Show Me and MORE

As discussed at the staff meeting, there are many different "whiteboard" apps out there, so if you are interested in checking them out we've listed them here as links.  Click on the links to see the directions and tutorials for each app.

ShowMe was the one we explored--free, simple and easy

Doodle-buddy  Erin's favorite, good for younger kids

Educreations  Erik and Ella Johnson's favorite, another great one

ExplainEverything  is the most powerful of the four, offers more features, costs $2.99

Have fun!

Educreation made by Ella Johnson 

K-3 Apps

A friend of mine recommends these apps for K-3.  I haven't tried any but she's usually a good source of info so I thought I'd pass them on to our primary teachers....

Smarty Pants School

Recommend iPad Apps (K-3)  

Reading Smarty Pants School PocketPhonics Futaba Abitalk App

Spelling & Grammar Magnetic Alphabet Bluster Grammar Jammers Spelling Magic Cimo Can Spell

Writing Dragon Dictation iWW(I write words)

Creating SimpleMind +

Too Noisy

The name of the app we looked at in the last Staff Meeting is TOO NOISY.  This is the link to the website where you can learn more about it.  It is free right now, but they recently put out a "Pro" version that is $1.00.  I haven't used it and the review isn't that hot.

If you need help installing anything, ask Shannon, Erin or Theresa.  :)

Turning your Apple TV (ATV) On

Turning your APPLE TV on:
1.)  Make sure your little black box is on by looking for the little white dot in the front.  If it isn't there, unplug the power from the back and plug it back in.

2.)  Use your projector remote to set your projector to your COMPUTER, not your overhead.

3.)  Push the port box (under the Apple TV) to B.

4.)  You should see the Apple TV choices on your screen.  If not, call Shannon.

5.)  Use your skinny silver remote to select "SETTINGS," scroll over to "CONFIGURE WIFI"

6.)    A list of available wireless networks will appear. Using the Menu up/scroll (+) and Menu down/scroll (-) buttons on your remote, navigate to the network you wish to join and select it. Select SBSD.Public.

7.)   When finished, select Done. A "Connecting to wireless network" screen appears.

8.)  When the operation is completed, a "Connection Succeeded" screen appears. Click Done. The screen should display the wireless network information, including network name, IP address, Wi-Fi Address, and signal strength.

9.)  Select Menu on the Apple TV remote until you return to the Home screen.


Here are the steps that are posted on the SBSD Technology Wiki Page: 

Steps to view Apple TV on a Projector

Computer / Apple TV Switchbox Configuration: (Most Common Setup)

1. Turn projector on
2. Wake Apple TV (pointing the Apple TV (silver) remote at the Apple TV and pressing the select button).
3. Apple TV is ready when white light is visible on front of Apple TV
4. Select "Apple TV" on Switchbox 
5. If Apple TV is not displaying, choose "Source Search" from projector remote
6. Apple TV home screen should now be visible on projector.

HDMI Configuration

1. Turn projector on
2. Wake Apple TV (pointing the Apple TV (silver) remote at the Apple TV and pressing the select button).
3. Apple TV is ready when white light is visible on front of Apple TV
4. If Apple TV is not displaying, choose "Source Search" from projector remote - Source will be HDMI
5. Apple TV home screen should now be visible on projector.
   
   

Classroom Configuration Overview

Each regular classroom, Media Center, Activity Center/FAB/Theater, Boardroom in the district is installed with an Apple TV and projector.

Computer / Apple TV Switchbox Configuration: (Most Common Setup)

• • Apple TV and Computer are hooked up to a VGA Switchbox.
  • Depending on what you want to view, toggle between the Computer and the Apple TV on the Switchbox. (Photo Below)
  • Apple TV and computer are either on projector source Computer 1 or Computer 2.
    

HDMI Configuration: (Least Common Setup)

• • Apple TV is connected to a projector with an HDMI cable.
  • Apple TV is likely mounted to the the projector directly.
  • HDMI is a source on the projector.

Remote

Basic Functions of remote:

• Remotes are paired specifically with the Apple TV in your room.  They will not control other Apple TV's.
  

Airplay

Airplay is the main reason for the installation of the Apple TV's in your classroom. 

They allow for a wireless video mirroring between an iPad, Apple TV and a projector.

Tips for connecting your iPad to your Apple TV:

Accessing the multitasking bar from your iPad:

• Double-press the "Home Button" on your iPad
• Swipe to the left until you reach the screen with the icons seen below
• Press the "Airplay" button to view available Apple TV's to share to (Airplay button is rectangle with triangle)
• Select the Apple TV from the list and turn mirroring on
• Apple TV should now be mirroring iPad

The Day after

My Google buddy, Andrea.

It is the day after the GTA, and my brain is still exploding from all the possibilities.  I've decided that I need one place to start writing down my discoveries, questions and thoughts in hopes that I can wrap my arms around some of it, and perhaps someone else might even find it useful.

The Academy was wonderful, with teachers that never slowed down because they just assumed you are with them, that talked at a million miles an hour because they were so passionate and full of ideas it was like they couldn't slow down because they might not get to share with you that last amazing thing they have in their head.  I wish I could spend days with each one of them, just following them around and sweeping up their little thought-crumbs.  But instead, each one only got an hour or so the first day and an hour or so the second before you were moved into another amazingly smart person's orb to get caught up and excited by again....I loved it!

First off was Amy Mayer from Texas and Cory Pavicich from Colorado. Their idea is an amazing project about celebrating the people in your community called The Somebody's Hero's Project, which I going to run home and do immediately.  We took a quiz about our superpowers and one of my colleagues won a hand-made google cape.  The project looks very easy to implement for teachers and is set up with templates for the kids to just click and go.

Too quickly their time was up and we walked through Google New York HQ (which is a little like being in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory) to our second session on Google Maps and Google Earth with Wendy Gorton and Kern Kelly, who were also fabulous.  Here is a starter video--very inspiring.

It was empowering to get a broader picture of Earth and Maps can do and where some great resources are for when I need them.  My favorite idea was one in Maps from Wendy, where she uses a map of a setting of a story to have the kids collaboratively find and discuss events from a book.  Here is one example using James and the Giant Peach.  I think we'll try this one out when we read Blood on the River to study Jamestown.  Maybe even use historical maps so we can look at the impact that Europeans have made on the area?   I love the idea of the kids interacting and annotating the maps as they think!

Then Kern showed us how to use sketch-up to make Earth 3-D buildings, which was really cool but doesn't work on an ipad, so we are out of luck in Room 29.  However, they shared another app for the ipad called 1234-D which looked amazing and we'll try soon.  Kern's high school students are using sketch-up and 3-d printers to present to the school board their ideas of what a new high school in their district should look like.  Talk about authentic learning!  On my list--to look into 3-D printers.

Just looking around at my resources from this session, I found Google Earth Walks, described as: "During a Google Earth Walk, students engage in real-world problem solving as they work their way through a virtual tour on Google Earth.  Each placemark offers an engaging, geotagged image as well as a compelling question, challenging students to apply what they've learned in the real world."  

How am I ever going to sleep again, with all these ideas to explore?  

These are just some starting notes---a tiny tip of the iceberg of the GTA.  I'll write more soon--but for now, I have to go see New York City.  Today the Statue of Liberty awaits!