Right Side Chat

Here is a quick tip on how to move your Chat window from the left column to the right side of your Gmail page.  This does not change any functionality, it gives you more space on the left to view your labels.

Directions:

1. Open Gmail

2. Click the Settings Wheel, Choose Settings

3. Choose the Lab tab

4. Scroll down to Right Side Chat, Choose Enable

5. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page

6. Enjoy!

Take an Inspirational Journey Across the World

360°  Technology-Take an inspirational journey across the world with your students on

a virtual reality adventure right from your classroom.

Mark Twain’s 4th grade classes did just that with Mrs. McCoy’s and Mrs.Glaser’s students.

“WOW”,  that was the the response when the students explored

the 360 Virtual Reality technology!  Each student had an opportunity to explore Patriotic

Landmarks and then took a helicopter ride over the Polar Seas.

 

Many websites now provide Virtual Reality experiences to provide realistic visits to many cities and places. Fourth Graders explored the below Patriot Landmarks link: https://s.nearpod.com/j/9EC63BF9D57DBB03AD111F3575FE0E5D-1

Are you getting ready for a summer vacation?  Below are some 360 links to explore before you leave.

Statue of Liberty-http://www.360cities.net/image/statue-of-liberty-side

Mount Rushmore-http://www.360cities.net/image/mount-rushmore-usa

Grand Canyon-http://www.360cities.net/image/grand-canyon-mather-point-overlook

Golden Gate Bridge-http://www.360cities.net/image/golden-gate-bridge-from-the-air

Washington Monument-http://www.360cities.net/image/washington-monument-washington-dc

Old Faithful-http://www.360cities.net/image/old-faithful-geyser-eruption-usa

Immerse yourself in the world's first 360° documentary Polar Sea 360 film that explores the drastically changing Arctic landscape. Watch this with you google cardboard viewer and create a realistic experience.

Good Morning Huskies!

Good Morning Huskies! Every morning the 8th grade news team at Heritage Middle School starts their day recording the daily announcements, sports updates and any news of the day.  Daily announcements provide a great way for students to get involved in school, build school community and pride and have a little fun to kick off the day. The team is supervised by Kellie Sheely, Kris Konik and Patrick Acocks who support the project helping the team write and edit scripts, filming and posting the final video daily in Schoology.

Recording daily announcements is not a new concept at Heritage but using tools like WeVideo and Schoology have helped with editing and distribution of the video to the staff and students. In the past, videos were posted to the Shared Drive for teachers to access and show during 1st period.  This year the news team began posting the morning announcements to the Heritage Middle School Group in Schoology.  “Using Schoology to post our videos allows teachers easy access to the videos,” explained Mrs. Konik. “It also provides a reason for our staff to get into Schoology each day and has helped in supporting the transition to building student centered blended learning environments.”  

Central’s New Makerspace Christened “The Hawk’s Perch”

This isn’t your grandfather’s library!

Libraries have always been a place for inquiry and deep learning, whether the medium is print or electronic, and at Westerville Central High School, the library is busier than ever. Recently, in partnership with the Renaissance team, Principal Todd Spinner, an anonymous parent donor, the library, and funding from the Westerville City Schools Educational Technology Department, a new makerspace area, nicknamed “The Hawk’s Perch,” was dedicated. The counter holds a host of small tech tools that students can experiment and explore with including a MakeyMakey circuitry kit, two Little Bits electronics kits, laser strategy games, Ozobot programmable miniature robots that teach students how to code, and much more. Students can use the Hawk’s Perch area before or after school, or during their lunch or study hall times, and the library maintains an open access policy for pupils.

In addition, the library has a green screen recording space, cameras, and a camera stand and easel
board students can use to make “Khan Academy style” videos using the district’s WeVideo editing program. WeVideo integrates with Google Drive, so students can edit from school or from home.

The makerspace movement is founded on the belief that learning is inquisitive and student centered
and is grounded in the educational theories of constructionism, constructivism, and Montessori, and aligns with the work of Piaget, Vygosky, and Dewey (University of Wisconsin, Teaching for Creativity and Innovation: The Maker Culture and Makerspaces).

Students Explore, Discover and Engage during Hanby's Magnet Power Hour

Hanby Magnet School implemented Magnet Power Hour this year with their students in first through fifth grade. Hanby Magnet Power Hour is a special hour of learning where students  “Explore, Discover and Engage”.

Hanby Magnet School teachers have offered their students exploration time during Power Hours to integrate the Science, Technology, Arts and Math (STEAM). During this hour students explore questions and find interesting and relevant subjects that inspire them to learn more.

Hanby teachers ask their students: What do they want to learn?

Students are allowed time to explore their ideas with guided instruction.  Power Hour is schedule once every six days and the students look forward to this special time for learning.  Students choose what they are passionate about and spend time discovering.

An example project by our first grade students in Mrs. Smith’s class included exploring various coding activities.  Some of the sites used for these activities are as follows:

1. Code -Learn to code, for students
2. Espresso -Coding–for youngers
3. Hopscotch -Programming on the iPad
4. Scratch Jr. -Coding is the new literacy!
5. Tynker -Tynker's online courses make programming fun.
6. Kahn Academy -A personalized programming learning resource for all ages

Mrs. Plumb, a Hanby 3rd grade teacher lead a project on  Antarctica. Students  in various grades discovered  animals and explored their habitat. Each student documented their findings with Google Docs.

 STUDENT FEEDBACK:

What do you do during Power Hour?

• “We get to do candy experiments, create animations and study reptiles” said Ella, first grader.
• “I like Mrs. Smith candy experiment and how we get to journal.” said Nana, third grader.
• “I like Power Hour because I’m learning about reptiles, painted turtles and how the shell grows,  it’s my favorite class.” John, third grader.  “We also used Google Docs to show our research on Antarctica.” Nana, third grader.

Hanby teachers offer student choice during Power Hour.  Students love Power Hour and look forward to it every week. Power Hour gives Hanby students choice, time to explore, discover and engage.

Starry Night

Sunday’s Starry Night will Fuel Imagination through Art and Science

On Sunday, April 10, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., families are invited to the 4th annual Starry Night learning festival, sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Westerville Partners for
Education. The event will take place at Westerville North High School, located at 950 County Line Road. The festival will offer dynamic learning experiences with experts from Columbus’ premier educational, business, and community organizations.

The Festival is geared toward students in preschool through grade 8, along with their caregivers and families, the event will highlight the connection between arts and science. The theme this year is, Art
and Science – Fueling Imagination.

Generous sponsor support brings diverse exhibitors together under one roof, including
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Performing Arts Medicine and “Stinky – U”; Otterbein Physics
and Biochemistry; The Ohio State University’s Electrical Engineering Outreach; Insect Petting
Zoo; Byrd Polar Research Center; Westerville Parks and Recreation; Musical Instrument Petting
Zoo; Westerville Electric’s Energy Bike; S_E_A Engineering; Coding with the Girl Scouts;
AvcomSMT; Westerville Arts Council; Dramatic Impact with Candace Darman; ZenKidz;
Walnut Springs Maker Space; Laser Cutting; a Trash to Fashion show; and much more.
Westerville Partners for Education organizes this event as an annual opportunity for families to learn together and develop relationships with community organizations.

Engage Your Students with Digital AIR®-aligned Ohio Practice Test created by Edcite!

Do your students need additional practice with online testing? Do they need immediate feedback on their answers?

Edcite enables teachers to create high-quality, easily customizable, interactive content to fit their class or use their pre-made “ODE Air” like test.  These test are available for your students to practice and try now. The product addresses a critical issue for students who are unfamiliar with online standardized assessments.

Click the link below and start a practice test. Website: http://edcite.com/lp/ohio

New Ohio State Practice Test created by EDCITE

OH practice test created for you!

WCSOH EdTech Camp 2016 is now Open for Registration and Call for Proposals

We are excited to announce WCSOH EdTech will host our annual EdTech Camp on June 1st and 2nd at Blendon Middle School from 8:30-3:55. Come learn, share and have some fun as we continue to implement the 21st Century Roadmap transforming our classrooms into student driven blended learning environments.  EdTech Camp will offer a full day of technology integration topics ranging from novice level sessions including how to use Google Apps for Education and Schoology to advanced sessions including supporting Blended Learning in your classroom and exploring communication practices and tools beyond your classroom walls.

In addition to attending EdTech Camp 2016, we are looking for presenters.  Are you comfortable teaching your peers how you use Schoology, Google Apps for Education or another tech topic?  Have you created a Google Form or another digital tool to collect Formative Assessments? Have you created a Book Study in Schoology? Have you invited  an expert using Google Hangouts or Skype to present to your class?  Have you implemented an innovative lesson using technology tools to support student learning? Then we are looking for you! Please think about presenting at EdTech Camp 2016!  This is a wonderful opportunity to share how you have implemented technology in your classroom with your peers.

To register for EdTech Camp go to EdTech Camp 2016.

To submit a Call for Proposal go to EdTech Camp 2016: Call for Proposals

New Online Videos to Help Parents Support the Third Grade Reading Guarantee

Have you seen the three new videos to help parents help their children practice reading? Reading on the Go, Reading for a Purpose, and Reading on the Screen, all less than three minutes, give parents concrete, easy tips to help their children become stronger readers and meet the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.

They are perfect for sharing during parent nights and come with a collection of companion flyers with even more tips. Find them all on INFOhio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee page.

The flyers and videos were developed by INFOhio, the State Library of Ohio, Ohio Educational Library Media Association, and the Ohio PTA. They are available to all Ohioans for free download.

Please share with your parents by using the sample messages below in school newsletters or on the school Facebook page or Twitter feed.

Sample message for school newsletters:

Reading can happen anytime, anywhere!  You and your children can explore the joy of reading together with this series of “Reading ‘Round the Clock” videos that gives easy tips for working reading practice into everyday activities. These three videos—Reading on the Go, Reading for a Purpose, and Reading on the Screen—give great tips on keeping your family reading and preparing your children for Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee. Link to the videos and to companion flyers with even more tips on the INFOhio Third Grade Reading Guarantee page at https://www.infohio.org/students/parents/resources-for-the-third-grade-reading-guarantee. The flyers and videos were developed by INFOhio, the State Library of Ohio, Ohio Educational Library Media Association, and the Ohio PTA, and they are available to all Ohioans for free.

Sample Tweets and Facebook posts:

Watch the short video Reading for a Purpose to find fun ways to emphasize reading at home. https://vimeo.com/149091464 #INFOhioWorks

Always on the go? You can still help your child practice reading. Learn how in this short video. https://vimeo.com/149151093 #INFOhioWorks

Make screen time reading time with your child. Learn how with this short video. https://vimeo.com/149151138 #INFOhioWorks

Help your child breeze through the Third Grade Guarantee with these short videos and tip sheets http://bit.ly/1aDg4kb #INFOhioWorks

Baby Eagles!

A live cam of the eagle’s nest from the Rhodes Tower in Columbus is available here.  

Here is another one from the nation’s capital in DC. An excellent source of information on eagles can be found at the National Eagle Center's website.

You can also check out all of the digital resources on INFOhio.org to find educational information on eagles -- World Book Kids, Explora, ISearch for starters!  Search your CAT also. What books does your library have on Eagles? – perhaps a display idea!