Calling all Helicopter Pilots

I have headphones!  Please don't tell anyone!

So, I wrote a grant last year and purchased a class set of some sweet, blue headphones that are mostly noise cancelling and have a microphone.  They look a little goofy looking, but they work really well.

When I got the headphones I tried them on to test them and was instantly transported back to the 1980's (the golden age of television in my opinion) as the pilot of Air Wolf or maybe it was the Screaming Mimi from Riptide.  It doesn't matter which show because they were both awesome!  

Anywho, I tested the headphones and was like, "Man, teachers are going to love these!"  So I looked online for lessons and teaching strategies for using headphones so I could write an article (suspiciously like this one) with advice on how to use the headphones.  What I ran into was a conundrum.  The number one search query I found relating to classroom headphone use had nothing to do with lessons or strategies.  Almost all of the articles focused on cleaning and storage of the headphones.

Well, shoot.  I never thought of that.

It took me a while but I acquired to final pieces to the headphone puzzle.  1) I got a storage solution (that looks a lot like the box they came in) and 2) I got disinfectant -- not cleaner, not degreaser, but bonafide germ genocide.  The good stuff. A real killer.

So, I have headphones for you to borrow.  They are nice.  Please help me keep them nice by using the wipes in the storage solution (a cardboard box) and placing the headphones back in their plastic bags just like I gave them to you.

Shoot me an email and I will get them to you.

Professional Development and Youtube

Shameless Self-promotion

The first "Beginning a New Blend: Fundamentals of Technology Integration" class is September 12th from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in E6 of Hoover High School.

This class will be extremely flexible. You can earn 1 graduate credit hour, 2 graduate credit hours, or contribute towards your 7 required professional development hours.  What you earn depends on the track you take and how many sessions/logged hours you complete. Graduate hours are $175 an hour and professional development credits are free.

Youtube

Hey, so last week I ran a session on our professional development day and I noticed something.  We are not using Youtube much.  Well, let me clarify, we use Youtube to look up videos of personal interest (cats mostly), but I feel like many of us are not using Youtube for school purposes.  

I don't know why.  

I know that there are plenty of places to get videos, but, in my mind, Youtube is still king. My personal mantra is that if one wants to learn how to do something one needs to start with Youtube.  I have learned how to fog a boat motor (which is a real thing), make a motorcycle out of balloons (seriously), and how to execute a 1, 2, 3 combination (boxing stuff).  Ok, so those are all personal things, but there are billions and billions of educational videos on Youtube.  

Take the Crash Course series, for instance.  John and Hank Green started the series years ago making videos related to psychology, social studies, and science.  The production has expanded exponentially and there are countless series featuring the brothers and others.

Here is a video on study skills.

Watch it.  And then watch more.

Back from the Deep

I recently emerged from the depths of summer and am now I am hastily preparing a presentation on how to use Youtube for communication for this Friday's district professional development day.  So far the presentation looks good except for all of the problems that I am having with it which is just super.  Luckily, when I get stuck on a project I can't stop working on it and/or thinking about it until it is fixed -- which is probably a mental illness of some sort.  


Speaking of preparing technology for students...

Beginning Tuesday, September 12th at 3 p.m. I will re-open my after school sessions for technology integration -- this year with graduate credit available!  Yes, actual graduate credit from Ashland University; not pretend credit from Hogwarts or something.  Depending on what you need you will be able to score 1 hour, 2 hours, or your 7 required hours (not graduate credit).

Check your email inbox for more instructions soon!

INFOhio

This will be my last post of the school year and what better way to send us off then by taking a little time to talk about INFOhio.  There is too much to INFOhio to cover in one blog post so this topic will bleed into next year -- what I really want to do is whet your appetite with content specific resources found HERE and HERE.

Side note, INFOhio's budget was cut and then reinstated recently but the bill has not been signed by the governor just yet.  I need INFOhio in my life so if you are the representative-calling-type let me know and I will give you some phone numbers and additional information (FYI, the North Canton representative is on the finance committee).

Anywho, back to out regularly scheduled program...

Here are some examples of what I found:

Spanish: I checked out the Hispanica Saber encyclopedia  and learned all about Geografia Politica (which has nothing to do with giraffe police like I had hoped).  I also learned the 2016 was "declarado Ano Internacional de las Legumbres!" I mean I had no idea and I love legubmres!

French: I also checked out the French encyclopedia: L' Encyclopedie Decouverte and learned that baguettes are more than just tasty bread products.

Math: Did you know that math is hard?  Check out IWonder and find help with associative and distributive properties and other math things.

Science: Many of my students are working on their PH Project for Mrs. Keith and I found this cool activity Bases: Forming Pure Salts.

Social Studies: Word on the street is that AP government is doing something with segregation and I found: The Spirit of the People  (related to segregation and civil rights).


Yes, yes, I know that it is seemingly easier to just have your kids search Google for information and sometimes that is true and sometimes that is not true.  The beauty of INFOhio is that you and your kids will find trustworthy, credible sources.

Find new things and stuff !

Also, have a summer.  Or don't.  I am not the boss of you.

Loopy: Can You Digg it?

Not too different from April 21st's headline
on CNN: "Russians Fly Off  US Coast".
photo courtesy of Pixabay

I stumbled across this really cool web-based thingy on my news aggregator site Digg.  Digg is pretty cool.  Before I get into Loopy (which is the name of the cool web-based thingy) I want to talk about Digg.  If you are not familiar with news aggregators or RSS feeds you need to be.

Digg's tagline is: "What the Internet is talking about right now," and that is exactly what it is.  Digg filters news articles based on your interest just like Pandora does for music.  Man, I love me some Digg.  If you do not know me you should know that I am a serious news junkie -- which is probably why I am so cranky all the time.  I should give up the news -- I would probably be happier.  Just kidding, I would find some other way to be cranky.

Last thoughts on Digg: as awesome as it is it is not really kid friendly.  For every great article about "How to Save the World's Most Trafficked Mammal" (a real article) there are 5 containing words or images that are inappropriate for school.  So, long story short, filter through and find the current and relevant articles to support your curriculum and stay away from:"The Sexual Politics of 'Chasing Amy' 20 Years Later" (also a real article).

Whew!  That was a bit long-winded.

LOOPY is a cause-and-effect-flow-chart-tool thingy.  Or, as the creator says, "a tool for thinking in systems" which is much more succinct than cause-and-effect-flow-chart-tool thingy.  Teachers or students can create custom flow charts showing cause and effect relationships between two or more....well, two or more anything.  There are really cool samples on the website and I even made one, quickly, demonstrating my relationship with the news.

Padlet is My Homeboy

How many times have you had a pre-unit brainstorming session where only three kids participate?  Probably a bunch of times.  We all have those three kids who shout out a bunch of answers while their classmates are quiet as church mice.  God bless those three kids, but, in order to accurately survey the class, we need everyone's input.

Luckily, I have a solution -- Padlet! 

Padlet is an online whiteboard app/website where students can post notes, pictures, and videos.  Just double-click to start sharing.  Try it out now! 

Padlet is very easy to use and can be incorporated into lessons you already teach.  

Here are some examples:

Actual picture of a brainstorm in-progress

Example #1: In preparation for writing a college essay, students read an article giving tips on how to write the essay and then posted the tips they felt were most important -- College Essay

Example #2: Prior to watching Death of a Salesman, we brainstormed what students knew about the 1950's -- 1950's Example

Example #3: Here is a brainstorming session on where to find credible information and why we use those sources --- Credibility 

Sure, sometimes I get goofy pictures and or comments, but what is important is that Padlet gives every student a voice -- even those kids normally too shy to speak up. And, to be honest, even the goofy answers often give us grounds for discussion.

Just do it already!

Digital Photos

I haven't posted in a while because the end of the 3rd 9 weeks was not kind to me -- too much grading in too little time.  A brutal 3rd 9 weeks was followed by a super spring break so all is forgiven.  

Just before spring break, I was asked to proofread/advise on a book about technology integration so, naturally, I said yes.  Now I do not get paid for helping with this book, but I do get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the tools, tips, and techniques the author(s) intend to share.  Also, this is a blind review so I do not know the authors' names and I do not have any publication data (because the book has not been published yet) so I will have to come back and cite my sources at another time.

That being said, let's talk about pictures!

I like pictures.  In fact, I took a picture of a six-toed cat at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum on spring break (the cat's name is Daisy, by the way).  If you are new to this planet you should know that kids take pictures of everything: what they eat, what they wear, what they are doing. They make goofy duck-faces; pose like models; and Tweet, Flickr, and/or Instagram their pictures to the world (with filters and dog faces of course).

When it comes to technology, kids are masters of distraction.  We need to be the ones to teach them to use technology in productive ways.  So, I stole some ideas from this book I am reading and present them to you.  Side note: I would recommend using Google Images for digital image searches because most everyone is familiar with it.

Math: From the authors: "[h]ave students read an explanation of what it means if a quadratic function has no real solutions, one real solution, or two real solutions."  Send your students on a hunt to find pictures symbolizing or representing these solutions. Take it to the next level by having your kids explain how/why this image is appropriate.

Social Studies: Use the Gale resources located in our very own library (Hoover High School) to find an article on the Dust Bowl, or the different types of government, or whatever.  Read the article with the class and have students find digital photos to improve their understanding on the topic.  Again, take it to the next level by having your kids explain how/why this image is appropriate.

English: Give students a short story with no images.  Have the students search for images to help other readers better understand the story.  Again, take it to the next level by having your kids explain how/why this image is appropriate.

All of these ideas could easily be incorporated into lessons you already have.  And, of course, you can twist and mold any of these ideas to fit the needs of your students.  Shoot, you could even have kids draw images (like with crayons and stuff) just like our ancestors did in the olden days.

Go find some pictures!

Be a Tech Ninja

So, I need you to be a ninja.  

No, I do not need you to assassinate anyone and I do not need you to bring a sword to work (please don't, I don't want to be liable for that).  Also, I do not need you to chuck throwing stars at your enemies or dress in black and show off your sweet Ninjutsu moves.  

Actually, that last one is fine as long as you get your boss' approval.  Maybe you could summon your inner Dwight Shrute.

You know what, scrap the whole idea --someone is going to get hurt.  The point I am trying to make is that ninjas have many tools at their disposal and you need to have many tools at your disposal.  I mean, I wouldn't use a Katana to cut down a tree anymore than I would use a chainsaw to slice an apple.  That being said, why do many of us only use Kahoot! to review for tests?  Do not get me wrong, Kahoot! is great and I use Kahoot!, but I don't only use Kahoot!  I have more tools at my disposal not because I am so cool, but because each tool has its own use.  Also, I am that cool.

Check out Quizizz.  Do it today.  

Quizizz is like Kahoot!, but has one primary difference: when you issue a Quizizz your students can still compete as a class to get the high score, but students can complete the quiz at their own pace.  I like Kahoot! as much as the next person, but I do get frustrated when kids focus on button-mashing to answer quickly rather than thinking and answering accurately.  Also, just like Kahoot!, there are thousands of teacher-made Quizizz's out there just waiting for you to pilfer.

But wait, there is more...

Quizizz allows you to issue a quiz for homework.  Yes, you heard me right folks, you can issue a quiz for homework rather than use precious class time.

Here is a sample homework assignment I gave to my seniors:

Go here: join.quizizz.com

Use this code: 872404 (available until March 14th, 2017)

Works Cited

"The Office: Dwight's Martial Arts Skills". YouTube. N. p., 2017. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.

Google Drawing

Psst...hey kids wanna build some Google Drawings?

The first drawing is free, but here is the catch...they are all free all the time.

If you made it to my professional development sessions last Friday (2/17/17) you may have heard me talk a little about Google Drawing.  Google Drawing is a place where you can make drawings (duh), but, most importantly, it is a place where you and your students can create and share templates.  These drawings/templates are interactive and I often have my students work in small groups to complete a given template.  Since these templates are Google products, they are shareable and easy to use.

To the right is an example.  I had my students read Look at the Birdie by Kurt Vonnegut and complete a plot diagram chart in small groups.  I like this chart for two reasons 1) I didn't make it I found it on Control Alt Achieve and 2) students must apply concepts to a graphic organizer which increases their comprehension of what the story is about and how plot diagrams work.  It is a win-win.

Templates are the future, my friends.  Especially templates made by others.  I get most of my pre-made templates from Control Alt Achieve.  Control Alt Achieve is an initiative created and supported by Eric Curts (I am sure you remember Eric).  I talked to Eric at OETC17 last week and let him know that every time I use his name or use Control Alt Achieve that I am charging him $5.  I haven't sent him the first bill, yet, but, I assure you, it will be pretty substantial.  

Side note, I haven't tried it, but I wonder if I say Eric Curts three times in a row if it will summon him -- kind of like Beetlejuice.  Well, I know what I am doing this weekend.

Go get some templates and make your kids work together! Control Alt Achieve

OETC17

I do not have a tool, trick, or technique this week -- I have a challenge.  

I have been at OETC17 since Tuesday and there is something missing.  Yes, we have a ton of sessions and App Slams and vendors and so on.  To be honest, it is pretty much the same as last year.  What I haven't seen enough of, and this disappoints me, are teachers sharing individual lessons and resources.  Yes, there are plenty of gadgets and ideas, but not enough personal "here is what I do" type of sessions.  Yes, there are some, but there simply are not enough.  

And it is not just the sessions.  I feel that too many educators come to conferences like this and float along without really being connected to the material.  We should not just sit and listen -- we should be collaborating and creating.  

So, my challenge is this: be a rock star!  Do not just sit and receive -- be actively involved.  Nothing in your teaching life will ever change and nothing will ever improve and your students will not be more engaged if you sit around and wait for someone else to do the work for you.  

Sorry for nagging (I am not that sorry, though), but I want to see more teachers being more involved.  I want to see more presentations not just on tools and gadgets, but with actual take home lessons.  Every session I presented at this year (3 in total) was focused on actual experiences and real-world lessons.  In fact, in the third session, I dragged L. Johnson and K. Solosky into the mix.  They were great and next year I expect them to have their own sessions.  In fact, I plan to write the proposal so they are pretty much doing it whether they want to or not, but that is how I roll.  I am also working with J. Zettler on a presentation for next year.  I guess my point is that we have talented people in our district and we need to be the leaders; we need to be the ones giving and not receiving.

This became a rant and it is horrible, but I am not deleting any of it.  Get out there, get busy and be a rock star!

Office Mix Interactive PowerPoints

I know that many of you have a vested interest in your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.  You have raised and nourished these presentations, packed them full of pictures, links, and animations.  It is almost as if your PowerPoints are your children.  I see the pain in your eyes when I slither into your room and ask, "ssssso have you ssssseen thisssss?"  Tempting you with knowledge of Nearpods and Google Slides and Plickers and other super-fun things. 

In my efforts to get many of you to try something new I have been holding back.  Now, before you get all bent out of shape about what I have to tell you please keep in mind that I have not withheld this information to purposefully deceive you (that is a lie, by the way) nor have I withheld this information hoping that you would do more work by creating new things in other applications (also a lie).  The reason that I have withheld this information is because I want you to explore new applications and ideas and not strap yourself to one particular piece of technology -- I mean there is so much out there right now.  We are truly living in a golden-age of collaboration and data collection.

Now that I have that off of my chest, let us talk about Office Mix.  Yes, the Microsoft kind of Office that many of you love.  In order to use Office Mix, you will need to download it.  Please go to the official Microsoft Download Center to get the update and follow the on-screen instructions.


In the embedded video I will address how to use PowerPoint 2013 to create presentation notes and interactive slides as well as where to find free stuff.

I want to mention that Kelleen Davis is the one that sent me the information on PowerPoint notes. So, this blog post is partially her fault.

Google Forms

Currently, I am preparing for my professional development sessions in February.  As I put my presentations together I am trying to be less "presenty" and more "teachery".  What does that mean exactly?  Well, I don't know about you, but my least favorite presentations are the ones where I am talked to/at for an hour and then leave feeling disconnected from the information presented.  That is the worst.  Instead, I want to create a fun and interactive lesson like I would for my students -- only this time it is for adults.  

There is some danger in what I am trying to do because an interactive approach tends to have more moving pieces which, in turn, means that there is a lot that could go wrong.  It would be a lot easier for me, as the presenter, to jam a bunch of information down your throat and save the last 10 minutes for questions.  Maybe roll through some PowerPoint slides and just beat you to death with knowledge.  There is not necessarily anything wrong with that approach and, depending on what you are covering, it may be the best approach.  However, that does not work for me as a person/student and I am sure that it does not work for many of you. 

In the process of being more "teachery", I am dutifully building and multi-phase lesson utilizing online collaborative response forms.  Sounds pretty "techie" and complicated doesn't it?  In reality, what I am really doing is slapping together some exit tickets to gather some quick data on whether or not I bombed.  I hope I don't bomb.  

Check out the embedded video for more information on how to use Google Forms to create exit tickets.

Failing in the Classroom

Failing in the Classroom

In class, I experiment on my kids.  A little radiation here maybe some cosmic rays there followed up with a healthy inoculation of Chrome extensions.  So far, none of my students have developed super powers, but they have learned a thing or two about using technology for the forces of good.  My students have also learned a thing or two about how Mr. Clark's genius ideas can royally crash and burn.

So, last week I screwed up.  It happens from time-to-time and I try not to get all bent out of shape about it.  The key to experimenting in the classroom is to always have a back-up plan and I always do (usually).  Before I get into my screw-up, let's talk about some best-practices for experimenting in the classroom:

1. Always have a back-up plan
2. Test, test, and test the product again before trying any new tool with your students.
3. Be prepared for failure.

Last week we tried to use Realtime Board in the classroom.  Realtime Board is a collaborative whiteboard application where students can work together in small groups on a virtual whiteboard.  Why use Realtime Board rather than a regular whiteboard (because we have those you know)?   As much as I like our Steelcase whiteboards I have a terrible time loading pictures and videos on them.  In theory, Realtime Board can do all of these things.

Now, I have had problems with Reatime Board in the past, but I was promised that those bugs were eradicated -- and they were!  My students collaborated in small groups and created these really cool documents using pictures and video.  I was pretty pumped until students needed to save/share the document -- that is when everything went wrong.  Realtime board has a process to send documents to Google Drive, but it is cumbersome and confusing.  No matter how well the collaboration piece of the product worked it has no value to me if it is not easy for students to share their work.

So, we went with a back-up plan and I had students screenshot their document so that I could see their work.  That was a real pain in the tuckus and took a bit of time, but at least the day in class was not lost.

Long story short, I always let my students know that we are experimenting with a new product and I involve them in the process.  I ask them for their input and they are usually pretty open with suggestions.  I never pretend that I know and/or understand everything because I don't.  I always explain the benefits of the product I am using and assure them that I have a back-up plan.  When you involve students in the process of experimenting it takes the pressure off of you because now everyone is working together; it is no longer about how your idea will fail or succeed it becomes about how you and your class can make this new idea work.

Also, experimenting with new tools is a great time to discuss the idea of failing-forward.  I am not a big fan of buzz words, but this one is important.  As teachers, we must experiment and try new things and we must be prepared to fail and then learn from our mistakes.  Please do not be afraid to try new things; I know that it can be scary and many of us have a  fear of failing in front of our students, but if we do not try new things we will get stuck in the same old rut year after year and that does not benefit anyone.

Screencastify and YouTube Finishing Touches

Side Note

Before we explore today's topic I want to touch on two things.  

1) I am just kind of writing about whatever I want to write about, but if there is something that you (the reader) are interested in please leave a comment and let me know.  I will be more than happy to do a little digging or research technology tools and/or strategies that you are interested in.

2)  When you receive the blog in your Gmail inbox you can read the text, but, in order to access the videos you must follow the link to the blog page.

Screencastify

So, we have almost finished laying the groundwork for Screencastify and Youtube to work together.  Let's take a look at this video from Nicki Minaj (not that Nicki Minaj. At least, I don't think it is) on how to upload a video from Screencastify to YouTube:

It feels like it took forever to get to this point, but let's look at what Screencastify can do.  

1.  Obviously, you can make videos covering information that could be homework HERE. This is a great way to flip your classroom! 

2. You could have students make videos.  A colleague of mine (shout at to Vicki Mooney) has had students make videos of themselves completing ASL assignments for her class.  

3.  You can stare into the camera (angrily) and make your kids watch it: HERE.

4.  GRADE PAPERS! HERE.  Seriously, try this.  You will be amazed at how your students' writing improves.  Also, make sure that you set the video to unlisted.  Do not make your video evaluations public.  

If you do not try this at least one time I will be saddened and disappointed (Yeah, that's right, I just nagged you a little bit -- it works for my mom so it might as well work for me too). 

YouTube and You

Last week I introduced you to Screencastify.  Before we link your Screencastify to YouTube, we need to activate your YouTube account.  I mean, you can't be a YouTube star and make millions of dollars without a YouTube account, am I right?

Whether you like it or not, you already have a YouTube account.  Since Google bought YouTube in 2006 (for $1.65 billion according to CNBC) everyone with a Google account automatically has a YouTube account.  A YouTube account silently waiting in the shadows begging for you to activate it.  Inversely, if you have a YouTube account you also have a Google account.  Side note: did you know that you also have a Google+ account?  It is kind of scary to think about, but Google owns us -- all of us.

So, you must go through the process of setting up your YouTube account.  This brief video from John Garren, Jr. outlines the process for setting up your account.  Next week I will show you how to marry your Screencastify account with YouTube and give you some strategies and justification for using Screencastify.

"Activating Your Youtube Channel". YouTube. N. p., 2017. Web. 10 Jan. 2017.

Lipton, Josh. "Google's Best And Worst Acquisitions". CNBC. N. p., 2014. Web. 4 Jan. 2017.

Screencastify and YouTube

If you are a news junkie, which I am, you may have heard grumblings from YouTube superstar PewDiePie (a YouTube prankster that pulled in $15 million last year).  In PewDiePie's latest stunt, he claimed that he would delete his YouTube account if he reached 50 million subscribers. Yes, 50 million subscribers.  That number sounds ridiculous, but, last I checked, he has well over 51 million subscribers.  Last I checked, he still has a YouTube account as well.

I am really disappointed that he did not delete his channel for two reasons: 1) his videos are crude and obnoxious and 2) I was hoping to move in on his game.  I figure that any child/student interested in watching PewDiePie's video game streams and prank videos would totally dig my The Grapes of Wrath chapter summaries.

Ok, back to reality.  I know that none of us will ever money off of our classroom YouTube channels (I think it might be a conflict of interest if we tried), but you and I can impact your students' growth and achievement via personalized videos created by us and posted to our classroom YouTube channels.  In the end, isn't your students' achievement better than millions of dollars (please pretend that it is)?

Shoot, come to think of it, did you even know that you already have a YouTube channel?  Probably not.  Next week I will dig a little deeper into your future YouTube stardom and how your YouTube channel works, but what I want to get into this week is the first building block of your success -- Screencastify.

Screencastify is a screen-casting service (don't worry it is free) that captures audio and/or video from your webcam and/or your computer screen.

Let's take a look: