Students Can Write on .pdf's in DocHub
With the Chrome extension DocHub, students can "write" on .pdf's. The two-minute video below shows you how to add a .pdf assignment to Google Classroom and how students can turn in their annotated document. So...if you've got some worksheets that you love to use but only have paper copies, scan them to your email on the copier, add the .pdf to your Google Drive, and assign your worksheet through Google Classroom. DocHub can also be used to annotate text when you're looking at primary sources or taking notes. Download a Google Doc as a .pdf and use DocHub to annotate it for old-school revision. Lots of possibilities here! If you like the concept, but DocHub isn't your thing, Kami is another way to interact with .pdf files.
Hack the Link: Create a template/preview
Ever wonder when you visit TPT or Teachers Give Teachers how you are able to preview a Google Slide or Google Doc without being forced to make a copy? It's possible with a simple hack to the shareable link's URL. Simply remove the word edit at the end of the URL and insert template/preview. Make sure your privacy settings are "anyone with the link can view," and you're ready to share the new url. The two-minute video below gives you clear instructions. If you are sharing something awesome with colleagues in our district or your extended learning community, creating a template/preview is an excellent choice!Blended Learning Spotlight
Can I just say, this was an amazing week for me? I was blessed to hear from teachers on every one of our campuses who are transforming their classrooms by offering their students choices in path, process, and product. The students are working off playlists and rotations so the teachers are able to spend more time with individual students. Digital tools are allowing our students to think, collaborate, and create in new and engaging ways. And teachers are using a variety of tools to assess how the students are progressing: IXL, Education Galaxy, Quizizz, Kahoot, Flipgrid, EdPuzzle, Playposit, Eduphoria, Study Island, Pear Deck, Formative, Flashcard Factory (it's more than just vocabulary!), and more. Here are some of the things I heard:"I go home with energy left at the end of the day. And I'm actually talking with my students."
"I created an online assessment in Eduphoria, and it wasn't difficult at all!"
"My students loved using Insert Learning to interact with websites."
"My students are so engaged using Pear Deck Speed Graphs that they don't even realize that they're getting direct instruction!"
"I tell my students, 'I'm learning right along with you.'"
There's a creative hum I'm feeling when I walk into classrooms. Yes. Teachers are tired. Yes. Their calendars are jam-packed. But despite that, I see them stepping beyond their comfort zones and routines to try new things with their students and for their students. No. Let me rephrase that. I see YOU stepping beyond your comfort zones and trying new things with your students and for your students. You are making a difference!
It's a great time to teach and learn in BISD. Let's keep that energy flowing. Spring Break is just around the corner!
