Do You Know About Google Alerts?

Do you have a special interest that you would like to follow but just can't always find the time to search for the latest information? Google Alerts can help. 

Google Alerts are e-mails that are automatically sent to your inbox whenever new information becomes available on your search terms. Depending on your search preferences, Google will monitor News, Web, Blogs, Video and Groups (or all of them) for new information, and send it to you on the schedule you've set up.

For example, suppose you are interested in following the latest posts on CCSS elementary math, or CCSS early language, or have a particular professional interest, if so, then, set up a Google Alert. When new information is available, an e-mail and snippet will be sent to your inbox.

The image below outlines how to set up Google Alerts:

Applications for Education
Google Alerts can be a great way to find resources you can use in your classroom.  For example, if you're a mathematics teacher, set up an alert for "mathematics lessons" or mathematics games" and new content will be delivered to you.  In a course that requires students to share current events stories, Google Alerts could be useful for students to track stories on a particular news topic.

This is an especially great tool for us busy teachers!  Check it out soon, if you haven't already!

iPad Tips and Resources

I am fortunate to have an iPad in my classroom and would like to pass along some helpful suggestions to you other lucky iPad users. Thanks to some great Simple K12 webinars this summer I am learning all kinds of new stuff and have gathered up some great resources, too!

Here is a link to a cute "Rules for the iPad" poster.  It comes in a single sheet size or a large poster size:
                                    
                                            
           http://www.heidisongs.com/Free_Downloads/assets/Classroom_iPad_Rules.pdf

Here is a link to a poster for the older kiddos:

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=759512

Here is something else I was so excited to learn about - controlling the app students are to use.  I have soooooo many apps in folders on my classroom iPad that it could be very confusing for students, but did you know that you can limit your students to one app, and prevent them from tapping certain areas of the screen?
In settings, go to General (on the left) and scroll down to Accessibility on the right. Turn Guided Access on. Set a passcode.  Once you have Guided Access enabled, go to the app you want your students to use and get on the screen they will be using. Triple-click the home button to activate guided access and lay rectangles over the areas you want to deactivate. For example, you could deactivate the ads at the bottom of an app so the student can’t click them, or the settings button, or prevent the students from viewing any YouTube videos other than the one they are supposed to be viewing. The student won’t be able to do anything on the iPad except that app. Even if they know about triple-clicking the home button to turn Guided Access off, they’ll still need the passcode.

Below are some links for more information on apps, lesson ideas, and other resources:

                                         

1. iClassroom- Livebinder by Jen Goldberg:  http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=759512

2.  j2Training Livebinders on digital topics -
 http://www.livebinders.com/shelf/search?search=&terms=j2training&type=1

3.  iPad World -Livebinder by J. Corder and J Gore:
  http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=207117

                                  
The following is a great ebook containing iPad educational apps:
http://naomiharm.org/Master%20iPad%20List%20Winter%202012%20Naomi%20Harm.pdf

Here are some Pinterest pages:

1.  Pinterest page by Lennette Holden: http://pinterest.com/lennette1963/ipad-in-the-classroom/
 
2.  Shelly Terrell on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/shellyterrell/

3.  Melissa Mann on Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/mnmann/



I hope that you are able to take some time and check out these wonderful resources!  Enjoy your summer!