PPS Instructional Technology

Google Slides is an amazing tool.  You can make the usual presentation, but you can also do so much more!   Newsletters , posters, class newspapers, and computer-based manipulative activities are all great ways to use Google Slides in the classroom.  As our elementary teachers use their Chromebooks more and more in their classrooms, they have been looking for ways to create quick formative assessments and activities that they can assign in Google Classroom for their students to complete in order to practice skills they are learning in math, ELA, science, and social studies.  One way they are accomplishing this goal is by creating Google Slides manipulatives that they can assign to their students in Google Classroom. Here are some examples: Spelling Practice Spelling Practice Graphic Organizers Graphic Organizers Telling Time (Hour and Half Hour) Food Chain Place Value Number Charts Shapes Google Slides manipulatives are...

Looking for a way to make the STEM/science concepts you are teaching in class come to life?  Then you must check out Edheads.org .  According to the website, Edheads is an online educational resource that provides free science and math games and activities that promote critical thinking.  Whether you are looking for an activity on Simple Machines, Virtual Knee Surgery or Crash Scene Investigations, you are bound to find something engaging for your students. All activities meet state and national standards and are completely free!  Each activity includes teachers' guides, glossories and other resources.  Check it out today at Edheads.org ! Activities include:  Aortic Aneurysm Surgery Choose the Prosthetic Crash Scene Investigation The Odd/Compound Machine Deep Brain Stimulation Design a Cell Phone Nanoparticles and Brain Tumors Sickle Cell DNA Simple Machines Stem Cell: Create a Stem Cell Line Stem Cell: Heart Repair Stem C...

Lodge McCammon is a professor whose interests lie in engaging students through technology, video, movement and music. He has been slowly creating songs depicting the important events in states' histories. He now has a series on the Solar System , including a song, lectures and kinesthetic  movements for the song. The kinesthetic motions follow the lyrics and meaning behind each song helping students to remember and engage with the words. The video below shows students performing the Natural Satellites (Solar System) song. Here is one of his lecture videos that accompany the songs.  In the lectures he explains the science sung about in each verse of the song. This is definitely a YouTube channel I recommend you watch and subscribe too. I see many more engaging videos coming our way. All the Natural Satellites (Solar System) videos have been added to our YouTubeEDU account here at PPS, so feel free to point your students to Dr. Lodge and have them check him ...

Happy Friday All! Today's tech tip brings you a fantastic resource for spicing up your curriculum and engaging students in your content.   PBS Learning Media  has some wonderful videos that are short and on topic.  There extensive library of PBS videos can be narrowed down by grade level, subject, standard, or collection.  The best part about it?  You get quality PBS programming in bite sized chunks for FREE! Are you a middle school math teacher looking for an engaging way to connect with your students on the concept of integers?  Check out this video: Elementary school teacher looking for a way for your students to practice inferring and predicting?  Check out the Detectives Notebook Game . There are thousands of resources just waiting for you to explore.  These great games and videos are sure to help make a lesson go from bland to brilliant! Enjoy!

Understanding science concepts often requires hands-on experimentation and visuals.  This great resource from the BBC Science Clips offers great online interactives for our students to play with when exploring new science concepts.  The material is grouped by age (from 5 years to 11 years). Check it out at:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml