If you’re ready to combine a little bit of holiday fun with Google Drawings, then Shake Up Learning has created and shared a really cool must-try activity for you and your class: A Halloween-themed magnetic poetry template containing nearly 100 words. The students start out with a creepy palette that looks something like this: And end up transforming it into something spook-tacular like this: Just as an FYI: I encouraged my students to use as many nouns and adjectives as possible in a creative way. I actually incorporated this activity into my fifth grade Computers class. Besides allowing them to have some Halloween fun with related words and images, it was a great opportunity for them to become more familiar with copying a template into their Google Drive account and utilizing Google Drawing. Here they are getting all creepy with it! Classroom Connection: The Halloween Magnetic Poetry template can be used in a variety of ways as either an independent or collaborative writing activity. Utilize the "magnets" included and/or add your own text boxes to extend the activity. Click here to make your very own copy of the template. A huge shout out to edtech guru Kasey Bell for sharing this super cool resource!

As Quincy Jones once remarked, "I’ve always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, "Ain’t that the truth." That said, Edu-fun Friday is a series devoted to adding some humor to the lives of teachers who visit this blog. After all, there’s nothing better than ending the week on a positive note! Plus, do we have the best topics to provide us with some comic relief or what? Standardized testing… Yep, it’s really that scary!

What’s new this week in my Diigo bookmarks? Check out the links shown below for some of the latest and greatest "Cool Tools" and/or web resources that can be integrated into your classroom! » Made with Code A site from Google with resources, projects and inspirational videos to encourage students to code. Projects include programming an LED dress, a kaleidoscope, a soundtrack and a 2D character with a 3D personality. » PicResize Resize, shrink, and crop pictures online for free before posting them to a blog, web page or social media site. Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links can be found here.

So, you want to increase motivation for reading and writing, improve confidence levels and/or encourage ICT literacy? Well, regardless of the rationale, blogging is a very powerful learning tool that can assist teachers with these goals. Still not convinced that blogging is a meaningful activity? Then check out the nifty sketch note shown below, one that illustrates ten additional reasons you should get your blog on with your students. A high five to Sylvia Duckworth for creating and sharing this very useful infographic. Click here to view a full screen version of this sketch note. Classroom Connection: Not that you asked for it, but here’s my personal opinion regarding the value of blogging in the classroom… The educational benefits associated with providing students with the opportunity to blog are countless. This activity is an innovative way for students to express themselves with an authentic audience. From brainstorming to organizing to writing, revising, and peer review, blogs are natural tools that lend themselves to the writing process in any content area. Because blogs can have viewers in addition to the teacher, students are engaged in sharing, communicating and exchanging ideas on a larger scale and see a permanency to their words that an essay or research paper can never equal. Blogging in education provides a communication space that teachers and students can utilize to develop a concept, share ideas and/or reflect on current and past assignments. Not only do these networks promote reading, writing, and critical thinking, blogs create a viable classroom outside of the traditional learning environment, giving the students and the teacher more flexibility in the learning process. Blogging is incredibly easy to do. It takes very little time, it’s free, and it’s a great way to open your classroom to a world of ideas! That said, if you haven’t experimented with integrating one of the many blogging tools—like Edublogs—into your lessons, you should really give the idea some serious consideration. Not feeling that adventurous? Then start small with a few students that live in your classroom. Trust me—it’s a win-win situation for both the student(s) and teacher! Check out my most favorite student blog written by one of those kids that reinforces why you chose this profession—Simply Aubree. Her space was voted the Best Student Blog of 2014!

Veterans Day is an official United States holiday honoring the men and women who have served in our military forces. Whether you choose to focus on this event for one class period, or maybe you’re planning to incorporate a special project in honor of our American heroes—either way, utilize the resources located within the recently updated interactive image shown below to connect classroom curriculum to the day set aside to honor those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. Be sure to hover over the image to reveal a variety of "hotspots" containing Veterans Day lesson plans and activities. Click here to access a full-screen version of this image. Classroom Connection: Use the resources and materials listed above to teach students about the importance of honoring the men and women who have served and/or continue to serve in our nation’s armed forces.

What’s new this week in my Diigo bookmarks? Check out the links shown below for some of the latest and greatest "Cool Tools" and/or web resources that can be integrated into your classroom! » National Museum of Flight: 360 Cockpit Views Ever dreamed of piloting a fighter bomber? Getting behind the controls of a Comet? Or chilling out on board Concorde? Now you can step into the cockpits and cabins of our famous planes and view them in stunning 360° panoramas via this interactive site hosted by the National Museum of Flight! » Cookie A web site containing fun and educational games and activities that build skills in math, language, social studies, science and much more! Best suited for Pre-K to Grade 2 learners. Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links can be found here.

In the words of Elmer Davis, "This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." These words cannot be more true—which is why my Tech Club students and I chose to utilize them at the beginning of the Veterans Day video tribute we produced for an assembly program that was held at our high school yesterday to honor the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. Check it out below… A shout out to Kermit, Alex and Aubree for working with me to complete a very worthwhile project! Classroom Connection: Use the video to remind students of the importance of honoring and remembering past and present members of our military. HBHM♥2013

It’s Tuesday again and that means it’s time to roll out another tech-isode in my "Tech It Up Tuesday" series in which I will share an edtech tool, app, site or other resource that can be utilized in the educational setting. This week’s selection focuses on Snappy Words, an online visual dictionary and thesaurus that assists users with finding the meaning of words and connections to associated words via an interactive graphic. Here’s how it works: Just type the desired word into the search box and click Go or simply hit Enter, and the interface will generate a web of related words, phrases, and definitions. To explore additional info within the word web, complete one or more of the following: Hover your cursor over any word or phrase to read its definition; Click and drag any node to discover other branches of the web; Double click on a node to generate new web branches; and/or scroll the mouse over words to view words and meanings more clearly. Still not quite sure what this "cool tool" does? Then check out the example shown below based on the keyword journey… Snappy Words also provides the user with a key to explain the colors and lines on the visual. Pretty nifty, eh? Oh, and did I mention that besides being simple to use, Snappy Words is free, no registration is required, no software installation is needed, and there is no limit on the number of searches a user can conduct. Classroom Connection: Snappy Words provides students with a fun and easy to use digital alternative for locating definitions and alternative word choices for their writing assignments. There is no finish line so love the journey! ♥

As Quincy Jones once remarked, "I’ve always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, "Ain’t that the truth." That said, Edu-fun Friday is a series devoted to adding some humor to the lives of teachers who visit this blog. After all, there’s nothing better than ending the week on a positive note! Plus, do we have the best topics to provide us with some comic relief or what? Yet some educators believe just that!

What’s new this week in my Diigo bookmarks? Check out the links shown below for some of the latest and greatest "Cool Tools" and/or web resources that can be integrated into your classroom! » NowComment A web tool that allows users to upload and discuss documents with others in an online environment at no cost. » WriteReader An app that provides children from the age of three with a platform to create their own books while also learning how to read and write. » CarQuiz Math An iOS app that allows players to build and practice math skills by racing around a track solving math equations. Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links can be found here.

Whether you’re looking for some neat themed lesson plans and activities to incorporate into your classroom to celebrate Thanksgiving, or maybe you’re just in search of some tech-based Thanksgiving games to keep your students engaged before the upcoming vacation… Either way, Edutech for Teachers has got you covered! Hover over the interactive image to find tons of Thanksgiving-themed games and interactive learning activities for students and/or skip past the graphic to find additional/updated materials for teaching and learning about this popular holiday. Check out the full screen version of this image here. Additional Teaching & Learning Resources: » NEW!  Multimedia Thanksgiving Turkeys - Learn more from Free Technology for Teachers about how students can create an interactive thankful poster utilizing ThingLink. » NEW!  Scholastic News - A comprehensive site containing various resources for elementary students and teachers to learn about how the pilgrims reached America and celebrated the first Thanksgiving. Sections include The Mayflower, Daily Life, The Feast, Historical Letters, and Videos and Photos. » NEW!  Education World - Thanksgiving in the classroom doesn’t have to be limited to those lesson on turkeys. Instead celebrate this special season with some creative ideas via articles, lesson plans, site reviews, books, crafts, clipart and much more—all to help you meet all of your holiday needs.  » TIME Magazine - An interesting article regarding "The Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Thanksgiving". » Teachers Love SMART Boards - A list of Thanksgiving-related activities that can be utilized with an interactive whiteboard. » abcteach - Games, puzzles and coloring pages designed for elementary students. » The Best Websites To Learn About Thanksgiving - From audio and video to engaging reading activities, Larry Ferlazzo’s comprehensive list of Thanksgiving web sites includes something for everyone! » The History Channel - Tons of videos related to the origins, history and traditions related to Thanksgiving. A few noteworthy videos include The History of Thanksgiving and the Mayflower Deconstructed. » National Geographic for Kids - Contains a funny fill-in turkey story/Mad Lib that can be used as for a writing activity. » Thanksgiving Web Quest - Visit Web sites about the Pilgrims, the Wampanoag and the famous harvest feast and learn new facts along the way! » 10 Thanksgiving Myths Dispelled - A cool infographic created by Misconception Junction. » The Pilgrims and the First Thanksgiving - A web adventure in which students have to answer questions along the way. » Thanksgiving Trivia - The Huffington Post challenges you to take the ultimate quiz about Turkey Day. » Thanksgiving Quiz - Another fun holiday quiz created by Funnel Brain. » How Thanksgiving Works - A variety of Thanksgiving related articles and videos about the History of Thanksgiving as well as related customs, traditions and more from the creators of How Stuff Works. » What Really Happened? Comparing Stories of the First Thanksgiving - A great feature from the New York Times Learning Network that also contains links to other useful resources. Classroom Connection: Use the resources and materials listed above to teach students about the Thanksgiving holiday.

A few weeks ago I shared images of an a super cool Halloween Magnetic Poetry activity I completed with some fifth grade students using a Google Slides template I downloaded from Kasey Bell’s Shake Up Learning blog. It was such a tech-sation that I decided to give this same concept a try for Thanksgiving. Well, the only problem with that idea was that after contacting Kasey, I discovered that she didn’t have one available for this particular holiday. Enter Plan B: Just create one of your own—which is exactly what I did! So, here it is: My very own version of Thanksgiving Magnetic Poetry containing about 80 words that can be manipulated into a holiday themed poem, story, etc. Check it out below! Click here to make your very own copy of the template and save it to your Google Drive. FYI: Just like Shake Up Learning’s original creation, the word boxes are actually images and cannot be edited; however, they can be deleted. Plus, additional words can be generated by creating a new text box and filling it with a white background. Classroom Connection: The Thanksgiving Magnetic Poetry template can be used in a variety of ways as either an independent or collaborative writing activity. Utilize the "magnets" included and/or add your own text boxes to extend the activity—although I think part of the fun/challenge is to just use the words provided. A huge shout out to edtech guru Kasey Bell for the inspiration needed to develop this resource!

What’s new this week in my Diigo bookmarks? Check out the links shown below for two really cool and useful online video tools that students can utilize to demonstrate knowledge and creativity in your classroom! » Animoto A cloud-based video creation service that produces professional quality videos from photos, video clips, and music.Compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android devices. An excellent classroom tool for visually conveying ideas and concepts! » WeVideo A simple yet powerful web-based video editing tool that allows users to upload content, save it in the cloud and/or link to other storage spaces such as Google Drive. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Great for generating student-centered projects! Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links can be found here.

Got a upcoming presentation to prepare for? Want to avoid "Death by PowerPoint"? If you’ve ever asked yourself one of these burning questions, then this week’s edition of "Tech It Up Tuesday" is just for you… The folks at Best STL polled some PowerPoint experts for their tried and tested PowerPoint tips then generated the How to be a PowerPoint Power User infographic to help others take their next presentation to the next level. This nifty visual even includes tips about how to smash PowerPoint with some really cool productivity apps to ensure you are prepared for any occasion. Check it out below! Click here to view a full screen version of this visual. Classroom Connection: You and/and your students can utilize the seven tricks mentioned in the infographic to help your next presentation stand out from the competition.

Earlier this week I shared a new resource I recently created—a Thanksgiving-themed Magnetic Poetry template containing 80+ words—and discussed ways it could be utilized in the classroom. The students start out with a Google Drawing template that looks something like this: The students start out with a blank canvas that looks something like this: And transform it into something that looks like this: I incorporated this activity into my Grade 5 Computers class. Besides allowing the students to have some holiday fun with related words and images, it was a great opportunity for them to become more familiar with both accessing and submitting assignments via Google Classroom and utilizing Google Drawing. Here they are in action! Stay tuned for a Christmas-themed Magnetic Poetry template… In the meantime, have a very Happy Thanksgiving! And always remember: There’s always something to be grateful for! ♥

What’s new this week in my Diigo bookmarks? Check out the links shown below for seven really cool and useful apps that students can utilize to demonstrate knowledge and creativity in your classroom and/or to learn math, science, geography, music and more! » Virtuoso Piano Free 3 Teach basic keyboard skills using this iOS app. Additional instruments can be purchased within the app for $0.99 each. » Learn the World Test students’ knowledge of countries, capitals, and continents with this iOS app. By completing multiple-­choice quizzes, they can earn flags of countries from around the globe. And the best part? No passport required! » Virtual Frog Dissection Aimed at a middle school audience, this iOS app offers an educational alternative to physical dissection. Students learn about dissection tools as well as a frog’s anatomy and organs. » Geoboard An iOS or Android app for learning about geometry. Students can use the virtual manipulative to make discoveries about perimeter, area, angles, congruence, fractions and more! » Toontastic An iOS storytelling app that enables kids to draw, animate and share their own cartoons with friends and family around the world. » Super Duper StoryMaker Primary students can craft their own stories with this iOS app using text, images, photos, sounds and drawings. Stories can be saved, printed and/or shared with others via e-mail. » Tales2go An iOS audiobook app that provides access to more than 5,000 titles. Use as a literacy tool to develop vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills via school-owned and/or BYOD devices. Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links can be found here.

Get ready to "Tech the Halls" with my 4th annual 12 Digital Days of Christmas, a collection of digital treasures featuring Thinglink and a dozen fun and festive resources that are sure to spread some holiday cheer in your classroom. So, starting today and continuing for the next eleven school days, this Geeky Girl will share one Christmas activity that can be shared with your students. The 2015 adventure begins by hovering over the interactive image below to reveal Tech Treasure #1: The North Pole, a comprehensive holiday site that has it all for educators, students and parents—dozens of games, activities, stories, crafts and more—all related to Santa’s visit on December 25. I’ve actually shared this resource in past Christmas playlists, and I typically save it for last, but this award-winning gem includes more than enough activities to keep students busy until the holiday break. So, if you’ve somehow missed it along the way, be sure to check it out this time around! The NorthPole.com promotes a traditional look at Santa’s Secret Village, but with high-tech, creative features to keep students entertained—all for free. For example, check out the Elf Clubhouse for online games and activities including checkers with Santa, Trim the Tree, crossword puzzles, word searches, concentration, and mazes. But free games are only the beginning of the fun your students can have at the NorthPole.com. Play Winter flash games, watch cool Christmas movies and cartoons at the North Pole Arcade, chat with some of Santa’s helpers and/or read stories about your favorite elf. All of this and more awaits you and your students at the NorthPole.com! So, push the papers and pencils aside for a few minutes and celebrate one of the most exciting and magical times of the year by accessing this site. Just hover over The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas Thinglink interactive image shown below to get started on your holiday journey! The full screen version of this interactive image can be accessed here. Classroom Connection: Use the resources embedded within the interactive image to have some fun celebrating the best holiday of the year! In case you might be interested in checking out my 12 Digital Days of Christmas collections from previous years, here you go: » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas I » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas II » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas III

It’s time to put up the Christmas lights! But wait—you’ll need to access Merry Christmas Math Fact Fun, a game in which students must solve addition, subtraction, multiplication or division problems to earn lights. Here’s how Tech Treasure #2 works: The number of equations answered correctly as well as the difficulty level selected results in more lights earned. Once 60 seconds is up, students can view a detailed score report before they click the "GO" button to string the lights they collected—which is by far the coolest part of the game. Too bad it wasn’t this fun and easy to hang actual lights! I may not need so much egg nog! Check out the Merry Christmas Math Fact Fun on The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas Thinglink image located here. Classroom Connection: Use the resources embedded within the interactive image to have some fun celebrating the best holiday of the year! In case you might be interested in checking out my 12 Digital Days of Christmas collections from previous years, here you go: » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas I » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas II » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas III

It’s TGIF as well as three weeks until the "Big Day" so there’s no better time than now to introduce Tech Treasure #3—Elf Flinger, a game in which you can help Santa’s elves grab the presents in the factory and place them safely back into Santa’s sack! Hmmm… I’m hoping there are some new swanky electronics in there for me! Just sayin’… All you’ve gotta do is hover over The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas Thinglink interactive image shown below to check out Elf Flinger and other nifty holiday activities! The full screen version of this interactive image can be accessed here. Classroom Connection: Use the resources embedded within the interactive image to have some fun celebrating the best holiday of the year! In case you might be interested in checking out my 12 Digital Days of Christmas collections from previous years, here you go: » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas I » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas II » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas III

What’s new this week in my Diigo bookmarks? Check out the links shown below for five really cool and useful web sites that students can access to reinforce and enrich science, math and literacy skills! » Tree House Weather Kids An interactive site that provides students with basic information and activities related to various weather topics such as wind, moisture, air pressure, seasons, and storms. » Coins for Candy Learn about pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters while shopping for candy. Lessons are available in both text only and text with audio formats. » NRICH.maths.org Free materials (problems, articles and games) that help to enrich learning and engage learners in everyday math practices. » Literary Devices A site containing a comprehensive list of literary devices as well as detailed definitions and examples of each term. » MEDtropolis Home of the virtual human body! Learn more about the skeleton, heart, brain, the digestive tract, and how they function. Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links can be found here.

So, what makes Tech Treasure #4 one of the best in this series? It includes my second installment of Magnetic Poetry, one focusing on the upcoming Christmas holiday. This brand-new Google Slides activity contains 100+ words and phrases that can be manipulated into a holiday themed poem, story, etc. As with my Thanksgiving Magnetic Poetry creation, the word boxes are actually images and cannot be edited; however, they can be deleted. Plus, additional words can be generated by creating a new text box and filling it with a white background. Check out a sneak preview below! Find the Christmas Magnetic Poetry link within The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas Thinglink image located here. Once accessed, you will be prompted to download your very own copy of the original template and save it to your Google Drive. Or just click here for a direct link to this activity. Classroom Connection: The Christmas Magnetic Poetry template can be used in a variety of ways as either an independent or collaborative writing activity. Utilize the "magnets" included and/or add your own text boxes to extend the activity (although I think part of the fun/challenge is to use the words provided—just like the good old-fashioned magnetic poetry kit). A huge shout out to edtech guru Kasey Bell for the inspiration needed to develop this magnetic poetry resource! As for the 12 Digital Days of Christmas resource, use the embedded content to have some fun celebrating the best holiday of the year! In case you might be interested in checking out my 12 Digital Days of Christmas collections from previous years, here you go: » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas I » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas II » The Twelve Digital Days of Christmas III

5 Tips for Using Google Apps on the iPad Google and Apple CAN PLAY NICE!Google and Apple are two very different ecosystems. Both provide great technology and digital tools for use inside the classroom and beyond. When these two worlds collide, they offer a powerful toolbox for educators giving you the best of both worlds. When iPads were first introduced, they did not play nicely with Google Apps. We have come a long way, and the two CAN play nicely with each other if you know a few tricks! Here are five tips for using Google Apps on the iPad. 1. Google works best with Google.  Go figure! Google Apps work best with other Google Apps. So be sure you install all of the featured apps on this page: Google Apps for iOS. All of Google’s mobile apps were designed to work as a team. Links will open in Chrome instead of Safari, tap on an email address and it will open the Gmail app instead of Mail, etc. If you leverage this team of apps, using Google on the iPad will be a much better user experience. 2. The Google Search App deserves a second look.  If you are like me, I downloaded the Google Search app ages ago and forgot about it. Why do I need a separate search app when searching is built into the browser? Here’s why I challenge you to give this app a second look. The Google Search App integrates with Google Now cards. Google Now gives you timely, convenient, and customized information like weather, traffic patterns to work, tracks packages, travel information. The second reason you should give this app another go: "Okay, Google!" If you haven’t heard this phrase yet, you will! "Okay, Google," is a hands-free, voice search trigger for the app. (You must enable the feature on your device.) Then simply say, "Okay, Google," the device will beep, and start "listening" for your search query. Bonus: If your search is in the form of a question, Google will read the answer back to you! Think of how much this little gem can help students. Note:  "Okay, Google," can also be enabled in Google Chrome on the desktop.  Chrome on the iPad can also do voice search, but not "Okay, Google." 3. Forget the native Mail app on the iPad!  Native iPad apps may not be the best app for the job. Just because it came on the iPad, doesn’t mean it is the best app for task at hand. If you use Gmail, and you should, stop using the native Mail app on your iPad. There is a better way. The Gmail app is better, faster, and is cloud-based. The Mail app takes up precious storage space on your device because it is downloading your messages to the device. Have you ever tried to search for an old email in the Mail app? It can be frustrating and time-consuming as you continue to download more messages to search. The Gmail app will also let you connect multiple gmail accounts. Try the Gmail app for a better, faster solution. 4. Forget the native Calendar app!  Google Calendar plays nicely with most other calendar applications out there, but if you want to mimic the gcal functionality you have on the desktop, you must let go of the native calendar app on the iPad. Google does not offer an official Google Calendar app for the iPad, but there are many out there with gcal functionality. I recommend Sunrise (free) or Calendars 5 by Readdle ($6.99). 5. Auto-Backup Photos and Videos to Google+ Google+ is currently the fastest growing social network. Even if you have no interest in adding another social network to your repertoire, you will want the Google+ app on your iOS device for one simple reason: auto-backup your photos and videos to Google! The number one storage hog on iPads is photos and videos. Let Google+ do the work for you and back up to your Google+ account. Google+ is also a great way to expand your personal learning network and collaborate with like-minded educators. Here are 5 Reasons Educators Should Use Google Plus. Using Google Apps on the iPad is possible, and if you just know a few simple tips, you can have the best of both worlds. These tips only scratch the surface of what’s possible. For even more tips, attend my session, "Ooey, Gooey, Google! Google Apps for the iPad," at the Teaching and Learning with the iPad Conference this November. This post originally appeared on Emerging EdTech on Sept. 16, 2014. *Be sure to get your FREE COPY of the Google Drive for iOS Cheat Sheet, and the Guide to Google Apps for the iPad [infographic]. What are your favorite tips for using Google Apps on the iPad? Please share in the comments below. Subscribe to this blog to get all the latest posts: Follow My Blog with Bloglovin Follow My Blog with Feedly

Google Apps Smashing Dice: Classroom Edition Go Google and Smash Some Apps with Gapps Smashing Dice! This Google Apps Dice was sparked by a request from Lori Curtis on Google+ to make a version that included Google Classroom, Doctopus and Goobric. Google Apps Dice can be used in professional learning. These can be used alone to help review concepts, inspire integration ideas, and even quiz a partner to help prepare for the Google Educator exams. You can also use two or more to create an app smashing activity. For instance, how can you combine Google Sites and Google Search in a classroom activity? Google Classroom What is it?"Classroom is available to anyone with Google Apps for Education, a free suite of productivity tools including Gmail, Drive and Docs. Classroom is designed to help teachers create and collect assignments paperlessly, including time-saving features like the ability to automatically make a copy of a Google Document for each student. It also creates Drive folders for each assignment and for each student to help keep everyone organized. Students can keep track of what’s due on the Assignments page and begin working with just a click. Teachers can quickly see who has or hasn't completed the work, and provide direct, real-time feedback and grades right in Classroom." (from www.google.com/edu/classroom/) Google Classroom Resources Google Classroom Pinterest Board (This is a collaborative board with a few members of my PLN.) Google Classroom How-To Videos (from the AMAZING Michael Fricano II at EdTechnocation.com) Google Apps Smashing Dice: Classroom Edition Google Apps Smashing Dice: Classroom Edition Download below, or use the Save to Drive button to save directly to your Google Drive. Classroom Gapps Dice.pdf File Size: 192 kb File Type: pdf Download File This version of the die includes the following apps: Google Classroom Google Drive Google Search Google Sites Google Chrome Google Docs Google Slides Google Sheets Google Forms Google Drawings Doctopus (Google Sheets Add-On, learn more below.) Goobric (Google Chrome Extension, learn more below.) New to Doctopus? Doctopus is an Add-On for Google Sheets created by the fabulous Andrew Stillman at New Visions for Public Schools that gives teachers the ability to mass-copy (from a starter template), share, and manage grading and feedback for student projects in Google Drive. Here's a great video introduction by Jay Atwood : New to Goobric? Goobric allows for rubric-based grading of Google Drive resources (Documents, Presentations, Spreadsheets, Folders, etc.) It was created to work with the Doctopus Add-on mentioned above.  Here is another great video from Jay Atwood: How do they all work together?  Check out this great video from Jennie Magiera: Doctopus + Classroom + Goobric = :). Be sure to check out the other versions of Gapps Dice here. Beginner Google Apps Dice Advanced Google Apps Dice Ready for more #AppDice fun? Check out the amazing Ryan Read's collection of app dice on his blog: Classrooms Next Level. How do you use App Dice? Please share in the comments below! Subscribe to this blog to get all the latest posts: Follow My Blog with Bloglovin Follow My Blog with Feedly

Google Apps for the iPad An Updated Infographic Guide to Google Apps for the iPad  (31 Apps)!!! There are now tons of apps for iOS devices that integrate well with Google, and Google has release several official apps for the iPad. There is hope, Obi Wan, Google and Apple can play nice! The infographic embedded below details the most useful Google apps for the iPad. These are the apps that I find most useful not only for teachers, but any Google user. Take a look, download, and explore the wonderful possibilities of using Google Apps on the iPad! The online, interactive version embedded below includes links directly to the app store! You can also download the image file below. Note: This is not an exhaustive list of ALL of the Google designed apps. For a complete list, click here. There are a few apps that were designed for the iPhone, but worth mentioning for the iPad as well. If the image below isn't displaying correctly, Click here for the online interactive version with links to the app store. Guide to Google Apps for the iPad File Size: 1395 kb File Type: png Download File What are your favorite Google Apps for the iPad? Please share in the comments below!