Three #GR8Finds #ThisWeek - Project-Based Learning, Makerspaces, Humans of New York

[I blog every Friday about my #GR8Finds #ThisWeek. My list is very v-e-r-r-r-y selective
--my own crème de la crème curation. Generally, three to five #GR8Finds.]

Jan 30, 2015

1. Resources for Assessment in Project-Based Learning from Edutopia, updated this past week.

Post by Edutopia.

How do you assess your projects?

2. Transform Your School: Practical Tips for Starting a Makerspace, a slideshare by Diana Rendina.

Transform Your School: Practical Tips for Starting a Makerspace from Diana Rendina

Middle School librarian +Diana Rendina is a possibility thinker who's passionate about #MakerEd and shares freely on her blog Renovated Learning, and on Pinterest and Twitter. Follow her for inspiration and practical ideas!

3. Brandon Stanton, the person behind Humans of New York, brings hope to Mott Hill Bridges Academy in Brownsville.

I asked Vidal if I could photograph him in the same place that I met him for this next announcement. In only four days, we’ve raised over $700,000 for Vidal’s classmates at Mott Hall Bridges Academy. Nearly 25,000 of you have made a donation. Taken together, these donations have provided funding for ten years worth of Harvard trips, and ten years worth of summer programs. Your donations have given a heavy boost to a group of scholars and educators in their battle to establish a culture of success in a disadvantaged neighborhood. There was an assembly today where the full impact of the fundraiser was explained to all of the students, and it was quite emotional. (But more on that later.) I wanted to announce that all funds raised over $700,000 will be reserved for a final purpose. We are starting a scholarship fund available to the graduates of Mott Hall Bridges Academy. A committee of MHBA educators and administrators will choose the recipients each year. We’re going to use the money from our campaign to get the fund started, but we’re also going to lay tracks so that it can continue to assist scholars for years to come. It will be called The Vidal Scholarship Fund. And the first recipient will be Vidal himself. If you’d like to contribute, please click on the link in the bio.* *Indiegogo may not be loading properly due to the traffic. If this is the case, please check back later tonight.

A photo posted by Humans of New York (@humansofny) on Jan 26, 2015 at 5:55pm PST

What a difference one person can make!


It's Aloha Friday! I hope you find inspiration this weekend. ☺

                                          

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Makerspaces, with Robert Pronovost -- An Amazing Hour of Learning!

Yes, we loved learning about the award-winning Ravenswood Makerspace Collective from STEM Coordinator for the East Palo Alto District +Robert Pronovost, along with  K-5 Tech integration specialist +Sam Patterson Ed.D. Thank you, Robert and Sam!

Mahalo too to +Janice Lee, +Jasmine Doan, +Melanie Ching, and +Anne Torige for being on the panel, and to +Peggy George for joining us in the Q and A, with lots of good questions and comments.

Check out all the great links Robert, Sam, and Google Rocks! Hawaii's +Michelle Carlson Colte shared in the Show Notes.

And +Sam Patterson Ed.D.'s 3-minute video "Ravenswood MakerSpace Openhouse" is a must-see.

So inspiring! 


Thanks again, everyone.

                                          

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How to Use Google Forms for Reading Logs, Courtesy of Megan Ellis and The Apps Show

Google's recent episode of The Apps Show "Field Trips & Reading Logs | Google for Education" was Fabulous, not only because it focused on Google for Education (yes, we want more shows on education, please), but because my GCT buddy and amazing Middle School English teacher +Megan Ellis scored a shout-out for her reading logs, using Google forms. Way to go, Megan!

Check out the shout-out at 04:13, followed by an-easy-to-follow tutorial for creating a reading log.




Megan structures her reading-centered English classroom with a robust Google site. Grab a cuppa and look around Ellis English. You'll find lots of cool, practical ideas you can adopt/adapt right away!

Thanks for your dedication, Megan. You ROCK!

                                          

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Three #GR8Finds #This Week -- Student Led Coworking Space, Sketchnotes, Synergyse

[I blog every Friday about my #GR8Finds #ThisWeek. My list is very v-e-r-r-r-y selective
--my own crème de la crème curation. Generally, three to five #GR8Finds.]

January 23

Three #GR8Finds for #ThisWeek!

1. The Canvas

Hawaii's first student led coworking space!

@TheCanvasHI First Student-Led Coworking Space in Hawaii: http://t.co/KpwDXlAL3o #empoweryouth @mauilibrarian2 @Michelle_Colte @caseyasato
— Jasmine Doan (@jdoan168) January 17, 2015

Students can do amazing things, if we give them the opportunity.

2. My Sketchnotes by Sylvia

 +Sylvia Duckworth is on fire with her Sketchnotes! 


Sylvia put together a beautiful tutorial, Sketchnoting for Beginners on the iPad, so you can try it yourself. Thanks, Sylvia! 

3. Synergyse Training for Google Apps

This Chrome extension provides interactive, in-application audio tutorials, FREE for GAFE school accounts.



So useful! Thanks to +Chad Nacapuy and +Michael Fricano II  for introducing me to this gem on Google Rocks! Hawaii!

Have fun exploring these goodies!

                                          

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Four #GR8Finds #ThisWeek -- GAFE Guide, School Libraries, Social Media Usage Update, and Canva Design School

January 16

Notice that my finds may spill over from the previous week. Sometimes it takes a while for the news to get to me and these finds are just too good to ignore. Just so you know. ☺ 

1. Google releases new guide for educators, based on feedback it received from schools across the world.

One of the coolest things about Google is that it listens to its users.

2. School libraries shelve tradition to create new learning spaces, from The Guardian.

"What happens to school libraries when students find it more natural to turn to a computer screen than a book?"

IC: flickr

It's an extraordinary time to be a librarian!

3. Social Media Usage Update 2014

From Pew Research, via +Joyce Valenza. 
"The results in this report are based on the 81% of American adults who use the internet."


When Pew Research reports findings, I listen.


4. Canva Design School. Lesson plans for Canva, written by +Paul Hamilton, +Steven Anderson, +Theresa Eichholz, and +Vicki Davis.

You know how I feel about Canva ☺and now they're providing teaching materials!


Have fun exploring these terrific resources, and I hope you enjoy your weekend!

                                          

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Hour of Code in Hawaii's Classrooms -- So inspiring!

It's so inspiring to learn about how schools in Hawaii are participating in coding activities, not only during Hour of Code Week December 8-14, 2014, but throughout the school year!

So far, we've done two Google Rocks! Hawaii hangouts to celebrate Hour of Code in Hawaii, and, who knows, there may be more!

Teachers +Shane Asselstine of Momilani Elementary (21:58), +Steve Qunell of Iao Intermediate (33:14), and +Rachel Armstrong of Hale Kula Elementary (07:42) joined us for the first hangout in December, with K5 Affiliate Trainer for Hawaii +Evelyn Zayas (02:21) briefing us about code.org.

These links were shared by panelists (also available in the hangout Show Notes):

Rachel Armstrong

Hale Kula Coding Club Scratch Studio

Beyond the Hour of Code Hangout-on-Air

Shane Asselstine

Hawaii Public Radio Feature

Computer CraftEdu--a mod available within Minecraft Edu

Michelle Carlson Colte

Hale Kula Elementary Coding Rock Stars

Highlights: Hawaii’s Hour of Code by Hawaii Department of Education

Linda Lindsay

Hour of Code in our Library -- The First Day, according to Mac

Day #2 of Hour of Code in Our Library -- Scratch by Nick and Q&A with Milo

3 More Things to Share about our Hour of Code Week -- A Project, a Challenge,and a Presentation

Steve Qunell

Hour of Code Presentation at Iao School

Project GUTS (Grow Up Thinking Scientifically)

Evelyn Zayas

Code.org Workshop at Kihei Charter School, January 24, 8:30-3:00

Code.org Workshop at Iolani School Feb. 14, 8:30-2:30


+Michelle Carlson Colte invited technology facilitator +Melanie Ching of Waialae Public Charter School (03:16) and first grade teacher +Jake Lee of Punahou School (09:42) to come on GR!H, for Part 2. 

These are the links Melanie and Jake shared (also available in the hangout's Show Notes) :

Melanie Ching

Tynker website (good alternative/addition to Code.org): http://www.tynker.com/hour-of-code/

Lightbot website:  http://lightbot.com/hocflash.html

Jake Lee

Short Hour of Code Video 

Link: http://youtu.be/dEpVsT4i3DA

Longer Hour of Code Video Link: http://youtu.be/LDGHa4DcSJU

Badging and Creative Thinking: http://www.diy.org 

A Big Mahalo to all of these innovative Hawaii teachers who agreed to come on our weekly hangout to share about coding at their school.

Might there be another Hour of Code, Hawaii Style show in our Google Rocks! Hawaii hangout future to learn about how other Hawaii schools are coding? Now that would be fabulous! Please contact me or Michelle, or we may be contacting you. :)

Happy coding!

                                          

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Four #GR8Finds #ThisWeek -- Humility in Leadership, a Chromebook Guide, Globalized Classroom Resources for 2015, & Global Top 12 Teacher Blogs to Follow

Jan 9, 2015

#ThisWeek's #GR8Finds are exceptional IMO!

1. Ha'aha'a, the value of humility.

"We readily think of Ha‘aha‘a, humility, in servant leadership, when it’s actually in all leadership." From Rosa Say, "Managing with Aloha, Bringing Universal Hawaii's values to the Art of Business." 

Ha‘aha‘a, the value of humility http://t.co/u4uGkIEITd
— Celebrate Maui (@Celebrate_Maui) January 1, 2015

Humility is everything.


2. A One-Stop Chromebook Shop: Resource Guide for Educators

An extremely useful resource created by +Jennifer Scheffer.

3. The Globalized Classroom: 18 Key Resources for 2015

Post by Edudemic.

A plethora of great places to explore.

4. The Global Search for Education: Our Global Top 12 Teacher Blogs from Huffington Post

More interesting people to follow. :)


I hope you find #ThisWeek's #GR8Finds useful, and have fun learning!

                                          

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Three #GR8Finds #ThisWeek -- multimedia textbooks, longhand, unroll.me

Finding stuff makes me HAPPY!

Sharing stuff? Even HAPPIER!

Sooooo, I've decided to add a little structure to my sharing.

I'll be blogging every Friday about my #GR8Finds #ThisWeek. There, I said it in writing. No turning back. ☺

My list will always be very v-e-r-r-r-y selective -- my own crème de la crème curation. Generally, three to five #GR8Finds. (I find a LOT of good stuff in a week.)

What kind of content, you ask? #EdTech, mostly, with #inspiration, #surprise, and #booksandreading thrown in. And of course, #current. I'm aiming for all to be #HELPFUL.

So, without further ado, here's my first list.

#GR8Finds #ThisWeek - Jan 2, 2015

1. Five Tools for Creating Multimedia Textbooks

Handy: Five Tools for Creating Multimedia Textbooks - A Comparison Chart http://t.co/i7b7R8sWTg @rmbyrne #TLChat #edtech
— Linda Lindsay (@mauilibrarian2) December 26, 2014

2. The Lowdown on Longhand

Thought-provoking: The Lowdown on Longhand: How Writing by Hand Benefits the Brain | @Edutopia http://t.co/FROGcnraGt #TLChat
— Linda Lindsay (@mauilibrarian2) December 27, 2014

3. Unroll.me

Unsubscribe from unwanted emails & combine the rest into a single daily digest with @Unrollme. https://t.co/UzbQwNdIV9
— Linda Lindsay (@mauilibrarian2) December 30, 2014

Want to come along for the ride? I invite you to subscribe to this blog.

Happy New Year! May 2015 be all you hope for and more.

                                          

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P. S. Per usual, I'll still be writing other aiming-to-be-helpful #edtech blog posts, whenever inspiration strikes.