tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477071127110649922024-03-18T23:18:59.139-05:00Innovate. Instruct. Inspire.innovative teaching tips for 21st century teachersChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18198533588290442478noreply@blogger.comBlogger141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-24497355727288665972017-12-13T18:00:00.000-06:002017-12-13T18:00:15.477-06:00Favorite Tech Tools of 2017<center>
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<span style="font-family: "cabin";"><span style="background-color: white;">As I reflect on 2017, I wanted to share the top 30 technology tools I've used, trained on, or recommended to teachers this year. </span></span></div>
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<li><b><a href="http://www.answergarden.ch/">Answer Garden</a>:</b> quickly gather data in the form of a word cloud</li>
<li><b><a href="http://canva.com/">Canva</a>:</b> create images, posters, and presentations</li>
<li><b><a href="http://classroomscreen.com/">Classroom Screen</a>:</b> all your must-have tools are located in one place online</li>
<li><b><a href="https://www.gonoodle.com/">Go Noodle</a>:</b> free brain breaks all in one spot</li>
<li><b>Google <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html">Chrome</a> and its <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">extensions</a>:</b> log in to save all your bookmarks and preferences (<a href="https://www.candicekaras.com/google-tools1.html#chromefavs">click here to see a list of my favorite extensions</a>)</li>
<li><b><a href="https://cse.google.com/cse/all">Google Custom Search</a>:</b> create a custom internet search with pre-approved websites</li>
<li><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive">Google Drive</a> and all its components:</b> I cannot say enough good things about Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Forms...the possibilities are endless!</li>
<li><b><a href="https://www.candicekaras.com/virtual-field-trips.html#voyages">Google Earth Voyages</a>:</b> fantastic for virtual field trips or to just add a little extra "oomph" to your lesson</li>
<li><b><a href="https://hangouts.google.com/">Google Hangout</a>s:</b> Conduct meetings even when you're not in the same room! I love the "share my screen" feature, which allows me to let teachers see what my screen looks like as I walk them through a project</li>
<li><b><a href="https://voice.google.com/">Google Voice</a>: </b>gives you an extra phone number that connects to your existing mobile number. Great for making parent phone calls or texts without revealing your personal phone number. </li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.superteachertools.us/instantclassroom/#.WjGLmEqnHIV">Instant Classroom</a>: </b>upload your class roster and generate seating charts, groups, and more. </li>
<li><b><a href="https://keremerkan.net/qr-code-and-2d-code-generator/">Kerem Erkan QR Code Generator</a>:</b> there is no shortage of QR code generators online, but this one is my favorite because you can create codes to plain text, maps, text messages, and more. </li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.online-stopwatch.com/">Online Stopwatch</a>:</b> counts up or down, includes fun animations (if you want to use them), and gives your students a visual as to how much time is left </li>
<li><b><a href="http://padlet.com/">Padlet</a>:</b> virtual corkboard that can be used for exit tickets, question parking lots, backchannel tool, and more. The addition of a column layout was HUGE this year</li>
<li><b><a href="http://pic-collage.com/">Pic Collage</a>: </b>create posters, collages, and other projects by layering images and text</li>
<li><b><a href="http://plickers.com/">Plickers</a>:</b> a digital assessment tool that only requires one device (the teacher's!)</li>
<li><b><a href="http://polleverywhere.com/">Poll Everywhere</a>:</b> use the "clickable image" feature to assess very young students or those that struggle with reading </li>
<li><b><a href="http://popplet.com/">Popplet</a>:</b> create online brainstorm webs that include pictures, drawings, and text</li>
<li><b><a href="http://quizizz.com/">Quizizz</a>:</b> a fun game that provides practice for students and assessment data for teachers</li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector/teacher/">Reflector Teacher</a>:</b> mirror your mobile device on your computer screen, record movements on your mobile device, and all students to project as well</li>
<li><b><a href="http://remind.com/">Remind</a>:</b> communicate with a large group via text or email without revealing your personal information. I regularly recommend this just for the scheduling feature</li>
<li><b><a href="http://safeshare.tv/">SafeShare.tv</a>: </b>crop YouTube videos while filtering ads and video recommendations</li>
<li><b><a href="https://screencast-o-matic.com/">Screencast-o-Matic</a>:</b> create videos of your computer screen</li>
<li><b><a href="https://web.seesaw.me/">Seesaw</a>:</b> ePortfolio tool geared toward young learners. The Activities feature has been a game-changer this year</li>
<li><b><a href="http://get-puppet.co/edu/">Shadow Puppet Edu</a>:</b> create slideshows with music or narration </li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm">Sign Up Genius</a>: </b>I used this when I taught Science Lab to gather volunteers for stations during Science Night. Since then, I've seen it used for potluck lunches, field trip volunteers, and mystery reading guest sign-ups. </li>
<li><b><a href="http://socrative.com/">Socrative</a>:</b> a digital assignment tool where any amount of planning will work</li>
<li><b><a href="http://edu.symbaloo.com/">Symbaloo</a>:</b> Out of all the ways to share links with students, this one is probably the easiest and most universal. </li>
<li><b><a href="http://tweetdeck.com/">TweetDeck</a>:</b> schedule your tweets in advance and keep up with Twitter chats more easily</li>
<li><b><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wifi-mouse-keyboard-trackpad/id629552573?mt=8">Wifi Mouse</a></b>: an iOS app that works over Wifi to connect to your computer and act as a mouse, letting you control your computer screen from anywhere in the room</li>
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<b>Are there any tools you'd add to my list? </b></div>
Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-5059520343902384802017-05-23T17:00:00.000-05:002017-05-23T17:00:22.620-05:00Duplicate vs. Extended ModeWhen you plug your laptop into a Promethean {or other} display, the laptop should automatically switch to Duplicate Mode, which allows you to see the exact same screen on your laptop as you do on the Promethean board.<br />
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Most teachers like to operate on Duplicate Mode. If that's you and you ever happen to plug your laptop into the Promethean and only see a blank screen or your laptop's background image, try pressing the FN + F8 keys on your laptop simultaneously and choosing the "Duplicate Mode" option. </div>
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However, there are times when I think Extended Mode is pretty handy! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>What is Extended Mode?</b></span><br />
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Think of those fancy-pants technology gurus who have more than one computer monitor, like the one setup shown below:</div>
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The reason this display is so handy is because it gives you more screen space. For instance, I can work on this blog post on the monitor on the left and search for a suitable image for the post on the monitor on the right. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but I promise: it's borderline life-changing if you do a lot of computer work! </div>
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Extended Mode basically turns your Promethean {or other display} into a second computer monitor. Yes, it's a tiny bit clunky to operate, since one of your screens is laptop-size and the other is ginormous...but it's still pretty rad. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Times When Using Extended Mode is Handy</b></span></div>
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<b>1. When a kid asks you a question during whole-group instruction that you need to Google. </b>There's no shame in Googling -- I did it all the time as a classroom teacher! But I also know that whatever comes up in the search results may not necessarily be appropriate for my kids to view. I'd use Extended Mode to quickly switch the display so I could Google without showing the results on the Promethean. </div>
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<b>2. When you want to monitor student iPad work. </b>When I was in the classroom, I used <a href="http://www.airserver.com/">AirServer</a> to allow students to display their iPad screen on the Promethean board to show peers their work. I also used that trick when students were working independently or with a partner on their iPads -- by asking students to display their device on the Promethean -- to help make sure everyone stayed on task. Switching to Extended Mode allowed me to display instructions on the Promethean board for everyone to see and then monitor iPad usage on my laptop screen. {Full disclosure: the more iPad screens you display at once, the smaller they become. I "only" had 12 iPads. So yes, the screens were small when all displayed on my laptop at once, but I could easily tell if someone was off-task by playing the "one of these things is not like the other..." game!}</div>
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<b>3. When you need to use your laptop for another purpose while simultaneously displaying something for the entire class. </b>I'd never advocate for, say, inputting grades or looking at student attendance in a place where students can see over your shoulder. However, during my last gig as classroom teacher, I had a little friend who preferred to work in his own spot and <i>hated </i>to write. Since I was in Science Lab, I had some leeway in being able to use technology to let him record Science Lab findings. If we ever encountered an issue where he needed to use an actual computer {as opposed to an iPad}, I just put my laptop on Extended Mode, opened a recording program for him, and let him type away. I really feel like this helped avoid several potential meltdowns while still keeping him engaged and learning. Obviously, you can also use this trick if <i>you </i>need to access other information, as well -- what about <a href="http://www.online-stopwatch.com/">an online stopwatch</a> on your laptop while directions are displayed on the Promethean?</div>
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<b>4. When you need to get attention quickly. </b>If your kids are too busy looking at what's on the screen to pay attention to your words, you can use Extended View to quickly eliminate the distraction, make your announcement, and then switch back over to whatever you were viewing before. </div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-90425780134474351552017-05-16T17:00:00.000-05:002017-05-16T17:00:22.425-05:00Sites to Practice Typing<div>
My mom was (and still is) a super-fast typist. She's an accountant, and I remember being amazed that she could type numbers into her computer programs without even looking at the keyboard. My dad was a teacher at the time, and she would type his exams sometimes; I remember thinking that the keyboard was going to go up in flames due to how fast she was! </div>
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As I watched my mom type, <b>I began to see the computer as more than just a gaming system -- it was a way to be more efficient and professional.</b> Even at a young age, I could see that typed work always looked more "put together" than hand-written work. Further, my mom could type faster than anyone could write, so I started to see the computer as a tool to save time. </div>
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The more I thought about it, the more I decided I needed to learn to type fast like Mom...so I started practicing. Rest assured that I spent plenty of time playing outside as a kid, but the summer between 2nd and 3rd grade was when I took random books off the shelf, placed them in my lap, and just typed what was inside.</div>
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I'll go ahead and put this here, since I know you're thinking it....</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As I've gotten older, I've learned to embrace my nerdiness.</td></tr>
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I have no idea what possessed me to type books (why didn't I make up my <i>own </i>things to type?), but it ended up being great practice since I got to type all kinds of symbols, too. </div>
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In 3rd grade, my teacher assigned everyone the task of researching an animal of our choice. (To this day, I <i>still </i>do not know why I chose the Palomino horse...) I used my newfound typing skills to finish and submit my paper super-early (those of you that know me can see that my personality has pretty much remained consistent since elementary school!). I don't recall the sequence of events that led to the next step -- I just remember that, somehow, I ended up typing <i>all </i>of my classmates' animal research papers on the little computer in the corner of our classroom that all the other kids only used to play Oregon Trail. </div>
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My typing skills have only gotten better and faster since then, and they have served me well throughout the years. I fully understand that today's children are growing up with different devices and different needs, but I still think typing is a valuable skill -- and one that our kids should be practicing at least every once in a while. </div>
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If you subscribe to the same school of thought, here are some free resources you can use to let your students practice typing:</div>
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<li><a href="http://typing.com/">Typing.com</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.typingclub.com/sportal/">Typing Club</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr#z34thyc">Dance Mat Typing</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bigbrownbear.co.uk/learntotype/">Big Brown Bear</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/typing/texttype2/">Doorway Text Type 2</a></li>
<li><a href="http://typingtest.com/">TypingTest.com</a> -- allows you to test your typing skills and go through free training</li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/cup_stack_typing_game.htm">ABCya's Cup Stacking game</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/keyboarding_practice.htm">ABCya's Keyboarding Zoo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/typing_rocket.htm">ABCya's Typing Rocket</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/jump_key.htm">ABCya's Jump Key</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/keyboarding_chase.htm">ABCya's Keyboarding Chase</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/keyboard.htm">ABCya's Keyboarding Challenge</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/kids_typing_game.htm">ABCya's Alpha Munchie's Typing Game</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/typing_race_cars.htm">ABCya's Typing Race</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.abcya.com/keyboard_invasion.htm">ABCya's Keyboard Invasion</a></li>
<li><a href="http://tvokids.com/school-age/games/keyboard-climber">Keyboard Climber</a></li>
<li>Typing Adventure -- <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/keyboarding_games_typing_adventure1.html">Level 1</a> and <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/keyboarding_games_typing_adventure2.html">Level 2</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/paragraph-writing-practice.html">Speedy Typer - Paragraph Writing Practice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/typing_practice4.html">Speedy Typer - State Typing Practice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/typing_practice3.html">Speedy Typer - Animal Typing Practice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/typing_practice2.html">Speedy Typer - Sports Typing Practice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/featured-games/typing_practice1.html">Speedy Typer - Color Typing Practice</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/typing-course.html">Typing Course: Levels 1-10</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/typing-factory.html">Typing Factory</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games/keyboarding_games_typing_speed_test.html">Typing Speed Test</a></li>
<li><a href="http://learning.com/">Learning.com</a> -- if your district pays for this resource, take advantage of the typing lessons! </li>
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A lot of these games require Flash, which means that you won't be able to play them on an iPad unless you pay for <a href="https://www.lifewire.com/play-flash-on-ipad-1994160">a fancy app that allows Flash websites</a>. However, if you do want to practice typing on an iPad, you may want to invest in an iPad keyboard. Personally, I prefer iPad keyboard cases that allow you to type while the device is both vertical and horizontal. Here are favorites:</div>
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<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2pG8Dkj">New Trent</a></li>
<li><a class="" href="http://amzn.to/2pGnmLR">Kvago</a></li>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2r8MLz4">Coverbot</a></li>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-18818883296621570622017-05-12T17:00:00.000-05:002017-05-12T17:00:07.511-05:00Safe Search Sites for KidsAs a teacher, I want my students to ask questions and then work to find the answers themselves. I will always be there to guide and support my students to find the answers they need, but I think the process of searching, filtering sources, and deciding which information is best is more valuable than the actual answer.<br />
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That said, I would never direct students to just search in Google for their answer. I am of the belief that kids are only young once and that they are exposed to enough "adult content" at an early age via various forms of media; I want to let my students "be little" for as long as possible! And I'm always surprised when I search for something seemingly innocent and receive some...not so innocent results. 😳</div>
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The happy medium I've found is to guide students to search on "kid friendly" search engines. Our district subscribes to a number of these...if you work in my district, check with your campus librarian to see exactly which databases are available to you. </div>
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However, if you're looking for something free that can be used at any time, here are some kid-friendly search engines I like:</div>
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<li><a href="http://kidrex.org/">KidRex.org</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kiddle.co/">Kiddle.co</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kidsclick.org/">KidsClick.org</a></li>
<li><a href="http://factmonster.com/">FactMonster.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://safesearchkids.com/">SafeSearchKids.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://sweetsearch.com/">SweetSearch.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://dibdabdoo.com/">DibDabDoo.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kidzsearch.com/">KidzSearch.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kidtopia.info/">Kidtopia.info</a></li>
<li><a href="https://cse.google.com/cse/all">Custom Google Search</a> - Create your own! Use Google's powerful, tried-and-true search methods combined with parameters to search only the websites you specify. For instance, I have a custom Google search already created with all of the above-mentioned kid-friendly search sites. <a href="https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=010760230564317008921:g9ik6dpazci">You can access my custom Google search by clicking here</a>. <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2016/03/how-to-create-custom-google-search-for.html">If you'd like help creating your own Custom Google Search, click here for directions</a>. </li>
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<b>Be aware that none of these safe-searches are going to catch 100% of the icky stuff, so I still recommend being present and aware of what children are looking for online. </b></div>
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Once you have these links, there are several ways you can get them onto student devices. <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/11/8-ways-to-quickly-share-links-with.html">Click here to read about 8 ways to quickly share links with students. </a></div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-5065105032297054872017-02-21T16:30:00.000-06:002017-02-21T16:30:05.817-06:00#TCEA17 Favorite FindsNow that I'm back from TCEA 2017 and have had a little time to process what I've learned, it's time to share my favorite finds. {If you attended the conference, I'd love to know about your "favorite finds!"}<br />
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<b>Here are my favorite finds from #TCEA17:</b></div>
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1. <i>Create Cartoons/Avatars in Google Drawings or Microsoft PowerPoint</i> -- <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mrs_edgar87">Kristy Edgar</a> is a middle school teacher who creates cartoon videos to spice up her American History lessons (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLzEwJ17I0k">here's an example called "American Revolution, ep. 2: Allies are Friends"</a>). She creates characters using basic, 2D geometric shapes and then uploads her final products to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq75uaXFvosVmgxgIWCSYCQ/videos">her YouTube channel</a>. Not only could this be a fun addition to your instruction, but it could also be nice for students to make their own characters to review geometric shapes and show their learning in a creative, "techy" way. <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cEf9msWJI8g4c7G5QVTJF9klrXN7z2pPy14FCFYPEpo/edit?usp=sharing">Click here for her full presentation.</a></div>
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2. <i>Symbaloo Lesson Plans</i> -- <a href="http://lessonplans.symbaloo.com/">This hidden feature of Symbaloo</a> allows teachers to find structured, media-rich lesson plans in <a href="http://lessonplans.symbaloo.com/marketplace">the marketplace</a> or create their own. The resulting plan looks similar to a board game with text instructions, web pages, search bars, web articles, videos, math formulas, and/or embedded content sprinkled inside. Teachers can even customize the board so it forces learners to go on a specific path based on their answers. (<a href="http://lessonplans.symbaloo.com/preview/L1039/">Click here to see an example lesson plan about the solar system</a>.)<br />
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Teachers need a free <a href="http://www.symbaloo.com/">Symbaloo </a>account (or upgrade to <a href="http://www.edu.symbaloo.com/">the Edu version</a> for free) in order to create or assign lessons, but students don't have to log in at all, which makes this tool perfect for everyone -- including young learners without an e-mail address. When students start a Symbaloo assignment, it prompts them to enter their name and the assignment number. Then the teacher can easily track data -- including results, when assignments were started, how long they took to complete and/or how far each student was able to progress in the assignment, questions answers correctly vs. incorrectly, and more.<br />
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<a href="http://www.symbalooedu.com/lesson-plans/lessonplan-manual/">Click here for the Symbaloo Lesson Plan Manual</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/am-XuWLQD3Q">click here for a quick YouTube video overview</a>.<br />
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3. <i>Photos for Class -- </i>Part of practicing good digital citizenship is making sure we use only images we have permission to use online and in presentations. Teachers and students can always conduct advanced Google Image searches to filter pictures based on rights...or we can use websites that make the process a little easier. For instance, <a href="https://twitter.com/tonyvincent">Tony Vincent</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/tonyvincent/status/829419537309147136">tweeted </a>about <a href="http://photosforclass.com/">PhotosForClass.com</a>, which allows users to search for copyright-friendly photos that are already watermarked with a citation when downloaded:<br />
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🔍 Need photos for a project? Trying searching <a href="https://t.co/1yZP46IQQ6">https://t.co/1yZP46IQQ6</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArcadiaSUSD?src=hash">#ArcadiaSUSD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tcea17?src=hash">#tcea17</a> <a href="https://t.co/JL9Jh1GPFp">pic.twitter.com/JL9Jh1GPFp</a></div>
— Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent) <a href="https://twitter.com/tonyvincent/status/829419537309147136">February 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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To access over 500 TCEA session handouts, <a href="http://www.tceaconvention.org/2017/handouts/">click here</a>. You can also follow along on Twitter by searching for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=default&q=%23tcea17&src=typd">#TCEA17</a> to read everyone's tweets. </div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-38787625697400146702016-09-12T16:30:00.000-05:002017-01-04T18:06:33.094-06:00iOS Keyboard Shortcuts<center style="text-align: left;">
Do you find yourself typing the same long word or phrase into your iPhone or iPad over and over (ex: your e-mail address)? If so, it might be time to create some keyboard shortcuts! <a href="http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cDQlbAjXz0" target="_blank">Click here to watch a 6-second video that illustrates how iOS keyboard shortcuts can save you time</a> or watch the clip below:</center>
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Pretty handy, huh? </center>
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You can create keyboard shortcuts for anything you want, but it's obviously most helpful to create shortcuts for things you type fairly often. </center>
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<b>On personal devices</b>, that might mean you create shortcuts for various e-mail addresses you have, a long word or phrase you use often, your full name {to be used as a signature or when filling out forms}, etc. </center>
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<b>On student devices</b>, it might look a little different. For instance, if you use utilize Read Naturally, you may have noticed that the latest update doesn't save the 8-digit access code students have to use to get in the program. If you're okay with students seeing {and potentially memorizing} that number and you want to save a little time during the login process, you may consider creating a keyboard shortcut for that 8-digit access code. Or if, for instance, your very young learners {who tend to take several minutes to type one word} all have the same password, maybe you want to create a keyboard shortcut for that password. </center>
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{<b>Note</b>: I <i>don't</i> recommend using keyboard shortcuts for passwords for anyone <i>other </i>than very young learners. Even then, it is purely in the interest of time so that you regain as many instructional minutes as possible!}</center>
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If you're interested in setting up your own shortcuts on iOS devices, follow the directions in the screenshots below:</center>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The previously-existing shortcuts on that device will be listed on this screen in alphabetical order. You can see that, on my school iPad, I have 3 keyboard shortcuts already entered. If I wanted to edit any of them, I could just tap the entry I want to edit on this screen. </td></tr>
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After you click "save" in the upper right corner, you'll be free to use your iOS keyboard shortcut.</div>
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To test it, go into the "Notes" app and type the shortcut you specified earlier. The phrase should automatically pop up, as it did in my example video. </div>
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Happy typing! </div>
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<i>Note: iOS keyboard shortcuts work in <u>almost</u> any app and in almost any web form, but please be aware that there are a select few applications the shortcuts are not compatible with.</i></div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-63540547599791430542016-09-07T16:30:00.000-05:002016-09-07T16:30:12.619-05:00Google Voice: an Extra {Free} Phone Number<a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2013/09/google-voice.html">I've written before about Google Voice</a>, but updates from Google and a new school year means I probably need to write a new post! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What is Google Voice?</span></b></div>
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In a nutshell, Google Voice allows you to call and/or text anyone from an extra, specially-designated phone number from Google...all the while, concealing your actual phone number from the recipient.</div>
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<b>Here are some more handy features of Google Voice:</b></div>
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<li>Call/text anyone through a browser on your computer</li>
<li>Call/text anyone through a mobile device connected to the Internet {without revealing your "real" phone number}</li>
<li>Call contacts that are already entered into your regular cell phone's address book {no need to enter information twice!}</li>
<li>Automatically transcribes voicemails and puts them in your Google Voice inbox</li>
<li>Listen to voicemails <i>as they're being left</i></li>
<li>Screen calls if the need arises</li>
<li>Option to set "do not disturb" time {think of it like setting office hours}</li>
<li>Block specific callers</li>
<li>Ability to change the number 1 time {for a $10 fee} if the number gets into the wrong hands</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why would I use Google Voice?</span></b></div>
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You may be wondering why you even <i>need</i> an extra phone number. Think about those moments when you need to call a student's parent(s). Sometimes that parent's phone number is in a different area code, and you may not have the ability to make long-distance phone calls from your district desk phone. ...Or sometimes you have a <i>lot</i> of parent phone calls you need to make {like at the beginning of the school year when you make contact with each guardian to introduce yourself and say how excited you are about teaching their student this year}, but you don't necessarily want to be at school until 6 or 7 pm making phone calls. </div>
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Google Voice gives you the ability to contact parents via call or text message right from your <i>own </i>cell phone, so you can contact anyone you want from the comfort of your own home -- without the risk of revealing your personal information to parents. {I know some teachers have no problem giving their personal cell phone number to parents, but I am a pretty private person, so revealing my cell number is outside my personal comfort zone.}</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm interested. How do I start?</span></b></div>
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I created a fairly in-depth Google Doc with directions that can take you through all things Google Voice related. {It even has a Table of Contents where you can click the subject you're interested in learning about and jump directly to that section!} <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OxDEulK3L1dDTowDnYqDYT9GZtAplxV6a4XDMbkGQoU/pub" target="_blank">Click here to view the document</a>.</div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-53565399897311116242016-04-28T18:00:00.000-05:002016-04-28T18:00:20.746-05:00Let's RecapHave you heard about <a href="http://letsrecap.com/">Recap</a>? It's a relatively new tool that has some great features! In a nutshell, Recap is a completely free assessment resource {available <a href="http://letsrecap.com/">on the web</a> or through <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/recap-video-response-reflection/id1067461524?mt=8">an iPad app</a>} that lets students respond to the teachers' questions or prompts via video.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://letsrecap.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/recap-video-response-reflection/id1067461524?mt=8">iPad App</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">With recap, teachers can...</span></b><br />
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<li>create questions that are typed or voice-recorded </li>
<li>choose how students will sign in: 7-digit alphabetical PIN <i>or </i>e-mail address/password</li>
<li>add up to 10 questions in a single assignment {and, as of the newest update on April 12, teachers can now give more than one assignment to students at a time}</li>
<li>give an assignment to the whole class or only certain students</li>
<li>set a max response time to make grading faster and students' answers more precise</li>
<li>set a due date for assignments</li>
<li>add a poll at the end of an assignment that asks students how well they think they understood the material</li>
<li>view individual student information or the entire class's responses as a whole</li>
<li>grab the link to an individual video to share with others (e.g. parents, admin, your co-teacher, and/or social media)</li>
<li>leave written feedback/commentary on student videos </li>
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The view is super-simple from the students' side. Learners indicate that they are a student on the login screen:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtE82vsmeptglUVpkJSqimNQ3hq3ZnNC4HhzwyX1nMw2-A5UqRwKRtnN-5PSyAZvlvS5wrkCAFMZf0JAWObiiZDOePrAhxOSlXpdO9Zq2Zi48IIRe49L1FsmCdsQX3x2_Nnp1qwmVxkJ5/s1600/Recap+Sign+In.PNG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtE82vsmeptglUVpkJSqimNQ3hq3ZnNC4HhzwyX1nMw2-A5UqRwKRtnN-5PSyAZvlvS5wrkCAFMZf0JAWObiiZDOePrAhxOSlXpdO9Zq2Zi48IIRe49L1FsmCdsQX3x2_Nnp1qwmVxkJ5/s400/Recap+Sign+In.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Students can sign in with a class PIN <i>or </i>an e-mail address {whichever option the teacher enabled when he/she set up the class}:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNcFW-kirPHekiOFwz0_i0NkCycsfb03pjGJlTHE7FrMQNq1aQBYYzNp-YjD6MPajs9Q6mQmgHldAByHVY_x79YjBIrm9r4TgGGKzWXmsCt1TDMzOqqMXyjFRdY10D_m9rDJQjEj7UnTo/s1600/Recap+Student+Sign+In.PNG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNcFW-kirPHekiOFwz0_i0NkCycsfb03pjGJlTHE7FrMQNq1aQBYYzNp-YjD6MPajs9Q6mQmgHldAByHVY_x79YjBIrm9r4TgGGKzWXmsCt1TDMzOqqMXyjFRdY10D_m9rDJQjEj7UnTo/s400/Recap+Student+Sign+In.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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If signing in with a PIN, the child must then select his/her name from the class list before seeing any assignments:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56pHPeoRKfFZYmdh87V8fvM9d3hUxnVVgRZO2Lph9PKiWuBWGIsj8zcGZQmGgzZnfDqWaIrjENfrjVDEyLcnxNz7jbED1yRfBLi6ifjAYUD9LYNFel0nhJcvl4-_WTBo9WnVGJVAPn0ek/s1600/Recap+Student+Code+Sign+In.PNG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56pHPeoRKfFZYmdh87V8fvM9d3hUxnVVgRZO2Lph9PKiWuBWGIsj8zcGZQmGgzZnfDqWaIrjENfrjVDEyLcnxNz7jbED1yRfBLi6ifjAYUD9LYNFel0nhJcvl4-_WTBo9WnVGJVAPn0ek/s640/Recap+Student+Code+Sign+In.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The student dashboard allows learners to see previously submitted assignments as well as those that have not yet been completed. The dashboard is also where students can view feedback from their teacher on submitted assignments. {Note that students can<i>not </i>see other students' assignments or answers.} Here's an example of what the dashboard might look like for your students:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LvKq9saxLyr1JAbTTblX2BWVv0WGrIQ_8hGzuaFqiea5fJR8DzQnP0xAUWu2H1O7QCJtoF1S9I12G18OQG2vmfUJarCU4AdH6pPy3_gydXC1FHoEwctiOojUwEV1CS-u51SMoXknj4M/s1600/Recap+Student+View+Annotated.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LvKq9saxLyr1JAbTTblX2BWVv0WGrIQ_8hGzuaFqiea5fJR8DzQnP0xAUWu2H1O7QCJtoF1S9I12G18OQG2vmfUJarCU4AdH6pPy3_gydXC1FHoEwctiOojUwEV1CS-u51SMoXknj4M/s640/Recap+Student+View+Annotated.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't you love that confused look on my face in the screenshot? haha! </td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0JknM6P3C0">This video</a> -- filmed by <a href="http://www.edtechteacher.org/">EdTechTeacher's</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/gregkulowiec">Greg Kuloweic</a> -- shows you Recap in action from both the teacher and the student side {but keep in mind that a couple of features have been added since this video was released}:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_0JknM6P3C0" width="560"></iframe></center>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I already use Seesaw...should I still consider Recap?</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>While there are similarities between Seesaw and Recap, it's important to recognize that these are two completely different resources. Recap is strictly for assessing students via video (and follow-up poll if the teacher enables it), while Seesaw is more of an ePortfolio tool that happens to have a video feature, too. <b>If you are a Seesaw user, you may still consider incorporating Recap for the opportunity to differentiate questions and/or allow students to turn in video responses confidentially. </b><br />
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To integrate Recap with Seesaw on iPads, first make sure the Recap app is on all student devices. Then push a note in Seesaw to the entire class with the login information (e.g. 7-digit PIN if students are without e-mail addresses), as shown below.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7hyqtUrYT9xiHd6nknTkjU7O-Y6xu8C-47W9hYJErWGeZT-O9n1T0UrmoR0JknvKafbxMaVti8I-WHvMV8m6j7ajZtGFj33haw6kLRI50YLx26-ZZa4_BTO7Anni1WeMkGC8SvlgRE0u/s1600/recap+seesaw.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7hyqtUrYT9xiHd6nknTkjU7O-Y6xu8C-47W9hYJErWGeZT-O9n1T0UrmoR0JknvKafbxMaVti8I-WHvMV8m6j7ajZtGFj33haw6kLRI50YLx26-ZZa4_BTO7Anni1WeMkGC8SvlgRE0u/s640/recap+seesaw.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Seesaw user tip: create a folder just for login information</td></tr>
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While students cannot copy the PIN from the Seesaw note directly into the Recap app, this at least provides a consistent place for students to find login information independently. </center>
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<b>Resources:</b></div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://recap.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/202567867-How-to-Use-Recap">Recap Helpdesk</a></li>
<li><a href="https://recap.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/202584618-Teacher-Resources">Recap Teacher Resources</a></li>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-70791237180635802782016-03-22T17:00:00.000-05:002016-03-22T17:00:19.019-05:00How to Create a Custom Google Search for Students<div>
It's scary to even consider asking a child to conduct a normal Google search because you never know what will pop up! And although it's important to teach students how to use the library's search engines, sometimes those databases don't have everything your students need. So what's a teacher to do? </div>
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<b>Answer</b>: create a Google Custom Search.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFOu_w_1uAfwk9tSKOggw57QV3h2dklsGiJnmVvcQsVjwheIXuNN_n_N8tIj305nwnHr1ywgQfHLGa3PWFkh2AbTxojRrHybg6VwComgfqzy8K-e7Uhs9oJWVm8QbWJS2XUicKDEUjTM/s1600/Custom+Search.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFOu_w_1uAfwk9tSKOggw57QV3h2dklsGiJnmVvcQsVjwheIXuNN_n_N8tIj305nwnHr1ywgQfHLGa3PWFkh2AbTxojRrHybg6VwComgfqzy8K-e7Uhs9oJWVm8QbWJS2XUicKDEUjTM/s320/Custom+Search.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What Is a Google Custom Search?</span></b></div>
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Users who are logged in to their Google account can go to <a href="https://cse.google.com/cse/all">this webpage</a> and create a search engine that <i>looks </i>like a regular Google search, but it really only allows visitors to search websites of your choice. </div>
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So, for instance, you could set up a Custom Search that allows students to only access kid-friendly websites. Once you give them that search link, you can rest assured that only appropriate content will appear.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Create a Custom Google Search:</span></b></div>
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1. Log in to your Google account. {If you don't already have a Google account, <a href="https://accounts.google.com/SignUp?service=wise&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fdrive.google.com%2F%3Futm_source%3Den%26utm_medium%3Dbutton%26utm_campaign%3Dweb%26utm_content%3Dgotodrive%26usp%3Dgtd%26ltmpl%3Ddrive">go to this webpage</a> and create one. You don't even have to use a Gmail address -- you could use an e-mail that you already have and link that to your new Google account, if you want!} </div>
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2. <a href="https://cse.google.com/cse/all">Click here to go to the Custom Search home page</a>. </div>
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3. Click "Add" on the top, left of the page (under "Edit search engines"). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_-qrjN24n4i8a_bY3L0AK6XuX6BSzpIu3qB-9P7RSBD2Ls7N_CadMUkihiuHz3td8mzSs563rAOAhz8XJnIpyu5zKoXsNJ47mBpGS2qTE9LhLPTXHDvKWD5eUFC1OX9jKj9Sa9RyU1U/s1600/custom0.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_-qrjN24n4i8a_bY3L0AK6XuX6BSzpIu3qB-9P7RSBD2Ls7N_CadMUkihiuHz3td8mzSs563rAOAhz8XJnIpyu5zKoXsNJ47mBpGS2qTE9LhLPTXHDvKWD5eUFC1OX9jKj9Sa9RyU1U/s320/custom0.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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4. The only portion you really <i>have </i>to fill out is the "sites to search" box. As you click in the blank box under "sites to search," a new text box will automatically appear underneath the first one, which allows you to add as many kid-friendly sites as you want to this Custom Search. The name of your search engine is automatically populated, but you can change it if you want. Add advanced options if you wish, although it's not necessary. When finished, click the blue "create" button at the bottom of the page.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn60LACTnKGoLQiFYlMiDVUglxDbDhbT7U0Tuu8C1NwaAhfBpzhqSdw4cBiAMtq2h6lxZ5p72BxtYj1Pqz-Gp3dkzuhhyphenhyphenqM69P4ATyxndgQOVR9DxfeheR3B4Tiv-ZWZMDhhYshnKH5TI/s1600/custom1.PNG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn60LACTnKGoLQiFYlMiDVUglxDbDhbT7U0Tuu8C1NwaAhfBpzhqSdw4cBiAMtq2h6lxZ5p72BxtYj1Pqz-Gp3dkzuhhyphenhyphenqM69P4ATyxndgQOVR9DxfeheR3B4Tiv-ZWZMDhhYshnKH5TI/s400/custom1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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5. After you click "create," you'll see a page that looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTuLhPfyztmWfMYCcRLgYhvUhzv4MA-U7sLJFgFLBat1euvSJGZOu3028KiEscTHCHHCZDe4T63Z6boISZa_SuMsGoAfej8ayJariAVWyJygAjiJLPzOTAdRtW9yT93pUZQCL8wc5U7Y/s1600/custom2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTuLhPfyztmWfMYCcRLgYhvUhzv4MA-U7sLJFgFLBat1euvSJGZOu3028KiEscTHCHHCZDe4T63Z6boISZa_SuMsGoAfej8ayJariAVWyJygAjiJLPzOTAdRtW9yT93pUZQCL8wc5U7Y/s400/custom2.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Click "Public URL." A new window will open on your browser, and it should have the name of your Custom Search at the top. Keep in mind that although it <i>looks </i>like a regular Google search, it's the custom one you just created. :) Mine looks like this {click the picture to view the page in your browser...or <a href="https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=010760230564317008921:g9ik6dpazci">click here</a>}:</div>
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<a href="https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=010760230564317008921:g9ik6dpazci"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIp8TCQzfgL3QAgN823nkcfqyqH2sUD320f2PcS2C6DThoCH6R0-1ic_zmRIYnTrRpHddfIZPwMp6ZdKo732JLcL-HKX3Y26XZ-WI_JAAmZvy2zICVa_XKU3aUGZFloc-Gyxt67tIJic/s640/custom3.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When students search, they should type their words into the text box underneath the title {notice how it says "Google Custom Search" in that box}. </div>
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The search results will only come from the website(s) you specified when you created the Custom Search. So, for instance, if you conduct a search in <a href="https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=010760230564317008921:g9ik6dpazci">my Kid-Friendly Custom Google Web Search</a>, you'll only get results from these websites:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gNc5vTyIicWIfagT0QV1b5wr0ZMtEpjCfGLVEd7g6w3qLpiSayvxaq-KlsBHlzbs177jD84uc0C83RZNDoQSztltciGtNzdAp2rZlKLaja4kMekCWZ86_QT5XWV-i03G6JyTD7HFiLw/s1600/custom4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gNc5vTyIicWIfagT0QV1b5wr0ZMtEpjCfGLVEd7g6w3qLpiSayvxaq-KlsBHlzbs177jD84uc0C83RZNDoQSztltciGtNzdAp2rZlKLaja4kMekCWZ86_QT5XWV-i03G6JyTD7HFiLw/s640/custom4.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As the creator, I can edit or delete this Custom Search at any time. </div>
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Teachers can AirDrop this to newer student iPads and have students save the website to the home screen for quick access all year long. {Read about <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/11/8-ways-to-quickly-share-links-with.html">8 ways to quickly share links with students</a> if you have older iPads without AirDrop or teach in a BYOD class.} </div>
Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-1292606707313748002016-02-01T16:00:00.000-06:002016-02-01T16:00:01.154-06:003D Map Tours with Apple Maps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With today's academic and scheduling demands, actual field trips aren't always possible. Luckily for today's teacher, <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ckarasedu/virtual-field-trips/">virtual field trip opportunities</a> are abundant! A quick and easy "go to" tool is typically Google Earth, as you can zoom in, "stand" on the roads, and turn in a complete circle to see everything around you. </div>
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Until recently, I didn't know that the default Apple Maps app has virtual field trip opportunities, as well -- in the form of "tours." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW53tD7zMusjBZKTJjc3LAzEF1QqBcZIaietsRKTgZ85w29BCjmesiZ5iw0Conhpj3qU55Jc7LP4j6CJZP7YJc3x0BhAWcvNJQ-XwsreReyOqNVo6hTZIKPGeWZoZL-SG1lXFi5DsjvCM/s1600/Maps+Collage+w+Title.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW53tD7zMusjBZKTJjc3LAzEF1QqBcZIaietsRKTgZ85w29BCjmesiZ5iw0Conhpj3qU55Jc7LP4j6CJZP7YJc3x0BhAWcvNJQ-XwsreReyOqNVo6hTZIKPGeWZoZL-SG1lXFi5DsjvCM/s320/Maps+Collage+w+Title.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Although <b>there is not a tour for every city </b>[yet, anyway!], the tours that <i>are </i>offered provide plenty of classroom fun.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to access city tours in Apple Maps:</span></b></div>
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1. Launch the default Maps app, whose icon looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Xrj0Ek424QhVNnU8078_YniA_8dCn1UGd3JGyFVI78mS4qpKZZje_WR0oEXle9XNnYIPMXL-e59b8Ooa4E_Adi93YuT6TIYMm3rdWIYaHUoSXz0FbO_rJs4lPt-qqvBIKO2JSU5bJ3k/s1600/Maps-iOS7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Xrj0Ek424QhVNnU8078_YniA_8dCn1UGd3JGyFVI78mS4qpKZZje_WR0oEXle9XNnYIPMXL-e59b8Ooa4E_Adi93YuT6TIYMm3rdWIYaHUoSXz0FbO_rJs4lPt-qqvBIKO2JSU5bJ3k/s200/Maps-iOS7.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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2. Navigate the map to a large city of your choice by sliding your finger across the screen. {In honor of being in Austin, Texas this week for the <a href="http://tcea.org/">TCEA</a> conference, the examples in this post are all about Austin!} </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgElCX9oqeQfqSjESO8TeEeGD-un0-VAJFK6ZY3P1V31XRFYccO2hzU0gfQuTfvA-Wged8vc4TutYeyJ8BqX7f2dCoZlmnwSypcw6w2m3VfIIbumqjpL_Rmnd7IZ0fbrCAya5oeQ6S9M/s1600/Maps+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgElCX9oqeQfqSjESO8TeEeGD-un0-VAJFK6ZY3P1V31XRFYccO2hzU0gfQuTfvA-Wged8vc4TutYeyJ8BqX7f2dCoZlmnwSypcw6w2m3VfIIbumqjpL_Rmnd7IZ0fbrCAya5oeQ6S9M/s640/Maps+1.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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Any city that has a little black and white bubble next to it that says "3D" has a tour available. For instance, when I look at Texas, I see the "3D" bubble next to Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. If you tap a bubble that says "3D," you should see the name of the city on the right and a blue box that says "Tour" on the left, as shown below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseHYCTrRoZLnvI4rn2EWwh1vSu7MNUS9FJMA76aPQLxdDiNlO-y-4szGAeHCAdGX0JXmUJJrSZbNQHkKIusL5ci2JG8QBqDkuQWc3phtRz0-lny1ny_v5cq1m_XowJjdcEkuTsqBayHQ/s1600/Maps+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseHYCTrRoZLnvI4rn2EWwh1vSu7MNUS9FJMA76aPQLxdDiNlO-y-4szGAeHCAdGX0JXmUJJrSZbNQHkKIusL5ci2JG8QBqDkuQWc3phtRz0-lny1ny_v5cq1m_XowJjdcEkuTsqBayHQ/s640/Maps+2.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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As soon as you click "Tour," the map zooms in to the city, and you start an up-close flyover. Captions at the bottom show you what you're looking at. The tours I saw took you through the city and showed off local landmarks. Here are a few screenshots from my Austin, Texas tour {click any of the pictures to enlarge them}:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKy8Avfh453h_LDF9a6547z-L-BtN11osXUNFZ1yYE_rKas59yCIg-1E-T4BUppg2tTVyIMidpNAD8Uxn1VYj5_cFDoDoULAYMnhRyhzSj4yU7NWSFjvId9cCa4iZTFJSpSaZM43PXzAA/s1600/Maps+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKy8Avfh453h_LDF9a6547z-L-BtN11osXUNFZ1yYE_rKas59yCIg-1E-T4BUppg2tTVyIMidpNAD8Uxn1VYj5_cFDoDoULAYMnhRyhzSj4yU7NWSFjvId9cCa4iZTFJSpSaZM43PXzAA/s320/Maps+3.jpg" width="177" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPogQ7ovTQPQU3ovheG8ldp7wBtyW5kERnmlV4F_24hO0WO_7B_WNum7TZUtZ8Ir4Whl4tt2VxM9dvnHufnmixUqtuQNhuWkFE5-Lc7dQiEjPJWtFxCx4bM9PLnnUJCPpCxztOw8ccZIc/s1600/Maps+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPogQ7ovTQPQU3ovheG8ldp7wBtyW5kERnmlV4F_24hO0WO_7B_WNum7TZUtZ8Ir4Whl4tt2VxM9dvnHufnmixUqtuQNhuWkFE5-Lc7dQiEjPJWtFxCx4bM9PLnnUJCPpCxztOw8ccZIc/s320/Maps+5.jpg" width="177" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmRvgmwbuzx9WXnaQIMNPYhTTQMrDxfrOLFduOkfBJovfu_EziRFpsOrqqbjOFVRHnafhUpP0sN5SZpD8wozLAYjqZ7qvcEHo6C_tHBSYt53OfLG7syZMgpT2drzXEf9gEW381shHCdU/s1600/Maps+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmRvgmwbuzx9WXnaQIMNPYhTTQMrDxfrOLFduOkfBJovfu_EziRFpsOrqqbjOFVRHnafhUpP0sN5SZpD8wozLAYjqZ7qvcEHo6C_tHBSYt53OfLG7syZMgpT2drzXEf9gEW381shHCdU/s320/Maps+7.jpg" width="177" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m-d4Odpj_LlirDWb2IkPLiMal3qWzL8MDPguq7EAJrhcVG0NdatsjYfUe0W-C6CQ-HQF1pL3c7Hcf9JqaD51iKBKQF3BsHDy5wuLApz8-zYJzc91Ko1Ooi_4V6ipBF_RYRoFt319e3Y/s1600/austin+tour.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m-d4Odpj_LlirDWb2IkPLiMal3qWzL8MDPguq7EAJrhcVG0NdatsjYfUe0W-C6CQ-HQF1pL3c7Hcf9JqaD51iKBKQF3BsHDy5wuLApz8-zYJzc91Ko1Ooi_4V6ipBF_RYRoFt319e3Y/s320/austin+tour.png" width="177" /></a></div>
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<b>Pros</b></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>Free.</li>
<li>The app comes pre-downloaded onto iPhones and iPads, so you're ready to tour right out of the box. </li>
<li>If you <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-diplay-your-ipad-on-promethean.html">mirror your device to your laptop</a>, you can then display the tour on your Promethean board for all students to see.</li>
<li>The tours take just a minute or two, so students get a good look at the city without taking up lots of precious instructional time.</li>
</ul>
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<b>Cons</b></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>The flyover goes fairly quickly, so it's easy to miss things if you're not watching carefully every second!</li>
<li>The only way I could figure out to pause the tour is just to tap the screen {which can be annoying for long periods of time}. I couldn't find a way to rewind or fast-forward at all. </li>
<li>Tours aren't available for every city.</li>
</ul>
<div>
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Assuming a 3D tour is available for the particular location you need, I could see this feature being used during reading {to help students understand the setting of the book}, social studies {to make geography come to life}, and science {to show land forms and examples of scientific concepts}. </div>
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If you're interested in more virtual field trip opportunities, consider visiting <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ckarasedu/virtual-field-trips/">this Pinterest board</a>:</div>
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<center>
<a data-pin-board-width="400" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="200" data-pin-scale-width="80" href="https://www.pinterest.com/ckarasedu/virtual-field-trips/"> Follow Candice's board Virtual Field Trips on Pinterest.</a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script async="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </center>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-34378260089039916542016-01-28T17:00:00.000-06:002016-01-28T17:00:01.170-06:00Epic ReadingHave you heard of <a href="https://www.getepic.com/">Epic</a>? In a nutshell, it's like Netflix for [children's] books, and it's free if you're an educator!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3UUlJ-qNywsXJdVnNMnCHWcC2di_q1oO5CMhd7VtYjVr9xoVk2dkC0oB_YbGtPfTkvPBZDDDVzNrNAxpFUOs15xA1uZYO1zMSmAUIam48TML-ZdddLgM8yZgvjM7WHQHQOACKQb5G5M/s1600/epic-reading-app-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK3UUlJ-qNywsXJdVnNMnCHWcC2di_q1oO5CMhd7VtYjVr9xoVk2dkC0oB_YbGtPfTkvPBZDDDVzNrNAxpFUOs15xA1uZYO1zMSmAUIam48TML-ZdddLgM8yZgvjM7WHQHQOACKQb5G5M/s1600/epic-reading-app-logo.png" /></a></div>
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Here's a little more detail:<br />
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<b>Features</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Access <a href="https://www.getepic.com/">on the web</a> and via mobile app {<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epic!-books-for-kids/id719219382?mt=8">iOS </a>/ <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.getepic.Epic">Android</a>}</li>
<li>100% free for teachers and school librarians{Parents get 1 month free then pay $5/month}</li>
<li>Access over 10,000 books for kids age 12 and under</li>
<li>Register up to 36 students under your name</li>
<li>Track reading progress of each student, including which books students read and how long they read</li>
<li>Students can read the book independently or have it read to them</li>
<li>Students can read an unlimited number of books each month</li>
<li>Students earn badges to encourage more reading</li>
<li>No ads or in-app purchases</li>
<li>Pinch your fingers on any book to zoom in</li>
</ul>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Tour</b><br />
<br />
The first time I logged in to the app, I was immediately directed toward a "Guest" profile {after I logged in as a teacher}, which I suppose is technically a student. Exploring this student profile, here's what I found:<br />
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Hold your device in portrait mode to see one page of the book at a time:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYR72LNyHqdaCnZdgCD5D1kz7GiQ8W2NLokKtctF0fqNi05HXdmL_Z6xeuSFPrvqibSyOIGJLAl1daiBCEJfd3eV7Rid7d5DLUF1Sy8mC2uYejiTBfot2KvwUnsBmVQFrVtRDlSkT34E/s1600/IMG_0679.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYR72LNyHqdaCnZdgCD5D1kz7GiQ8W2NLokKtctF0fqNi05HXdmL_Z6xeuSFPrvqibSyOIGJLAl1daiBCEJfd3eV7Rid7d5DLUF1Sy8mC2uYejiTBfot2KvwUnsBmVQFrVtRDlSkT34E/s320/IMG_0679.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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Holding the device in landscape mode allows the reader to see a two-page spread:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4lzgeMXmf3Kjs6oTcT5Qr8mgxIrs0_F80q4ScGssjLUuvL_0uF3DI_BY4Y0LBnvaAUn-BnItWkLyy3fxZ1ipnaGFkBIsrDZ1cV9cmUdvQf27C5o0eRgr3yBVA8xgFU81BzCUUxurmRQ/s1600/IMG_0684.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4lzgeMXmf3Kjs6oTcT5Qr8mgxIrs0_F80q4ScGssjLUuvL_0uF3DI_BY4Y0LBnvaAUn-BnItWkLyy3fxZ1ipnaGFkBIsrDZ1cV9cmUdvQf27C5o0eRgr3yBVA8xgFU81BzCUUxurmRQ/s320/IMG_0684.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Regardless of the view, readers can always see how many pages they have left in the book by viewing the count in the bottom, center of the screen.<br />
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Need to leave the app but haven't finished the book yet? No problem. Just stick a virtual bookmark in your spot:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RyYzfs9g7Np5i9tHqR3TADrK4kTI5w_8RcIwk14Jlziqt4NYutYWsjBGCR0QczAw85wQePqgFioEWSnOgZX-lbJVN3xMcYXTNk2BpBT803TM1hXmnmQjpkormHd_J5nifdg1mouvAHA/s1600/IMG_0693.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RyYzfs9g7Np5i9tHqR3TADrK4kTI5w_8RcIwk14Jlziqt4NYutYWsjBGCR0QczAw85wQePqgFioEWSnOgZX-lbJVN3xMcYXTNk2BpBT803TM1hXmnmQjpkormHd_J5nifdg1mouvAHA/s320/IMG_0693.PNG" width="179" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjXphFwXR-AUabpF5AhivchEbq96F6_LnkFHSkVgN8nY_CIgoDd5t1xFu19Zou732nUnRF_wS_WhZ8Db_ZzVgn9LnRf_tBOs2oEBaYAXCc3xxL61o5GN2NuKxve_ox5NYdzCN0EMSgFg/s1600/IMG_0695.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjXphFwXR-AUabpF5AhivchEbq96F6_LnkFHSkVgN8nY_CIgoDd5t1xFu19Zou732nUnRF_wS_WhZ8Db_ZzVgn9LnRf_tBOs2oEBaYAXCc3xxL61o5GN2NuKxve_ox5NYdzCN0EMSgFg/s320/IMG_0695.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
You can even bookmark multiple pages, as seen on the top of the screen below with the multiple red dots:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTB7u0-N3MRWOvnxtLlQtePbtu5FxtXezAg20yaT_pOKinJLSwI3yDNYuSVbXxNrp0MchfhVLe6GEVTwmyywj1uCU6ISGhyws8OLVevTTXu7HchYFd77iXISLnC4GgJhA3tSiZUt7pgiw/s1600/IMG_0696.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTB7u0-N3MRWOvnxtLlQtePbtu5FxtXezAg20yaT_pOKinJLSwI3yDNYuSVbXxNrp0MchfhVLe6GEVTwmyywj1uCU6ISGhyws8OLVevTTXu7HchYFd77iXISLnC4GgJhA3tSiZUt7pgiw/s320/IMG_0696.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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If the child swipes through the book too quickly, he/she gets a notification saying s/he needs to read a little longer. I was worried at first about what this would do for really fast readers, but I swiped through in probably less than a minute when I received the screen on the bottom left... Waiting just an extra minute or so allowed me to move on to the screen on the bottom right and press "finish book!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymBRF-0Ql_lLwAYsNp3o7pDweMtwmhr8A92UwvzRjWJF_pdepqfq5XfgyorP9ePqVaQ1YtSwQiSLkjqJJ8GF99yIRdJyrjS_9X5D85rUs8BXPp_Y1NvF3gGesduIi2ERaEEvPp2uFGf0/s1600/IMG_0680.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymBRF-0Ql_lLwAYsNp3o7pDweMtwmhr8A92UwvzRjWJF_pdepqfq5XfgyorP9ePqVaQ1YtSwQiSLkjqJJ8GF99yIRdJyrjS_9X5D85rUs8BXPp_Y1NvF3gGesduIi2ERaEEvPp2uFGf0/s320/IMG_0680.PNG" width="179" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaD6q8WonLilRU0xbEHIACvmcTS8DOuAvT4TS247qdxTsCvOQc9s1wtVuNJEpLyBOmdcBq5tIxZvM5LIKLwpVwm74K6jH0pc8-mHmmdr_FgDN7dRxAphzBL_t0khcIN6lE83jDIxbiV4/s1600/IMG_0681.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWaD6q8WonLilRU0xbEHIACvmcTS8DOuAvT4TS247qdxTsCvOQc9s1wtVuNJEpLyBOmdcBq5tIxZvM5LIKLwpVwm74K6jH0pc8-mHmmdr_FgDN7dRxAphzBL_t0khcIN6lE83jDIxbiV4/s320/IMG_0681.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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When the student marks the book as "officially" complete, there's a time stamp of how long it took for the student to read it cover to cover {this information also appears in each child's reading log so the teacher can view it at a later time}.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsNoOnfVwr4ySckhWovgE4nIUMy32gcnDg_DKtHQT6FU2wSbiWJ609YU8cDhhO89GBCCro7YG5DPZv9TuTH6P1Ny0Ty8ZzV4igAX1toyUNSBexxgupFZ77UU03oZk2KTlf7Vnxw89zJE/s1600/IMG_0686.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsNoOnfVwr4ySckhWovgE4nIUMy32gcnDg_DKtHQT6FU2wSbiWJ609YU8cDhhO89GBCCro7YG5DPZv9TuTH6P1Ny0Ty8ZzV4igAX1toyUNSBexxgupFZ77UU03oZk2KTlf7Vnxw89zJE/s320/IMG_0686.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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After finishing the book, the student earn points toward his/her current level and sees suggestions for his/her next read:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OSQU2BzQeWXzpBXunBLymE53miIPNsGUInp1NywnHOpJWObZQjAUqiXRh5aOEVFNsoJ4VohoD4j34ufh737CUJqjgJl7x5r1IUgnw22Xo6fCeB5lN3pDQIzITSjEKBtZWsBSb_NdEdk/s1600/IMG_0682.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OSQU2BzQeWXzpBXunBLymE53miIPNsGUInp1NywnHOpJWObZQjAUqiXRh5aOEVFNsoJ4VohoD4j34ufh737CUJqjgJl7x5r1IUgnw22Xo6fCeB5lN3pDQIzITSjEKBtZWsBSb_NdEdk/s320/IMG_0682.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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Reading also earns the student rewards, such as new avatars {seen below}. The student can choose to add the book to his/her favorites, share the book with others, or rate the book on a 5-star system.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJ_sm8YHyV_Hz1r-Cut4gxb816A-Jss6f532xj-gBy9y9lw9eJiyHOH2-BWarDPJCuaVY6pb0jksb702Ez-_Dd98ahEN6UxCHLcbavpE7h8UnJJhu-1JqUkhy_zrn3qm2Eschfws7yDc/s1600/IMG_0683.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJ_sm8YHyV_Hz1r-Cut4gxb816A-Jss6f532xj-gBy9y9lw9eJiyHOH2-BWarDPJCuaVY6pb0jksb702Ez-_Dd98ahEN6UxCHLcbavpE7h8UnJJhu-1JqUkhy_zrn3qm2Eschfws7yDc/s320/IMG_0683.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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Students also see the total time it took to read the book cover to cover {this information is also displayed on each child's reading log for teachers to review at a later time}.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhynqUg4WFt06a7fZA31e0s_r6iGCB_DMe8n8kGKQHnGrTso9BNMUOCHHUUn9AIYxAZ5jOHoxIRf02LGMi8wRT1o1MyWXfZLG7C0RLNnejwuYn1n8ib9PgLOj_6h5GFVJjOwt94-aWAM/s1600/IMG_0687.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhynqUg4WFt06a7fZA31e0s_r6iGCB_DMe8n8kGKQHnGrTso9BNMUOCHHUUn9AIYxAZ5jOHoxIRf02LGMi8wRT1o1MyWXfZLG7C0RLNnejwuYn1n8ib9PgLOj_6h5GFVJjOwt94-aWAM/s320/IMG_0687.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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Finishing books allows the reader to "level up" and work toward earning more badges.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCMcN5hvkxoq3KITsO4nPjyrMH-1NC_T0qBT47-VvsCVLL3YVzB-Xk9kny410e0L2wYLMZWyFPjeXri3I5a9p6DUzwF6p8C51xxxUnnyLTf6v3QQrGzESs5hbyp2qyPmolUZmN4TXsvY/s1600/IMG_0685.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaCMcN5hvkxoq3KITsO4nPjyrMH-1NC_T0qBT47-VvsCVLL3YVzB-Xk9kny410e0L2wYLMZWyFPjeXri3I5a9p6DUzwF6p8C51xxxUnnyLTf6v3QQrGzESs5hbyp2qyPmolUZmN4TXsvY/s320/IMG_0685.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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Use the "switch profile" option to switch to another student profile or the teacher's {the teacher profile can only be accessed if the teacher enters his/her password again}. View a student profile to get more information on the child's reading habits and time in Epic. Here's a student profile page:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9Fv7a7LAc_XB40dCMCPTIKmzUgtRLuVWtp7LBab5trHJfrLd-pvTE60NmsrZWSJFjWyuhGZsvX3Kj3kDMUPVuv0_-GVmhFlZ5skJM0M5eTfbN20mtEEbsg-yjn0PMiAE6K5fnKlstxo/s1600/IMG_0689.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9Fv7a7LAc_XB40dCMCPTIKmzUgtRLuVWtp7LBab5trHJfrLd-pvTE60NmsrZWSJFjWyuhGZsvX3Kj3kDMUPVuv0_-GVmhFlZ5skJM0M5eTfbN20mtEEbsg-yjn0PMiAE6K5fnKlstxo/s320/IMG_0689.PNG" width="179" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDB2AAtDxJvRldm2WjrZEilUS41-g9wROv4Ri2DRPhp8XAP1Zl6HS7j-ePHXnGL-6DK2Tx_h1gb2fxShXXugeqy8clMvpN28chx5PsiKsg6lAFqFbotkFY7hFZ4MWI3fXCWmEv-MCMI3s/s1600/IMG_0690.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDB2AAtDxJvRldm2WjrZEilUS41-g9wROv4Ri2DRPhp8XAP1Zl6HS7j-ePHXnGL-6DK2Tx_h1gb2fxShXXugeqy8clMvpN28chx5PsiKsg6lAFqFbotkFY7hFZ4MWI3fXCWmEv-MCMI3s/s320/IMG_0690.PNG" width="178" /></a></div>
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From the app, the teacher can click on each individual student to quickly see how much total time each student has spent reading {and narrow that reading log down to a specific week, month, or year}, as well as which books s/he read along the way:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhnZvpTMxmpc9kbPmcSH3AIFZMtcuVvRKcJOMG7y-Rir6M86EVs4wx8-59R1k_BZVyEeLEqSG8Gz0KVXDOUXPtAJKo-Q4nxLWw-LZHjFfSsj1w9PsZ2Jdioqgkx4EBEgc1O-YqXf_9v8/s1600/IMG_0691.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhnZvpTMxmpc9kbPmcSH3AIFZMtcuVvRKcJOMG7y-Rir6M86EVs4wx8-59R1k_BZVyEeLEqSG8Gz0KVXDOUXPtAJKo-Q4nxLWw-LZHjFfSsj1w9PsZ2Jdioqgkx4EBEgc1O-YqXf_9v8/s320/IMG_0691.PNG" width="179" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsvGIUbAC-huZqekaFwfJHuJgYH3wXcpc7p_bM0vPgWt6dDigpEeqnFsh6NbLhjRJr_Gn8ZSCWpAowedfTa2JtWVZ191TfKwhGwzBRkrNNVwJParGzpfsGug9VwSGcmoAp_ew8VwA70M/s1600/IMG_0692.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsvGIUbAC-huZqekaFwfJHuJgYH3wXcpc7p_bM0vPgWt6dDigpEeqnFsh6NbLhjRJr_Gn8ZSCWpAowedfTa2JtWVZ191TfKwhGwzBRkrNNVwJParGzpfsGug9VwSGcmoAp_ew8VwA70M/s320/IMG_0692.PNG" width="179" /></a></div>
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...or the teacher can view all information from the teacher dashboard on the web:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9TuvRNqgutoClj61SX7T1X3aaC4pAauXG7UNWTWvG3u2XsjUuTjBRCyjxDOr5H8LmbABIv1ZZzZzjjIx01gKJVhkes055iqgLHgTQfsspcjzQLi_1qYpo2fZ26VoGz68LU_w5Q7LxHc/s1600/epic+dashboard.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9TuvRNqgutoClj61SX7T1X3aaC4pAauXG7UNWTWvG3u2XsjUuTjBRCyjxDOr5H8LmbABIv1ZZzZzjjIx01gKJVhkes055iqgLHgTQfsspcjzQLi_1qYpo2fZ26VoGz68LU_w5Q7LxHc/s640/epic+dashboard.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Clicking on a student's profile from the web gives more details about the time spent reading and the number of pages finished:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MRit8_cnYHLEk6fAy0CLqGQy_y0I-6YlJMCKnSjQmiVmNfQv23i_C3KGz5lE9XVzFWFcLOd5Mc5lBA_Jt54slf_sXswMGPGvkCR9x3i-zMRdc1NQa-F1Y6gSSNoOymEtx02tGBfaKR0/s1600/book+totals.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MRit8_cnYHLEk6fAy0CLqGQy_y0I-6YlJMCKnSjQmiVmNfQv23i_C3KGz5lE9XVzFWFcLOd5Mc5lBA_Jt54slf_sXswMGPGvkCR9x3i-zMRdc1NQa-F1Y6gSSNoOymEtx02tGBfaKR0/s640/book+totals.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally, Epic provides <a href="https://www.getepic.com/educator-resources/">free teacher resources, which include postcards, ready-made parent flyers, and an introduction video</a> as well as <a href="https://www.getepic.com/faqs/">a robust FAQ section that will answer all remaining Epic questions</a>.<br />
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<b>Do you use Epic with your students? If so, tell me what details I missed sharing! What do you like or dislike about the tool?</b>Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-87811051984505896532016-01-25T16:30:00.000-06:002016-01-25T16:30:01.090-06:00Chrome Extension for the Extension JunkieNow that you've learned about all kinds of great Chrome extensions, you've probably installed several. In fact, you may have installed so many that your browser is starting to run slowly {because there <i>is </i>such a thing as too many extensions. Strange, I know. It's kind-of like the concept of "too much ice cream"}. Fortunately, there's an extension for that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7_-aXNWlk0Xna-Lak7QOUf41GjVPU1laUuAtBMNHyAQXfo0HF_IDUnCrqo2Be_navpv1Pi9r-Oyh7hD61ZXcaMbWELEH4rpiEH_8CvmXkFiaN1ZodEHmUu1PxLCbmnuilgzUWH47Lbg/s1600/smiley2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7_-aXNWlk0Xna-Lak7QOUf41GjVPU1laUuAtBMNHyAQXfo0HF_IDUnCrqo2Be_navpv1Pi9r-Oyh7hD61ZXcaMbWELEH4rpiEH_8CvmXkFiaN1ZodEHmUu1PxLCbmnuilgzUWH47Lbg/s1600/smiley2.png" /></a></div>
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I know it seems counter-intuitive to install an extension to control your extensions, but can you expect anything less from a Chrome extension junkie? {How many times can I say "extension" in one sentence? Also: <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2016/01/chrome-extensions-browser-tabaholics.html">read this article if you're a browser tabaholic.</a>} </div>
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With <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/extensity/jjmflmamggggndanpgfnpelongoepncg?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Extensity</a>, you can disable extensions {instead of uninstalling them completely} until you're ready to use them. I find it much faster to enable an extension than to go to the Google web store, remember the name of/search for the extension I want, and install it!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Install the Extension</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/extensity/jjmflmamggggndanpgfnpelongoepncg?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Click here to view the Extensity Chrome extension page</a>. To install it, click the blue "add to Chrome" button in the top, right corner of the pop-up box.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>To Use</b></span></div>
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Click the Extensity icon to reveal all the extensions you currently have installed:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40i4gVxPHO8hgTs4vrQKn_R9YaCxaknFpaha1ALTT0G6kITWX4MxamO4YD3vO33OjcesxjqaOItZE94umJoKE0iLD2UcWHThtTowVJ3v7nSDi0jgoci1Ud1FAf7FNQzxlnPSl07e7Kuc/s1600/extensity.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40i4gVxPHO8hgTs4vrQKn_R9YaCxaknFpaha1ALTT0G6kITWX4MxamO4YD3vO33OjcesxjqaOItZE94umJoKE0iLD2UcWHThtTowVJ3v7nSDi0jgoci1Ud1FAf7FNQzxlnPSl07e7Kuc/s1600/extensity.PNG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tXW7dS7XB_VDoa4mk2Mb79ued39CUgDS-IgZHcxzhxfxdcI1BCYUMBwXaCRWhKcqvLmfi4N9eLJnsIp5QhcWXAEBitUo9dyFo-bKSZqFnh9eEjbxcB6RLceG1lb29-PyW0WmqW0M_90/s1600/extensity2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tXW7dS7XB_VDoa4mk2Mb79ued39CUgDS-IgZHcxzhxfxdcI1BCYUMBwXaCRWhKcqvLmfi4N9eLJnsIp5QhcWXAEBitUo9dyFo-bKSZqFnh9eEjbxcB6RLceG1lb29-PyW0WmqW0M_90/s640/extensity2.png" width="304" /></a></div>
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The ones that appear grayed out are ones that I disabled. I can enable or disable an extension by clicking on its name in the drop-down list. I can also turn all my enabled extensions off by clicking the light bulb at the very top of the drop down menu.<br />
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That's really all there is to it!<br />
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<b><i><a href="https://goo.gl/bRWNgw">Tweet this tech tip</a></i></b></div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-16832802214440250392016-01-21T16:30:00.000-06:002016-01-21T16:30:03.335-06:00Chrome Extensions: Browser Tabaholics Unite<div>
I'm a big fan of browser tabs because they allow me to run multiple websites simultaneously without having to click back and forth between windows. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What's a Browser Tab?</span></b></div>
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This picture shows two tabs I have open {<a href="http://twitter.com/ckarasedu">my Twitter page</a> and this blog}:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_K5eo9LFYqp-XDUXkTtP7YK5MH3OQ5JdD0wOnbc369R46Evd0knoadgR441JabF0qBeOx5cEVY88D5FwO-fx4ppCZ_KyKUsUAsz-qbQfYfIwm4WRZI7X0Ur9OSHkGGqP7k4Can-a1ivc/s1600/two+tabs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_K5eo9LFYqp-XDUXkTtP7YK5MH3OQ5JdD0wOnbc369R46Evd0knoadgR441JabF0qBeOx5cEVY88D5FwO-fx4ppCZ_KyKUsUAsz-qbQfYfIwm4WRZI7X0Ur9OSHkGGqP7k4Can-a1ivc/s640/two+tabs.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Open a New Tab</span></b></div>
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Make sure you're in a web browser {I prefer <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html">Chrome</a>}. Up by where you type in a web address, find and click the small square on the very right, as shown below:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AIkrdnqpvSrB0IZh3VCKUniHphMIZj7coAgXEOO08x56AZwJ3yKkfTdnkmbcbpd08cBXL_iVreafXAqt1OAkm2FDZYnNDpAA6lBBj03K8Fq0pW9BmdL5vpHR_kzlirFdUww-lbFgMxo/s1600/new+tab.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AIkrdnqpvSrB0IZh3VCKUniHphMIZj7coAgXEOO08x56AZwJ3yKkfTdnkmbcbpd08cBXL_iVreafXAqt1OAkm2FDZYnNDpAA6lBBj03K8Fq0pW9BmdL5vpHR_kzlirFdUww-lbFgMxo/s640/new+tab.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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You'll see "New Tab" to the right, like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibg6APJJ7sXiywALWRyidpxyh1udaTHZotFQ2oK_Li1DtOYdNW2mrR5YGXOyuuiB8UHSfj92BeV_kU1EIbtqajp-X2bk2PN_yGNZRb46lBHMTe8d4hpIosHdSeJAAhMWQ2MJyMRje77oU/s1600/new+tab2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibg6APJJ7sXiywALWRyidpxyh1udaTHZotFQ2oK_Li1DtOYdNW2mrR5YGXOyuuiB8UHSfj92BeV_kU1EIbtqajp-X2bk2PN_yGNZRb46lBHMTe8d4hpIosHdSeJAAhMWQ2MJyMRje77oU/s640/new+tab2.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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From there, you can type in any web address or go to any bookmarked link you'd like. It's just like having multiple windows open, but it's easier to click back and forth between multiple pages now. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>How to Deal with Multiple Tabs</b></span></div>
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Once you know the trick for creating multiple browser tabs, you'll probably use it all the time. And then you'll become a tabaholic like I am, and your web browser will look like this on a normal day: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpvc7ILL31m2c5nSQFsNPWeu0dhhQS9NZrokZfohwubKUfUzStx-2M4QFecUe86YwqQjkr1Prizs-cME0U1w5yXehVHkpWz9U1v5lJtUjIb408dJgPKoSev5vmzzrHmcYuScMp9q3hyM/s1600/tabs.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpvc7ILL31m2c5nSQFsNPWeu0dhhQS9NZrokZfohwubKUfUzStx-2M4QFecUe86YwqQjkr1Prizs-cME0U1w5yXehVHkpWz9U1v5lJtUjIb408dJgPKoSev5vmzzrHmcYuScMp9q3hyM/s640/tabs.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Having that many tabs open at a time is bound to slow your computer down a bit, but there are a couple tricks you can use to help. </div>
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<b>1. Use the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/onetab/chphlpgkkbolifaimnlloiipkdnihall?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">OneTab Chrome Extension</a>. </b></div>
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This thing is awesome. After you install it, you'll see a funnel-like icon appear with the rest of your extensions:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZIGHRJyoq63cp11yRfC9daIo3Za88EvT-dXs5IfjRYMjbhj1di9ILmF9ou3HUXSG-O1paSrAl8Ab1iXP7s4Lr_YKlW0xKjwgEu5sQC3gOrmCInCyAIBm7aLqUyVu0FWwVT7ojKVX1Dc/s1600/onetab.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZIGHRJyoq63cp11yRfC9daIo3Za88EvT-dXs5IfjRYMjbhj1di9ILmF9ou3HUXSG-O1paSrAl8Ab1iXP7s4Lr_YKlW0xKjwgEu5sQC3gOrmCInCyAIBm7aLqUyVu0FWwVT7ojKVX1Dc/s1600/onetab.PNG" /></a></div>
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Whenever you find yourself with too many tabs open, just click the OneTab funnel icon. Every tab you have open will be condensed into one, like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XEfvTwFPzLz3fyb6ocaaVoLIBu_XnP-NT723wdnaYmjny36C2pnUrGScqJs8-Mp-ThWN0G9gczHMce-nFfsGQ-Sjvw_yVyakGLeOxmPCbTUuDO376_Bry2SI0ZLCPHDcLGQlpES-6xg/s1600/onetab+example.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XEfvTwFPzLz3fyb6ocaaVoLIBu_XnP-NT723wdnaYmjny36C2pnUrGScqJs8-Mp-ThWN0G9gczHMce-nFfsGQ-Sjvw_yVyakGLeOxmPCbTUuDO376_Bry2SI0ZLCPHDcLGQlpES-6xg/s640/onetab+example.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Click any of the titles of the webpages to open them again, or click "restore all" at the top of the page to open them all back up again. Rename the collection of tabs for convenience; you can see that I named the one above "Winter Blog Post" because it was a collection of resources for <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/12/winter-tech-tools_15.html">this post</a>. </div>
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Notice there is a menu under the time stamp. One of the options in that menu is the ability to share share all the links in a collection as a web page -- this is really handy for sharing several links with students if you didn't want to use, say, <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-to-create-and-customize-symbaloo.html">Symbaloo</a> for that. Clicking "share as web page" generates a QR code that anyone can scan from a mobile device. Try it:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloAZt14xLmUwFdjw83afHgor4ikKZE9N1zy0jlNxY1rXy4ByMdUu0-SnAtiYgr9ofMAOBcwWEKk7C6jp_gDR-rHqhCEuNBecLNI9Dgm2m4CdMIWKuIMqM-YXYN9rqfEW_y8D7B-5dQGs/s1600/winter+blog+post.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloAZt14xLmUwFdjw83afHgor4ikKZE9N1zy0jlNxY1rXy4ByMdUu0-SnAtiYgr9ofMAOBcwWEKk7C6jp_gDR-rHqhCEuNBecLNI9Dgm2m4CdMIWKuIMqM-YXYN9rqfEW_y8D7B-5dQGs/s320/winter+blog+post.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In that menu of options is the word "more." Click on it to reveal...well, more options. :) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYEbhQ9X-QzGcPO-M-9whtAu0oQUBsr709Lpru8ireFeQIw2dT5_nkxLQ47JFz5jaKuR_ghw52oVL-V7_priSVrZy0Pzf_qvVkzhSkAp_w_SUG7fgntbiD9WVAcX91bbqtCHEW6gMNNY/s1600/options.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYEbhQ9X-QzGcPO-M-9whtAu0oQUBsr709Lpru8ireFeQIw2dT5_nkxLQ47JFz5jaKuR_ghw52oVL-V7_priSVrZy0Pzf_qvVkzhSkAp_w_SUG7fgntbiD9WVAcX91bbqtCHEW6gMNNY/s400/options.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I can name the tab group this way {this is how I titled mine "Winter Blog Post"}, lock or star the tab group, and get to <a href="http://www.one-tab.com/help">the OneTab help section</a> this way. The help section goes into more detail about what each of these options does, but here's a synopsis:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Naming a tab group helps with organization and productivity -- it also allows you to send specific open tabs directly to that group without collecting all open links at once. </li>
<li>Locking a collection helps eliminate the possibility to accidentally deleting it. It also allows you to restore any link and still keep the link in your tab group. </li>
<li>Starring a tab group makes that collection always appear at the top of your list {similar to pinning a tweet on Twitter}. </li>
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<b>2. Use <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/the-great-suspender/klbibkeccnjlkjkiokjodocebajanakg?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">The Great Suspender Chrome Extension</a>. </b></div>
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Maybe you're the type that opens articles or blog posts with the intention of reviewing them...and then you get caught up in other things and delay browsing those pages for a few days. If so, you can at least suspend those pages -- i.e. let your computer run faster -- until you get a chance to deal with them. </div>
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After you install the extension, you should see a tab like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmFF8bMXDe_p5Vy9ZJp0g80Lq_uttWP_asZUQJgJScMAM_3Ydsoa2hDLpGmmv_qqeLH9c0nwQmiYDX5gbeWSFhhwUZquk3UCR5jotgcYzLQH3-FfP_i7TZ1AdNGo02RNwbWnYzVByRk0/s1600/suspender.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmFF8bMXDe_p5Vy9ZJp0g80Lq_uttWP_asZUQJgJScMAM_3Ydsoa2hDLpGmmv_qqeLH9c0nwQmiYDX5gbeWSFhhwUZquk3UCR5jotgcYzLQH3-FfP_i7TZ1AdNGo02RNwbWnYzVByRk0/s640/suspender.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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You don't have to do anything else, but I like to customize the extension just a bit. <a href="chrome-extension://klbibkeccnjlkjkiokjodocebajanakg/options.html">Click here {after you install the extension} to customize</a>. Here's a peek at the options and what I use:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7HuiASt0JzTzG-Mw__Qx1jTNPEwbOID9kYXU1LvYQwmb0FqgFdjavmvGPpqKpXAfPv7zth_YLyHfDoOEJYf2tUvm2oQQ-ydBURP0m6Ems0fZnn5P0i6aTfm8Amh6RBZy6K72FAx9Y04/s1600/suspender+options+1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7HuiASt0JzTzG-Mw__Qx1jTNPEwbOID9kYXU1LvYQwmb0FqgFdjavmvGPpqKpXAfPv7zth_YLyHfDoOEJYf2tUvm2oQQ-ydBURP0m6Ems0fZnn5P0i6aTfm8Amh6RBZy6K72FAx9Y04/s640/suspender+options+1.PNG" width="602" /></a></div>
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Once a tab suspends, it looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcC79up7SybholZiglw8n8jqqvPQkp6HvJy7k752nGssl2-LRkqEwcJ9QA2MWd4fWvguNT1eFWk311fowQcjkTw_CIVktPsrEgsbPFMrqSjg7EI0u-yg4R25LzRDcME7M-z9PXZM5UPXE/s1600/suspended.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcC79up7SybholZiglw8n8jqqvPQkp6HvJy7k752nGssl2-LRkqEwcJ9QA2MWd4fWvguNT1eFWk311fowQcjkTw_CIVktPsrEgsbPFMrqSjg7EI0u-yg4R25LzRDcME7M-z9PXZM5UPXE/s640/suspended.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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All you have to do to see the actual page content is click anywhere in the blue portion of the screen. {You can also whitelist that particular website by clicking the link at the very top of the screen, which means that it will no longer suspend automatically.} </div>
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While not mandatory, extensions like these can help make your computer run a little faster if you're addicted to browser tabs. </div>
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<b><i><a href="https://goo.gl/Vmwc7Z">Tweet this tech tip</a></i></b></div>
Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-34396438201996137432016-01-18T16:30:00.000-06:002016-01-18T16:30:00.322-06:00Chrome Extension: Page Eraser<center>
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Have you ever wanted to show your class a cool picture or article on a web page, but you couldn't because there was something <i>else </i>on that page that you didn't necessarily want them to see? {We could be talking about inappropriate sidebar ads, <i>or </i>we could just be talking about how you want to show the top part of an article before you show the bottom -- this doesn't just have to be ad-related.} There's a handy {and free} Chrome extension that might help solve that problem! </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Install the Extension</span></b></div>
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1. Make sure you have a Google account. {If you have a Gmail, YouTube, or Blogger account, you have a Google account. It's possible to connect an existing e-mail -- like your school e-mail -- to a Google account; ask me about that if you're interested in learning more! I definitely recommend separating personal from professional, so if you only have a personal Google account, I'd make another one specifically for school.}</div>
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2. Launch Google Chrome {download it <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html">here</a> if you don't already have it}.</div>
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3. Sign in to your Google account on Chrome. {Click the small silhouette of a person in the top, right corner to sign in for the first time.}</div>
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4. Click here to view <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/page-eraser/ekofpchjmoalonajopdeegdappocgcmj?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">the PageEraser extension page</a>. To install it, click the blue "add to Chrome" button in the top, right corner of the pop-up box.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">To Use</span></b></div>
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1. Go to the web page of your choice. For the purposes of this demonstration, I'll use <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/04/news/companies/pizza-war-pizza-hut-papa-johns/index.html">this CNN article about pizza wars</a>. :) When I first visit it, the page looks like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBEabUQnkdU74PPjMAHaiYM_T3IY8pdSDoN9iK5W_6ljnAHSvwJj4FeAlb8dh6Aok0CxlrklXaD7Jb8jKjfs1R5MFYoGt_EDtPq5IdX22pLVX0msYDnWHLT4jf6Kik0MtBVShfgdxZM4/s1600/cnn.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBEabUQnkdU74PPjMAHaiYM_T3IY8pdSDoN9iK5W_6ljnAHSvwJj4FeAlb8dh6Aok0CxlrklXaD7Jb8jKjfs1R5MFYoGt_EDtPq5IdX22pLVX0msYDnWHLT4jf6Kik0MtBVShfgdxZM4/s640/cnn.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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2. Let's say that I don't want students to see the title because I want them to create their <i>own </i>title for this piece. I need to click on the PageEraser icon, which typically appears in the top, right of the browser and looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkzYIgV3DU1GxIsPr2jcmEMgEWg1seslATzEdcD4ULkzDPAdBNgSq8lR2OD3j_gkZs1vohx7HYPmAMb6itLRSMSAySrA-ZvJ8IsyvhAQDfH5DPs2tKR90lDjHGBE8_X3ICf-wl0DohPw/s1600/pe.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkzYIgV3DU1GxIsPr2jcmEMgEWg1seslATzEdcD4ULkzDPAdBNgSq8lR2OD3j_gkZs1vohx7HYPmAMb6itLRSMSAySrA-ZvJ8IsyvhAQDfH5DPs2tKR90lDjHGBE8_X3ICf-wl0DohPw/s1600/pe.PNG" /></a></div>
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After I click the PageEraser icon, there's a green "on" button that appears on top of the icon so I know it's ready to use. I can click the title(s) of the article to make them disappear and then click the PageEraser icon to turn the eraser off so I can function normally on the page again. My new page looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXceqWGXTYL6WDudDEwGalFi8S1RH6iEDZV1hEe3xZfStb8zn4lupa40dr0HN5LI0-g7oYLQVX5CNAOLiD5Se_YQNstQZsOt0sTNGqv7s23nI4FLEcO-KOqry5nkEhyvnaEwin1caJKY/s1600/cnn2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXceqWGXTYL6WDudDEwGalFi8S1RH6iEDZV1hEe3xZfStb8zn4lupa40dr0HN5LI0-g7oYLQVX5CNAOLiD5Se_YQNstQZsOt0sTNGqv7s23nI4FLEcO-KOqry5nkEhyvnaEwin1caJKY/s640/cnn2.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The eraser doesn't work on videos, but it <i>does </i>work on text, pictures, and links. Here's what the page looks like after I erased the sidebars:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7gfUblFoxGdkWdV9ZDRzW_EB-qmHYtzEohx_i1_wowlpCXtkQW27u0G7c_hh0TNicB8bUWYGfQFuDIT8Zo-cTMvd5t6r-oGSAOUz2o1LDRG6XB8vN5VY5OssY2tBaPv8BvvXL9kp9Lw/s1600/cn3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7gfUblFoxGdkWdV9ZDRzW_EB-qmHYtzEohx_i1_wowlpCXtkQW27u0G7c_hh0TNicB8bUWYGfQFuDIT8Zo-cTMvd5t6r-oGSAOUz2o1LDRG6XB8vN5VY5OssY2tBaPv8BvvXL9kp9Lw/s640/cn3.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The most recent update of this extension allows it to remember what you erased, even when you refresh the page or restart your browser, which means you can plan ahead by erasing unwanted parts of the page before the day of your lesson.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>To Restore a Page</b></span></div>
To get rid of "erasings" {is that a word? I'm making it a word.} right-click on the Page Eraser icon and click "options." Select the check mark next to the page you just erased, and click "remove selected erasers," as shown below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFZQy11JAD_UV7SAstmoqXI-LNL26U8IOenU44C20jV0oC9J2zCB6EwWdtHR_1CSyCFrA4kcbibeOAHCo5ah-2-WYTHKIUrXdx3Hss2jySh2VVhlOiSJ0s_PZEmJpqEuFrKeFHHEVMSE/s1600/remove.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFZQy11JAD_UV7SAstmoqXI-LNL26U8IOenU44C20jV0oC9J2zCB6EwWdtHR_1CSyCFrA4kcbibeOAHCo5ah-2-WYTHKIUrXdx3Hss2jySh2VVhlOiSJ0s_PZEmJpqEuFrKeFHHEVMSE/s640/remove.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then just go back to the original link and refresh the page.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Other Options</b></span></div>
There are a couple of other options you can customize in Page Eraser. To get to them, right-click on the Page Eraser icon and click "options." Customize these features how you wish:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdBOs4r2uh8eefaz2SDGO1cril1sq2k2XXf2ZZMUnrGL6ASBPkSl4oP52SXyOA6gfiF6hZat0gaW7avsJYaZoETGGmYZNXKG7DVKPIyuCj5N1FPa4WlhjVRevia1SYyrWFBiixknpL88/s1600/pe+options.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdBOs4r2uh8eefaz2SDGO1cril1sq2k2XXf2ZZMUnrGL6ASBPkSl4oP52SXyOA6gfiF6hZat0gaW7avsJYaZoETGGmYZNXKG7DVKPIyuCj5N1FPa4WlhjVRevia1SYyrWFBiixknpL88/s320/pe+options.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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and click "save settings."<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Ideas for Use</b></span></div>
<ul>
<li>Hide unwanted ads or flash banners that <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock-plus/cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">AdBlockPlus</a> doesn't catch.</li>
<li>Erase titles for an article so students can create their own title.</li>
<li>Hide captions of a photograph so students can create their own caption.</li>
<li>Erase photos in an article so students can tell you what <i>they </i>visualize as they read the article.</li>
<li>Find an online activity that isn't quite perfect for your students? Hide the parts you need students to skip. </li>
<li>Don't want students to skip ahead in a web activity? Only show the first couple of steps. </li>
<li>Want to show a photo or video from a popular Facebook page, but don't like all the commentary? Hide it! </li>
<li>Want to show a YouTube clip but the top comment is inappropriate? Erase it! </li>
</ul>
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<b><i><a href="https://goo.gl/AoTegl">Tweet this tech tip</a></i></b></div>
Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-6976516341587454452016-01-14T16:30:00.000-06:002016-01-14T16:30:06.446-06:00Chrome Extension: Link Shortener & QR Code CreatorBy now, I'm sure we've all heard of link shortening services like <a href="https://bitly.com/">Bitly</a>, <a href="http://tinyurl.com/">TinyURL</a>, and <a href="https://goo.gl/">Google's Link Shortener</a>. We've also all heard about QR codes {<a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/search/label/QR%20codes">check out my blog articles about QR codes by clicking here</a>}. ...But what you may not know is that there's a free Chrome extension that will help you shorten a URL <i>and </i>create a QR code for it all with one click! It's called <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/googl-url-shortener/iblijlcdoidgdpfknkckljiocdbnlagk?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">goo.gl URL Shortener</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Install the Extension</span></b></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
1. Make sure you have a Google account. {If you have a Gmail, YouTube, or Blogger account, you have a Google account. It's possible to connect an existing e-mail -- like your school e-mail -- to a Google account; ask me about that if you're interested in learning more! I definitely recommend separating personal from professional, so if you only have a personal Google account, I'd make another one specifically for school.}</div>
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2. Launch Google Chrome {download it <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html">here</a> if you don't already have it}.</div>
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3. Sign in to your Google account on Chrome. {Click the small silhouette of a person in the top, right corner to sign in for the first time.}</div>
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4. <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/googl-url-shortener/iblijlcdoidgdpfknkckljiocdbnlagk?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Click here to view the goo.gl URL Shortener extension page</a>. To install it, click the blue "add to Chrome" button in the top, right corner of the pop-up box.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">To Use</span></b></div>
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1. Go to the web page of your choice. For the purposes of this demonstration, I'll use <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_24.html">the contact page of this blog</a>. :)<br />
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2. Click the goo.gl URL Shortener icon. It's typically in the top, right of your Chrome browser, and it looks like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgwcxQQI0P526rp6yz1fpUqFDCNpt9Ke1ap2LmFxonSX6_HdsFf45KaosLVhbuJW2J79PoI-k2RGrYMTKFMK3cToFcFn7gxNWqyL-sSeMnb8gYxOeWa7DtAfZjVIN9b0QIsl6G7hWk6Q/s1600/googl.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgwcxQQI0P526rp6yz1fpUqFDCNpt9Ke1ap2LmFxonSX6_HdsFf45KaosLVhbuJW2J79PoI-k2RGrYMTKFMK3cToFcFn7gxNWqyL-sSeMnb8gYxOeWa7DtAfZjVIN9b0QIsl6G7hWk6Q/s1600/googl.PNG" /></a></div>
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3. A pop-up box will appear that says "shortening." Then you'll see a pop-up right under the shortener icon that looks something like this: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpp8riegX9d2ARqI-ky1moYTGq39JMD9N4l8SjUZQopooR1-KISFm1IMT5FZES9Sjsp2gPI2Q2tHhNZiKLueKiKLTwhbrm4aMoX5VCC-5Ezgts0WDhvPC2Wny9zj4QetH1rhbPT7NWKR0/s1600/googl2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpp8riegX9d2ARqI-ky1moYTGq39JMD9N4l8SjUZQopooR1-KISFm1IMT5FZES9Sjsp2gPI2Q2tHhNZiKLueKiKLTwhbrm4aMoX5VCC-5Ezgts0WDhvPC2Wny9zj4QetH1rhbPT7NWKR0/s200/googl2.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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4. If you'd like to copy the link, just click the word "copy." Similarly, if you'd like the QR code, click "QR code." The code will appear like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKPqEi3LPOCjUyE_j8fznyuoWNVNJT7PiDj4_5txxclnS5k-Naf7erhKAO-U11YJ6GtFhTGh_JGMHdYN7qIUOK8Kuj9Iwr3-OE6z2WxYLo4pAOiLmIndBV-t34kssjR4erAwBxyCNOA4/s1600/googl2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKPqEi3LPOCjUyE_j8fznyuoWNVNJT7PiDj4_5txxclnS5k-Naf7erhKAO-U11YJ6GtFhTGh_JGMHdYN7qIUOK8Kuj9Iwr3-OE6z2WxYLo4pAOiLmIndBV-t34kssjR4erAwBxyCNOA4/s320/googl2.png" width="234" /></a></div>
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Right-click on the code and click "save image as..." to save it somewhere on your computer. The code saves as an image file, so you can insert it into almost any other file or poster you want. {You probably won't use this feature, but the "details" button gives you analytics about the link.}</div>
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From there, you can insert the QR code into a flipchart or PowerPoint or just display the link on the board for students to enter on their devices. {<a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/11/8-ways-to-quickly-share-links-with.html">Click here to read about 8 ways to share links with students.</a>}</div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-55151574688526567672016-01-11T16:30:00.000-06:002016-01-11T16:30:00.219-06:00Chrome Extension: Print Friendly & PDF<center>
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Do any of these situations apply to you?</div>
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<li>You're given the task of reading an article online. You prefer physical paper, so you print the article before reading. </li>
<li>You print web articles for your students to read and/or analyze. </li>
<li>You share article links with students and/or parents. </li>
<li>You want to read an article online but find the font too small or large. </li>
<li>You have a student with a vision impairment who needs text enlarged.</li>
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If so, you'll enjoy today's post about a free Chrome extension called <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/print-friendly-pdf/ohlencieiipommannpdfcmfdpjjmeolj?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Print Friendly & PDF</a>. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Install the Extension</span></b></div>
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1. Make sure you have a Google account. {If you have a Gmail, YouTube, or Blogger account, you have a Google account. It's possible to connect an existing e-mail -- like your school e-mail -- to a Google account; ask me about that if you're interested in learning more! I definitely recommend separating personal from professional, so if you only have a personal Google account, I'd make another one specifically for school.}</div>
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2. Launch Google Chrome {download it <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html">here</a> if you don't already have it}.</div>
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3. Sign in to your Google account on Chrome. {Click the small silhouette of a person in the top, right corner to sign in for the first time.}</div>
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4. <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/print-friendly-pdf/ohlencieiipommannpdfcmfdpjjmeolj?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Click here to view the Print Friendly extension page</a>. To install it, click the blue "add to Chrome" button in the top, right corner of the pop-up box.<br />
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The Print Friendly icon will appear in the upper, right portion of your Google Chrome browser and, n most cases, will look like the first option in the list below:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDTCImNEgmmm8HT_lGQTGjrd66C6LH8o25uaQmIYzPZPnT4CccL7o-3TiPMVL9PxxxpS2FMuJ2nyL4RNeNoyHnopJNf4mm3kFdK8wQg9qTo8KQaeYMjMhfidBlqeTcOrF5VUD1nZhMtQ/s1600/print+friendly+icon+options.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDTCImNEgmmm8HT_lGQTGjrd66C6LH8o25uaQmIYzPZPnT4CccL7o-3TiPMVL9PxxxpS2FMuJ2nyL4RNeNoyHnopJNf4mm3kFdK8wQg9qTo8KQaeYMjMhfidBlqeTcOrF5VUD1nZhMtQ/s1600/print+friendly+icon+options.PNG" /></a></div>
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You can change your icon to any of the options seen in the screenshot below by right-clicking the icon in your browser and clicking "options."</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">To Use</span></b></div>
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1. Open the article of your choice in Google Chrome. For demonstration purposes, I'm using <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/04/news/companies/pizza-war-pizza-hut-papa-johns/index.html">this CNN article about pizza wars</a>. :) </div>
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2. Click the Print Friendly icon. When I clicked it while viewing the above-mentioned pizza article, I got a pop-up that looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXXyZmrFegtnen0bRzMS5l6rDpU6liEYqD2Cwi2jLioJKLLjQH2FvmauqvHkT5ezB-5JtKi5xm9cwQtp4AOniZNvjy6BMmS65_NmZewNv0tg-IWxehY8ZKOcsv1BUe8hmWibgsWXwa2g/s1600/printfriendly.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXXyZmrFegtnen0bRzMS5l6rDpU6liEYqD2Cwi2jLioJKLLjQH2FvmauqvHkT5ezB-5JtKi5xm9cwQtp4AOniZNvjy6BMmS65_NmZewNv0tg-IWxehY8ZKOcsv1BUe8hmWibgsWXwa2g/s640/printfriendly.PNG" width="600" /></a></div>
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3. Remove all images from the article in one click by using the "remove images" button at the top of the pop-up. {This is particularly useful if you're trying to conserve ink and/or if you're doing some type of project that requires the students <i>not </i>see the images.}</div>
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4. Increase or decrease the text size from 70% to 130% if needed:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZyFPLmRfuXoS3_6CqpiSx3Fv1kLD-XN5eHXHyWGRWCdBpY0KKciM4Wzb_qXmJEjH2dXHkquldcLZ918Ywy8ZX_b4WtHum7hE1r8b9NtmubIx6ieREONnwXGjVyJPBgcgQmgoh0Mjrsk/s1600/pf70.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZyFPLmRfuXoS3_6CqpiSx3Fv1kLD-XN5eHXHyWGRWCdBpY0KKciM4Wzb_qXmJEjH2dXHkquldcLZ918Ywy8ZX_b4WtHum7hE1r8b9NtmubIx6ieREONnwXGjVyJPBgcgQmgoh0Mjrsk/s400/pf70.PNG" width="374" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">text size is at 70%<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSnfYh6dWxRA9ozWGZ5hFOF8ObrthemHopnoVAX-C1akD8senGK95XtFEwMjwN-BtqOARPyvX-rSAleqHIaumgsdfuirDtwft-7M28DHeqq-YTYvsI-HIpiR7-7lSuDm5QMoDYOHc_-8/s1600/pf130.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSnfYh6dWxRA9ozWGZ5hFOF8ObrthemHopnoVAX-C1akD8senGK95XtFEwMjwN-BtqOARPyvX-rSAleqHIaumgsdfuirDtwft-7M28DHeqq-YTYvsI-HIpiR7-7lSuDm5QMoDYOHc_-8/s400/pf130.PNG" width="372" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">text size is at 130%</td></tr>
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5. Print, turn the page into a PDF, or e-mail the article as-is:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcwcvHd9jWNqQz8pvQqt0le1CSOu-eoae2yF_reOToAE4tJbFHB2VDMXtz6cYxeiCvvsMG8UtzRv7RTW_wLZ2oDK-JU85e2a-A5rTx5KNoKYjWFWasMf2aEDni_gp2p6pSzxtmcddPeY/s1600/ppe.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcwcvHd9jWNqQz8pvQqt0le1CSOu-eoae2yF_reOToAE4tJbFHB2VDMXtz6cYxeiCvvsMG8UtzRv7RTW_wLZ2oDK-JU85e2a-A5rTx5KNoKYjWFWasMf2aEDni_gp2p6pSzxtmcddPeY/s1600/ppe.PNG" /></a></div>
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For those with a vision impairment, it's easy to enlarge the text and either print or e-mail to the student as a PDF. I also love the idea of removing images from an article, and then asking students to draw the images they see in their brain while reading. </div>
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If you're trying to go paperless with your class, don't worry about the printing part. You could always doctor the article however you want it, save it as a PDF, upload it to a cloud service like <a href="https://db.tt/B8PpGTC">Dropbox</a> or <a href="http://google.com/drive">Google Drive</a>, and use a service like <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-to-create-and-customize-symbaloo.html">Symbaloo</a> to share the link {<a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/11/8-ways-to-quickly-share-links-with.html">click here to read about 8 ways to share links with students</a>}. </div>
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It's a great way to save some paper or just remove unwanted portions before sharing an article with students. </div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-7914655856309678492016-01-07T16:30:00.000-06:002016-01-07T16:30:00.176-06:00Chrome Extension: Tab Scissors and Tab GlueHave you ever been working on the Internet and needed to view two pages simultaneously? {The most obvious teacher situation that comes to mind would be when you have students submit work via a paperless channel such as <a href="http://web.seesaw.me/">Seesaw</a>, <a href="http://google.com/drive">Google Drive</a>, or <a href="https://db.tt/B8PpGTC">Dropbox</a>, and then you need to transfer their grades over to the digital grade book, but there are lots of other instances where this might come in handy!} It can be annoying to keep clicking back and forth! You could open a new window and spend precious time trying to size them exactly right... or you could let free Chrome extensions {<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tab-scissors/cdochbecpfdpjobpgnacnbepkgcfhoek?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Tab Scissors</a> and <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tab-glue/mfedioikeigljhjfpghdejnogniddhna?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Tab Glue</a>} do the work for you.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Install the Extensions</span></b></div>
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1. Make sure you have a Google account. {If you have a Gmail, YouTube, or Blogger account, you have a Google account. It's possible to connect an existing e-mail -- like your school e-mail -- to a Google account; ask me about that if you're interested in learning more! I definitely recommend separating personal from professional, so if you only have a personal Google account, I'd make another one specifically for school.}</div>
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2. Launch Google Chrome {download it <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html">here</a> if you don't already have it}.</div>
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3. Sign in to your Google account on Chrome. {Click the small silhouette of a person in the top, right corner to sign in for the first time.}</div>
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4. <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tab-scissors/cdochbecpfdpjobpgnacnbepkgcfhoek?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Click here to view the Tab Scissors extension page</a>. To install it, click the blue "add to Chrome" button in the top, right corner of the pop-up box.<br />
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5. <b>Important: you must add the Glue extension, too! </b><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tab-glue/mfedioikeigljhjfpghdejnogniddhna?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Click here to view the Tab Glue extension page</a>. Install it the same way you installed the Tab Scissors extension.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>To Use</b></span></div>
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1. You can have more, but you <u>must</u> have at least two tabs open in Chrome, as shown below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ei1xHhJTuel8z9i2BpP5hkJ_FqHfgG9KIGns73HhL7cqFVlNkd6uuuKjMc5D-la56J1ugrSlMlKNrzgbplSeqgAvK6jxMGDGxkpIPNZf-ZksJs-ARqW5ak-4opWzuByRjhmfQ4yg1NM/s1600/two+tabs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ei1xHhJTuel8z9i2BpP5hkJ_FqHfgG9KIGns73HhL7cqFVlNkd6uuuKjMc5D-la56J1ugrSlMlKNrzgbplSeqgAvK6jxMGDGxkpIPNZf-ZksJs-ARqW5ak-4opWzuByRjhmfQ4yg1NM/s640/two+tabs.png" width="640" /></a></div>
{One tab is automatically opened when you launch your Chrome browser. To open a new tab right next to it, click the small square on the very right, as shown below.}<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6JSGvfPy1eZkCys5nLDQEckiDpuLQq5oK_5Sej5-7CyYa9VAnoSm5xLEjnSoRgbCe9VkmaUI1qrU0VafHfHK0ZpOJoJWMroX7epIOKbW-Pq5oPy5JdwVJ_ONiLlw6XBXvQ_MNxx_ojU/s1600/new+tab.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6JSGvfPy1eZkCys5nLDQEckiDpuLQq5oK_5Sej5-7CyYa9VAnoSm5xLEjnSoRgbCe9VkmaUI1qrU0VafHfHK0ZpOJoJWMroX7epIOKbW-Pq5oPy5JdwVJ_ONiLlw6XBXvQ_MNxx_ojU/s640/new+tab.png" width="640" /></a></div>
2. Click any tab except the first one. In the screenshots above, I knew that my second tab was selected because it a) was lighter than the other tab, b) appeared in front of the other tab, and c) I could see this technology blog on the screen. :)<br />
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3. Click the Tab Scissors to make a "cut" between the tabs:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWs_R40LBtWkqK4lMblwbbakS3gWR8IVVC9SNTsXn1IzCaNbMZOidxwEhs8BCZa1RiFpLXhkJUogNSkwYCdwR4kf_ZKUUimlZ3SYaE_jSUjTFzpxjMtABz3AN9SpARQLjSHCZ79ucUkiY/s1600/scissorsglue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWs_R40LBtWkqK4lMblwbbakS3gWR8IVVC9SNTsXn1IzCaNbMZOidxwEhs8BCZa1RiFpLXhkJUogNSkwYCdwR4kf_ZKUUimlZ3SYaE_jSUjTFzpxjMtABz3AN9SpARQLjSHCZ79ucUkiY/s640/scissorsglue.png" width="640" /></a></div>
{Your scissors and glue icons should appear somewhere in the top, right of your Chrome browser.}<br />
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4. The screen will split automatically, like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZcz_B55VtXuJpnAjJchDZKzimGEqvG_pZCGh_4UP5yDHeash_ric3v1f8U6nQlZ4wnJU5WRpUeHDhxQGbDSaXbMayhdjjwP60HWOru9-Mte4cSCjOaGm-tEhzpPnUaEQcw_TXSWJsbI/s1600/split+screen.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZcz_B55VtXuJpnAjJchDZKzimGEqvG_pZCGh_4UP5yDHeash_ric3v1f8U6nQlZ4wnJU5WRpUeHDhxQGbDSaXbMayhdjjwP60HWOru9-Mte4cSCjOaGm-tEhzpPnUaEQcw_TXSWJsbI/s640/split+screen.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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By default, it will split your screen right down the middle. If you want to change the size of either window, just hover in the middle until you get a double-sized arrow pointer. Then click and drag the window size to whatever you need.<br />
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<b>If I'd had more than 2 tabs open, the split would occur right before the tab I had selected.</b> For instance, let's say I had <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ckarasedu">my Twitter page</a>, <a href="http://www.innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/">technology blog</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ckarasedu">Pinterest page</a> all open in different tabs. If my technology blog was selected and showing on the screen when I clicked the Tab Scissors, my screen would be split with my Twitter page on the left and my tech blog and Pinterest page on the right.<br />
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5. When you're ready to go back to multiple tabs in one screen again, click the Tab Glue to paste them back together:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWs_R40LBtWkqK4lMblwbbakS3gWR8IVVC9SNTsXn1IzCaNbMZOidxwEhs8BCZa1RiFpLXhkJUogNSkwYCdwR4kf_ZKUUimlZ3SYaE_jSUjTFzpxjMtABz3AN9SpARQLjSHCZ79ucUkiY/s1600/scissorsglue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWs_R40LBtWkqK4lMblwbbakS3gWR8IVVC9SNTsXn1IzCaNbMZOidxwEhs8BCZa1RiFpLXhkJUogNSkwYCdwR4kf_ZKUUimlZ3SYaE_jSUjTFzpxjMtABz3AN9SpARQLjSHCZ79ucUkiY/s640/scissorsglue.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-32861659594114139582016-01-04T16:30:00.000-06:002016-01-05T08:31:55.475-06:00Chrome Extension: Turn Off the LightsIf you show clips from places like YouTube or Vimeo in class, the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/turn-off-the-lights/bfbmjmiodbnnpllbbbfblcplfjjepjdn?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Turn Off the Lights Chrome extension</a> helps you go from this display:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilS0APkVDjwR_9nCz9XTnZBWP4obAbFogdphv1HkFh32I7nrqemx7sP3TZojl5v3j99beKYeC3RHG5SRExgdLArBMDTPjDHCjLTtm6FjPnbacteknrgjmVO3WoWfbj17JsiSQuYimT6ZY/s1600/youtube+video+before.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilS0APkVDjwR_9nCz9XTnZBWP4obAbFogdphv1HkFh32I7nrqemx7sP3TZojl5v3j99beKYeC3RHG5SRExgdLArBMDTPjDHCjLTtm6FjPnbacteknrgjmVO3WoWfbj17JsiSQuYimT6ZY/s640/youtube+video+before.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love Kid President! <a href="https://youtu.be/m5yCOSHeYn4">Here's the link to the video shown above, titled "20 Things We Should Say More Often."</a></td></tr>
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to this display:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HkO_5cOIUbfQ6n0z5UcQp6i7hH_rN9YGo6QpAWhFHba9mwoQcR790S6eX412hnifJ7V_PtuAwdZBA0o0ebEcgGvU_s16vZr9xTEzqDH6YtKaQcx9yuMzVFlOQYTs4UBcg-3r5cs4e5w/s1600/youtube+video+after.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HkO_5cOIUbfQ6n0z5UcQp6i7hH_rN9YGo6QpAWhFHba9mwoQcR790S6eX412hnifJ7V_PtuAwdZBA0o0ebEcgGvU_s16vZr9xTEzqDH6YtKaQcx9yuMzVFlOQYTs4UBcg-3r5cs4e5w/s640/youtube+video+after.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">notice the entire screen is blacked out instead of just the background behind the video... and I have a lovely mint green glow around the vid</td></tr>
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Basically, this extension helps you hide ads and other video suggestions by fading the background so students can really focus on the video. {Oh, yeah: it's free, too!}</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Install the Turn Off the Lights Extension</span></b></div>
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1. Make sure you have a Google account. {If you have a Gmail, YouTube, or Blogger account, you have a Google account. It's possible to connect an existing e-mail -- like your school e-mail -- to a Google account; ask me about that if you're interested in learning more! I definitely recommend separating personal from professional, so if you only have a personal Google account, I'd make another one specifically for school.}</div>
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2. Launch Google Chrome {download it <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html">here</a> if you don't already have it}.</div>
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3. Sign in to your Google account on Chrome. {Click the small silhouette of a person in the top, right corner to sign in for the first time.}</div>
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4. <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/turn-off-the-lights/bfbmjmiodbnnpllbbbfblcplfjjepjdn?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon">Click here to view the Turn Off the Lights extension</a>. To install it, click the blue "add to Chrome" button in the top, right corner of the pop-up box. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Quick Start Guide</span></b></div>
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When you're about to play a video, the light bulb icon will appear in your omnibox {the place where you type the URL to a website}:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLmmyQDkgA4oELD-aOKG6GN-CY3R0XrDTL0mgQjok-ro17Nxr9D9RayBVigkeDQhltn_BxN37O-FhqK1xD5aCRyg69Hx8uUdIPvNNhy_Ew3sq0AUjln-au0ZnsnfMeBAbnWDJEqxeR2U/s1600/TOTL.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="14" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLmmyQDkgA4oELD-aOKG6GN-CY3R0XrDTL0mgQjok-ro17Nxr9D9RayBVigkeDQhltn_BxN37O-FhqK1xD5aCRyg69Hx8uUdIPvNNhy_Ew3sq0AUjln-au0ZnsnfMeBAbnWDJEqxeR2U/s640/TOTL.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Just click the light bulb to activate the Turn Off the Lights extension. When you're finished playing the video, click the light bulb icon again to turn off the TOTL features. </div>
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<a href="https://www.turnoffthelights.com/extension/chromeguide.html">Here is the welcome guide</a>. Click "let's discover its amazing features" to walk through the welcome guide and view all the abilities and customization options. </div>
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<i>Note: if the light bulb icon does not appear in your omnibox, you are probably not viewing a video that is compatible with TOTL.</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Customization Ideas</span></b></div>
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There are lots of ways you can customize Turn Off the Lights {<a href="https://www.turnoffthelights.com/extension/chromeguide.html">the welcome guide</a> shows you the basic options in more detail}. I utilize a few basic options that just make my viewing experience a little better. Below is how <i>I </i>customize -- <i>not </i>a complete list! {Click <a href="chrome-extension://bfbmjmiodbnnpllbbbfblcplfjjepjdn/options.html">here</a> to customize the extension on your browser or right-click the light bulb in the omnibox and click "options"}:</div>
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<b>In the "basics" tab:</b></div>
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1. I like to turn the opacity to 100. You can click the black square next to "color" to change what color your background is, if you want. If you prefer a picture instead of just a plain color, click either "background image" or "dynamic background." The dynamic backgrounds move; they're cool, but I find them a little distracting. The background images are nice, though -- my favorite is the red curtain that looks like you're in a movie theater. :)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggz6aaNmziJAMRdpdWI6eCFGfgweM0Aq6W7Gr0fpth58ZSGiKZJRiwvH6lDzusyr_K5gc1MwjQxXduD8sWuG4m4c2JrXWKS9qyleO00W3d2AWhXSGsw-nW4xIzFb4OReULvA4Y70jOvZw/s1600/opacity+and+background.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggz6aaNmziJAMRdpdWI6eCFGfgweM0Aq6W7Gr0fpth58ZSGiKZJRiwvH6lDzusyr_K5gc1MwjQxXduD8sWuG4m4c2JrXWKS9qyleO00W3d2AWhXSGsw-nW4xIzFb4OReULvA4Y70jOvZw/s640/opacity+and+background.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Change the opacity, color, and/or image behind the video with these options</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37XrFIFB6ytSptsN_7QghlV-SPzMNd09YHKLrrm2ajGsT9OMCOs9VFWF0CmyCdLgQVsSzhvA7O_lSPw13XyHP3u-hzPh3quJBHCWBQruK78Jj6ni-BuzelTU9Oqh4-tUXpcqkYSmldrg/s1600/curtain.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37XrFIFB6ytSptsN_7QghlV-SPzMNd09YHKLrrm2ajGsT9OMCOs9VFWF0CmyCdLgQVsSzhvA7O_lSPw13XyHP3u-hzPh3quJBHCWBQruK78Jj6ni-BuzelTU9Oqh4-tUXpcqkYSmldrg/s640/curtain.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with a movie theater curtain in the background</td></tr>
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2. Click "automatically dim the background when you click the play button and vice versa" to...well... that one is pretty self-explanatory. :) You can still turn the lights back on at any point in the video, but I like that this provides a little automaticity. I specifically don't check "brighten the background again when the video has ended" because I light being able to decide when the lights come back on. All teachers know that blacking out the screen is a quick way to get students' attention! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hJLMZg-Q3wTU9Vzla4HREdy3l8sN4_aNYma_EuSHfjbK52EeVtSz9DAr1QrlqG0UAnlkqQ6zw6T_MEXmMx4FrSUPPe9lCyVPJdwFKaZmINh3ht0WvgaKH86cqoTyoBqok0w4EfVADlc/s1600/autoplay.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hJLMZg-Q3wTU9Vzla4HREdy3l8sN4_aNYma_EuSHfjbK52EeVtSz9DAr1QrlqG0UAnlkqQ6zw6T_MEXmMx4FrSUPPe9lCyVPJdwFKaZmINh3ht0WvgaKH86cqoTyoBqok0w4EfVADlc/s640/autoplay.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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3. Scroll all the way to the bottom of that screen and click "automatically set the YouTube player to the larger size," as seen below. I like this option because it not only automatically makes the video a bit bigger, but I think it centers the video on the screen, too. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijO_Jl0pgJSRYv99xgbfidseWY_lTAwzmqUpLPA8b2Doju53ueZGNSrbJ2dEumJUZlLbKpaPuOHEDWeKH_3SJqLrkOeFxqdbJHclx8AWCitmGV-SUP1OJgOOUDZ_dtUPZJAVzs1tCxiBM/s1600/youtube+large.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijO_Jl0pgJSRYv99xgbfidseWY_lTAwzmqUpLPA8b2Doju53ueZGNSrbJ2dEumJUZlLbKpaPuOHEDWeKH_3SJqLrkOeFxqdbJHclx8AWCitmGV-SUP1OJgOOUDZ_dtUPZJAVzs1tCxiBM/s400/youtube+large.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>In the "visual effects" tab:</b></div>
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1. Change the glowing color that appears as an outline on the video {click "show you the atmosphere lighting effect of the current playing video" to activate this option...then adjust the color(s) to your liking by clicking on the colored squares below that}. You can see my mint green outline in the screenshots above. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7P-jU1H8Or0DFfxZ45fi9vebmUWIh1g_qambH_B2RmcMi31hG3_GBcA6RPjCsyabA4ROprydDQnRIgVSDVkP_1qrqrj31-R4QNChTYPqzo0ZXfufjJKElBpjLvUX0mWbLiAEOcqkres/s1600/atmosphere+light.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7P-jU1H8Or0DFfxZ45fi9vebmUWIh1g_qambH_B2RmcMi31hG3_GBcA6RPjCsyabA4ROprydDQnRIgVSDVkP_1qrqrj31-R4QNChTYPqzo0ZXfufjJKElBpjLvUX0mWbLiAEOcqkres/s640/atmosphere+light.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><i><a href="https://goo.gl/yNoa9W">Tweet this tech tip</a></i></b><br />
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<b>*Edit: </b>I received this tweet from the Turn Out the Lights company and thought I'd pass the information along!<br />
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Thanks for your review! See no TOTL lamp button? Just refresh the page and the icon is back :-) <a href="https://t.co/fYlccWKbYt">https://t.co/fYlccWKbYt</a></div>
— Turn Off the Lights (@TurnOfftheLight) <a href="https://twitter.com/TurnOfftheLight/status/684325293532798976">January 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-75037242752993101302015-12-21T10:38:00.000-06:002016-03-22T14:55:01.973-05:00Windows Problem Steps RecorderCISD computers are automatically equipped with the "Problem Steps Recorder" program.<br />
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The Problem Steps Recorder is a pretty powerful tool that not only records your mouse, clicks, and keyboard strokes -- it also types your actions in a step-by-step list. All of this is placed into a step-by-step tutorial in pictures <i>and </i>in words. {This is slightly different than a screencast because it doesn't produce a video file.}<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Use It</span></b></div>
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1. If you're on a CISD device, just click the start button and search for "steps."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8q3t9jAJqIrCPquSaagjx5fPDXLthw2Fdrki2M1AUOJSzV6dUBCzWSI4egESFTp-9xtBv5GtrLIftEzIN47xfnLCSCIHb3oQcSP5Kpi-5JYY1T5vjKnqfM0eIGrBEvdIwsakyXiGIlvA/s1600/steps+1A.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8q3t9jAJqIrCPquSaagjx5fPDXLthw2Fdrki2M1AUOJSzV6dUBCzWSI4egESFTp-9xtBv5GtrLIftEzIN47xfnLCSCIHb3oQcSP5Kpi-5JYY1T5vjKnqfM0eIGrBEvdIwsakyXiGIlvA/s400/steps+1A.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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2. Mine pops up under the "Control Panel" heading, as shown below. Click the program to open it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKDd-8l0RFgWjtV8MpA3l2dlFYyY8FOAhtDARXBp2uHe7xlzX1hPFk0um-oYNVMrSJRWHy7qyMEvwwfsfowMNlHYj0IDX1qid4kMKiAGA9l6Yj1ui3PBlhRsE6_9CnhL4rBM-Tc56pRo/s1600/steps+1b.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKDd-8l0RFgWjtV8MpA3l2dlFYyY8FOAhtDARXBp2uHe7xlzX1hPFk0um-oYNVMrSJRWHy7qyMEvwwfsfowMNlHYj0IDX1qid4kMKiAGA9l6Yj1ui3PBlhRsE6_9CnhL4rBM-Tc56pRo/s400/steps+1b.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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3. You should get the pop-up bar shown below. Move it wherever you want on the screen, as it will be visible during your recording (i.e. move it somewhere where it won't block essential information in your tutorial). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN5mpCzCeRNZ6gwVIUjhmwmeE6KFZ3LT0NCtx9-vu4KuswvRt7PWFWQGvgPeK07w8A-XHTTUoVNjQA2gpJ-nwXP_Te8vZpych2ZaPWZ5SLfaSBv-fGHjfP3plYX4Mc7fALDnDMZERG6M/s1600/steps+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN5mpCzCeRNZ6gwVIUjhmwmeE6KFZ3LT0NCtx9-vu4KuswvRt7PWFWQGvgPeK07w8A-XHTTUoVNjQA2gpJ-nwXP_Te8vZpych2ZaPWZ5SLfaSBv-fGHjfP3plYX4Mc7fALDnDMZERG6M/s400/steps+2.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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4. Press "Start Record."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOy9VTRViXNy03xtLii5rIMFSiF-vKEri6NNHu5uuuFR-MW6DUjV8smivz0l3Fbzm5jb3JYaUorYT1lKBzeaI2Gk8UrncEM5a4zksL8iD5-hIBEzfsyqLhtZv02WSgO8k6giOYvVwlG3U/s1600/steps+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOy9VTRViXNy03xtLii5rIMFSiF-vKEri6NNHu5uuuFR-MW6DUjV8smivz0l3Fbzm5jb3JYaUorYT1lKBzeaI2Gk8UrncEM5a4zksL8iD5-hIBEzfsyqLhtZv02WSgO8k6giOYvVwlG3U/s400/steps+3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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5. Do whatever you need to do during this time. {So if you're teaching students how to navigate to a certain website, complete those steps as you normally would.} The Problem Steps Recorder will work while you continue with the regularly scheduled programming. </div>
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6. When finished, click "Stop Record." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDGCNNZf9QITQpF1bE3WonWxIeDM-RH0sD-TDWXicqD_9VdpST_vJvVlihwc7xcz2PAYh9C6iTh3erxWk8XYyRG5dOgGZDKJS0J2aTw8Ok_VdinGKTCCQFUQX8MyXtqzBlCNy6e3iCqo/s1600/steps+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDGCNNZf9QITQpF1bE3WonWxIeDM-RH0sD-TDWXicqD_9VdpST_vJvVlihwc7xcz2PAYh9C6iTh3erxWk8XYyRG5dOgGZDKJS0J2aTw8Ok_VdinGKTCCQFUQX8MyXtqzBlCNy6e3iCqo/s400/steps+6.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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7. A pop-up box will appear and prompt you to save your recording. Choose the name and location, and save the tutorial. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje12y1CoHBHYkaXe2rkiDDyo13E79RRuDyDUUL-KyIIpeGT3l0uOwZl1n82sCzv5iN0GXb2IKt_RBYlsoeFXetsPaHd5ANEG1Qm0qYYVSreytO2dysjAKZgdG2dlOPBWHU_nCpNh9yTrI/s1600/steps+8.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje12y1CoHBHYkaXe2rkiDDyo13E79RRuDyDUUL-KyIIpeGT3l0uOwZl1n82sCzv5iN0GXb2IKt_RBYlsoeFXetsPaHd5ANEG1Qm0qYYVSreytO2dysjAKZgdG2dlOPBWHU_nCpNh9yTrI/s400/steps+8.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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8. The file will appear as a zipped folder wherever you saved it. You can send the file like this if you want -- the recipient will have to unzip the file him- or herself before viewing the tutorial. {This is ideal when your instructions are quite long and/or you have a restriction on how large of file attachments you can send.} If you want to preview the file before you send it, you'll need to unzip the file yourself first. Refer to <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2014/10/how-to-install-fonts.html">step 2 in this blog post if you need a refresher on how to unzip files on your computer</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwVS5pCHcwiYeJKuBMvKDYOh7ShbY-RUvfmljxIxtI5-InmtSbqE1ChhD26yUDcfDWs6ScyZ6c5A9ls9qp-28jvRH9_4GAXD8LODbNHHzS5jfdDaOjdUdXcgb2B_7Rq88LIfKt_3bZv0/s1600/steps+8b.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwVS5pCHcwiYeJKuBMvKDYOh7ShbY-RUvfmljxIxtI5-InmtSbqE1ChhD26yUDcfDWs6ScyZ6c5A9ls9qp-28jvRH9_4GAXD8LODbNHHzS5jfdDaOjdUdXcgb2B_7Rq88LIfKt_3bZv0/s1600/steps+8b.PNG" /></a></div>
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9. Once you open the file, you'll see a step-by-step tutorial via pictures, a step-by-step in text, and special links that allow you to review the recorded steps as a slide show {that shows each picture one by one and automatically advanced to the next picture, much like an automated PowerPoint presentation}. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBF00tOxWOW5aQMRbFL4F_j1xM-2jPmcY1VxVwUUUoUkbQCcpXOFZIN_0eUbgkraeQ8zEsE_ICQBgkDXdqiQKi9FjmIFGKDADCSY02vSk14AHxHxEGLSVVO9JGz1eK4W5rX4mjNWMOOWU/s1600/steps+9a.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBF00tOxWOW5aQMRbFL4F_j1xM-2jPmcY1VxVwUUUoUkbQCcpXOFZIN_0eUbgkraeQ8zEsE_ICQBgkDXdqiQKi9FjmIFGKDADCSY02vSk14AHxHxEGLSVVO9JGz1eK4W5rX4mjNWMOOWU/s640/steps+9a.PNG" width="584" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My screenshots look funny because I'm working on dual monitors at the moment. You can see me annotating over a screenshot in Skitch on the left side of the screen and writing this blog post on the right! Your computer screenshots obviously won't look like this unless you have dual monitors, too. :) </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3K7V2SidVRNd8csgwEeY4vRWyuAgvkZd2AWSgoet1H4l9Tg3Bq2Lp1N-dw7JQHRNkKur2Xrf7d60wOT6-FHerxiWCDBrMMk40cOsuCHJ4rhoR0bataEFeMnz3WNiNCk-DKOhWiUAEYg/s1600/steps+9b.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3K7V2SidVRNd8csgwEeY4vRWyuAgvkZd2AWSgoet1H4l9Tg3Bq2Lp1N-dw7JQHRNkKur2Xrf7d60wOT6-FHerxiWCDBrMMk40cOsuCHJ4rhoR0bataEFeMnz3WNiNCk-DKOhWiUAEYg/s640/steps+9b.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ideas for Use</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li>Show students or parents how to access a particular program or website.</li>
<li>Show students how to use a program. </li>
<li>Show the technicians and/or your friendly campus Instructional Technology Specialist {<i>wink, wink</i>} exactly what you're doing when a problem occurs on your computer -- upload your recorded video and instructions to your work order.</li>
<li>Show your mom how to work her computer {<i>just kidding...love ya, mom!</i>}.</li>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Tweetable</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/86lIwc">PSR records mouse/clicks/keyboard strokes before typing step-by-step list w/ pics. </a></div>
Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-43597291984927699622015-12-15T17:30:00.000-06:002015-12-15T17:30:13.096-06:00Winter Tech ToolsDuring the craziness of this last week of school before winter break, consider trying one of these winter-themed tech tools to get in the holiday spirit:<br />
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<b>1. Virtual Fireplace -- <a href="http://www.virtual-fireplace.net/fireplaces.html#.VmWzqrgrLIU">here </a>or <a href="http://freefireplaces.com/">here</a></b></div>
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This heatless fireplace is the perfect way to make your classroom calm and cozy.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOAjXvOgYTC3olmTby4J-pYU7agys5g70uNLfER7iSzoePcnuoK5JW7Aqxr_uud_4Vp3R5lsGmQZVYI2Ua6SvyNGuqbgYg3DLKbvE5EovbnVPJ__DBXVtepyzDm8QDxaMGvg8WMeC_D-A/s1600/fireplace.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOAjXvOgYTC3olmTby4J-pYU7agys5g70uNLfER7iSzoePcnuoK5JW7Aqxr_uud_4Vp3R5lsGmQZVYI2Ua6SvyNGuqbgYg3DLKbvE5EovbnVPJ__DBXVtepyzDm8QDxaMGvg8WMeC_D-A/s400/fireplace.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wonderoftech.com/warm-up-to-a-virtual-fireplace/">Photo source</a></td></tr>
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<b>2. <a href="http://www.shakeuplearning.com/blog/winter-magnetic-poetry-with-google-slides/">Winter Magnetic Poetry</a> (by Kasey Bell of <a href="http://shakeuplearning.com/">Shake Up Learning</a>)</b></div>
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Kasey created a free winter poetry activity for you in Google Slides. To use, just go to her web page and click "Get Your FREE Copy of the Winter Magnetic Poetry Template." Then click the blue "make a copy" button of the webpage that pops up. A copy of the item will automatically be added to your Google Drive. From there, your students can drag and drop the words on the snowy background to create whatever poem or story they choose. </div>
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<b>3. </b><b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://quizizz.com/">Quizizz</a> </span></b><b>snow-themed quiz template </b><br />
The company released this template last week -- just in time for winter class quizzes! Click <a href="http://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30677247/join.quizizz.com?p=eyJzIjoibzY0Y1dueDgtNEZvWEYxR2FYZEh4OV9YcjZrIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDY3NzI0NyxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvam9pbi5xdWl6aXp6LmNvbVwiLFwiaWRcIjpcIjc4OTEzMmFlNjI0ZTRlYmY4YzZiM2ZjZTNlNzVhODllXCIsXCJ1cmxfaWRzXCI6W1wiNjAxOTQ2ZGQ1NDIyYWY3MDc4NjI3MTg4MDBlOGZhMDBmZDIyMTE0OFwiXX0ifQ">here</a> to see it live.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgVyjU0MQyB5slXsqgbG-SBxMDULyCIa73kfVRogMsEZtz7WjX3Jk189ysgoGJjsVHMfPECHzOBCq_C54A5VffD0UlhdoNNpDtCaCeZdLwiXKbIYhf9cEvudWE_cYpxmXKAAvj2_RBVjy/s1600/quizizz.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgVyjU0MQyB5slXsqgbG-SBxMDULyCIa73kfVRogMsEZtz7WjX3Jk189ysgoGJjsVHMfPECHzOBCq_C54A5VffD0UlhdoNNpDtCaCeZdLwiXKbIYhf9cEvudWE_cYpxmXKAAvj2_RBVjy/s400/quizizz.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>4. <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19e-7iQi9joTWPqnZ345Ko2xSmUnu3Bck2Gpd9M6XuCg/edit?usp=sharing">Winter Around the World Project</a></b><br />
While it's too late to <a href="https://tackk.com/sd4byj">collaborate on the project this year</a> (entries were due on December 7), your class could always take a look at <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19e-7iQi9joTWPqnZ345Ko2xSmUnu3Bck2Gpd9M6XuCg/edit?usp=sharing">this year's entries</a> and think of ways to contribute next year! <b> </b><br />
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<b><br /></b><b>5. Advent Calendars - <a href="http://polarexpress.com/calendar/">Polar Express</a> and <a href="http://projectbritain.com/Xmas/calendar/">Christmas Around the World</a></b></div>
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No matter the age or subject you teach, try incorporating one of those advent calendars into the first five minutes of your day. One is based on the <i>Polar Express</i> book, while the other tests your knowledge on how Christmas is celebrated around the world.</div>
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<a href="http://polarexpress.com/calendar/"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_mLPoiEF19nNxKnf6mA7h2WcXYRlsgDMxYoWNMfbJgIG7Jn3GmrMde7Bgih87Z3fWRqpr3jRp_dv7L48lzpaGuD5kksj8f6A3ukSh4lAowZvDlfRohiU5G1RFyEL6vouvn3P7yJkV9QX/s200/polarexpresscountdown.PNG" width="195" /></a> <a href="http://projectbritain.com/Xmas/calendar/"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNU9026_zIDrs_TBJ2b0GiJ6jS-e23L-YOh3Km2Se8J7G8SQoTRgpC3sEFiJyskDqdHRv69LyBEXcDW8MILXPrNoExQcTZrs22DXuhATo37_TEs0BODEMlUuriEm8CqcomxioipLLVuUiC/s200/christmasaroundtheworld.PNG" width="199" /></a></div>
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<b>6. <a href="http://holidaycardproject.weebly.com/">Holiday Card Project</a> (</b>Special thanks to <a href="http://twitter.com/loomislibrarian">Heather</a> for this idea!)</div>
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Jen, of <a href="http://www.projectsbyjen.com/">Projects By Jen</a>, hosts a holiday card project each year. While this year's is over, you (and students) could always <a href="http://holidaycardproject.weebly.com/archives.html">browse the archives</a>, <a href="https://www.remind.com/join/pbjr">sign up for Jen's Remind group to get reminders to upcoming projects</a>, and start preparing for next year's gingerbread-themed holiday card project. </div>
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<b>7. <a href="https://education.microsoft.com/ConnectWithOthers/PlayMysterySkype">Mystery Skype</a> </b>(Special thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/loomislibrarian">Heather</a> for this idea!)</div>
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If you sign up for the Holiday Card Project with Jen, you can choose to be included in the "Ho-Ho-Holiday Mystery Skype" with several other classes. If you'd just like to find classes on your own to Skype with, browse the <a href="https://education.microsoft.com/ConnectWithOthers/PlayMysterySkype">Skype for Education website</a>. You could ask other classes to share their holiday customs, or try to guess where in the world a class is, just based on holiday traditions or geographical clues.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_LOBVwro55re_gdJn-Jbi9NXsyHBkBokj_Rx5oM1brnDNeobelDVNEaia20gqN82kjcPYTeaUCCUVsbzKqKZTVgMEbTHqcauAKRv2ppteRtEmmKK5SPMdFCbMa98qgh3EUEuKEngtL9f/s1600/skype.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_LOBVwro55re_gdJn-Jbi9NXsyHBkBokj_Rx5oM1brnDNeobelDVNEaia20gqN82kjcPYTeaUCCUVsbzKqKZTVgMEbTHqcauAKRv2ppteRtEmmKK5SPMdFCbMa98qgh3EUEuKEngtL9f/s200/skype.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>8. Interactive Websites</b></div>
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There are tons of holiday, snow, and winter-themed websites! Any of the links below will take you to a list of themed activities:</div>
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<li><a href="https://sites.google.com/a/csisd.org/christmas-fun/">Christmas Fun</a> by Shannon Long (Christmas-themed games, printables, apps, and interactive flipcharts)</li>
<li><a href="http://interactivesites.weebly.com/christmas.html">Christmas Interactive Sites</a></li>
<li><a href="https://santatracker.google.com/#village">Google Santa Tracker</a> (games, activities, a countdown to Christmas Eve, <a href="https://santatracker.google.com/#codelab">elf coding</a>, and information about holiday traditions around the world -- special thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/CEStechteach">Lori</a> for this idea!)</li>
<li><a href="http://interactivesites.weebly.com/hanukkah.html">Hanukkah Interactive Sites</a></li>
<li><a href="http://interactivesites.weebly.com/holidays-around-the-world.html">Holidays Around the World Interactive Sites</a></li>
<li><a href="http://interactivesites.weebly.com/kwanzaa.html">Kwanzaa Interactive Sites</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.northpole.com/#">North Pole</a> (read and personalize holiday stories, learn about the weather up north, send Santa an e-card, and play holiday-themed games and puzzles)</li>
<li><a href="https://sites.google.com/a/csisd.org/snow-fun/">Snow Fun</a> by Shannon Long (snow-themed games, printables, apps, and interactive flipcharts)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/12/07/3-winter-holiday-activities-that-teach-skills-across-the-curriculum#.VmnPn0lgmmd.mailto">Winter Activities by We Are Teachers</a> (an elf employment application, Kwanzaa fractions, and Hanukkah math -- special thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/quest_oues">Renea</a> for this idea!)</li>
<li><a href="http://interactivesites.weebly.com/winter.html">Winter Interactive Sites</a></li>
<li><a href="http://xmasfun.com/Default.aspx">X-mas Fun</a></li>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-63462960051055702762015-12-05T09:38:00.003-06:002015-12-07T10:16:21.167-06:00The One All About Kindle Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaAIMduCEK13M4YlWUD1sZ-GrOJiDRUZ_q1sufJvsMbuwJwEh4QUtCXmiZBZ2fFot2DsO9Bjp-fbdBnyPBbvVzAlDKTnKRDZ2cNSyHlM9oGnAr_KaUYr1RyRviM2Q0GotmSI-9UJhLps/s1600/All+About+Kindle+Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaAIMduCEK13M4YlWUD1sZ-GrOJiDRUZ_q1sufJvsMbuwJwEh4QUtCXmiZBZ2fFot2DsO9Bjp-fbdBnyPBbvVzAlDKTnKRDZ2cNSyHlM9oGnAr_KaUYr1RyRviM2Q0GotmSI-9UJhLps/s400/All+About+Kindle+Books.png" width="266" /></a></div>
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I'm a big fan of Kindle books {and <a href="https://youtu.be/sLisEEwYZvw">Friends</a>, as you can tell from the title of this post ;)}. Here's why:<br />
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<ul>
<li>They don't take up physical space and won't create any stacks or clutter.</li>
<li>They're easy to move when you have to change rooms or houses.</li>
<li>You can read them on your Promethean in front of all your students {just go to <a href="http://read.amazon.com/">the Kindle cloud reader</a> on your laptop, which should be connected to your Promethean}.</li>
<li>They're much easier to search through and find what you're looking for. {<a href="http://read.amazon.com/">The Kindle Cloud Reader</a> gives you the ability to search your library, view the covers, sort your books in whichever way you choose, etc.} </li>
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Like everything else, I have a personal account and a school account. My school Amazon account intentionally has no credit card attached to it so that I can feel okay about handing my iPad to a kid without fearing that he/she will be purchasing Amazon goods on my behalf. :) </div>
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Although our district officially adopted iPads, there is a Kindle iOS app you can utilize. I only loaded my school Kindle account on my teacher iPad, so I encourage you to review <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_terms_us?nodeId=200699130">Amazon's policies</a> if you're considering putting it on student iPads {<a href="http://amzn.to/1OF9VWm">click here to go to the Amazon Support page</a>}. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Display Kindle Books on the Promethean {or Other Projector}</span></b></div>
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1. Go to <a href="http://read.amazon.com/">read.amazon.com</a> and sign in with your school Kindle account. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe0cNnLec0GFgjaLEl2iaytNgwFELqzgiQl0FFQ5gmtJtClJzjm-J3bmA3HZ-nlQtxHGa4Mc19y1Cy3aQ7CK0ltJFkX5knvcPenbZhrKPlwQLTZUoU7OWThxo8E-wMqHeDEtiBEzJ6M0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+8.39.56+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe0cNnLec0GFgjaLEl2iaytNgwFELqzgiQl0FFQ5gmtJtClJzjm-J3bmA3HZ-nlQtxHGa4Mc19y1Cy3aQ7CK0ltJFkX5knvcPenbZhrKPlwQLTZUoU7OWThxo8E-wMqHeDEtiBEzJ6M0/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+8.39.56+AM.png" width="393" /></a></div>
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2. Choose to enable offline reading if you want.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1ynFTr_cqaZKXA_kwPFcfB9h25mRQBEkxQJfCt2gTyMe9omcjhFi0VfzECpusXKz-hab4vrY4mVzNn_2FQLv1s2OAu1uEnwsFLSvNWZ3UqIgHAcvXzRMtO2A7XdJwBo2vqZ-O21l3dU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+8.41.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1ynFTr_cqaZKXA_kwPFcfB9h25mRQBEkxQJfCt2gTyMe9omcjhFi0VfzECpusXKz-hab4vrY4mVzNn_2FQLv1s2OAu1uEnwsFLSvNWZ3UqIgHAcvXzRMtO2A7XdJwBo2vqZ-O21l3dU/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+8.41.54+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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3. You should see the following on your laptop screen, which would, of course, be displayed on your Promethean if it's hooked up properly:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ZirvNiiG9KJ38VgS4RYeiiYViE3bJpZ_Wvac19TUk73luxa-7IJNMvA2UH0LILp6_QPItwUEMHmfcRO2ySTqCpvEgdPQPp09r53NVTWuNg24Ezjf8AATQKmx40Ey13mdTyYHzHoyGeo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+8.42.42+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ZirvNiiG9KJ38VgS4RYeiiYViE3bJpZ_Wvac19TUk73luxa-7IJNMvA2UH0LILp6_QPItwUEMHmfcRO2ySTqCpvEgdPQPp09r53NVTWuNg24Ezjf8AATQKmx40Ey13mdTyYHzHoyGeo/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+8.42.42+AM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<li><b>Yellow arrow: </b>toggle the view of your books between list view {the one on the right} and grid view {the one on the left and the view you see above}</li>
<li><b>Orange arrow: </b>sort the view by the most recently added, author's name, or title of the book</li>
<li><b>Green arrow: </b>refresh the view, adjust settings/get help, and search {which will be your BFF once you've accumulated a decent amount of books}</li>
<li><b>Blue arrow: </b>toggle the view of all books you've ever put into your Kindle cloud or just the books you've downloaded to that device</li>
<li><b>Purple arrow: </b>click on any of the books to open it up and start reading</li>
<li><b>Pink arrow: </b>increase or decrease how many books are shown on the screen by making your search results smaller or larger</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Get Discounted or Free Kindle eBooks </span></b></div>
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When I taught K-4 Science Lab, I would browse for free science eBooks every day while I ate my lunch. Really, once you browse the entire list one day, it doesn't take that long to look for newly added books on days after that. And it's totally worth it to get free books!</div>
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<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_398498822_7?ie=UTF8&node=2245146011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-left-2&pf_rd_r=095NKYS3D6N1WVH07GCN&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1887516422&pf_rd_i=154606011">Amazon has a list of free books here</a>. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kbhp_brws_kdd?ie=UTF8&docId=1000677541&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-1&pf_rd_r=1RPWA4WY8DBS0FBA8VMV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1980644962&pf_rd_i=2245146011">Amazon features daily deals where prices are reduced</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tcea.org/">TCEA members</a> can sign up for updates each day about free and on sale Kindle books and iOS apps; a daily digest is e-mailed to you each morning.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/home/">Book Bub</a> will send you a list of free and reduced-priced eBooks each day.</li>
<li>Some places -- like <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.com/">Blogging for Books</a> or <a href="http://netgalley.com/">Net Galley</a> -- offer teachers librarians, and bloggers the opportunity to get books for free in exchange for a review. If you're a blogger, the review is obviously supposed to be posted on your blog, but teachers and librarians are just required to submit a review to the publisher. If you sign up to review kids' books, you've just gotten free books for the price of a little of your time! <b>Bonus</b>: sometimes those books haven't been released to the public yet and/or haven't been fully edited...wouldn't it be great editing practice to have your students edit pages from an actual book?</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Give a Kindle eBook as a Gift</span></b><br />
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The most obvious reason why you might want to do this is if you're giving a Kindle eBook to someone, but I actually use it to "gift" books to my school account {the one with no credit card attached, so I couldn't purchase anything on it} from my personal account, too. </div>
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1. To gift a Kindle book, just head over to the book's Amazon page. {<a href="http://amzn.to/1jFCpCo">Here's the homepage of Kindle books, in case you want a quick-link</a>.}<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=mrksbrli-20&l=ur2&o=1" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> You should see this menu on the right:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fqod5iRG-F5QBvyI5DEMXrnJ4YYBuioQFGZOf1UVcGRtBJpU2fFJH9eHEBRcUP51ntOqsIRX74qyTLDsTxEqkGj3-wFikiEW2QfOkVFM5PfVC9cs365nxYqcqeSIbIXD-S9H3PqSWb4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+9.15.20+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fqod5iRG-F5QBvyI5DEMXrnJ4YYBuioQFGZOf1UVcGRtBJpU2fFJH9eHEBRcUP51ntOqsIRX74qyTLDsTxEqkGj3-wFikiEW2QfOkVFM5PfVC9cs365nxYqcqeSIbIXD-S9H3PqSWb4/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+9.15.20+AM.jpg" width="346" /></a></div>
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2. Click the "give as a gift" button. You'll see this screen:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrVyqyNojSIeT0pLi_GwdLXCo4fXb1MzBeadLrySFliI7lxp34wkTKUfldqROj6QcjCuNctKScqP-3dVdPY75ktRPSxfbyrupmCoADSfPFSjpXFIT9KeY_EEI5ylZSuT6MxF3Da33Exs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+9.16.33+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrVyqyNojSIeT0pLi_GwdLXCo4fXb1MzBeadLrySFliI7lxp34wkTKUfldqROj6QcjCuNctKScqP-3dVdPY75ktRPSxfbyrupmCoADSfPFSjpXFIT9KeY_EEI5ylZSuT6MxF3Da33Exs/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-12-05+at+9.16.33+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Notice that you can enter the e-mail address of the recipient or choose to have the gift e-mailed to you so you can forward it to the recipient later. You can also delay the delivery of the Kindle book to the date of your choice, much like an Amazon gift card. </div>
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Your credit/gift card is charged for the book, and the recipient gets an e-mail that looks like this:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEdTy3eOoKemAMDIU8Lstw-AluxLpZK44P1KhcljsJ28zr8ADBVBWM3NcBSQsbQTicFpHmQcR4qHM9ku5EkzxBHGEt0tQKqV1opAWxXMmvfqbIp6V3bfKBc4rnUX0EziNvSoLw078Vxqf/s1600/Receiving+a+Gift.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEdTy3eOoKemAMDIU8Lstw-AluxLpZK44P1KhcljsJ28zr8ADBVBWM3NcBSQsbQTicFpHmQcR4qHM9ku5EkzxBHGEt0tQKqV1opAWxXMmvfqbIp6V3bfKBc4rnUX0EziNvSoLw078Vxqf/s1600/Receiving+a+Gift.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm so private online that I rarely put anything but my initials when signing up for a website, which is why it says my name is "CK." :)</td></tr>
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The recipient has to click the yellow "get your gift now" button, and he/she will be taken to the Amazon page for that eBook.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6tvjM3C15PskCQ7ya5EHdq-VOfIbwQzPCUJWYpGPIDnyp8tQkgXojRJGC5ZOkOnmEbho3ZrSHUw_j9jDyOdDh9mjnBLqv78TS00SyyJ_DbOXFKETNGWYL6I4YXwvj4j5K0AhsyAUezDV/s1600/Accept+Kindle+gift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6tvjM3C15PskCQ7ya5EHdq-VOfIbwQzPCUJWYpGPIDnyp8tQkgXojRJGC5ZOkOnmEbho3ZrSHUw_j9jDyOdDh9mjnBLqv78TS00SyyJ_DbOXFKETNGWYL6I4YXwvj4j5K0AhsyAUezDV/s1600/Accept+Kindle+gift.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blacked out portion is blocking my school e-mail address, which is where I sent this Kingle book to myself.</td></tr>
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From there, the recipient only needs to click the yellow "accept Kindle gift" button to put the book in their cloud account.<br />
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You, the giver, also receive an e-mail saying the gift was accepted and applied to the recipient's account so you know they actually got it.<br />
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{P.S. <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/12/how-to-save-money-shopping-online.html">Click here to learn how to easily save money while shopping online</a>.}</div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-508568098954832392015-12-03T16:30:00.000-06:002016-11-30T18:40:21.593-06:00How to Save Money Shopping OnlineThis time of year brings lots of shopping for most people, so I thought I'd write a post about how I save money shopping online. While you could always apply these tricks to classroom purchases such as school supplies or furniture, this obviously isn't my typical educational technology content...if this isn't your jam, feel free to skip this post and re-visit the blog later for the regularly scheduled programming. :)<br />
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I personally use all of these tools and can attest that they are legit and worth your time!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Use Coupons/Promo Codes</b></span><br />
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<b><a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/CJKARA?eeid=28187">eBates</a> </b><br />
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<a href="http://bit.ly/eBatesSignUp"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTExGO5N84RYYEPfQ66rmEbRHtAvCjrK_F77nCZXvZm8wH6j1hi7lQt3KfmWmxHOlm-1elqQjkoEc_TmCN6bgYGi4hv6vJUnzRDuwwq_0_e_ztPrnxjDNroprFYFcZ_iN2hEBoJk2ph-c/s200/ebates.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<li><i>How it works: </i>eBates partnered with almost 2,000 major retailers {<a href="http://www.ebates.com/stores/all/index.htm?navigation_id=22763">click here to see the full list</a>} to offer you cash back when you shop from those stores online. Each store offers a different percentage of cash back. I've found that the more popular a store is, the lower the percentage of cash back they offer. So, for instance, Walmart is typically 1-2% while Snapfish is typically 10% {I've found that these percentages jump during the holidays, though, which is an even bigger incentive for using eBates for holiday shopping!}. When you shop online, you simply activate your eBates before you check out. After you check out, you'll receive an e-mail telling you how much cash back you got for that particular purchase. eBates will send you cash back once a quarter -- either in the form of a mailed check or cash in your PayPal account. </li>
<li><i>What you do: </i>Once you sign up for <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/CJKARA?eeid=28187">a free account</a> {click the link to sign up with <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/CJKARA?eeid=28187">my referral code</a>, and I will love you forever! :)}, simply activate your eBates before purchasing something online. <a href="http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/coleVthTbK" style="font-weight: bold;">Watch this video tutorial to see it in action.</a><span style="color: red;"><b style="color: red;"> </b>And:<span style="color: red;"> </span><a href="http://snapfish.extole.com/v2/share/6224967701287159527">Here's the link to Snapfish, that photo website I use and mentioned in the video, if you want it. :)</a></span></li>
<li><i>Bonus: </i>There's an eBates app that sometimes offers double percentage cash back. Download the app and allow notifications on your phone. When you get a notification about double cash back from a place you needed to buy from anyway, I like to do the shopping on my laptop because it's easier to navigate, see the details of an item, etc. I always fill my shopping cart from a computer. Then I just launch my app from my iPhone, activate my eBates shopping trip to the store of my choice, and check out with what's already in my shopping cart. :) </li>
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<b><a href="https://goo.gl/LdXIA">Honey Extension for Chrome</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyejXmcsRatCiBJOC3BJNQsVPN9IlKkJx-KO4-v98ca6mlKaUXXXU7J9T_oBKemstlcPYKflKGuMbgdTFX4EFFTbQCDBgzPsQ-ZwZhH-lzsKoAWv5fIVhjbhIHxSPKv6RW_LQrzJrq_Qc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-01+at+3.01.26+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyejXmcsRatCiBJOC3BJNQsVPN9IlKkJx-KO4-v98ca6mlKaUXXXU7J9T_oBKemstlcPYKflKGuMbgdTFX4EFFTbQCDBgzPsQ-ZwZhH-lzsKoAWv5fIVhjbhIHxSPKv6RW_LQrzJrq_Qc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-12-01+at+3.01.26+PM.png" /></a></div>
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<li><i>How it works: </i>When in a shopping cart online, Honey scours the web for all the coupons and promo codes floating the WWW for that store. Honey applies each one and, in the event that multiple codes work, it automatically applies the coupon that saves you the most money. </li>
<li><i>What you do: </i>In the Chrome browser, add <a href="https://goo.gl/LdXIA">the Honey extension</a>. Then just shop! If a pop-up does not appear on the right side of your browser when you're in an online shopping cart, that typically means there are no coupons available for that retailer. When the pop-up does appear, however, just click the gold "try codes" button, sit back, and watch it work! <b><a href="http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/colenfhTFH">Watch this video tutorial to see it in action. </a></b></li>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Price match</b></span></div>
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<b><a href="http://slice.com/">Slice</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3fjpROBcu3n8mnDJ7-iqxbSdh9A8a612m2UpZ6IpQg4v5pkJg44Xa6tNNkIYTVRDAIELJgYz0LYnayNR9a3RQtg0d1vBdhsMYW-LbawmwHcINUccV9NBW15gsiS1xadnoZMvCLUnD4Y/s1600/Slice+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3fjpROBcu3n8mnDJ7-iqxbSdh9A8a612m2UpZ6IpQg4v5pkJg44Xa6tNNkIYTVRDAIELJgYz0LYnayNR9a3RQtg0d1vBdhsMYW-LbawmwHcINUccV9NBW15gsiS1xadnoZMvCLUnD4Y/s320/Slice+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li><i>How it works: </i><a href="http://slice.com/">Slice</a> tracks packages for you based on receipts sent to your e-mail inbox. It also tracks the price of things you've purchased and will alert you if the price of anything you purchased drops within a specified time. If you purchased something that dropped in price, the Slice app will compose an e-mail to customer service with the order number, original price, and new price, requesting a price match, and all you have to do is press "send!" </li>
<li><i>What you do: </i>Sign up for a free account at <a href="http://slice.com/">slice.com</a>, and download the free app {available in <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/slice-track-organize-purchases/id475854271?ls=1&mt=8">The App Store</a> and the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slice">Google Play Store</a>}. In your settings, go to "linked inboxes/accounts" in the upper, right corner. Select an e-mail inbox to give Slice permission to scour your inbox for receipts. </li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Internet Alerts</b></span></div>
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<div>
<a href="http://iftt.com/"><b>I</b>FTTT</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PC6OQfTIbXEQPG3B_G9kuXcKC1MUY-MyN2vmm3ul-bqjQlkyKbe2MgJyaJuYbrk-G8M2avRsTjDJotXnizTpI4tOgrVl9viTydzQwOzaPMAu9IUlxGexbbG_VGl5-oQDGqMFQrJ0aSs/s1600/ifttt.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PC6OQfTIbXEQPG3B_G9kuXcKC1MUY-MyN2vmm3ul-bqjQlkyKbe2MgJyaJuYbrk-G8M2avRsTjDJotXnizTpI4tOgrVl9viTydzQwOzaPMAu9IUlxGexbbG_VGl5-oQDGqMFQrJ0aSs/s1600/ifttt.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i>How it works: </i>IFTTT allows you to create "recipes" of a cause and effect nature {hence, the title: "if this, then that"} so you can automate your online life. There are a ton of uses for IFTTT {partly because it links to almost 250 "channels" or other sites}, but in terms of saving money while shopping, you can set it up to alert you when a new item is posted or about price drops, depending on the retailer. </li>
<li><i>What you do: </i><a href="http://ifttt.com/">Create a free IFTTT account</a>. Create a new recipe and select a trigger channel from the "commerce" section. Follow the on-screen prompts to set up the alerts of your choice. <b><a href="http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/colenvhTqw">Watch this video tutorial to see it in action</a> {this video is password protected due to personal information shared...CISD friends, the password is our plural mascot.}</b></li>
<li><i>Bonus: </i><a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2014/08/manage-online-accounts-with-ifttt.html">This post gives you more details about IFTTT</a>, and <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2014/11/use-ifttt-to-help-with-recess-duty.html">this post tells you how to use IFTTT to help you monitor the weather for recess duty</a>.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<b><a href="http://camelcamelcamel.com/">CamelCamelCamel</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVf5LcGHRG-jEu90gchR-sNfcWnlhI2uZbXon60KW7FdUbgRVraqeQSntKAu4bCxRtWHpi1s4Zd_VVtMp6hL7E4TfBmtN7tcqCBV7x8_I9uxFwJ1yw5LOCwJqj-2Xa3Kc6hSAfrLWniw/s1600/CamelCamelCamel-Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVf5LcGHRG-jEu90gchR-sNfcWnlhI2uZbXon60KW7FdUbgRVraqeQSntKAu4bCxRtWHpi1s4Zd_VVtMp6hL7E4TfBmtN7tcqCBV7x8_I9uxFwJ1yw5LOCwJqj-2Xa3Kc6hSAfrLWniw/s1600/CamelCamelCamel-Logo.png" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i>How it works: </i>CamelCamelCamel only works with Amazon items. If you have anything on Amazon that you'd like to buy {individual items or even an entire Amazon Wish List}, you can put the URL into your CamelCamelCamel account and set an ideal price. CCC will e-mail you when the item dips to your ideal price. </li>
<li><i>What you do: </i><a href="http://camelcamelcamel.com/">Create a free CamelCamelCamel account</a>. Either paste in the URL or search for a particular keyword in the search box at the top of the home page. From there, set your price and ask CamelCamelCamel to start tracking. <b><a href="http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/colenNhTYn">Watch this video tutorial to see it in action.</a></b></li>
</ul>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-36009408937397135792015-11-17T18:00:00.000-06:002015-11-17T18:00:03.636-06:00How to Google Search Efficiently and Effectively<div>
A special team in my district and I all attended a day-long session with <a href="http://twitter.com/askmsq">Sabba Quidwai</a> from <a href="http://edtechteacher.org/">EdTechTeacher </a>about a month ago. It was a great professional development experience about PBL, and I've been impressed with all the ETT presenters I've heard so far. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That said, Sabba mentioned this seemingly small but incredibly important nugget of information about how to efficiently and effectively conduct a Google search, and I wanted to share with you!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you were asked to find information from <i>NY Times</i> articles about test scores in college {but not the SATs} written between 2008 and 2010, how would you search for that? The graphic below dissects the proper search term for finding that information:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKY6FuWKlXHDlRd0wuUFQgmU58Mls6FJshHgQHbdshlJgWQmuJ6v9044b0OS6EuhTcS2iEaQ7f0MmZcnAr3QF0XcNtCwhVJc_MnOyprW4utg9B22awxsJVk7uQDHYQdntEc_8WxVd8Q0To/s1600/GoogleResearch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKY6FuWKlXHDlRd0wuUFQgmU58Mls6FJshHgQHbdshlJgWQmuJ6v9044b0OS6EuhTcS2iEaQ7f0MmZcnAr3QF0XcNtCwhVJc_MnOyprW4utg9B22awxsJVk7uQDHYQdntEc_8WxVd8Q0To/s640/GoogleResearch.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://my.uttc.edu/icsfileserver/utmedia/knowledgebase/google.pdf">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Ways to tailor your Google search</b>:</div>
<ul>
<li>Search only a particular site with the search term "site:"</li>
<li>Use a tilde (~) to search for synonyms of a particular search term</li>
<li>Use quotations (" ") to search for an exact phrase</li>
<li>A dash (-) placed before a word will exclude it from the search</li>
<li>Two periods (..) will show results from a range of time</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://my.uttc.edu/icsfileserver/utmedia/knowledgebase/google.pdf">This PDF from United Tribes Technical College Online</a> will give you lots of ideas for getting more out of your Google search, and it would be great to share with older students. </div>
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<div>
Younger students will appreciate <a href="http://www.kyvl.org/kids/homebase.html">this "How to Do Research" site from the Kentucky Virtual Library</a>. </div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>References</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>"<a href="https://my.uttc.edu/icsfileserver/utmedia/knowledgebase/google.pdf">Get More out of Google</a>." <i>United Tribes Technical College Online. </i>Web. 17 Nov. 2015.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<center>
</center>
Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-33533238318477448002015-11-09T18:00:00.000-06:002015-11-09T18:00:03.253-06:00How to Lock an Object in Place on an ActivInspire Flipchart<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Interactive flipcharts are a fun way for students to stay engaged during a whole-group lesson. But sometimes you want certain parts of your flipchart to stay locked in place so students don't waste time trying to move them. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For instance, in the flipchart page below, I wanted kindergartners to drag items from the bottom into a box at the top to make a sink or float prediction. However, I didn't want students to be able to move the blue or pink boxes, so I locked them in place.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5CPppGK1_SMmx5023SOpicx4t7I5CfB5H4W3Y1n5rGqaU9TMnfHgtEgue8iBYTK8qhjz2lrfyYeEvGcy-73hAg1fPJ2R0L-_BadI838JCxx3iZhsq1U4pVQ4chkIUQl5_xmXjbeL7gU/s1600/sinkfloat.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5CPppGK1_SMmx5023SOpicx4t7I5CfB5H4W3Y1n5rGqaU9TMnfHgtEgue8iBYTK8qhjz2lrfyYeEvGcy-73hAg1fPJ2R0L-_BadI838JCxx3iZhsq1U4pVQ4chkIUQl5_xmXjbeL7gU/s640/sinkfloat.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To lock something in place, right click on the object, and then click "locked," as shown below:</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQk10MX4ctegIfLZu0jQQO22VfMxCfn3_O6STZ5lhLHLkHFVn0NvdCEw3Nd56J87ajEafRpLSjeAn67UvfK1Y_U_qcCwqCWgEBf-yBPAyEZWKRrPelOcJlV31ki880-P5nwX_88f3nuc/s1600/lock.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQk10MX4ctegIfLZu0jQQO22VfMxCfn3_O6STZ5lhLHLkHFVn0NvdCEw3Nd56J87ajEafRpLSjeAn67UvfK1Y_U_qcCwqCWgEBf-yBPAyEZWKRrPelOcJlV31ki880-P5nwX_88f3nuc/s400/lock.png" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can also use this keyboard shortcut: Control + Shift + L</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As long as you are in presentation mode {the blue box in the top, right corner of your screen, as shown below}, the object will <i>not</i> move.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP01h2BCuuUT9L0H-3J57Z7Hb-lusRDCPnpdt3F8kHHik5mVjnUOaUII1AvA_dZuX-GDaL09zflFtZu_KCAYcKr724E3IVHt-Y6wWbLblsbC8nr4owIWpKHt2VPpLuOHfFl8thM0wyLFY/s1600/blue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP01h2BCuuUT9L0H-3J57Z7Hb-lusRDCPnpdt3F8kHHik5mVjnUOaUII1AvA_dZuX-GDaL09zflFtZu_KCAYcKr724E3IVHt-Y6wWbLblsbC8nr4owIWpKHt2VPpLuOHfFl8thM0wyLFY/s400/blue.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When you are ready to re-design your flipchart and need to move that object, just click the blue square in the top corner and change it to design mode {red}, as shown below:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp0Jmg9SjdZr1PaYPphCQG05wOLrGxvULs5LACfwpSDlnTeMyFPQegNN-7KP1a3aMyLr96TQ1mYHYpyJQ957BLUOpfLoLD1LM4h_0rAawl_e9SfMqTzRo5SqqN49vT0JTKvLkxO0phuo/s1600/red.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="57" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp0Jmg9SjdZr1PaYPphCQG05wOLrGxvULs5LACfwpSDlnTeMyFPQegNN-7KP1a3aMyLr96TQ1mYHYpyJQ957BLUOpfLoLD1LM4h_0rAawl_e9SfMqTzRo5SqqN49vT0JTKvLkxO0phuo/s400/red.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-547707112711064992.post-23795552926583827022015-11-03T17:30:00.000-06:002015-11-03T17:30:00.870-06:008 Ways to Quickly Share Links with StudentsIt can sometimes be challenging to share links {especially long ones} with students, but here are 8 ways to share that will make your life easier.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPth3we8zxRx4dqCjS4PKCdoujWYUblS5YX4DAGoI5HNximqs8qHMKWyXrP9y-a2x0jfsLh3jxdYcdubJaEb-gp4DoP9z9008XMG91MGwa8daXcnsSXhcqLgiCTtpgME4C_ZBG_Bpm8Y/s1600/8+ways+to+quickly+share+links+with+students.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPth3we8zxRx4dqCjS4PKCdoujWYUblS5YX4DAGoI5HNximqs8qHMKWyXrP9y-a2x0jfsLh3jxdYcdubJaEb-gp4DoP9z9008XMG91MGwa8daXcnsSXhcqLgiCTtpgME4C_ZBG_Bpm8Y/s320/8+ways+to+quickly+share+links+with+students.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>1. Canvas</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlH6PPowipZMZ4TsqY7p4wjJiqdnURn0TOr5AE7z8LA_00dZAd7tTr31PXmos5QQGEZGbE-s5Pt79dYTEWoHrilKDB-aNplPqYKwgF_-Heo2vq62QQe1AIbTEWhs6rZGOLW8BwaRMUYF0/s1600/canvas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlH6PPowipZMZ4TsqY7p4wjJiqdnURn0TOr5AE7z8LA_00dZAd7tTr31PXmos5QQGEZGbE-s5Pt79dYTEWoHrilKDB-aNplPqYKwgF_-Heo2vq62QQe1AIbTEWhs6rZGOLW8BwaRMUYF0/s1600/canvas.png" /></a></div>
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A group of CISD employees is piloting Canvas this year. If you're part of the pilot group, Canvas is a great way to share links with your students!</div>
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<b>2. Link on your website</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQLrfMKxcLCBlPaApdRrcYowogEzUD1lUhNsZkNlHfgUEXL7nEzxN32pKqVkIlVTAGO_ZWBFJse4zHMoE1ba1qAIn1fAgQn0v84amtGJYalKSrXMwNeVrMcmudFAwLYtbBI9OrngGFGQ/s1600/website.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQLrfMKxcLCBlPaApdRrcYowogEzUD1lUhNsZkNlHfgUEXL7nEzxN32pKqVkIlVTAGO_ZWBFJse4zHMoE1ba1qAIn1fAgQn0v84amtGJYalKSrXMwNeVrMcmudFAwLYtbBI9OrngGFGQ/s200/website.png" width="200" /></a></div>
CISD staff members already have a pre-built website to customize and store links. For everyone else, I recommend <a href="http://weebly.com/">Weebly </a>(a free, super-easy, drag-and-drop website builder).<br />
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Teach your students to navigate to your website for everything {they'll get quicker with more practice!}, or save your website on the home screen as an "app" on iOS devices.<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>3. AirDrop</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhk0S3pagvaRvPxlmy8vGE7978pP0fQ7QBhhvIo82hxMapmx0O3aNN0uWbagtr5gwYYZnQT-Y22UvN9sidxyGPpBRDw1orRXwnA7OUWE_fRoL3JKVLzGOsKD-OxCF0Yf4D5B_JorWbfs/s1600/AirDrop_Icon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhk0S3pagvaRvPxlmy8vGE7978pP0fQ7QBhhvIo82hxMapmx0O3aNN0uWbagtr5gwYYZnQT-Y22UvN9sidxyGPpBRDw1orRXwnA7OUWE_fRoL3JKVLzGOsKD-OxCF0Yf4D5B_JorWbfs/s1600/AirDrop_Icon.png" /></a></div>
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I've found this to be the fastest way to share <i>anything</i> across newer iOS devices. {<a href="http://www.howtoairdrop.com/">Learn more about AirDropping here</a>.} Keep in mind that AirDrop only works for the following devices: iPhone 5 or higher, iPad 4 or higher, iPad mini or higher, iPod Touch 5th generation or higher.<br />
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<b>4. <a href="http://edu.symbaloo.com/">Symbaloo</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVQJJhGXT7_f9hNWpcjeng3QvR4F4vWVX4a9c60QHYdrFy6rB0cI4QOaZI5k0JwBYcb9eGbGWPQHOSykEZx1S2fFvdJn5tHR97ZZj_sNTvDV6QQKDut2xrD8HrQ-lyLASX97UqTULVJ0/s1600/symbaloo.jpg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVQJJhGXT7_f9hNWpcjeng3QvR4F4vWVX4a9c60QHYdrFy6rB0cI4QOaZI5k0JwBYcb9eGbGWPQHOSykEZx1S2fFvdJn5tHR97ZZj_sNTvDV6QQKDut2xrD8HrQ-lyLASX97UqTULVJ0/s1600/symbaloo.jpg.png" /></a></div>
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This <span style="text-align: start;">free tool lets you store a collection of links all in one place. {</span><a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-to-create-and-customize-symbaloo.html">Click here to read more about Symbaloo</a>.} </div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">While there is a free iOS app available, downloading it on student devices isn't necessary. My favorite way to share a Symbaloo with students is to link a QR code to the Symbaloo and let students scan when needed. I did this for a webmix of quick EdTech instructional videos for students, and it worked really well. You can also save a webmix of student links on an iOS device screen as an "app."</span></div>
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<b>5. QR code</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MwZ4ki4ntbBLG-YkKjaYH3mMFInxW4pw4stwqcZehzQ1Xx_skQWonkoPDvnbuzSkYH6-zxoXGfKE05iRiDRcOxx0lOleqXJ-nBxOZMKHXnVc1BsFYm5w8trI6_YYQ6bd36HmbXd8Vjk/s1600/i3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MwZ4ki4ntbBLG-YkKjaYH3mMFInxW4pw4stwqcZehzQ1Xx_skQWonkoPDvnbuzSkYH6-zxoXGfKE05iRiDRcOxx0lOleqXJ-nBxOZMKHXnVc1BsFYm5w8trI6_YYQ6bd36HmbXd8Vjk/s1600/i3.png" /></a></div>
There are a ton of QR code generating websites and apps, but my favorites are <a href="http://keremerkan.net/qr-code-and-2d-code-generator/">this website</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/qr-reader-for-iphone/id368494609?mt%3D8">this app</a>. It's easy to print a few sheets with QR codes to all the class links and hang them around the room for quick student access.<br />
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<b><br /></b><b>6. <a href="http://web.seesaw.me/">Seesaw</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwJhen_avjbyTwpkp9gq7LsmvQkhcq7Wnc2qFUAh_mDvMnEz8ET_LldTJe9n0AooZYs9ALxpZ7TJbnzOvswgXbKaKlmpOc_gOOaaG4C2hyphenhyphen6lDJMzb22SI6TgK3IwjBwIGVxgIE5eGTF0/s1600/Seesaw.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwJhen_avjbyTwpkp9gq7LsmvQkhcq7Wnc2qFUAh_mDvMnEz8ET_LldTJe9n0AooZYs9ALxpZ7TJbnzOvswgXbKaKlmpOc_gOOaaG4C2hyphenhyphen6lDJMzb22SI6TgK3IwjBwIGVxgIE5eGTF0/s1600/Seesaw.png" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>Seesaw is a free ePortfolio tool that is perfect for the K-12 world {particularly K-4}. One of Seesaw's features includes the ability to drop a link into each student's journal/portfolio so students can access it with one click. <a href="http://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/204230319-How-to-Add-Links-into-Seesaw">Click here</a> to read more about the linking feature in Seesaw, and <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/search/label/Seesaw%3A%20the%20learning%20journal">click here</a> to read my blog post series about Seesaw.<br />
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<b>7. <a href="http://google.com/drive">Google docs</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-v532l5C64KmGb44huUm47_biDGT81gznSjrOL9IE9KNoPSESFgMj4M8XKnHtc4c-u-xbEF217eYNKf-lsA0ibwIhGr0s2bsIKXpciC_9ihPV33edVZYRXMTd0ym8lbXWYL-x2F__TA/s1600/docs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-v532l5C64KmGb44huUm47_biDGT81gznSjrOL9IE9KNoPSESFgMj4M8XKnHtc4c-u-xbEF217eYNKf-lsA0ibwIhGr0s2bsIKXpciC_9ihPV33edVZYRXMTd0ym8lbXWYL-x2F__TA/s1600/docs.png" /></a></div>
Create one Google doc or sheet that houses all your classroom links {if using docs, consider <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/10/how-to-create-table-of-contents-in.html">creating a Table of Contents</a>}, and share with students.<br />
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<b><br /></b><b>8. <a href="https://www.google.com/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html">Google Tone</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGXLFB68rOGZzMRKFHZxkGop82wVALI30OkUmqdodO4nZyNjRxuOuHD2vfqERqh4ONFqFbQhor5IVW5GK9GWOb79hoZ2Lfndoxyil7lC42CKjAtKPa_1uHPoFgxX3f_VSIdftoAwBJFk/s1600/tone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGXLFB68rOGZzMRKFHZxkGop82wVALI30OkUmqdodO4nZyNjRxuOuHD2vfqERqh4ONFqFbQhor5IVW5GK9GWOb79hoZ2Lfndoxyil7lC42CKjAtKPa_1uHPoFgxX3f_VSIdftoAwBJFk/s200/tone.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Personally, I have yet to get to try this method, but it sounds promising! Google Tone is a Chrome extension that allows users to send a link wirelessly to other computers with Tone installed. <a href="http://innovateinstructinspire.blogspot.com/2015/06/how-to-send-link-to-students-without-e.html">Click here to read more about Google Tone</a>.<br />
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<b>Tweetable:</b><br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://goo.gl/fRV9wW">8 ways to quickly share links with students via @ckarasedu</a></li>
</ul>
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<b>Resources</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://osxdaily.com/2013/06/10/ios-7-supported-devices/">OSX Daily</a></li>
</ul>
Candicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13560192156541526715noreply@blogger.com0