#DeviceFreeDinner

Combining Common Sense's #DeviceFreeDinner with The Family Dinner Project's Conversation Starters and Dinner Games is sure to make some lasting memories this holiday season. Give it a try at your house!

Random Name Pickers and Group Making Tools

If you're looking for Random Name Pickers or Group Making Tools, check these out...

Google Drive Options

You can make a copy of a Google Sheet that will do this for you here: Article with directions

You can use Flippity.net to create one as well: Article with directions

There is also a Google Template for generating groups: Google Template

Website Options

There is a website (www.classtools.net/random-name-picker) that lets you input names and spin a virtual wheel to have a name randomly selected from the list.  After a name is selected you can remove it from the wheel so that it is not selected again.  This website is free to use and doesn’t require registration to use.  You can save your lists by assigning passwords to them.  You can re-use your saved lists.
The Random Name Picker was written in HTML5 so that it will run in the browser of your iPad too.
This could be a fun way to select the order in which students will present to classmates.

The website (instantclassroom.com) has several tools for teachers, but it does require a free account. 
The good thing is that once you’ve created your class lists, you can use them in all of their applications which include a SeatingChart Maker, RandomName Generator, and even a ClassroomGroup Maker.

This works in the browser of all devices too!

App Options

As far as apps go, I personally like things that can be used across platforms, but here is a list of installable iTunes apps that can be used for this purpose.  Many of the apps, unlike the websites above, are sadly not free:  Student Selector & Grouping Apps

Kagan also has several tools in iTunes (Name Selector, Student Selector, Timers, and Spinners).  Naturally, these are also paid.: www.kaganonline.com/apps

Here are two free apps for Android: 
Group Picker Express
Random Student Picker

TechTator Pinterest Page

Just a reminder to everyone that the DLCs in the district have created a Pinterest board with app and website suggestions divided into folders for easy location: www.pinterest.com/techtators

There is also always the old popsicle in the jar. 

Thanks to Kristy McCoy (DLC for Pioneer Heritage and Stafford) for compiling this list!

65 Things You Can Do in iOS 9 That You Couldn't Do in iOS 8

If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, check out 65 Things You Can Do in iOS 9 That You Couldn't Do in iOS 8. 

My favorites are the iPad options for Slide Over, Split View, and Picture-in-Picture at the bottom of the article. 

32 Innovative (Free) Online Educational Tools in 2015

Check out Noodle's list of 

32 Innovative (Free) Online Educational Tools in 2015. 

Desmos: Explore Math

Desmos

What it is: Desmos is an incredibly fast online calculator that can graph any imaginable function. It also allows users to add sliders, do regressions, and plot whole data tables, among other things.

Who would love it: Anyone learning math, from middle and high school through graduate school and beyond. Also great for teachers.

Why it’s good: Desmos can be used on any computer or tablet, completely free of charge, and does not even require a download. It seamlessly creates beautiful visual representations and animations, and it allows users to save and share graphs they've created. Desmos makes complex math — whether theoretical or applied — fun, interactive, and accessible.

Why it’s relevant: For many students and math enthusiasts who can't afford graphing calculators, Desmos is leveling the playing field. It is also, in Tech Crunch's words, "platform-agnostic" — so anyone with a computer or tablet can use it anytime. In addition, Desmos is supporting the push toward online textbooks and leading many students to spend their free time creating cool graphs and cultivating a love of math — something that's especially crucial given the growth in STEM-related careers.

Something you didn’t know: The site has an engaging series of classroom activities for teachers. One of these is the Function Carnival, which enables students to watch a video, create a graph, and have that model transformed into an animation. Another is Des-Man, in which students do math artistically — they draw faces with graphs by using domain and range restrictions.

Answer Garden

AnswerGarden.ch is "a minimal tool for maximum feedback".

Set up your Answer Garden in seconds then receive feedback immediately.

Students can enter up to 40 characters. The results are displayed in a word cloud. The site is brows based so it's accessible from any device with Internet.

Free TEKS App

MasteryConnect released a FREE app so you can carry around the TEKS in your pocket! I know, pretty exciting. ;)

Quickly search standards by grade level, subject and keyword.

Available in iTunes and Google Play.

BeMyEyes.org

If you have a few minutes, check out www.bemyeyes.org where you can lend your eyes to help blind people read and navigate the world around them. Currently requires use of an iDevice. 

vimeo.com/113872517 

Apple TV Settings for the Classroom

If you are interested in using an Apple TV along with your personal iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch or MacBook, please check out Apple TV Settings for the Classroom for lots of tips, tricks and things to be aware of. 

Booktrack: Soundtracks for Books

Booktrack.com is a website (and apps also) that provides background music while you’re reading an ebook! The music usually goes with what you’re reading, so its helping set the mood. It looks like they already have some of the classics available. 

http://www.booktrack.com/#!/

For anyone who's not much of a literature reader it could really help motivate them to want to read! 

There’s also Booktrack Classroom where teachers can create classes for students.

http://booktrackclassroom.com/#!/

Teachers can control which books their students have access to (grade / age appropriate, etc.). Students can also “create” their own books with their own writing and add sounds to it!

o   They add music based on Emotion, Genre, or Style (so it really gets them thinking about what they’ve written.)

o   You can add sounds for very specific sections of text, or a whole chapter.  Very cool!

o   They can’t add pictures.  Its text only.

o   Students can read & rate each other’s books in their Class!

It might be cool for teachers to give students this as an option for reading!

Here's an overview video.

Apple Maps Fly-Over Cities

If you have access to an iDevice, check out Apple's Maps Flyovers! 

A list of cities and landmarks can be found here. 

1) Open Apple's Maps app.

2) Search for a listed city or landmark.

3) Click "Start Flyover" on the top.

GeoGebra

“GeoGebra is dynamic mathematics software for all levels of education that brings together geometry, algebra, spreadsheets, graphing, statistics and calculus in one easy-to-use package.”

It looks worth investigating more…

Website

Chrome Add-On

iTunes App

Google Play App

Windows Store

From today's Google for Education newsletter:

Rockin' around the Geome-TREE

Educator Tom Rose of Chowchilla High School in California uses Geogebra, a free web app, to bring complicated math concepts to life. “The app’s ability to move things around and dynamically see what changes and what doesn’t goes much further than the most well-written lecture notes,” Rose says. “Students love working with GeoGebra, and have no problem loudly saying ‘YES!’ when I tell them it’s ‘a GeoGebra day’ rather than another slideshow from Mr. Rose.”

PhET Sims

The University of Colorado has an awesome collection of online simulations covering topics including physics, biology, chemistry, earth science and math called PhET Sims. 

Use the links on the left side of their page for helpful resources.

Check out this page for an up-to-date, downloadable list of simulation compatibility by device.

Nearpod FREE Content

Nearpod allows teachers to construct presentations using the Nearpod website and deliver instruction to students by pushing content out to multiple devices at once. The teacher controls the presentation from a master device or computer, while students follow along on their own devices or computers. It's compatible with any mobile device (iTunes, Android, Windows), Chromebook, Mac or PC.

Nearpod has a gallery of pre-mad content that you can download, modify and use. Many, but not all, of this content is free.

Polleverywhere's New Question Library

Polleverywhere has partnered with Boundless Learning to offer a high level Question Library including questions from 22 different subject areas. 

Find a question you like, select it and go!

5 Ways to Use Remind (101) with Your BYOD Class

Remind (formerly Remind 101) can be used during class to engage your students!

Read the article here.

Vintage...

Vintage Smartphone

Vintage Social Networking

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning is a fabulous resource for all things Educational Technology.

New in iOS8

Check out Tony Vincent's article and video highlighting helpful tips for teachers and students in Apple's new iOS8.

Apps on CHS iDevices

We have sets of 15 iPad2s, 5 iPad1s, 15 iPod Touch Gen 3 (no camera), and 4 iPod Touch Gen 4 available for checkout through Eduphoria's Factilities & Events. The set of 15 iPads are picked up from Penney's desk in the South Workroom and all other devices are picked up from the Library.

See http://bit.ly/chsapps to view a list of apps that are already accessible through our CHS iDevice account.

See this handout for tips on evaluating apps for classroom use.