[SESSION DESCRIPTIONS]
"Microsoft EDU in the Classroom"
Office 365 Education provides familiar, up to date tools to help students and educators better communicate, collaborate and achieve more. Come discover all that Office 365 has to offer teachers as Patrick Sheren breaks down robust tools that allow you to create dynamic learning experiences in and outside of the classroom. This kick-off will explore applications like Microsoft Classroom, Office Mix, Microsoft OneNote, Sway and more. See something you like? You already have access to it if you're in a Microsoft district. This year is your year!
"EduPaths: Navigate Your Professional Growth"
Missing opportunities for professional learning? Want to sharpen your skills or learn anytime and anyplace? In this interactive session explore EduPaths. Completely free, EduPaths provides bite-sized, self paced professional learning. From Google and technology to instructional practices, EduPaths goal is to support your needs!
"Authentic Writing and Technology"
Using apps such as Aurasma, Blabberize, Google Docs and Pixton you can give writing a fun and authentic purpose.
"Differentiating with Technology: Writing Supports"
Teachers will be provided with instruction on how to differentiate a lesson for a variety of learners of varying abilities. Each session will provide examples and resources for differentiating the current curriculum the teachers are using in their classrooms.
"ThingLink: Sleek & Simplified Presentations"
Present a new way for teachers and students to present information: ThingLink. It is free for the basic account and I will go through what it is, compare it to other presentation tools, and show how to use it.
"Using MeL for Test Prep"
Did you know…The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) provides subscription database resources free to all residents of Michigan? One of the great K-12 resources in MeL includes the test prep database LearningExpress Library. During this extended hands-on session, participants will learn how to access and use this great resource. In particular, we will explore the School Center, which provides tutorials, practice tests and eBooks related to improving math, reading comprehension, writing and grammar, social studies, vocabulary and spelling, as well as logic and reasoning. We will also explore other Centers that contain practice tests including four new complete 2016 SAT tests, ACT, WorkKeys, ASVAB, AP exams and career certification exams. Be sure to bring a device so you can explore this great resource and learn how to integrate it into your curriculum.
"BreakOut the Learning"
I would like to share the world of BreakOut Edu. By using online clues teachers are able to set in motion some of the most powerful critical thinking students can achieve. Using a game premise, students are given a time period to breakout of a wooden box, using padlocks. Solve the clues to set yourself free.
"Don't Teeter Totter About Digital Portfolios: Use Seesaw"
Are you interested in capturing student learning opportunities and outcomes with ease? Trying to find a way to organize student portfolios that are quick, easy, and totally FREE? Join me for an interactive, engaging session about utilizing student driven digital portfolios through Seesaw. We will explore the various capabilities of the app/website, it's adaptability to all grade-levels K-5, and the ease at which you can support your students in documenting on-the-spot learning, assessments, and collecting other the digital projects in one place. Digital Portfolios allow teachers to create a window into their classrooms and provide students the chance to showcase their achievements and learning over time. You'll be ready to "hit the ground running" come September and won't spend a second teetering about how or where to begin!
"Getting Work Organized with Google Classroom"
Google Classroom is a great tool to use to assign student work and to organize Google Docs with your students. This session will teach you how to create a class in Google Classroom as well as to add announcements and assignments. You can add web links, attach files and add Google Docs to your announcements or assignments. Google Classroom organizes all of the documents that you share with your students in your Google Drive. In order to use Google Classroom, your school MUST use Google Apps for Education and you must have an account. If you would like to learn more, but do not have an account, there will be generic test accounts for you to try out. Please bring a device with Google Chrome installed.
"CMS/LMS Creation on Weebly, Wix and WorkPress"
This presentation will cover the balance needed between esthetics, functionality, and efficiency when creating a CMS/LMS.
"Basic Coding with SCRATCH"
SCRATCH is a free web-based program that can be used to teach students basic coding. Students just need a username and password to get started. SCRATCH can be used to create animations, stories, games, and just about anything else a student can imagine. I currently use this program with my 8th grade students. Come to this session to learn the SCRATCH basics and leave with a variety of online tutorials to use with your students next school year.
"Gamification in the Classroom"
This is an introduction to gamification in the classroom. The presentation will focus on how to engage, inspire, and empower your students to not only want to come to class, but learn as well! A Breakoutedu experience will be provided to risk-taking.
"Obstacles of Technology"
Presentation covers some obstacles faced by educators regarding technology. It pursues a better understanding of obstacles mentioned and the way in which they can be addressed to ensure an effective, productive, and efficient use of technology.
"Make STEAM"
Wondering what all this hubbub is about MakerSpaces and STEAM? Interested in starting your own MakerSpace or developing some STEAM activities? Questioning just what your students will gain from a MakerSpace and STEAM? Pondering over where to get materials and funding? Overwhelmed with what to get? Concerned about all the logistics? During this hands-on session we will answer all these questions and get you on your way to Making STEAM.
"Doing More with Desmos"
Desmos is quickly becoming the finest secondary math learning software available. It’s useful for enrichment of faster learners, support of struggling learners, or as an integral part of the core curriculum. It’s free to use and easy to access, but comes with a certain learning curve. Be prepared to start at the beginning and arrive at the finer points of this outstanding math application.
"Jeopardy for the Classroom: Make Assessment Fun"
I will give participants a Jeopardy template for the smart board and show them how to modify it for their content.
"Getting Started With Illuminate Ed"
For teachers who have Illuminate Ed accounts and would like to know more about how it can help them make their lives easier, this workshop shows the basics of covers configuring the Dashboard, useful Pre-built Reports, creating assessments, GradeCam and entering scores. A resource guide that walks through everything shown from the presentation will also be provided.
"Using Technology to Teach Vocabulary"
This session would first show teachers how to use quizlet, Kahoot, Spelling City, and other online sites to engage students in vocabulary work. Each of these sites has different strengths. Students need a variety of ways to learn and using one site all year gets boring for the kids. Having different sites, strategies and assessments can help classroom teachers get kids engaged in learning their vocabulary words.
"Stop.......Motion Time!"
Find out how the free Stop Motion app will get you to "move outta your seat" and create animation in ANY subject area. Participants will create a movie and leave with ideas to use in your own classroom.
"Classcraft"
This classroom management tool has enhance my classroom management in an engaging way that teaches the students the benefits of teamwork.
"Quizlet and Quizletlive"
Quizlet has been a great study tool for my students. With the addition of quizletlive, my students quiz scores have soared!The students love it! 100% engagement 100% of the time!
"Appy Hour"
An interactive workshop will give attendees the chance to play with several apps and web tools to enhance student engagement and mastery.
"Voice, Choice and Paper Airplanes"
"Theodore Roosevelt coined a phrase, which lays the foundation for good teaching: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Allowing students to have voice and choice is a top priority to cultivate a safe, risk-taking, mistake-making, empowered community of learners. When our sixth graders saw a vacant outdoor space outside our classrooms and noticed a lack of care and attention being given to the outdoor places around our school, they wanted to make positive change, and we, their teachers, listened. With THEIR ideas, THEIR voices, and THEIR dreams, we planned, created, and executed a project-based learning opportunity where our students would use skills and content in all subject areas to help bring their vision to fruition. Utilizing multiple technological outlets, students voices were captured and listened to: Excel, to share their budget ideas, Twitter and website design, to help grow their audience and make their work and wishes known to the world, Publisher to help invite our community in to see a presentation of their learning and iMovie to synthesize their learning and understanding for presentation purposes. Spend time with us seeing how students can help make project-based learning come to life, discuss how to capitalize on authentic learning opportunities to expose students to technologies, and gather resources that will empower you to elicit student voice and choice in your classroom or school community so that the global citizens you serve can feel not just heard, but listened to so they can go and change our world!"
"Making iPads and Chromebooks Work in the K-2 Classroom"
This session is designed for Kindergarten through 2nd grade teachers who would like help with iPads and Chromebooks in their early elementary classrooms. We will start with creating a daily routine with technology that you will LOVE! Then, we will move through the literacy block by creating QR codes for Read to Self, and finding adaptive software to give you the data you need to instruct your small groups. I will share my favorite tips and tricks to help you love iPads and Chromebooks in the classroom.
"Digital Grammar: Instructing Students in Today's Classroom"
Grammar instruction continues to be more important than ever when we look at the digital landscape our students belong to today. Experts Constance Weaver and Jeff Anderson offer us wonderful ways to infuse grammar into our everyday writing lessons and help us prepare our students with activities that strengthen our students writing. However, what is not considered is that our students today are digital. As educators we need to help them better understand what it means to write in a formal, academic sense, and in informal ways as well. Educators need to address how students write in digital spaces and stop blaming kids for their use of technology when in relation to “bad” grammar. We need to guide them to differentiate between the writing they do in their digital spaces and their non-digital spaces. This interactive session will give teachers and educators an opportunity to learn effective strategies using Google Slides along with social media that can help students to differentiate between formal and informal writing while learning new grammar skills.
"Integrating Britannica School into the Curriculum"
Britannica is not just an encyclopedia!! With the world of the internet, Britannica School has evolved into a valuable online K-12 resource for students across the curriculum and is a must in every classroom. During this extended, hands-on session, participants will learn how to access Britannica School, which is free access provided by the Michigan eLibrary. In addition to the traditional encyclopedia articles, features include magazine and periodical articles, photographs, videos, illustrations, maps, flags, lesson plans, and curriculum supplements. Learn how to create and share Resource Packs, compare countries, tour the U.S.A., find biographies, and search content by curriculum standard and grade level. And if that wasn’t enough, learn how to use the following features: leveled reading, listening, citation, dictionary, and translation. Be sure to bring a device and any unit or lesson plans so you can leave the session with this great resource incorporated into your curriculum!
"3 Minute Brain Warm-ups: Begin the Class Ready"
I would be presenting teachers, both special area and classroom, a variety of warm-ups that would help their students be ready to learn. Cds with music can be copied, and there will be handouts with room for notes. Some of the time, the teachers will be watching a demo, but most of the time, they would be exploring the various moves of brain gym and how to get students motivated.