RIMS CTAP RoadShow: Google Tools 

Google^TM Searching Tips

1. Calculator
• Have your students check their math problems in Google^TM
• Calculator Features
• 365*4
• Teaspoons in a Cup
2. Pizza, Movies, etc.
• Looking for the best prices for that pizza party?  Or times for a movie that you would like to recommend to your students?  All you need is a searchable term with the zip code:
• Search Features
• pizza: 92410
• movie: 92501
• weather: 86404
3. Define:
• Stop using the individualized web sites to define a word.  Use this feature from Google™!  Once entered you get several definitions and sentence structures using the term. Be sure and use the colon : or it will just remain a typical search.
• define: tilde
4. Advance Search:
• Click on the 'Advance Search' link. Enter .edu in sites, ,ppt in file type, and then your search criteria. You can also enter .doc, .xls, & .pdf for file type.  Advanced Search
  
• site: .edu filetype: .ppt "global warming"
  
5. News         
• Updated a few times each hour, Google™ News takes from several news editions around the world.  The best link to begin with for students researching top news stories.
• www.news.Google.com
6. Phone Numbers
• Think about your students’ safety!!!  Google™ allows public listed phone numbers to be searched that include maps directly to the address!!  Alert your students that sharing their phone numbers may also provide a direct map link to their home!
• 760-123-4567
7. Language Tools
• Needing to translate a web page? Needing to translate text and/or communicate with a parent?  You can also copy and paste right into a document and send a note home!!!
• Language Tools
8. 411 Google        
   
• Dial from any phone, 1-800-GOOG-411, (1-800-466-4411) and it’s free and fairly accurate! It’s getting better all the time!

Google^TM Account  - The following tools require a Google^TM Account

1. Gmail^TM       
   
• Other than your school email, it’s always good to have a secondary email or a good one to recommend to students.  Gmail is virtually free of junk mail – scans and learns quickly which emails go straight to junk!  Google “chat” is built-in.  Gmail is required for most of the features listed below.
• Gmail Information
2. Google™ Calendar
• A free online, shareable calendar service!  Can import existing calendars; pick and choose who shares, etc. Create a school calendar – specific to your school, classroom – and send out to parents!
• Calendar Features
3.  iGoogle^TM Personal Web Page         
   
• Personalize your start page with the items you want to see/read first thing such as calendar, email, news, and quotes of the day, games, and personalized bookmarks.
• http://www.igoogle.com
4. Google™ Pack
• A free collection of essential software. Simple to install and customizable to the software you want. Popular ones such as StarOffice, Picasa (free photo editing and private online posting) and Google Earth are available here. This is a great site to recommend to parents and saves classrooms $$$.
• http://pack.google.com
5. Google™ Sites - Create your own web page!
   
• Free, easy to use, web site creator!  Has templates, different layouts, and able to upload photos!  NO ADVERTISEMENTS!
• All about Google sites!
6. Google™ Docs         
• Want to collaborate with another class using an online document?  Then this is for you.
• Create, import, export spreadsheets, docs, presentations.
• Choose who can access your document.
• Edit with others in real time from anywhere with online storage.
• And more …
• Tour of Google Docs!
• A video that explains it all on TeacherTube.com
7. Just for Educators         
• http://www.google.com/educators/activities.html
• http://www.google.com/educators/posters.html
• Posters, activities, and great classroom integration ideas