Tip #1 - Elfster

If you are organizing your school's Secret Santa gift exchange, ditch the paper and pencil and organize your participants using the FREE site Elfster. You can send out an email from the site asking interested folks to sign up (give everyone a deadline). Once you have everyone signed up on the site you can have people randomly and non-randomly assigned their secret Santa. Elfster then assigns the participants their match and emails the information individually.

Tip #2 - Dollar Stores

A gift idea to consider for all the teachers on your list is a Dollar Store, Dollar General or Dollar Tree gift card or gifts such as tech items for the classroom.

Suggested items include: Earbuds, Batteries, Selfie Sticks, Goo Gone, Panel Cleaning Kit, Computer Mouses, and Stylus.

If you can't find what you are looking for in the store, check out their online inventory, most orders can be shipped to local stores for pickup without incurring shipping and handling charges.

Tip #3 - Novel Effect App

This holiday season try the FREE app Novel Effect to add some fun into your holiday read alouds. The app plays sound effects as you read certain books, which they have listed in their app. The app operates on voice recognition so as you hit keyword markers certain sound effects and music plays to enhance the story. Holiday books on their list includes: Twas' the Night Before Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and many more.

Tip #4 - Windows Photo App

The Photos app, which is on teacher and student tablets, allows students to create easy video projects with video clips and/or pictures.

This app can be used during the holidays to create book summaries which includes effects and 3D elements. To see an example check out this video 👉.

The Windows team has put together an instructional play list on YouTube that explains how to edit within the app for teachers just getting started.

For an easier video project try using Fligrid to create Holiday Emoji Book Trailers.

Tip #5 - Virtual Fireplaces

When reading holiday books to students make it fun and cozy by pulling up a crackling fireplace on your panel to display while you read. You can also use it in conjunction with background music as students work quietly on assigned tasks. It may seem "cheesy" but its a nice way to get in the holiday mood and to teach children the joy of curling up with a good book on a cold winter's day.

Tip #6 - Google Drawings Design

Google Drawings is one of the most flexible tools in the G Suite arsenal, but it’s also one of the most underutilized! You can use Google Drawings to make your own FREE worksheets & handouts, and students can also use Google Drawings to create posters & infographics (giving you a good alternative to the typical student project tools like Google Slides or PowerPoint.)

This Christmas Tree video teaches students how to group objects, rotate, flip, format, use shapes, text box, and color options, as well as search fonts, and hyperlink objects.

Tip #7 - Tony Vincent Course

Are you interested in making captivating instructional materials? If so, join Tony Vincent for an online learning experience with his new Classy Creations course! He will be teaching advanced graphic design techniques and how to apply them to social media posts, logos, badges, printable templates, comics, and animated GIFs. The course, Classy Creations, runs January 21st through February 24th, 2020. Register by January 6th to save $15. This will make an excellent holiday gift for yourself.

Tip #8 - Holiday Bitmojis

There are a ton of holiday themed Bitmojis which can be used to create holiday cards for your students.

To learn how to make a Bitmoji check out Estee's fun instructional video. Also, check out our December Technology Newsletter. Anne Aita highlights several ways Bitmojis can be used in the classroom.

If you would like to make a "Have a Joyful Holiday" card, as seen here, I have put together a template with instructions.

Tip #9 - Holiday Rebus Writing

Have students try and create a holiday Rebus letter this season. A rebus uses pictures and symbols to replace words in a story, or in this case a letter, and the reader has to figure out the meaning.

We have provided a template of this assignment which includes a slide where you can list the students name and link to their accompanying slide (see the notes section within that slide for directions). This is a great way to keep students on their slide when working on a collaborative document like this.

Since it is collaborate that means everyone gets access to the exact same document. When you are assigning it in Google Classroom make sure you do not select “make a copy” for each student--instead, you need to pick “students can edit” when you make your classroom assignment.

Tip #10 - Reading Filters

Most digital reading options. Newsela, Readworks, Epic, and DOGOnews all have ways to filter content for the holiday season.

Ask students to filter by "Christmas" or "Holiday" to find funny, inspirational, thoughtful, and informational reading pieces specifically geared for this time of year. Students can give you summaries and note any common themes between reading passages, as well as make personal connections.

Tip #11 - Where in the World is Santa?

Try this “Where in the World is Santa Going Next” geography activity where students have to enter in specific longitude and latitude coordinates in Google Earth to find Santa's next stop (answer key).

Google Earth has come a long way from being a program you have to download to being able to launch in Google Chrome. Once students get into Google Earth they will need to click on “Launch Earth in Chrome” and it may take a few minutes to load. Once they have it loaded they can use the search bar to type, or cut and paste, the coordinates.

If you have a student that doesn't celebrate the holidays here is the same activity minus any Santa reference (answer key remains the same).

Tip #12 - Tech Wish List

We put together a list of technology items that might make good holiday wish list items for your classroom. Click on any of the underline items to view.

None of these products are endorsed by the Beaufort County School District. Please conduct comparative research and read reviews before making any purchases.

Entry Form

To enter the Holiday PodCATS Giveaway correctly answer the five questions on this Google Form related to our December's PodCATS show. You must be a Beaufort County School District employee to enter.

A random winner will be selected on January 1st and announced on our EdTech Facebook Page. The winner will be contacted via email.