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.