Polly's Tech Tips

Tech Training Handout

May 9, 2012

www.wolframalpha.com

Great search engine. Better than Google because it gives you all information in one place.

www.qwiki.com
Gives you a “tour of info” when you do a search

Update your web browser to Google Chrome, there are so many benefits. Here are a few:

• Save favorites to one computer and they will show up on another (which will means you don’t have to remember all these sites!)
• Narrow down your searches (like recipes)
• Peal off a tab
• Conversions can go straight into the search bar
• Click the microphone to “speak” your search (might be good for little ones)

Save websites to favorites, either put them in folders or add them to the favorites bar.

If you have a remote for your projector you can pause the screen. This will keep the current view on the screen, even if you change the view on the computer. This will allow you to do things on the computer while leaving work up for the students. You can also mute the screen.  This will blacken the screen without turning the projector off. This is helpful if you want to quickly get the students’ attention and it will not take time to warm back up, as soon as you hit mute again the screen will come back on.

www.evernote.com
You can install the evernote app on phones and iPads. Then when you go to the site it will allow you to make notes, grocery lists, etc. They will automatically sync with your mobile devices and will be available on any computer.

www.pinterest.com
An app as well as a website. Follow people who you know will have things you are interested in, and then follow the people they follow. Pollygee, Tammy Worcester, etc. If we follow each other we can share ideas amongst the staff. There are lots of teachers on pinterest, and they are all sharing great ideas websites and apps.

www.ifaketext.com
Create a fake text message. Use it to get students attention, or have them create a text conversation as part of a project to show understanding of a historical event.

www.drawzit.com
A simple way students can draw and share. You can use it on the iPad, but it has flash so you have to use it through the app ROVER. You can have students draw and label parts of a flower, or heart, volcano etc., draw a picture to go with a story they wrote, draw a character or creature and then write a story to go with the picture, draw a scene that goes with their history book, make polygon people, etc.

Use www.google.com to search for sites according to reading level. Click Advanced search, then put your search in the search bar, use the “reading level” pull down menu and select desired reading level.

http://classtools.net/main_area/template_loader.php/?fruit_machine
Use this random name picker for a fun and fair way to pick students in your class. (If you have a list in word or excel, just copy and paste the list).

http://www.online-stopwatch.com

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/clock.html - an interactive clock

http://www.kisstunes.com/

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/guitar.htm
two options for turning your computer into a piano

www.exchange.smarttech.com
Do a search for a lesson you will be doing soon. You can combine slides from different
lesson you’ve downloaded. You will need to create an account but it’s free.
Find templates to make games.
Check out Teacher recommended resources and top download.

Smartboard Resources
Gallery – images as well as activities available, save into “my gallery” for easy future
access
Use Cloner and infinite cloner to make one duplicate of infinite number of duplicates
Lock images in place that you don’t want to move so the kids don’t move them
if students have trouble moving objects have them use their knuckle instead of their
fingertip