Category: Blog

Some websites to check out

— One of 2021’s Webby Awards in the Education category honoree’s National Geographic’s MapMaker empowers learners to explore Earth’s interconnected systems through a collection of curated basemaps, data layers, and annotation tools.

— The Blue Marine Foundation’s The Sea We Breathe is an interactive online project that won an FWA (Favorite Website Award of the month) earlier this year. Dive into 3 immersive underwater journeys and discover why a healthy ocean means a healthy planet.

— Perhaps for some lower elementary students using the interactive flat panels, this story of a little bird crossing the river that also won an FWA.

— Fingerspelling.xyz uses Hand Tracking & Machine Learning to help teach the ABCs in American Sign Language. Created together with the American Society for Deaf Children (also an FWA noted site).

— Google’s Internet Saathi project highlights stories of women breaking cycles of inequality (FWA cited).

— Solve artistic jigsaw puzzles together with family and friends in this Google Arts and Culture experiment

PHOTOS ONLINE — The following are just some of the sites that house collections of photos from the past year. One or more might serve as a conversation starter in your learning environment.

The Guardian’s best photographs of 2021 – and the stories behind them

AlJazeera’s 2021 In Pictures: The best photos from around the world

TIME’s Top 100 Photos of 2021

My Modern Met’s Best of 2021: Top 50 Photographs From Around the World

National Geographic’s top photos and stories from 2021

25 of 2021 NORTHERN LIGHTS PHOTOS

Free online PD now available through January 7th

Just a friendly reminder 😉 that the free online PD we mentioned in an earlier blog posting is still available for a limited time through January 7, 2022. Here’s a link to many of the over 80 videos already available. A few you might want to check out include Mike Lang’s Canvas tips, new Seesaw resources, Make Math Collaborative with EquatIO Mathspace (a free to our district teachers online tool accessible via equat.io), and visual learning tips using Canva.

The Ditch That Textbook Digital Summit hosted by Matt Miller promises valuable knowledge from top innovators AND tips you can implement immediately. All videos — more than 70 — will be available in December and early January. Like any other conference, when it’s over, it’s over and the videos will disappear. Speaker videos last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. They’re practical and inspirational, from hand-picked education leaders. Each video is accompanied by a PDF notes page summarizing the message. Download the notes, share, and keep them as long as you want.

To get a flavor for what might be shared, check out some past Ditch Summit Sketchnotes created by Jen Giffen (@virtualgiff) below:

New Google Slides Option: Show/Remove Filmstrip

image showing to go to view and check or uncheck filmstrip

There is a new option for your screen when working in Google Slides. You can view or hide the filmstrip. What’s filmstrip? It is the vertical display of slides to the left of the slide your are working on.

Take a Look at the Difference

Why would you want to use this feature?

👉🏽 You are presenting, but still want to be able to edit on the slide, this gives you more space

👉🏽You have a drag and drop activity for students, you can utilize more of the gray area on the sides

👉🏽 You want to keep upcoming slides hidden

Interested in drag and drop activities for Google Slides? Check out these resources:

Winter and End-of-the-Semester Activity Ideas

As we approach the end of the semester, you might consider some new ideas for end-of-semester final projects. Matt Miller, the founder of Ditch that Textbook posted a few great ideas on his blog. Ideas include creating a series of podcast, producing an unboxing video, and connecting with a cause. Read more about his ideas here: https://ditchthattextbook.com/10-ideas-for-digital-end-of-semester-final-projects/

You many not be looking for end-of-the-semester activities, but perhaps you are looking for activities that will engage students as we move toward Winter Break. Eric Curts, of Control Alt Achieve, has put together a collection of “googley” wintertime activities that will allow students to be creative and practice some content skills. Check out his great templates here: https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2021/12/winter.html

Mobile Tips for Teachers and Students

Time Saving Tip: Many students and teachers end up accessing Google tools from their phones. As a result, most of us are logged into multiple Google accounts on our phones. Up until last week, I would click on my avatar in the upper, right corner and then select the account I wanted to switch to. But did you know you can save a few nano-seconds by just swiping up or down on that avatar and Google will switch between your accounts? This works in Google Mail (Gmail), Google Drive, Google Keep, Jamboard, Slides, and Docs. It works in most of the Google apps except for Calendar. Video Demonstration.

Accessing eEmployee and other SMART modules

By logging into our SMART system’s web interface at https://smart.resa.net/ staff can view their eEmployee information, including payroll and attendance and soon be able to input certain health information. An earlier blog post noted that as of this past July, two factor authentication was being enforced (see https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WtHg2tbpkhZRPFg4UJVOITZByKxgUnCN/view?usp=sharing for guidance).

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The information below is meant to assist THOSE STAFF who HAVE NOT logged into SMARTweb before.

Register as a First Time User

To sign on to eEmployee, log into: http://smart.resa.net.
The first time you login, you will need to register. Click the “Register if you haven’t already” link.

The following screen will come up. Start typing our district name (Plymouth-Canton) in the District box and select our district from the list that comes up. Then, enter your birth date and either the last four digits of your Social Security Number OR your Employee ID number and click Confirm.

After you click confirm, the screen below will come up to set your password. The Password Policy set by our district will be shown. Key in your password twice and click Reset.

Forgot Password??
Employees
From the login screen, fill in your User Name and District (start typing our district name in the District box and select our district from the list) and then click on “Forgot Your
Password.

You will then be prompted to set a password. The Password Policy requirements for our district will be listed. After keying in your password and confirming it, click reset.

Forgot Username??
From the login screen, fill in our District (start typing our district name in the District box and select our district from the list) and then click on “Forgot Your Username.”

The following screen will come up. Start typing our district name in the District box and select our district from the list that comes up. Then, enter your birth date and either
the last four digits of your Social Security Number OR your Employee ID number and click Confirm.

App Smash: Canva, Flipgrid, and Canvas

Canva now has ready-to-go Flipgrid background templates. These templates are great for teachers and students to give book reviews, teach about main ideas, or building community.

Search “flipgrid” when you are in Canva and you can select a template that works for you. Customize it to your liking, download the image, and then add it as a background in a Flipgrid video (students and teachers can make stand-alone videos with Flipgrid Shorts).

If you are doing it for a student assignment, students can easily submit the video in Canvas as a website URL or by downloading the video and uploading it to Studio.

See the <4 minute video below on how this can be done.

Canva blog post: https://www.canva.com/learn/flipgrid-integration/

Student Tutorial for Uploading a Video to Studio to Submit: https://ior.ad/7V6x

Student Tutorial for Submitting a Website URL: https://ior.ad/7Tqv

If you want to learn more about how Canva and Canvas integrate see our previous blogpost or enroll in the asynchronous Canvas course.

Supporting English Learners Using ELLevation

ELLevation is a one stop shop for learning about the Multilingual Learners (aka English Learners) in your classroom. Teachers have access to 3 components of ELLevation:

ELLevation Platform: You can access English Language testing history, proficiency level descriptors, and ELD support plans for the MLL/EL students in your classroom.

ELLevation Strategies: Looking for ideas for how to meet the needs of learners in your classroom? ELLevation strategies offers strategies to support content and classroom teachers in reaching all students in their classroom. These strategies include resources, videos and differentiation suggestions for the students in your class based on their language proficiency.

Monitoring: You can complete monitoring forms for Former ELs (FELs) in your classroom. The quick check in allows you to communicate any concerns you might have with students who have exited EL services but who continue to be monitored for 4 years after their exit date.

Interested in learning more?

We have a 3 hour Canvas course available for SCHEH credit. Educators can also access the ELLevation Academy (click on the little graduation cap in the navigation bar once you log into your account) to learn how to navigate the site.

To get started, you’ll need to create a password for your account HERE. Be sure to log in with your PCCSK12 email account.

Not seeing what you’re expecting? Please complete this form and we’ll help you get the access you need!

Any additional questions or support requests can be sent to Denyaz Farhat, K-12 MLL Instructional Coach.

ELLevation

FREE online PD available between Dec. 13th, 2021 and Jan. 7th, 2022

To get a flavor for what might be shared, check out some past Ditch Summit Sketchnotes created by Jen Giffen (@virtualgiff) below:

Some of the latest enhancements included with our BrainPOP subscription

Take a peek at some of the latest enhancements included with our BrainPop renewal this year.

IMMERSIVE READER: Level the playing field with more support for students across all reading levels on BrainPOP Quizzes with Microsoft’s Immersive Reader.

Teachers and students using BrainPOP’s Quizzes now see the icon for Immersive Reader. Through features such as read aloud, line focus, translation and grammar markings, as well as the ability to adjust the size, style, and color of the font, learning becomes even more accessible to all students.

MODIFICATION STRATEGIES: Get helpful ideas for adapting BrainPOP tools and features for a variety of contexts and learners.

This modification “chart” features strategies for modifying each BrainPOP tool and feature for varied context and learners. This includes synchronous and asynchronous learning, offline instruction, diverse learners, and language development for ELLs.

The table is organized by a traditional learning arc. This will support teachers and students to use BrainPOP to build background knowledge, practice thinking skills, and assessment or reflection. Download this useful reference for planning lessons and differentiating instruction.

NEW READY-To-GO STANDARDS ALIGNED LESSON PLANS: Looking for ideas about how to use BrainPOP with your students? Click HERE to find top-notch lesson plans from the BrainPOP Educator community. Explore our growing collection of lesson plans or submit your own!

Want to quickly find lesson plans for a specific BrainPOP topic or game? Click the “Lesson Ideas” button that appears on every topic or game page. You can also find a collection of lesson ideas for each topic in the BrainPOP, BrainPOP Jr, GameUp, or, BrainPOP ELL directories that appear in the Lesson Plans menu.

COVER THE LATEST TOPICS: Timely content: Explore 40+ new and enhanced SEL and academic topics including—
COVID-19, Self-Esteem, Graphs, Voting Rights, and more.

Coming Early 2022: Movie Pause Points: Engage students with embedded questions to encourage active viewing and meet more standards.

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As a reminder, all district students, K-12 can access our paid subscription to BrainPop/BrainPop Jr via Clever at https://clever.com/in/pccs