Google: What you need to know.

Google sends out updates constantly and shares a ton of information that impacts educators!   That being said, there have been several updates and information sent out recently that may impact you, so I wanted to take a moment to share!  

Teaching teams: New ways to work together in Google Classroom

Multiple teachers can now work together in a single class!  In addition, teachers can prep for classes by creating drafts of announcements, etc.

Education On Air

A totally online conference on May 8th and 9th, hosted by Google specifically for educators!  Check it out!

The Skills Agenda: Preparing students for the future

This is a great article on skills students need to succeed in the future.  It also links to the upcoming Education On Air presentation that relates to it.  

And just for fun....The "Which Animal Are You" Earth Day Quiz! 

Little Alchemy

I've talked about Little Alchemy before but it was recently brought back to my attention as my 2nd grade daughter has gotten quite excited about it lately.  I showed it to her last week and she danced all over the place in excitement as she figured out what combinations she could make to create new objects.  It was exciting to me to play along with her and listen as she discussed possible options and what each pair could create.

The Game Area

The game starts you out with three things: Air, Earth, Fire and Water.  According to my Google Searches, I have found that you can create 556 total combinations from those 4 items.  You begin by taking each one and dragging it out to the playing surface and pairing them together.  So, for example, you could put fire and water together and that creates.....steam!! 

The game continues until, if you're good, you discover all of the possible combinations.  Some we have made include a car, a chicken and even a zombie!  Some are silly and some are educational but all in all it is a really fun game! 

Little Alchemy is available online, in the App Store and the Play Store.  Be sure to login with an email address to save your work!  

Are you playing the game?

Recently I was challenged with a free/cheap and easy way to do game based PD (Professional Development). 

There are many ways online to do game based PD, but I wanted to create something offline.  My reasons for that are three fold:
1.  Our internet is horribly slow around here.
2.  A majority of my teachers still like paper.  
3.  I didn't want multiple logins for my teachers as they are sick of remembering logins.
4.  It needed to be cheap....free, really.

With those things in mind, I started with a pdf gameboard that could be linkable and a list of rules.  So, while the whole game playing experience isn't online as many tend to be, some of it is.  The links, separated out by "levels" take the learner to various tutorials on how to create a slideshow in Picasa.  As the participants work through the levels, they can earn points and badges.  The badges are placed on their playing card, which I have asked everyone to place on their doors.  

This was a very basic option just to see what kind of interest I could get.  I can see this being a bigger project next year and quite possibly a way to keep track of CEU's and workshops throughout the year.  My mind is now rumbling with all sorts of fun ways to add to this and make tech workshops more fun for everyone!  

In Stanly County Schools and want to participate?  Email me!

Kids Photography

Do you have students or children of your own that are interested in photography?  It can be a great hobby and a wonderfully creative way to explore their surroundings!  Here are some great resources to help them get started and have a little fun with it!

National Geographic International Photography Contest
While there is a contest available here for those that are already used to taking photos and might want to jump into some contests, there are also several videos to help them learn things about lighting, trick photography, etc.  When you get to this page, you'll see the videos, but if you want to find more, search for photography in the search bar! 

Ranger Rick's Photo Contest for Kids
This is an ongoing contest where they pick winners each month.  Some winners have the opportunity to have their pictures featured in the magazine and will get free copies of the magazine as well.  Could be a fun thing to do each month!

Udemy Online Course for Kids
For 49.00 you can sign up your child for this great online course for kids.  There are several video lessons that teach your child what they need to know to be a great photographer! 

Teach Them Yourself
This is a great site dedicated to how to teach children up to age 10 how to use a camera.  Included are some project ideas and terminology to help you along the way!  Also, if you look at their free ebook, you can learn 8 ways to improve your photography in just one week! 

There are a ton of resources online and in book form that can help you or your child use a camera to take amazing photographs.  Hopefully these few resources will be a great way to get you started.  Keep in mind that many local fairs and festivals have photo contests that include a children's category.  These competitions are great for boosting a child's excitement about their hobby!