LATEST BLOG POSTS
Grading in the Era of Instant Gratification
You can start your car by the click of a button. You can watch, read, or listen to your favorite shows, books, or music in real time by the click of a button. You can go from having a cold slice of pizza to a piping hot slice of pizza in a minute by the […] READ MORE
4 Great Activities Using Technology to Promote Mindfulness in the Classroom
In today’s climate, students and adults alike are struggling with regulating their emotions. As educators, it’s not just our job to teach academics, but also to support the whole student. One way that we can do this is by encouraging and practicing mindfulness. Here is a list of four simple activities that you can do […] READ MORE
Global Find and Replace in Presentations
There is a neat little trick for updating Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, especially when there needs to be a massive number of text edits for replacing older, outdated words and text with new ones in both Slides and PowerPoint.You can use the find and replace feature. This is the same idea as the […] READ MORE
Interactive Science Fun with Google’s Periodic Table of Elements
One of the staples to a science classroom is the periodic table of elements. Students are introduced to this in some fashion in their early grades but explore it deeper as they progress through middle and high school. Much like the calculator has made math a little easier for some, Google’s new interactive tool has […] READ MORE
Inspire Creativity and Invention with Rube Goldberg
Motivate your students to become inventors, artists, and problem solvers! Join Jennifer George, granddaughter of Rube Goldberg, for a series of courses on using Rube Goldberg Machines in any classroom. This series of courses has something for everyone – from comic arts to Minecraft and technology integration. Get inspiration with any of these courses: Rube […] READ MORE
Engaging English Language Learners with Virtual Pen Pals
Are you looking for a unique way to engage your English language learners? Virtual pen pals are the way to go! By having students interact with one another outside of the four walls of their classroom, they will be able to develop a deeper cultural awareness, enhanced communication skills, and gain collaboration opportunities. Not only […] READ MORE
Five of Our Favorite Podcasts for Teachers
Do you have five or ten minutes during your teaching day? Like to keep up with professional reading as a teacher but would rather listen than read? Then take a look at our top 5 podcast pics! We have collected five of our favorite podcasts for teachers. Of course, there are hundreds of them out […] READ MORE
PBL Is Not PB&J
In writing about project-based learning and using the initialization PBL, we could not help but think of our favorite lunch, which is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, otherwise known as a PB&J. Despite the similarity in abbreviations, the two are quite different (and not just because one is a sandwich). Think of a […] READ MORE
Getting Started with a Flipped Classroom
After coming off of a unique school year in which many teachers worked in either fully remote or hybrid learning environments, the notion of what works in a classroom has changed. One such model that some teachers adopted to meet the needs of their students was that of a flipped classroom. It is important to […] READ MORE
3 Ideas for Customizing Your Class Jamboard
Google Jamboard is an awesome tool for collaborative or individual activities. Whether you’re a Jamboard pro, or a beginner, there are some interesting tricks and techniques for your Jams that can make your lessons more unique and interactive. Jamboards (a.k.a Jams) are interactive whiteboard-style files where teachers can have students participate in activities, whether […] READ MORE
Make Mathematical Graphing Lessons Interactive with Desmos
Are you looking for a way to make your graphing lessons more interactive? Now it’s easier than ever to incorporate interactive graphs using Desmos in Lumio. Desmos is a free tool that allows you to add blank graphs, plot points, line equations, and even images that are oriented on the graph! Graphs can be created […] READ MORE
5 Ways to Use Google Tools for SEL
Our job as educators is to educate the whole student, and this includes providing social and emotional support. If a student does not feel safe and supported, they cannot learn. Like anything else, successfully integrating social-emotional learning into curricula requires an extensive culture shift and considerable stakeholder backing. However in recent years, technological developments have […] READ MORE
4 Micro-Credential Options on OTIS for Educators
What is a micro-credential? Micro-credentials are just what they sound like, short certifications on a specific skill or in a particular area. They enable educators to show what skills they have mastered and their areas of expertise. Why earn a micro-credential? Micro-credentials, unlike other professional development courses or workshops, are designed to offer on-demand, self-paced, […] READ MORE
4 Basic Google Sheets Features to Get You Started
Google Sheets is one of many apps offered by Google Workspace. It is a web-based spreadsheet that can be used for multiple purposes. Sheets is great for organizing and visualizing data like grades, or as a hub for resources and rubrics. In this post we’ll share basic tips that will help you navigate this great […] READ MORE
Add Apps to Your SMART Board
Looking for a way to integrate learning apps into your classroom? SMART Technologies has you covered with a curated list of approved educational apps from the Google Play Store that you can add directly onto your classroom board and start using right away! In order to use this feature, you should be using a SMART […] READ MORE
3 Ways Rube Goldberg Machines Can Engage Your Students
Looking for a fun and extravagant way to stretch your students’ creativity? Or perhaps you want to exercise their social skills? Then the challenge you have been looking for may be building Rube Goldberg machines. A Rube Goldberg machine is a fun, outrageous, and wacky invention that performs a simple task. The process requires bizarre […] READ MORE
