Google Classroom

Many ask me what is the best way to assign work to students, collect it, grade it and return it....all while being online.  Well, there are several resources to do that, but if you are in a district that uses Google, you now have access to Google Classroom.  It makes it so easy to use because it is the same login you and your students are already using for Gmail, Drive, etc!

This video, created by Google is a great resource for getting started with Google Classroom:

Sipping Through the Summer

Your nerd is taking a summer hiatus!  Coffee With a Nerd will return in September!  Have a great Summer!

Have you had your Beens today?

Been is a new website that I was fortunate enough to discover this week thanks to Discovery Education.  Been is a great way to bookmark websites, share those bookmarks and even browse collaboratively!  It is a fantastic way to share websites with your students for research projects.   I am in love with this new tool and I think it could be a great addition to the classroom or even your personal life!  I'm already making Beens, for example, to share with my children at home so they don't have to search the internet looking for games to play!    

Been has great videos of their own which are included, but I also did a short one to show what it looks like in action.  Be sure to check out all 5 videos below to learn more about this great resource!

NOTE: If you're doing CEU credit, count this post as 3!  

My video on using Been

1. This is a Been from Been on Vimeo.

2. Create a Been from Been on Vimeo.

3. Gather Together from Been on Vimeo.

4. Surf Together in Class! from Been on Vimeo.

A special thanks to my Been Buddies, Dave and Sang for allowing me to help test the product.....and fall in love with it! Y'all are awesome and have really created a fantastic tool!  Best wishes to you as you continue to grow!

Google Voice for Teachers

Google Voice is a great tool for teacher communication.  Here's why:
1.  You get a special Google Voice phone number so that you don't have to give out your personal cell # anymore
2.  It will save (and sometimes transcribe) all of your voicemails so you have a record. 
3.  It will save a call and chat history of all of your communications.  Easy call logs!!
4.  You can make it ring your personal phone so you can answer and even send calls using your personal phone without sharing your number!
5.  You can block phone numbers or even force all calls to go to voicemail for special time periods like weekends and breaks!
6.  There's an app for it!  Use the app on your phone to send and receive calls and texts with no hassle! 
7.  Don't want to use your phone? No problem.  You can also send and receive calls via the google voice dashboard on your computer!

Sold yet?  Here's a video to get you started:

Geniverse: Solve Genetics Problems

I was recently asked to review this genenics-based gaming site to see if it would be good to use in the classroom.  I thought it to be quite interesting so I thought I'd pass it along.  The video below is from the website and they explain it a bit to you.  
Personally, I thought it was a pretty good tool and it sure did use my brain!  In each stage you are dealing with genes, eggs, sperm, etc to match up or create certain types of dragons.  It is fairly simplistic, yet difficult enough to try your brain.
The only thing I noticed from a gamer standpoint is that (in the demo mode at least) it was very easy to accidentally click on the wrong button, sending you back to the beginning of the game.  The fix for this is signing up for the real version which tracks the students and saves where one left off.

Click here to go to the Geniversity Website to get started with the Geniverse Game.

Building Flowcharts with Lucid Chart!

Lucid Chart is a great tool for creating flowcharts in the classroom.  Not only is it very easy to use but it also integrates with Google!  You can create charts via the Google Drive screen and they save right to your Drive!  Lucid Chart also offers free accounts for schools so check with them if you need a free account.  (If you are with Stanly County Schools, please email me for login information.)

This program could be used in any standard that requires learning a process.  Teachers can use it to create flowcharts for teaching and students can use the program to practice putting steps of processes in order.

Check out this video to see how easy it is to get started with Lucid Chart!  Or, visit them at www.lucidchart.com

Google Drive Drawings

Google Drive Drawings is a great tool for many reasons:

1. Create Images with Text such as diagrams
2. Create Classroom Seating Charts
3. Collaborate on Newsletters
4. Teach/Learn Shapes
   And more!

Check out this video to learn more!