The Way to Sway

Guest Post by Cameron Yancy

What is Sway?

Microsoft Sway is a Microsoft tool that allows you to create interactive presentations.

Start from a Topic

Sway has some really cool features that you can utilize for your students to make standard presentations work for you, not against you.  A feature you can utilize to diversify your presentations is the START FROM A TOPIC feature:

This feature allows you to enter in a specific topic (ex: Roman History) and it will generate an outline with different cards (Sway's version of slides) pertaining to the topic. (ex: Language, Military, Geography, etc..).

Note About Copyright

One thing that is not only important to Microsoft but Keller ISD is copyright. Using this outline does NOT allow students to copy the word helpers provided by Sway.  It is assumed that one using Sway would replace the information with their original work.

Accessing Sway

1. Navigate to portal.office365.com
   Keller ISD: Navigate to KCLOUD
2. Enter your login credentials
3. Click SWAY:
   

Getting Started

View this video to get started:

Other Tutorials

Access Microsoft's full line of video tutorials here.

Mentimeter

If you want to add a little engagement to your class, Mentimeter is the tool for you! With their many slide templates to choose from, students will finally have a reason to utilize their mobile devices for learning!

1. First, sign up for a teacher account here.
2. Next, click the button.
3. Once your account has been created, dive into your first presentation.  Click the button.
4. Enter a NAME for the presentation and define the PRESENTATION SETTINGS:
   
   
   
   
   
5. Select a SLIDE TYPE along the right side of the screen:
   
6. In this example, the WORD CLOUD  type will be selected:
   
   
   
7. Select the applicable CONTENT and CONTENT SETTINGS.  In this example, the question, entries per voter, and profanity filter properties will be selected:
   
   
   
8. Once the slides are complete, click the button.
9. In order to interact, have the students access the prompt at menti.com and enter the provided code:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. The word cloud example can be pictured below:
    

Limitations

Currently, there is no limitation on number of participants, however there is a maximum of two questions and five quiz questions per presentation. Read more about payment options and limitations here.

Additional Help

Learn more by accessing the Mentimeter support page or by viewing past Mentimeter webinars.

OneNote - The Home of Your Archives

Guest Post by Jeremy Smith

What is OneNote?

OneNote is a user-friendly online notepad that automatically saves your entries so you can never lose it. OneNote gives you the freedom of your own customization through drawing, text, and voice-recording. In your notes, you can add documents, forms, and many other things provided from Microsoft. OneNote also helps with organization of notes and documents so you never lose them.

How to Login

1. Navigate to portal.office365.com
   Keller ISD: Navigate to KCLOUD
2. Enter your login credentials
3. Click OFFICE 365:
   
4. Click ONEDRIVE:
   
   
5. Click NEW > ONENOTE NOTEBOOK:
   
   
6. Name the notebook
   TIP:  click OPEN IN ONENOTE if you would like to open in the OneNote desktop software:
   

Why Use OneNote?

OneNote is a great tool for teachers to use for organizing their daily school tasks. From note-taking, to to-do lists, teachers can make sure they will never lose their important work and notes for their class. OneNote also gives teachers the freedom to be creative in organizing and note-taking by providing a blank template where the possibilities are endless. For example, a OneNote notebook can consist of:

• doodling/drawings
• imported documents
• assignments in many formats (tables, text, etc.)
• .... and many other features

How to Insert Documents

Directions written for the OneNote Online version

1. Go to the INSERT tab
2. Select FILE ATTACHMENT or FILE PRINTOUT (whichever applies):
   Insert as Attachment - will create a shortcut to the file attached
   Insert PDF Printout - will paste the entire document into your notes

How to Add a New Section or Page

Directions written for the OneNote Online version

Complete the steps below to add a new section of notes:

1. Click the button at the lower left corner of the screen
2. Click the   button at the lower left corner of the screen

More information

Do You Kahoot!?

What Is Kahoot?

Kahoot! Is a free game-based student response system. Students and teachers can use ANY web-enabled device, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and all smartphones, with this web-based service. Add videos, images, and diagrams to your questions to amplify engagement.

Students DO NOT need an account to use Kahoot! No usernames or passwords to forget!

All results can be emailed or downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet or saved to Google Drive.

Take it to the next level by having students create their own questions and/or Kahoot! games for review.  Social learning promotes discussion and pedagogical impact.

What will you do with Kahoot! in your classroom? #kisdpd

How Does Kahoot! Work?

1.     Teacher will login or create an account at https://getkahoot.com and select a quiz to play.

2.   Students will go to https://kahoot.it/ on their web-enabled device.

3.   Teacher will give Game Pin to students by showing on a projected screen.
NOTE: Questions will play on projected screen NOT on the student device.

4.   Students will enter the Game Pin (given by the teacher or shown on screen) and their Name.

5.   Teacher will begin using Kahoot! with students

6.   You can create funny, appropriate nicknames in Kahoot!

7.   Watch the quick 90 second video below to see it in action! 

Using Kahoot!

 1.     Create your own quizzes or edit/save quizzes created by others.

2.   Search/view public quizzes shared by users.

3.   Create quizzes, discussions based on one question, or surveys.

4.   See how many times your quizzes have been played and shared.

5.   Download/save results to Google Drive or Microsoft Excel.

6.   Play a quiz a second time in Ghost Mode, students play against themselves.

Additional Resources

·         Kahoot! Knowledge Base by Kahoot!

·         How to Use Kahoot in the Classroom by We Are Teachers

·         Step-by-step Instructions - Have you heard of Kahoot? by Mrs. D.

·         10 ways to electrify class with Kahoot! by Matt Miller

·         Kahoot Review Challenge by Amanda Wilp

·         Using Kahoot to host a book tournament by Erin*tegration

·         How to Share and Save Kahoot With Others! by Peppy Zesty Teacherista

Google File Stream

What is Google Drive File Stream?

File Stream is a new Google feature that provides a shortcut to your MY DRIVE files on your computer. After installing, a MY DRIVE shortcut will appear on your desktop where all items from your Drive will be streamed. Google Drive File Stream saves storage on your computer and saves time while not having to wait on syncing. Even though streaming requires an internet connection, the option to download files and folders to your computer directly is still available.

How to Use It?

1. LOG INTO Google
2. Go to DRIVE
3. Click the SETTINGS GEAR in the top right corner:
   
   
4. Click DOWNLOAD DRIVE FILE STREAM FOR WINDOWS
5. Choose the appropriate DOWNLOAD button.
   
6. Run the googledrivefilestream file (WIN) or the DriveFileStream.dmg (MAC) to download the application
7. Once it downloads, login with the Google Drive account.
8. The file stream will appear in the File Explorer (WIN) or Finder (MAC) window named Google Drive File Stream and all of your folders and files will appear there.
9. When you open a file, Google file types will “stream” in a web browser or you can open in other apps such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop.

Watch this video to view how to install and use Google File Stream:

More information

Classroom Screen

Classroomscreen.com offers several very useful tools for the classroom teacher.

First, select your language.

Next, select a background screen with the BACKGROUND button found in the bottom toolbar:

The site offers a RANDOM NAME PICKER tool:

To select a student at random, click the CHOOSE button.  When finished with the tool, click the X next to the RANDOM NAME button in the bottom toolbar:

Allowing students to access sites using a QR code can be helpful.  Classroom Screen offers a QR code generator as well:

To display multiple QR codes, click the +1 found on the QR CODE tool in the bottom toolbar:

NOTE:  To close any of the tools, click the RED X found on the corresponding tool.

The toolbar consists of many other classroom tools such as:

• Draw Tools
• Text Tools
• Work Symbols (including silence, whisper, ask neighbor, work together)
• Traffic Light
• Timer
• Clock

Twitter Chat Basics

Intro into Google Drawing

View this short 1.5 minute video to learn more about Google Drawing basics:

Twitter 4 Teachers

T4T Topic #1:  Why Use Twitter as an Educator?

Many educators are flocking to Twitter to ask for help/ideas or sharing ideas and tips.  View this video to see a glimpse of how easy it can be.

T4T Topic #2: How Do I Start?

To begin, decide how you will use the social media tool. Consider creating a:

• PERSONAL account to keep up with friends and family
• PROFESSIONAL account to keep up with colleagues and others in your field
• TEACHER account to communicate with your students, their parents, and colleagues
• CLASS account to communicate with your class, their parents, authors, experts, and other classes
• SCHOOL account to communicate with your stakeholders

To create an account, go to https://twitter.com/signup to sign up for a new account.  Be sure to upload a photo, avatar, or logo to make it easier for your followers to recognize you.

T4T Topic #3: My First Tweet

For your first tweet, click the  button.  A COMPOSE NEW TWEET window will appear:

Using 140 characters or less, enter your thought.  Hashtags may be included with the # symbol in front of the designated phrase.  Mentions may be included with the @ symbol in front of the designated user handle.  Click TWEET to PUBLISH the tweet.

T4T Topic #4:  Who Do I Follow?

Find several fellow educators to follow at first and as you follow them, you will branch out to follow others and extend your network by keeping an eye out for who they follow or considering Twitter's suggestions to you (suggested based on who you currently follow).  Several lists of "Educators to Follow" have been published to get you started:
Keller ISD Employees - Begin by following @KellerISD
Keller ISD Employees - Start here with the Campus & PTA Social Media Accounts List
We Are Teachers 35 Twitter Accounts Teachers Should Follow
Edudemic's 15 Top Educators to Follow on Twitter in 2017
eSchool News 15 Innovative Twitter Accounts you Should Follow
Getting Smart's 125+ Education Twitter Accounts to Follow

T4T Topic #5: Joining in On a Chat

What happens when a group of Twitter users meet at a predetermined time to discuss a certain topic, using a designated hashtag (#) for each tweet contributed? A Twitter Chat! A host or moderator will pose questions (designated with Q1, Q2…) to prompt responses from participants (using A1, A2…) and encourage interaction among the group. Chats typically last an hour. A Twitter chat includes a designated hashtag so members can find the chat and follow along easily. Each tweet or response to a tweet within the chat, MUST include the chat’s hashtag to ensure the tweet is grouped around the conversation topic and is easy for other chat participants to find.

NOTE TO KELLER EDUCATORS:

The T4T chats are starting October 10, 2017 in just a few weeks. Follow #kisdpd or #kisdpdchat in your Twitter feed for more information:

T4T Topic #6: Other Twitterific Tools

Lists

A list is a collected group of Twitter accounts. Users can create private or public lists or subscribe to public lists created by others. Viewing a list timeline will display a stream of Tweets from only the members of the list.  To create a list:

1. Select the profile icon in the top, right corner of the Twitter screen
2. Select LISTS
3. Select the CREATE A NEW LIST
4. Enter a LIST NAME and DESCRIPTION
5. Select PUBLIC or PRIVATE
6. Select SAVE LIST

TweetDeck

TweetDeck allows users to view multiple timelines in one, organized window displaying multiple columns. Various advanced features are available, such as scheduling tweets, viewing and tweeting from multiple Twitter accounts, and creating collections.  Read more here.

HooteSuite

Hootsuite (iOS | Android) is a great mobile app that allows users to view multiple social media accounts, view multiple Twitter lists, schedule tweets, and more.

Find more Twitter tips and tricks on the Twitter support page

Canva

Canva is a great tool to create photo collages to use in conjunction with webpages, learning management systems, lessons, social media, thinglinks, etc.  Simply follow the steps below.

1. Sign up for an account here.
2. Click the button.
3. Select a design:
   
   
   
4.  Use the tabs along the left side of the screen. The ELEMENTS tab is shown below to create a collage:
   
   
5. Select an element. The GRID is shown below to create a collage:
   

   
6. If applicable, select the UPLOADS tab from the left side:
   

   
7. Drag and drop images into the placeholders as shown:
   

   
8. When finished with the design, find the SHARE, DOWNLOAD, ORDER PRINTS, and MAKE PUBLIC options in the top, right corner of the screen:
   

   

Canva can be used for so much more than just collages.  Social media, presentations, blog graphics, Facebook covers, documents, cards, and more can all be created in Canva and helpful templates are supplied for the user needing a creative push.  Sign up for Canva here and find help articles here.