2018 WinnersNominate a favorite book for next year's awards!! List of past winners and nominees.2017-2018 Top Children's Picture Books in GeorgiaThis conference is having a 50th birthday next year and the Book Awards website is getting a makeover- here is a link and preview...Would you like to apply to serve on a committee for the conference, or become a reviewer of books? If so- mark your calendar to apply in January before the deadline!
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Leslie Fisher taught this great class -- June 2016: Handout
To really use the mobile Adobe apps- you need an Adobe ID
accounts.adobe.com- free
4 parts of Photoshop are broken out into 4 apps
plus sign on left for new project
Photoshop Sketch
Can send file as a vector image to illustrator (.eps)
Adobe Spark Video
Can export and share the video
Has great prompts in the placeholders to guide students
Can also record in screencastomatic to avoid using cloud space
Adobe Spark Post
Create Memes
spark.adobe.com
Adobe post, page, video: entirely web based
My Projects (access everything here you have created)
Adobe Illustrator draw
allows you to draw Vector images- upload files as .eps
Adobe Spark Page
Turn a story into a visual story
Create a web story for travel or a field trip
High end photos but it does not create a video
Adobe Capture App
Adobe Color Capture - matches colors for future projects
Swatches command: can design on desktop and access your swatches
makes pen drawing
Note- cool tip:
ipad- w/ a Mac- regular USB cable
Quicktime player: File> New Movie Recording> Drop down next to record button> ipad
Switch audio from ipad also
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Most of you are now following my Facebook page , but I'd like to post a few blog articles about recent PD I have delivered and PD I am attending this year- hopefully to reach a wider audience about something that has made me a better educator.
It's called Discovery Education.
I call it Community.
I call it Personalized Learning.
I call it Collaboration.
I call it Innovation.
Whatever you call it- it matters and continues to matter to me as I continue this journey of life and work in the field of education. #DEPD rocks!!!
I presented at Denapalooza U.K. in London last November aboard the HMS Belfast. What an AMAZING DAY. This blog post does not and cannot in any way show the intangibles of the day-- the connections and learning and general joy that took place aboard a vintage ship. For those of you wondering about my presentation...here's a great video showing snippets of the amazing the day of learning and community! Yes- video proof that I did not make the whole thing up!! And my sweet daughter in her warm London clothes even made it into the footage. :) ...check it out here: http://www.discoveryeducation.co.uk/video/item898405
smile emoticon US friends- you have now had a chance to meet many of my favorite people from across the pond in the video above and one or two pretty fab Canadians. And if you aren't part of the Discovery Educator Network- message me and I'll tell you how to join. They'll host events all over the world this year ... attend and it will change you for the better.
In fact, the new plan for Discovery Education is to host "Day of Discovery Tour". I'm excited to be heading to Denver, Colorado for the first time in September, 2016 to give an Ed Tech presentation for the tour- check out http://www.dayofdiscoverytour.com/. Join me if you are in the area- or find another location on the worldwide FREE PD tour! Life changing, I promise. I will decide on my topic as it gets closer to the event. I have so much to share and it is always difficult to decide what I'd like to spend my precious 45 minutes sharing. I hope to collaborate with you soon- in person or virtually!
Last but not least-- I owe a huge thank you to Discovery Education Network Community Members Ana Horine (Georgia) and Jessica Wheeler (South Carolina) for donating Beanie Babies(r) for a fun part of my presentation. It is called "The Beanie Bunch" and I have always used stuffed animals such as Beanie Babies in my libraries and classrooms. In this session, participants received a Beanie Baby(r) animal in a paper bag. All the stuffed animals were different species. Then, participants received a sheet of paper with animal characteristics as clues. The fun began when had 3 minutes to find the animal on their clues by asking yes/no questions of others. This was a very condensed version of an icebreaker, research/writing/vocabulary project using Discovery Education, and motivational experience for classrooms. Teachers in the UK then messaged me a few days later that they have started "Beanie Buddy" programs in their own classrooms after attending the workshop. It was a truly great feeling to know others benefitted from my ideas. :)
Stay tuned for a few posts in coming weeks...
| | | Denapalooza UK @ the HMS Belfast on the Thames, Nov. 2015 |
My Denapalooza London, U.K. presentation is below- created with my amazing co-presenter and friend Tracy Carpenter:
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Share your thoughts with TumbleBooks and win an iPad! Enter before August 15 ... Here's how!
This Fall, TumbleBooks is introducing a brand new feature to help you and your students find the books they want!
"If You Liked This Book, You Might Also Enjoy"- will be an exciting new feature added to the collection. When your students choose a book, they will see some suggestions of other similar books they might like. This will show up both in the book detail page and in a new Search box.
And, speaking of the new search box, you will also see a brand new Help Me Find a Book feature- for both teachers and for students.
And so, once again, TumbleBooks asks for your feedback and suggestions. What topics will you need to search to find books for your students? What topics will you use when teaching mini-lessons during the year? What are some keywords you use when looking for instructional resources? Tell them what you might want to search for during the course of the year. Simply email your search term list to info@tumblebooks.com with any other feedback by August 15, 2015 to be entered in the iPad drawing!
You will help improve the website and have the chance to win a brand new iPad!
Please tell TumbleBooks how to make their SEARCH feature as good as it can be.
Happy Tumbling!
Bonus Tumble Teacher Tips:
TumbleBooks Quiz Feature:I LOVE the Quiz feature in Tumblebooks. This would be a great way to assess comprehension in either a 'Quick' quiz or full quiz. It is also a fun way to 'practice' taking a book quiz before taking an Accelerated Reader quiz. I particularly love the feedback style which explains the missed answers, and the 'Retake' option.
| | | Feedback sample with options to Print, Retake, or Go Back |
Ask your Library Media Specialist about purchasing a subscription to TumbleBooks! This is post #1 of a series of TumbleBooks blog posts I am sharing during the 2015-2016 school year. Subscribe to my blog at the link above to get future posts delivered directly to your in-box.
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Washington, D.C.
These are the sessions I am attending today and the corresponding notes, ideas, and links to presentations from the Discovery Education Summer Institute. I hope you enjoy learning this information as much as I did today...
Social Media Tips from Steve Dembo: Amplify your message with Thunderclap Twitter Service
Google with Rachel Yurk:
* Video No.tes
* MoveNote
* Clarisketch
* WeVideo
* LucidPress
* Lucid Chart
* Zaption - app to allow you to add questions to a video
* EduCannon - test this out
* PixiClip
App Smashing with Lina Rush
Perfectly Portable Presentations: with David Fisher: http://goo.gl/hpV4bFUnedited Version of presentation@DavidFisher65davidfisher65@gmail.comGoogle Drive tools that can be added to save to our Google Drive automaticallyThe MORE button in Drive- gives access to presentation tools like: drawings, forms, maps, movenote, powtoon, pixlr, zoho show, raw shorts, wevideo, and the 'connect more apps' link to the web store. Movenote: web based- take a slide deck and upload it to movenote and you can narrate your slide deck with you in the image.
* Push apps out to the students in Google Classroom
* Pear Deck
* EMaze
* Knovio- like Google drive-- easy share factor
* Photo Peach
* Haiku Deck
* iCloud with Apple ID- Keynote Numbers and Pages
* Storybird
* Sway.com
* Buncee
* Office Mix- a PPT add-on only for PC not MAC
* Moov.ly like Powtoon but more professional
* Classflow
* Tellagami
* Puppet Pals- always a favorite
Get in Touch with your Inner Librarian with Susan Gauthierhttps://sway.com/6pRx6w6PNYadMTA_
Sway- limited on bells and whistles so focus is on content
* Choose your own Adventure Stories in Google
* BookTrack
* Augmented Reality
* FLIPSNACK.COM http://www.flipsnack.com/ flip book
* Into the Book
* Comprehension- Socratic Seminar- Purposeful Talk
* Socrative Seminar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pGVR6ZF_2M
* Purposeful Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH0huSCDEUQ
* Anchor Charts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PA6HA5ubN8
* SOS- Partner Time: http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/2015/05/19/sos-partner-time/
* Socrative Seminar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pGVR6ZF_2M
* Purposeful Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH0huSCDEUQ
* Anchor Charts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PA6HA5ubN8
* SOS- Partner Time: http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/2015/05/19/sos-partner-time/
* Ebooks of primary source documents (primary
* source sets)- https://www.loc.gov/education/
* Primary Source Sets https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/
* World Digital Library - http://www.wdl.org/en/
* Readers to the Rescue - http://read.gov/readers/
* Exquisite Corpse - http://read.gov/exquisite-corpse/
* Aesop's Fables http://read.gov/aesop/index.htm
* Bookoplolis - https://www.bookopolis.com
* storyjumper https://www.storyjumper.com/
* Adobe Voice - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adobe-voice-show-your-story/id852555131?mt=8
* Quick guide to using Voice in the classroom that you can find on the sign-in screen Example: https://standout.adobe.com/voice/
* Instant Poetry - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/instant-poetry-2/id925723441?mt=8 Can include photo in the back of the poetry
* Poetry Creator-https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/poetry-creator-verses-poetry/id371925480?mt=8
* Arranging words into your own poetry is much easier
DENnovator Faire-- our own Maker Faire is this evening. Click here for the website detailing the things we will see and make...Sleep.
whew!
Bonus:
Check out the blogs of my U.K. friends here with me this week...
https://mrwrightteaches.wordpress.com/
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
At ISTE 2015 I learned about Ghost Mode using from an awesome and personable co-founder of Kahoot, Jamie Brooker!He was manning the Kahoot booth in Philadelphia from across the pond and personally greeting visitors + giving away really nice T-Shirts. I admired this so much about a company I already love.I told him my 3rd grade students went home after using Kahoot and ON THEIR OWN they started creating Kahoots to use with their classmates... and did this all year. And are probably still doing this over the summer.
Here's a blog post from Kahoot! :
"We’re calling this new feature ‘Ghost mode’. When you finish a game of Kahoot! you will see a new ‘Play again’ button that also contains a ghost icon. When you click on the button, the same game is relaunched. As well as your ‘live’ class, all players are joined by their ‘ghosts’! The ghosts play the game alongside live players, and their answers (and answer times) will be exactly the same as those the players entered in the previous game."
You'll see little ghost icons beside the ghost players. Very exciting!
P.S.- My 7th grader loves her Kahoot! T-Shirt from the Kahoot booth at #ISTE2015 and wore it proudly while touring Philadelphia! She uses Kahoot at school in City Schools of Decatur, Georgia and can't wait to try out ghost mode.
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Technology Integration SpecialistGoogle Certified Innovatorsbeyondthechalk.netDean Phillips dean@beyondthechalk.net @DeanPhillipsMTJeff Crews jeff@beyondthechalk.net @crewsertechSandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Spreading the Good News: Social Media for Schools Presented by Heather Hurley, Assistant Principal, Arlington Public Schools (Disclaimer: I am quite fond of Heather!)http://www.learning2leading.com/2015/06/spreading-good-news-using-social-media.html
Spreading the Good News: Using Social Media for School Communication from Heather Hurley Recommended Reading:The Power of BrandingShow Your WorkImportant points to remember:· Start SLOWLY! · Tell good stories· Share something small every day· Get out in the school and see what’s happening· Don’t be human spam and over-share· Give a voice to all stakeholders· Make sure you do not re-tweet the same users over and over· Use multiple platforms (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)· Stick around: commit to the plan and don’t stop all of a sudden or discontinue Jamestown Elementary’s Plan:Based on a district committee where one representative per school is given a stipend to be social media directorMonthly meetings and trainings for committee membersDistrict Social Media planOriginally used Facebook, Twitter, Remind, Pinterest:
Twitter proved to be most useful and successful
* Pinterest ended up being adopted by the librarian for sharing books each month that were new to the collection
* Remind was useful to parents and managed by individual teachers
* Facebook is launching ion the future
Add-Ons to improve the plan:*· Nurph- a Twitter clean chat platform for teachers and administrators to facilitate chats in the evenings – a question is posted and a unique hashtag· Periscope: Live feed videotaping allowing a post to Twitter. Viewers can comment and also save the feed to their device· Flipagram: Several photos can be added and posted online with music, titles, etc.· Storify: Makes a story from a Twitter feed based on a particular hashtag· Tweetdeck: multiple Twitter accounts can be viewed in one window—Tweets can be scheduled, also great for managing Twitter chatsSandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Follett New Product Announcements- #ISTE2015 https://twitter.com/follettlearning Follett has a new specialized digitally paired book series called Lightbox that links print books to online digital media- the digital content includes quizzes, intervention, geography with Google Maps, videos, images, etc. Currently there are over 120 titles for PK-6... and upper grades including high school will be added soon. (I will post the list of titles when it is available). The titles will include fiction and non-fiction.
Lightbox access will be available directly in Destiny Library Manager if you are a Destiny subscriber for all titles you purchase. The company anticipates selling a hardcover with Lightbox access, then additional softcovers to supplement small groups or whole classes needing access to print copies.Each book is 40.00 with unlimited, perpetual access, and includes one copy of the book plus all related digital content. Pre-order them here. Sign up now and receive a 20% discount on your first purchase.
Follett shared another K-3 product called Playaway Launchpad that is also interesting- a mobile device that circulates and has a re-set button when it is returned for easy setup for the next patron. http://www.titlewave.com/pdf/launchpad.pdf
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
7 great starter Google Apps and Drive add-ons mentioned at #iste2015
* Google Tone for chirps that send URLs to others in the room instead of sending links
* Google Takeout to download your data
* Pear Deck in google drive to share screens
* Read/Write for google (paid add on- with highlighter etc.)
* Autocrat add on in sheets for merging
* Flubaroo add on in sheets for grading and scoring student work
* Open Clip Art to search over 50,000 clip art images to insert into your Google docs
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Hanging out creates community! Presented by Mr. Scott St. Pierre
http://www.scottstp.com/hangouts/ #scottstp
This would be an excellent news show format for a school. Multiple cameras and angles, moderated questions or comments. 4 hours maximum recording time. You can play video from another place by installing an app. but know that re-broadcasting content (music, video, etc.) on YouTube may be a copyright issue. You should always have an additional monitor set on YouTube to check and make sure your broadcasted show is working.
Optional Equipment:
Long USB cable and webcam- small tripod (Logitech C920 HD camera approx. 100.00 on Amazon and will mount to a tripod). You can assign a student to be the camera operator/switcher. The mic on Webcam is fine for close, but an external USB microphone like a blue snowball mic (60.00 - use long USB cable) is nice.
Initial Setup
Comment Tracker
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Tammy Worcester Tang's website is tammyworcester.com. She is available to come to your school or district to provide training and workshops that excite your teachers and engage your learners!
The Google Templates, Tips, and resources on Tammy's website are found here:
http://tammyworcester.com/googlestuff/
Tammy Worcester Tangwww.tammyworcester.com
Login to your Google account before you begin.
| | | virtual index card made with Google Sheet |
Handout: bit.ly/1BZ5x02
Topics in this class...
1. URL Shortener and QR Code Creator
2. Spreadsheet Basics
3. Class Notebook
4. Lesson Plans
5. Mad Libs
6. Pixel Picture
7. Power of the Penny
8. Magic Square
9. Random Picker Add-On
10. Animal Guess My Number
11. Awesome Google Spreadsheet Formatting Tricks
12. Tammy’s Templates - Click here to see Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Brain Pop for grades 3-8 has some engaging new features if you are a subscriber-- just get your school's code from your administrator (media specialist, etc.) and set up student accounts. Mobile device functionality is still incomplete- but all features work beautifully on a computer.
Some Cool Features:
GAME UP: GAMES: over 100 cross-curricular games...
- Click Games--All Games-- Jelly Bean for a sample game that builds number sense.
- Time Zone X is a cool historical events sequencing game on the horizon...Click Game Up on homescreen, search for games.
MIND-MAPPING: Concept mapping tool in Brainpop is called "Make a Map"- take moments from a movie and organize them visually. To try it out- go to a movie in Brainpop, click "Make a Map" underneath- and notice the key vocabulary is available for your mind map. You can also click ¨Add a movie" and add another movies info to your map. Students can explain their maps below and on each keyword- you can click play and go to the exact place in the video to see that keyword. Way cool!
SORTIFY: for interactive sorting and categorizing games that are automatically scored and submitted to the teacher.
ELL LESSONS: over 90 ELL Lessons in Brainpop ESL
MIXER: over 20 thousand questions
QUIZ MIXER: Make and edit your own quizzes! Heres a link to a step guide.
SNAPTHOUGHT - search for snapthought to see which games have this feature--- students can take a snapshot of part of the resource and explain it by submitting to the teacher.
PRIMARY SOURCES: Click here for an article detailing the primary source additions...BRAINPOP EDUCATORS: Lesson ideas, support videos, help getting started with all of the things listed above
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
As I move to a new job in our district's awesome high school- I am reviewing the process of search strategies for an entirely new generation of students. I found a few great resources-- some You Tube videos, some web resources-- What do you use to teach online search strategies and digital research skills?
Google Search Education:
Basic Google Search Education Lesson Plans:
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
The free Build with Chrome website allows you to use Google Maps as your base plate for virtual LEGO brick building projects that can also be shared. The website calls itself " the largest LEGO® set the world has ever seen". When you open the website using the Chrome browser you'll be prompted to allow your location via Google Maps.
Step 1- Visit website https://www.buildwithchrome.com
Step 2- Enable your location
Step 3- Build a LEGO project (practice first in the Build Academy... https://www.buildwithchrome.com/buildacademy)
Step 4- Publish and agree to terms
Step 5- View
Check it out!
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
The free Remind messaging service (formerly known as Remind101) has an embeddable widget for websites... Click here for instructions!
If you are using Weebly or any other site that accepts embed code, this is a great way to allow users to sign up for updates. The Remind blog also has an update for Moodle users with tips for embedding the widget.
| | | https://www.remind.com/ |
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Here's a free tip of the day for iPhone users-- sign up on the iPhone + iPad Life Magazine website. Check the tiny box at the bottom of the screen on this link.
| | | Click to visit this site |
I enjoy these tips and I have learned something new every week.
Many tips carry over to ipads also- so it's helping me help my students...
http://www.iphonelife.com/blog/31961/announcing-tip-day-newsletter
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Fun Switcher is a free collection of random sounds, theme songs, and other random sound clips. Each sound can be tweeted easily with one click. The sounds are not school-appropriate, but adults could spend hours searching and playing fun clips. (you've been warned!)
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
I stumbled upon a great Library blog from the U.K. today: http://heartoftheschool.edublogs.org
I especially love the book awards section which can really help with collection development and new title discoveries. Printable Version: tinyurl.com/ukbookawards
National Book Awards| Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction | Previously the Orange Prize | | Blue Peter Book Award | Fiction and non fiction categories | | BookTrust Best Book Award | Voted for by children. Shortlists in March, Winners in July | | Branford Boase Award | Outstanding debut novel for children. Shortlist in May, Award in July | | Carnegie and Greenaway Awards | Shortlist in March, Awards in June. Official Shadowing site. | | CityRead London | Londonwide reading event, one adult and one children’s book. Launched in April | | CLPE Poetry Award | UK Award for published poetry for children. Shortlist in May, winner in July | | Costa Book Awards | Children’s and Adult categories. Shortlists in November, winners announced in January | | Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize | Judged by children’s authors. | | ManBooker Award | Shortlist announced in September, Award in October. Good for sixth form reading groups. | | Red House Children’s Book Award | Books for all ages voted for entirely by children. | | Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize | For a Science book written for young people. Shortlist in May, Award in November | | SLA Information Book Award | All ages, winner announced in Autumn term. Voted for by children as well | | Stan Lee Excelsior Book Award | The only nationwide book award for graphic novels and manga. Shortlist in December, Award in June/July | | Waterstones Children’s Book Prize | Winners announced in April |
Local (International) Book Awards| Red Dot Book Awards | Initiative of International School Libraries in Singapore. |
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Attended a great session at #DENVirtcon 2014 in @FultonCoSchools about Blendspace:
Free version
https://www.blendspace.com/
or paid version
https://www.blendspace.com/schools
Simple steps to get started:
1. Create a free Account in Blendspace
2. Create a lesson
3. Choose a theme
4. Preview resources
5. Add to your canvas by dragging and dropping into your lesson
6. Embed in Edmodo (using app in Edmodo) or on a website
7. Blendspace gallery- copy and take into your own account, edit, etc.
8. Print a nice page of resources with URLS for technology centers, menus, absent students or remediation
9. Idea- go ahead and make Tile 1 = standards (use Text box) Tile 2 = essential questions
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Goobric is an add-on idea as an answer to rubric assessing for teachers/students who use Google made by 3rd party 'New Visions for Public Schools'...Rubrics are attached directly to docs and returned to students with their work.
Doctopus is a document and project management add-on in Google Drive. These add-on programs (and many others) are continually being improved- start checking out the tutorials others have shared:https://sites.google.com/a/flippededucation.com/flippedevents/home/google-apps-summit-presentations/google-scripts---formemailer-doctopus--goobric-and-autocrat http://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFE3dX9R6oqNVuE_hDyBi_cSkO7BwZo99http://ipadsandbox.wikispaces.com/file/view/jlGoogleDoctopus.pdf Sample how-to video: http://youtu.be/evFN1m82JiY
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
The 2014-2015 Georgia Children's Picture Storybook Book Award nominee list is here- the list even correlates with curriculum!
Check out the complete list, and read some great nominees so you may send in your vote next year.
(BONUS: Activity Kit for Mr. Tiger is here)
I use Follett Titlewave to order the complete list each Spring. I also add the titles to our Summer Reading list so my students will read enough to qualify to vote next year!
(Coming soon- I'll post the Book Nominee list for grades 4-8 and ages 10/11 up!)
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Check out this great article with 52 Google Docs secrets to make life easier!http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2012/04/04/52-great-google-docs-secrets-for-students/
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist
Ever seen a font in a poster and wondered what it's called? Try this new app! WHAT THE FONThttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/whatthefont/id304304134?mt=8
Sandi H. Dennis- Media and Instructional Technology Specialist