

Again, these are just a few of the many examples of how we can celebrate Connected Educators Month.  We're excited to hear about and see all of the different ways in which you are celebrating being a connected educator.  Feel free to comment below to share what being connected means to you!

Source: https://goo.gl/RvZd0d

 

Tuesday Tech Tip: Some Notes on Sketchnotes

When the Sir Ken Robinson RSA Animate video of “Changing Education Paradigms” started making the rounds, I’ll never forget the feeling of having my mind completely blown to shreds by not only the ideas presented in the talk, but also the images I was watching grow right before me on the screen. I’d seen the TED Talks. I’ve heard the ideas before. But never, NEVER, had it been presented to me in such a way that captured me as a listener and a viewer at the same time. More than a speech, more than a presentation, but not a video presentation necessarily, it was hard for me to explain. And once I wrapped my head around it, it was in this moment that I learned something about myself that I had never realized was part of who I am: I learn through drawing. Through images. Through listening. I've always participated in this activity and was often chastised for "not paying attention" in class, when in reality I was doing more than merely listening to what was happening. I was processing the information and drawing it in a way that made sense to me. Yes occasionally there were pirates or unicorns frolicking across the page as well, but my brain was still working. I was still listening, processing, and working.

Sketchnotes tell a story. The story that someone is hearing. The story of their understanding. The story of their learning. The story of a student and how they process information. Even a topic as fact-driven and seemingly straight-forward as the history of education and it’s current/future state tells a story, as evidenced by the video from RSA Animate.

Sketchnotes are strangely private and public. On the one hand, creating a set of notes for yourself from a blank page means truly developing your own process, style, and reflection habits. You are creating a visual representation of your synthesis of multiple pieces of information. The goal is not to write every word on the page, even if they are in all different fonts. We wouldn’t do this in a regular note taking session so why do it now? The goal is to really capture what is most important, highlight the information that connects ideas, and do it in a way that visually indicates a shift in your thinking or represents the ideas that most resonate with you in regard to the topic at hand. This is a personal process for personal use. Your sketchnotes and my sketchnotes may look completely different, and that’s okay as long as our ability to gather the relevant information and walk away with the same understanding is the same.

On the other hand, sketchnotes are merely the beginning of a process. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to present at InnEdCo in 2015 with the incredibly brilliant Kevin Croghan in a session we called “100 Ways to Capture (& Hopefully Share) Your Thinking”. We agreed early on that it wasn’t enough to simply create a sketchnote during a class (or a session) and call it a day. While sketchnotes are meant to be used for personal use, it’s also only the beginning of creating meaning of what you heard or learned and then synthesized/reflected upon. Often, these things happen in rapid succession and may not actually happen in isolation. Here’s the process we shared.

Kevin Croghan is the MAN. Follow him on Twitter: @MrCroghan or check out some other ways to contact him HERE.  

The final piece to the process is SHARING, contributing to the thinking of the whole with the purpose of refining our own thinking. So, how do we share? Sometimes it is as easy as clicking the share button. But in most cases it requires a more thoughtful approach. Often times I’ll see a sketchnote posted on Twitter or Pinterest, which is totally awesome and something I’ve done from time to time, as a end to the process. Unfortunately, for it to be a true capture and release of thinking this cannot be the end of the cycle. It’s purposefully cyclical so that once the original thinking is shared ideally you’ll receive some sort of feedback (discussion, clarification, etc.), reevaluate and reassess with the feedback and conversation in mind, and then share your newly created thinking. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Here are some examples of Sketchnotes, takeaways, and processing I've shared in the past. I've seen sketchnotes from the same keynotes, speakers, presentations, and sessions and while they look different from what I came up with, our takeaways and thoughts were fairly similar. It was a great way to meet someone new and spark a discussion.

Sharing can also be modeling what you’ve learned for others rather than sharing your thinking directly. Once you’ve reflected on something you’ve learned, this could change the way you think or behave or process. Owning that change in your actions and showing others is another way to share. You will still get feedback and have the opportunity to refine and revise and share again. Granted, it depends on the topic and the type of learning that is happening (content or skill related), but ultimately there is needs to be time dedicated to not only the cultivating of new ideas, but also the creation and sharing of learning.

So where does that leave us as educators in teaching and supporting this process with students? My suggestion, start small. Model it for them. Let students practice their listening and processing skills. Let them figure out what their visual vocabulary is. Eventually, let them submit their thinking to the room or to the world. Have them come back to their thinking after doing some research or having some conversations with their peers about what they heard and learned. Give them the opportunity to revise and clear up any misunderstandings. Help them shred their brains apart and then stitch them back together with a clearer picture of the ideas, concepts, and skills you know are important to growing them as students in your class and humans who need to learn how to learn. What better way to have them truly make meaning that you can see and assess than by sketchnoting their way through their learning?

Want to know more about Sketchnotes in the classroom? Check out my previous blog post!

Tuesday Tech Tip: CCSD's Super Tool Smackdown

This summer, our team was fortunate enough to attend the ISTE 2016 conference here in Denver. It was a fast and furious week full of key notes, playgrounds, poster talks, and some mind-blowing presentations full of content but also new strategies for presenting professional development.

One of our favorites from this week was 60 in 60: The EdTech Game Show! presented by Brandon Lutz and Scott Snyder. This presentation was fast paced and shared over 60 Web Tools, Apps, and more in 60 minutes. Part of this presentation was a sweet 16 style bracket where eight sets of tools were paired up against one another and the audience was given time to vote for their favorite based on one minute descriptions given by the facilitators (and eventually audience members) until a winner was chosen. Aside from the super fun game show feel there was also some great information given by the presenters on how to use this structure in a professional development setting.

The Set-Up

From what we could see, here’s how they set things up:

• Pre-event: audience exploration of tools
• Presentation: Initial presentation with introduction of game show format; 1 minute overview of each tool (each facilitator took one in the pair)
• Voting: After each pair presentation, the audience had the opportunity to vote on NearPod and a winner was chosen 
• Repeat for each pair (1st round - 16 tools)
• Audience participation: Before the show, the presenters asked volunteers from the audience to represent apps later in the presentation with practical advice or usage examples. The deeper dive into the tools was to continue to persuade the audience to vote for one tool over the other. (2nd round - 8 tools)
• Transition Time: Between a vote and then next round of tool overviews the facilitators had to update the presentation and voting spaces with the new pairs. While this was happening the other facilitator took the time to share other tools (not in the initial 16). 
• Repeat for final tools (3rd round - 4 tools)
• Audience Smackdown: 5 minute free for all about final 2 tools. Voting commences. A winner is chosen. Cheering! Hooray!

Here’s Why it Rocked

The setup was simple, mostly because it had to be. Sharing that many tools in such a short amount of time would otherwise be impossible. The descriptions of each tool were short and to the point; that was really refreshing. Also, there were plenty of tools to choose from. As participants we didn’t feel like we needed or wanted to get to know each and every tool they presented, but at least having the option to eliminate a few of the choices almost right away felt empowering in a sense. If we knew this wasn’t a tool we didn’t find useful, or we had already used the tool they were presenting (or anywhere in between those places) the next tool was literally only moments away. In the end, we were sure everyone in the room (including us) were able to learn about a tool they could use right away in their classrooms. That’s powerful.

Our team attends presentations with two lenses. One is our “learner” lens. The other is our “facilitator of learning” lens. We saw several new tools that can be used and shared with our teachers using our “learner” lens. We thought about the structure of the learning environments we support using our “facilitator of learning” lens. The structure of this presentation is something we definitely could use. That is how this blog post came to life. So here we are, sharing it with you. Right now. In this space.

Let the Smackdown Begin!

A 16-tool blog post is something you would rather not read and we would rather not write, so we simplified things a bit and are going to present eight tools for your consideration. There will be 4 head-to-head battles, and then a semi-final with the four remaining tools, and a final round after that between the two tools left standing. Quick reminder: just because a tool “loses” does not imply that it’s useless. All of these tools can add value to your class when used in effective ways.

Here's the bracket. You can check out each of these tools on your own and then vote using this FORM. Check out the details below by hovering over the blue or red circles next to the tool listed. Each one is hyperlinked to their website...check them out! 

Please feel free to share this post with your colleagues so they can 1)learn some new tools and 2)vote for their favorites! You have 2 weeks to vote as our next round will begin September 27th! Happy voting!

Make Virtual Reality a Reality for YOUR Students!

Looking for ways to use virtual reality in the classroom?  If so, we’ve got you covered!  Cherry Creek Schools has several kits that are available for checkout through District Library. If you reserved a kit, make sure you block out time to pick up and drop off the kits in person back at SARC. A big thank you goes to Denise Wendl and Carla Kinsella for all of their help and support! There is a folder inside each kit that contains essential information.  You are responsible for all materials. Make sure you read and understand all content in the folder before using with students.  


So, what kits are available?

• Kit #1: 12 Cardboard viewers and 12 iPhones
• Kit #2: 12 Cardboard viewers and 12 Androids
• Kit #3: 12 Cardboard viewers and 6 iPhones
• Kit #4: 12 Cardboard viewers and 6 Androids
• Kit #5: 12 Cardboard viewers (no phones)
• Kit #6: 12 Cardboard viewers (no phones)

How does this work?	Explore VR and Cardboard compatible apps.  Checkout recommendations in our Schoology Resource Group. Download and open your app. *If you are using CCSD devices (in kits) you will not be able to add additional apps. Insert your device into Google Cardboard. View your virtual reality experience. It’s awesome!
Safety	Participants must be 7 years old or older. Make sure students stay in their seats or stay seated on the floor while viewing. Students should hold the cardboard set with two hands (to avoid phone dropping from sides). If students experience eye strain or motion sickness they should put the viewer down for a little bit and join in the activity when they feel better. Blurry?  Try cleaning the lenses or moving the device to the left or right to make it centered.
Awesome VR Apps	Check out our blog post on Google Cardboard and VR Apps that Rock Google Expeditions is great place to start!  Check out the list of available Expeditions. This app has connected to all grade levels and all content areas!
Instructional Considerations	Share expectations with students: Handle cardboard with care.   Do not change settings in device. Collect all devices and cardboard viewers before class is dismissed. Learning stations, small groups and pairs works great!
Schoology Group	Check out updates and use resources from the CCSD VR Resources Schoology Group. The code to join the is: 4SQPP-H32TQ You will find content about Google Cardboard, how to create your own VR and 360 experience, and purchasing ideas.
Office of Blended Learning and Instructional Technology	Looking for support? District Technology and Learning Coaches are available to help you get started! They can help you explore possible apps, co-plan, or teach with you. All you need to do if fill out the request form by going to: My.CherryCreek > My Tech > TLC Request Form
Packaging to Send back to District Library	Make sure you completely charge phones. Shut down each phone. Put the kit together the way it was received: Cardboard in pairs - 12 in a kit (hugging in pairs) Folder on top Phones in bags (if available) Chargers in bags (if available) Double check inventory and deliver in person back to SARC. Something broken or not right?  Contact Amber Paynter at apaynter@cherrycreekschools.org

We hope you have a blast bringing your students to places the schoolbus can't go by making virtual reality an actual reality!

Tuesday Tech Tip: Google Grand Slam Part II

Hopefully you had time to fully digest all of the Google tools we showed you last week. As we continue our Google double header, we will explore some new and/or improved Google Extensions to help you score big in the classroom.

Share to Classroom

For those using Google Classroom, this is a must-have extension. It allows you to push websites to open instantly on your students' Chromebooks or computers. You can also post announcements, create assignments, or save webpages to post to Classroom at a later time. If you haven't tried Google Classroom yet, click here to see some of our past posts and learn about this great Google tool. Click here to get the Share to Classroom extension.

Floating for YouTube

Floating for YouTube lets you watch any YouTube video in a hover-over window. This means that you can watch your favorite video(s) while working on other things, without having to keep YouTube open and focused in a separate browser tab/window all the time. This is great for class when you want students to take notes while watching a video. Or, at the elementary level, teachers can show a video while having a shared Google Doc of student questions in the background. Click here to get the Floating for YouTube app and extension.

Screencastify

Screencastify is a simple video screen capture for Chrome. It allows users to add audio and video of themselves talking while showing the screen, so it's great if you want to create material to flip your classroom. Students can also create using Screencastify, so they could use it to show their thinking or learning to you and/or the whole class. Click here to get the Screencastify extension.

Google Keep

If you aren't familiar with Google Keep, click here to read our blog post about it and learn more about this great app. If you are already using Google Keep, then you will definitely want to check out their Chrome extension, so you can quickly save items you come across to Keep. Everything you add will sync across all devices and platforms.  You can add notes and labels to items you save quickly and easily with this extension. Click here to get the Google Keep app and extension.


We hope you enjoyed our double header of new and improved Google tools. Next week's post will cover one more amazing tool that Google recently released: Google Cardboard. 

Tuesday Tech Tip: Google Grand Slam, Part I

As you are getting back into the swing of things at school, we would like to offer some ways to add depth to your technology lineup with some of Google's newest features.

Share Students' Screens with Google Cast for EDU

Now students can share their screens with the class wirelessly from anywhere in the classroom using Google Cast for EDU. It is a free Chrome app and works with Google Classroom so it’s easy to invite students. Teachers run and control the Cast for Education app, and students can share their screens using the Cast feature in Chrome. Click here to learn how it works. 

Create Quizzes in Google Forms

While we still suggest using Schoology to create a quiz when you want it graded or you want to track mastery, formative assessments and exit tickets are now easy to create using Google Forms. Go to http://forms.google.com. There you'll be able to see templates you can use to get started or create a quiz from a blank form. For those who have checked out the new Google Forms, you may be pleased to hear that you can now add pictures to the answer choices in multiple choice questions. For more info on types of questions and how to use Google Forms to create quizzes, click here.

Google Classroom Updates

Google Classroom just keeps getting better! Now, using the Classroom mobile app, teachers and students can draw on, highlight, and write notes on documents and PDFs. The video you see below from the Google for Education Blog shows how it works. Click here for step-by-step directions.

Google Slides Presenter View

When presenting using Google slides, you now have the ability to see your speaker notes and accept questions from your audience during the presentation. Click here to see how it works. To get there, go to the down arrow next to Present, as shown to the right.

Next week as part of this Google double header, we'll explore some new and/or improved Google Extensions.