2020-2021 Newsletters

May 6, 2021

Need to Know

• Availability

• Professional Learning Reflection

• MasteryConnect Update

• Classroom Mobility

Tip of the Week:

Organizing "Shared with Me" in Drive

Nice to Know

• Get to Know Google Choice Board

• Google Classroom Clean-Up

• EdTech Blogs to Follow

Fun to Know

• End of Year Digital Treats

• Keyboarding Fun

• Seesaw Progress

• Seesaw May Try Five

May 19, 2021

Need to Know

• EOY To Dos - Clever, Google Classroom, Seesaw

• Summer Refresh - Very Important!

• Summer Student Resource Availability

• Leaving FISD?

• Summer Helpdesk Tickets

• PD Badges

• Get to Know Google

April 1, 2021

Need to Know

• Availability

• MasteryConnect Accommodations

• Engagement Bingo

Tip of the Week:

Authenticate to Filter

Nice to Know

• Decision Fatigue

• High-Agency Personalized Learning

• Slides, Drawings, Jamboard Venn Diagram

Fun to Know

• April Spring Choice Board

• ELA Jamboards

• My Perfect Presentation

• Seesaw Adding Audio Directions

• Seesaw Lock and Move Puzzles

April 8, 2021

Need to Know

• Chromebook Updates

• Google Classroom Update

• MasteryConnect Accommodations

• Engagement Bingo

Tip of the Week:

Chromebook Screen Recorder

Nice to Know

• Research-Based Strategies

• Making Words Jamboard

Fun to Know

• IconsMania

• Must-Have Google Skills for Teachers

• Reflect in Seesaw Chrome Extension

• Earth Day Seesaw Activities

April 15, 2021

Need to Know

• Chromebook Updates

• Engagement Bingo

Tip of the Week:

Google Drive Organization

Nice to Know

• What students learn in collaborative projects

• Chrome Reading List

• Jamboard 15 second PD

Fun to Know

• Kodable STEM Activities

• Changing shapes in Drawings or Slides

• Archive Seesaw Activities

• 3 Ways Seesaw Deepens Learning

• Explore the Outdoors Seesaw Activities

April 22, 2021

Need to Know

• Professional Learning Reflection Survey

• Cyber Security Training Reminder

• 4th 9 Weeks Digital Citizenship Lessons

• Engagement Bingo

Tip of the Week:

Professional Library

Nice to Know

• Seven Myths about Creative Projects

• July Kami Connect

Fun to Know

• Yellowstone Flipgrid Live

• Browser-Based Digital Tools

• Archive Seesaw Activities

• Seesaw Memory Books

April 29, 2021

Need to Know

• Professional Learning Reflection Survey

• Leaving FISD? Action Steps

• Cyber Security Training Reminder

• Engagement Bingo - Last Call!

• Mobile Classroom Tips and Idea Share

Tip of the Week:

Email Collaborators in Google

Nice to Know

• Feedback is best when...

• Giphy for Staff

• Mathigon

Fun to Know

• EOY Choice Boards

• Social Media Google Templates

• Dell Teacher Appreciation

• Seesaw Updates! - "Progress" button

• Seesaw Pro Tips

March 4, 2021

Need to Know

• March Idea Market

• Techie Tuesday: Clever 101

Tip of the Week:

Hide the Filmstrip Tip

Nice to Know

• Who’s doing the talking?

• Read Across America

• Game Show Classroom

• Class Discussion Strategies

Fun to Know

• Google Doodles

• Fractured Fairy Tale Digital Library

• Build Your Own Sentence Jamboard

March 18, 2021

Need to Know

• Engagement Bingo

• New Students

• Techie Tuesday: Jamboard

Tip of the Week:

Check Your Keyboard

Nice to Know

• When Students Own Their Learning

• Concept Maps

• Google Spring Cleaning

Fun to Know

• Sites for Free Time

• Breaking News Slides Template

• Digital Themed Libraries

• Schoolwide Seesaw Portfolios

March 25, 2021

Need to Know

• iStation

• Engagement Bingo

• Techie Tuesday: Zoom/Meet

Tip of the Week:

Do Not Disturb Mode

Nice to Know

• 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers who use Technology

• How to Quickly Intro New Topics/Vocabulary

• Learning through Conversation

Fun to Know

• Web 2.0 Tools

• Trivial Pursuit Slides Template

• Seesaw New Feature Tic-Tac-Toe

February 4, 2021

Need to Know

• BrightBytes

• TCEA Notes

• February Idea Market

Tip of the Week:

Closing Tabs in Safari

Nice to Know

• Students need to do something

• Kami Connect

• Black History Month Choice Board

Fun to Know

• Tower of Books

• Jamboard Templates

• Valentine’s Day Activities

• Seesaw Tips from Twitter

• Newsletter Index

February 11, 2021

Need to Know

• February Idea Market

• BrightBytes

Tip of the Week:

Blur Background in Zoom

Nice to Know

• Cognitive Load Theory

• Black History Month Epic Collection

Fun to Know

• Curiosities and Puzzlements

• New Slides Templates

• Kodable Valentine’s Day Activity

February 25, 2021

Need to Know

• Introducing - Techie Tuesday!

• Postponed - Idea Market

• Google Drive and Chromebook Updates

Tip of the Week:

Blur Background in Zoom

Nice to Know

• Are You Really Connecting with Your Students?

• Creating Digital Anchor Charts in Flipgrid

• Women's History Month

Fun to Know

• 50 States Virtual Field Trip

• Digital Mars Rover Activities

• New Jamboard Templates

• Seesaw Updates

• Puzzle Pieces in Seesaw

• Supporting Students with Diverse Needs in Seesaw

December 3, 2020

Need to Know

• Device Reminder

• Hour of Code

• Formspace

• Communication Survey

Tip of the Week:

Reopen Closed Tabs

Nice to Know

• Connecting Students in a Disconnected World

• Student Directions on Slides

Fun to Know

• Interland

• Slides Templates

• Winter Activities

• All Things Seesaw

December 10, 2020

Need to Know

• Hour of Code

• Flash

• Communication Survey

Tip of the Week:

Import Grades from MasteryConnect

Nice to Know

• Jamboard

• Padlet

• Ditchbook Summit

• How to Take a Screenshot

Fun to Know

• AutoDraw

• Winter Digital Activities

• Seesaw Canva Templates

• Become a Seesaw Pioneer

December 17, 2020

Need to Know

• Imagine Math Benchmark 2

• Flash

• Coaching

Tip of the Week:

How to switch between tabs

Nice to Know

• Google Classroom & Flipgrid Integration

• 12 Digital Strategies & Tools

• Jamboard Revision History

Fun to Know

• Blended Learning Podcasts

• Jamboard Activity Templates

• Winter Digital Activities

• Seesaw Activity Academy

November 5, 2020

• iStation Expectation Reminder

• VA/F2F Digital Skills

• Fast Finishers and Instructional Time

• DLC Communication Survey

• Invitation to Coaching

• DLC Relationship Survey

• Growing Through Coaching

• Classroom Focus: Heart of the Workshop

  • Jamboard and Reader’s Workshop

  • Challenge of the Week

• Padlet and Gratitude

• Nearpod Camp Engage!

• Plickers - New and Improved!

• Seesaw Tips and Activities of the Week

• Tip of the Week - Bookmark vs. Clone in MasteryConnect

November 12, 2020

• VA/F2F Digital Skills

• Required Cybersecurity Training

• Handwriting without Tears Student Access

• DLC Communication Survey

• Invitation to Coaching

• DLC Relationship Survey

• Growing Through Coaching

• Classroom Focus: Heart of the Workshop

  • Nearpod and Reader’s Workshop

  • Challenge of the Week

• Nearpod Camp Engage!

• Bingo Baker

• Thanksgiving Feast, Wheel of Names, Wheel of Fortune

• Seesaw Tips and Activities of the Week

• Tip of the Week - Analyzing Assessments

November 19, 2020

• Device Reminder

• Zoom Reminder

• Hour of Code

• Your time

• DLC Communication Survey

• Invitation to Coaching

• DLC Relationship Survey

• Growing Through Coaching

• Book Bentos

• Virtual Aquarium/Zoo

• Seesaw Tips and Activities of the Week - Scavenger Hunts

• Tip of the Week - Zoom: Sharing a portion of screen

October 1, 2020

• National Cyber Security Awareness Month

• Flipgrid Best Practices

• Classroom Focus: Minilesson

  • 1. SAMR and Using Technology

    2. Jamboard and Your Minilesson

    3. Challenge of the Week

• Google 101 for Students

• Emoji Keyboard by JoyPixels

• Virtual Field Trips

• Seesaw Tips and Activities of the Week

• Tip of the Week - MasteryConnect: Push to portal

October 8, 2020

• New Student Reminder

• Teacher Chromebook Tips and Tricks

• National Cyber Security Awareness Month

• Classroom Focus: Minilesson

  • Teaching in Beta

  • Jamboard in Your Minilesson (with templates!)

  • Challenge of the Week

• Google Sites with Google Classroom

• Conferring Forms

• Loom vs. Screencastify

• Google Classroom Item Types

• Seesaw Tips and Activities of the Week

• Tip of the Week - MasteryConnect:

October 15, 2020

• DLC Coaching Menu

• Growing Through Coaching

• Classroom Focus: Minilesson

  • SAMR Examples and Ideas

  • Jamboard Templates and PD

  • Challenge of the Week

• How to Increase Impact and Decrease Fatigue with Live, Synchronous VIdeo

• Collaborative Tools Document

• Google Drive Organization

• Breakout Rooms Slides Template

• Seesaw Tips and Activities of the Week - Including UPDATES!

• Tip of the Week - Priority and Workspaces in Google Drive

October 22, 2020

• Invitation to Coaching

• DLC Relationship Survey

• #AskYourDLC - Instagram and Twitter

• Growing Through Coaching

• Classroom Focus: Minilesson

  • Leverage Synchronous Time

  • Challenge of the Week

• Become a Nearpod Certified Educator

• New Student Login Card Template

• Go Beyond Blended: Make Learning Dynamic webinar

• Draw and Paint Extension

• Math Essentials Choice Boards

• Seesaw Tips and Activities of the Week - including Activity Best Practices

• Tip of the Week - MasteryConnect: Importing Grades to eSchool

October 29, 2020

• DLC Communication Survey

• TCEA Memberships

• Invitation to Coaching

• DLC Relationship Survey

• Growing Through Coaching

• Classroom Focus: Minilesson

  • Jamboard and Minilesson Link

  • Challenge of the Week

• Nearpod Camp Engage!

• Book Buzz with Padlet

• Tools to Enhance Your Slides Presentation

• Zoom Signs

• Seesaw Tips and Activities of the Week - including Activity Best Practices

• Tip of the Week - Screenshots on a Chromebook