On the DL
Notes from Digital Learning and School Library Services
December 2020
During December, schools across the country including in BCS celebrate computer coding via the Hour of Code. The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. Check out the tutorials and activities.
Coding provides an opportunity for students to understand how digital tools really work, to learn valuable problem solving skills, and to explore career fields. For more information on coding and how your Digital Learning Specialists can assist you in integrating coding into your classroom, visit our new website BCS Coding Headquarters. We encourage you to include coding activities in December and throughout the year. #BCSCanCode
Finally, in November, BCS implemented additional safety processes via Gaggle. Gaggle monitors student email, Drive files, and chats for inappropriate behaviors. Our goal isn't to catch students being bad but rather to intervene with students who need our help. Early data indicates we need to do a better job of teaching our students cyber safety skills. We need to teach them appropriate online behaviors and give them tools to deal with their frustrations, changes, and challenges. As a result, the Digital Learning team is planning to release packages of cyber safety themed resources to schools and teachers beginning for use in January. Each month we will target a theme and hope to provide activities, resources, parent communications, and infographics that can be used and shared. January will focus on positive communication. Please help us help our students become better digital citizens by using these resources in your schools and classrooms.
Thanks for all you do.
-AD
Copyright Corner
(click the down arrow to see the response to the question)
I need access to _______ <insert A-Z, Discovery, etc.) subscription resource for my kids and the elementary or other school has it; why can't you just add me?
BCS has worked diligently over the last several years to ensure that we are appropriately licensed. It is only fair to our vendor partners and it models ethical behavior. Clever has been integral in this process. Clever allows us to target specific schools, grade levels, subjects or students/teachers with access to specific apps.
For the most part, subscriptions are purchased for specific grade levels or buildings. For example, BrainPop Jr is only purchased and licensed for our elementary buildings. Adding teachers outside of those buildings would cause our licensing to be out of compliance. While we want every teacher to have access to the resources they need, we also have to maximize our expenditures and target resources to the appropriate grade levels and students. Some subscriptions are licensed by the specific number of teachers. Allowing teachers outside of the core need group access changes licensing distribution.
School Library Spotlight
Everyone is on the same page at the SBHS media center!
At South Brunswick High School, students and staff work together to “Set the Standard.” To achieve this goal for all students, Heather Woody (media coordinator), Donna Mooneyham and Kim Flood (teachers) have collaborated to create an inclusive story time for the Life Skills class. Last year, this class came to the media center daily for a story time hosted by the media assistants, staff volunteers, and community members. The volunteers would bring books of their own to share, check out books from the public library or borrow books from the Brunswick County Schools library system.
During this school year, the Life Skills students come to the media center for Mrs. Woody to read books and do a craft. Mrs. Mooneyham says “We love opportunities to join Ms. Woody in the library twice a week to experience books read to us by Ms. Woody, by the computer and by different actors/actresses. It is great to learn all of the different ways we can read. Ms Woody pairs an activity with the stories she selects to help students remember what was read. Our students look forward to it every week.” Several of the students in the class said things such as “That was fun. We learned about firemen,” "Thanksgiving is my favorite," and “The library is my favorite place in the world."
During the 19-20 school year, the SBHS media center received funds to promote diversity in their collection. Mrs. Woody and her Media Advisory Committee chose to purchase books that would support the various reading levels at the school. They created a Picture Books and a Quick Reads sections for students who appreciate books on their interest and reading levels. To add to these sections, Mrs. Mooneyham and Ms. Flood purchased comfortable bean bag chairs for the students to relax and read during their free time. The students in their Life Skills class really appreciated having books to enjoy.
The SBHS media center is a place where ALL students are welcome to work, relax and enjoy!
Digital Learning Resources
Storyworks is a Scholastic magazine that assists educators on supporting students language arts skills. With printable and digital activities and resources as well as integration with Clever and Powerschool, Storyworks is accessible to all students and staff no matter if they are remote or in a face to face environment. Storyworks is available for grades 2, 3, 4, and 5. Sections within Storyworks include:
Nonfiction
Paired Texts
Fiction
Play
Debate
Poetry
Video
Educators can utilize lesson plans, activities and resources while quickly viewing each resources Lexile level and featured skills. All digital issues are available online while monthly paper issues are delivered and provided at each elementary school. Do you need the scholastic code to access Storyworks? Contact your school's Digital Learning Specialist!
Mobymax is a Powerschool rostered digital resource available in Clever for grades K-8. Mobymax covers the following topics for educators:
Adaptive Math, Number, & Fact Fluency
Language, Spelling Lists, & Vocabulary
Adaptive Science & Social Studies
Writing Workshop & Writing Assignments
Reading Skills Literature & Reading Skills Informational
Educators can hide sections, offer rewards, utilize printable worksheets, assign lessons, and cover test prep and review.
Educators can also see real time data, student dashboards, and view custom reports and class rosters.
Lessons can be chosen and assigned by searchable standards, subject areas, by grade level, and key word. Students can practice the skills needed to learn content to meet standards for their grade level while teachers can modify and transform instruction to meet the needs of their learners.
Study Island is a Powerschool rostered resource available to students and staff grades 9-12 in Clever. Study Island covers a variety of NC subjects such as:
English II
Math 1, 2, & 3
Biology
Chemistry
Civics & Economics
Physical Science
Physics
American History I & II
Educators choose a subject and subtopic then have a variety of resources available for implementation such as:
Lessons
Flash Cards
Practice
Game Mode
Printable Worksheets
Educators can view data collected by student completion of tasks assigned immediately with Class Manager and create custom material for implementation.
DE lists many new professional development opportunities for educators. These PD opportunities offer content in deliverables such as webinars, learning modules, and training videos on wide variety of topics such as How to Integrate STEM into your Classroom and Rethinking Failure: Integrating Social and Emotional Learning into Any Discipline.
A free virtual conference for educators, Canva will allow educators to deep dive into collaborative student assignments and redefine collaboration with Google Classroom. Canva is best suited for students 13 and older unless parent permission has been acquired.
Instantly New!
Google Apps for Education now allows users to quickly create NEW docs, sheets, slides, forms, calendar events, keep notes, and jamboards with a short and consistent URL address shortcut. Simply type into the search option within your Chrome Browser:
jam.new
docs.new
slides.new
sheets.new
forms.new
cal.new
keep.new
Support Upcoming Computer Science Week and Hour of Code with NCWiseOwl Resources
NCWiseOwl offers resources suitable for supporting Computer Science Week (Dec. 7-13) and accompanying Hour of Code.
The STEM in Focus toolkit resource highlights examples that support STEM/STEAM in your school.
The NCWiseOwl eBook collections have various series (book sets) addressing a wide array of coding topics that are suitable for classroom instruction, individual student reading, and professional learning.
Slides 7 and 8 specifically address coding with example coding eBooks.
Use the Pens!
Despite COVID, there is a way to have students interact with the Interactive boards in your classrooms - use the pens!
Students can use hand sanitizer before picking up a pen and since they are made of plastic, the pens can be easily sanitized between uses.
Be sure to follow social distance protocol so that when a student is at the board, they are still 6 feet away from others!
Teaching with Zoom
Did you know that you can share just a portion of your screen in Zoom? This allows you to stay in edit mode when showing a slide deck, and highlight and magnify important information! Check it out today!
Zoom: Sharing a Portion of Your Screen.mp4Often it's helpful to annotate on the screen you are sharing during a Zoom meeting. You can use the built in Tools that Zoom offers to do this! Click on the image to see a larger version of the breakdown of the Annotation tools in Zoom.
