PBL and Children's Books

Eariler in the month I blogged about our PBL late start and all the projects teachers worked on. Today the published books from Lulu  arrived for Mrs. Foley's class!  I wanted to capture the excitement with twitter and curate using Storify/link to model reflecting as part of the PBL process.  I couldn't be more proud of this teacher, class, project and group collaboration!

Reflection and PBL Design Elements and Essential Project Design Elements below.

I attempted to bring one of the books into Book Creator on the ipad and record a few of the pages and test out the new publish feature on the ipdad. Here is a sample of "Colorful Crowie" link  I am excited to read that Book Creator will be available for the web and chromebooks next year!  We keep reflecting on ways to improve as part of our design thinking process and I hope we do this project again! I am anxious to see the student do a Google Hangout with other schools in our district and share their work!

  

Our PLT's allowed us time to collaborate with each other and to understand the elements of projects versus true PBL.  What a great way to wrap up the year with PBL projects and showcase!

Sharing and Reflecting on PLT - PBL Story

Our PLT that met during late starts for the 2016-2017 school year will be sharing our PBL story here with out staff today.  Our group created many great projects that will will share with our colleagues.  Some of the projects include cooking videos, children's books, coral reef project, DECA Best Buddies and Graphics with our Vinyl cutter just to name a few!

Presenting to our colleauges is a great way to reflect on our teaching practices and decide how we will continue to improved our teaching practices.

Link here https://spark.adobe.com/page/BNS9cp5BF3RqG/
We hope to blend PBL with Design Thinking next year and launch new products!

We will also look to submit and RFP to MassCUE next fall and present this presentation to a much larger audience!

If you are intereseted in defining our PLT for next year contact me before June 1st ifyou would like to provide input and/or help facilitate our PLT next year along with Tim Castner's book club on "Shop Class as Soulcraft"

Next year's Design Thinking topic here


Addtionally, our grou has submitted and RFP to the MASSCUE technology conference for next fall in order for our team to share their best practices.

Lit Trips on Chromebooks with the New Google Earth and Other....

In the past I have used Google Lit trips and Google Earth on a windows platform by downloading a KMZ file and running in a lab evnironment.  With students using more chromebooks I have not been using as much over the last few years.  So, I was very please to see there is now a new version of Google Earth that runs in the chrome browser on the chromebook. I plan to revisit lit trips this week and how it works with Google Drive and test out with a class.

Here is a video explaining the new process along with a tutorial post.

Steps below for lit trips:
1. Google Lit Trip Library here

Other topics:
On twitter this week there was apost on EquatIO, by Texthelp, that is now available in the Chrome Webstore. EquatIO is a Chrome extension that will allow you and your students to create math equations in Google Apps…. and other places. Today’s release only works in Google Docs and Google Forms but Google Slides and other web content sites will soon be able to utilize EquatIO.
This in combination with the new Chromebook Acer Spin 11 (with a stylus) coming out this spring may allow for many of the interactive features we using out Tablet PC's and touchscreen devices. Here is an video review of the Acer Spin 11 along with some ways to use the new Acer Spin 11 one of my favorite apps Google Keep.  I have been a big advocate of Tablet PC's, inking and Google Keep it's great to see these items availalbe on new touchscreen chromebooks.  I hope to convince my school to take a look and I am hoping the price in only slightly more than a standard chromebook!

More info here by two bloggers that I follow ...  here  and here