Padlet

Need a quick and easy assessment tool?  Create a Padlet in seconds hand have your students post to your wall!

The wall can be shared via email, with a link on your website, embeded on your website or with a QR Code!

There is a Padlet app at the chrome store!

Thanks for sharing Mrs. Polenzani and Mrs. Flessas!

Free ClipArt and Pictures!

Open ClipArt
Almost 60,000 clipart images that have been released to the public domain so they are free to use!

Pixabay

Over 260,000 free photos illustrations that have been released to the public domain!
You can use any Pixabay image without attribution in digital and printed form.

Gmail Tricks!

Get to Know Your Gmail Settings!

Desktop Notifications!
Have a notification Pop-Up when you receive a new email!
In Gmail, go to Settings and scroll down to see your desktop notification options!

More than just a Yellow Star!

Instead yellow starring a message, why not give it a blue star or an exclamation point?

Then the more time you click the blank star next to a message, the more icon option you will get!

Oct 7 Staff Meeting Tips

Make Chrome your default browser

1.  Click the little 3 lines on the top right of your Chrome browser

2.  Click Settings

3.  Click  Make Google Chrome the Default

Google Image Search - Safer Alternatives

Subscription Services
United Streaming
Ebsco Kids Search
Britannica Elementary
World Book Kids
World Book Students

Search Engines
KidzSearch
Google Junior
GoGooligans

Adding a Bookmark to Your Google Doc

 Create the bookmark first.

1. Click where you want to place the bookmark in your document.
2. Click the Insert drop-down menu
3. Select Bookmark
4. Create a link to a bookmark

 Then, create a link to a bookmark

1. Highlight the text you'd like to link from
2. Click the Insert drop-down menu and select Link
3. In the 'Edit Link' window, select the 'Bookmark' option to see the bookmarks you've created
4. Click the bookmark you'd like to link to
5. Click OK.

Powtoon

Powtoon is a free, simple, web-based presentation tool.  For chrome users, there is a Powtoon app in the Chrome store!


Teachers and students can use Powtoon for book reports, tutorials, current events, research reports, vocabulary development, study guides... Just log in using your google account and get started!

My Sample: Critical Vocabulary Chapter 3

(I know what your thinking!  You hit the jackpot by reading this today! Not only do you learn about an amazing presentation tool, you can get my answers to the Critical Vocab Chapter 3 Assignment... I can't guarantee they are correct, but use them however you want!!)

iOS8

Last week Apple came out with a new operating system, iOS8.  If your family has multiple apple devices, installing this upgrade comes with many features to bring your family closer together and to help parents control purchases.  Start by upgrading your operating system (Settings>General>Software Update).  After the upgrade you turn on Family Sharing  up to 6 family members can enjoy the following features:

• Access each other’s apps, music, movies, tv shows and books
• Use the Shared Family Album and instantly update all family devices with the latest pictures and videos
• Create a Shared Family Calendar where everyone can add events to one calendar and reminders can be sent out to multiple devices.
• Pay for family purchases with a single credit card.
• Enable “Ask to Buy” to require children to get permission before making iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases.
• Make Apple IDs for children under 13 years old so they can personally be part of the “Ask To Buy” feature.

Find out more the other cool features iOS8 contains!

Math Apps form the Chrome Store

If you are using a Chrome browser and you are signed in,

you can get apps from the Chrome Store.

Chrome apps are actually just links to websites.  You can add any of these links to your own website for your students to use.   You do not need a chromebook to use these apps.  Many of these sites also work in internet explorer.

Here are some Math Apps that are pretty cool!

Sokikom - 30 Day Trial…

Common Core Aligned Math for Grades 1-6

Usually I don’t get excited about free-trials, but I think this one is worth it!

• Super teacher friendly interface
• Quick and easy online teacher tour
• Pre-assessment assigns appropriate lessons
• Lessons, instructional help videos, and games

If you want to wait a month and see whether it is worth it or not, Mrs. Suchecki is using my 30 day trial.  So we will know more in 30 days!

Splash Math - 30 Day Trial

Common Core Aligned Math for Grades 1-5

• Interactive Math Lessons
• Fun, engaging games
• Monitor your class with a quick glance
• Easy-to-generate class reports

Hundreds Grid - Customize, color and play with a hundreds chart!  Love it!!!

Math Jong...fun game you can play with your kids (grades 3-5).

SmartKids Maths - free lite version… cute math games for k-2.

Numbers Game - 1-4 players… make 24 with given numbers and operations.

Hidato -Math a path through the bee-hive with this Logic game.

SharpSchool Columns

Is your web page looking a little drab?  Try moving around your portlets and adding columns!

Moving Portlets

Place your cursor over the arrow in top left corner of the portlet.  When the cursor turns to cross-hairs, you can click and drag the portlet to a different place.

Adding Columns

1.  Under Advanced, click Page Layout

2.  Chose the layout you like.

3.  Use the arrows to move your portlets into different columns

4. Click Update Page.

SharpSchool Upcoming Events Portlet

Upcoming Events Portlet

1.  Under Advanced, Click Switch  to Design Mode    

2.Find the Upcoming Events portlet under the collaboration tab and drag it to a place on your page.

3.  Connect the portlet to your calendar (or any other school calendar)

• Click edit on the Upcoming Events portlet

• Next to the place for a calendar name, click browse

• Use the + signs to open and search for the calendar you want

What Should You Put On Your Website?

How do you get parent's to visit your website? One way is to keep the information fresh and relevant. Post, Post, Post!

Need some ideas to jazz up your website? Try adding a portlet for one of the ideas below.

Due Dates  (Upcoming Events Portlet)

Need everyone to bring back a permission slip by Wednesday? A book report due Friday? Add an “Upcoming Events” portlet to your page and everything you add to your calendar will be featured!

Relevant links (Document Container Portlet)

Links for students to learn more about content and links that make your subject more fun.

Notes Home (Document Container Portlet)

Anything important that you hand out in class can be posted online.

Class Rules and Guidelines  (Content Portlet)

Homework (Document Container Portlet)

Upload homework so no one has the “I forgot it at school” excuse!

Biography (Content Portlet)

Tell parents about your academic and professional background.

Your Favorite Sites (Document Container Portlet)

Share the educational sites or student-centered sites that you visit the most.

Information for Parents (Document Container Portlet)

• Links to relevant parenting or educational articles/websites
• Links for educational websites that can be used with their children
• Tips for helping their children succeed in school
• Information about the units you are teaching and the standards you are focusing on currently.

SharpSchool - Customizing Themes

Add your name and job title to the theme of your webpage!

1. Sign in to your website.
2. Under Page Properties, click Metadata…>General metadata

3. Type your name In Theme/Header Line 1
4. Type your job title in Theme/Header Line 2
5. Click Submit

6. Close the box and refresh your page!

SharpSchool Document Container

A Document Container portlet can hold all your links, files and folders!

To add a document container portlet you must first Switch to design Mode

After switching, you will see this portlet toolbar towards the top of your screen.

Simply click and drag the icon of a portlet to the spot you want it on your page! Watch Video

Once you have inserted the portlet you can fill it up!

Add New Item… File

Click Choose File and upload something from your computer!

Add New Item… Folder

Create a folder to help organize your container!

Add New Item… Link

Add a link to a website, video or google doc!

SharpSchool Container Portlet - Clip Art & Images

Here are two ways to add images to the content portlet on your web site.  (A content portlet is a web part that allows you to type/format text and insert images.  When editing the portlet, it gives you most of the same options as when you create a word document!)  You ALREADY have a content portlet on your site… it is the part where you can type your name!

To edit ANY portlet, you must first Switch to Design Mode and then click the portlet's edit button.

Option 1 - ClipArt

SharpSchool offers a clipart library. Just click where you want the image, click the clipart button and search their library!

Option 2 - Uploading and inserting your own picture!

1. Click the Image Manager icon
2. Double-click the folder with your name on it (No folder?  Contact Sondra!)
3. Click  
4. Click
5. Choose the image you want to upload from your computer and click the Open button
6. Click the
7. The image you chose will be uploaded into your folder
8. Select the image you want to insert by clicking on the file name
9. Click the Properties tab
10. Enter a 1-2 word description of your picture in the ALT Text field.
11. Lock the ratio aspect by clicking closed the little lock
12. Enter the Width at 300 (you can click and drag to the size you want later)
13. Click the Insert button
14. Resize your image as needed