Digucation

Resources for Teaching Online

There are TONS on digital tools out there, but these are my personal favorites for online teaching and learning. I can help if you have questions! Email me and I'll call to talk you through it.

Have a favorite of your own? Email me with the link and some basic info about the site, and I'll add it here!

Recording Your Own Videos

A note about uploading video to Google Classroom:

I've found it's taking much longer than usual for a video to be processed on Google Classroom. That has to happen before it's viewable by your students. Two workarounds: Upload to your Youtube channel (you have one connected to your school account); processing there seems to be faster. Then share the Youtube link. OR tell your students to download the video, which they can do even before it's processed. Then they open the file and view on their computer. Flipgrid requires none of that.

Sign up with Google

Create up to 5 minute videos for students to watch AND respond to with their own video. Great for short demos with questions for students to answer verbally.

I use for explaining assignments and giving kids a chance to ask questions, also for building community.

Create a "Grid" for each class and within that, create a "Topic" for each video assignment.

Students will be able to see each others' videos unless you set controls otherwise.

Students can also respond to each others' videos if set that way.

Here's an example of what my kids are doing.

Choose Launch Free Recorder

You will be prompted to download the app. Once done, you will not need to do this again.

Choose to record your screen and check to make sure your mic is working.

When finished recording, save to your computer or upload directly to Youtube.

Works with a pc or laptop, but not with Chromebook.

Your laptop camera

Open your camera by searching for "camera" in the search bar at the bottom left of your screen.

Switch to video mode.

Record your video. Note: It will be saved in WINDOWS>USER>YourName>Pictures>CameraRoll

Go to your Google Drive. Find the folder where you want to store the video.

Upload it using the + button and choose "Upload a file"

Find the file using the pathway above, or by searching for your video in WINDOWS file.

Upload to Drive and from there, post in Classroom.

Meeting with Students in Live Time (with recording option)

The view in Google Meet. The person you see in the middle of the screen is talking; the inset shows the other people on the call. I believe it will show pics of the top 10 most frequent contributors; the rest will be there but not pictured.

Live Meetings in Google Meet

Go to Google. In the waffle (grid in the upper right corner of toolbar) find Google Meet. It's a green camera icon.

Click "Join or start a meeting." Enter a name for your meeting in the box.

Click Join now. The recording window will pop up, and you will also see a small window with the link to your meeting. You can copy that link now. You can also see this later by clicking in the bottom left of the Meet screen.

Go to Google Classroom to share the link. Students will be able to use it to go directly to your meeting.

Choose to turn on closed captions or chat if you want students to be able to type questions during the meeting.

To record the meeting: Click on the three dots in the bottom right to see options menu. Choose Record Meeting. Return to this menu to turn the recorder off. The video will save automatically to your Drive in a folder called Meet Recordings. You will want to rename it. From that Drive file, upload to Google Classroom. HERE'S a VIDEO I created to show you this.

Supports up to 100 participants.

Student Writing Platforms

Writing and Grammar units and exercises

Includes diagnostic testing and targeted lessons

See students' progress

Platform for writing with editing support

Takes students through the writing process for different genres

Kids create digital books, stored on a shared bookshelf so others in the class can read them.

More than one student can collaborate on a book.

Easy to use.

Timeline-style writing.

Super easy and intuitive--I love this site!

Tons of templates to start with; students just fill them in with their own responses.

OR start with a blank presentation.

This is a link to my own example above.

Mind Mapping

Easy to use, can add pictures, color code sections.

Can collaborate with others.

Works well with a Chromebook.

Most 7th graders in Tech 7 learned it.

Easy to use, can add pictures, color code section.

Does require Flash--make sure you have it unblocked.

Many 7th graders in Tech 7 learned it.


Video Lessons Using Videos Created by Others

Use any video on the internet and insert questions students must answer before they can continue watching.

Doesn't allow them to fast forward.

Create classes directly through Google Classroom.

Lots of pre-created lessons to choose from.

Picture you see here is the student view of a video lesson I created.

Fun Interactive Stuff

Online challenge code-breaker activities to challenge students' problem solving skills.

These are NOT easy! Don't be afraid to try activities at a level down from your students.

LOTS of math and science options.

This video explains to teachers how to get started.