Shorten URLs with goo.gl

When using the class sets of Chromebooks or iPads it can be hard to get links out to your students.  You can send them a document using Doctopus or post links on a webpage, but sometimes you find something in the middle of class and you need a quick way to send out a link.  

Goo.gl is the answer.  You can go to the goo.gl website and paste in a link to the web address you want to shorten.  

To make things even simpler, you can download the goo.gl shortener Chrome Extension which will show up right next to your Omnibox.  Then, all you have to do is be on whatever website you want to share, click the extension, and it will give you the short URL.  This short URL is much easier to write up on the board to share with students.  (Just be careful with some characters such as a capital i and lowercase l.  You can always click the link again to get a different short URL that is easier to read.)

Or, you can get a QR code which you can project or you can copy (Control C) and paste (Control V) it onto a document.

This should help you share links with students and get students to the right spot much quicker.

Sound the Alert!

Alerts is not one of Google's most well known tools, but I have found it very useful.  

Google Alerts allow you to automatically receive email alerts for search queries that you set up.  

As a teacher, I use Alerts to notify me of current events that relate to the topic I am currently teaching.  For example, during my last unit, evolution, I set up an alert using the keyword speciation.  I wanted to find current and relevant news articles that I could share with my students, but I didn't want to spend the time to keep searching the web.  Anytime google found this keyword, it sent me an email with a link to the website.

If your students are doing a research project, you can teach them how to set up alerts to get new information about their topic.

I think that Alerts would be a useful tool for school administrators to get emails each time their school is mentioned on the web or in the news.  Here is an example of a Google Alert email that I received about my school.  

It is pretty easy and quick to set up.  Just go to http://www.google.com/alerts and fill out the form with your search query.  You can change the settings to customize the search and the amount of emails you receive.  You can even set it to search blogs, news, videos, other websites!

I would love to hear other creative ideas on how you would use Google Alerts.  Please share in the comments below.

Copy and Paste - Using Your Clipboard History

Have you ever needed to copy and paste more than one thing at a time?  I am usually working with multiple tabs open on my Chrome Browser, and many times have multiple links or names that I am trying to paste into one document at the same time.  And it drives me nuts that sometimes I "lose" something in my clipboard when I copy something new. 

The clipboard is the place where the things you copy are stored.  You can add things to the clip board by pressing Control C on a PC, Command C on a Mac, or right clicking on something and choosing Copy.  To paste what is on your clipboard you will press Control V on a PC, Command V on a Mac, or right click and press Paste.  

I'm sure you are used to people saying "There's an app for that"....  Well, now there's an extension for that!  Clipboard History is a great Chrome extension that stays up next to your Omnibox (URL address bar) and keeps a history of all of the things you have copied.

This is a list of things I have "copied" and I can click on any of
these to bring it back to my clipboard to paste into a document.

To Use Clipboard History:

1. The first thing you need to do to use Clipboard History is download the extension.  Click on the Clipboard History link and click on the blue "+Free" button.  
2. After you have installed it, all you have to do is click on the icon of the orange clipboard up on the right of your screen, next to the Omnibox (address bar).  
3. Then click on the information you previously copied and want to use again, and it brings it back into your clipboard and allows you to paste that information into whatever you are working on.

You will love this extension.  It will save you lots of time and make things just a little bit easier for you!  Just to write this blog post, I used the extension three times!

My Spring Break "Project" - QR Code Dice

Leading up to spring break, I was so looking forward to some time off.  I had so many things I needed to work on - conference presentations, applications, cleaning, errands, etc.  I kept telling myself I'd get it done over break.  Soon, my list was a mile long and now that I'm back at work, I only got about half way through it.  Well, maybe only a third of the way through it....  Spring break is always too short!

Work in Progress - Just need the sixth side "Mod Podged" on.

On the last day of school before spring break, I saw a tweet for a blog post called "Roll the Dice on QR Codes" by Krissy Venosdale.  Krissy made QR code dice which linked to six different Google presentation slides.  So with one die, you can change and edit the Google presentation at any time to change up the dice.  The uses for this are endless!  Check out her blog for more information and great ideas.

The examples Krissy listed seemed to be best suited for elementary school students.  But I can imagine using this in my high school science classroom in so many different ways.  I can use it as a unit review and have six different questions or topics for students to review.  The dice can be used to give out articles for students to read and then practice writing arguments with claims and evidence.  My students could use the dice to roll for assignment or project topics, and then get into a group with other students who rolled the same topic.  And the best part, once making the dice, you can use them for all these different activities.  After seeing this blog post, I knew I had another project that I had to get done over spring break!

First, I created six different Google Presentations.  But I didn't want students to see the entire presentation page when they scanned the QR code, I just wanted them to go straight to the presentation in "play" mode.  So I chose to publish the slideshow.

Then I needed to make the QR codes.  I used goo.gl to do this.

I was then able to paste the QR codes into a table on a Word doc.  I printed them out on cardstock, and then used Matte Mod Podge with a foam brush to adhere them to 1.5" wooden blocks.  The Mod Podge works really well to adhere and protect the paper so they can be used for years in the future.

Here's a video I found with instructions on how to use Mod Podge to adhere paper to wood.

I am so excited to use these with my students!  Thanks Krissy for sharing such a great idea!  I am sure there are a ton of creative uses for these QR blocks that I haven't even thought of.  If you have any cool ideas on how to use these with students, please share in the comments.

Research in Google Docs - Using the Research Tool and NEW Easy Bib Add-on

Can Google Docs get any better?  They always seem to be coming out with new tools that make life easier.  I love how they are always changing for the better.

Today, Google just added Add-ons to their Docs and Sheets.  Add-ons are tools created by developer partners that add extra features to help you do your work.

One of the cool new Add-ons is by Easy Bib.  Easy Bib is an amazing tool to help you write bibliographies.  The new (free!) Add-on integrates into your Google Docs.  Once you install the Easy Bib Add-on, you can use it in each of your documents to help you create a perfectly formatted bibliography in APA, MLA, or Chicago styles.  It even indents the second line!

Here's a video on how to use the Add-on as well as how to use the Google Research Tool to find sources, insert them into your document, and cite the sources as footnotes.

Peer Review using Google Forms and the autoCrat Script

Students should always have feedback throughout their learning processes to help them grow and succeed.  This might be when they are writing essays, lab reports, or creating videos or other projects. Unfortunately, I don't always have all the time I would like to provide feedback, so occasionally I have students peer evaluate or review each other's work.  


In the past, I used to create rubrics and photocopy way too many papers so that each project could be evaluated by multiple other students.  This was such a waste of paper.  

Last  year, I decided to set up a Google form for students to fill out as they reviewed the work.  Then I used the autoCrat script to "mail merge" the information from the form into a nice document that was much easier to read then the spreadsheet.  This document is then automatically emailed to the student so they can review the feedback and continue working on their assignment.

I have created a screencast showing the step by step instructions on how to set this up and use the script.  (UPDATE:  Scripts are now gone b/c of the new version of sheets.  Click on this link instead for an autocrat tutorial.  The tutorial in this link is not the same form as in the below video, but it will help you use autocrat.  You may still want to watch the video below for ideas about this peer editing form.)

If you would like a copy of my spreadsheet (and form) and the merged document, click on the links below.  You can make copies of them which will save them into your Google Drive and then run the autoCrat script to set it up to use with your own students.

Click here for a copy of the spreadsheet and form.  

Click here for a copy of the merged document.

Save Time. Use Your Omnibox

The Omnibox is the search bar at the top of your Chrome Browser.  It does a lot more than just search for information or take you to your web site URL.

The Omnibox can be used as a timer, a calculator, search your google drive, and can even add events to your calendar.  

Timer

If you need a quick timer for a class activity, type timer and the amount of time into the Omnibox.  

It will start counting down.  You can even make the timer full screen by clicking on the blue image of "four corners" on the bottom right.

Calculator

Type in a problem to see it solved on a calculator.

Or just type in calculator.

You can even make line graphs....

and moving 3D graphs!

Search your Gmail (or Google Drive, YouTube, etc.)

To be able to use the omnibox to search your Gmail, you have to set it up in the Chrome settings.

1.  Go to settings.

2.  In the "Search" section, click on "Manage Search Engines".

3.  Scroll to the bottom to add your custom search engines.  

4.  In the first box, enter your new search name.  (Gmail, Drive, etc.)

5.  Then in the keyword box, enter in the letter or shortcut you want to use.  (g for Gmail, dr for Drive, etc.)  You can choose anything you want it to be.

6.  In the last box, enter in the web URL from below.

Gmail
Keyword: g
URL: https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/#apps/%s

Drive
Keyword: dr
https://docs.google.com/?hl=en&tab=bo#search/%s 

YouTube
Keyword: yt
URL: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%s&page={startPage?}&utm_source=opensearch

7.  Now, when you want to search your Gmail, Drive, or Youtube, type in a g (or dr or yt) into your Omnibox, followed by tab.  You will see this:

8.  All you have to do now, it type in what you want to search your Gmail (Drive or Youtube) for.

Add Google Calendar Events from Your Ominbox

To add a calendar event directly from your omnibox, you will do the same thing as above.  Go to settings, manage search engines, other search engines, and then add in the following:

Add Calendar EventKeyword:  cal
URL:  http://www.google.com/calendar/event?ctext=+%s+&action=TEMPLATE&pprop=HowCreated%3AQUICKADD

Now, to use it, type "cal" into the Omnibox and press tab.   

Then, type in the name of the event, the date, and time.  It will bring you to the calendar event add page.  And then you can choose your calendar, edit the event, and then save the event!

One Last Tip

Have you ever had too many tabs open, and want to easily and quickly switch back and forth between tabs?  Press "Control" and the Number "3" (If I want to open the third tab).  On a mac, press "Command" instead of "Control".

Maybe Just One More....

To open a tab that you accidentally closed, type "Control", "Shift", and "T".  (On a Mac:  "Command", "Shift", and "T")

Help Students Find Credible Sources

Common Core State Standards & Finding Credible Sources
Common Core Standards require that students are able to find sources when doing research and analyze them for credibility.  Here is an applicable CCSS standard for Writing in History, Science, and Technical Subjects: 

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Finding Sources can be tough for students.  I cringe when students post google.com or wikepedia.com as their sources in their bibliography.  I want my students to learn how to find actual and credible sources (and be able to site them properly).  Wikipedia is a good starting point to find out general information, or find links to other sources, but Wikipedia itself should never be their source.  And google.com is a search engine, not a source!

The first thing I do to help my students is to find some reliable sites and create a Custom Google Search for my students.  Students don't search the entire web, but use a custom search bar on my webpage that only searches sites that I have preselected.  Here is a link to my previous post about creating Custom Google Search Engines.  But even then, how do students really know that the source is reliable?  They won't always have a teacher creating a Custom Search Engine for them.  Students need to be able to determine if the website is credible.

A Great Idea from Catlin Tucker
Last fall, I attended the Fall CUE conference in Napa, and went to a session by Catlin Tucker - Common Core:  The Art of Argument Writing.  (If you ever get a chance to see her, be sure you do!  And read her book - it is great if you are thinking of how to integrate technology and Common Core practices into your classes.)  

One of the activities she shared was her Got Credibility? Google Form.  (Here is a link where you can find a copy of her form and her video on how to make a copy of it so that you can use it with your students.)  This form asks the students to answer questions about their web source such as "Does the source have an author?" or "Is there any bias presented in this resource?".  After students go through all of the questions, they should have a pretty solid idea of whether their resources is credible.  

I copied Catlin's form, and modified it a little bit for my class.  (In my biology class, I have students use APA instead of MLA.  I also added some info on websites that will work on our iPads to get the APA citations.)  I then set up the Google Script autoCrat to merge the data students submitted on the form into a Google Doc that was then emailed back to them.  I wanted students to have access to their citations and work that they did when they checked the credibility of their sources.


My Lesson Plan
When I first introduced this form to my students, I asked my students what resources they use to research a topic.  We had a discussion about credibility, and then I showed them the Google form.  I then gave them a website/resource to use to fill out the Got Credibility form.  I used a great website called Help Save the Endangered Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus.  This website is very detailed and students have to navigate around it to be able to answer the questions on the Got Credibility form.  

Students spent the rest of the period exploring the Tree Octopus website and checked its credibility by filling out the form.  Below is a copy of a filled out form from one of my students.  (This is what was emailed to each student after they submitted their form and the autoCrat script merged the data and sent them the document.)  Most students discovered that the source was NOT credible, that in fact it was a hoax.  

After the students participated in this activity in class, I had them search for their own resources to use as sources for their upcoming research project.  I required them to complete the form for each of their resources that they used in the project.  After filling it out a few times, they now seem to have a good grasp on how to tell if a resource is credible.  Here is a video one of my students made of tips on determining the credibility of a source.

Other Hoax Sites
I have been searching for other "fake" websites to use when introducing the Got Credibility form.  Here are a few good ones.

• RYT Hospital
• Moonbeam Enterprises
• The Burmese Mountain Dog
• Mankato, Minnesota
• Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division
• Bonsai Kitten
• All About Explorers
• Republic of Mollosia
• Dog Island
• Sasquatch
• The Ova Prima Foundation

If you find any other good hoax cites, please list them in the comments.

Resources

Here is a copy of my version of Catlin's Got Credibility? spreadsheet/form and the merge document I used with autoCrat to send out a filled out form/document to my students.   Be sure to make copies of both into your Google Drive.  You will then need to install the autoCrat script into the spreadsheet, and then link the merge fields from the document template when you set up the script.

The Google Cultural Institute - an Amazing Resource for Educators

If you can't take your students on field trips  to view artwork in museums, visit other countries to view heritage sites, or show them original archives, bring the world to your students in your own classroom.

Google Cultural Institute is an amazing resources that is broken up into three sections:  Art Project, World Wonders Project, and Archive Exhibitions (Historic Moments).  

I learned about the Google Cultural Institute a few months ago, but didn't really explore it in depth until after I attended the Google Teacher Academy last month in December.  I think it is a wonderful tool for teachers to use in their classes.  Below, I have described the resources available and included some screen shots and Google created intro videos to introduce the different parts of the Google Cultural Institute. 

I believe that this is a great tool that can be utilized in every subject area with a little creativity. It's pretty obvious how history and art teachers would use it.  But math teachers could have students calculate the angles on historical buildings using the World Wonders Project.  World language teachers could have students visit historical sites or look at artwork created in the countries that students are learning about.   Science teachers could have students learn about ecosystems and environments, or the see some the effect of the nuclear bombs in the Historic Moments Collection.  English teachers can have their students visit the Globe Theatre. 

Check it out.  The Google Cultural Institute is an amazing tool that can bring the world to your students.

Art Project

Art Project has brought "street view" inside museums around the world, which you can access from any computer in an internet equipped classroom.  

Walk the floors of the Museum of Modern Art and discover Van Gogh's Starry Night,

look at the entire painting,

and even zoom in to see the brush strokes.

You can even create galleries of work and compare two pieces of artwork at once.  The museum exhibits not only include paintings, but textiles, statues, etc.  And, the educator page gives you some lesson ideas and you create your own quizzes.

World Wonders Project

The World Wonders Project brings World Heritage Sites to life with Google Street View and 3D Modeling.   

View images and street views of amazing historical and important sites from around the world and learn about the history of each location.

Visit the World Wonders Project education page for resources and lessons for educators.


Historic Moments

Explore online exhibitions (including photos, documents, videos, etc.) detailing the stories behind significant moments in human history.  Learn about Nelson Mandela, Marie Curie, the bombing of Hiroshima, and much more.  

Search
The search feature is great.  It allows you to search for any topic or historical figure and find information, videos, photos, and other media.  The LIFE photo collection is included in the Google Cultural Institute too.

Learn How to Use the Google Cultural Institute
Watch this quick video to learn how to use the Google Cultural Institute website.

Search Google Like a Pro

Google is a great tool to find out information and even to find last minute lesson plans.  But do you always find what you are looking for?  Below are some search tips by Anthony Dejolde that will help you narrow down your searches.

by Anthony Dejolde:  Image Source

Do you want to find a quick lesson for the day?  There is no need to reinvent the wheel.  Before creating a brand new lesson, search for one using Google.  To narrow your searches, try searching for file type.  Enter in the search term followed by filetype:ppt to find a powerpoint presentation.

• Ex:  mitosis filetype:ppt for a powerpoint on mitosis.
• Other file extensions:
• word documents:  filetype:doc
• pdfs:  filetype:pdf
• SMART Notebook:  filetype:notebook

For more ideas, learn about more search tips and tricks from Google.

Easily Switch Between Personal, Work, and Student Accounts on Chrome

Have you ever been frustrated when you have to keep signing in and out of your Gmail, Calendar, or Drive accounts?  Or afraid that a student using your computer will see your personal emails?

There are way to solve these problems if you are using Google Chrome as your Internet Browser. 

Manage your Personal and Work Accounts
Add multiple users to Google Chrome

1. Click on the three bars on the top right of your screen.
2. Click on settings.     
   
3. Add a new user.
   
4. Here, you will add in your other Gmail account (either your home, work, etc.)  You can enter in a name (ex. personal, work, your username, etc.) and choose a picture.
   
5. Now, in the right hand corner of your screen, you will see the picture that represents your account.  (It is on the right if you are on a Mac.  If you are on a PC, it is on the left of your screen.)
   
6. If you click on it, you can easily switch back and forth between your personal and work Google Accounts.
   
   
7. It will open up a new Chrome window.  Each one is logged in with the separate account.  So you don't need to worry about signing in or out. 

Student Login on Your Computer
Use Incognito Window

1. In chrome,  press Control + Shift + n (on a PC) or Command + Shift + n (on a Mac)
   
2. Now the student can log in to Drive or any other account.  Your saved passwords or accounts will not be seen by the students.
3. When the window is closed, all accounts that the student logged into are logged out of.
4. Note:  On a GAFE account, you may not be able to open an Incognito window.  For example, my school seems to have locked that option.  I have to open the Incognito window from my personal Chrome User window.

Creating a Google Custom Search Engine

Have you ever wanted your students to search a topic on the internet, but were afraid of the results that they would get?  Are the hits they get age appropriate or even the right topic? You can create your own custom search engine, where the students can search and only find websites or sources that you want them to find.  

What you need to do first is find all of the sites that you like.  You will then go to Google Custom Search Engine.  

How To

Choose "New Search Engine" and then start copying and pasting your websites into the boxes.  

Change the name of your Custom Search Engine.  (It auto-names it the first website you enter.)

Now you will be able to get the link to send out or an html embed code to add the search bar to your own website.

Here is a sample Custom Search Engine for Science Current Event/News Articles.  This is what it looks like when it is embedded into a website:  

The BEST Way to Assign and Share Google Documents with Students

The best way to organize, assign, and share google documents with students is using the script gClassFolders.

I have been using google docs with my students for years.  Last January we became a Google Apps for Education (GAFE) school and I began to discover google scripts.  Scripts are magic!

In the past, I had had students create their own documents and share them with me.  I gave them a specific way to name/title the documents, but they didn't always follow my instructions.  And many times they would forget to change the sharing rights and I couldn't view their documents.  And I was so bad at organizing my google drive - their files were everywhere.

That is where the magic of scripts come in.  I can send out documents to students that are already name properly, with the student name, class period, and assignment in the title of the document.  I can control the sharing rights and even "embargo" the assignments, by changing student editing rights so they can't change the document after the due dates.  And I can automatically organize the documents into class or student folders.  I can use google search to find them, or go to a spreadsheet for an assignment and click on the link to each student's document.

To do all of this scripting magic, I use gClassFolders to set up the folders for each class and student.  Then to send out the documents/assignments, I use the hub in gClassFolders to run the Doctopus script.  I can assign individual or group assignments and change the share settings for the entire class at one time.

In the following videos I will share how I export my class rosters from Infinite Campus, run the gClassFolders script to set up my class and student folders, and then run the Doctopus script to send out an assignment.  

How to export class rosters from SUHSD's Infinite Campus and auto type in student email addresses:

How to set up and run gClassFolders:

How to send out documents using Doctopus:

*Note (9/3/13):  It looks like you can now create folders in your gClassFolder Teacher folder and they will show up in Doctopus when choosing folders for templates.  When I created this video, that was not an option.)  

This seems like it is a really complicated process, but you only need to set up gClassFolders once - at the beginning of the year.  If students enter or leave your class, you can update your gClassFolder roster and run the script again.  

From that one original roster, you can then run three other scripts; Doctopus (for sending out documents and running the goobric (rubric) script), Autocrat (a mail merge script), and pageMeister (a script that creates a page for each student on a class website).  

The first time I did this, it took less than a half an hour.  Once you get the hang of this, it will be a snap each time you assign students a google document or presentation.  

Pictures of Documents, Folders, etc. After Using the Scripts:

Sites with more script information:

• My script website (work in progress)
• YouPD
• Jay Atwood's script site