Innovating with Google keep in the math classroomLEARN MORE G Suite Learning Center: Google Keep - goo.gl/AMAbXb EquatIO for Google- goo.gl/NYrzj2 Convert PDF and Photo Files to Text - goo.gl/L8UQN9 Staff Personal Accounts on ChromeBooks Staff members have the rights to switch to personal accounts on district Chromebooks. They must log into the Chromebook with their district account but can then add a personal account to access certain resources. This process looks different on Chrome 78 than it has in the past. Please see this document for support. History Settings on accountsAlthough it appears that students can toggle off the ability to save their browing history in their individual Chrome settings, this is not the case. You will notice that the individual check boxes cannot be selected for our domain. The district is able to override these settings in Jeffco's Google Admin Console, which stores student browsing history in Vault.  Less Secure Apps Many people connect 3rd party apps through Google, giving those apps permission to the user's G Suite Data. Google is beginning to limit the ability for less secure apps (LSAs) to access that data, so that the user's account is less susceptible to hijacking. As this change is occurring, we are finding that some vendors are not choosing to make the necessary security updates and are choosing to discontinue their products. If you are experiencing difficulty using Google to log into 3rd party tools, outside Jeffco's 8 Digital tools, please reach out to the vendor for support. Chromebook Tips & TricksCheck out some of the neat features available on Chromebooks!
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  At Governor’s Ranch Elementary, the Digital Teacher Librarian, Rachel McKenzie has been using WeVideo with several groups of students. Recently, Ms. McKenzie had her 2nd grade WIN group use WeVideo to explain their understanding of severe weather. They started with hurricane research, coming up with some guiding questions together about what they would need to know to do a weather broadcast (wind speed, common locations, etc) and then she had the kids look through library books and resources she sent them in Google Classroom to research. They organized with thinking maps. They used the research to build their script for the video, trying to put realistic facts into the video that were inspired by their research. They watched weather forecasts on YouTube so that they could try and use similar vernacular, such as "back to you in the studio!"  Ms. McKenzie and the students wrote the script together with the students dictating what they wanted to say. They did a lot of table reads and practiced the script everyday for about a week. Kids decided what props they needed and then started filming! The students learned about using a green screen and determined what backgrounds were needed in order to make the video look authentic. Once they were ready, Ms. Mackenzie filmed each student in front of a green screen. Using a Green ScreenVideo Editing After filming, students were able to collaborate on the video and decide what they wanted their post production video to look like. Ms. McKenzie, with student input, edited the video, added transitions and captions and then had the students give their critiques. Once the students chimed in, the video was completed. Finally, the group showed it to their classmates and community so they could see their learning. This lesson was a great way to show how WeVideo can be used to help synthesize learning and allow students to show their understanding through their own creations. The students stated that they loved having choice in their project. They got to decide what to research and how to create the video. They said it was fun, engaging, and even though it was a lot of work, they really learned a great deal. One student said that it was really cool to come to WIN and they were so excited to share with friends and family. Channel 189 News Severe Weather reportBite-Sized Video Learning Google has developed an email subscription to a series of bite-sized videos that support educators in learning how to use the G Suite for Education. For those that subscribe, you will receive 8 weeks of short videos, delivered to your inbox. These video-based tutorials cover Drive, Docs, Classroom, Forms, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, and Gmail and should take less than 15 minutes to complete each week. To sign up for these videos, please visit the Google Teacher Center. EDu in 90 YouTube Playlist Would you like access to bite-sized videos without having to sign up for the 8-week email subscription? Three times a month, the Google for Education YouTube Channel publishes a 90-second video to their Edu in 90 playlist. If you choose to subscribe to the playlist, you will get an email notification when a new video is created. Each episode will focus on an important topic for educators, administrators, and school leaders - things like product updates, new programs, and helpful resources for the classroom. Pro Tip: Quick launch Google Apps
Changes in Add-On Access Google has made changes to how users install G Suite Add-Ons. Beginning 1/2/20, all add-ons will be managed by Jeffco through a whitelist; only vetted and approved add-ons will be available to #TeamJeffco. To request an add-on be vetted, use the standard district vetting process. District vetting occurs over winter/summer break. Submit your request by 12/6. Hangouts Meet Updates Last year, Classic Hangouts broke apart into two new products: Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet. Hangouts Meet is a video conferencing tool that allows participants to create virtual meeting spaces. Although Hangouts Meet is not available for Jeffco students, it is available for all Jeffco staff. This product has had a few changes over the past month that might support your work!
The Google Infused Classroom Book Study REmoving Pinned Apps A few people have requested the ability to remove the Read and Write extensions from their pinned app bar at the bottom of Chromebooks. We have removed forced pinning of these extensions, but you will need to physically remove them from your app launcher. To un-pin, right-click in the tab and select "Unpin tab." There is no keyboard shortcut for pinning or unpinning a tab.
What's a Chrome App? Generally speaking, Chrome Apps are bookmarked websites. Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides, Hangouts etc. are all native G Suite Chrome apps. These apps can be found by clicking on the app icon (the "waffle") in the top of your chrome browser. You can also install third-party Chrome apps from the Chrome Webstore; however, fewer companies are continuing to manage and develop Chrome apps, as many people just choose to bookmark the website for easy access. Pro Tip: When bookmarking a website, delete the words to create a simple favicon. This allows you to add many more bookmarks to the top of your browser.
What's an Add-On? Google add-ons live within G Suite for Education Chrome apps: GMail, Docs, Sheets, Forms and Slides. Add-ons are often created by third-party developers, and they enhance how the app functions.
Pear Deck, one of Jeffco's digital tools, is an Add-on that functions within Google Slides and is available for all staff and students. It allows for interactive slides that provide opportunities to formatively assess students while delivering direct instruction! Jeffco Ed Tech's G Suite Add-on Webpage What's an Extension? Extensions boost the functionality of your Chrome browser. They customize the experience you have while browsing the internet, and are often created by third-party companies. Extensions can, and should, be managed regularly to ensure your browser is functioning efficiently. If your browser is acting slow or inefficient, clean out the extensions you are no longer using on a regular basis. Also, consider only adding extensions that provide a strong value to your daily browsing experience. Read and Write for Google and EquatIO, two of Jeffco's digital tools, are extensions that alter how the Chrome browser works.
The Power Up Pear Deck extension can also be added to increase the functionality of Pear Deck Slides. This extension ensures that videos, animations, and GIFs embedded in your Pear Deck slides play at full resolution. Jeffco Ed Tech's Extensions Webpage What's an Android App? Android Apps are new in Jeffco and are available on TechforEd 5th and 9th grade Chromebooks; they can be installed through the Google Play Store. Android Apps were built for mobile, touch-screen devices and are similar to iPad apps. Although many of the Android apps also exist on the web (or as Chrome apps) the functionality between both versions may be different. For example, the Google Classroom Android app contains an annotation feature not available on the Chrome App (web) version of Google Classroom. All apps available in the Jeffco Android App store are free to download and have been vetted for student privacy and security. You may request Jeffco add additional Android Apps through the standard district-vetting process. There is currently an Android App for several Jeffco digital tools: Soundtrap, WeVideo, Schoology and many of the G Suite for Education tools. *Currently the Seesaw Android app does not function on student Chromebooks Jeffco Ed Tech Android Apps Webpage Do These tools need to be approved?All Chrome Apps, Extensions, Add-ons and Android Apps used in the classroom should be vetted for student privacy and security. You can find out which have been approved thus far by searching Jeffco's Digital Tools website! To request that additional tools be vetted and added to the site, please complete the district's vetting process. District tool vetting occurs twice a year, during summer and winter break. If you would like to submit tools for second semester, be sure to submit them for vetting by December 1st.
Jeffco loves Seesaw! Teachers, students and parents across the district are using Seesaw as a digital workflow in their classrooms. What is app smashing and how can that improve the student experience when using Seesaw?  The term “app smashing” was coined by former history teacher and current edtech guru, Greg Kulowiec. Back in 2013, he defined app smashing as “the process of using multiple apps in conjunction with one another to complete a final task or project.” These apps could range from the most basic, like the ones that come built-in on your iPad or Chromebook (think the camera app), to the latest and greatest edtech apps in formative assessment, video-editing and so on. By using multiple apps, not only will you become an edtech legend, but you’ll also create wildly engaging lessons and projects for your students, sparking engagement and keeping your parents and admins happy and singing your Google Draw & Other G-Suite Tools Students and teachers can create in Google Draw and then upload the link to Seesaw to share with their peers and their parents. You can also have students record a voice or caption. You can control the file type. Download as a JPEG and then upload into Seesaw.
 There are multiple ways to add a file to Seesaw from the G-Suite tools. The tools in the G-Suite smash well with Seesaw! Making Flash Cards with Flippity Flippity is an add-on, not an app. You need to open a Google Sheet, click on "Add-Ons" and then "Get Add-ons" and choose Flippity from the G-Suite Marketplace. Fippity turns information from a Google Sheet into Flashcards. You can make interactive flashcards around vocabulary.
You've heard the EdTech department talking about "digital tools" a lot this year. What exactly are those tools? How do you use them? What do they look like in the classroom? We know it can be confusing, so in this post, we will be de-mystifying the digital tools. Below are the core applications and add-ons purchased and maintained by Jeffco Public Schools for use by students and teachers! Each tool is outlined with a short description and helpful links for getting started or diving deeper with each application. If you dive in and something doesn't make sense or you want to know more, please contact your EdTech Specialist for more information! Book Creator Book Creator is the simple way to make beautiful e-books. Book Creator is ideal for making all kinds of books, including children's picture books, photo books, comic books, journals, textbooks and more. Teachers can use Book Creator to create textbooks and classroom policy booklets. When you're done, share your book with ease, or even publish it with a link to share with parents! You can app smash and include videos, programming, docs, sheets, etc. Book Creator is a highly robust tool with usability for both students and teachers. Where to find it: bookcreator.com How to log in: Use your jeffcoschools.us email address! Logging in and getting started: Tech Tip Resources and diving deeper: MMTS Discovery Education The newly designed Discovery Ed is so much more than just videos! In its new iteration, Discovery Ed is a simple-to-use K-12 learning platform that combines dynamic curated curriculum resources (often including videos), with on-demand teaching strategies, personalized for your needs as an educator. This collection of real world educational content brings excitement and relevancy to the topics you teach, so all students have opportunities to unlock their true potential. The addition of highly filterable content, along with the ability to download and transfer videos to WeVideo (see below!) as well as the board creation tool, allows for a more blended classroom model. Discovery Ed is a highly dynamic and engaging tool for students! Where to find it: discoveryeducation.com How to log in: Use your jeffcoschools.us email address! Logging in and getting started: Tech Tip Resources and diving deeper: MMTS Equatio (Paid for 6-12 grade) EquatIO® for Google is an easy-to-use extension for math equation and graph creation for Google Chrome. It’s a perfect partner for Google Docs plus Sheets, Forms, Slides and Drawings - letting you add mathematical equations, formulas and more to documents with a click. Equatio is pre-loaded on all Jeffco student Chromebooks. They can access it in Chrome from the top right-hand corner. Where to find it: It’s already installed on Jeffco student Chromebooks. Teachers can download from the Chrome Web Store. How to log in: Use your jeffcoschools.us email address! Logging in and getting started: Tech Tip Resources and diving deeper: MMTS G Suite for education The G Suite for education is a collection of apps that make it easier for teachers and students to work together. It includes apps like Drive, Classroom, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, Jamboard and more. These tools provide opportunities for students to work toward lesson objectives while giving them opportunities to create, communicate, collaborate and think critically. These tools can be used at all grade levels and across all subject areas. Visit Ed Tech's Google webpage for more information on each tool, possible uses, and resources to get started. To get deep training on how to use the tools effectively in your classroom, consider completing the Google Certified Educator training program and take the exam to receive your certificate and badge! Where to find it: docs.google.com How to log in: Use your jeffcoschools.us email address! Pear Deck Pear Deck allows you to add the power of interactive questions to Google Slides! Imagine if you could engage every student in your class, every day. With the Pear Deck for Google Slides Add-on, you can add the magic of Pear Deck’s formative assessments and interactive questions to your presentations. Even if you’re mid-Pear Deck presentation, you can add questions on the fly to gauge comprehension and re-teach needs. It's web-based so it works on any device. Teachers are able to use a variety of question types to check for understanding in their classroom. When teachers use Pear Deck they are able to adapt instruction based on student understanding and students can receive feedback in real time. Here is a recent blog post all about Pear Deck! Where to find it: In your google slides presentation, go to Add-Ons > Pear Deck > Open Pear Deck Add-On Logging in and getting started: Tech Tip Resources and diving deeper: MMTS Read&Write for Google Read&Write for Google Chrome™ provides personalized support, making documents, web pages and Google Drive files (including PDFs & ePub) more accessible for all Jeffco students. Already installed on all Jeffco Chromebooks, this discreet toolbar can help everyone engage with digital content in a way that suits their ability and learning style. See our recent blog post for more information about this tool! Where to find this tool: It is already installed on all student Chromebooks. Teachers/staff can download the extensions from the Chrome Web Store. Here's the link to Read&Write and the link for the PDF Reader. How to log in: The first time you use Read&Write, you will need to sign up for the account using your jeffcoschools.us email address. Installation and getting started: Tech Tip Resources and diving deeper: MMTS Schoology Jeffco Schools uses Schoology as its Learning Management System. All teachers, students and parents have access to Schoology. Schoology houses Courses and Groups. Educators in Jeffco can run a class through Schoology or just communicate with students. The system incudes a robust gradebook in which you can attach standards. Anyone in Jeffco can create a group in order to organize materials and communicate with other stakeholders. Where to find it: schoology for Jeffco How to log in: Use your jeffcoschools.us email address! Ready to create your first Schoology course? Tech Tip Resources and digging deeper: Schoology MMTS SeeSaw (Paid for k-5) Seesaw is an interactive platform for student engagement. Teachers can empower students to create, reflect, share, and collaborate within the app to “show what they know” using photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs, and links. It’s simple to get student work in one place and share with families, and nothing is shared without teacher approval. This tool is a great chance to regularly communicate with parents what their child is learning at school, and an opportunity for students to share their work with their peers in a protected, safe environment. We recently highlighted a classroom making great use of Seesaw here. Classroom teachers: Log in using Clever: https://clever.com.in.jeffco Not a classroom teacher?: Talk to the classroom teacher you would like to work with. They will have to add you to their classroom. Logging in and getting started: Tech Tip for Classroom Teachers Resources and diving deeper: MMTS Soundtrap Soundtrap is a browser-based music and podcast creation program that harnesses the same simple but powerful approach that make it easy to collaborate with other musicians and collaborators in Jeffco. It comes equipped with a large library of loops, beats, instruments all with additional options to make a project truly your own. Here's a recent blog post from our team with more information about Soundtrap. Where to find it: soundtrap.com How to log in: Use your jeffcoschools.us email address! Installation and getting started: Tech Tip Ready to learn more? Here’s the Soundtrap MMTS WeVideo WeVideo’s online video editing platform allows users to create incredible video stories, using the power of the Cloud to allow students flexibility and collaboration opportunities. WeVideo makes it possible for teachers, students and administration to create incredible videos that inspire, motivate, and form indelible memories. Want to learn more? Visit this blog post from our team highlighting this tool. Where to find it: wevideo.com How to log in: Use your jeffcoschools.us email address! Installation and getting started: Tech Tip Ready to learn more? Here's the WeVideo MMTS "Wait! what about..."Remember, your EdTech Specialist is here to support you! Contact yours with any questions or wonderings you are having about any of the above tools.
Elementary schools: Keri Douglas, Kala Munguia, Amy Oelschlager Middle Schools: Kali Devor High Schools: Nick Steinmetz Central Support: Amie Adams
 Check out other helpful videos on their full YouTube channel
Using read&write for google Access the toolbar by clicking on the extension next to your Chrome address bar. Use the PDF reader extension in a PDF. Use the R&W extension in the GSuite or on websites. Because Jeffco students and staff have the premium version, all of the toolbar features are functional!  jeffco multimedia text setWith "Jeffcoized" video tutorials and Tech Tips  Still want more?Ed Tech is hosting a session on Read&Write for Google on Tuesday October 8th from 4-5:30 pm at the Jeffco Ed Center 2A OR Contact your Ed Tech Specialist *Thanks to Susie Speigler, Deanna Duray, & Juli Thomas for all of your work with &
questions about R&W! WeVideo is one of the core digital tools for staff and students in Jeffco this year. As a result, students and staff have access to a wide range of opportunities to engage in deeper learning activities that personalize and authenticate learning through film and multimedia. Getting started with WeVideo is fairly straight forward and there are plenty of resources such as the WeVideo MMTS to help you get started. (Click on the image below to open the MMTS and start exploring.) However, getting started with using film creation and WeVideo for authentic tasks can be a little more challenging. Here we hope to provide a few ideas and inspirations to help you get started.   Capturing and creating videos as part of instruction can seem daunting at first however, it's doesn't need to be a complicated process. One approach is to begin with photo stories. Challenging students to capture or collect photos that tell a specific story and compiling those photos together with a narrative or background music allows us to practice compiling stories and using video editing tools. Photo stories can be about academic content such as a historical time period, scientific or mathematical processes, or about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They can also be about personal things such as our daily journey to school or our family history. Everyone has different perspectives so our photo stories can be shared to deepen the learning and understandings. One of the biggest challenges to using technology in classrooms is to ensure it is not a distraction from the larger goals of learning and content mastery. A great way to begin addressing these challenges is to empower students to lead their own learning. As students gain foundational understandings of content, they can be challenged with application of the content and creating products to share their learning and additional understandings. For example in mathematics, we often ask students to memorize key facts and processes but seldom challenge them with application and sharing of the learning. We can empower students to lead their learning by asking them to look for examples in their lives where they can apply the content they're learning and capture those applications to tell their stories. With this challenge, students gain deeper understandings of why content is needed and ways in which it fits into their worlds. Students can then share their creative stories of content application with each other, another class, or students at another school, which leads to deeper learning of the content. One of the essential skills across many content areas involves the ability to effectively conduct research and compile our findings so we can form argumentative or persuasive claims. As humans, we regularly find ourselves in situations where multiple views are represented and the need to understand and respond respectfully to others is a foundational aspect of any democracy. As students conduct research and capture evidence that supports their claims, they can put together short films with photos or video clips to support their stance. When sharing with each other, students have access to practice listening and summarizing skills that lead can lead to civic and global engagement or the continued development of communication skills necessary to succeed in settings beyond the classroom.  Teachers are experts at creating links between outcomes and learning which drives us all to the continuous search for new ideas and strategies. Here are a few tips to consider as you begin to design learning opportunities involving film and multimedia:
 Back in July, Teach Thought published a short piece on 6 Powerful Strategies for Deeper Learning in Your Classroom by Dr. Monica Martinez who is one of the leading experts on deeper learning. These 6 strategies are a great way to get students engaged in learning that involves their passions and interests. Film creation can be used in a variety of ways to implement and achieve all 6 strategies. As students are challenged to create films demonstrating their knowledge and understandings, they are provided additional opportunities to share their learning. Not every film needs to be publicly shared, there might be some short films that are simple reflections allowing us to go back and revisit some of the learnings we gained. Think of them more as selfie videos that are for the purpose of journaling or compiling a personal narrative. Ultimately, remembering the last strategy of "Making Technology the Servant, Not the Master" will help us leverage the power of film in more ways. As we use technology to capture and tell stories rather than consume them, we will be the masters of the digital tools we use and the time in front of a screen will have far greater purpose and outcomes. Looking for more ideas on how to use film in your instruction? The WeVideo blog is a great place to find ideas and examples.
Hangouts Chats: Tips and Tricks Google has delayed their full transition to Google Hangouts Chat. For now, both Hangouts and Hangouts Chat are available in Jeffco. Below are a few helpful tips and tricks to help you navigate the change. Hangouts Chats vs. Classic Hangouts
Hangouts Chat: Chat Rooms vs. Direct Messages (DM's)
YouTube Brand Accounts YouTube has suspended Brand Accounts for educational environments. Brand Accounts allowed users to use certain Google services, like YouTube, with a separate, potentially anonymous identity. Staff brand accounts can be temporarily un-suspended so that videos may be downloaded and saved. Student brand accounts cannot be reactivated. For more information on how to preserve brand account data, and for support on what do do if your account is suspended, please see this support document. Action regarding brand accounts must be taken by October 31st. YouTube Live to YouTube Webcam Record Many schools used YouTube Live streaming through Google Hangouts to stream their news broadcasts and other learning opportunities. This functionality has been changed by Google and is no longer available in Jeffco. The current solution is to use YouTube's Webcam Live Stream. You can quickly go live using your computer or Chromebook's built-in webcam. YouTube Webcam also allows the user to schedule future live stream events. Unfortunately, the ability to share your screen, or allow participants to speak in the recording, is no longer an option. But there is a text chat feature. Coming to Jeffco: G Suite for Education Summit The Colorado EdTechTeam Summit featuring G Suite for Education is coming to Jeffco November 2nd & 3rd at Arvada West High School! See schedule here. "With two action-packed days featuring keynote speakers, a mix of 90 and 60-minute sessions, a playground, and a demo slam, you'll have a chance to create and explore new ideas and topics while connecting with other teachers, school, leaders, and world-class speakers. " - EdTechTeam Inc. Because Jeffco is hosting the event, we receive special pricing of $249, which includes breakfast and lunch (standard registration is $349)! If registering with a Jeffco accounting string, please use this form. If registering using personal funds, please use this form and connect with your school's 1:1 lead for the promotional code. Google Level 2 Bootcamp For those considering their Google Certified Educator Level 2 Certificate, the EdTechTeam Inc. is bringing the Level 2 boot camp to Jeffco on Nov. 1st. "Google’s Certified Educator Level 2 focuses on meaningful and creative ways to integrate the 4Cs in the classroom. Level 2 teaches the advanced features of G Suite including HyperDocs using Google Docs, Maps and MyMaps for geo-instruction and virtual field trips; digital portfolios with Google Sites; and using screen-casting techniques for developing learning libraries in YouTube and more. Level 2 is the perfect place for teachers who are ready to try something new and engaging in their classrooms all while preparing them for Google’s Certified Educator Level 2 exam." - EdTechTeam Inc. This one-day event will be held at 581 Conference Place (cost $199, includes lunch). If registering with a Jeffco accounting string, please use this form. If registering using personal funds, please use this form. Google Certified Educator Clock-Hour Credit Considering getting your Google Level 1, 2 or Trainer certificate? We offer ESS clock-hour credit for these certifications!
To get your credit, follow these instructions:
Make any Google Slide Presentation Interactive with Pear Deck
Pear Deck is an online tool that provides formative assessment in real time. It's web-based so it works on any device. Teachers are able to check for understanding in their classroom through a variety of question types. When teachers use Pear Deck they are able to adapt instruction based on student understanding and students can receive feedback in real time.
How Does Pear Deck Work?
Pear Deck is an Add-on that works with Google Slides so it is easy to use! We have automatically added it for you in Google Slides! To utilize Pear Deck, you can create a new Google Slides presentation or add Pear Deck to an existing presentation. Once you've opened the Pear Deck Add-on, you can create your own questions or use the Template Library.
Template Library
Pear Deck Math Templates
Get Started with Pear Deck
Here are some great ways to start using Pear Deck in your classroom:
Formative Assessment with Pear Deck
Pear Deck is designed so that all students are engaged in the learning. Students answer questions in real time and teachers are able to give quick, immediate feedback to the students. Teachers can see who is answering and able to project student responses that are anonymous. Through the teacher dashboard, teachers can see each student's responses. Teachers can even add a question on the fly to help alleviate misconceptions or get additional information from the class. At the end of the session, teachers are able to publish student takeaways. These takeaways are sent to the students and the teachers.
Present With Pear Deck
After creating your slides or adding your questions, it's time to present. Make sure to use the green present with Pear Deck Button. When you Present with Pear Deck, your students will join your class with a code and your lesson can get underway. Pear Deck is a great tool to get students and staff engaged in their learning. Being a Google Add-on allows anyone to create a Pear Deck slide presentation. Contact your Ed Tech Specialist or your Digital Teach Librarian to get started using Pear Deck.
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