ACSD March Madness

March Madness is HERE! The final four is this weekend. Many of you would STRONGLY AGREE, we have March Madness Champs right here at ACSD. With the leadership from Mary Beth, she arranged a way to showcase ACSD central office personnel, building secretaries, the tech team, and the food service director at the Iowa Association of School Business Officials Conference this week. These group of professionals has done AMAZING things behind the scenes. They deserve the recognization as leaders and innovators in the state of Iowa. Please give them a high-five for a job well done.  

PRESENTATION - IASBO Panel -- Technology in the Office-Bringing Creativity and Collaboration to Your Workplace!

Don't MISS out!!

Google Expeditions coming VERY soon. We will have a Google Expedition Kit ready to go by Monday, April 3rd. At Washington and Schuler the majority of general ed classes will be exposed to Google Expeditions during library skills. Janice deserves special thanks for taking and using library skills to provide ACSD students a chance to explore places they only envision in their dreams. WOW! THANK YOU, JANICE. AMS and AHS educators, please contact a TLC member, Ginger, Janice, or a Tech Member to arrange a time to take advantage of this opportunity.

Below is a Google Sheet with a list of tours.

Google Expeditions -- AKA Tours - Numerous Subjects

What is Google Expeditions you may ask?

Definition: Google Expeditions enable teachers to bring students on virtual trips to places like museums, underwater, and outer space. Expeditions are collections of linked virtual reality (VR) content and supporting materials that can be used alongside existing curriculum.

Youtube Video - What is Google Expeditions!

Google Expeditions

Pixar in Box - You Say what?  -- Khan Academy

Definition: Pixar in a Box is a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar artists do their jobs. You will be able to animate bouncing balls, build a swarm of robots, and make virtual fireworks explode. The subjects you learn in school — math, science, computer science, and humanities — are used every day to create amazing movies at Pixar. This collaboration between Pixar Animation Studios and Khan Academy is sponsored by Disney.

Check it out by clicking HERE.

Mark you Calendar
Last Sumdog Challenge for the 2017-2018 School Year

2016-2017 Sumdog Green Hills Math Contest

#ACSDTECH

By: Jessica Fincel

@jfincel32

Happy Saint Patrick's Day -- "Lucky Search Tips and Tools"

Many ACSD students are working on research papers, presentations, and projects this spring. Do you need help to provide credible, safe, and easy resources for your students' projects? The resources listed below will do all that and much more!

Kiddle

Kiddle is a visual search for kids powered by Editors and Google Custom Search. You will find a Kiddle tile on the Washington, Schuler, and AMS Symbaloo Pages. Thank you for sharing @hemno1.

Google Scholar 

Google Scholar is an online search database (search articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions).

Click HERE for more information and features about what Google Scholar has to offer.

Google Search Operators & Advanced Google Search

Use search operators and advanced Google Search to find quality resources. These shortcuts will help you limit your search results.  

Iowa Area Online Tools & NetTrekker

Click HERE (sharing permission only ACSD employees) to view PDFs/Handouts on Iowa Area Online Tools and NetTrekker. Janice and Ginger will be more than happy to help you out with these tools.

Washington Staff don't forget about the facts4me website. 

#ACSDTECH

By: Jessica Fincel

@jfincel32

No More 3 Ring Binder -- Online Portfolio

Are you in the following scenario??....It is April...Your teaching artifacts are due and you need to create a professional portfolio for your administrator....You wish there was an easier way than printing all your documents out, hole punching each one, organizing them, and then placing them into a three ring binder. Well, there is!  Now is the time to set up an Online Portfolio.  I  have an easy template that you can use. All you need to do is add your own content.  

https://sites.google.com/a/atlanticiaschools.org/portfolio-template/home

All you need to do is add your own content...

Objective 1: Create a Google Site from a Template

Step 1: Log into your Google Account

Step 2: Go to  Google Sites (You will find it under your Grid drop down in your Email - See Screen shot below.)

Step 3: Click “Create.”

Step 4: Click on “Browse the gallery for more” (I know I always say “avoid templates”, but I promise you this one is a good one and easy to use).

Step 5: Click the “Teacher Portfolio Template” and then click Select. (Or you may click on HERE and use this template -- especially outside ACSD domain.)

Step 6: Name your site.

Step 7: Click “Create.” (It is on the top of the page.)

Objective 2: Get your Content Organized on your Computer

Now it’s time to find all YOUR AWESOME content.  Get it organized and ready to upload to your website.

Click HERE to watch a quick tutorial on how to save files to pdf and organized them on your computer.

Other tips: Screen Shot of your content

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201361

Objective 3: Content, Content, and More Content

Standards 1 - 8 are File Cabinet Web Pages

What is a File Cabinet Page?

A file cabinet page is designed to store and organize files from your computer, web (link), and/or Google Drive.  

You may also organize the files into different folders on your site.  

Click HERE to watch a quick tutorial on how to update your file cabinet page.

Objective 4: Update the Home Page

Click the Pencil Icon and update the home page.

Suggestions:

Bio

Picture

Family Picture

Favorite Quote

Why you love teaching

Personalize this page

Objective 5: Share the Site

STOP AND THINK BEFORE SHARE...

Some of your content that you put on this document is Sensitive Data... So only share this site to people that you want to see it.  IE: Administrators

Step 1: Click on the Gear

Step 2: Click on the Sharing and Permissions

Step 3: Share to the appropriate personnel (I suggest you use VIEW ONLY).

Objective 6: Personalize your site

Idea 1:  Change the Header

Idea 2: Change the Theme

Idea 3: Customize the Fonts and text

Idea 4: Add more pages....

Idea 5: This is your site... do what you want with it.  
Happy Creating!!

Google Site Resources:

https://sites.google.com/a/atlanticiaschools.org/acsdtech/google-apps/sites

By: Jessica Fincel

@jfincel32

Technology ... Always Changing and Updating - Chrome and Google Apps!

Google Apps and Chrome have made some changes in the last month. In my opinion, these four changes will take some time to adjust.

1.) No more black bar in your Google Apps!!!  Look for the new icon!!

2.) No more folder icon in Google Drive, but can move a Google document under the file menu. 

3.) New icon in Google Drive.  No need to hover to find the hidden back arrow.  Click on the icon to get back to drive for all Google Drive applications.

4.) Chrome start up page has a new look.

By: Jessica Fincel @jfincel32

I LOVE GOOGLE FORMS - KEEPS GETTING BETTER

Google forms, keep changing for the better!!!

Now you can add Date, Time, and Image to your Google Form!!

You can add images to your Google Form!!!  AWESOME!


Check out the tutorial by Richard Byrne on how to add images!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRl1dG4iehk

Add Voice Comments to Google Docs!!

Add Voice Comments to Google Docs!!!

This is a great way to give feedback to your students!! 

More information and tutorial on the link below:

http://teachbytes.com/2013/04/23/add-voice-comments-in-google-docs/