Teacher Spotlight - Standley Lake High School Summer Reading Program with Tanya Jensen, Digital Teacher Librarian

First year Digital Teacher Librarian, Tanya Jensen, has been collaborating with the Jefferson County Public Library (JCPL) and her English teachers to develop a website that supports summer reading at Standley Lake High School. The website functions like GoodReads, but has been created specifically for students; high schoolers can write reviews and search for titles based on genre and recommendations. In addition, the staff will participate and add their reviews to the website. The school's vision is to grow the site so that it is an easy way for students to locate books of interest, based on peer reviews. Students can also submit suggestions for books they want the library to purchase in the future.

The summer reading program has changed from giving students a list of books they have to choose from, to allowing students the freedom to select any book they want. Students that don’t know which book to choose will now have this peer-generated list of recommended books to guide them. In their English class next fall, with the support of the Digital Teacher Librarian, students will write book summaries and reviews for the website.

The kick off for the summer reading program at SLHS is during during Literacy Week, which falls from April 24th-28th. The JCPL team and Tanya are working together to introduce the students to as many books as possible in a short amount of time through a book speed dating activity. There will be tables based on genre, and the students will peruse the books for five minutes at each table to determine where their interests lie. Students will be provided with bookmarks to jot down interesting books they discovered. If students find a title they want to check out, they will be able to do so through JCPL. On Friday, April 28th, Barnes and Noble will visit the school for a mini book fair, where students will be able to purchase books that match their interests.

The staff is excited about this exciting new website, and they feel this will be a better fit for students to find books that match their interests. The JCPL summer reading program entices teens to read through the summer by awarding an Eliche's 1-day pass to the first 5,000 readers, achieving 8 hours or more. The Jefferson County high school with the most readers will receive an $800 prize.

Link to SLHS Summer Reading Website

Speed Dating with Jefferson County Public Library

All Roads Lead to Chrome...Cast for Education

Teach and Learn From Anywhere in the Classroom

Do you ever have students hold up whiteboards to show their answer? Maybe put student work under the doc cam? Do you ask students to share a document with you so you can share it with the class? Now you can do all of these things with a Chromebook and a projector. The ability to cast with a Chromebook is now here for Jeffco. Similar to using an iPad with Air Server, Cast for Education lets you share your computer screen from one Chrome browser to another.

Teachers invite individuals or groups of students to cast by selecting individual email addresses or   by inviting classes that are set up in Google Classroom. Students have the choice of casting one tab or their entire browser. Teachers will be prompted to accept or deny the requests. Sharing ideas and thinking digitally is easier. Now teaching and learning can happen anywhere in the classroom. 

Things to Know:

It is free.

Only one screen can be casting to the teacher's device at a time. 

It DOES work with Chromebooks, desktops, and laptops.

It DOES work in a BYOD environment

It does NOT work with iPads.

Here are some directions to get you going or contact your Ed Tech Specialist for help:

Cast for Education on the Ed Tech Website

'Keep' your To-Do Lists Organized with Google Keep

Are your work and personal spaces cluttered with sticky notes reminding you what you need to get done? Do you ever wish you could easily collaborate on your to-do lists or keep them all in one handy place? If so, Google Keep might just be the tool you didn't know you needed.

Check out these benefits of Google Keep:

• Add audio, drawings, photos, lists and checklists to your "stickies."
• Keep is available on your computer and other mobile devices (smart phone and iPad).
• Set time and location reminders so you don't miss a thing! 
• Collaborate on a individual "stickies" by adding another person's email address. When another person is added, you can see their changes in real time! 
• Change the color of your "stickies" to highlight important lists. 
• Filter your notes by different attributes to find things quickly.
• Archive old "stickies" so you can refer to them again, without having them take up space on your screen. 
• Copy your note to a Google Doc for even more options! 

Watch this quick tutorial to learn how to get started with Keep! Finally, don't "Keep" this great tool to yourself, show it to your students so they can collaborate and stay organized, too! 

Using Google Slides for collaborative (and online) Classroom Newsletters

Isn’t it time you started creating e-newsletters? Watch this video and, you will learn how to use Google Slides to create striking and informative newsletters that can be displayed on your classroom website (using Google Sites) or shared via a link using email. Be prepared to learn techniques that will:

• Quickly communicate what is happening in your classroom.
• Inform parents of upcoming events.
• Share moments captured electronically.
• Allow you to design a flexible newsletter format.
• Allow you to maintain an online newsletter archive.
• Allow you to work collaboratively with your teammates.

Link to video: How to Create Classroom Newsletters using Google Slides

Get Google Certified!

What is Google Certification?

Have you been hearing the hype or seeing the badge and wondering what this means? The Google Certification program is designed for educators to demonstrate proficiency in integrating the G Suite for Education tools into their teaching practice.

Levels of Certification:

The Google Educator Level 1 status indicates that an educator is able to effectively implement G Suite for Education into their teaching practice to enhance teaching and learning. 

The Educator Level 2 status indicates that educators are able to effectively integrate a wider base of Google and Web 2.0 tools to transform learning.

Google also offers Google Certified Trainer and Google Certified Innovator programs.

How do I get started?

Go to the Training Center.  Start under the "Training" tab and choose the path that best fits you.  The training center is divided into Fundamentals training for Educator Level 1 or Advanced for Educator Level 2.  You do not have to complete Level 1 in order to take Level 2.
Log in with your Gmail account. The Training Center will track your progress for you so you can work through the lessons at your own pace. Quizzes and reviews are built into lessons to check for understanding.  You can go through the units in any order you choose and revisit lessons when necessary. The training center is more than just the "how"- it includes application, examples, and testimonials from teachers integrating tools into their classroom.  After completing the modules in the Training Center, you can choose to take an online exam to obtain your certification.

Things to know about the exam:

• It is a 3-hour online exam.
• You must have a web camera and a reliable internet connection.
• You must register first and it can take up to 24 hours before you can begin.
• After registering you have 7 days to take the exam.
• Your certification is valid for 24 months.
• You must sign a NDA (non-disclosure agreement).
• The Educator Level 1 exam costs $10 and Educator Level 2 costs $25.

Show what you know and get Google Certified!

5th Annual Colorado Summit Featuring Google for Education

2016 marks the 5th anniversary of the Colorado Summit featuring Google Apps for Education at Monarch High School in Louisville, Colorado. Google summits are presented by Ed Tech Team Inc. and feature sessions from leaders in educational technology from across the globe. These summits "... are high intensity two-day events that focus on deploying, integrating, and using G Suite for Education (formerly Google Apps for Education) and other Google Tools to promote student learning in K-12 and higher education." - Edtechteam.com/summits

This year's summit took place on November 5th and 6th. More than 400 educators were in attendance, with Jeffco representing over 90 of those attendees. These educators spent their weekend collaborating and learning about new and innovating ways to integrate technology into their work with students.



Jeffco was also represented as presenters at the Colorado Summit featuring Google Apps for Education!

• Becky Shorey, educator at Green Mountain High School, presented two sessions: 
• Intro to the Power of Google Forms
• Diving Deeper into Google Classroom 
• Alyssa C. Davidson, educator at Ralston Valley High School, presented two sessions: 
• Pear Deck Basics: 100% Student Engagement
• Sweeter Student Engagement with Pear Deck

The Jeffco Ed Tech department took away new and exciting learning from the Colorado Summit featuring Google Apps for Education. See the slideshow below for our top 10 takeaways.

If you are interested in attending a future Summit, check the Ed Tech Team Inc.'s Summit website for updates on exact locations, event dates, and registration information!

• Breckenridge - Spring 2017
• Colorado Springs - Summer 2017
• Boulder - Fall 2017

Even if you missed the Colorado Summit featuring Google Apps for Education, you can still experience excellent professional development and get connected with Ed Tech Team Inc.

• Join Jeffco's Google Summit Google Classroom (join code: owcx8n4)
• Online learning presented by the EdTechTeam
• Get Certified with Google 
• Check out the EdTechTeam YouTube Channel
• Apply to be a Google for Education Innovator
• Join the EdTechTeam Google+ Community
• Follow the #edtechteam hashtag and @edtechteam on Social Media

Google Expeditions: West Woods Students Take Author Roland Smith to Mt. Everest

How do you integrate technology into an author visit? Take the author on a trip to his own setting. Fifth graders at West Woods Elementary not only met author Roland Smith but invited him to climb Mt. Everest with them.  Students in Ms. Bachman's class were reading "Peak", one of Smith's many novels when the author himself came for an assembly to talk about the writing process. Armed with Google Cardboards and the Expeditions app, fifth graders were able to take a tour of Mt. Everest through virtual reality as the author narrated. Students were amazed at the details and facts Mr. Smith shared with them about Mt. Everest as he was looking through the Google Cardboard.  They asked him several follow-up questions about how he acquires so much information and the research that goes into his writing process.

Later in class, students participated in a full expedition to Everest with Digital Teacher Librarian, Kristen McCann.  "Watching students engage in their learning and the connections that students were able to make to the text because of the experience was phenomenal," stated Kristen.

Student conversations and questions overheard:
 --"I don't think Holly will make it to the summit because she has not prepared her body physically or acclimated to the environment."
--"I am wondering if Peak’s experience climbing skyscrapers will be enough to tackle Everest."
--"What do these people do for jobs way up here?"

Patti Katsampes, West Woods principal, was also able to partake in the expedition with students.  She marveled at how the experience brought together best practices in tech integration and instruction while bringing a real-world experience to the classroom, deepening their learning. Screenshots and an interview with Ms. Katsampes is included in the slideshow below.



Expeditions works in conjunction with Google Cardboard and iTouches or smartphones.  One device acts as a guide, while all others have devices to follow in a 360 degrees photosphere. The guide can direct points of interest and followers will see white arrows appear on their screen.  The guide sees smiley faces on their device so they know where their participants are focusing. Expeditions also provides the guide with content right on the screen.
Kristen has words of advice for those ready to embark on an Expedition: "Consider learning objectives and essential questions when planning for an expedition.  What do you want students to walk away with? How will they synthesize what they learned?  I can't wait for our next virtual trip.  Maybe we will explore Mayan or Aztec ruins. To infinity and beyond!"

Learn more from Google's Expeditions website 

How does a Jeffco teacher get started?
Contact your Ed Tech Specialist.

Google Classroom & Schoology: A Comparison Chart

Teachers are increasingly turning to tools to help support digital workflow in their classrooms.

Student online work, discussions, assignment tracking, and instant feedback are some features that digital workflow tools can provide.

Two common tools available for teachers within Jeffco which can support these needs are Schoology and Google Classroom.

 Jeffco Ed Tech has created a comparison chart to help support the discussions which many schools are having regarding these two tools.


Choosing the best tool for the job always begins with the instructional purpose in mind. Teachers may find they need one or both of these tools at various times throughout the year to help meet their needs.

Digital Teacher Librarians and the Jeffco Ed Tech team are great resources as your school enters into these conversations.

Looking for more information about digital workflow? Read our related blog.

New: Google Slides Q and A

Do you use Google Slides with your learners? Do you want to be able to honor your participants questions, without stopping the flow of the presentation? Do you want your participants to be able to communicate with each other and with the presenter to discuss the learning and to answer each others questions? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the new Google Slides Q and A feature might be just what you are looking for!

Google Slides Q and A is available on all slide decks when the user is ready to begin presenting their slides to an audience. When this feature is enabled, a separate browser window will open, in which participants can pose questions or leave comments to both the presenter and other participants. They may do this using their name or in anonymous mode. Additionally, participants may escalate or deescalate a comment or question, raising it to the top of the list, so that it's not missed by the presenter.

View the presentation below to learn how to set up Google Slides Q and A in your next Google Slides presentation and give your learners a new avenue to communicate!

Annotating Documents using Google Classroom

While you were away enjoying your summer, Google Classroom came out with brand new feature that allows both teachers and students to annotate PDF's and JPG's using the Google Classroom mobile app. Previously, students and teachers would need to have another app, such as Notability, to annotate documents.

Annotation tools within Google Classroom include the eraser, pen, marker, highlighter, and text tool. Using these options, Students can use the annotation feature to draw, sketch, notate, and write out their thinking. Check out the presentation below to learn how to use the annotation features within classroom!


Think beyond the limits of worksheets! Imagine how students could capture their thinking by taking a photograph of a text they are working with and could mark up the document using their annotation features to show their thinking. No more sticky notes in text books that make it difficult for a teacher to view!

Not only can students annotate their thinking, teachers can, too! Teachers can select a different pen color and provide feedback to their students on the same document previously annotated by students. Teachers have the same annotation tools as students. Just remember to return student assignments in Classroom in order for students to see the feedback on that assignment.

To use the new annotation feature, you will need to make sure your students and teacher iPads have the most updated version of Google Classroom. To update your Google Classroom app, delete the app off of your iPads and reinstall it through the Jeffco App Catalog. Don't worry, you will not lose your classes and data, as that information is saved in the cloud.

Here's the official announcement from Google, published August 17th.

Go Digital with Notes using Google Keep

Sticky Note Overload???? Digitize your notes with Google Keep.

This is an excellent tool to use for creating digital sticky notes. It is a clean, user-friendly interface. It only takes one click to write a note, upload a picture or create a to-do list through the web interface or through the mobile app. It’s as simple as tapping the note text field, and then start typing.

Google Keep allows you to color-code your notes and lists so you can easily categorize and find them. 

You can even include images in your notes.

You can create to-do lists, notes for lesson plans, take minutes from meetings, and basically anything you want to remember. Why use Google Keep? The main reason for putting your notes in the cloud is so that you have access to them anytime, anywhere you have an internet connection. That means you can assess and edit your notes from your phone, your tablet, Chromebook or your laptop...across all devices! Since it is a Google product, anyone with a Gmail or a Google Apps account has access, so there is not a separate login like with other tools.

• You can easily set reminders to receive notifications to complete a task. Simply click on the reminder button and select a reminder by date and time or reminder by location.
• It now supports real-time collaborative editing, so you can share your notes with others for viewing and editing. Simply click on the Share icon, type the email address of the person with whom you wish to share, and it appears is their Google Keep. Think of the power this feature has with students and the many ways they can benefit from this easy-to-use tool.
• You can also copy directly to a Google doc. 

Not surprising is that like other Google tools, Google Keep notes are also searchable.

Watch this video to see how easy Google Keep can keep you organized!

Get started by installing the Google Keep app from the Chrome store.

You can also install the Google Tabs for Google Keep extension from the Chrome store to further categorize your notes. This handy extension allows you quickly add a note to a predetermined color-coded category. You can click on a category title and see all notes associated with that category with just one click. No more wasting times looking through all your notes!

For more information on using Google Keep, check out this video:

Tips for Organizing Your Google Drive

Utilization of Google Apps for Education has changed the way we collaborate and communicate with students and colleagues. Another great benefit of using your Google Drive is unlimited free cloud storage. While this fuels collaboration power, it can be a hindrance when it comes to organization. Below are some simple time saving tips to help you organize your Google Drive and use it more efficiently.

Tips and Tricks

1. Color Code your Folders

For many people, simply color coding folders, makes items easier to find. To change the color of your folder, right click on it and select a new color.

2. Star Important Items

You can also add stars to highlight important items. Again, right click on the file or folder and select "Add Star". When you are working in "My Drive" select "Starred" and only your starred items will appear. Consider adding stars to items that you are currently working on. This will make them easily accessible.

3. Utilize the Search Feature

Items in your shared drive are organized in order by the date they were received. This can make it tricky to find older items that were shared with you. The search feature is a great option for finding what you need quickly. Use the drop down filter to narrow your results further.

4. Cleaning up your Shared Drive

When you become an active collaborator in your Google Drive, your shared drive can become very crowded and overwhelming. If you have items shared with you that you no longer need or use, consider removing them. Only the owner has the ability to permanently delete a file, therefore, removing it from your shared drive will have no impact on the original file. The only exception would be if the creator of the file gave you ownership rights. In which case, you will receive a warning message to alert you before you delete the file.

For more information, watch the screen cast below to guide you through the organization process.

Need tech support? Contact the Jeffco Ed Tech Team

Steegle Slider Gadget

Bored with outdated, text heavy web pages? Let the Steegle Slider Gadget rejuvenate your website with welcoming images and current announcements sliding across the page!

If you have used Google Slides, you will love the ease in which you can use the Steegle Slidemaker Gadget to create a visually appealing slider for your Google Website. Even if you haven’t, you will quickly learn how to use ready made templates (compliments of Romain Vialard) to accomplish the task!

Example: Wilmore-Davis Elementary School
Example: West Jefferson Middle School

You will find a couple of our favorite free template styles available at the bottom of this Steegle.com web page. This web page includes general instructions on how to use the slider gadget, however, a few tips may save you some confusion. This is where we come in! We have added some tips to our really clear instructions that may save you from feeling confused and leave you loving these slider gadgets! So let’s get started!

Written instructions for the Basic Image Chevron Template



Written instructions for the Rounded Corners Template



Need Ed Tech Support? Follow this link to contact us!

Navigating the "New Google Forms"

If you have recently created a Google form, you may have noticed a new purple bar in the header. As Google continues to update their products and meet the ever changing needs of their users, a new version of Forms is in the works. To check out this new format, click on the purple bar to enter the new Google Forms. This update features a cleaner, more user friendly and streamlined look. Simplified floating tool bars have been added to follow you through the creation process and text heavy menu bars have been removed. While most of the features remain the same, there are a few additions that were not available in the past and a few missing features that still need to be integrated.

Fun new features

Consistent with the old version, users still have the option to use design templates to make their forms more interesting. The new version contains updated options, fun animations and artistic elements, as well as the ability to use a logo or school image for instant customization.





Real time response

The new Google Forms provides an additional way to view your responses. The option for populating responses in a spreadsheet is still available, additionally, you can now view responses on demand without leaving your form. Consider using this option to perform a quick formative assessment in your classroom anonymously. As you can see in the image below, formative data can be easily collected and displayed to assess student learning.

Limitations

As of today, there are still a few common features of Google Forms that are not available. The data validation feature is currently limited and add-on’s are not enabled. These features are in the development process and will hopefully be integrated soon. If data validation and add on’s are critical to the functionality of your Google Form, don’t fret. You can easily toggle back to the old version of Google Forms by activating the running man icon in the bottom left hand corner of your screen.

Moving Forward

As with most things Google, there is no clear date set for when the new Google Forms will be fully functional and the old version obsolete. Take some time to explore the new version now while the old version is still available to fall back on. Have fun with the new Google Forms and as always let us know if you need assistance.

Need Ed Tech Support? Follow this link to contact us!

Teacher Spotlight: Google Mystery Hangout

Mr. Bahlmann’s 4th grade class at Deane Elementary sits on the edge of their seat while the familiar tune of Google Hangouts rings throughout their classroom.

“Oh no!” says Digital Teacher Librarian Keri Douglas, “It looks like they’re not available.”
Not to fear, a chat box quickly pops up saying, “We need five more minutes to get ready. We transitioned late”. Another teacher somewhere across the country prepares her students to begin. Suddenly, her smiling face appears for the class to see on the projected screen and she announces the beginning of the Google Mystery Hangout.


Google Mystery Hangouts is a critical thinking event in which students from across the country or globe try to determine the location of the other class through asking a series of questions and responding through video chat. Think of the familiar game of 20 questions; now add on: digital tools, geography skills, collaboration, listening and speaking skills, decision making, and data analysis.


The power of Google Mystery Hangouts to incorporate these 21st century learning skills in an authentic way is the driving force behind its popularity. Ryan Livingston, the Digital Teacher Librarian at Patterson International, an IB school, is always looking to make global connections. After joining the Mystery Hangout G+ Community, Ryan found educators in Bogota, Colombia available to connect with his students. Students as young as first grade participated in a Mystery Hangout incorporating their math curriculum. Instead of guessing geographic locations, each class used the hundred chart and wrote series of equations to determine the mystery number. (Photos from this event)

Ryan is most impressed with “what it’s doing for kids... the questioning, inferring, and analyzing what they are hearing and watching. It is the thinking skills that Mystery Hangout promotes.” He already has plans to utilize a Mystery Hangout for the upcoming 4th grade Colorado History unit. He is spreading the word to other DTL’s in the district, including Keri Douglas at Deane. Which brings us back to our 4th grade classroom.


“Are you west of the Prime Meridian?” The first question is posed. Students use their understanding of major grid lines on the globe to narrow down the continent first. The 4th graders at Deane Elementary are prepared as researchers. Each student has their iPad on their desk with Google Maps and Google Earth open in addition to a laminated paper map. Students move between tools, conferring with one another, and posing new questions to ask. The students in the role of recorder skip around the room gathering the next question. Cheers are heard as each answer brings the class closer to discovering where the mystery class is located.

Mr. Wes Jones, student teacher from Colorado Christian University, comments at how the engagement of students is so high! Students are incorporating their learning from the 4th grade Social Studies unit Understanding Region along with ISTE technology standards of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, and decision-making. This event was a natural fit for Keri and Derek to co-teach and collaborate to authentically bring technology into their learning.

This Mystery Hangout successfully comes to an end as the Deane Elementary Huskies wave goodbye to the classroom located in Texas. Geographically separated by miles, today the classrooms were only a click away.

If you are interested in connecting with educators across the globe, join the G+ community to learn more!

Need Ed Tech Support? Follow this link to contact us!